12.14.2015

Holiday Gear


It has been a totally bonkers month or two for me. I'm just getting a chance to look around at some holiday/cold weather wardrobe updates (while I should be doing my Christmas shopping duh), and my first stop is J Crew. I can at least spin it as "I'm shopping for gifts too". Has anybody jumped on the Bean Boot trend? Do you even know what I'm talking about? Apparently the Bean Boot has been given new trendy life by fashun bloggers and Pinteresters everywhere. J Crew has a couple of Bean Boot-ish options that don't come with the 2 month backorder wait! I love this cute Sperry pair, and look at the adorable ones for little girls! I'm also obsessed with THIS pink suede fringe skirt -and honestly I think it's reasonably priced for the look. Obsessed. I like the idea of pairing it with this scarf with the subtle pink running through the plaid. I still love my Chateau parka from last year, definitely recommend it if you're in the market for a heavy coat. And the best news about all of this is that J Crew is offering 30% off of EVERYTHING -and 40% off select gift items- with the code GETGIFTS. So get (yourself) gifts!  

11.01.2015

Sneaky Steal: Hunter Boots

image via Little Blonde Book

I, like most girls that have blogs apparently, love Hunter boots. The combination of function and classic style is what I appreciate. They're always good in rainy weather, but when you add in the adorable wellie socks they make for good cold weather gear. SO, as a big fat FYI, COSTCO is selling Hunter boots online........at a STEEP discount. Including the classic glossy reds above. You've got to have a Costco membership, and in some styles sizes are limited (one pair I ordered is on backorder), but they are literally half price

10.10.2015

Old Navy Little Bits



Although I am currently kiddo-free, I am like most people in that cute baby clothes make me squeal. I love what Old Navy is doing for fall for tots; I am totally obsessed with the chambray + oxblood/maroon combination right now and they've got it translated into their kids lines. I would imagine all you moms appreesh the Old Navy pricing as well. Another fave is this adorable "fur trim" parka--it reminds me of my much-loved J Crew grown-up version (remember it from last year?). Click images above to shop! 

9.24.2015

Ongoings + Fall J Crew Picks

We're getting that hint of crispness in the air around here. I've been wearing my jean shorts and freezing in protest. Things are busy busy; Paintbar is likely going to open in a few short weeks and there's been so much going on. I popped into the Furbish "Guatemalan Goods" trunk show last night and found tons of wonderful goodies (I snapped this precious trinket seen over on my Instagram), and tonight is the Parlor 1 Year anniversary partay. But I spent some time this AM perusing J Crews fall looks and thought I'd share my faves. They're offering 25% off of many of their fall items with code SHOPFALL, so now is the time to scoop things before they get gone. I am SO excited they brought back my favorite coat from last year, I'd really like to get the dusty ginger color or the heather dusk for this year. I had a hard time picking last season!  
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9.08.2015

Fall Inspiration: Chloé

Chloé is one of my favorite brands, undeniably bohemian but still chic and modern. You may remember that white dress with buttons from Instagram, where it is hanging over in Vermillion. I'm obsessed with it. Chloé is out of my price range, but it serves as really good inspiration and I love going on a mission to find "the look for less". Anyhoo, just thought I'd give you a smattering of pretty fallish inspiration to kick off the post-holiday week. Click the pics for more details! Maybe it'll help you deal with the depression of the waning of summer. Maybe?

8.27.2015

Como Se?

Como Se Llama Adorable Llama Tank Top

I'm reaaally excited about the new Como Se tanks that just arrived over on Ramey Rhodes. Y'all get it? #Punny

This is my favorite tee style we've done so far; it's a little bit flowy at the bottom, not too long, and the armholes are a little bit deeper than a standard tank. Definitely my favorite fit. Excellent for workouts but cute enough to wear around town. And funny. Shop it here!

Como Se Llama Adorable Llama Tank Top

Como Se Llama Adorable Derpy Llama Tank Top




8.25.2015

Beauty Buys: Chanel Fall



I recently paid a visit to the Chanel counter at Belk's to have one of their visiting national makeup artists try and fix my face and ended up with some really pretty new products for Fall. One thing I've noticed about cosmetics and me-any time someone puts pink tones on my eyelids I'm scared, but end up loving it. It ends up giving you a natural looking glow. I was especially scared of the Illusion D'Ombre in Rouge Gorge because it looks so strong in the pot, but it's actually pretty mellow once applied. I also wouldn't have gravitated towards the green-based Fall Quad to create a lightly smoky eye but I LOVED it. It's much more subtle than going with a black or a blue, and I realized I've already been into the army green and pink palette anyways! I also love this quad, which is definitely more of what I tend to use, super classic. I've been using their volumizing mascara for about 6 months now and love it-one coat is all you need, and it never clumps. If you're in Raleigh, I can't say enough about my friend Jessica at Chanel (Crabtree Belk), she is so kind and so talented-go see her. Shop more of my fall faves below! 


8.10.2015

What's Up @ J Crew

Since the retail world is forcing me to think about Fall, I started checking out some of the newest arrivals for the pre-Fallish season at J Crew and found some great pieces that are great for now aaaand Fallish. I really dig the army green + Carolina blue color combo. I even like the army green with the pink, like the New Balance sneakers; that's not something I would have put together, but now I'm planning how to work it into my wardrobe. They've also brought back the Amazing field jacket from last year; it's such a fantastic cut and really works almost year-round. Click the pictures above to see my favorites, and be sure to peruse the accessories too, especially these earrings. J Crew is taking 30% off of orders of $200+ or 25% off of orders of $100 with the code SHOPMORE, so get your "back to school" shopping done!

J Crew Mardi Gras Earrings


8.05.2015

Sunnies: Illesteva


If you're in the market for a new pair of shades, check out Illesteva; I love the throwback mirrored lenses on a lot of the styles. They remind me of the 90s for some reason? But in a good way. (Remember Frogskins???) The Leonards are my favorites, but I like the Hamiltons too. Shop more below! PS-Raleigh peoples can pick up a pair at Charlotte's!




7.29.2015

Sale Alert: Tibi


Tibi is having a fab sale right now-lots of good Spring/Summer pieces that will transition to Fall! I scooped up this little croppy top I'm going to wear to an event in August. I love the structure of it + the delicate detailing. Check out some of my faves below! The fringey mules tickle me.



7.17.2015

Must Have Summer Dress


I am in LOVE with my new Robert Roller Rabbit Pamela dress from Charlotte's. They've also got this beautiful pink and blue version; I had the hardest time deciding. I have this same style from last year and still wear it all the time. I plan on pairing it with these guys or maybe even these (which are an AMAZING price)? I am also straight up obsessed with this caftan, someone please snatch it up. 

Pinteresting Floral Fun

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So I don't know if I told y'all or not but I'm getting mawwied this fall. Planning a destination wedding has, thus far, been pretty low-stress. One thing I'm trying to nail down is the floral situation. In this Pinteresting world we live in, it can be really overwhelming to make choices about what you want. Don't get me wrong, it's also super helpful--and a really great way to convey vision to your vendors if you are planning an out-of-town wedding, but it can sort of overload your system. I love the idea of lots of greenery with pretty pops of color. I've found myself being drawn to that look over and over. Candles too. And those are both ways to keep your floral design costs down, if you are budget conscious. (Lord knows I'm trying. Mom.) Another thing I've learned, if you're into peonies like I am, cabbage roses are a cost-effective substitute. You get the same full bloom-honestly most people probably wouldn't even know the difference. I digress. Anyhoo, here are some of the pretties I've been Pinning of late for some inspo. Anyone have thoughts? Advice? 

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Lake Weekend Wear



I love a good set of PJs, I could live in my Marigots for goodness sake, and I am loving this line by LAKE. The PJ set is adorable. Simple, pretty colors and prints in yummy Pima cotton. What is better than that? They're pieces so pretty you could wear them out of the house! I also love the nightgown version. Not to mention, they're really well priced. I also love the company's silk loungewear (or "weekend wear" as they call it), that is definitely good for comfort and for style. Read a little about the company here, and treat yo' self to a set this weekend ladies!






7.10.2015

Move Loot DIY: Console Victory


Y'all know I have DIY ambitions; I'm always inspired by what I see other bloggers doing. I'm really excited to share a couple of DIY projects I had an opportunity to do with my friends at Move Loot. If you haven't heard of Move Loot, it may change your life. Move Loot is essentially a furniture and decor consignment service that will COME TO YOUR HOUSE and pick up that old couch (and in our case 500 lb. desk), take it away, photograph it and then put it on the interwebs for some lucky person to buy. THEN, they'll drop your old stuff off at the new person's house! You just share a cut of the purchase price with them. I seriously can't overstate how awesome every experience I've had with them has been. 


SO, back to the DIY. The good folks at Move Loot asked if I'd be interested in doing a little DIY makeover to share with you guys, and I was obviously like "duh". I ended up with this little console, with great bones but a sad disposition. We've needed something like this for our entryway for a long time, so this proved to be the perfect solution. (Guys, I can't change the floor tile but I sure as heck can cover it up.) So I did some light sanding and went to one of my favorite paint colors, Hale Navy, in a high gloss. It pulls the subtle blue from my beautiful Caroline Swetenburg abstract (#Swetenbart), as well as some navy accents we have in the adjacent living room. One thing I've been pondering is adding a gold accent to the grooves that run down the legs and around the top, but I think the simplicity is kinda nice? Check out these fab accent tables-I love this console too, it's a STEAL. This was just a case of needing some good paint and styling, but my second project was more intense. I CANNOT wait to show you the finished product, but I have learned a lot about the difference between paint drying versus paint curing in the past couple of weeks. Long story short, there's a big difference. As soon as my paint is all cured up I'll show you what I've done. It's pretty sick, if I do say so myself.

Scroll down to shop styling and for more after pics!





Abstract: Caroline Swetenburg // Blue Swirl Vase: Furbish Studio // Gold Coral Accent: Target // Fringe Storage Bins: Nate Berkus for Target // Nubby Rug: Nate Berkus for Target

Console c/o Move Loot! Move Loot is in six cities across the country-check them out!

7.06.2015

Staple: Oxford Popover



Heyyyyy everybody! So I've been on somewhat of a hiatus since June; it's been a crazy busy summer so far so my blogging schedule has been all wonked up. I'll elaborate at some point, but I'm back now! And I'll lead off with this sick Oxford from J Crew. It was sold out and I was so sad but it's back! At least, it's back on pre-order. But I'm just excited I got a second chance to snag one, it is going to be a wardrobe staple for sure! AND, J Crew is offering an additional 40% off final sale items with code LONGWEEKEND and 30% off of select styles not otherwise on sale. Shop my favorite sale picks below! 




5.29.2015

Catalina!


Definitely scooping up these adorable Catalina shorts from Lou & Grey for #summerlife. Remember Lou & Grey? They do comfort + style at a great price point. I just love this embroidered broadcloth fabric and the little hint of coral/orange. It also comes in a swingy dress, a ROMPER, and even a tee. I'm adding the striped knit sweater too, I love a summer weight sweater. 






5.19.2015

Memorial Day Packing List




We are heading down to the famous 30A beaches of Florida for the Memorial holiday to check out the Watercolor Inn & Spa to see what's shaking and I'm pumped. Obviously packing is a process, and I think streamlining is important. Now I've totally over-streamlined before and ended up with like, a ratty tee shirt and a pair of dress pants as my only wardrobe options, so thoughtful streamlining is critical. Pack at least one outfit that is acceptable for public consumption and then figure out your loungewear situation. 

A cute coverup, like this one from Shoshanna, will serve you well-it's enough of an outfit for most beachy dining options by day and will give you confidence on the beach. Especially if you're not ready for swimsuit weather. Skinny minnies should 100% invest in a Marysia swimsuit. I heart them all. I love love love these cute and well-priced sandals from Splendid, and I really like the silver version as well. They're a tad dressier. 

I use my Lands End totes as suitcases all the time, and I love this berry color. They come in zip and non-zip options, non-zip makes for the BEST beach bag. They are such a great price point and are virtually indestructible. 

For extras, I think a floppy straw hat is not only stylish, it's practical. This one from Old Navy is a steal. While you're at it, don't forget the sunscreen; Beautycounter does an excellent, healthy SPF 30 allover version. I also think packing a statement necklace is a great move, if you throw it on with a tank top or a simple sundress you've got a look. Especially if you fumble on the clothing packing. One of the Sylvia Necklaces from Loren Hope is perfect, just pick your favorite color! 

5.15.2015

Nora & Nicky's


Hey ladies! If you're looking for a last minute plan for your Friday night, head down to Nora & Nicky's in downtown Raleigh for a fashion show benefitting an EXCELLENT cause, The Jamie Kirk Hahn Foundation. Click here to RSVP. If you're not familiar with Nora & Nicky's you shouuuld be! This beautiful downtown store consigns gorgeous, quality high-end brands, everything from DVF to Louis Vuitton. I recently spent a little time with N & N's sweet owner Cathy, who explained that the boutique is more than just beautiful clothes and accessories. She is truly on a mission to get people to to think about sustainable living, to pay her employees a living wage and to be a part of building a vibrant downtown Raleigh. She is absolutely inspiring. I played around with this gorgeous Catherine Malandrino dress and insane silver J Crew heels (that went home with me despite being 2 sizes too big) and hung out in front of some cool walls in DTR. Totally normal. See below for some of my favorites, and check out all of their latest on Instagram to call dibs! And seriously, head down to their show tonight, I can't think of a better reason!  












 

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