Windy Wonderland

I've said it before and I will say it again, I am loving the beautiful season of Fall this year. The weather has been cooler lately (it is December after all... it was bound to happen), but we still had a few days before the snow where you could get away with a light jacket. On this day, it was super windy, but an utterly beautiful, sunny day. 

I decided to embrace the wind and wear something that would flow. This midi dress from J.Jill is another fast favorite. It is the most soft dress I own, making it feel like I am walking around in my PJ's (does it get any better then that?). I added a sheer plaid scarf, wrap belt, bucket bag, and wide brim hat to dress the look up a bit. To finish it off, I added my favorite faux leather jacket and a great pair of heels. Let's be honest, a great pair of heels can make me smile any day of the week. 

Dress: c/o J.Jill // Scarf & Bag: Nordstrom (similar) // Shoes: JustFab // Jacket: SheIn (similar) // Sunglasses: Coach (similar & only $32) // Hat: c/o Sole Society // Large Ring: c/o Park Lane Jewelry // Teal Ring: House of Harlow 1960 (similar) // Belt: Anthropologie // Lip Color: gloMinerals-Crimson

photos by Cecilia Jean

What have you been wearing during these transitional weather days? What do you think of my "windy wonderland" outfit?

The Perfect Layering Piece

I am forever on the hunt for great layering pieces. They make mornings easier (hello grab and go), and can effortlessly mix and match with anything in your wardrobe. When I spotted this long hooded cardigan at J.Jill, I knew I could not only style it with active-wear, but also everyday wear. How have I never owned a piece like this? It sure seems like a wardrobe staple to me! 

 On this day, skinny jeans and a ribbed turtleneck tee were just the thing for grabbing lunch and coffee in a neighboring town. I was all too excited to add this long cardigan but wanted to give it a bit of a twist. By adding this great wrap belt I gave myself more of a defined waistline and a pop of color with the bold lip. In the end, I added leopard print wedges and suddenly the outfit had a bit of attitude (the good kind that is). 

Cardigan: c/o J.Jill // Top: c/o Style & Co. // Jeans: Old Navy // Belt: B-Low the Belt via Box of Style // Bag & Sunglasses: Coach // Shoes: Shoemint (similar) // Ring: House of Harlow 1960

What are your favorite layering pieces? What do you think of this long hooded cardigan?

Morning Routines

 Each morning my alarm goes off and within 60 seconds I am walking down the hallway to wake up my kiddos. I go to my daughters room first (she rises a bit slower) and after she promises me she will in fact open her eyes soon, I move on to my son's room. As soon as he hears me, he darts up (not unlike his mother) and says "I'm awake". In each of their rooms I open the blinds, turn off their fans, and make sure they have clothes already laid out for the day. Next stop coffee! As the coffee brews, I set up their breakfast before walking back upstairs, this time to tell them it's time for breakfast. This is when my daughter no doubt talks me into carrying her down for one reason or another. ;) 

Then it's coffee time. I sit in my rocking chair, the same chair I rocked my babies in, and sip my perfect cup of organic dark roast Joe with them in view. This is me time. For the next 25 minutes I can check (and post) my social media, news sites, and emails. After my coffee break, I have exactly 20 minutes to make sure two kids are dressed, have brushed their teeth, hair is done, plus I need too get myself ready. My go-to effortless look lately has been tops like this gorgeous one from J.Jill. It is not only beautiful and functional for everyday (or active wear), but it is also the softest thing I have ever put on my body!

I generally set out my outfit the night before, so mornings run smoothly and no one feels rushed. I run a tight ship and this way there is less room for error, or in my case, making the kiddos late to school. These skinny jeans are so affordable and I have had this pair for three years now. I love how the holes evolve over time. Toss on a great flat and blanket scarf and you are good to go with time to spare. 

I obviously had time this day to go back home and put on more of a face. I am dying for burgundy eye pallets and red lips right now! I met up with a fellow blogger and we got some outfits shot. What's the great part about being out mid-morning in an area with lots of local shops? MORE COFFEE! So we did a little work, stopped and had some yummy seasonal flavored coffee, and then got back to work. Sometimes morning routines are so nice you need to do them twice! 

 Top: c/o J.Jill // Scarf: Target (similar) // Jeans: Old Navy // Shoes: c/o J.Jill (similar) // Bag: JustFab // Sunglasses: Coach (similar) // Rings: c/o Park Lane Jewelry // Pom Pom Key Chain: T&J Designs (similar) // Lip Color: gloMinerals-Crimson

Photos by Cecilia Jean

What is your morning routine? Do you have go-to cozy items in your wardrobe that gets you happily through your day. 

The Cutest Little Lace-Up Sweater

Sometimes it's the smallest detail that draws me to an item of clothing. In this case, the cutest little lace-ups on either side of the sweater were enough for me to swoon and shop. This classic staple, a cream sweater, becomes more playful and draws the eyes to the bottom. I can't wait to style this top all winter long! 

On this day, I wanted to keep the pairing as cute as the lace-up details. By pairing this sweater with skinny jeans and OTK boots, your eyes really do go to the laces. I finished my cozy look off by adding a statement jacket and a great winter hat. In the end my look was so comfortable to wear and still seemed fashionable to boot. The best of both worlds, no?

SHOP THE LOOK:

Sweater: French Connection // Jeans: Old Navy // Boots: Report // Coat: Tinley Road // Hat: Neff (similar) // Bag: JustFab // Large Ring: c/o Park Lane Jewelry // Teal Ring: House of Harlow 1960 // Necklace: Clyde's Rebirth

Photos by Cecilia Jean

What details are you drawn to when shopping? Do you own any lace-up sweaters?

How to Shorten a Dress Without Sewing

At a whopping five foot three (and 3/4's!), my torso is on the shorter side. This comes in handy when I want to wear a romper or jumpsuit (anyone else notice those are only made from shot torsos?!), but not so much when I want to wear a tunic or a knee-legnth dress. As you already know, Kaitlyn and I swap a lot, but what is a perfect fit on her is not always a perfect fit on me. For this I use an easy fix for shortening a dress without sewing, a belt! 

OK, I realize I am not reinventing the wheel here, but by realizing this simple trick you really can get more out of your wardrobe. Prior to belting this beauty, it was below my knees. Not the best length for my body type to be honest. By adding this gorgeous tassel belt and pulling the material up over it, the dress quickly took on a new look and shape. Which was better for my shape. ;)

Dress: c/o J.Jill // Jacket: Sheinside (similar) // Boots & Sunglasses: c/o Sole Society // Necklace: Baublebar // Bag: JustFab // Belt: B-Low the Belt via Box of Style // Ring: Vintage // Lip Color: gloMinerals-Sorbet

Do you ever belt a dress to shorten it? What are your favorite no sew hacks?

Ivy Walls & Overalls

These pictures combine two of my favorite things when taking Fall photos: ivy walls and overalls. It really doesn't get more seasonal then this, so when myself and Kaitlyn stumbled upon this location in Geneva, it was blogger love at first site. I actually drove by it five days later and all the leafs had fallen down. Clearly these photos were meant to be! 

I have discussed in the past my overall obsession, and this pair just makes me love them more. I am a huge fan of all black outfit pairings, so when I was gifted this beautiful top from Style & Co, I thought it would be a great addition to break up the all black look I had planned to wear. I love the gray stripes, so I decided to use that color to pull more gray into my outfit by adding these heels. I also used the maroon stripe to inspire my sunglasses pairing. Sometime inspiration comes from one article of clothing and this time around it was all about this top!

Shop the look:

Top: c/o Style & CO // Overalls: AG Jeans // Bag & Heels: JustFab // Sunglasses: Kate Spade // Watch: Fossil // Teal Ring: House of Harlow 1960 // Large Ring: c/o Park Lane Jewelry // Hat: c/o Sole Society

Are you a fan of overalls? What do you think of the ivy wall we found? Swoon worthy, right?