holiday trends

I've already talked a little bit about the velvet trend, but there have been a few other things I've seen around that I'm either excited to try or still not quite sure about. Maybe a mixture of both!

To start out, what do you think about coated pants?

Anthropologie

J. Crew

Nordstrom

Ruche

Anthropologie

Anthropologie

Ruche

A lot of times, I absolutely love the look -- it has that leathery sheen, but has the fit of your favorite jeans.
I'm still unsure how they'll look in-person, but I went ahead and took the plunge and bought the last pair in that list above.
Ruche has Wednesday Style Steals, and this week's happened to include the coated pants. I couldn't resist.
I had been intrigued since I first saw them in their lookbook, and fell in love with this ensemble:

I think in general the trends seem to be leaning toward the edgier looks. A lot of leather and leather-ish ideas.
I honestly have zero authority on the subject, because I don't follow high fashion or the actual style trends happening around the world -- I just know what I see in my favorite stores, and the things that are totally new to my wardrobe (or are making a vicious comeback, like velvet.)

Speaking of leather, let's take a look at how bold it's getting.
What do you think about leather-centered outfits?

Via Ruche

Ladylike Leather

Leather obviously isn't new to the fashion world. Leather bags, wallets, shoes, jewelry, and of course jackets...those have long been staples in the female psyche.
But leather seems to be getting friskier by the minute. Striped dresses with gold leather pockets, laser-cut leather blouses, pleated leather skirts. This is serious stuff.

I'm most intrigued by the leather skirts, and subtle leather accents.
Some of my favorites:

Ruche

Ruche

Ruche

Would you wear such bold (yet ladylike) leather pieces?
I have yet to try them out, but I do love the look of a great burgundy leather skirt. (I also like this quilted mini skirt!).
I'll report back with my findings on the coated jeans as soon as they arrive!
In the meantime, what are some winter trends you're a bit curious about?

work the skirt

Dress: J. Crew

Day 22: Last Tuesday I did something crazy and wore a skirt under my dress, instead of over it. 

It was a bold move, but I was feeling risky, and felt the need to try it out.

I got the idea from another blogger friend (Stephanie of Anie Inspired) who made this post, featuring a Frocktober outfit that layered a classic black dress with a cat-print skirt underneath it. 

I've seen ruffled and laced slips used beneath dresses in the same way, and it can be a really great tool to lengthen shorter dresses! But for people like me who have yet to invest in a fancy slip, this is a great alternative.

It can also add an extra layer of warmth, which I'm definitely going to need! Today I decided that it has finally hit the morning temperatures that require a coat and gloves before leaving the house.

Day 23: Wednesday was a comfy day for sure. I reached for the closest cozy sweater I could find, and happily it was this bright pink one!

Dress (remixed): Ruche, Sweater: LOFT, Booties: Urbanog

I was still working through my cold, and knew all of my makeup would most likely be gone by lunchtime. I wanted something easy and comfortable, but still interesting! The result was this multi-layered outfit that was bright and oh-so-comfy.
This floral dress has seen a lot of wear in my closet.. I love the colors, it's comfortable, and it's easy to put together with other things in my closet. A floral dress is definitely something every girl's closet should have. In my humble, floral-loving opinion.
I wear this one with jeans often, because it's on the shorter side. It looks really cute with my pineapple colored pants, too!

lumberjack

It's pretty stereotypical of me to associate a nice plaid print with a lumberjack - I certainly didn't feel like a lumberjack yesterday.

With my poofy skirt, clinking bangles and bright teal tights, I'd say I was more of a...fairy lumberjack.

Which I'm on board with.

On a side note, these are my very first tights of the season.
I feel rather happy that they're the crazy teal. Who knows what colored tights will show up this fall!

It's funny how the simplest things can really change the way you see yourself.
Small things that other people may not even see, but that seem like such a drastic change to you.
Things like changing which side you part your hair, or getting that small but significant trim that you feel sure people should notice.
Losing a few pounds, changing your makeup routine, using new hair product.

For me, it's when I don't use a bobby pin for my bangs.
Because the thing is, I don't even have bangs anymore. I've grown them completely out, and yet I still stick a bobby pin to the side every single day.
Yesterday, the bobby pin started slipping (which also happens multiple times a day...darn you, fine hair!) and I went to readjust it and clumsily dropped it in the car somewhere, where it shall remain forevermore.

Top: Ross, Skirt: J. Crew, Tights: Target, Boots: DSW, Bangles: Kate Spade

My husband and I went on a date night, bobby-pinless, and when we got home we went straight out to take some pictures before it got too dark.
When I look at these pictures, there's something odd and different about my appearance.
And all it took was the escape of a bobby pin.

flutter on by

I love Monday and Tuesday nights.
For the last few months, we've had two of our favorite friends come over almost every single Mon/Tues for The Bachelorette and SYTYCD (So You Think You Can Dance).
We order pizza, or make crepes, or grab ice cream, and/or make coffee and enjoy some quality television together.
The result is hours of fun conversation revolved around the dramatic happenings of a woman trying to find love and a group of dancers that just want to try and make their dreams come true.
We've had a blast. With the finale of The Bachelorette this past Monday, there was gasping, crying, screaming, laughing, throwing things. It was the best darn 2 hours of television I've ever experienced.
(And by the by, I was #teamChris from the very beginning!)

Dress: J. Crew, Necklace (shop!) (similar!)/Earrings/Shoes (shop!): Ruche
Bangles: Kate Spade

Yesterday's outfit was very minty fresh.
This dress was one of my favorite buys from our local J. Crew Outlet two years ago, our first year living in Virginia.
It has served as one of my favorite go-tos, and has encouraged my love for anything and everything mint in my life.

During Ruche's jewelry sale last week I snatched up one of the very last listings for this layered necklace!
It's absolutely perfect for this monochromatic look, and I can already see it's the beginning of a beautiful friendship.
(Especially since Ruche included a surprise pair of matching earrings for every necklace I purchased! They're the best! I would highly recommend scanning their jewelry section.)

After my husband kindly took these pictures for me out on the damp rainy asphalt, we wandered back towards our front door when we noticed all of our friendly butterflies happily grazing away at our front bushes.
There are literally hundreds throughout the summer, and I try never to take advantage of how beautiful they are to watch.
We spent the next 15 minutes or so just taking a few shots of our dear friends, watching them live their lives, just fluttering on by.

Our front door :)

royal blue

It's a week for the royal!

Royal baby George was born, and I wore a royal blue dress. It's all very, very important.

I must confess I haven't paid much attention to the royal family - other than to appreciate the fact that Kate Middleton is adorable, and is the definition of class. I also think her post-baby blue polka-dot dress was so sweet, I could cry. 

Image Source

She also looks so unbelievably fresh after having just delivered a baby. Tell us your secrets, Katie. 

Dress: J. Crew, Shoes: Gap, Watch: Fossil

I suppose it's a blue polka-dotty kind of week for all of us!

I mentioned a rather ridiculous (and providential) J. Crew outlet sale a while back, where I purchased two new dresses, a skirt and a scarf. This plaid dress was dress number 1, and this blue number is dress 2!

It fits like a royal dream and makes me want to work in a much more prestigious job than I do now.
Maybe as a famous author, or editor, or candlestick maker.
I'd love to do something that I love for a living - shopping? Blogging? Eating cheese?
I know it's possible to work toward something that I'm passionate about, and to build it up to be a career. Sometimes it can be daunting - do I need more school? More experience? How do I even know what I want to do?

I feel like I'm right on the cusp of figuring that out, but often get distracted by other things. Like shopping, blogging and eating cheese.