Mixing Neutrals, Weekend Edition

Nothing is easier to pair then a blouse with boyfriend jeans. It's effortless yet still looks put together and the best part? You are comfortable enough that it feels like you are wearing yoga pants. Style and comfort, that's what I call a win win!

I decided to mix my neutrals this day by pairing my black blouse & boots, with a brown belt and gold jewelry. To finish the look off I added a great oxblood clutch and maroon sunnies. This outfit was perfect for a relaxed Sunday party with the family.

Top: Piperlime // Jeans: Express // Shoes, Ring, Necklace, & Bag: c/o Just Fab // Bangle: c/o It's a Bling Thing // Sunnies: MNG by Mango 

I love adding deep jewel tones to my outfits this time of year. Oxblood or burgundy, emerald, and even deeps shades of purple all give your looks a little fall twist.

What do you think of this outfit? Do you like mixing your neutrals?

Giveaway: Battle of the Strands!

Hair, makeup, nails, fashion...these are a few of our favorite things. So what happens when all of these categories come together for one ultimate night? Enter Battle of the Strands. Kaitlyn's company is a sponsor of the event and was very generous to offer us an amazing giveaway!

But first, what is Battle of the Strands (BOTS)? BOTS is the World Cup of Beauty - the world's most extreme hair, makeup and wardrobe competition. On October 6, 2014 at 5 p.m PST, 16 winning salon teams from around the globe will converge in Las Vegas at Mandalay Bay Resort's LIGHT nightclub to compete in all areas of beauty, using breakthrough techniques and hottest consumer trends.

In addition, the BOTS finale will be shown live in a movie theater near you live on October 6th. Battle of the Strands brings the competition to the big screen for a night of jaw-dropping creations, heartbreaking defeat, and one ultimate Salon Champion!

Check out some of the amazing looks from the qualifying rounds:

GIVEAWAY: 10 tickets to the live finale at a theater near you...We can't wait to hear your review!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

I Dream of Denim

When you dream of the perfect denim, what does it look like? I envision a distressed darker wash with enough extra length to be cuffed at the bottom so I can wear a chunky heel ankle bootie (similar to this and this). My closet is filled with skinny and even skinnier styles, perfect for sandals, flats and boot tucking (my go-to shoe selections), but with the change of season, I decided it was time to develop my denim collection by purchasing the ultimate pair of flared jeans: Enter J Brand. 

I love the long lines that a fit and flare creates, as they tend to make your legs look like they go on for days. I’m already tall at 5’9” so to add heels and a flare may bring back that “jolly green giant” nickname I earned in 5th grade but as Taylor says, “haters gonna hate hate hate hate hate.” 

Blazer: Piperlime (via Lisa) (similar) // Jeans: J Brand // Blouse: JC Penney (similar) // Booties: Just Fab (similar)

Hat: Swap with Katrina // Purse: Michael Kors // Necklace: Old Navy // Watch: Timex (via Lisa) 

Do you prefer fit and flare or straight and skinny?

Rocked it & Swapped it

This is one of my favorite R+S's to date because A) I had no idea we could both pull up such a bright yellow and B) Lisa makes me want to pull a Joan Jett and wear this with an edge next time it gets pulled from my closet. I first wore this to my brother's concert at House of Blues and Lisa styled the top for casual day wear -- kudos to Lisa for pairing with our current #JustFab love, the zyree booties..it automatically gives the feminine lace a masculine tone and that, I'm kind of loving ;)

The minute I spotted this shirt, I knew I had to have it but that's how I feel about most pieces from Apricot Lane -- it has quickly become one of my go-to shopping stops. I stumbled upon it while out with my Mom one night and needless to say, neither of us walked out of there empty handed.

All of the pieces are handpicked by the owner so the inventory is largely unique and I often find pieces that stand out from your general fashion and trends spotted at the mall. They upload new items to their facebook almost every day so it definitely takes some restraint on my end to now show up there every day...

Here are a few of our favorite current Apricot Lane looks:

Do you have any store recommendations for unique picks?

Blog of the Month: A Fashion Love Affair

Blogger Cara McLeay shares her inspirations and love for fashion, travel and everything in between on A Fashion Love Affair. Chronicling her daily life and style has taken her on a journey from fashion enthusiast to industry professional, now the senior buyer at Vancouver's first concept store, Secret location, FLARE Magazine's Localist-At-Large, and freelances in styling & social media consulting.

Cara has great style that looks effortless and perfectly unpolished...
Here's some of our favorite looks:

What stands out about YOUR favorite fashion bloggers?

It's Beginning to Feel a bit Like Fall

I am loving the weather right now. It's not "jacket cold" out, but it's clearly no longer summer. The only solution for nights out with your girl friends? A sweater dress and a cute bootie of course!

I am in love with this sweater dress. I found it on Hautelook for a fraction of the price, SCORE! I decided to pair it with a black slip dress, black booties, gold accessories, and this amazing oxblood clutch.

Dress: Free People via Hautelook // Shoes & Bag: c/o Just Fab // Watch: Fossil // Chevron Midi Rings: House of Gemmes // Ring: T+J Designs // Love Necklace: XO Veronika 

I can't wait to wear it again with taller boots and maybe a different colored slip.
 Do you ever do that? Wear an outfit and then immediately know how you will style it the next time? I can actually say I do that on a regular basis.
I'll even go so far as to make notes on my phone about how I want to style, or pair outfits in the future. Effortlessly chic is not actually effortless for me. But I'm getting better and I know what I like! ;)

What do you think of this pairing? Do you like wearing sweater dresses in the fall?

Here are a few I am currently lusting over:
Joie // BB Dakota // DSQUARED2  // Cut 25 by Yigal Azrouel

Words that Inspire

Sometimes you come across a quote that hits you like a ton of bricks. The composition of words, the tone of voice and the meaning behind the letters impact you forever, leaving you feeling like you couldn't have said it better yourself. That's exactly how I felt when I first read "Song for the Special" by Marina Keegan. I came across this standout piece two years ago in a mix of irrelevant chaos in my news feed and printed out a copy immediately, which I still have sitting on my desk at home.

Even more moving than her writing is her story: While an undergraduate at Yale, Keegan was a frequent contributor to the Yale DailyNews and had landed a job at The New Yorker as an editorial assistant post-graduation. However, her life was tragically cut short in a car accident days after her graduation. Anne Fadiman, Keegan's writing professor at Yale and also the editor of The Opposite of Loneliness, said this about her former student: “Every aspect of her life was a way of answering that question: how do you find meaning in your life?" and that's what I love so much about her writing...It's thought provoking, honest, and memorable.

Here are just a few excerpts from Keegan:

And my absolute favorite...

Do you ever come across a quote that sticks with you forever? 

Please share some of your favorites with us in the comments.

Get Pinspired: Layered Up

Fall fashion is on the brain and I can't stop thinking about all the fun we will have layering this coming season. Being girls from the Midwest means we are all about the layers to stay warm, but who says it can't be stylish at the same time?!

We all love a great Canadian tuxedo, but leave it to blogger Sincerely Jules to put a great animal print twist on the normal denim on denim look. 

Here is her outfit that inspired us and the items currently selling on Because I shop too much to recreate the look at a fraction of the price:

(Pinterest source)
Jacket // Bag // Chambray top // Jeans

Are you a fan of this outfit? Is this something you would wear this fall?

We also looked around and found many more great pieces so you can style the look yourself:

Rocked it & Swapped it

 Everyone needs articles of clothing in their closets that will transition them through the four seasons. Being two ladies from the Midwest, owning lots of items like this is key to make the most out of our wardrobes. 

This graphic tee (that we sell) is really a style staple for the both of us. It can be dressed up or down, or even layered for the cooler months in the year. We have both worn it many times on the blog, but today we'd love to show you how easy it can be to wear it at different times of the year. 

Here is how we both styled our "because we blog too much" tee:

Warm Weather Graphic T Essentials:

(source)

During the summer months Lisa tucked her tee into a full skirt. This look was dressy yet playful and kept her cool in the heat. 

Cool Weather Graphic T Essentials:

(source)

To keep warm in her tee, Kailtyn added a blazer, jeans, and a great knit hat. This look is perfect for the cooler months ahead of us! 

Do you make the most of your wardrobe by transitioning items throughout the year? Do you own one of our graphic tees yet?

Color Me Green

Blouse: Express (similar) // Jeans, Booties, Bag (similar): Just Fab // Sunnies, Necklace: Old Navy

 Belt: Michael Kos // Ring: Francescas 

I found this blouse in my latest swap bag from Lisa and fell in love with the color. I don't own many emerald green items but I wore it to the office recently and one of my co-workers pointed it out right away: "You should wear that color more often, it looks great on you!" 

I always notice when my Mom wears certain colors that complement with her platinum blonde hair and wonder what color works best with my skin tone and hair, but perhaps I've found it. Next on my green wish list? Just a little number from Elie Saab ;)

Do you know what "your color" is?