We are in the middle of summer now, and I feel like every summer I am always on the hunt for the perfect pair of white shorts. I've had pairs in several brands - Express, Gap, Old Navy, Banana Republic, you name it. Grace and Lace has this pair of white shorts right now that keep going in and out of stock and the hype left me really intrigued. I was THISCLOSE to ordering them actually, but I ended up not pulling the trigger. They have a bit of a higher rise, and I find myself always HATING shorts or jeans with a higher rise. My belly is my problem area - specifically the area above my pelvis but under my belly button. For the sake of this discussion, let's call that my inner tube.
Higher rise anything seems to accentuate that part of me since most of the support ends up being above my inner tube. And think about what happens when you squeeze a balloon. The adjacent parts bulge as a result. So when my torso is being locked and loaded above my inner tube, I feel like my inner tube bulges even more! It's not good, and this has got to be creating really wonderful mental pictures in your head right now.
Hey everyone! Happy Monday! Hope your weekends were productive and/or relaxing! Hopefully a mix of both! Since last weekend I spent so much time cleaning and purging the closet room, I definitely steered towards the "relaxing" side of the spectrum this weekend. Watched a couple of movies, had a long mani pedi, and brunched with the girls. It was nice! This week is going to be crazy busy with travel. I'm gone 3 days for work and then I leave next weekend for a long weekend for the nephew's first birthday party! But let's talk about this outfit first!
Sharing another warm-weather look today. I realize some of you may be still freezing your booties off, and frankly, it hasn't been the warmest of weather in these parts either, but it's mid-April and I'm basically over all things winter. Last week's Sip and Style video I did with CS Gems made me even more excited for warm weather and I ended up ordering a lot of spring/summery things as a result! This top and these shorts being part of my new purchases! The crazy sales right now are not helping my cause either!
The title of this post certainly is not code for anything! This outfit is what I wore to do exactly that - have brunch and see a movie. Though, admittedly, we didn't see the movie until that evening when my feet are naturally feeling swollen, so I wore these flat leopard sandals instead. But, I kept the integrity of the outfit the same: gingham and leopard with a pop of color!
Outfit details--- Sunnies: Ray Ban | Earrings: Charming Charlie (c/o) | Necklace:Kendra Scott (gifted) | Bag: Longchamp | Dress: Bailey 44 (try recreating the look with this tank and this skirt) | Bracelets: Stella and Dot Paperdolls Boutique, Nadri | Shoes:Sam Edelman ---
This dress is 3+ years old? It's been on the blog before and you can reminisce with old school posts here and super awkward here. It's one of my favorites which is why I didn't give it up even if it didn't fit me well over the last year or so. It's lightweight and perfect to pack, which is why I brought it with me this past weekend to Michigan. Just like I love when two pieces read as one, I love that this dress reads like two pieces - or at least raises questions about whether or not it's actually one piece or two.
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!
Hat: Forever 21 (options here and here) | Sweater: American Eagle (other colors here) | Necklace: House of Harlow (shop more sunburst necklaces here) | Shorts: Express (current season here) | Sandals: Sam Edelman (option)
This is totally not a fashion blogger topic, but I wanted to write about this because I knew nothing about this topic before and now that I've started to learn more, I wanted to document it, both for myself and for any readers out there who have questions. I mentioned in yesterday's post that the term "timeshare" used to be really scary to me. I always pictured it as a way to scheme people out of money. While I can't say there aren't places that don't exist like that, I'm comfortable with the decision the husband and I have made to purchase our own. Before I go any further I should say that this is in no way a sponsored post, just my real life thoughts and experiences.
I posted this outfit as a flat lay on Instagram over two weeks ago and am just finally getting to wear it thanks to warmer weather! I think my bare legs are quite happy to feel sunshine! Even though it's warmed up enough to show some skin, there are still remnants of coolness in the air, so I do like to stay a little covered somehow. Jackets seem a bit too heavy, or even too structured sometimes depending on the outfit and the look for which I'm going. Surprisingly enough, I don't have many cardigans. Boyfriend shirts on the other hand? My collection is growing and they work pretty effortlessly as a make shift cardigan. They're comfortable and relaxed, and if they're super soft like this one, it's hard not to wear them all the time… or own one thousand of them.
Happy Friday and happy first day of April!! 2016 is officially one third over and I can't hardly believe it. That's just crazy talk to me! BUT! With April comes baseball, so starting on Sunday, I have something to watch on TV again until October! Ha! No but seriously, I cannot wait! Anyhoo! For today's post, I pulled together some of my most recent selfies as well as some previous blog photos so you can see how I styled the same piece a slightly different way. Let's get started!
I spent the majority of last week up in New England. Tomorrow I'm off for an overnight trip to Toronto, and then Friday I leave for a long weekend of work and leisure in San Antonio. Yeah, the thought of packing terrifies me!! But the good thing is, even when I'm traveling, I still get good content for the blog because (assuming the hotels have great full length mirrors), I can still share what I'm wearing and what I'm doing. Some of you got the real time updates of this if you follow me on Snapchat (carylee07) but it's always nice to formally document stuff here also. This blog makes for a nice diary of sorts!
Being sick this weekend and not having new blog outfits to share with you just gives me more time to share sale finds with you instead! And I mentioned yesterday that the Shopbop Friends and Family Sale just kicked off Tuesday at midnight. It's been hard narrowing down my list of things I want, but here is everything I've had my eye on in case you need some inspiration! Normally I like to entice you guys with sale stuff once I actually have my purchased items in hand! But, since it's only a 3-day sale, and I can't shop in a brick and mortar store, I'm not going to have my items in hand before the sale ends, so I'll have to share my wants via stock photo collages instead of my usual flat lays or dressing room selfies. I tried to select items that are unique to me so hopefully your blog feed isn't a sea of the same sale stuff!
I really try not to just jump right in to shoes and handbags. I'm not sure why, but clothes are always the last thing I shop for during big sales like this. But, in an effort to provide you with well-rounded choices, I made sure to start my picks from the top down - literally and figuratively. I always tend to crave Free People even more, specifically in the fall. Perhaps I have more of a boho style in the fall? I don't think so? But for whatever reason, I love their stuff even more during this time of year vs. any other season. Maybe it's because literally every piece they make pairs well with booties!
I have a pretty healthy collection of faux leather jackets, yet somehow still not quite enough. Jackets are also a favorite of mine to shop during big sales because I feel like I get more bang for the buck - I can wear it with several outfits vs. just one outfit, which makes the price per wear a better value. That's my logic anyway!
Shop Current/Elliott "Stiletto" jeans HERE and Joe's Flawless Vixen Jeans HERE
The same goes for designer denim. It's a relatively bigger ticket item, but denim is something that is a constant workhorse in my closet, so I don't mind dishing out a few more dollars for it.Waiting for a sale like this to invest in some designer denim makes the price tags a little more palatable anyway! Jenna convinced me during the anniversary sale that Current/Elliott jeans did wonders for my tushy, and you'd know she was right if you saw this post here. I've picked up another pair since then, and have my eye on a couple more. You can also see me sporting a pair of the Joe's Flawless Vixen jeans here.
Admittedly, I'm not even quite sure how to pronounce the word "Cuoio" but I can tell you that it's gorgeous. As I was perusing the site, I noticed that I would instantly start drooling when a bag in this color appeared on my screen. And then I realized they were all named exactly the same color. I am obsessed! Picking a bag is going to be a tough decision!
And last, but never least are shoes. With fall upon us, pumps and booties are my jam. Shopbop has a ton of options in every price range, but I did turn to my old faithful, Sam Edelman when I started my search for pumps I "needed." And these black peep toe Splendid booties are calling my name! I am swooning over that zipper detail!
And, if you're looking to just buy one splurge item and be done with it, I recommend the infamous Clare V clutch. I know, it's a bit blogger cliche, but that doesn't stop everyone from posing with a Starbucks cup, now does it? I resisted the clutch for a long time, but then Jenna pointed out this olive one, and it was hard to say no to it. And for 25% off, I think it should be hard for YOU to say no to it, too!
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Well, I think that's enough for one post! Hope you had fun shopping with me! I'll be sure to share everything I ended up buying in a future post! The best thing about Shopbop is being able to log in with your Amazon Prime account and having free 2-day shipping! That means I will be flat laying my new purchases by the weekend! Woo!
Man, I am still recovering as I type this. And no, I didn't even consume any adult beverages because a) I'm not going to pee during a Tswift concert and b) I can't afford for alcohol to impair my ability to remember every last detail! But alas, it was still a long night and having had such a long wedding weekend with the cousin, I think it's all catching up with me!
I mentioned yesterday that we thought our tickets were for Monday night. We made plans to eat a fun dinner before hand, and it wasn't until after we went through the metal detector and handed them our tickets that they informed us our tickets were for the wrong night. You can imagine how I felt! Equal parts embarrassed and disappointed! And it was totally my fault because I bought our tickets and didn't give my sister in law hers until that evening. Oh well, everything happens for a reason, right?
Top: Express (in select stores) | Necklace: Stella and Dot | Bag: Rebecca Minkoff (shop other styles in this season's color HERE) (budget option) | Bracelet: Banana Republic | Bottoms: Express (option) | Booties:Vince Camuto
I hemmed and hawed about what I was going to wear and my closet room still looks like a tornado hit it as a result. My biggest criteria was that I needed to be in comfy shoes. We had tickets in the pit, which means standing room only, no chairs. I was literally going to be on my feet for hours, so I had to be comfortable and was basically dressing around my booties. I really wanted to wear this skirt, but the booties didn't look right with them without tights, and it's not quite tights weather yet. I really loved this outfit, but didn't know if I loved it enough to wear it again for our actual show.
Top: Express (same print, different stylehere) (same style, different colors here) | Necklace:Kendra Scott (c/o) | Bracelet: Express | Watch: Fossil (option) (splurge option) | Bottoms: Express (option) | Booties:Sam Edelman (shop current colors HERE)
I decided to just grab a Barcelona cami and be done with it. This snakeskin print was perfect, and my flat Sam Edelman Petty booties were a great pop of color. (Seriously, the Petty is the best!! I have these boots in three colors.) Jenna suggested the Margot necklace with it, which finished off the look nicely. I was satisfied!
Ok, so let's get to the good stuff! TAYLOR! She is beyond awesome guys. Basically everything I said in my posts here and here when I saw her a year and a half ago still holds true. I had to share the seating chart with you so you could appreciate the goodness of our seats!! We were sitting in front of the main stage in "Pit L" but I shouldn't say "sitting" because there weren't actually seats - it was standing room only. It was also only about 3 people deep, so even though I was standing towards the back of the pit, it was plenty fine. Unfortunately for us, there were walkways separating the audience from the stages, so high fives to Taylor were not possible, but hey, I can't complain! I found the tickets 2 weeks ago - Ticketmaster had them on their site for face value. After I bought them, I went back to find them again a few minutes later (because there were a couple other pairs available), and they were double in price. SO YAY!
She came out right around 9pm after Vance Joy and Haim performed. It was pretty surreal seeing her so close. She's literally flawless! The girl does not even sweat, and I don't know how that's possible with all the running around she does! And can we just talk about her outfits for a second? Because all the sparkles and the glitter. WANT.
Clearly the good thing about being so close to the stage is being so close to the stage. Seeing everything up close! The downside (if there is any) is that Taylor really covers all corners of her many stages, and doesn't just stay up on the main stage. So you do end up watching some of the show on the screens anyway, especially when she's on the rear stage. If money were no object, it would be awesome to see the show twice - once up close and once in "regular" seats so you can appreciate the full production. Now, don't get me wrong - I'm extremely grateful and thankful for our tickets and if I had to pick one over the other, I would certainly pick pit!
If you follow Taylor on Instagram, you know that she has been bringing out special guests during select shows. We went round and round thinking of who she could possibly bring out, and the only two people that I figured it could be having roots in St. Louis were Nelly and Karlie Kloss. Karlie is indeed in her squad, so it could have happened! But I was definitely psyched for Nelly! Haim came out and joined Taylor as his backup dancers to Hot in Herrre.
I gotta add that these photos were taken with my new iPhone 6s. Sidebar but I can definitely tell an improvement in the camera! I loved the camera on my 6, but the 6s is noticeably faster. And the videos came out even better than the still photos!
This is a silly pose, but I had to post because her facial expressions are always the best - playful and girlie, and I'm just a little obsessed with her and we need to be best friends. She's SO MUCH FUN!
The show ended a little after 11pm and naturally she ended with some Shake it Off. I was surprised that she didn't do many of her "older" stuff. Not that I'm complaining because her 1989 album is just as amazing, but a lot of artists still end up having the majority of their playlist as older songs with new songs as supplements. It was definitely the other way around with her, which is pretty awesome and makes me love the album even more!
Thanks for sticking with me on this photo heavy post! I just had to share all the goodness - it was just the best. Sigh.
All week I have been slowly but surely recapping my long weekend in NYC with Jenna. In case you missed any of the posts - this post shares photos from the rewardStyle party, this post shares a super fun brunch outfit, and this post tells you everything you need to know about Kendra Scott. So what does that leave for today's post? Basically all of the other random goodness! Since a picture paints a thousand words, I figured it would be best to use these snapshots as a table of contents so to speak.
Starting clockwise from top left:
1. Shake Shack! Yum! I told Jenna before we left that we were for sure for sure eating at Shake Shack - more than once if at all possible. We were having so much fun that I almost forgot about it! We ended up changing into comfy clothes after the rewardStyle party to eat there and it never disappoints!
2. Macys! We spent a couple couple hours or so Saturday evening at the biggest Macy's ever. I can't even explain how ginormous this place was - I felt like it was a never ending maze of escalators! I ended up buying my skirt I wore to the party on Sunday here at Macy's along with these Joe's jeans you're seeing in today's outfit. I wish I took a still photo of the wooden escalators. They basically looked like they came original with the building and were crazy old. They felt a bit sketchy to ride on, but we still survived, and it was just so much fun to be there wandering aimlessly around. The photo above is of their rainbow display of Kitchen Aid Mixers. Insert heart eyed emoji here!
3. This was my travel outfit on Saturday that ended up being my shopping outfit that evening. I'm wearing the softest boyfriend shirt from American Eagle that I now need every color of!
4. The ball! I hadn't been to Time's Square before and this was the first time I actually saw the NYE ball. I was pretty excited! I can't imagine how packed this place gets!
5. The Express in Times Square. It was epic! Naturally, Jenna needed to take a photo of me in my mother ship! I ended up buying two tops - one shown here, and the other I will need to share with you soon!
6. More of Times Square just because there is so much to digest!
7. The red stairs. I'm not quite sure how, but I never knew these were a thing. We spent a few minutes here taking selfies and admiring the view.
8. Told you we were taking selfies! This was in Times Square Sunday evening.
9. Huevos Rancheros! This was from Sunday Brunch at Cookhouse! Seriously recommend.
10. And last but not least - this was taken from the rooftop bar at the hotel. I'm still quite surprised and excited that we ended up right across the street from a fashion show venue. This is looking down at the entrances into NYFW. Surreal!
And that's basically a super stripped down version! We were snapping like crazy all weekend, and I've downloaded all those stories so I can at least rematch them and relive the details! The outfit I'm sharing with you today was taken minutes before we were on our way to the airport on Monday. So bitter sweet! Nice to be in my own bed, but it was seriously such a fun girls' weekend!!
Well, it's back to real life for me, but I'm happy that I can extend the weekend in NYC throughout the week as I recap the outfits I wore. This outfit was what I threw on for brunch on Sunday. We went to a place called Cookshop. Jenna was the master at finding us the perfect restaurants at which to dine, and this was no exception.
It was about a one mile walk from our hotel, and the weather was perfect, if not a little on the warm side, for a nice stroll. We called ahead and they told us it would be about 30-45 minutes for a table, and unfortunately, they would not let us put our name on the list over the phone. It actually worked out quite nicely though because this gave us enough time to take some blog photos while we waited. This is the #1 perk of traveling with another blogger: guilt-free photos!
The food was amazing, so I highly recommend popping in if you're in the Chelsea area. I would definitely go back and have the Huevos Rancheros all over again! As for the outfit, well, you know my love for saying tees, and this one certainly speaks to my heart. My cousin spotted this on Instagram and tagged me because she thought I needed it. Needless to say she was right, so when I saw it last weekend at Target, I grabbed it immediately.
Originally, I styled it for a flat lay with my Jack Purcell sneakers, my Tory Burch bag, and my straw fedora. When it came time to pack, I ended up having to weed stuff out so I could fit everything in my carry on roller bag. Since I was already packing three (yes three) purses with me, my Tory Burch ended up not making the cut, unfortunately. And I couldn't figure out a way to pack the hat in my already-overstuffed-bags without it getting smashed. Therefore, I left the hat behind also, but I was regretting that decision this morning when the sun was blinding me even with sunnies on. I know, the struggle, right? I did pack the sneakers, but it was pretty warm and my piggies needed to be free instead of sweaty in my sneakers. I still think the outfit turned out great regardless, especially since the $12 shirt steals the show anyway!
It's Friday!!! Which is both exciting and terrifying because I have SO MUCH to do from now until I get on that plane at 9am tomorrow! Eeeeeee! But, in true Friday form, I had to leave you with some outfits. Some residual pieces of summer! Though to be honest, we're not quite feeling fall weather yet either.
It's this weird time in between seasons, and sometimes it affects my mood and I start to feel uninspired outfit-wise. But maybe this weekend in NYC I will find something to reignite that spark!! Cannot wait! I'll try and Snap all the interesting bits. Follow me on Snapchat at carylee07. Have a great weekend!
