Nautical Inspiration

On April 24, 2012April 24, 2012 By all dolled upIn Uncategorized6 Comments

I have always been a fan of all things nautical and generally find that the looks inspired by this fun fashion trend tend to be timeless and easy to recreate. I mean seriously, what’s not to love about Sperry Topsiders, stripes, stripes, and more stripes, preppy sweaters, white pants, the liberty to mix red, white, and navy (without feeling like you’re dressing for the 4th of July), and how about all of those adorable little anchor embellished polos and shorts? Nautical inspired looks are not only easy (try mixing a navy and white stripe back to a red or white base), but always a winner in my book (as long as you don’t go too overboard-no pun intended!). 😉

So when the thermometers hit 80 degrees the afternoon I was headed out to see the famed Clinton Kelly do a presentation at our new Macy’s store in the downtown City Creek Center, I had the perfect outfit in mind to tackle both a warm afternoon in the city, and hopefully impress one of my favorite fashion icons (if our paths were to cross-which they did!!). Inspired by JCrew (of course!!) and my new favorite striped skirt that I picked up at the H&M in Seattle a couple of weeks ago, this is what I wore…

Cardigan: JCrew

Red Silk Shirt: Forever21

Striped Skirt: H&M (recent)

Belt: Mossimo for Target (recent)

Shoes: Chinese Laundry Love Me

Sunglasses: Calvin Klein c/o Macy’s Sunglass Hut

Monogram Necklace: Keti Sorely Designs (Etsy)

Watch: Michael Kors c/o Nordstrom Rack

Gold Bracelets: Macy’s and H&M

Silver Bracelets: Tiffany

Handbag: Marc by Marc Jacobs Classic Q Hillier

There is nothing better than feeling confident in an outfit, and while I wish I had that feeling every day, that is not always the case. BUT, despite showing my legs and bare toes in public for the first time this year, I felt pretty darn confident in this selection. So when Clinton and I walked past each other in the Impulse department at Macy’s and he smiled approvingly and said “hello” to me, I managed to give him a huge smile, but couldn’t get a single word to come out of my mouth. It was an awkward moment, no doubt, but at least my outfit was fantastic-and I feel pretty happy about that.

Rachel Roy for Macy’s

On April 23, 2012April 23, 2012 By all dolled upIn Outfit IdeasLeave a comment

I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again, I LOVE it when designers team with up with various retailers to create more affordable lines for us regular folk. In fact, I relish the opportunity to buy from these style icons without breaking the bank (or having some serious explaining to do to my hubby). And while most of the time these special collections are a one time only deal, Macy’s has been able to create a partnership with Rachel Roy and carry her line RACHEL Rachel Roy ALL YEAR LONG. And if you haven’t checked it out yet, you need to, because it is absolutely fabulous.

In fact, when I first started working with Macy’s last fall, I discovered their Impulse division (Macy’s boutique/fashion shop which features designer and trend clothing), and then, within Impulse, Rachel’s line. And let me tell you, I have been a big fan of both ever since. Rachel’s prices are reasonable, the fabrication and colors she chooses are gorgeous, and her style is classic and chic-appealing to a very wide audience. I have collected several of her pieces over the last few months and have been nothing but impressed with each one. So when I saw this little bird dress on sale at our new store in the City Creek center over the weekend, I knew it had to be mine.

Dress: RACHEL Rachel Roy c/o Macy’s

Cardigan: H&M (recent)

Belt: American Eagle

Shoes: Steve Madden c/o O.co outlet

Earrings: Target (old)

Watch: Michael Kors c/o Nordstrom Rack

Bracelets: Style & Co. c/o Macy’s and H&M

I think that what I especially love about this dress is that it is essentially a blank canvas. I kept it pretty simple for this look adding a bright pink belt for a pop of color, but already have a lot of other ideas in mind of different ways to style this dress for future ensembles. In fact, I have a hunch it is going to be one of my favorite pieces this spring/summer. It isn’t very often you find a piece that can be dressed up for a wedding, or dressed down (with flats) for the farmer’s market, but this dress definitely fits the bill. And with that, make sure and check out Rachel’s line on macys.com, or if you have Impulse at a Macy’s near you, head into the store to try a few things on. Friends and Family starts on Wednesday and the entire store will be 25% off, so it’s a great time to add some Rachel to your collection!!!

Happy Monday!

Favorite Product Friday: Cover Girl Lash Blast Mascara

On April 20, 2012April 23, 2012 By all dolled upIn Favorite ProductsLeave a comment

People ask me all the time about the types of product that I use, so I thought it would be fun to share one of my favorite products with my readers every Friday. And for my very first Favorite Product Friday post, I want to talk about Cover Girl Lash Blast mascara-one of my favorite products. EVER.

Now I LOVE mascara. It is my staple beauty product and would be what I would choose if I could only have one piece of makeup. And so, I have tried every mascara under the sun (Bad Gal, Mac, Dior, Bare Essentials, Clinique, Lauder, Lancome, Bobbi Brown, etc.) searching for the perfect combination of volume, length, and durability. And shockingly, it has been this inexpensive little mascara, in a brightly colored orange tube that has totally, and completely won me over. Here’s why:

1. It doesn’t smudge

2. It doesn’t flake

3. It stays put all day(no racoon eyes here!)

4. It is the perfect combo of volume and length

5. It isn’t clumpy (and I put on A LOT of mascara)

6. It costs under $10

7. You can pick it up at the grocery store-which is a HUGE convenience

8. You can go through a lot of it and not break the bank

9. The unique brush makes for easy application

And the final reason why I LOVE this mascara so much (drum roll please!!!!!):

10. When I met Tre Cool (the drummer from Green Day) at a bar in San Francisco this winter, he liked my mascara so much, he asked me to put some on him. And of course I obliged (and nervous as I was, only got a little on his eyelid!), and guess what?? He LOVED it too. In fact, he liked it so much, I would not be surprised to find out that he and rest of the Green Day crew are now all wearing this fabulous mascara.

(me and Tre Cool at the Tipsy Pig in SF about to get our mascara on)

So if you haven’t tried it, please do. I am sure you will love it-I do and these little lashes of mine won’t be using anything else anytime soon.

Happy Favorite Product Friday!!!

P.S. Please don’t forget to leave a comment if there is a product you are curious about or would like me to feature in a Favorite Product Friday post!!! And don’t forget to follow me via email, Twitter, and Facebook for updates on new posts!!!

Let’s Talk About Leopard

On April 19, 2012April 23, 2012 By all dolled upIn Outfit Ideas1 Comment

I LOVE animal prints (and when I say love, I mean LOVE). As I have talked about in previous posts, they can be a great neutral due to their grounding colors, but because they are a print, they also have the ability to create an element of interest and creativity. As a matter of fact, I use them frequently in both home decor and in fashion. But the print that has really drawn me in as of late is leopard-and even more specifically, leopard shoes. I have actually collected a small assortment of them over the last couple of months, and due to the variation in style and color, I use each pair for different intents and purposes (you can catch a peek of a couple of them in my shoe closet shown here).

So when my best gal pals were visiting a couple of weeks ago and I picked up a fun new yellow blazer on our marathon shopping spree, I knew immediately it would look amazing with a pair of boyfriend jeans and (of course) sky-high leopard heels. And one thing you will find if you follow this blog, or look at my Pinterest boards, is that I am a sucker for the mix of a beat up baggy jean with a more sophisticated heel and blazer. In fact, when you combine all of these things together, there are a very wide breadth of occasions where an outfit like this would be appropriate: brunch, errands, lunch date, a movie, or even a casual dinner with the hubby or friends. Spunky, yet casual and sophisticated-definitely right up my alley. 🙂

Blazer: Forever21(recent)

Gold Foil Striped Top: JCrew (last fall)

Boyfriend Jeans: Rich and Skinny c/o Nordstrom

Leopard Shoes: Steve Madden c/o Macy’s

Necklace: H&M (last summer)

Watch: Michael Kors c/o Nordstrom Rack

Bracelets: Macy’s, H&M, and World Market

One of the reasons that I picked this specific leopard shoe to complete this outfit over any of my other options is because the tone of this particular leopard shoe is very warm and compliments the warm tone of the yellow blazer and gold foil stripes on my top. Some of my other leopard shoes were too cool in their coloration to work with this look. So with that taken into consideration, the possibilities of what you can do with leopard are not only pretty endless, but a whole lot of fun.

A Stroll Down Memory Lane

On April 18, 2012April 23, 2012 By all dolled upIn Outfit Ideas, Uncategorized2 Comments

I was a really, really good little girl-and that is not an exaggeration. In fact I was often teased by my peers and called a goody-goody-two-shoes, a brown-noser, and the teacher’s pet (which was probably true). And of course it all seemed so horrible at the time, but in hindsight, I am proud that I was indeed all of those things growing up!! However, none of us are perfect and I of course had my challenging moments, just like any other kiddo.

In fact, my beloved grandma loves to tell a story about me when I was in the 3rd grade and visiting her in Detroit with my family. She and my mom had taken me shopping, and while I have always been opinionated about what I like to wear, for whatever reason, that opinion reached a fever pitch during this particular outing. My grandma wanted to buy me a Polly Flanders dress-white with pink and lots and lots of ruffles and smocking. She and my mom thought I looked ADORABLE in it and both ranted and raved in the fitting room about how excited they were for me to have it. I, however, was not convinced. And so, when my mom left the fitting room, my grandmother said I looked her squarely in the eyes and said “You can buy that dress for me, grandma, but I won’t wear it.” And oh the drama that ensued. To this day, my grandmother still laughs as she relives the shock she felt when her sweet little Abigail uttered those defiant words to her. But in the end, as I was a spoiled first-born grandchild and had previously done no wrong, ended up getting the dress that I wanted that day-a purple dress with white polka dots, and some really cute leggings to match. And as a budding fashionista who knew what she wanted from a very young age, it ended up being one of my favorite outfits during my 3rd grade era. So when I was at the Rack a couple of weeks ago and saw this cute polka dot number, I knew I had to have it in memorandum of that infamous day…

Sunglasses: Cole Haan c/o Nordstrom Rack

Dress: c/o Nordstrom Rack

Leopard Belt: Express (still in stores!)

Mustard Cardigan : H&M

Leggings: c/o Nordstrom Rack

Shoes: Jessica Simpon c/o Macy’s

Watch: Michael Kors c/o Macy’s

Necklaces: Tiffany, and my personal collection of charms

Many people reflect on defining moments in their life and as I look back, I can’t help but think that maybe the incident with my grandma and the Polly Flanders dress was perhaps my defining fashion moment. But whatever the case, I still love polka dots-so am thrilled that they are back with a vengeance this season. And as you may recall, I talked about chambray being one of the new neutrals of the season a couple of posts back, well, leopard is the other-which is why I selected a leopard belt to accessorize this dress. It might seem busy, but leopard really goes with anything due to its neutral coloration. Plus a leopard scarf, belt, shoe, or bag is a really great way to spruce up an outfit without having to put forth much effort.

Here’s to dressing in what makes us happy!!

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Date Night!

On April 17, 2012April 24, 2012 By all dolled upIn Outfit Ideas2 Comments

I have a lot of what I like to call “Vegas” dresses. You know, the ones that are short, and colorful and perfectly appropriate for a night out at Tao (but few other occasions). And I also have a lot of fab sun dresses, which of course are a little more on the conservative side, but lots of fun, none-the-less. And every year, when I start to feel that spring fever set in, I want nothing more (besides a tan), than to pull all of these fun little numbers out of hiding for the season. But alas, the temperatures are far to cool, and I am far to old to be strutting around in barely-there dresses this time of year. So what is a girl to do?

Fortunately, this is an example of where mixing medias can come in pretty handy-particularly the willingness to combine sweet and tough trends together (which is one of my favorite combos). I like how it not only balances out the soft and sweet by giving a hint of edgy-ness, but also creates an element of surprise and a look that is a little out of the norm. So for a recent date night with my hubby, I pulled out one of my favorite red, ruffle-y dresses and decided to forgo my go-to blazer and pumps, and instead paired it back to a beat up leather jacket, tights, and some pretty special booties for a look that’s a little more rock-and-roll.

Dress: Forever21 (recent)

Leather Jacket: H&M (fall)

Earrings: Arden B (last summer)

Tights: HUE c/o Macy’s

Booties: Kelsi Dagger Rosabella $199 (some available on eBay and Amazon in limited sizing)

And while I love how the look turned out (as did my hubby), I am so looking forward to ditching the jacket and tights and enjoying warmer temperatures. But for now, at least I have a means to enjoy all of my fun little dresses while not blinding anyone with my pale winter skin. 😉

A Little Bit Country

On April 16, 2012April 16, 2012 By all dolled upIn Outfit Ideas3 Comments

I was born and raised in Montana-the land of the big sky. And my childhood was filled with lots of outdoor adventures, horseback riding, and country music (of course). In fact, I can still remember when I got my first pair of Wranglers and cowboy boots-it was a proud day. And when I was old enough to leave the nest, I headed off to Vandy to not only attend college, but to position myself in the heart of downtown Nashville to pursue my dream of being a country music singer. And later, when I left Nashville behind to chase a career in fashion, I met and married a boy from good old North Dakota, whose family calls me “Dead Eye” due to my performance on the shooting range. So, even though these days I work in the retail industry and live in a big city, I think it’s pretty safe to say that I’m definitely a country girl a heart. In fact, the other day, as I was singing “Mountain Music” at the top of my lungs, slappping my knee and stomping out the beat in the front passenger seat while running errands with my hubby, J looked over at me laughing and said maybe I was beyond just plain old country and actually have a little redneck in me. And I have to tell you, I think he might be right!

So, who could possibly be more excited that western shirts are making a comeback this year? You guessed it, this girl! I love a great chambray shirt with snap buttons down the front and have for as long as I can remember-so of course have been quick to add a couple to my collection this year. But lucky for all of you city slickers out there, this year’s chambray shirts stretch far beyond country. They are stylish, easy, and fun. And when I was purusing Pinterest a couple of weeks ago patiently waiting for a flight, I spotted a gorgeous image of a gal wearing a chambray shirt with a big tulle skirt and I knew that it was the perfect look for this country girl…

Chambray Shirt: American Eagle $39.50

Tulle Dress: American Eagle (sold out)

Belt: Mossimo for Target

Boots: Jessica Simpson c/o TJMaxx

So not only is chambray one of the obvious “it” trends for the season, it is also one of the new neutrals for the season. You can dress it up or dress it down, and wear it with skirts, dresses, shorts, or pants-really pretty much anything (remember this post when I paired mine with skinnies, pearls, and neon?). In fact, you can even wear your chambray shirt with jeans. But a word to the wise, just be sure that there is enough contrast in color between your top and bottom. Even though chambray is in, the Canadian Tuxedo still is not. 😉

Cognac+Grey

On April 14, 2012April 17, 2012 By all dolled upIn UncategorizedLeave a comment

I find that it is much easier for me to dress up than to dress causally (probably because it is more fun!). And truth be told, my casual outfits all seem to have a pretty specific underlying theme to them-some sort of pairing of cognac and grey. In my opinion, these two colors live in perfect harmony together, maybe even more so than ebony and ivory. Not only are they incredibly are chic when in tandem, but since one is a warm tone and one is cool, if you want to spice things up a bit, the possibilities of what you can add to this simple base are really pretty endless. So, last Saturday, when my hubby and I had a date with our littles (we are mentors with BBBS), I threw on my old faithful combination, but added a surprising (and fun) neon yellow striped sweater that left me feeling cute, casual, and comfortable for a rough-and-tumble play date.

Sunglasses: Steve Madden (TJ Maxx)

Neon Striped Sweater: American Eagle (on sale for $14.99!!!)

Grey Tank: JCrew (last summer)

Jeans: Else by Joe’s Jeans exclusively for Macy’s

Boots: Aldo Farmar (only one pair left!!)

Watch: Michael Kors c/o Macy’s (back in stock!)

Earrings: The Icing (recent)

And not only did I feel cute AND comfy all day painting and playing at the park, I also still felt like a bit of a fashionista-which is definitely a good thing. 🙂

Happy weekend!!!

Oh-la-la-leopard!

On April 12, 2012April 12, 2012 By all dolled upIn Michael Kors, Outfit IdeasLeave a comment

I love the springtime in the SLC. The weather is typically gorgeous and warm and it is the greenest we ever see it here in the desert. But like spring in any city I’ve ever known, the weather can sometimes be a bit volatile. As was the case last Friday when we went from 80 one day to a blizzard the next!! And so, even though I should have probably packed away my fur vest about a month ago, I decided to wear it one more time in honor of an April snowstorm. And what better way to rock it than with leopard and red pants??!!

Vest: Macy’s

Leopard Blouse: Macy’s

Red Pants: American Eagle

Watch: Michael Kors c/o Macy’s

Bracelet: H&M and Tiffany

Black Cocktail Ring: Flea Market in Florence (one of my best purchases-EVER)

Black Pumps: Chinese Laundry

And in hopes of that being our last snow in the valley for the year (and those are high hopes), I have officially packed away all of my fur vests for the season. And while I will miss them, I am pretty excited to get back into sundresses, flowy tanks, maxis, and sandals. So pretty, pretty please, stick around this time, would you spring???

Long Time Coming…

On April 10, 2012April 10, 2012 By all dolled upIn Michael Kors, Nordstrom Rack, Outfit Ideas1 Comment

I have been wanting to start a fashion blog for what seems like forever, but I was always too busy, or too nervous, or had some other all-too-convenient excuse present itself and thus, I ignored that little voice in my head and heart and all of the urging of co-workers and friends. But this year, when the clock struck midnight and I was thinking about what adventures I wanted to take in the coming year, making this blog a reality was at the top of my list. And so, here I am 3 months and 28 posts later, and FINALLY ready to announce myself and my little project to the world!!

And what better way to “officially” kick things off than by showcasing not one, but TWO of my favorite trends for the spring and summer season: pastels and neon (yes, together). Now, there isn’t any denying that I am a HUGE fan of color, but if you would have asked me a year or so ago if I would ever pair neon and pastels together, I might have told you no. But lately, I have absolutely no hesitation and the surprising mix of the two is one of my favorite current trends. In fact, when I first put this outfit together, I actually paired it back to red pants (and I LOVED it!), but in the end, decided that I wanted to share a more realistic version of how to mix the two that would be easier, and not quite so intimidating to recreate, especially for those of of you who might be experimenting with a lot of these wild colors for the first time…

Sunglasses: Marc Jacobs c/o Nordstrom Rack

Necklace: JCrew

Bracelets: World Market, and H&M

Watch: Michael Kors c/o Nordstrom Rack

Black Cocktail Ring: Flea Market in Florence

Clutch: Michael Kors c/o TJMaxx

Cardigan: H&M (recent)

Peach Blouse: Forever21 (recent)

Neon Yellow Belt: Macy’s (in select stores)

Skinny Jeans: Gap (sold out on line)

Neon Pumps: Aldo for Nordstrom Capecoral Pump $89.95

And with that, I hope you will join me and follow along as I share my favorite trends, all I am continuously learning working in the fashion industry, and tips and tricks for looking fabulous on any budget. I am also looking forward to sharing more photos and stories from our crazy home renovation, arts and crafts projects I tackle from time to time, and of course great food and drink ideas that I am often inspired by through other incredible bloggers, and of course, Pinterest.

So cheers to this new and exciting adventure-I know I am excited and hope you are too!!