I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving full of great food and even better company. If you are like me and my family, you may have already hit the sales, both in store last night and earlier this week online. I have rounded up the best of the best sale this Black Friday and have even posted a ton of my favorite gift options from a bunch of retailers to make your shopping even easier. With all the sites and sales, it can be overwhelming to find the perfect gifts for everyone one your list. So, hopefully this along with tomorrow's gift guides will be helpful!
This is only the second year where the end of August hasn't ushered in the beginning of school for me, but that doesn't mean I'm not taking advantage of all the wonderful sales and new lines of clothing out in preparation for all those who are. Moving into September not only signals a seasonal transition from summer to fall and from vacation to school, but also a change in my closet. We all know what I am getting at - the colors, the textures, the types of pieces in your wardrobe slowly change to prepare for shorter, cooler days.
There's something in the air about students heading back to class, from the blank pages in their notebooks to the new bags over their shoulders, that seems to indicate its a season for change and fresh starts. Or at least that is how I shall justify my obsessive desire to reinvent my wardrobe as soon as September 1st hits (and maybe a little before!).
I always seem to fall in love with more new pieces during this time of year than any other, so I am always on the look out for a bargain. I have been playing the 'cart game' with many of the pieces above (you know the one where you load up your online shopping cart and pretend you can buy everything you want and then close your browser with your bank account in tact) just waiting for a good sale so I could gleefully log-in and finally check my cart out. And that is definitely what I did with this beauty, that plaid, and this dress (and maybe a few more...oops). So, while this sale lasts, be sure to take advantage of the amazing discounts on many steals and deals, as well as an additional 40% off all other styles.
Shop my favorites, which are on sale with code WEEKEND through the end of today (8/31), by clicking on the photos below:
Today I've rounded up some of my favorite steals and deals in the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale. My fall style tends to center around lots of neutrals, a few key saturated colors, and piles of accessories. This way, most of my fall pieces can be mixed and matched with one another; less pieces, more outfits, a win, win in my book. My under $50 faves can all be paired with one another in countless combinations and accessorized to create more unique outfits too. I've been trying to shop using this strategy so that I can get the most out of my new additions.
Christmas in July is finally here!! The Nordstrom Anniversary Sale opened to everyone last Friday after a week of being open to cardholders only. Since I am not currently a cardholder, I spent the week leading up to open access stalking the sale through the sneak peek link and compiling a list of all the things I most wanted so that Friday, as items flew out of the website, I was able to quickly snag most of the items that I really wanted. As you may remember, I am all about fall - the fashion, the food, football, pumpkins, red & orange leaves - you name it, I'm a fan, which is why I wasted no time preparing for the upcoming months by finding things I can enjoy on a cool day now and with a little outfit modification, straight through the end of the year. My forever fall favorites are plaid everything, cozy knits, thin layers, and dark denim, and there are plenty of options for all of these in the sale.
Recently I have been thinking a lot about the concept of a capsule wardrobe. I have always been a more is more kinda person when it comes to my closet. I tend to dress based on how I am feeling, and this often requires a plethora of options to cover all of my many moods and feelings. However, over the winter and now as I am examining my closet in preparation of its springtime refresh, I am realizing my more is more mentality is starting to weigh me down. I just have so.much.stuff.ahh. And it's not like my closet is a mess, I am incredibly neat and OCD, so everything is in its place and all items are carefully tucked into drawers, shelves, and sorted by color and pattern on hangers. I am not stressing out about not having the space to fit everything, but more about the shear volume of space it takes up, regardless that I have the room to accommodate it. Does that make sense?
Anyways, this time of year always makes me think about new beginnings and fresh starts. As I look around my closet, I can't help but want to purge. Slowly, I have been sifting through and removing shoes, belts, accessories, and, of course, clothing. If I haven't worn it in a year, if it doesn't fit, if I don't like how I feel wearing it, if I don't love it, it's gone (and probably being listed for sale in my instacloset). I want to reduce to the things that I love, that I wear, and that have lots of styling potential. Because let's face it, if I look at it and my response is "meh" then its just going to sit there untouched.
Spring cleaning and refreshing also means I will probably be adding a few new pieces to my closet as well. Keeping to my new less is more mentality, I will be much more particular when adding new pieces. To help guide my choices, I have started thinking about pieces in terms of a capsule. I have done no-shop and shop your closet remix challenges before, but the idea of narrowing my closet down and mixing only a confined number of things over time has been really intriguing to me lately. There are a lot of variations floating around on blogs and pinterest; such as the 30 pieces for 30 days or the 7 pieces for 7 days challenges. I wanted to take this idea and use it as a tool for expanding my closet so that I naturally develop a more capsule style closet without forcing a challenge.
Today I have put together a 9 pieces 9 ways graphic to help illustrate some of the pieces I have considered adding and how I could style them. I have also included 9 accessories that can be mixed and matched with the pieces as shown. Looking at the pieces, it is pretty easy to see that 9 ways of styling them is just the beginning. Sidenote: this is also a great strategy to employ when packing for a trip!
Shop the pieces:
Shop the accessories:
So let's talk about these pieces. First of all, all the items shown are from J.Crew and J.Crew Factory. I shop this retailer often because they always have a great mix of classic and trendy pieces, their pieces are great quality, and they usually have some sort of sale going online - like right now (PS - this post is in no way sponsored by them). Now, that mix of classic and trendy pieces I just mentioned is key for me when selecting new items to add to my closet. When I'm shopping for new clothing, I try to look for classic pieces in neutral colors and staple patterns, simple pieces in bright colors to add contrast to outfits, and a few trendy pieces that are versatile. These 9 items featured are a great example of this mix.
Classic pieces in neutral colors and staple patterns are the majority of my picks. These types of clothing are really wearable and provide the base for most outfits. In this set, I have chosen a denim jacket and shorts, a white and black striped tee, white skinny jeans, a navy and white stripe skirt, and a black and white stripe dress in a simple but classic cut. Most of the accessories I chose also follow this; the cognac bucket bag (trendy in style but classic in color and material), the black birkenstock sandals, cognac sandals, and over-sized sunnies. In all of these pieces, color, cut, and style are important in making the neutrals feel both classic and modern. Additionally, of these pieces "go" not just with other neutrals and patterns, but also just about every other color under the sun.
Next I will look for simple pieces in a bright color to add contrast and visual interest in my outfits. In this set I have selected a lightweight sweater in poppy, lace embellished shirt in aqua, a citron tote, and the multi-colored bangles. These items can all be added to otherwise neutral outfits to create or accent a focal point in the outfit. Look for colors that are not present or prominent in your closet to provide more mixing and matching options as you expand your wardrobe.
Lastly, when shopping, I will look for a few pieces that are currently on trend that may or may not be considered in a year or two from now. In this set, I selected a fun parrot patterned romper, bright tassel earrings, woven tote with pom poms, and pastel d'orsay flats. As fun and lovely as all of these things are, they are all very of the moment and there is no guarantee that I won't be replacing them next spring with a new trend. To save money, I keep trendy pieces to a minimum and stretch their dollar amount further by sticking more to accessories and less to clothing. To maximize a trend's versatility, I look for pieces that can also fall into one of the above categories, like the woven pom pom tote which is basically a neutral tan with a classic strip pattern on it, or the tassel earrings which are a bright but simple piece that can be added to an otherwise classic outfit for a fun pop.
Looking at the graphic you can probably spot quite a few other combinations; throw the denim jack over just about anything pictured, the bags and shoes can all be swapped around, accessories can be added, the dress can be turned into a skirt by throwing on and knotting a shirt along the hem, etc. This is one of the reasons I think this strategy is so great for packing too. It minimizes how many things you need to bring while allowing a lot of versatility in your outfits.
I hope this has been a helpful way of thinking about what you buy seasonally and different ways different pieces can be paired together. Remember to take inventory of your closet for the current season before adding pieces to make sure you have your basics covered and don't be afraid to reach for a few new colors to add focus to your outfits this spring!
This never ending winter is giving me a serious case of spring fever. Luckily, retailers have been rolling out their spring and summer stock for over a month now, so I can easily daydream of warmer weather and all of the fabulous things that come with it. One of my favorite things about warmer weather is having bare legs and feet. I have already begun stocking up on new shoes for spring, bring on the espadrilles and sandals please! Another plus? All the color - from floral skirts to bright bags, I am obsessing over saturated hues and pretty pastels alike.
Shopbop's Big Event Sale couldn't have come at a better time! I will be stocking up on swoon-worthy spring accessories while these amazing prices are available. Top on my list? This amazing pair of sunnies (perfect for when the sun finally comes out to play!), this pair of wedges, and this bag (I want one in every color; decisions, decisions).
15% off orders of $250+ 20% off orders of $500+ 25% off orders of $1000+ Use code BIGEVENT15 at checkout
This sale is amazing, but only goes for a limited time so hurry up and take advantage of it today! Offer expires Saturday March 7, 2015, at 11:59 PM (PT)
Christmas is easily my favorite time of the year, and it's rapid approach has me feeling giddy with excitement! One of my favorite traditions is stuffing stockings; the combination of gift-giving with decor is perfection in my book. Growing up, my three sisters and I each had matching stockings in 4 different colors. Every Christmas morning, we would come down to the family room and see them hanging from the mantle, filled to the top with tiny treasures. My mom would always carefully individually wrap the contents and inside we would find adorable items such as lip balms, lotions, patterned socks, earrings, bracelets, necklaces, beauty products, notepads, pens, and other things that were practical but also fun.
To this day my sweet mom still fills our childhood stockings for when we come over to exchange gifts and celebrate Christmas. It's one of my fondest memories and cherished traditions. Now as an adult, I always look for extra, smaller items to share with my sisters as part of their gifts each year. Plus, K and I have stockings of our own to fill with festive goodness this year to expand the tradition!
Below are some of my favorite items to give and receive as stocking stuffers. These items also work well if you exchange gifts with your girlfriends, or participate in Secret Santa exchanges. I have also included some items that are inspiring my stocking stuffing for K too. Happy shopping!
Happy Monday lovelies! I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving weekend. I know we enjoyed a long vacation from work, spending a lot of time with family, and of course, eating tons of delicious food! Quickly on the heels of Thanksgiving was the start of the retail frenzy leading up to Christmas. K and I were out shopping Thursday evening and again Friday afternoon. It was a much less rushed feeling than in years past, which we appreciated. Following shopping, we pulled out all our Christmas decor and decked the halls Saturday. Finally, on Sunday we wrapped all our goodies from shopping the days earlier and enjoyed a Netflix marathon.
Today we are back to work and it is a bit of a drag. Luckily, today is also the magical day of online super sales, guaranteed to aid in the completion of your holiday shopping: it's Cyber Monday! I have put together a little synopsis of the discounts happening around the interweb as well as a few of the items I have already picked up for the holidays. While you are shopping, don't forget to keep an eye out for holiday party apparel and little gifts for stocking stuffers too, both of which I will be talking about in upcoming posts. Good luck and have fun shopping!
There is nothing I love more than a good sale. Actually. Scratch that. There is nothing I love more than a good sale on sparkly things! With the holiday season right around the corner, I nearly squealed with delight when I saw the newest arrivals at J.Crew Factory this week - tons of glitter, metallics, and sequins. I was already penning an epic lust list when news of the 50% off sale reached my inbox this morning. I can't wait for these pumps to show up, I am already planning on all the ways I can pair them through the new year! Below are some of my other favorites, take advantage of the sale now and start planning your festive outfits too.
I normally don't post on the weekends but this sale was to fabulous not to share. C. Wonder is hitting.it.out.of.the.park. right now. Their seasonal apparel is on point and there holiday gift collection is the stuff dreams are made of. Seriously! I am obsessed with their check collection and itching to add every piece of their holiday gold barware to my home bar cart. What's even better than their items, is the price. Right now they are having their 30% off friends and family sale. Best news ever. I know. Just add the items to your cart to see the discounted pricing. Below are the items I am swooning over - both for me and for gifts, of course!
Shop items here:
Thanks for stopping by and have a fabulous weekend!
