Thrifty Wife Happy Life

Helping women love what they wear on a budget

St. Patrick’s Day Looks

by Katie Haller

I love dressing up for holidays.  It’s always been a fun way for me to celebrate the holiday, no matter what my plans are for that day.  One of my favorite holidays to dress for has always been St. Patrick’s Day.  I love the color green and I’m a little over a quarter Irish, so I feel that gives me the right to go all out and show off my Irish pride.  My St. Patrick’s Day is now celebrated a little differently than the St. Patrick’s Day’s of my past.  Instead of drinking at the bars with friends, I’ll be hanging out with my little family, probably enjoying a beer with my husband, while Jack plays in the yard. 
Even though my St. Patty’s Day plans might be a little lame to some, that doesn’t mean that I can’t have fun with my outfit.  Here are a few looks that I put together for St. Patrick’s Day, just by shopping my own closet.
For my first look, I wore this green polka-dot blouse that I’ve had in my closet for a couple years now.  I paired it with my distress jeans and nude pumps.

Top- Target (similar) || Jeans- Target (similar) || Shoes- Target (exact) || Necklace- Nordstrom Rack (similar) || Purse- Ross (similar)

I’m really loving this olive green color with my white pants.  It looks so springy!  I paired this look with some brown Steve Madden wedge shoes, a statement necklace, and my brown leather Coach purse.

Top- Thrifted from Savers (similar) || Pants- Target (similar) || Necklace- Savers (similar) || Shoes- Macy’s (similar) || Purse- Coach Outlet (similar)

If you don’t have much green in your wardrobe, you can always accessorize with some green.  I love to accessorize with big green statement necklaces.  I wore my green bubble necklace for this look, but you could always add a green scarf if you don’t have any green jewelry. 

Top- Nordstrom Rack (similar) || Pants- TJ Maxx (similar) || Jacket- Meijer (similar) || Shoes- Burlington Coat Factory (exact) || Purse- Last Call Neiman Marcus (exact) || Necklace- Charming Charlies (similar)

Sometimes a simple green t-shirt is all you need to dress up a St. Patrick’s Day look.  Back when I had little money to go shopping with, I bought this Kelly green t-shirt at Kohl’s and it’s always been a good go to top for St. Patrick’s Day. 

Top- Kohl’s (similar) || Jeans- Kohl’s (similar) || Cardigan- H&M (similar) || Shoes- linked above || Purse- linked above

Those are my St. Patty’s Day looks.  Hopefully, I’ve inspired you to shop your closet and find ways to incorporate green into your day!

Weekday Wardrobe

by Katie Haller

Back when I first started my blog, I loved to document what I wore to work every day.  It always challenged me to come up with new looks using all the clothes in my closet.  It’s been a really long time since I last did a weekday wardrobe post, so I decided it was about time for one.  

I always struggle with getting dressed for work in the morning.   Let’s face it…Preschool teachers aren’t normally known for being very stylish people, but I try my best not to fall into that stereotype.  You never know what messy activities are on the plans for the day.  We paint, play with playdough and you never know who will accidentally get a marker on your sweater.  That’s why I never spend a lot of money on my clothes, especially my work clothes.  I try to dress smart, practical, comfortable and of course… stylish too.  My work clothes transfer over into my mom’s life perfectly.  I spend my whole day with other people’s kids, then I come home and take care of my little guy.  My workweek wardrobe would also be great for stay at home moms as well.
Here is what I wore to work this week…
Monday
Cardigan- Savers
Tunic- Old Navy
Leggings- Last Call Neiman Marcus
Shoes- Nordstrom
Necklace- Kohl’s
Tuesday
Top- Nordstrom Rack
Cardigan- Old Navy
Jeans- Target
Shoes- Burlington Coat Factory
Wednesday
Top- Old Navy
Cardigan- H&M
Leggings- Last Call Neiman Marcus
Thursday
Top- Target
Cardigan- Target
Jeans- Kohl’s
Friday

Dress- Target
Jacket- Meijer
Necklace- Nordstrom Rack

That’s what I wore this week.  I really enjoyed all the beautiful spring weather we had this week. I can’t wait to put together some fun looks for the spring!
 Have a great weekend!

9 Ways to Wear a Cardimom

by Katie Haller

If you haven’t already read my review on the CardimomⓇ by Multiwear.co, I suggest you go back and read my last post on this great little piece of clothing for moms.  The one thing that I really love about the CardimomⓇ is how versatile it is with my wardrobe.  I’m all about making the most out of my wardrobe.  I love to find new ways to wear my clothes so that I don’t have to repeat my outfits all the time.  The CardimomⓇ is perfect for that!  Honestly, I had a hard time finding clothes in my closet that it doesn’t go with.
Today, I wanted to share 9 outfits that I put together wearing my CardimomⓇ.  The great part about these looks is that they would all double as maternity looks, as well as look for nursing moms.

This is my go-to running errands look, with my converse sneakers, distress jeans, and stripe tunic. 
This is another running errands look.  It fits perfectly into my life with a blush tank, distressed jeans, and flats. 
The CardimomⓇ works great for layering over button-downs.  I’m a huge fan of gingham, and I love how the green cardigan looks with it. 
I also like to wear my CardimomⓇ as a poncho.  For this look, I belted it up with a pair of jeans, nude pumps and a colorful statement necklace.  This would look cute for an evening out for dinner or a casual church look.
I love to layer a cardigan over a sundress.  For this look, I took a simple black sundress and layered my CardimomⓇ over it.  I accessorized the look with my ankle booties, perfect for a transitional look for spring. 
It doesn’t matter if you’re pregnant or not.  We all like to have a big oversized cozy top on sometimes.  This look is completed with leggings, boots and a gold pendant necklace. 
If you’re not in the mood for the poncho look, you can always flip it up and make it a cardigan look.  This is the same look as above, just worn as a cardigan, instead of the poncho.
For this look here, I wore a long-sleeve stripe dress with some black strappy wedge sandals and a statement necklace.  This is another great transitional spring look.

Last but not least, I love wearing my CardimomⓇ with my yoga or workout clothes.  It’s the perfect way to accessorize your workout look. 

  Those are my 9 looks with my CardimomⓇ.  Don’t forget to check out Multiwear.co to see what other great mom accessories they have!

The Cardimom

by Katie Haller

Back when I was nursing Jack, I was always challenged by what to wear.  It was hard when we would go out because I never felt very comfortable nursing in public.  I had to be creative when putting together outfits.  I had a nursing apron, but it was bulky when I tried to pack it into my diaper bag.  Blankets always slipped off and I tried using scarves to cover up, but they never worked out as well as I had hoped for.  I was always trying to figure out a way to cover up, look stylish, yet also easily feed my baby.

The CardimomⓇ, by Multiwear is the answer for all the breastfeeding moms out there trying to figure out how to dress stylish, yet still, be able to cover up and easily feed your baby.  The CardimomⓇ is a shrug cardigan, that easily converts into a poncho, perfect to use as a nursing cover.  I feel like the cardimomⓇ is such a clever clothing item for moms.  The great thing about the CardimomⓇ is that it’s not just for nursing moms.  It can be worn as maternity wear, a shrug cardigan with any outfit, a car seat or stroller cover, a blanket, a shopping cart cover…. the list goes on.

I’m not currently in need of a nursing cover, but I am loving how comfortable and wearable my cardimomⓇ is.  It fits perfectly into my everyday mom wardrobe.  I can’t wait until I have the chance to wear it as a maternity top when it’s time for baby number 2…..one day. 

Weekend errand running look.

A big thank you to Multiwear for sponsoring this post!

Look for more CardimomⓇ outfit ideas in my next post! 

Shopping Finds- Thrift Store Looks

by Katie Haller

Whenever I have a Monday off work for a holiday, I always try to make a trip to Savers to check out their sales.  This President’s Day, I couldn’t help myself but to drive up and check out the 50% off sale.  I wasn’t looking for anything in particular, but I ended up finding some really cute things at a great price as always! 

Here are some of my findings.  I put together a few looks that I can’t wait to wear!

This grey Target cardigan was only $3.  I love cardigans and grey goes with everything.  I thought it looked really nice with this teal tunic, which was only $3 as well. 
I really liked this olive green long sleeve top.  It’s super lightweight and it has a nice fit.  It was only $2. 
I also found this brown cardigan for $4.  I don’t have anything brown like this, so I thought it would be nice to have in my cardigan collection.  I paired it up with the olive green top.

I always feel like my closet is lacking color, so I bought this rust orange color cardigan.  It’s the same as my grey H&M cardigan that I wear all the time, so I knew I would like it.  It was only $3. 
I’m always looking for cute shorts, so I was excited when I found these Abercrombie jean shorts for only $5.  With the hot Las Vegas summers, I knew I would be needing more shorts.  I also love the statement necklace I found for $2.99.  I love how simple it is and how you can wear it with any look to dress it up. 
I can’t wait to incorporate these items into my everyday looks!
Happy thrift shopping!

A Day in the Life

by Katie Haller

I thought that it would be fun to do “a day in the life” post and share what a normal weekday is like for me as a working mom with a one-year-old.  I don’t think my life is that exciting, but maybe some of you can relate to me. 
Lately, it’s been hard for me, because Kevin has been working more, so I don’t have the extra help that I normally do during the week.  On this particular Monday that I chose to document my day, things did not go as planned at all, but that’s why it was the perfect day.  Life doesn’t always go as planned.

Here is my day…

5:00am Wake up
The alarm goes off.  I know it’s early, but I have to set it that early to give myself the time I need in the morning to get ready for the day.  On this particular morning, I got lucky, because Jack slept in a little and gave me enough time to shower.  I like to get up before him, especially on the days that Kevin works early because it’s getting harder to get ready with him up and wanting to be entertained. 
5:30am Breakfast
Time to start getting coffee and breakfast ready.  I try to eat breakfast every morning because it really helps give me the boost I need for the day.  Currently, my daily breakfast has been Grape Nuts with lots of fruit over it with almond milk and of course my morning cup of coffee. 

5:45am Jack is up
Once Jack is up he normally eats breakfast right away.  He usually eats fruit and either a waffle or cereal.  Luckily, I packed his food for school the night before.  I try my best to have his lunches prepped for the week on Sunday night, so I don’t have to worry about it during the week, on this morning I only managed to have one day packed.

6:10am Start getting myself ready
On this particular morning, Kevin had left the house before 6, so I was on my own with Jack, so I let him play in the bathroom while I did my make up.  That was a big mistake because he ended up breaking one of my bronzers all over the floor.  That cut into my morning time because I had to clean up the mess.  I try and make my morning make up routine quick and easy.  I use the same makeup every day and wear it the same.  For my hair, I quickly blow dry it.  I’ve been guilty of wearing my hair in a ponytail more than I like to, but with Jack being so busy lately, I just live with it. 

6:45am Get Jack ready
Getting my squirmy one year old ready in the morning is a challenge.  He cries, runs away from me, then I finally wrestle him down and get an outfit on him.  I try to have an idea of what he’s wearing the night before, the same way I do for myself.  Once he’s ready it’s time to finish up a few last-minute things around the house.  On this day, my dishwasher was broken, so I did a few dishes before we left.
We matched in our stripes for the day.

7:15am Take Jack to School
I take Jack to school in most mornings unless Kevin’s around to help.  He loves his school and friends, but for whatever reason, on this morning he had a case of the Mondays and was being extra clingy.  I was late for work, but I hated leaving him when he was so sad.  It was the first day he ever cried like that and he’s been going to his daycare since he was 8 weeks old.

7:30am Starbucks stop
I don’t always stop at Starbucks on my way to work.  I try to bring a cup of coffee from home, but this was a rough morning.  Plus, I got over $75 in Starbucks gift cards for Christmas, so I needed an extra cup on my way to work. My usual drink is a tall blond roast.  I like to make my gift cards last as long as they can.

7:45am Get to work 
Mondays are always busy mornings at work for me.  Lots to do in a short amount of time before the kids arrive at 8.  My preschool class keeps me super busy.  By 2:00 they leave and I get my planning time.  I like to stay in my classroom listening to calming music as I do my work in the dark.  It’s a relaxing way to end my workday. 

3:40pm Leave work
On a normal day, I try to head out of work before 3:30, but today I was running a little behind since I got there late. My drive to pick up Jack is usually filled with thoughts in my head of my day.  It’s my time to unwind and think, but oftentimes I’m anxious on my ride home because I’m excited to see Jack. 

My car is taken over by baby even when he’s not with me.
4:00pm  Home
After I pick up Jack at school we come home.  Most days I like to either take him for a walk to the park or play with his ball at home.  On this evening he wasn’t having it.  He was a little on the cranky side because his teeth were bothering him, so we settled for his favorite Youtube channel, Little Baby Bum.

4:45pm Dinner for Jack
Most day’s Jack is starving when he comes home from school.  I try to hold him off until 5, but on this day I couldn’t do it.  It’s getting harder to figure out what to feed him.  On this night he had pita and hummus, mixed veggies, peaches, cheese and chicken.  While Jack ate and I waited for Kevin to get home, I prepared his lunches for the rest of the week.  Monday is my leftover night, since I usually make dinner on Sunday.  The night before was the Superbowl so I kind of had a random mix of leftovers, so Kevin and I ate chicken, rice and veggies on a tortilla.  It was a quick and easy meal.

6:00 pm Bath time
After dinner is cleaned up, it’s time for Jack’s bath.  He loves his bath time and it usually gives me a little down time, because he’s entertained in the water.  On this particular evening, he was not himself and bath time was kind of quiet, but he was still content for me, until I wipe his face, which I save for last.

7:00 pm Jack’s bedtime
After Jack’s bath, I lotion him and get his jammies on, which he hates.  Then we play in his room for a bit and read books together.  He is finally showing interest in books and will sit through a few of his favorite stories.  I love our time together before bed.  He gets a bottle, we snuggle then he goes to sleep.  I rock him and cuddle him more than I should according to all the parenting books on getting your child to sleep through the night, but I don’t care, because sometimes after a long day apart you just need those extra snuggles. 

7:15 pm Me time

Once Jack is asleep, I finally have the time to do what I want, unfortunately, there are usually chores that need to be done and I’m so tired I just get right to bed.  If time, Kevin and I might watch some Netflix or I try to find some time to blog, but we are usually too tired.  Usually I’m asleep between 8 and 9. 
That was my day last week.  Like I said, it’s not exciting at all, but it’s my life and I don’t think I’m ever bored.  It’s not perfect, but I wouldn’t have it any other way.  I know one day I will look back on this day and miss it.  That always happens for me. 

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