Wet Weather Winners

I try not to think too much about the fact that winter is looming.  We have had such a lovely fall in New England, and inevitably that means the nasty, cold, and often wet weather is upon us.  So before I experience PTSD from all the darn shoveling I did last winter, I'd rather daydream of wearing some fun, waterproof slip-on shoes.  When I have to make a fast dash outside to grab the mail or get something from my car, I HATE having to stand at my doorway and lace up shoes or hassle with getting on my boots for those wet days.  Hence, the waterproof slip-on shoe...

LLBean has been making these forEVER. Kind of hard to even look further.

Bean Boots, Rubber Moc $89

I do enjoy shearling...and then in red patent! Precious. 

Ugg Haylie $125

 Sperry tries their hand at a version, too.

Duckling Rain Shoe $59.95

Keeping my feet warm and dry helps...even if that means I have to tackle the shoveling before too long again.  Sigh.  Back to daydreaming!

(Creepy) Crawlers!

I'm not much of a Halloween girl, but I do love those who get in the holiday spirit- no matter what holiday it is.  My friends K and C have been hiding this hideous plastic mask (they call him Harvey) all over their house to scare the other when discovered...or my other friend S preps for the 300+ trick or treaters who come to their house every year (yes, you read that right- THREE HUNDRED).  It's great to see us all taking a little break from reality to dip into fantasy.

Since I'm more of a fashion girl, my Halloween contribution is this adorable trend of crawling earrings...they are positioned on your ear as if they are literally climbing up...kinda creepy and yet, super cool.  Here are my favs:

Like ice...

Bauble Bar $32

Starlight, Starbright

Anthropologie $32

Geometrically inspired...

Etsy $25

Happy Halloween, y'all!

Break in the Backpack

I took a little respite from blogging, but fear not- my ideas were still flowing over the last few months!  October is here...transitioning us to all things harvest-y and fall.  I spent the summer purging (and consigning) a ton of clothing and accessories that just don't need to live in my quaint little condo anymore.  I came across my large bin of handbags...scaled back and assessed a few possible updates.  Some gals carry a different one every day, while others carry one until it falls apart.  I fall somewhere in between.  I carry a handbag (or pocketbook as they say here in New England) for a month, and then change it up. 

October inspired me to try a backpack.  Not like "I'm headed back to school" backpack, but an adult version with some classic details.  What do you think?  I'm going to give it a shot.

This caught my eye in a recent issue of Redbook magazine. 
LOVE the tassels.

I covet this if I ever win the lottery.

Honestly, faux leather looks amazing!

Happy October shopping, friends!

Sweet Southern Draper James

Reese Witherspoon gets more precious every year.  I remember her in The Man in the Moon (loved that movie) and knew she had a bright future in store. So, not only is she an Academy Award winner, but now she's also a major fashionista.  Reese recently kicked off her own line- Draper James- a lovely collection inspired by her own southern heritage and grandparents, Dorothea Draper and William James Witherspoon.  Absolutely charming and oozing the spirit of Steel Magnolias, here's a few pieces from the collection I'm a fan of:

Floral cover-up- screams take me to a tropical island!

Kiawah Cover Up $200

The Magnolia outfit- as expected!

Bristol short $125, tote $165

And if you don't already have your own...You should!

Custom mint julep $85

Magnolia on your wrist?  Why not?

Enamel bangle $75

Pretty cute stuff (a little pricey) but definitely makes me miss the south!

Find Your Fringe

The southwestern girl in me likes suede fringe more than I care to admit.  :)  But the good news is that it's very in style this year, and done appropriately, I feel like it's a fun way to release your inner bohemian/cowgirl.  My recommendation:  stick to shoes or handbags.  Fringe on your clothing gets dangerously close to rockin' Steve Nicks attire, and well, she really should be the only one doing that!

Here's my favorites across the web:

Rocker chic!

Steve Madden Fringly $129.95

If only I could pull these off...such a high heel!

Stuart Weitzman LoveFringe $455

Walkable heel with layered fringe- love!

Very Volatile "Idea" $82.95

Big fan of the added studs on these!

Target Sam & Libby $39.99

Shall we give fringe a try? 

Denim, Denim Everywhere!

First off, if you were one of the few who actually bought a piece from the Lilly for Target line, consider yourself lucky.  The madness around that frenzy somehow didn't seem worth it to me.  And those folks now selling it all on eBay for 3x the amount just doesn't sit well with me either.  I'll get off my soapbox now :)

Meanwhile, much like florals, denim is back in a big way.  Not an unusual concept for spring, but denim sure does make me smile- especially as a partner to my white jeans and flip flops!  (maybe someday?  it's STILL cold in Boston in my opinion) Here's my favs as of late:

Petite ladies, this one's for you.

Gap peplum top $39.99

Feels like a dream- love tencel!

Gap denim shirt $49.95

Sassy back!

Gap tulip-back dress $69.95

Who doesn't love a basic shirt dress?

Target Belted Denim Shirt Dress $29.99

Go on, grab your denim and say hello to spring!

Lilly for Target

I sure do love when Target pairs up with designer lines- it's like a little taste of the runway without all the killer cost!  No doubt this will be a major win for Target, as they are joining forces with Lilly Pulitzer, the famous New Yorker turned Palm Beach, who exploded with colorful floral resort wear for the masses.  Her line tends to be pretty preppy, but you sure can't beat the use of color in classic shaped styles.  In my opinion, Target has needed this partnership- and I'm psyched to see how April 19th pans out.  Watch your email (or check out your local Target) to get a piece for yourself!

Here's a few things I've been eyeing...you can check out Target's lookbook for the collection here.

Strapless Nosey Posey Dress $34.00

Embroidered Tunic Camelia Orange $30.00

Espadrilles Upstream $24.00

Wristlet My Fans $20.00

Happy shopping, Lilly fans!

Fabulously Floral

I'm reminded of that scene in the movie "The Devil Wears Prada" when Meryl Streep asks in a staff meeting what they have on deck for spring.  And the eager staff member says, "Well, florals are big this year..." And Meryl so coyly says, "Florals, for spring?  Groundbreaking."

I snicker every time.

But the truth is, florals are everywhere for spring- every single year!

Here's my favorite flashy florals I've seen lately:

Love this for a spring wedding!

Asos Chi Chi London Midi Dress $105

Imagining these with a cute denim dress...

Target Layla sneakers $13.59

Precious for a spring event (first communion, baptisms, etc.)

Boden Pandora Skirt $148

Go on, find your floral and flaunt it!

Get Your Glam Bag!

I can't take credit for this one- my sister got me started.  I don't pretend to be a big cosmetics girl.  After all, I do prefer buying clothes over a lipstick, but I feel compelled to share my thoughts on the monthly glam bag by Ipsy!

I'm sure you've seen several iterations of this idea:  pay a flat monthly fee, and you get a special package in the mail featuring new sample products from the cosmetic industry.  Birchbox is another one who sports this deal (for both men and women!).  You can find ones that are animal cruelty free, vegan, etc.  The options are pretty endless, and it's clear this idea has taken off!

So, I'll just share my Ipsy story- now that I'm two months into my glam bag and haven't been disappointed!  For $10 a month and free shipping, I get a personalized (I'll explain that in a moment) cosmetic bag (or as my friend A says it's her "satellite" for the "mothership") :)

The bags are honestly enough to keep me coming!

When you sign up, they take you through a short survey about your skin type/tone and preferences among cosmetics (I could care less about foundations, for example).  Once you select your preferred types of treats, then it's a surprise each month!  5 treasures that are selected with your preferences in mind that coordinate with your skin type/tone.

March Glam Bag!

Includes pur-lisse 4in 1 soy milk cleaner and makeup remover (personal fav)
Crown shadow/crease brush
LeeAnniEco 3 in 1 Revolution Light: toner serum and moisturizer in one

Pixi mineral duo eye shadow in Apricot Glow

NYX butter lipstick in Little Susie

I'm loving it! :)

Blushed with Pink

So they *say* it is officially spring (didn't it snow today in Boston? ugh)- but since there's an inevitable change, I'll keep my eye on the prize!  So many lovely spring like fashions to comment on, but for today- it's all about the blush.  I like to think I know a thing or two about blush, especially considering how easily we redheads blush when embarrassed! :)  You should be seeing blush pink everywhere- from cosmetics to accessories to our favorite fashion staples.  I love it so- a soft, gentle color and screams femininity (one of my resolutions for 2015).  So here's my favorite blush pinks from across the web:

The perfect base color eyeshadow

MAC in Vapour $16.00

If you don't own a Recover seamless tank, you aren't living:

Recover, in Ballerina pink $33.00

 This faux leather tote is ideal for travel!

Forever21 tote in pink $27.90

Precious pink moto jacket

Joe Fresh $49.00

Classic pullover w/ open side slits

BR Textured Cotton/Cashmere Pullover $62.99

I'm here to say, you will see blush pink everywhere...so find your perfect item and ring in spring!

Pop of Popover

My blogging habit just has been pushed down the to do list these last couple months.  In case you missed it, between mid January and early March, Boston had over 100 inches of snow (and I think I literally shoveled every flippin' one!)  So, maybe I just feel like I am coming up for air. Spring is coming!

I've noticed a million trends lately that make for a great blog post, so I'll try my best to keep them comin' now!  So let's start with the popover trend.  Seen it?  The popover is an illusion of separates, but is actually a one piece.  The top literally "pops over" the bottom in a bit of a flare, and there's usually a fun split back.  What do you think?

The color is fabulous!

  Eliza J Crepe Popover $138

Preppy Fit and Flare

Striped Jacquard $138

Classic White (when will spring come??)

Jacquard Knit $148

Sweet embellishments!

Textured Knit $39.99

  Can you see yourself pulling this off? I think I may try it :)

Resolve For You

Where does the time go?  Goodness! A month since my last post- so Happy New Year!  And when we ring in a new year, often we resolve to do (or not do) something that makes us feel and look better.  I'm not a huge resolution person, but I can attest to starting fresh and wanting to make good choices in all aspects of my life- personally and professionally.  I have loads of choices I'd like to make better this year, but this is a fashion blog after all :)

So, in the interest of being a good role model, here's my top 3 FASHIONABLE resolutions for 2015:

• Wear what fits my body well.  And in my case, that's dresses.  I have an ongoing battle with separates (pants, skirts, jeans, etc.)- so quit buying them! And personally, I find it infinitely harder to wear separates as a girl with some curve.  Alas, wear what fits my body well!

Been coveting this for months: 

Anthropologie $178

•  Wear clothing/shoes that are more feminine.  I forget that it's nice to look and feel feminine (I hear fellas like that), and even though I tend to dress more "girly" than most, sometimes simple touches of lace, bows or even showing a little skin (appropriately) are really very powerful!

Such a pretty shoe!  And the SJP line is precious.

Sarah Jessica Parker "Margaret" suede pump $355

• Carry a purse that is both functional and fashionable.  My colleague just scored a fabulous Michael Kors bag and she's never looked back.  Can't say I blame her!  I'm a fan of red- adds a pop of color when everyone else is dragging around black. 

 Such a classic look (and would look great with that dress above!)

Michael Kors Selma Medium Sachel $298

Have a wonderful start to 2015!