Backyard Party

Party time! My brother-in-law is on a 2 week leave from Iraq and we are very excited to see him. We will be celebrating with a backyard party.

This will be my first backyard party in ages as they are practically unheard of in New York City. My brain has been contemplating all week about what outfit I was going to wear because August in Oklahoma is brutal. And as I am a fair-skinned redhead, (the party starts at noon)I need sun protection. How do you look cute, fun but respectable without dying from the heat?

My solution is - a hat! I love hats. And I have the cutest hat for the party. So for those of you out there whoe are planning on going to a picnic/party outside during the hottest part of the day here is an outfit for you-





You can purchase this outfit here for $34.99.

Tour New York City in style

Tourist season is in full swing in New York City. We have had no less then 6 people come visit in the month of July. This weekend there were 8 people in our little 900 square foot apartment with 1 bathroom. I like having guests. I especially like having people who would not be able to afford a trip to New York City without the use of our free apartment. $200 a night hotel rooms tend to put a cramp in one's budget.

The most frequent question that I get from visitors is, "What should I bring." My answer, "As little as possible and an extra bag." If you are saving money by not having a hotel room that means you have money to shop. Usually, there is at least one day devoted to shopping.

Even though I suggest packing light there are few tried and true rules that I stand by when giving advice on what to bring.

1. Leave the white tennis shoes and white socks combo at home
2. Leave the college football/local NFL team/sports attire at home
3. Bring comfortable shoes
4. NYC is hot and humid in the summer so light, comfortable clothing
5. Leave fanny packs at home
6. A backpack is acceptable but a cute tote is better!

And my last tip is - have fun with your clothes. You are on vacation in NYC and this is the place to break out of your shell- even if it is only for a few days.

Here is my suggestion for a fun, cool outfit for a trip to New York.







You can purchase this outfit herefor $34.99.

Lookin' Cute in Tulsa

I just got an e-mail from a very satisfied customer in Tulsa, OK with the heading, "I LOVE THE DRESS," just like that in all caps. She is planning on wearing the dress out on the town tonight and she will look fierce.

This particular person e-mailed me about another dress but she wasn't sure if it would fit. After getting her measurements, discussing how she likes her clothes to fit, and her age I knew that I had the perfect dress for her. I had not even gotten the chance to put it on the site. I immediately listed it and she bought it.

One of the joys of running OutFitKit is getting an e-mail from an excited buyer who just received their outfit.

Here is the outfit she purchased:





I found this dress and another on the same day. They are both made by the same company and they were so unique. Here is the other outfit:





You can purchase this outfit here for $34.99.

Pink is the new Pink?

Pink is all over the fashion magazines for Fall. Bazaar did a full page about the incandescent pink trend. I walked past the H&M on 125th street and saw no less than 10 deep pink frocks in the window. Personally, as a flaming redhead I cannot wear pink. Two winters ago, there was a reporter on the local news channel that had red hair. She would wear the most hideous furry pastel pink hat on cold days. It was so bad I wanted to write a letter and tell her never under any circumstances should she wear that hat. It really is too bad because a bold, deep pink jacket or shirt can really make you stand out in a sea of black.

Pink looks beautiful on a dark complected or dark haired person. Even blonds look great in pink. Us poor redheads are just out on this trend. Most of the magazine articles pair it with black and only as an accessory or one item in an outfit. Going head to toe hot pink probably isn't your best bet.

If you are not ready to take the plunge and wear a hot pink shirt, skirt, or pants here is an outfit that gives you bold pink in a small dose.







You can purchase this outfit for $34.99 here.

Handmade in Harlem

In the summer on 138th street and Lenox in Harlem the Salvation Army sponsors a street fair. The majority of booths are Harlem residents who sell used items. This is not a typical street fair in New York City, which usually consists of the same five booths repeated for 20 blocks. If you are looking for lemonade, crepes, sheets, grilled corn, or $2 jewelry then head on over to an NYC street fair.

I have actually found a couple of really neat things at the Harlem fair. The first item was an adorable used Esprit bag for $5. The best part was when I opened the bag there was a five dollar bill in it so the bag was free! The other great find was two elder woman (for lack of a better term) who sell awesome hand made tote bags. Last summer I think I bought no less than 5 bags and I still use them all the time. They have held up beautifully.

It is not very often that I get to use handmade/local goods in my outfits due to the price point but today's featured outfit includes an awesome hand made tote that I got from my street fair friends on 138th street.

I have to say that this is one of my favorite outfits to date:






You can purchase this outfit for $34.99 here.