Stepping Out In Style

Sometimes half the fun of going out with the girls is getting ready for it.  I know I like to figure out who I want to be hours - or even days - in advance.  Do I want to be laid back in jeans and a top or dolled up in a dress and pumps?  I'm sure I'm not the only one that does this.  After all, it looked like a lot of girls put effort into their appearances when out to dinner on Friday.

One of the things I love do do most when out is people watching.  Who's wearing what and how did they wear it?  Some of my biggest inspirations come from seeing how a girl put something together all on her own and not straight out of a magazine.  Some make it look easy and others like they're trying way too hard.  Either way, all expressed their personality.

I had to laugh, then, when I and my girlfriends were the perfect example of this at dinner.  I decided to wear my favorite Kate Spade polka dot skirt and my boat neck striped White House Black Market top (I have a love affair with polka dots and stripes).  Then, when I sat down to the table at the restaurant, I found my friend Janelle was wearing an adorable bow tank with mini black and white polka dots, skinny jeans and heels (she looked great), and my sister-in-law, Mandi, wearing her black and white polka dot heels, flared jeans, and a cardigan (also looking awesome).

My point is, we all took the same trend, but added our own spin to it.  Somehow, we managed to not look matchy-matchy, but all our own.  Some of us like to take a trend and run with it, others add it in as an accessory.

And then there's my friend, Megan, who, in her free-spirited personality, perfectly rocked a brightly multi-colored floral full skirt, gladiator heel, denim jacket and white tank.  We couldn't all wear polka dots, right?!?