In December, I was in and out of the office with traveling and working from home while the office was virtually empty. So I'm not sure when many of these outfits, happened, but I promise, they happened 😉
As usual, I've provided full outfit details and linked the items that are available.
Phew. Made it through a 5-day week in the office after a lovely 4-day Thanksgiving weekend. How did you guys fare? I think the time off work might be my favorite part of holidays 😉
I mean maybe not my favorite, but it sure was nice! While I enjoy the family, friends, food, and festivities associated with the holidays, I'm not a terribly festive person. Since we got married 4 Christmases ago, we haven't had a Christmas tree or really even decorated. Granted, that's part laziness, part lack of storage/space/moving frequently, and partially that I just don't care enough?
However, I do get a litttle excited about mixing a few more festive colors into my wardrobe. You'll never find me in head to toe red and green, (see last year's work Christmas party look) but this fun emerald sweater and embellished shoes are right up my festive alley.
Speaking of festive- I shared this fabulous velvet slip dress over the weekend on instagram, and it would be seriously perfect for holiday parties and is an absolute steal.
A couple weeks ago, I stopped by Nordstrom to shop the Anniversary Sale. I'd browsed online, but there was nothing I had to have. Or so I thought.
As I made my way through the various departments, I stumbled upon this dreamy Vince cashmere cardigan. Vince and cashmere independently are my weaknesses, so the combination was irresistible. It was definitely a splurge, but I know it will get a ton of wear this Fall and Winter. How cute will it be belted over a dress with booties or with a button down and skinny pants? Plus the color is extraordinarily versatile.
Abercrombie girlfriend jeans [exact] // Vince cashmere cardigan [exact, similar] // Gap tee [exact] // Shoemint mules [similar, similar] // Kendra Scott pendant [exact] // $12 sunnies [exact] // Lipstick in 'Pepper' [exact] // Lip liner in 'Soar' [exact]
Speaking of the Anniversary Sale, I also tried on these boyfriend jeans while I was there. I loved the finish of them, but the waist had a giant gap in the back while the hips were pretty fitted, so I ultimately passed. I ended up ordering this pair for a fraction of the cost instead, and I'm obsessed! They have a great high-waist, are super comfortable, and have the perfect destructed details. The other day my co-worker called them 'mom jeans', but I'm just gonna let that one slide ;)
How is it April!? March flew by. Work has been a little overwhelming and I've been at the office a lot lately, so between that and fitting in cooking and working out, I feel like that's literally all I accomplish on weekdays. I'm still semi-doing BBG, but mostly I've upped my running because it's a lot more cathartic for me.
Anyhow, fashion... I snagged this sweater a couple weeks ago, and I've worn it SO much since. It's a linen-cotton blend, which I usually equate with being a little scratchy, but this is super soft and I love the drapey silhouette. It's also currently on sale for under $25... I think I might need the oatmeal and beige striped one too!
Striped open sweater [exact on sale under $25] // Olive scoop neck tee [exact] // Sun & Shadow cropped jeans [similar] // Birkenstock Mayari sandals [exact] // $12 sunnies [exact] // Rebecca Minkoff olive crossbody [in black, more colors] // Kendra Scott striped agate Rayne necklace [similar]
I also finally replaced my old Birkenstocks... and by replaced I mean got a less crusty looking pair to wear outside the house. Once a pair of Birks forms perfectly to your feet, it's hard to part ways. I like how these are a little more feminine than the other silhouette I have, just as comfy, and the color is super versatile.
So, funny story. Naturalizer reached out to Caryl and I, separately, to see if we'd like to pick a shoe from their new Spring collection to style. There are some super cute pairs in the new line, so it was a hard decision narrowing it down to just one. I ultimately selected the gold leather loafers, because I can't pass up gold or loafers.
A few days later, I was watching Caryl's snapchat and saw that she picked the same pair! Immediately I knew we needed to share how we styled them on a Monday linkup.
This is a pretty standard 'everyday' outfit for me. Boyfriend jeans are my jean of choice, and I especially like the 7 For All Mankind 'Josefina' fit. They've got just the perfect amount of space, but still have a streamlined silhouette.
Striped tees are another wardrobe mainstay, and I especially love the swing silhouette of this one. It lends itself perfectly to half-tucking, and there's an under $15 long sleeve version released that's perfect for Fall.
And then there's these shoes. I bought them on a whim, and they've been one of my most worn shoes, period. They sold out crazy fast last Fall, but there's a gorgeous pair out right now that's really similar.
I wore this on Saturday to meet up with Caryl to pass along her birthday present and eat BBQ. I originally had a different outfit on for the day, and then got food on my favorite white T-shirt and had to hastily change. An easy striped tee seems to be my go-to when I'm in a hurry... or just when I'm hanging out with Caryl evidently.
I dressed up my tee and jeans a little with accessories and these fun sandals, which are so crazy comfortable. I am SO tempted by the wine color they also come in. The weather has me in denial that Fall is coming (uh hello 90° when we were shooting this outfit) so buying transitional sandals sound much better than booties right now. (Speaking of transitional sandals, these will be perfect for Fall too!)
Friday, I also picked up my very first 'Rayne' necklace by Kendra Scott and some of the new nail lacquer. The Rayne is such a classically Kendra piece, and it comes in SO many colors, but I find I wear my neutral accessories the most. So, I went with the banded agate with antique brass. Now I've got my eye on this chic cuff, because once I get one piece of a certain Kendra Scott collection, I can't resist adding to the family (...see my Lapis collection or suspended pearl collection...)
Of course I immediately had to update my mani with my Kendra Scott polish acquisitions- I got their top and base coats, and then the gunmetal and lapis colors. They went on incredibly- one coat felt sufficient, but on principle I used two. So far it's lasting really well, and the sales associates had all been wearing theirs a week and their manis look superb. I'm very optimistic, but only time will tell ;) If it lasts better than my favorite CND Vinylux mani, my wallet may be sad...
Hot pink ruffle sleeve dress [exact, options] Layered this tee underneath because the armholes were huge // Stuart Weitzman Nudistsong heels c/o Shopbop [exact,save options] // Kendra Scott Rhyan necklace [exact,option] // Kendra Scott Carey earrings [exacton sale,similar] // Tory Burch convertible cross body [available styles]
You guys, I have never liked hot pink, or really any shade of pink for that matter. I consciously do not buy it, however for some reason I kind of love this dress(which PS is under $75!). I needed a formal dress for a wedding last weekend, and no joke I ordered and returned about a dozen dresses before I found a keeper. I definitely did not expect this neon number to be my favorite though. It's just so pink!
Because this dress is so crazy bright, I opted to keep everything else super simple. I do wish I had a nude bag to pair with it, but I don't utilize small bags often, so I didn't feel like a nude one was a very responsible purchase.
Speaking of (ir)responsible(?) purchases... these shoes. I think they may be the most expensive shoes I've ever acquired. That being said, I did save up blogging credits to buy them, but the price still makes me a little afraid to wear them. The style is so SO versatile, and they're reasonably comfortable for how high they are, but they may be relegated to special occasion shoes out of sheer paranoia. Even if I don't wear them too often, they still look mighty beautiful sitting in my shoe closet ;)
I also scooped up these earrings (which are on sale!) to go with the necklace I already had. While I'm not a huge drop earrings person, I definitely see myself getting a lot of wear out of them, especially since I have a few more pieces of the Kendra Scott suspended pearl set (including the Carole which I adore) which they'll mix and match with perfectly.
After sharing a few throwback posts on Facebook, I got a couple follow-up comments and emails inquiring why I don't share many business casual looks anymore. The short of it is that I no longer have to dress 'business casual' for work, so I pretty much don't wear it period. That being said, business casual occasions do sometimes arise, so I like to keep some good staples in my wardrobe for those occasions.
ROW ONE 1. The Anna Sheath 2. The Vanessa Fit & Flare 3. The Alicia Fit & Flare ROW TWO 1. Grace Floral Fit & Flare 2. The Lauren Shift 3. London Times Briana Flare
Cropped flares, *shakes head*. When this denim variation cropped (yeah, I did that) up on the runway a few seasons ago, not gonna lie, I grimaced. The horrible flared "pedal pushers" made a few cameos in my youth, and I swore I'd never wear them again. They just looked so goofy in retrospect. That being said, somehow the slight change in silhouette- mainly no more skinny knee- and the more retro styling made me a little more open to the idea. The under $25 price point encouraged trying them out too.
As much as I hate to admit it, I'm really digging them. I've already worn them a handful of times, and as long as they're styled with a wedge or heel, I've been surprised by the versatility. Another thing I've noted while styling outfits around them, is that when worn with a retro style top, it all starts to be a little too costume-y. So rather then going retro or boho, I stuck with a pretty classic top in this outfit, and plan to follow that same rule of key in the future.
