Going to Great Lengths

I remember the day I went to my hair dresser and told her I wanted to dye my hair black - I brought in an "inspirational" photo of Ashlee Simpson circa 'Pieces of Me.' My hair girl pretty much had the same response my Mom did when I told her the idea: Hell no. Thank God that phase was short-lived and I moved on... Once I remembered that whole "I'm Irish with pale skin and freckles" thing, jet black hair seemed a little out of the question. 

11 years later and I still have not touched these locks - no dye, high lights or cuts that would make me cry (like a few of those dance up-do's back in the day). I love my natural color, especially after sun time in the summer, and I'm afraid I would never get it back. 

But like most, I do get the itch to mix things up now and then so I was excited when I heard Lisa's contact for extensions was coming back in town. I have always been a fan of long flowing hair (Blake Lively is my ultimate #WCW) and since I had recently chopped my hair after my wedding, I figured this was a great way to get a new (non-permanent) look.

Sweater: BISTM (Lisa's closet) (similar) // T-shirt: Victoria's Secret // Jeans: Old Navy // Bag: Just Fab

Shoes: Just Fab (similar) // Necklace: Rachel Roy // Sunglasses: Old Navy

What do you think of extensions? How do you keep your look fresh?

P.S. Speaking of keeping things fresh, do the same for your wardrobe with this exclusive Shopbop sale for friends + family:

Rocked it & Swapped it

Mint is not only one of my favorite Girl Scout cookies but also one of my go-to colors in the summertime so I really liked the hints of it in Lisa's Victoria's Secret dress. She first wore it to my bridal shower last year and I remember thinking, "I can't wait until it's my turn!" The chiffon material and halter neckline are flattering for most body types and the belt gives it nice definition. 

In the first two photos, we stuck with nude tones to keep it consistent but I enjoy the way Lisa brought in some browns later on to give it a whole new feel. With the help of a new belt and sandals, it doesn't even look like the same dress. I love when old becomes new again!

Now, how can you add some mint to your life?

Forever New short dress

$140 - forevernew.com.au

Blue shirt

bevello.com

TIBI racerback tank

tibi.com

Prom shoes

modcloth.com

Charlotte Russe thong sandals

charlotterusse.com

Betsey Johnson heart necklace

betseyjohnson.com

BlissfulCASE tech accessory

bluefly.com

Wildfox sunglasses

wildfox.com

Rocked it & Swapped it

This #closetswap of ours is one of my favorites thus far. I wore this emerald print number from Victoria's Secret to our cousins's wedding in December and Kaitlyn recently wore it on Valentine's Day (and p.s., looked STUNNING).

I am so in love with her Just Fab bag I can't wait to swap that with her...(hint, hint sister!)

Here is how we both styled this dress with a killer hemline:

It is hands down my favorite dress I've worn in a very long time so I also bought it in black to wear for my birthday party:

What do you think of this dress? We may need to own it in pink for summer too! 

Because Kaitlyn Celebrated Valentine's Day

This was the 7th Valentine's Day with my husband but our first one as husband and wife, so we celebrated with a fancy night out. We go to dinner every year on this day and this time, he surprised me with reservations to Eddie Merlot's which is now one of our new favorite restaurants. 

They specialize in steak and seafood so ordered asian-style calamari to start which was addicting…I will go back just for another taste of that sauce. Our main entree's were just as delicious, as we each ordered a different cut of steak and paired it with a great Malbec wine…full bellies and lots of laughs, I couldn't have asked for a better night.

Dress: Victoria's Sweet (swap w/Lisa) // Shoes: Just Fab // Bag: Just Fab // Jewelry: Francescas (similar)

And let's be honest, Valentine's Day shouldn't be all about the ladies…instead of flowers and candy, I went with beer and bacon…beer and bacon cupcakes, that is. Two of my husband's favorite things combined in a sweet and savory dessert? I figured it was a sure bet ;)

The recipe called for an IPA so I went with Red Hook and the you could definitely taste it in the mix and frosting. I topped the bacon with brown sugar and cooked it in the oven for a few minutes, making it the perfect candied topping. I would definitely recommend these for the man in your life!

Hope you all had a great Valentine's Day! 

Because Kaitlyn Loves "Ugly" Sweaters

We all know ugly Christmas sweater parties are popular this time of year but to make it clear, there are two different types of ugly sweaters: 1) the sinfully bad one adorned with bells that are glued on and puffy paint that you find in the back of your Grandma's closet and 2) the really cute with one reindeers, snowflakes and fair isle print (click to see how even men can rock it!)

Note that #1 is the perfect choice for that party but #2 is too cute to be considered. #2 is actually socially acceptable and looks great when paired with boots and a 9 ft Christmas tree. See examples below ;)

Sweater: ℅ Sammy Dress // Jeans: LOFT // Boots: ℅ Just Fab // T-shirt: Victoria's Secret // Necklace: Rachel Roy

Scaf: Target

What is your opinion on "ugly" sweaters? Do you agree with my distinction between the two?

Because We had a Photo Shoot

We had the wonderful experience of working with Neil Pili on a recent photo shoot.

Here are some of our favorite shots:

Kaitlyn: Top: Forever 21, Leggings: Express, Shoes: c/o Just Fab, Blazer: Piperlime (similar), Watch: Nordstrom, Clutch: Express, Necklace: T+J Designs

Lisa: Dress: BCBG, Blazer: Piperlime, Necklace: J.Crew, Shoes: C/O Just Fab, Bag: Rebecca Minkoff, Bracelets: Baublebar and T+J  Designs, Watch: Fossil

Kaitlyn: Dress: Forever 21, Blazer: Forever 21, Belt: Lisa's, Shoes: DSW, Pink Bracelet: T+J Designs

Lisa: Dress: Victoria's Secret, Jacket: Pepe Jeans, Shoes: C/O Just Fab, Ring: Pree Brulee, Necklace: C/O Sarah Aghili, Basketweave bracelet: C/O T+J Designs

For more photos from this shoot, check out the Sisters Marie Facebook Page (and we'd love for you to "like" us while you're there!)

You can check out Neili Pili's photography website and like his FB too! We can't wait to work with him again...he and his assistants were very professional and so creative in coming up with different ideas for shots, so it's just a bonus that we all had a great time as well :)

What is your favorite look?

What's in Kaitlyn's Purse?

Most women are just as attracted to a great purse as they are a gorgeous man. Whether it's leather with studs or suede with fringe, our collections never stop growing. But like people, it's what's on the inside that counts. Our guys always ask, "What could you possibly be carrying in there"...

Well, here's their chance to find out.

1. The Kensington, my favorite Just Fab Purse

2. Mace (A gift from the Parents)

3. Current go-to lip colors: Kate #103 by Rimmel & Belle De Jour by Nars

4. Cider Soiree, a Victoria's Secret gloss

5. My cheesy yet adorable personalized business card holder

6. A Visa gift card just dying to be spent on spring clothes

7. 1 of many pairs of Aviators from Target (I always lose them!)

8. Bare Escentuals Powder in Summer Bisque - I don't know what I would do without it

9. Sisters Marie return address labels for BISTM shipping

10. Nature's Promise snack bar...because I am pretty much always hungry

11. A potential box to accompany our cute idea for wedding favors

12. My over sized wallet...Think it's time to downsize. Time to wait for a Kate Spade sale...

Speaking of purses, these are a few of my favorites currently for sale on BISTM!

MK

CaliJoules

DB

Because Kaitlyn Loves Braids

Any event that gives me an excuse to get my hair and makeup done is a win, so I enjoyed getting ready for wedding #2 this summer. I'm really into braids lately, so I brought a few Pinterest inspired pics to the hairdresser and she created a french braided in the back and twisted into a side bun. Hopefully Lisa can master this for our future photo shoots :)

Lisa: Dress:Victoria's Secret, Necklace: J.Crew, Watch:Fossil 

What do you think of braided up-do's? 

#Kaitlyn

Rocked it & Swapped it

Another reason I love swapping with Lisa? It's a great reason to try a style that I wouldn't normally choose myself. I saw this Piperlime top on her and thought she looked gorgeous, but it wasn't necessarily a top I would purchase on my own - Until I wore it, that is. The fringe detail added a little something fun and it was perfect for my day off in the city with my fiance.

Kaitlyn: Top: Swap with Lisa, Jeans: Forever 21, Sandals: Target

Lisa: Outfit post

Beautiful day in my favorite city!

Do you have someone that inspires you to step out of your box in the style world?

#Kaitlyn

Because Kaitlyn wore Red, White, and Blue

I am always conflicted about actually wearing red white and blue for the 4th of July because there's definitely a place called overkill that I never want to visit, but this year I felt strangely patriotic. It was a cool 105 degrees, so my main goal was to wear as little clothing as possible and still maintain a chic look...well, let's just say chic only last about 2 minutes after stepping outside in what felt like a bath tub, but once I changed into my swim suit and had a shandy in my hand, I let go of all my concerns...

Hope everybody had an awesome Holiday!

Halter: Victoria's Secret (similar), Shorts: H&M (similar) (similar) , Sunnies: Borrowed from Lisa, Watch: Nordstrom

Red nails, sunnies & bracelets are the perfect accents

Props to Lisa for my french braided bun that kept me cool all day!

By the way, I heard my top will soon be featured on BISTM ;)

#Kaitlyn