Thrifty Wife Happy Life

Helping women love what they wear on a budget

3 Holiday Party Outfit Ideas

by Katie Haller

Holiday party outfit ideas
I just love a good holiday party.  It’s the perfect excuse to get dressed up and out of the house for an evening.  Every year, my husband’s company throws a pretty good party here in Vegas.  In the last couple of years, we had to miss the party, because of Jack and no baby sitter.  This year we are taking up my brother and sister-in-law on some babysitting so we can attend and I’m so excited to have a night out with just Kevin and me.

When we first decided to go to this event, my first thought was that I needed to go shopping to find a cute new outfit for the party, but then I remembered that I have tons of clothes in my closet that I never get to wear, because well… I work full time, I’m a mom and I have no life.  I might as well let some of my nicer clothes get a night out too.  Why spend money when I don’t need to?  I decided to put together a blog post to share my options, so here at 3 outfit ideas for holiday parties this season.
(I have tried my best to link similar affordable options under each look, but since my clothes are either really old, thrifted or hard to find, nothing is exact.  Feel free to leave me a message or email if you have any questions!)

*This post contains affiliate links, which means by clicking on and/or making a purchase through a link, I will earn a commission for this blog.  Thank you for your support!

Holiday party outfit ideas

Holiday party outfit ideas

Holiday party outfit ideas
 Outfit #1- Striped dress with red and leopard accessories
This striped dress is the LuLaRoe dress that I shared last month in a post (Post HERE).  Stripes are always easy to accessorize.  I always hold on to my red necklace to use as a holiday accessory.  I also like mixing it up with the leopard clutch.  For shoes, I stuck to a black bootie with a heal, because they are more comfortable for walking in.  You will also notice that I have black tights on in all these looks.  I just love black tights under a skirt in the winter.  I love how they suck everything in and make your legs look flawless.  

Holiday party outfit ideas

Holiday party outfit ideas

Holiday party outfit ideas
 Outfit #2- Metalic skirt with a black blouse
Who doesn’t love a bit of sparkle around the holidays?  I bought this silver metallic skirt about 7 years ago because I remember wearing it during Kevin and I’s first married Christmas together.  I love this skirt because it’s so easy to wear with anything black.  For this look, I paired it with the black blouse that I bought a while ago on clearance at Kohls.  These patent leather Ivanka Trump shoes are my favorite pair of shoes for special events.  They were one of my favorite deals of all time.  I found them in the clearance shoe room at Von Maur marked down to $29 from $125.  I love the height they give me.  To add a little extra sparkle I accessorized with my rhinestone jewelry.  

Holiday party outfit ideas

Holiday party outfit ideas

Holiday party outfit ideas
Outfit #3- Red houndstooth skirt with a blazer
For my last look, I have to share my favorite Christmas skirt.  This skirt was a hand-me-down from my mom’s closet.  It’s from Express and I just love it!  The red makes it the perfect holiday skirt.  I wore it with my black blazer because I figured that it could double as my jacket while out in the evening.  For jewelry, I accessorized with my rhinestones again.

The party is tonight, and I’m still deciding which outfit to wear.  Which do you like best?  I will share what I pick on my Instagram!

Like the post? Don’t forget to pin it for later!

3 Holiday Party Outfit Ideas #holidayoutfits #outfitideas

My Favorite Things Gift Guide

by Katie Haller

It’s time for my last gift guide of the season.  I did one for Teacher gifts, Toddler gifts and today I’m talking about gifts for her.  Nothing against the guys, but I’m horrible on buying guy gifts.  For girls, I just think of what I would like for myself.  That’s why for today’s post, I’ve rounded up some of my favorite things.  This is a list of things that I either use daily or really want to buy for myself. 

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10

*This post contains affiliate links, which means by clicking on and/or making a purchase through a link, I will earn a commission for this blog. Thank you for your support! 

I do not have this set yet, but it’s defiantly on my wish list.  One of my friends at work has been using it and she loves it.  I always do my nails at home and this gel set gives your nails that gel finish that makes it look like you just left the nail salon. 

I got this eye shadow pallet a couple years ago for Christmas and I love it.  I think if you’re going to give someone makeup, this is the perfect makeup gift.  It’s a good quality of eye shadow and the colors work with almost any skin tone. 

Slippers $29.37
Who doesn’t love a nice pair of house slippers.  I’m in bare feet most of the year, but in the winter I love being able to slip into a pair of slippers to wear around the house.

This is a repeat from my teacher gift guide, but I am so obsessed with my leather earrings that I just had to add them again.  They are so practical to wear all the time.  I personally think that they make the perfect gift.

I bought a steamer this year and it’s my favorite!  I hate ironing and I avoid it at all cost.  A steamer keeps your clothes looking nice and wrinkle free without dragging out a giant ironing table.  Mine is small enough to use a travel steamer as well. It heats up fast and doesn’t spit out water like other steamers, plus it’s a great price! 
Pottery Barn has the cutest monogram coffee mugs.  They are very affordable and make a great gift.  I’m pretty sure I’m going to buy one for myself this year, since I’ve been wanting a “K” mug for a very long time.

Knit Blanket $17.99
I love getting and giving blankets as gifts.  A nice throw blanket is always good to have.

Pajama Pants $38.00
Every year I tell my mom that all I want for Christmas are jammy bottoms.  That’s all I wear in the winter to bed.  My favorite pair is from PinkBlush.  I wear them daily.

Hodded Cardigan $38.00 
This PinkBlush cardigan is my favorite and most warn item in the closet.  It’s so cozy and I feel like I’m wearing my bathrobe when I wear it.  I get so many complements when I wear it.  I think it would make a great gift.

This is on my list, because I really need one, but I also think it would make a great gift.  Any kind of winter accessories always make great Christmas gifts.

Happy Christmas shopping everyone!

Toddler Gifts Under $15!

by Katie Haller


1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9

Whether you are a parent of a toddler or you have nieces and nephews to buy for, kids are the best to Christmas shop for.  It always makes me happy to buy little kids Christmas gifts.  The best thing about kids is that it doesn’t take much to excite them.  My little guy gets excited over a sticker.  Today I’m sharing 9 toddler gifts under $15! These make great stocking stuffers or just small gifts for any toddler on your shopping list.

*This post contains affiliate links, which means by clicking on and/or making a purchase through a link, I will earn a commission for this blog.  Thank you for your support! 

I’m a huge fan of Green Toys! Jack has a couple of these toys and he really loves them!  They are made well and perfect for little kids, plus they are made from recycled materials so they are environmentally friendly, which is always a plus! 
Bath Foam Letters
This is one of Jack’s favorite toys!  He loves the alphabet and these letters helped him learn it.  I credit YouTube Kids for most of his alphabet knowledge, but playing with these letters let him practice them and get even better at the alphabet.


Ornament
My mom gave me an ornament in my stocking every year, and I still have them all.  I would love to start that tradition with Jack.  Ornaments are great because you can give them something that they are interested in or will help you remember that year.


Melissa and Doug Crayon Set
The Easter bunny brought Jack this crayon set last year and let me tell you, it’s our favorite set of crayons.  They are triangle, so they don’t roll off the table like other crayons.  They also are harder to break and they clean off of furniture and floors much easier than other crayons.


Blippi Coloring Book

I’m not sure if you have little ones obsessed with Blippi, but we love him at our house.  Jack learns so much from Blippi.  This coloring book goes along with a lot of the Blippi videos.  It’s really cute and perfect for toddlers.


Board Books
Books are always a good gift idea for every age.  I especially like books that talk about relatable topics for kids.  Books about becoming a big brother or sister, books about manners and in our case a book about potty training.


Color Bath Drops
These color drops are a great stocking stuffer.  They make bath time really fun.  You can mix the colors and experiment with them.  They sometimes are the only way I can get Jack into the tub at the end of the day.


Melissa and Doug 4 in 1 Puzzle Sets
I love Melissa and Doug toys.  They make the best toddler puzzles.  I love the little 4 in 1 puzzle sets, because they are compact and easy to clean up and store.


Honest Company Bubble Bath
Lastly, I have to share my favorite bubble bath.  Kids love bubble baths.  This always makes a nice stocking stuffer.  I love the smell of this bubble bath and it’s very gentle on skin, which is what you need during the dry winter months.

Hopefully, you find this gift guide helpful for your little ones.

Happy Christmas shopping!!

Teacher Gift Guide- Under $30!!

by Katie Haller

This is my 3rd year doing a teacher gift guide.  I love doing them because of not a lot of bloggers’ high light gifts for teachers.  For me, teachers are my favorite people to gift at Christmas time.  As a teacher myself, I know how much we appreciate being remembered by our students.  As a parent, I love being able to spoil my child’s teacher, because I want to show them how grateful we are for their hard work and care of our son throughout the year.  I’ve been asked before if teachers prefer gift cards over gifts and my answer is no. 


Personally, for me, I don’t think you can ever go wrong with a gift card, but it’s always nice to have a personal gift from one of your students.  I hold on to those gifts and I always think about the student who gave me the gift each time I use them.  It doesn’t have to be anything expensive, because it’s really the thought that counts, that’s why I have listed 7 affordable teacher gifts to give to your child’s teacher this year.

*This post contains affiliate links, which means by clicking on and/or making a purchase through a link will result in a commission for this blog with no additional cost to you. Thank you for your support!

One || Leather Earrings
I’ve been seeing leather earrings all over Instagram this past year.  A few months ago I won a giveaway with Brinley & Co and I am loving these earrings.  I wear them to work almost every day.  They are the perfect earrings for a teacher because they are lightweight and easy to wear around children.

As a teacher, I am outside with the children every day.  To me, winter accessories are always a good gift.  I’m really loving all the cute winter hats out right now.  That’s why I think a winter hat would make a nice teacher gift.

 Blankets always make great Christmas gifts for everyone.  They are cozy during the winter months.  I love getting blankets as gifts.  I’ve gotten them from students before and I always find them a thoughtful and useful gift. 

Four || Makeup
Last year, one of my students gave me makeup for Christmas.  I thought that it was such a great gift because I personally love makeup.  Even if your child’s teacher doesn’t wear a lot of makeup, they still might appreciate a nice eye-shadow pallet.

Five || Ornament
 I love getting tree ornaments from students.  Each year that I put them on my tree, I remember my students.  Ornaments always make a great personalized gift.

Six || Graphic T-shirt
 Who doesn’t love a good graphic tee?  There are tons of cute graphic t-shirts out there for teachers.  These are something that teachers can wear to work on casual Friday or just wear on the weekends.  

Seven || Scarf
I think I add a scarf to my teacher gift list every year.  A scarf is such a good gift.  It’s something that all most all teachers would appreciate. 

Eight || Tote Bag
 Do teacher totes ever go out of style?  They always come in handy.  That’s why I think a cute teacher tote makes a great gift. 
I always feel bad that I leave out the guy teachers when I do my teacher gift guide, but in my personal experience, guys are extremely hard to shop for.  That’s why I say, stick with a gift card for them.  You can’t go wrong with that.  Hopefully, you find this post helpful and it gives you a few ideas.  For more teacher gift ideas you can check out my posts from the last two years HERE and HERE. 
Happy Shopping!! 

2017 New Year Review- Plus Goals for 2018!

by Katie Haller

Thrifty Wife, Happy Life- NYE outfit inspiration with metallic skirt

Happy New Year everyone!  Every year I like to reflect on the prior year and make goals for the new year ahead.  I often like to share them on my blog, because it’s always a good reminder for me to look back on.  I like to make goals, not resolutions because I feel like resolutions just get broken.  I like to set goals for myself and evaluate what things I still need to work on and accomplish in the new year.  I don’t want to make any major changes, I just want to make improvements. 

Let’s start off with a reflection on 2017.  Last January, my goals were to improve my blog.  I wanted to make a few changes to take my blog from just being a personal journal, to make it feel a little more professional.  Early in the year, I changed my template, bought a domain name, joined social media groups and started to socialize with other bloggers.  I’ve had a lot of fun and met some really great people.  I’ve even had the opportunity to collaborate with some amazing brands this year, which was something I never even thought of back when I started writing this blog.  
Here is a look at some of my favorite outfits that I posted from 2017.

Thrifty Wife, Happy Life 2017 outfit review

In my personal life, I have kept very busy with work and my family this year.  In January we moved into our first house together.  Jack turned one in February and it’s been so fun watching him grow this year.  We did a little traveling to visit our families in Michigan, Colorado, and California this year.  The end of the year has been consumed with family visits and getting my husband through his training for work.  He recently switched the type of airplane he flies, which if you know any pilots, you know that it’s not a simple process to change airplanes.  This last week has been really nice because I’ve done nothing but relax.  We tried to have a stress free Christmas break without traveling or visitors.  It’s been quiet, but it’s been nice at the same time. 
Thrifty Wife, Happy Life- 2017 review

Thrifty Wife, Happy Life- 2017 New Year Review
Here are my goals for 2018!

1.) Get off my phone-  I am going to confess that I think I spent the majority of 2017 on my phone.  I’m on social media, taking pictures or editing pictures all the time.  My husband has been giving me a hard time about it lately and he’s right.  I need to sit down and be with my family, not on my phone constantly.  For 2018 I plan on limiting my time with my phone.  I think it’s a healthy goal to have for the new year.

2.) Organize my time- I love blogging, but I’d be lying if I didn’t say that blogging stresses me out sometimes.  I feel a constant need to keep up with everyone else on social media because I’m afraid if I don’t I will lose my followers.  I sometimes feel like I’m stressed over it all because I’m not sure how to manage my time between my job, blog, and family.  I need to find a way to use my time more efficiently.  There is a lot to keep up within the grown-up world and I just need to find a way to organize it all a little better for 2018.

3.) Continue to grow and better my blog-  I have thought long and hard about blogging the past few weeks.  I’ve debated if I want to take a little break, and my answer is no.  I love blogging!  I feel like I’d feel like something was missing if I didn’t have my blog.  That’s why I’m going to keep it up.  I did a lot of growing with it this past year, so my goal for 2018 is just to keep it coming.

4.) Save money on grocery shopping- I pretty much have my clothes budget under control, but in the past 2 years, my grocery budget has gotten out of control.  I feel like I spend so much at the store, then I throw away so much food at the end of the week.  It’s time to get back to the way I did things when my husband and I had a $400/month grocery budget.  I was so good about not overspending.  I want to be resourceful when it comes to food and mindful when I shop.

5.) Be a better person- This is my goal every year.  I always want to improve on my all around self.  I want to be a better mom, wife, teacher, daughter and so on.  I just want to look back on 2018 and feel proud of my accomplishments and the person that I am.  I think that’s a goal that we should all have for the new year.  Don’t change yourself, better yourself.

That’s it for me, what are some of your 2018 New Year Goals? 

Outfit Planning with Metallics- Year of Color

by Katie Haller

Thrifty Wife, Happy Life- Outfit Planning with Metallics

Where did this year go?  How is it almost Christmas already?  I feel like it was just the 4th of July.

Not only is it the last month of the year, but it’s the last Year of Color link party of the year.  I joined in as a host halfway through the year, but I’ve had a lot of fun putting together different outfits to match the color theme each month.  Some were a challenge for me, while others were easy to come up with a post for.  
For this month our color theme is metallic colors.  
December is the perfect month for metallic colors.  I think of all the metallic decorations that the month of December brings.  Our homes are decked out in silver and gold, but what about your wardrobe?  I love adding metallic into my wardrobe this time of the year. 
For today’s post, I wanted to share some outfits for the holidays with all my favorite metallic pieces in my closet.  Instead of my normal outfit posts where I model the clothes, I decided to try something a little different and do some outfit flat lays for a change. 
*This post contains affiliate links, which means by clicking on and/or making a purchase through a link, I will make a small commission.  Thank you for your support!
This first look is perfect for a Christmas or New Year’s party.  I love this grey metallic skirt.  I like to wear it with my black booties and some black tights.  For this outfit, I added my favorite statement necklace that I received in my most recent Rocksbox.  I love how sparkly it is.  I think it’s the perfect way to dress up all your favorite looks this season.  If you haven’t tried a Rocksbox subscription yet, I suggest you check it out.  Use my code thriftywifehappylifexoxo and you will get one free month of a Rocksbox subscription.   
Thrifty Wife, Happy Life- Outfit Planning with Metallic skirt

This next look is casual, but the metallic accessories really dress it up.  My mom gave me this metallic gold scarf a few years ago for Christmas.  I like to wear it with a simple black sweater.  I also love this pretty little metallic purse.  I’ve had it in my closet for years.  I always feel like a statement purse can really add to an outfit. 
Thrifty Wife, Happy Life- Outfit Planning with Metallic scarf and purse

This last outfit is with my sequin top.  I have only actually worn this top a few times and it’s always around the holidays.  I like to pair it with a black blazer and jeans.  
Thrifty Wife, Happy Life- Sequin shirt for holiday outfit


Thank you to everyone who has participated in a Year of Color.  I’ve enjoyed reading everyone’s posts and getting new ideas from all of you.  Don’t forget to link up below and share your favorite metallic color posts.

Follow

@thriftywifehappylife