black & red pencil

November 27, 2014

HAPPY THANKSGIVING, my friends! this is my favorite time of the year for so many reasons... family gatherings, warm casseroles/baked goods straight from the oven, thinking of the perfect gift to get your loved ones, family gatherings! (yes, again!), sweaters, scarves, layering, boots, hot cocoa, christmas music, twinkle lights, movies by the fireplace... etc.. the list goes on. but i'll spare you my glee. i hope you have a wonderful thanksgiving spent with the people you love and care about most. eat lots, be thankful, and strategically plan how black friday is going down for you (even if that means sleep)!

i pulled out this number in excitement for the holidays -- the red pencil skirt. ladies, when you wear a pencil skirt, everyone is going to take you seriously. ok, i just made that up. but seriously though, the pencil skirt conveys you mean business. it is a professional and classy look that we all must rock!

p.s. -- it was FREEZING for this shoot. like 30s! but... anything for the blog. <3.

coat | Banana Republic overcoat (ancient) -- LOVING this double breasted one
top | J.Crew Factory ruffle blouse (sold out) -- another great one to go with pencil skirts
skirt | J.Crew No.2 double serge wool pencil skirt in red (old)
tights | Merona sweater tights in chevron
shoes | Cole Haan chelsea low pump in black patent
bag | Louis Vuitton MM neverfull tote in monogram canvas
earrings | Kendra Scott dawn medallion in gold
necklace | etsy custom monogram necklace
rings | etsy stacking/midi rings
lips | Tom Ford lip color in cherry lush

black & distressed

November 20, 2014

the season of dark lips is among us! although i'm missing the coral and bright pinks for summer and spring, i'm really diggin' the deep burgundy, plums, and berries. i was hesitant at first.. but realized, there is nothing to fear. i picked up a MAC lipstick in dark side which is described as a deep burgundy. dark lipsticks can be tricky and to keep it classy you really want to pick a color that is not too purple or black, unless goth-y is the look you are going for. MAC dark side is an amplified creme finish, which means it is: Ultra-creamy. Quietly shiny. Color-packed! Hi-res: hi-impact. = (insert thumbs up emoji). i only have two lipsticks from MAC and they are both amplified cremes. they wear very well. again, no lip liner here because i ain't got time for that! also check out the NARS audacious lipsticks that feature some beautiful dark shades for every skin tone.

coat | Forever21 shawl collar coat in black (just recently sold out!) -- similar
top | J.Crew vintage cotton v-neck tee in white
denim | Hudson nico mid-rise distressed skinny jeans in worlds apart
shoes | Forever21 pointed toe booties (sold out) -- loving these
earrings | Kendra Scott tima stud earrings in gold
necklaces | gorjana mave lariat necklace -- also now available in a shimmer mave lariat
rings | etsy & H&M stacking/midi rings / Kendra Scott ella ring in platinum drusy
lips | MAC amplified creme lipstick in dark side

rock the dark lips,

navy & purple gingham

November 13, 2014

top | J.Crew Factory charley sweater (old) -- similar / J.Crew Factory purple gingham button down (old)
denim | Hudson nico super skinny mid-rise jeans in abbey wash
shoes | Sole Society ena mid heel pump in navy suede
bag | Louis Vuitton MM neverfull tote in monogram canvas
earrings | ASOS big faux pearl and stone swing earrings (recently sold out) -- similar
necklace | Sam Moon pearl cluster bib necklace (old) -- similar
watch | Michael Kors monogram watch in rose gold (old) -- similar
rings | etsy stacking/midi rings, BaubleBar crystal mason ring in gold (sold out)

the teal dress & concrete beach

November 3, 2014

my friend wore this dress to my sister's wedding in cabo earlier this summer (such good times!). she looked absolutely gorgeous and i believe she picked the perfect dress for a beach wedding for the following reasons: it was casual enough to wear with flat sandals, the side slit on the dress made it extra flowy, and it was long enough to where you wouldn't have to worry about it flipping up with the wind. nonetheless, i tried to recreate the look here sans beach. (insert sad face).

since i'm short (5' 2") i always have a hard time finding maxi dresses with the right length since most of them are way too long. the solution: BUY PETITE! this dress is in petite sizing and the length is perfect. no alterations needed. which... i am all for because i ain't got time for that! LOFT and Ann Taylor do a great job catering to petites.

dress | LOFT strappy maxi dress (old) -- similar
sandals | Sam Edelman gigi in saddle
bag | Louis Vuitton sofia coppola clutch (limited edition, borrowed from SS! how i wish i owned thee)
earrings | Kendra Scott tessa studs in clear crystal
necklace | BaubleBar crystal trellis necklace (sold out) -- similar
rings | Vita Fede ultra mini double cubo crystal ring in gold, etsy stacking/midi rings

white linen & chambray

October 22, 2014

i'm sneaking in as many opportunities to wear summer clothes. after all, i live in Texas. it is still pretty hot for mid-October. and i'm wearing white... after labor day. (fist bump!)

when shopping for chambray, it comes in many hues (ranging from light/medium/dark) and fabric weight (light and flowy to heavy). this lighter colored chambray pairs perfectly with a similarly breezy linen skirt. although i associate chambray as more of a spring/summer item, i believe it can be worn year around. in the spring/summer i would pair it with skirts (as shown here), and colored pants or chino shorts. in the fall/winder i would pair it with leggings. lastly, denim on denim is welcome year around! so go on and get chu a chambray shirt!

onto the next... this Foley & Corinna bag gets many many compliments. mainly because of it's color. i'm glad my friend urged me to get it. i love this bag, let me count the ways: it's bold/vibrant. it's pretty. it goes with everything. it's four season friendly. it can be worn numerous ways... (blogging cap on.. maybe i should do a post on it!?)

top | Gap chambray boyfriend shirt (old) -- similar / similar
skirt | LOFT linen and lace skirt in white (old) -- similar with scallops! / similar with lace
sandals | Sam Edelman gigi in saddle
bag | Foley & Corinna mid city tote in poppy (old) -- similar in cranberry and on sale!
earrings | ASOS big faux pearl and stone swing earrings
necklace | BaubleBar showgirl fringe crystal strand (remember this? it is from my current lemmings -- leather and fringe post, i take my recommendations very seriously)
watch | Michael Kors darci in gold
rings | etsy/H&M stacking/midi rings

navy gingham & quilted vest

October 15, 2014

this vest was so HOT last year, i couldn't get my hands on it in time. they were selling on ebay for $200+. it was crazy. so... when it came out again this year, i snagged it. immediately. they are still available on J.Crew in chartreuse, bright ivory, navy, and black; and on J.Crew Factory in bohemian red, warm bisque, dark navy, black, and a checkered buffalo blue. the only difference between the two is pricing and the pockets. the J.Crew excursion quilted vest is priced at $120, and the pockets have flaps with two exposed buttons at the top of each. the J.Crew Factory quilted puffer vest is priced at $58.50, and the pockets (flap-less) open at an angle with a single hidden button on the inside of each.

probably more than you wanted to know about these vests... but i hope this helps! be sure to pick one up ASAP! they go great with button downs (as i have it styled here), sweaters, and long sleeve shirts. a great "extra layer" that will get lots of use this season!

J.Crew vs. J.Crew Factory vest

vest | J.Crew Factory quilted puffer vest in dark navy in XS
top | Gap fitted boyfriend gingham shirt in navy (on sale!)
denim | Hudson nico super skinny mid-rise jeans in abbey wash
shoes | Frye melissa button boot in cognac
bag | Coach station crossbody in british tan (vintage)
watch | Michael Kors darci in gold
necklace | J.Crew Factory crystal sunburst (just sold out! hopefully they re-stock soon)
rings | etsy and H&M stacking/midi rings

black & blush quilted midi

October 8, 2014

i'm all about the midi.

a midi with pockets = win win.

a midi made of sweater like material soft enough to sleep in = win win win.

i prefer longer length clothing items--dresses, skirts, tops... etc.. therefore, the midi skirt has quickly become one of my fashion favorites. this is an A-line midi skirt (A-line: fitted waist and flared bottom; midi: mid-length a few inches below the knees). as you can see here, a combo of the two equals conservative and professional. you can wear it ANYWHERE. the best part is you never have to worry about it being too short (constantly pulling it down or flashing people) or too long (dragging on the floor).

this skirt is also pleated and pleats are usually tricky to wear in the sense that they tend to accentuate your hip/waist area making them look wider than they really are. regardless, i have tons of pleated items and love them due to the feminine factor. to become friends with pleats, try adding a blazer as i have shown here. another option is to wear it with a sweater (un-tucked) that covers a little of the waist/hip area. i would also suggest a button down where you can fold in the front shirt tails.

top | H&M scoop back 3/4 sleeve in black (old) -- similar
blazer | H&M jersey blazer in black
skirt | ASOS quilted midi skirt in pink
bag | Tory Burch adjustable clutch w/removable chain (old) -- similar
shoes | Sam Edelman okala pumps in black suede
earrings | Baublebar pave pearl 360 studs in rose gold
necklace | Kendra Scott ginger statement necklace in black -- on sale in emerald and pyrite
bracelet | J.Crew Factory bracelet (old) -- similar
rings | etsy stacking/midi rings

rock the midi,