Let me tell you, it has been one heck of a week.  It might be only Wednesday, but I have already logged close to 40 hours at the office and might even be going a little cross-eyed from staring at my computer for hours on end.  Super early mornings and absurdly late nights have made me a bit somber the last couple of days, so when I got dressed (in the dark!) this morning, I was drawn to a more earthy ensemble complete with leopard wedges, suede elbow patches on a comfy jersey blazer, and some pretty vintage jewelry courtesy of my beloved Grandma.

Blazer:  H&M (sold out)

Blouse:  Forever21 (old)

Belt:  American Eagle

Leggings:  Nordstrom (old)

Shoes:  Aldo (sold out)

Watch:  Michael Kors c/o Nordstrom Rack

Jewelry:  Vintage

So happy to be on the downhill slide and that the weekend is finally drawing near.  Happy Hump Day!!!!

xx

2011 was ALL ABOUT COLOR and I can tell you that 2012 isn’t going to be any different.  And while I have always been a huge fan of color and seem to have a bright and cheery wardrobe no matter the season (yellow and pink are my favorite colors, after all), I know that color isn’t for everyone.  So, whether you are a color person or not, the questions is: how do you decide which pieces you should  purchase in bold, bright colors?  And while I believe there are a lot of great options for giving your wardrobe a little flair, there is one thing at the top of my list that I think every gal should own.  And that, my friends, is a red blazer.

Red is all over the place, from lips to pants to nails, and blazers are, well, classic.  So really, how can you go wrong? I truly believe that  there isn’t a woman out there who doesn’t have the ability to seamlessly pull off a red blazer-it might just take stepping out of your comfort zone a little bit to try.

In honor of Valentine’s day, I decided to pair mine back to a few of my other closet staples for a festive, yet comfy ensemble-perfect to celebrate one of my favorite days of the year!

Blazer:  Forever21 (recent)

Striped Tunic:  Forever21 (last summer)

Belt:  Mossimo from Target (last summer)

Leggings:  Nordstrom (last year)

Bracelets:  H&M and Tiffany

Watch: Michael Kors c/o Macy’s (sold out in silver, but still available in rose gold) $250

Necklaces:  Tiffany and personal collection of charms

Boots:  Aldo Farmar (sold out online and in store)

Now get out there and find your perfect red blazer!  I promise you’ll be glad you did!

xx

I was in Seattle for work this week and as I drove into the city on Monday night, I had a sharp and unexpected pang of longing in my heart for San Francisco.  I spent the months of September through December in the City by the Bay completing an intensive training program for work.  And while it was hard to be away from my family and home-sweet-home, I fell in love with San Francisco, and definitely left a little piece of my heart there when it was time to say goodbye.

And so, with my heart strings tugged, I decided to take a little stroll down memory lane and spent Monday evening curled up in my cozy hotel room over room service looking through all of the amazing photos I have documenting my time in the SF.  And while there are so many great photos and memories to choose from, I decided to post in honor of a fabulous weekend my hubby and I spent in Napa and Sonoma drinking wine, eating cheese, playing tourist, and fulfilling my dream of touring wine country-even discovering our  favorite restaurant of all time along the way.  And of course I also had to share because in the below photos I am wearing one of my favorite tops.  EVER.  But what an incredible time we had exploring and touring gorgeous, perfectly manicured vineyards-particularly this incredible Castle, which was the highlight of our trip, thanks to a recommendation by a dear friend.

My hubby and me when we first arrived…

In one of the many cool wine cellars…

Tasting…

Soaking up some sun…

Admiring the view.  What a day.

Tunic:  Forever 21 (thanks to inspiration from J over at J’s Everday Fashion!)

Leggings: Nordstrom Rack

Belt:  Mossimo from Target

Boots:  Preppie by Steve Madden (on sale now for $41.99!!!)

Sunglasses:  Steve Madden c/o TJ Maxx

Feather Earrings:  Forever 21

Gold Watch:  Michael Kors c/o Nordstrom Rack

Handbag:  Rebecca Minkoff Devote (sold out)

And with that, I am going to kick off my weekend day dreaming of San Francisco, balmy summer days, wine, wine country, more wine, and castles, of course.

Cheers!!!

xx

Feathers have taken the fashion world by storm this year, and while I never did jump on the feather hair extension band wagon, I have created quite an extensive feather earring collection for myself over the last few months. They are such a fun and inexpensive way to add a pop of color to an outfit, or an easy way to give your ensemble a chic bohemian feel. Initially, I thought this was a trend I would only gravitate to during the summer and fall months, but have found myself turning towards my colored feather earrings to brighten up drab wintery days.  And really, what could be more fun than coordinating your earrings with your shoes??

Side note: I had to post this last photo showing what I wore over my outift to and from dinner just because I LOVE this jacket so much!  It is made by the label Bar III which is a brand exclusive to Macy’s and a part of their Impulse division (only carried in select stores).  This just might be my new favorite brand that I have discovered this season-the line is gorgeous and the price points are amazingly reasonable.  Check it out at a Macy’s near you!! 

 

Earrings: Aldo and H&M (I have two pairs layered, both only available in store)

Top: H&M

Jeans: American Eagle (similar) $44.50

Shoes: Aldo $69.98 (ON SALE!!!!)

Watch: Michael Kors c/o Macy’s

Bracelets:  Tiffany

Ring:  Italian Flea Market

Jacket: Bar III (exclusively at select Macy’s stores)

xx