Fashion for a rainy day | A review of Ensambl

I'm not sure if you know this, Bloggees, but in my "real life" my wardrobe usually consists of jeans, boots (my favorite these days are ankle booties - I have 3 pairs), some kind of flowy t-shirt top (I'm obsessed with these J.Crew linen ones), and a cardigan or sweatshirt or other cover-up like piece of fabric. In other news, I have created a uniform for myself of standard, sometimes-a-little-too-comfortable clothing. That I wear. Every day.

(I hide it so well from you, right?)

Don't get me wrong - I love putting together outfits, and I love new and daring pieces (I'm still on the hunt for a sequined skirt...), but regularly I just put on something to go to work and call it a day.

Luckily, the team over at Ensambl got in touch with me to try out the new launch of their app, and it was exactly the fashion-tool that I needed.

Ensambl is fantastic because it combines two essential needs: getting dressed with checking the weather. i know, I know, that might sound like something you can do on your own... but if you're like me, someone who routinely wears the same thing to work, then this app is perfect for giving you a hint of fashion inspiration that matches your actual daily needs.

First thing's first: you set your location (by state) and Ensambl loads various bloggers who have outfit posts fit for the weather near you that day. I like this feature because, unlike other apps where you have to go in and follow a bunch of different accounts before you get a solid variety on your feed, this app just shows you many bloggers automatically. I've already seen multiple outfits, and discovered multiple bloggers, that I wouldn't have ever thought to try on my own.

Even better? If you click on a look (instead of just swiping left or right to discard or favorite it), the app takes you to the exact blogger's post about that look!

Then, not only can you read about the outfit inspiration (and try to see how you could tweak the look to work for you) but you can also find the exact links for these pieces. Genius.

I also love that you can look back over your past favorites, so you can go on a swiping spree and then really take an in-depth view of the best choices at a later date. Or, just save them for a rainy day! Har har.

I did a fair amount of Ensambl-ing this weekend, and used some of the fabulous looks on there (my favorites so far are by Sincerely Jules, The Blonde Salad, and Lovely Pepa) to create these potential outfits for different weather situations I expect to experience this fall (you can see the full sets and the product info on my Polyvore!)

1. The Transitional Outfit

This look is perfect for that interim phase where Summer and Fall overlap - I'm thinking 65 degrees and sunny, with a brisk wind blowing your hair back. This all sounds very photoshoot, doesn't it? The bright colors set off the darkness of the black boots, making the overall look feel very warm. Literally and figuratively.

2. The Rainy Day Outfit

When it rains, you don't want to spend hours pulling yourself together, only to have it all undone the minute you step out the door. With this outfit, it won't be - chic and casual, but with classic pieces made to accentuate your fashion sense! And, a couple of my favorite winter beauty products - moisturizer and lipstick.

3. The Errands & Brunch Outfit

This look is my ideal for running errands around town and getting a bite with a few girlfriends afterwards - stylish and simple colors with a touch of glamour (bubble necklace, anyone?) and a dose of practicality (I love my BKR bottles!), you could spend a whole day out and about in this ensamble.

These outfits were all inspired by a few swipes of the Ensambl app - now if only my closet had a similar function! If you're in a fashion rut, or just want to find some new bloggers to follow, check out Ensambl on the app store. And let me know what you think!

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This review is part of a madeleine|blogs and Ensambl cross-collaboration. As always, you receive my honest opinion in every post.