I love color blocking-so retro and mod-not to mention just plain fun. I mean seriously, pairing multiple big blocks of colors together at the same time? Genius!!!  In fact, I love this trend so much, I wanted to devote an entire post to it!

But before I do, I do have a little confession to make.  It’s funny the things you learn about yourself when blogging, and I have clearly learned (in more ways than one) that I am a creature of habit.  In fact, when I decided to write about color blocking, I immediately gravitated towards red and…wait for it…pink (surprise, surprise).  But it also occurred to me that the last two posts I have shared have pretty much been about the color pink.  Fortunately, for the sake of this post, I remembered the below gorgeous royal blue and teal silk blouse hanging in my closet that I picked up when I was in Seattle a few weeks ago-a perfect example of color blocking. Thus, I made the decision not to continue to bore you with my love for pink (you’re welcome), and change things up a bit by letting shades of blue take center stage (although my yellow suede pumps do make another appearance).  Baby steps…

Blazer:  H&M (sold out in stores)

Silk Tunic:  Forever21 (sold out in stores and online)

Leggings:  American Apparel (in stores)

Pumps:  Steve Madden (sold out)

Bracelets:  Nordstrom Rack (old)

Long Necklace:  Personal Collection of Charms

Crystal Necklace:  Sundance Catalog (sold out)

Watch:  Michael Kors c/o Macys $250 (sold out in silver, but available in bronze)

Besides the color blocking element, I also love how versatile this outfit is.  I could wear it to work, for a date with the hubs, or even for a night out on the town with the girls (would check my blazer at the door).   And since I have to dress up for work, like many of you do, I am sure, the ease of day to night can sometimes be the most important element before heading out the door when we get dressed in the morning.  If only all outfits were this simple!!

xx

Sometimes I think there is nothing better than taking a very basic outfit and pairing it back to super fab accessories to really take it up a notch. It feels very JCrew-esque to me, which is pretty tough to beat. I also think its hard to beat a t-shirt and blazer with some skinnies and fun pumps. So easy, yet so sexy and cool (according to my hubby!!).

So, once again inspired by Pinterest, I decided to take one of my favorite boyfriend tees and style it back to my favorite Gap skinnies, a staple gray blazer, and finish it off with some pretty great accessories-including my new bright pink pumps which I can’t get enough of!!!

Tee shirt: Forever21 (old)
Blazer: H&M (recent)
Jeans: Gap Always Skinny (sold out in stores)
Pumps: Jessica Simpson Waleo Pump c/o Macy’s
Necklace: Thai Pan Trading Company (Utah only)
Bracelets: H&M (recent)
Watch: Michael Kors c/o The Rack
Ring: Etsy c/o Decofox

Fortunately for me, I am all about the color pink which will no doubt be an asset as we move into a new season of fashion. But the good news is, if pink isn’t your color, pretty much every hue under the sun is in style this year, so you will no doubt be able to take your pick of a myriad of colorful baubles and accessories to spice up any outfit!! The key is to just HAVE FUN!!!

xx

Pink and yellow are my favorite colors-which if you know me at all is definitely no secret. So when I found these bright pink pants at AE a couple of weeks ago, I couldn’t wait to get them home and pair them back to my favorite yellow suede pumps. What I didn’t realize, however, was how tricky it would be to find the perfect top to round out the look.

Enter my favorite website EVER: Pinterest. I’m almost embarrassed to admit to the amount of hours I spend perusing this site-it is a sick, sick addiction. But I just can’t seem to stop myself from pinning and searching for inspiration (of which there is plenty). So I knew it would be the perfect place to find a resolution for my dilemma, and of course I was not disappointed. Thanks to Pinterest I was inspired to pair my cute navy and white striped off-the-shoulder sweater back to my yellow shoes and pink pants. I think I kind of love how the the look how it turned out, but I have to be totally honest, I’m even more excited to pair this top back my sunshine yellow skinnies-which I will definitely share in an upcoming post!! But for now, I’m thinking pink…

Sweater: H&M ( recent)
Pants: American Eagle (recent)
Shoes: Steve Madden (sold out)
Watch: Michael Kors c/o The Rack
Bracelets: H&M (recent)

And if you couldn’t already tell, I’m so excited about spring and summer fashion trends that I can hardly stand it. So much so, I guess I’m getting a bit of an early start. Hooray for color (and warmer weather!!)!!!

xx

I am not usually a fan of ditsy prints, but have been on the hunt for the perfect little bird print blouse or dress since January.  Something about the cute whimsy and prelude-to-spring feel of it had me hooked and I knew I needed to add a piece of this nature to my closet.  For several weeks I looked high and low, but everything I found seemed to either be too expensive, or just not quite right (I should note that I think there is a fine line between tacky and cute with these types of prints so I have been pretty picky in my quest). 

And then it happened, as it often does, when I least expected it.  I was visiting one of my stores in Helena, Montana (of all places!) and happened to walk past the junior’s department (of all places!), and there it was, pretty and sweet, exactly what I had been looking for and for exactly the right price ($39.99 before my employee discount).  I tried it on expecting the worst, but the fit was perfect AND it is a fab little frock with or without a jacket or cardi, which makes it an ideal transitional piece from winter into spring.  And while it is oh-so-pretty and feminine, it is also perfect back to beat up boots and leather jacket, if you ask me!

Look at those cute little birds and that super subtle ruffle-LOVE it!!

Jacket zipped for to and fro on a chilly day…

Unzipped, showcasing a belt and cute necklaces…

Fab boots that I scored in San Francisco for an unbelievable price!

 

Dress:  Macy’s (in select stores)

Jacket:  H&M (sold out)

Belt:  Mossimo for Target

Boots:  Jessica Simpson c/o Ross

Necklaces: Tiffany, my personal collection of charms

iPhone Case:  Kate Spade $40.00

So, consider this post to be your little bird telling you that in this dreary transitional period from winter into spring, it is most likely time to invest in a cute little ditsy print to lighten and liven your wardrobe up a bit.  And remember, the early bird always gets the worm. 

Happy hunting!

xx

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