If you are local to St. Louis, you can catch me this morning at 8:15am doing a FOX 2 news segment with Galentine's Day party ideas! (Edited to include link to segment HERE!) If you're like my mom, you're thinking, "What's Galentine's Day?" I like to think of it as celebrating the holiday with your girlfriends, whether you are single, married, or somewhere in between! I thought it would be fun to tie in today's blog post with that theme also! It gives me a chance to share what I wore (and why I chose this) along with some ideas for what you and your girlfriends can do here in the St. Louis metro area before you spend your night in sipping on wine and snacking on some goodies!
So here's the thing. I fought the off the shoulder and cold shoulder trends as much as possible. And then I reached a breaking point and now there's no turning back. But I just fell in love with the dress because a) I love a good shirt dress b) I love stripes and c) the off the shoulder look gives a classic piece an interesting twist. I was so happy to get it and try it on and see that it looked as adorable on as I pictured and hoped it would be!
Sunnies: Tom Ford | Necklace:Kendra Scott (c/o) | Wallet: Chanel | Rings: BCBG, Topshop | Top: JCrew Factory (option) | Bracelet: Tiffany & Co. | Bottoms: American Eagle (option) | Heels:Kate Spade (option)
This necklace is everything, you guys. I am absolutely, one thousand percent in love with it. And what's funny is, when I put this outfit on, it was just meh before I added any jewelry. The top has a boyish fit, and when I paired it with black skinnies, it was a big snoozefest. Then I added this necklace and my eyes turned into hearts. A lightbulb turned on and I grabbed my silver heels. All of a sudden, I'm obsessed with this outfit.
Today is my Friday and I'm a bit stressed thinking about everything I have to do!!! The days leading up to a trip are always the most hectic. It will all end up being ok, but having to pack and all of that just wears me out! And I have to remember to get dog food. And pay bills. And somehow make it to the tailor. And paint my nails…. Who wants to help me?
Mindy Mae's Market has slowly become my new favorite place to shop online. Their stuff is adorable and affordable, and their Instagram account is one of my favorites because of their real life outfit inspiration and not-overly-spammy content even though they're a shop! They're one of the only shops I actually follow on Instagram for this reason. As my collection of their pieces begins to grow, I thought I should give you a heads up about their current sale (Aug 1- Aug 5) so you could shop for yourself in case there are some things you've been stalking!
Yesterday all of their tees were on sale, so I was inspired to wear my new track tee. The stock photo doesn't do it justice at all. It's got a relaxed fit and a high-low hem. It was the perfect outfit to wear to brunch and then errands yesterday.
We took these photos on the way to brunch yesterday. The husband picked the location, and I get just a little too excited to take any photos that aren't right in front of our house! And then he was getting all into it - telling me where to stand and how to pose. Oh, it's the little things that count the most, right?
But back to this tee! I ended up ordering a medium, which seems to be my typical size with everything I have bought from them so far. It has a bit of a trapeze shape to it, so I may have been ok sizing down, but I don't think I am drowning in it as is. The length makes it perfect to wear with leggings, though I thought about knotting it and wearing it with a skirt also. Maybe next time! Perhaps I went a little literal with this outfit, pairing the top with with leggings and my new Nikes, but I was feeling lazy and needed something easy. Gina said that Rachelle described anyone wearing these shoes as looking like an off duty model, so now it's all I think about when I slip them on! Haha
If the track tee isn't your thing, there are plenty of other things that I can hopefully tempt you with! It brings me joy when people buy things that I love and actually love them also! Today, the sale is all about dresses, and I'm pretty sure you all NEED this floral sleeved striped dress.
After I posted a flat lay of this dress on Instagram last week, I received a few requests for try-on photos. I took it one step further and actually styled the dress for other seasons, documenting each look with a selfie. Any kind of striped dress is a staple. And when you can layer over it AND under it, it then becomes invaluable. This one with the adorable floral sleeves makes it a little more special!
Whew! Lots of information in this post - sorry, I really didn't mean for it to be this long and the husband is mad dogging me to go get dinner, so I should go! If you missed the announcement on Thursday, Jenna and I have decided to make her a permanent linkup host! She is discontinuing her Thursday linkup so she can be a permanent host for Hello Monday. Yay! Thanks for convincing us that we needed to team up by making our first week such a success!
Whether it's fashion, lifestyle, fitness, food, or DIY, share your latest musings with the Hello Monday Linkup!We just ask that you link back to the hosts within your exact blog post and throw a follow our way on Bloglovin or Instagram. Thanks for linking up!
After I spent the last week running around trying to make sure I had everything ready for the shower, I had to do MORE running around. You know how it goes - without fail there are always one or two small tasks that you've forgotten about and need to do last minute. And this outfit was perfect for for that.
I have this tank in two colors - the other is a neon peach. I put together this flat lay for a style idea:
It's the perfect alternative to a ribbed tank - sometimes ribbed tanks are not super flattering for my problem areas. Perhaps I will revert back to them later on once my workouts start paying off, but for now, I love how easy this tank is. It's relaxed but not baggy. I ended up ordering it in two more colors - black and white. I'm sure they will get tons of use!
Sometimes the best outfits are the ones that are stripped down like this. Nothing fussy, but just enough to feel cute. And, a statement bag always helps when all else fails.
I am back and slowly but surely trying to slip back into real life! I know it was only a three day weekend, but it was great. At one point, I actually caught myself thinking, "wow, I'm kind of tired of laying around doing nothing!" I can't remember the last time I felt like I had too *much* time on my hands. I'm always racing against the clock to get stuff done, whether it's at work or at home.
I definitely got some shopping in this weekend! Kind of scary as things start to arrive (and I remember that I actually bought them….) This plaid top was one of my Memorial Day purchases. If it looks familiar, it's because I have it in 4 other colors - red, white, blue, pink. Andddd, I also just bought it in a white and pink. Yes, I'm crazy, but when something is as soft and perfect as this top, I need ALL THE COLORS.
I've been wanting a turquoise ring for quite some time now, but I could never find the perfect one. I wanted something that had a vintage vibe, but wasn't overly formal. You know I love things a lot more when I can dress them up or down depending on my mood. This ring was the perfect mix of everything I was looking for, and the bonus is that it has an adjustable band. And not the adjustable ones that are visible with your palms facing up - you know, the kind that always pinches your skin? The adjustable portion of the band is hidden under the stone, which works perfect for both aesthetics and comfort.
CS Gems was able to find two of these same rings, so the great thing is that you can own this very one also. It's hard to beat for only $15. All of their rings are priced from $12-$15 so if this one isn't your thing, you can check out their other styles here. I think I may need this darling round one next… And don't forget, you can always use code CARYLEE15 for 15% off!
Sunnies: Ray Ban | Necklace: Target (option) | Bag: Chanel | Top:Express | Tee:Express | Bracelet: Express (option) | Ring: CS Gems (c/o) Exact one here (use code CARYLEE15 for 15%) | Bottoms: Express (option) | Shoes:Vince Camuto (similar)
This outfit is totally relaxed and everything I needed to help me get through this short week. The layered tops are easy, but the shoes and accessories keep it from feeling a bit too 90's grunge for me. And yes, I realize this is basically the same outfit as the one I copied from Rachellehere, but when a formula works, why re-create it?
Note: This post was sponsored in part by CS Gems, but all opinions expressed are my own.
After I read Gina's post on Friday and how she was inspired to wear one of her outfits thanks to Rachelle, it sparked an idea that I wanted to wear my new grey portofino with all things grey. Except for my shoes of course. Although my silver metallic pumps would have looked great with this outfit also! I just wanted to take this Vince Camuto pair out for their maiden voyage.
I've truly never considered myself a handbag person before. Shoe addict, yes. Handbags I love, but I never felt like I was a hard core fanatic. But last week, I was talking to Jenna, and she said she was telling one of her coworkers about me. She described me as more of a "shoe and handbag girl." As I was picking outfits for this week and looking at my closet full of predominantly Express pieces, I realized that she was pretty correct.
I do have some special clothing pieces here and there, but lately I've been stocking my closet with a bunch of basics and it's my shoes and bags that make the outfits a little more special. I definitely have not always been that way. I would wear the same pair of shoes and bag with EVERYthing. It was all about as many clothes that I could buy!
I know fashion tastes fluctuate like the seasons, but I just found that observation pretty interesting! How do your friends describe your style or shopping habits?
I am so excited to share these photos with you! Before I left for Denver, I had a fun photo shoot with Carrie and Stacy, otherwise known as CS Gems. They had 3 necklaces they wanted me to style, so this is part one of the installment.
I don't do the standard blogger photos, you guys should know this by now. The husband basically takes portrait type photos of me standing in our street. So, not only was it fun getting to know these two, it was also very interesting to see pieces of me through another lens. Literally and figuratively.
The St. Louis metro area is pretty big - it straddles the Mississippi River and spans over Missouri and Illinois. It could take a good hour, hour and a half to drive from one side of the metro area to the other. I first crossed paths with CS Gems at St. Louis Fashion week last October, and I always just assume everyone is from the Missouri side of the river. I'd been following them on Instagram since I met them, but *just* found out that they are not only based on the Illinois side of the river, but they're from the same suburb I live in!
When they asked if I would be up for a photo shoot - I quickly obliged. And let me tell you, these pictures do not tell you how COLD it was outside! I did my best to keep it together, and Carrie and Stacy did a great job making sure my outfit was in place and I was posed properly.
Ok, so this necklace. How gorgeous is it? They have such a great eye for the most perfect vintage pieces that still have relevance today. I love that it is just enough bling peeking out from under my blouse. And the burgundy in my jacket makes it pop nicely! I hope you'll check out their goodies at http://csgemsjewelry.com. And remember, if you use code CARYLEE15, you can get 15% off the already affordable price! And PS, the code never expires!
Disclaimer: I was asked to style this necklace in exchange for this photo shoot. All photos were taken and edited by CS Gems, however, all opinions expressed are my own!
I totally stole this idea from Erica. Layering my sleeveless trench over a moto jacket? Colorblocking genius, I tell ya! I absolutely love how this reads as simply one coat - when the husband was taking my photos, he happened to see the zipper from my moto jacket peeking out, and he asked confusedly, "Are you wearing two coats?" Ah, fooled him! Almost! So glad that I learned this little trick! All of a sudden, I have even more use out of this trench!
So, I'm taking a little break today from the #RemixFix2015 challenge to celebrate my TWO YEAR blog anniversary! Two years, guys! That's just crazy talk! My anniversary was actually on Friday, the 23rd, but I wanted to celebrate on a Manic Monday because I feel like all of you have helped mold my blog to what it is today.
Last year, I celebrated by doing a Throwback Thursday post where I re-wore some of my favorite and most popular outfits from my first year. I kept hemming and hawing about what to do for year 2. A big tulle skirt, ginormous balloons, and cupcakes sounded fun for a photo shoot, but, that's not me, and I was afraid the whole post would feel too contrived. OK, cupcakes are me. I love cupcakes.
Instead, I decided to grab some of my most special pieces in my closet room and wear them all at the same time! Even though these pieces are not in my capsule, I'm still playing by the rules somewhat by shopping my closet vs. trying to purchase the perfect anniversary outfit brand new.
I love mixing some of my more designer items with "regular," more every day pieces, and this outfit is the perfect example of that along with a few other things that are pretty typical of my style - color pop, bold print, and layers for added interest. I couldn't think of a better way to commemorate this milestone than by highlighting some favorite pieces that I intend to have for years to come despite the many trends that will come and go from now until then!
Thank you for carrying me to year two. It's still rainbows and unicorns to me (for the most part, heh), and I look forward to what year 3 has in store!
