Scarves......They're Not Just For Winter Anymore!

Ahhhhh, the scarf.  There is nothing better on a cold, winter day than throwing on your favorite sweater and wrapping your neck in a fabulous scarf.  Nice and warm.  Warm.  This is how most of us think of scarves.  But, as you know I love to do, let's step outside the box and think of another word to associate with the scarf!  Summer!!!!!!!!


The scarf has made a comback.  The scarf has been turned back into a major fashion accessory.  I love the pictures from the 50's and 60's of women with their hair wrapped so beautifully in a scarf.  Grace Kelly was the epitome of beauty in her scarves!

But at some point, the scarf turned from an accessory to a necessity for warmth.  My first scarf, and  still my favorite, was a Burberry plaid!  My Burberry scarf will forever be in my wardrobe but it is definitely a warm scarf!  But, I love scarves!  Love them! I want to wear them all.the.time. So, it has been so fun the last couple of years to see the popularity of lighter weight scarves.  They are everywhere!  And now they are showing up for summer. 


Summer?  Yes, I said it!  Summer.  Or Spring, if you prefer.  But the scarf is not just for warmth anymore!  The lightweight scarves are everywhere: Dressing up tank tops...

Mixing it up with patterns......

In DIY tutorials......

And one of my favs, in the hair.....

There are so many ways to wear the scarf!  Don't get into the rut of just wearing them one way.  Depending on your outfit or the temperature outside, you can mix up the way you wear your scarf. 

Don't be afraid to just wrap it around and try some different things.  I use my Stella & Dot brooches to do this one a lot!  Nothing wrong with adding a little bling to your scarf:

Now, eventually you will run into a major problem with your scarves.  Where do you put them all?  Oh, the problems we fashionistas have to deal with.  It's a hard life!  I have tried a few different things.  I put hooks on the inside of our coat closet door to hang them on.  All fine and dandy until I started getting more and more scarves.  This is my latest way to organize them, a simple 5-tier trouser hanger:

This one is great if you have some space behind a door.  A few tension shower rods and you have instant organization:

 And if you have some extra hangers and some shower rings, this one is simple and easy!

Some final tips for adding scarves to your wardrobe: Use them to add a pop of color to any outfit.  Use them to dress up a simple t-shirt or tank top.  Use them as an easy way to mix prints.  Need a belt?  Wrap one through your belt loops!  Be fearless in your scarves.  Check out my Pinterest Scarf Board and my Pinterest Styling Board for more great ideas on how to wear scarves any time of the year!

Closet Shopping

Now that I have embarked on this fun new adventure (and it is FUN!!), people ask me what I do.  I finally get to say "Oh, I do personal styling by doing Closet Shopping."  Everyone looks at me with a wonderfully quizzical, naive look!  "What is that?" is usually the response I get.  So, I thought it would be a great idea to walk you through a Closet Shop! 


Have I mentioned this is fun?  Well, it is!  O.K., so my first question to a client is "What is your style?"  That is a really hard question.  A lot of us know what we like but we don't really have a name for our style.  Boho Chic, Classic, Rocker, Biker, a mix of all, a cross between a few.  It is a tough question.  You certainly don't have to name your style, but it is sometimes helpful in letting me get some insight into what a client likes.  Probably a more direct question would be "What do you WANT your style to be?"  Some of us are stuck in jeans and t-shirts but we know that inner fashionista is in there somewhere!  Some of us are stuck in the 80's or 90's (I could totally still rock my big hair!) and we just need a little nudge to get into a current style.  Whatever the issue, we all could use another set of eyes on our closet.  Our clothes say a lot about who we are and how we feel about ourselves.  My goal is to make clients feel comfortable and beautiful and like they actually want to get dressed every morning!


I will go through a closet looking for a few classic pieces.  Can I tell you, I am beaming with pride this week!  A client had this fabulous soft grey velvet jacket.  I pulled it out and she immediately said "I only wear that about once a year, out to dinner and only with this one top."  Ahhh, just what I am looking for!  I rolled up the sleeves, paired it with some jeans and encouraged her that it could be an Everyday piece!  It was seriously gorgeous.  So, to my own amazement, this is what I saw the very next day when I ran into her at our kids' school:

She was rockin' that jacket with a beautiful scarf (that she immediately had gone out and bought after I left her closet!) and her Stella & Dot layered bracelets.  A star pupil!  Now, isn't that jacket so fabulous!  I am still smiling ear to ear!


Those few classic pieces can be added to to make so many great outfits.  Another client I worked with had a ton of those great little jackets that she loved but could never quite figure out how to wear them.  She also had a ton of printed t-shirts in great colors that still all had the tags on them!  Oh the horror!!!!  She loved the prints but then felt that she "stuck out" too much while wearing them, so she never put them on.  Not once!  Simple solution:

 This particular client came away with nine, count 'em, NINE outfits our of her closet that she said she would never have put together!  Here are a couple of the other great things she had laying around just waiting to be worn:

Notice how those super fabulous red striped wedges can be put with just about any casual outfit for a little pop of color!!  I love them!

Notice the fabulous jacket that we paired up with some trouser jeans and a dressier top for a night out.  The same jacket is in this picture, but paired with a bright color and some capris for a summer evening of fun:

Another common issue I run across is that most women think scarves are only for fall/winter.  No!  The lightweight scarves can add so much in the summer time.  Pair a bright scarf up with a white tank and some great capris and you are ready to go!  My client loved this skirt but it was sort of old and she thought she had to wear it in winter with tights.  Summer, here she comes!

 All of this great stuff was in her closet.  Some of it she wore but most of it still had tags on it.  All in all, we probably "shopped" about $200 worth of new outfits and she didn't spend a penny!


Most women have the makings of a great wardrobe.  Some just need a few things to pop into the new season.  For all my clients this spring, I am recommending little pops of bright colors!  Flip flops, skinny belts, scarves!  A few brightly colored camis or tank tops can make all the difference.  Pair up with a cute white, button-down shirt and you have a whole new outfit for very little money. 


Like I tell my clients, put an outfit on!  Just looking at stuff in your closet doesn't work.  Take two things that you would NEVER think to put together and put them on!  It might work, it might not.  But you don't know until you try.  You bought your clothes for a reason.  You liked them.  Try looking at them with a different eye and see what you might find!  That fashionista is in there!

Let's Talk Shopping

Shopping, you say??  O.K.  Let's talk!  We all have our go-to places that we like to shop.  Some of us love Nordstrom.  Then there is White House Black Market (never sure on the order of that name!!).  Old Navy is a staple for me.  Old Navy's big sister, The Gap. And, lest we forget my home away from home, Target.  Yes, Target!  Especially the clearance racks.  Love it!  This week, your assignment is to go somewhere that you never go to shop.  Step outside your comfort zone and look for something that you normally wouldn't buy!  Find a great deal and share it!


Deals can be found just about anywhere.  For those of you who have some time in your schedule, in between mani/pedis and eating our bon bons all day, a good dig through TJ Maxx can produce something like this for a whopping $10:

Now, for fantasy shopping, there is Pinterest!  Oh, Pinterest.  My Pinterest addiction has inspired so many great outfits!  My love of Louboutins came from Pinterest.  I may never own a pair, but I can look at them all and even create different outfits to wear them with!  It is a Fashion Fantasy World.

But, you can also find some amazing deals there.  I absolutely love this dress:

It comes in some great colors and is only $60!  Summer is just around the corner!  The website for this dress is eShatki  This is a site I NEVER would have found on my own.  Using Pinterest may seem scary or intimidating, but it can open up a whole new world of deals and steals!


I am always on the lookout for a great deal!  Clearance racks, sales, coupons.  Don't pass up a deal! If you are really lucky, you will find a great little boutique like we have in our little town.  The owner has brought a trendy, hipster vibe to the suburbs and she is doing great!  Visit Red Carpet Boutique if you are a local!  Tell Morgan I sent you.


You don't have to spend a fortune to be a fashionista!  You'll just look like you broke the bank if you do it right!

Stella & Dot

A little history and how it works.
Stella & Dot was started about six years by an amazing woman named Jessica Herrin.  Jessica first created the amazing company of Weddingchannel.com.  I planned my entire wedding on Weddingchannel.com!  After selling the company to the Knot, she was looking for something new.  She started designing jewelry and holding in-home trunk shows.  Out of all that grew Stella & Dot.  Stella was Jessica's grandma and Dot was her partner, Blythe's, grandma.  They were inspired by vintage pieces they each had gotten from their grandmother's.  You will see a lot of beads (The La Coco collection) and brooches in the line, very reminiscent of vintage jewelry.


Stella & Dot is an amazing company to work for.  We do in-home trunk shows for amazing women.  The parties are so much fun!  I get to meet women from all walks of life and help them bling up just a little!  It is really a great job.  I make my own hours, spend my working hours with fabulous women and get paid really, really well to wear jewelry!


What started it all:

The Petra by Stella & Dot  $98

Yes, this is what did it.  It started the obsession with beautiful, trendy jewelry.  Ahhh, the Petra.  I wear this beautiful bracelet with so many things.  It is so versatile.  You may look at this and think it is so dressy and you could only wear it with a little black dress (which I do) or for a dressy night out (which I do)!  But, I look at this piece and think white tank top, cute scarf, skinny jeans and the Petra!  I wear it with everything! 


The great thing about a lot of the Stella & Dot pieces is their versatility.  They can go from casual, to office, to evening, to weekend with no problem.  Just like with basic clothing pieces, some basic jewelry pieces can be layered and switched up and worn in so many different ways. 

Layer, layer, layer

My one rule of thumb, even on those t-shirt and jeans days, is to put on some jewelry!  No excuses.  It doesn't have to be anything over-the-top or blingy (well, for me it usually does!), but a simple necklace, earrings and a couple of bracelets just pulls everything together.  One of my favorite simple necklaces right now is the Caroline.  It is completely adjustable, with a brown leather cord and a mix of silver and rose gold.  Yep, a mix!!  The latest trend for the spring is mixing your metals.  Gold and rose gold.  Silver and gold.  Whatever you want, anything goes!

The Caroline, $59

Let's talk rings.  Usually referred to as Cocktail Rings, I wear them with everything.  A big ring just seems to add so much to any outfit!  I love turquoise.  Stella & Dot knows turquoise.  I was so excited when this new spring line came out and this is what I saw:

Odyssey Ring, $59

All of the Cocktail Rings are fully adjustable!  Such a great feature when you are wanting to wear them on different fingers.




You really must check out the line, stelladot.com/caseybiggers.  You can order directly from my website and if you are local and want to have a party, I am your stylist!  I would love it!  Also, if you are not local, I can certainly help to find you a stylist in your area!  The hostess rewards are amazing and you can earn upwards of $250 or more in free jewelry!  You can't beat free jewelry!

David Beckham

Because underwear is considered high fashion in my book!  Yummy!

Colored Denim

Spring is just around the corner.  I know it’s only February, but it is never too early to start thinking of the one or two additions you can add to your wardrobe for spring! 

The trend I have noticed everywhere, from Target to the pages of InStyle is colored denim.   Blue, green, orange, pink, pastel, bold, jewel.  It is everywhere!  Mostly in the skinny jean variety, don’t let that scare you!  Skinny jean is a type of jean, not a requirement for wearing the style!  Skinny jeans can look fabulous on any body type, paired with the right top. 

If you think you can’t wear a pair of skinny jeans, think again!  Go try on a pair!  Now!  Stop reading and go anywhere and try them on!  If you feel a little self-conscious, pair with a longer tank layered with a sweater and maybe a skinny belt.  Of course, boots with a heel or a pair of strappy sandals help to elongate you a little also. 

If you really think you can’t rock a skinny jean, look for a new Gap line of the bright colored khaki in a boyfriend cut.  Boyfriend just means a little looser and baggier and usually cuffed at the bottom.  I love my boyfriend jeans and am soooo looking forward to seeing the new Gap line.  I plan to wear the heck out of the orange!

Don’t be afraid of the color.  Even if you have a closet full of muted tones, step out of your comfort zone and go for color!  You can always tone down the color with something a little more tame on top.  Your assignment this week is to try on a pair of skinny jeans in one of the fun, spring colors!  You can do it!  Be fearless!

Welcome to my new career!

Welcome!!  My first ever blog post.  Scary!  I have always said I am not witty enough or funny enough, or really, let’s face it, even smart enough to be a “blogger.”  Ha!  But, I am at a crossroads in my life.  After six wonderful years of being a full-time stay-at-home mom to my fabulous twin girls, I am faced with finding “my life” again.  They are in school all day this year and it has been a really rough adjustment period for me.  I miss my babies! 

However, to look at things with a glass-half-full mentality, what an opportunity!  I can become whoever I want to be in my “second” life.  While we are not rich by any means, my husband works very hard for us.  I could go back to my old life of being in an office, but that was always just a job.  I never had a career.  A career.  I don’t even know what that means!  Plus, I still need some flexibility with the girls.  Dance, basketball, gymnastics, play dates, not to mention homework every night.  And in the summertime, we have to be at the pool every day!  Oh yea, and trying to be a wife too!  Phew!  I don’t know how working moms do it all!!   Kudos to you all!

How did I decide on fashion?  A stay-at-home mom in the suburbs?  What????  I know!  But like I said, glass-half-full and I can do whatever I want!  Who says I can’t?  A few years ago, my New Year’s Resolution was to start accessorizing.  Baby steps, people, baby steps.  Earrings, necklaces, bracelets, scarves, shoes, boots.  The possibilities were endless!  I began to discover that maybe I actually do have some style.  Maybe I can actually put a few outfits together and look pretty good.  From that resolution, grew my new-found love of fashion, especially jewelry.  Oh, and add in the fact that my ten-years younger sister called my look “soccer mom” one day, and I was motivated.

Enter Stella & Dot into my life!  OMG!  Have you seen it? I was hooked.  Then my friend who sold it asked why I wasn’t just selling the jewelry considering I was buying so much of it.  A light bulb moment for me!  My fashion career (yep, I said it!) was born.  I began to notice that at jewelry shows, customers would ask what they would wear a certain piece with.  I was putting together entire looks for them, inspired by just one piece.  I started noticing what women were wearing.  I started paying more attention to my own clothing.  I started to realize that I was so much more than just a mom or a wife.  I was a fashionista!  You heard  me!  A fashionista.

Who can be a fashionista?  You!  Create your own style!  Create your own swagger (oops, a little of my Eminem love coming in there!).  Be who you are or find who you want to be in your fashion.  I hope to offer some tips and ideas with this blog.  I want to inspire women to wear what they want and be bold in doing so!  Check back often.  I am embarking on my new career and I could use some cheerleading!

Thanks peeps!