A Few of My Favorite Things...

This outfit was an opportunity for me to wear so many of my favorite things, all at the same time!

This blazer is essentially a cozy sweatshirt masquerading as a structured blazer. The bubble necklace I bought almost 2 years ago when they were still new and fresh at J Crew. The green top is silky but has just a hint of stretch, and who could forget the J Crew favorite, Minnie pants! Also, my new studded flats that I bought in 2 colors I love them so much! So many great pieces I could never pick a favorite.

I had to cancel my hair appointment so I still have time to make a decision on what to do with this red mop. Still open to suggestions cut and color wise! I'd appreciate the ideas!

Green top: Ann Taylor Demure print cargo shirt, Striped blazer: Express ponte blazer, Studded flats: C-Label Hudson 10 via Piperlime, Sunglasses: Target, Bubble Necklace: (old, but by an identical cheap version here on Ebay), Minnie pants: J Crew newer versions here

Some very observant 10-year-old students asked me today why my shoes are always so pointy! Kids these days, they just don't get fashion!

Thanks go to my lovely photog Amy! Visit her blog @allmouthandtrousers

Have a great weekend everyone!

Dots + Stripes

I felt like this was probably my most teachery outfit of the school year so far. The whole thing felt very girly but also very prim and proper.

 Usually I wouldn't steal an entire look from one store but after I picked up this skirt, I couldn't think of a thing to wear it with. When I looked it up online on The Limited website, I saw it paired with this boatneck top.  I love the mixing of patterns but what I loved the most was that when I got this top it was on sale for 50% off! Problem solved. I think next time this skirt will go great with my light blue button down dress shirt.

So anyone out there reading, I think I'm tired of this hair of mine. Any suggestions on what you think I should do? Cut it? Let it grow? Color? I've even been toying with the idea of being a brunette again too. Any ideas please leave them in the comments below! I'd really appreciate it!

 If nothing else, This skirt is very fun to spin in!

Oxblood pointy toe flats: ShoeMint Hillary, Polka dot skirt (on sale here for 40% off!) and Striped boatneck top (buy here): The Limited, Black Wrap watch: La Mer

Bold Stripes

I must confess, I'm a terrible nighttime dresser. I consider myself much better at putting together work outfits than going-out outfits. 

Whenever my husband and I go out for a date, I always go straight for the maxi skirt. It's a comfy classic that works for pretty much any occasion. It can be dressed up or down or somewhere in between, which is were I landed with this ensemble.

 This time I paired my black Express maxi skirt with my first ever StyleMint purchase, this bold stripy top. I gotta say, it think I liked this top better before I saw the pictures of it. Maybe it was just really windy, maybe because it's so bright against the night setting, but man did this shirt not seem to photograph well! 

What do you guys think? Is it a winner or does it look a little crazy? 

Also My husband thinks I look like a DJ in this first photo. I'm sure he would appreciate some support in the comments below! 

Skirt: Express, Top: StyleMint, Necklace: Charming Charlies, Fringed boots: Forever 21, Purse, Aldo Outlet, Earrings: Francesca's,  Lips Sephora Rouge shine #46 SoulMate (on the blog here)

Fancy PJs

I wore these J Crew anchor pants and LOFT lounge sweater last weekend for a tip to Old Orchard Mall and to run other errands. When you get right down to it, what I'm wearing is fancy pajamas made appropriate for public display by adding a cute bag and sparkly loafers. It doesn't hurt that the pants are made of silk. I even put on some lipstick to make it more legit! Thanks to my friend Julie for the color suggestion (Mac, Up the Amp).

Silk pants: J Crew, Sweater: Loft (purchased over the summer but sold out online), Loafers: Libby Edelman, Purse: Aldo Outlet purchased for $17, Wrap watch: La Mer via Stitch in Bucktown, Sunglasses: Target.

Fall is Here!

As I mentioned before I wasn't always the biggest fan of this oxblood color. This Vintage Coach bucket bag was an Ebay purchase from years back. As happens more than I care to remember, the items pictured color was not what I expected when I opened the package and it left me disappointed. It's been sitting in my closet for a few years now, but I am thankful I hung on to this vintage bag because it goes so well with my new oxblood boots! Today it came out of its dust bag to make a grand appearance for the first day of fall. 

Boots: DSW Celtic (buy here), Jeans: Gap (old slouchy skinnies), White thermal: Old Navy, Stitched Horizons Sweater Anthropologie, Bag: Vintage Coach bucket bag, Hat: too old to remember, Necklace: Charming Charlies

Hot pink? Of Course!

I am so in love with all my new pink skirts! I must say the shades of pink that J Crew has been putting out are killer! I recently bought a seriously neon pink pleated skirt (see/buy it here on sale) at the Crew that is somehow even brighter than this one. And with my love of hot pink, 2 super bright pinks skirts is still not too many for me!

When I was trying on the pink pleated skirt I asked the fitting room attendant to bring me a solid navy shirt and she brought me this long sleeve tee. I loved the little gold buttons at the neckline so much, I went to check out the other color options. I then discovered this black and cream striped version and with a $10 off promotion I decided to get one stripe and one solid. I knew they would be great fall and winter staples that would get plenty of use.

By the way, Who says redheads can't wear pink! Ha!

 Skirt, belt and Shirt (buy shirt here): J Crew, Shoes: Rampage, Bracelet and earrings: Forever 21. Watch Michael Kors, Lips in Fuchsia Flash by Smashbox.

Have a fantastic weekend everyone!

Red & Ruffled

Not one to shy away from color, I decided to really commit to red, quite literally, from head to toe! I even added in some rose gold jewelry to stay within the color family.

Dress: Eva Franco, Red ballet flats: Old Navy, Purse: Aldo Outlet, Belt: Forever 21, Chain Bracelet in rose gold: H&M, Rose gold watch: Charming Charlies

A little fall ombre mani in 5 shades of plum!

Fall Shoe Favorites All under $70!

1. C Label 11 Hudson $49
2. Sole Society-Kelly $49.95
3. Sole Society- Krista (also in black) $49.95
4. C Label Hudson 10 (in 3 colors) $49
5. Me Too-Patty (in Pewter)
6. Naturalizer- Lennox $49.99
7. Charger by Wanted $69
8. Fringed Booties-Forever 21(in stores in brown as well) $34.80

Fall for me means back to school and back to work. It also means I'll be on my feet all day teaching, so comfortable shoes are a must. Here are my top picks for comfortable shoes for my favorite season of the year! And bonus, most of them under $50! How sweet is that?!

*My outfit pics will be back soon. My kind friend Kaycee let me borrow her lens till my new one gets here!

Fall Trends: Oxblood, Leather and Lace

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It's not news to you if you have cracked open any September issue: THE color of fall is oxblood.

I must say, at first I was highly disappointed.

I have never been a fan of the color aside from on my nails, but now that I've visited some of my favorite stores and have seen the pieces there to work with, I quickly changed my tune.

It started with lips. I thought to myself: "I will give in and embrace oxblood in a lip," then it spread to the feet with my new Shoemint bow flats.

After that it was in full swing. I am keeping the trend more focused on the lower half of my body since it kind of clashes with my red hair when placed too close to my face.

Above are my favorite new fall purchases embracing all three of the hot new trends.

1. Target Shops Kirna Zabete: Dress in tweed and faux leather trim - runs really short so I'll be wearing this one with leggings. $44.99

2. J Crew Tippi sweater: in polka dot $89.50 (I didn't actually purchase this one, just tried it on but the color didn't work for me. Still a really cute sweater though.)

3. The Limited: Elbow-sleeve lace top $39.90 ( I got it for 40% off!) I love the faux leather neckline detailing!

4. Zara: PIQUÉ LEGGINGS in dark red $35.90 run super small. Go up a size!

5. DSW: Etienne Aigner Celtic boots in burgundy- I can honestly say these boots were love at first sight! I only tried one on and already knew they were perfect. They are such a great shade of red that can be worn as a neutral throughout fall and winter. I personally think they look like Chanel boots when taking a quick glance at the branding on the hardware. These however, will only cost you $139.95 and are totally combining the black hardware look that has been popping up on handbags and the oxblood & leather trends.

6. Shoemint: Hillary in Wine Patent- I don't know how many times I've told people about Shoemint that had never heard of it. If you haven't yet, go check it out here and get 20% off your first purchase!

Beauty bonus: Here are the two lip colors that started this whole thing, both are from Sephora.

*Rouge Shine Lipstick #46 in Soul mate- This is like a practice dark lip for people who might be a little put off by the bold color. A nice wash of color with some shine.

*Rouge cream Lipstick in Crush R23 - This is the real deal. Dark, bold and sultry!

        Tip: I like to layer Soul Mate over Crush for a layer of shine on top!

Skin Care: My Top 10

This past Saturday morning I got to attend one of my favorite bi-yearly events: Trend Show at Nordstrom Michigan Avenue. The whole event focuses on what's new and hot in makeup and skin care.

*Pictures of the event will be coming soon - lots of camera drama so I had to use my phone camera. Something is better than nothing I suppose.

The whole experience got me thinking about what my favorites are and why.

Mainly when something works, I stick with it. I have been using all these products for years, some longer than others, but each a vital part of my skin care routine. I think they are great and maybe you do too!

1. Almay oil-free eye makeup removing wipes - I'd say these super-strength disks and I are going on a 7-year run by now and they still are by far the best and easiest way to remove eye makeup quickly!

2. Clarisonic Mia (in pink of course) - My baby, my love, she makes me feel pretty in exactly one minute. I got her as a gift from my husband two Christmases ago and not a day or trip goes by that she is not there, fully charged and ready to make my skin feel great!

3. Mario Badescu Acne Cleanser - No I do not have bad acne, but I can and do easily break out. This is super gentle and I feel it protects me from the grime my face accumulates during the day. This one is used in the shower every morning on the Clarisonic.

4. Pevonia Exfoliating Treatment - I have been using this this product for about 3 years now and i mean "this product," same bottle! I put a small dab on the Clarisonic one or twice a week, which is why I guess it lasts so long.

5. Mario Badescu Glycolic Foaming Cleanser - My nighttime face wash. Nothing like a good soapy lather to make your face feel squeaky clean before bed. I use this on the Clarisonic as well, yep twice a day, why not?

6. Dickinson's Witch Hazel - I used to buy fancy toners, and don't get me wrong, they were great, but this vat of witch hazel is just as good but for a sliver of the price. I can feel free to spend that money I saved on other pretty things.

7. Mario Badescu Seaweed Night Cream - It took a long time for me to find a face cream for nighttime that i felt was actually doing something. This moisturizer feels so rich without feeling greasy or heavy.

8. Bliss: The Youth as We Know It - Day cream, this is my big-bucks cream. I always wait to get the 20% off your whole purchase at Ulta coupon in the mail and buy this cream. It take the kick out of the $70 price tag. Worth every penny though, in my book. And if you need a to-go version for travel, pop into a Sephora and they will make you a sample, but don't tell them I told you so!

9. Mario Badescu Hyaluronic Eye Cream - Every girl needs a good eye cream and this is mine.

10. Mario Badescu: Drying Lotion - Not really a lotion at all. It's more of a super smelly, ugly pink dot of stinging liquid you dab on a pimple with a cotton swab, then go to sleep with it on the spot all night, and when you wake up it's like a magic zit fairy made it go away! I save this for the days when I develop one of those monster zits out of nowhere.

As you can tell, there is a trend here, I love me some Mario products, I've been using them for so long now, I don't even remember how I found them. I do know this, they are super cheap ($15 for a bottle of cleanser that will last you 8 months!) compared to the big=name department store cosmetic brand skin care products and THEY WORK! At least in my opinion they do!

Any other top ten requests? Makeup? Nail colors? Clothing items? You name it, I'll list it!

Cabin Wear: Day to Night

Welcome to our pier in Door County!

While in the daytime this place looked spectacular with a beautiful and spacious back yard/pier, it was creepy as can be in the dead of night. Oh, and did I mention we had just come back from a little ghost hunting excursion? All together it would have made the perfect beginning to a horror movie.

The house was awesome in that creepy old house kind of way. Lots of old creaky wood floors, random paintings where the eyes seem to follow you, themed guest rooms and spooky closets. We even decided to go out to the end of this pier on a dare at about 2am! There is something so fun about spooking yourself out for no reason! It was a pretty silly evening. 

With Fashion always on my mind and on my calendar, I remembered earlier that that the second run of "The Shops" for Target was debuting. Since we were so close to Green Bay we stopped in to check it out. I got a really cute tweed dress with faux leather trim by Kirna Zabete (check it out here) as well as a  color block sweater and a geometric print jersey dress from her line. Also I spotted this green plaid blazer. The sizing is terribly off and ran super big! I somehow wound up buying a 4, and that actually fit the best.

My favorite part of any trip home from Wisconsin though is getting to stop at the J Crew outlet. I picked up a really cute bright purple wool pencil skirt that I can't wait to wear, and a black leather belt.

I also picked up two small handbags at the ALDO outlet. The black one seen below and a tan and gold one for only $17!

Another day of amazing clouds!

This Zara Tee (last seen on the blog here), Jeans, H&M, shoes: Reefs (buy on sale here), Target sunglasses

What an amazing view from our pier! Nice shot Andrew!

Same outfit, but added the blazer, purse (Aldo outlet) and changed my shoes!

Plaid Blazer: Target! (on sale for $30 here!)

And that's the end to our fun- and shopping-filled weekend!

Hope you all have a great one and thanks for reading!

Perfect Fall Day

These pics are from our trip to Door County, Wis. this past weekend. The weather was perfect! It was cool and fall-like, and the clouds were amazing everywhere we looked! 

Our group of six went to a "fish boil" (has anyone ever heard of that or done that?), took in the beautiful sky, played some fun board games, did a little ghost hunting and celebrated our friend Tara's birthday! Big thanks go out to her for getting us all together for a much-needed weekend with great friends!

 Button down: J Crew (similar here), Jeans: H&M, Shoes: Reef (on sale on Piperlime here!), Bracelets, Forever 21, Watch: Michael Kors, White sunglasses: from last weeks wedding in Memphis, There were like 20 pairs floating around so I took a pair home...souvenir :)

 Check out those clouds! Pretty amazing, right?

These earrings are a shout out to my girl Darby of Obviously Obsessed, who mentioned tiny bowed earrings in a post of hers (see it here) awhile back. They were in my head when I saw these adorable little sparklers a few weeks back. These have a tiny gold bow on top of a domed sparkly base! My new favs from Forever 21!

Thanks for the inspiration Darby! 

An amazing view while waiting for dinner!

The Bee-autiful Birthday Girl!

Bees doing their business! 

 Our hunky, straight out of a Nicholas Sparks-novel fish boiler! 

My very first fish boil! How could it be bad when it's served on a plate covered in butter!?