staying stylish this winter

This is a sponsored post by Shades of Ginger + Aurora Mae. All reviews and opinions expressed in this post are based on my personal view.

Through the years, I have hit a number of phases when it comes to my style. From buying Dickie’s at PacSun when I was 13 years old to buying Uggs + shopping at Hollister when I was 16 years old. Each season of life brought on a different fad.

The hardest season of life to dress for has been motherhood. I started by shopping at stores I thought were trendy, but looking back at photos it appeared as though I was aging myself by 15+ years. Not cool. While pregnant with baby number two, I jumped on the Lularoe bandwagon, mostly because it was the only thing that fit my growing belly. Also not cool.

Now that I’m a seasoned mom of two, I have figured out how to dress comfortably while also maintaining my own style + looking cute doing it. I do some of my shopping at chain stores, mostly because I’m in there shopping for my kids. But the problem with shopping there is that EVERYONE and their mother (literally) buys their clothes there. If you want to appear as though you have an original style that is not the way to go.

Some of my favorite places to grab cute, original, and affordable pieces are small shops. They only have a select few of each item so it almost guarantees that the other moms in the preschool pickup line won’t be wearing the same thing.

Right now I have two small shops that I am really in love with, Aurora Mae and Shades of Ginger. Below are a few of the pieces that I snagged from their shops recently.

Shades of Ginger

This little shop is one of my favorites not only for their clothing, but because of their sweet owner, Kelly. She celebrates life as a ginger with her husband and beautiful ginger babes. Her take on life and her mission behind her shop is inspiring enough to make you want to buy everything.

While looking through the shop website, I was immediately drawn to this maxi dress. The Mesa maxi striped dress features the most beautiful mix of fall colors – olive green, mustard yellow, and a reddish almost burnt orange. Add a pair of booties and you have the perfect fall/winter outfit.

Now I’m known to love a good pair of leggings no matter how stereotypical of a stay at home mom that is. The photo on the left shows a comfortable pair that aren’t your standard pair of leggings. They have the cutest moto detail down the calves. They’re a little edgy and can easily be dressed up or down.

On the right you will quickly notice the olive + white Selena striped peplum top. I’m already a sucker for anything olive colored, but when you add in a ruffle and peplum – I’m done. I had to have it. It’s flattering, tummy covering, and just feminine enough to remind me that I’m a woman. Sometimes covered in boogers, but still a woman.

Going on right now at Shades of Ginger, you can use code HOLIDAY20 for 20% off tops + dresses. Plus you will earn one entry for every $5 you spend in the shop. Each entry gives you a chance to win a $50 gift card to use in December. Giveaway ends Nov. 30th at midnight!

Aurora Mae

This shop is another one of my favorites for finding original pieces. This comes from the fact that they handpick each individual item they sell in the shop. It is nearly impossible to select only a few.

I’m a sucker for distressed jeans, even at 29 years old, it’s just a trend I haven’t been able to let go of. Something about the character each pair of jeans has. Especially after the infinite number of times you slide your foot into the hole and make it bigger. No two pair are alike.

These medium light wash jeans fit true to size, sort of in a boyfriend jean type way for me. They’re comfortable for any occasion. Here I’ve paired with this cold shoulder ruffled top which features a twist front and ruffled lined cold shoulder. With these two pieces and my own booties + leopard scarf, I’m ready for a girls night out for sure!

When I received this knotted knit top it felt like I became a legitimate blogger/influencer. No, but really. Almost every influencer I follow has this shirt or one very similar. And it is for good reason! This top is everything. It’s comfortable and feminine. It can be worn with jeans + booties to go out, leggings + Uggs to stay in. It’s so versatile that you will want to own it in every color it comes in.

Over at Aurora Mae, they are celebrating Black Friday with 30% your entire order from Nov. 23rd-25th with the code BF30. To honor Small Business Saturday, they will be doing a special giveaway!

Here you can see me rocking some of my new threads. The maxi dress was perfect for a November baby shower that I just attended last week. While the knotted knit top + distressed jeans headed to an afternoon movie with my kids. So versatile and stylish for the upcoming season of cold!

What are some of your favorite small shops? Do you shop at the ones that I mentioned? Spill all your small shop secrets with me!