Why Babies + Coffee Shops are a Great Mix

While on maternity leave, one of my favorite things to do with the little man has been visiting different coffee shops. True, I always enjoy making a java run (with OR without him) but as he's gotten older and we've established some semblance of a routine, it's been a nice way to break up our day and get him to (hopefully) nap at the same time. He loves the stroller and really responds well walks so if we're not walking around our neighborhood or the park nearby, a coffee stop is our other plan. That way, not only do I get some "Mommy fuel"... CAN I GET AN AMEN?

...but we also get out of the house and he tends to doze off while I sip. If I want to meet up with a girlfriend or a Family member during the day, I find that a coffee date is easier to plan - It's really hard to schedule anything at a certain time with an infant (like a lunch or dinner) because there are so many variables but because coffee is acceptable at all times of the day so with that in mind, you can always re-schedule for an afternoon date if your morning was a wash. Plus, coffee outings tend to be shorter, giving you a little more wiggle room if your baby tends to get fussy when you're out...this way, you're not committed to waiting for a meal. 

I'm just saying...I think babies + coffee are great in more ways than 1 :)

My mom joined us when we visited a coffee cafe nearby recently and it was such a nice afternoon. It's a tiny, locally owned shop with homemade muffins (baked fresh each day!) and an adorable menu with seasonal options. I love how different the muffin combinations are - zucchini and pineapple + peanut butter and coffee are two of my faves. The owner is so sweet and such a hard worker...She gets in a 3am every day to bake a fresh batch of muffins and believe me, they go quick! 

She explained to us that the shop is her entire life and it can be really tiring but she loves blending different flavors in her baking and coffee and seeing people respond to them is the best part. She learned different techniques from her Mom when they lived in Greece during her childhood and you can tell that this passion has lived within her since. It's stories like these that make local coffee shops (and any small shop, really) so unique and special. This is another one of the best coffee shops in the area -- You must visit! Their Fall menu is to die for. And if you're looking to try out any more, I shared some more of my favorites here. 

By the way, these Cabi loafers are my new go-to for Fall! Floral & suede = the cutest combo!  Expect to see a lot more of them on the blog in the coming weeks...
Have a great Tuesday!
Wearing:
Top: Urban Outfitters (old, similar) Skirt: Old navy (old, similar) Shoes: c/o Cabi Clothing  Necklaces: c/o Park Lane Jewelry Purse: Forever 21 Sunnies: H&M

Lady in Red

A fashion motto for life: When you find something you love, buy it in 7 colors. For serious, though...it is very rare to stumble upon something you want to live in day and night. Something that feels like it was made for you and gives you confidence to rule the world. Alright, this might be a little dramatic but the second I put on this romper, I not only felt very comfortable but confident, two things every outfit should provide. It's a simple red, cotton romper with a slight scalloped hem. On the rack, nothing outstanding. On the body, the ultimate Summer basic, begging to be dressed up or down...or in my case, a little bit of both. A floppy hat (gifted to me from Lisa days after my dog bite for ultimate sun protection) was the perfect way to take it up a notch on the chic scale.

P.S. When I wear a hat this large, all I can think of is the FRIENDS episode ("the one with the jellyfish") where they're getting ready to head out of town and Rachel shows up in this. Amazing and ridiculous all at once. By the way, I feel like guys are totally dumbfounded by styles like this which is why I rarely wear this around my husband...it's a "ladies' weekend" style, for sure. You guys feel me?

Wearing:
Romper: Urban Outfitters (similar) Straw Hat: Target Bag: c/o E Street Denim (similar for 50% off!) Shoes: c/o Sole Society Sunnies: Zero UV (similar) Lipstick: Glominerals "Crimson"

Spontaneity & Stripes

As much as I try to plan ahead, I find the spontaneous moments are always the most fun and memorable (aka booking a trip to Ireland on a whim). Lisa and I were downtown for an event one evening and running a few minutes late but wanted to get some outfit photos in before we lost the "good light," so we ended up shooting where we parked, right outside of Jake Melnicks. 

We didn't question the location or if we had properly re-applied lipstick as usual (#priorities)...We just threw down our bags and started snapping...as it turns out, we ended up loving the pictures. Not because of how they look or what we were wearing but because it turned out to be such a fun, carefree evening. Sometimes I feel like we put so much pressure on ourselves to make events or even small moments in our lives turn out a certain way but if we just learn to go with the flow a little more, we might surprise ourselves...

Speaking of going with the flow, stripes & army green is a fantastic casual combination. For the girl who wants to achieve the "perfect combination of sexy and cute," (any other Gosling fans watch this on repeat?), this is your go-to. Here are a few other blogger examples of how to wear the two together:

Top: 1 // 2 - Bottom: 1 // 2 // 3

Do you find that your favorite moments are planned or a surprise?

Rocked it & Swapped it: 4x!

A green army jacket or top is one of our must-haves for Spring and Summer as it's incredibly versatile and the perfect addition for almost any personal style. I feel like this is one of those 90's styles that has made a triumphant comeback...unlike the Birks, sorry guys, we just can't rekindle that love connection.

Lisa has let me borrow this top a few times now and on each occasion, I claim that she may end up never seeing it again...It's the equivalent of a great denim jacket because it goes with almost anything and adds a great masculine element to otherwise feminine pieces. Lisa remixed it from Spring to Summer by pairing with dark denim and booties followed by a comfy midi dress.

I first paired it with pink stripes and white denim then a great shift dress (also Lisas, perhaps I should raid her entire wardrobe!)

Do you have a go-to army green top or jacket? Now's the time!

Taking a Masculine Turn for Spring

One of my favorite pairings is to take a super girly item, like this wrap dress, and style it with more masculine pieces. By adding a faux leather biker jacket and buckle boots it gave the look the perfect amount of edge I was looking for. Women's fashion is really taking a masculine turn for Spring and it's right up my ally. Most of us have been doing this for years, but this year it is super on trend. Which means finding (and shopping) for androgynous types of clothing items is going to be very easy. SCORE! ;)

I decided to continue the gold from my boots by adding two beautiful gold jewelry pieces from my most recent RocksBox shipment. Don't forget by using code "sadbblogxoxo," you can get your first 30 days for free! I finished the look off with my favorite neutral bag and was good to go for a night out with my handsome hubby.

Dress: Urban Outfitters // Jacket: Sheinside // Boots: c/o JustFab // Bag: c/o Sole Society // Necklace & Earrings: RocksBox (use code sadbblogxoxo to get your first month FREE!) // Sunglasses: Prada // Phone Case: Kate Spade 

I love this dress so much! It was perfect for my date night and just love the light gray color.

What do you think of this pairing?
Do you ever mix masculine items with girly ones to get an edgier look?

New Hair = Lots of New Styles to Try

You may know from our Instagram account that I went and chopped off 7 inches of my hair last month. I love long hair, and I have generally gone between this length and extensions over the past 9 years. Having said that, I've never had this length hair with no bangs so this time when I went for the big chop, I decided to continue to grow my bangs out and have lots of layers added too. Not your everyday lob, folks! ;)

With a new do comes so many new styling options. My hair stylist told me to use a root lifting product (I am loving this one) and a round brush to get a great deep side part look. So, this was my first attempt at that. It's a bit tricky, as I usually air dry and then curl my hair later in the day, but I love how it turned out! I can't wait to see what else I can come up with style wise...



As far as my outfit goes, this is very typical everyday wear. I need to wear outfits that can easily get from day to night and everything in-between (dance class, room mom party prep, playing and cooking, then off to Kaitlyn's for party prep!). I guess you would call this my sweats alternative as I can sit on the floor and play as well as be out in public and feel put together in it.

Top: Target // Jeans: 7 for all Mankind // Boots: Dolce Vita // Bag: Rachel Zoe // Cuff: Lili Claspe // Bracelet: Lokai // Watch: Fitbit // Blue Ring: House of Harlow 1960 // Love Necklace: XO Veronika // Midi Ring: Shop Lately // Gold Rings: Urban Outfitters 

What do you think of my new hair? Any suggestions of styles I should try out next?

Holy Chic...

As much as I love blasting music and getting dolled up for a big night out, I also enjoy the comfort of casual clothing so I often end up mixing and matching pieces from both ends of the spectrum. My favorite outfits combine lifelong pieces (black blazer) with current trends (graphic t) and top things off with a statement piece (this necklace which I wear entirely too often) – that way, I am dressed for various occasions whether it’s a business meeting (as was this night with Lisa) and cocktails with the girls (ALSO this night with Lisa).

I haven’t worn these heels or boyfriend shorts (comfiest EVER) in a while so when I saw them both peeking out my of my closet, it seemed like the perfect match. I think this is one of those outfits that would confuse my husband (I can hear it, “you’re wearing that shirt with heels?”) but all of you fashion-minded women understand where I’m coming from…and that right there is why we blog :)

Blazer: Urban Outfitters, old (similar) // Shorts: LOFT // T: Sisters Marie // Heels: Just Fab 

Necklace: T+J Designs // Clutch: Forever 21 (similar) // Bracelet & Watch: T+J Designs

What do you think about mixing comfy + chic?

Rocked it & Swapped it

Summertime is a great time to go on bike rides and get moving outside. It's also a great time to wear super cute tees with bicycle  prints on them. I don't know about you, but bicycle print is right up there with anchor print in my book. I just can't get enough of it. It's adorable, timeless, and can be totally chic when the print is on the right item. But I digress.... 

Kaitlyn wore her Urban Outfitters tee last summer and mixed her neutrals by pairing it with black shorts  and a brown bag. When I got my hands on it this summer, I paired the tee with basic cutoffs and black accessories. 

Here is how we both styled the tee: 

Is there a print that you just can't get enough of? How would you style it?

It's T-Shirt Time!

We love making a statement in graphic t's…from layering under outerwear, dressing up with a blazer or tucking into a pencil skirt, we can't get enough of these sharp and stylish combinations.

Simply stated, we love them, live in them, and want to share them with you. Today begins the pre-sale for these soft vintage wash t's! There is a limited number in stock so shop sisters now! 

T-shirt 1:

Tee: Sisters Marie (wearing size M) // Blazer: Urban Outfitters (similar) // Jeans: Old Navy // Shoes: Old Navy

Bag: Persunmall (similar) // Hat: My Mom's closet // Sunnies: Nordstrom (similar)

T-Shirt 2:

Tee: Sisters Marie (wearing size M) // Blazer: BISTM- Mary's Closet // Jeans: 7 for all Mankind // Bag: c/o Just Fab 

Sunnies: Prada // Necklace & Bangles: c/o It's a Bling Thing // Watch: Fossil 

…Because we wear love graphic t's too much! ;)

How will you style yours?