Sometimes being fashionable is hard. It takes serious effort and thought, and sometimes I neither have the desire nor the time. I LOVE getting dolled up, but from a practicality standpoint, sometimes it just isn’t an option.

For instance, say you overslept because you went a little overboard at 2-4-1 margarita night last night and now have (fill in the blank important event), but you’re going to be lucky to get a toothbrush in your mouth and still make it on time. We’ve all been there (haven’t we??). Those ratty sweatpants and greasy ponytail just aren’t going to cut it today. What to do?

Enter in today’s look. I call it, Smoke & Mirrors, the fashion illusion.

First step: hat. I LOVE hats; particularly on those days when blow-drying/flat ironing/curling(or even washing) just aren’t an option. Hats have helped me perpetuate a put-together look when I’ve been anything but on several occasions. Admittedly, I have been the margarita drinking girl I mentioned above more than once, and I am notorious for oversleeping.

Step two: Buffet dress. No, that’s not a real thing, but it’s so fitting! What I mean by buffet dress is one where you can hit the buffet multiple times and not worry about scorn and ridicule from passersby due to your now bulging belly. I believe the correct term is ‘trapeze dress’ or ‘empire waist.’ But I think buffet dress gets the point across just fine. Bonus if you can find it in some sort of soft cotton. This makes me feel extra sneaky as I feel like I’m secretly wearing pajamas.

Step three: Accessories.  Remember how I said I love hats? (I hope so, cause it was two paragraphs ago.) This is another added bonus. A hat makes such a statement, you can really tone down on accessorizing. I generally find over-sized sunglasses and maybe a necklace to suffice.

Step four: Make up. This is key. If you’re one of those natural beauties that doesn’t need a lick of makeup, well, I have some choice words for you, but suffice it to say I’m jealous. I am not one of those ladies, so in this instance, tinted moisturizer, mascara and lipstick. If there's only time for one, go lipstick. Pick a shade, it doesn’t matter. To me, no matter what, lipstick looks elegant, (assuming you keep it off your teeth) makes you look like you put in an effort, and you can throw it on in no time flat.

Now this, in my humble opinion, is a fashion contribution. We can all look lovely when we have hours and hours, but this is a 5 minutes or less look. And I am telling you…there is no sweeter feeling than when someone yells, ‘hey, cute outfit!’ on a day like this. Your soul will sing as you smile and think “I have pulled it off!”

Outfit: Dress: Express (sold out in grey, only a few left in plum) similar here // Hat (old) very similar here //Necklace: Stella and Dot // Booties: BCBG (old) nearly identical

6:19 AM

I may be biased, but I believe this dress to be one of the most perfect articles of clothing I own. It’s really hard to see in the photos, but all those differently textured lace pieces are sewn together with glimmery gold thread, so it almost appears to glow when wearing it. Tie the whole look up with a satin bow, and voila! The perfect dress. It is also completely season-less thanks to the ivory shade and longer sleeve length, so it can be worn in the fall/winter months with a jacket or the summer/spring months on cooler evenings. The finished look is incredibly feminine and lady-like, although when I wore this last winter, my mom kept barking at me to keep my legs crossed, so not too sure how well I pulled off the whole ‘lady-like’ illusion. It’s still a great dress though…

A funny story about these pictures. Given that we use a telephoto lens, Nate usually has to be quite far away from me when taking photos. Like, several yards away usually, so it’s not always immediately obvious that we are together. This has caused some interesting reactions from passerby, as Nate usually seems to be some creepy voyeur in the bushes somewhere, and I appear to be either really narcissistic doing pose downs by myself or completely insane depending upon your perception.

On the day these photos were taken, Nate and I stopped in front of the park (or so we thought) pictured here to take photos, and a couple walking their dog stopped and were watching us. I instantly started sweating and wanted to curl up into a ball as I hate being photographed in the first place (I know, interesting for someone that wants to write a fashion blog) and now random strangers are watching me. So, after a few minutes, this couple and their giant dog walks up to me and says, “Pretty dress! Do you know you’re standing in our backyard?” Ugh, it was embarrassing. I stuttered something about ‘nice landscaping’ and ‘fashion blog’ and then they told me to pull the weeds while I was there, to which I laughed awkwardly and then SPRINTED to the car. I hope you’re laughing at this, because I am still cringing.

Happy Wednesday! Halfway there! Outfit details below. Thanks for reading and don’t forget to follow along!

Outfit: Tahari Dress // BCBG Shoes // Louis Vuitton Purse (similar here) // Michael Kors Watch

This post linked with http://lizzieinlace.blogspot.com/

Read More

6:27 AM

My, my, those are some highly waisted shorts! Yes, yes they are.

Oh, did you think the title was referring to my current state of inebriation in these photos? I'm not wasted! Slightly buzzed at best....

Anyway, the high-waisted trend. I wasn't sure what I thought of this, thanks to Jessica Simpson's debacle with the 'mom jeans' a few years ago, but, I really love these high-waisted button shorts. They have a cute sailor vibe that I played up on here with the striped shirt and shoes. And I just LOVE a good pair of shorts. The ones I am wearing here have pockets (always a bonus) and are really soft and stretchy, so very comfortable.

The photos were taken over at Boom Island in Northeast Minneapolis yesterday. It's a cool spot! It's got river views and city views, so it's a good representation of what Minneapolis is all about. Have I  mentioned how happy I am that summer has finally arrived? Minneapolis' 10,000 lakes/rivers/streams are a LOT more appealing when they aren't frozen. Just sayin'.

Happy Monday! Thank you so much for reading, and don't forget to follow along! Outfit links below.

Outfit: Shorts: Express // Shirt: Forever 21 (old) similar// Shoes: Similar // Bag: Gucci

Read More

6:09 AM

Do you know what I love about summer?...Trick question. I live in Minnesota, so the answer is EVERYTHING. No, but seriously. When it comes to clothing, I absolutely love that neon attire is so widely embraced. Granted, I am not one to shy away from bright colors at any time, but in summer, anything goes. And I am going to prove it, just you wait.

This summer, I can't seem to get enough of this particular shade of neon yellow/green seen here. Combine the color with the hi/lo cut and the fact that I practically stole it with the insane deal I got on it, suffice it to say, this is the sartorial version of true love. Take it in folks. They say a love like this is rare, and I haven't even gotten to the footwear yet...

Gladiator sandals. I believe Stuart Weitzman put out the first pair of the flat, knee-high type shown here (don't quote me on that) a few years ago. I saw them on a blog somewhere and drooled over them for months. I even considered purchasing them for the bargain price of $400 until I remembered that I'm not a millionaire. So I waited until normal-people designers started making their $100 versions, at which point I bought them in 4 colors. Now that is restraint! Plus, the shorts (last seen here) are from Target, so it all balances out. (Logic at its finest)

In any case, lots of my most beloved things in today's post--neon, fierce sandals, bargains, and summer weather. Suffice it to say, this post is choc full of love. Summer, I welcome you with open arms.

Shop the post below, and don't forget to follow along! Thank you so much for reading!

Outfit:
Top: Romeo& Juliet Couture (marked down to $17(!) & still available!) Shorts: Target // Shoes: Similar here// Purse: Gucci // Sunnies: 2014 Coach, 2015 version

Read More

5:55 AM

Add caption

Well, let's see. I've got florals, lace, shades of peach, heels...I think this outfit pretty much contains every feminine piece a person could wear at once.

I recently went to the outlet mall and had a religious experience at Ann Taylor and Coach where I purchased just about every piece you see here. I really feel like this outfit is about as quintessentially 'spring' as is possible to be. I also love the different patterns and textures at work here. The skirt is a silkier material, and the florals against the lace give the look texture without being over-the-top. Also, while I love pink and blue together (remember this post?), the softer peach hue seen here leaves a more delicate impression than a bright pink would.

This look, however, is really brought together beautifully (if I may say so) with the accessories. I've been on the hunt for a blue purse for quite awhile, and I love the color, size, cut, and metal details on this one. Best part: it was an outlet find! I found the almost identical current version as well which I linked to below. Also, the ring! I saw this ring and fell in love with it, but it was a little spendier than I would have liked for an adjustable ring. So, I searched high and low for something comparable, and it just isn't out there. This ring is just too unique, so I bit the bullet and am glad I did. It doesn't have a cheap feel to it at all, even though you can bend it to fit your finger.

It's been raining pretty much constantly for the past few days, so I haven't been able to get out for pictures. Hopefully it clears up soon and there will be another post in the next day or two.

Thank you so much for reading! Shop the outfit below, and don't forget to follow along!

Outfit:
Skirt: Ann Taylor outlet, very similar here // Lace top: Ann Taylor outlet, non lace version here // Shoes: Old, almost identical here // Purse: Coach, identical minus metal detail //Ring: Pink Peonies Collection

Read More

5:36 AM

50 shades of grey...or, more like 2 shades of grey. Also, not only am I NOT wearing bondage attire, but I'm about as buttoned up as is possible. For weird, kinky fetish stuff, go see the movie. (No, really. Go see it. Let me know if it's good)

ANYWAY, in the last few years, grey has really become my go-to neutral color. I guess you could say grey is the new black in my book. Incidentally, we are down to mere WEEKS until season 3 of Orange is the New Black is out. I fully plan to do a week of posts wearing sweatpants and dripping in ice cream since that will be my reality once it's on Netflix. Classy? Absolutely...

Back to clothes. Yes, grey seems somehow more unexpected as a monochromatic look than black in my opinion. While I love pops of color, sometimes combining neutrals--in this case, grey and tan-- really makes for a put-together look without too much effort. Grey is also appropriate in all seasons. I wore this on a spring day that was quite chilly. This outfit kept me warm while still having a Spring-y vibe to it. The sweater also has jewel embellishments, so it gives what could be a 'blah' sweater a sweet, feminine touch.

So, just a quickie (another 50 shades reference?) post on this pre-Memorial weekend Friday. I am off today on what will surely be an epic road trip with hubby and friends. Have a safe and fun weekend!

Outfit links below. Don't forget to follow along! Thank you so much for reading!

Outfit
Grey skinnies: Ann Taylor (these run HUGE. I'm wearing a 2, normally wear a 6) // Embellished sweater: Ann Taylor outlet find // Sunnies: Coach 2014. Current version // Purse: 2012 Louis Vuitton. Same pattern. // Shoes: BCBG (old) very similar d'Orsay version here

Read More

7:59 AM