Happy Halloween

Dress: Apricot Lane Peoria sold out | Shoes: Lauren Conrad | Sunnies: House of Harlow | Arm Candy: Dillard's {check out Jewelry by Donna and her Facebook page for more great animal jewelry}

Happy Halloween Everybody! 

Enjoy it for me..eat lots of candy, bob for apples, and just have a great time! 

Keep it cool and refreshing!

"Fascinating"

Blazer: Lauren Conrad | Blouse: Gabrielle's {love this}| Pants: Seven Jeans via Marshall's {similar style}| Bag: Zara | Shoes: Steve Madden via Ross {similar}| Fasciantor Headband: ULTA | Jewelry: Dillard's, David Yurman, JCREW

Always love a good pop of red! Especially this fabulous Lip Gloss by L'Oreal! 

I always thought red was a great color on blondes...just sayin!

Have a great day!

Keep it cool and refreshing!

Bon Voyage

       Sweater: Forever 21 | Skirt: Forever21 sold out {similar}| Shoes: ShoeDazzle

    Clutch: ASOS | Beanie: Kohl's old | Sunnies: House of Harlow | Arm Candy: 

      Dillards, Sottomarino Italia | Lip Color: L'Oreal Infallible Lipgloss #320 Fatale

Well the time has come! It is sad to say goodbye for a little while, but not to worry as there will be plenty of great outfit posts for the month of November while I am away! My husband will be posting for me for the next couple of weeks before he heads out on a separate trip so show him a little blog love for me while I am gone :) 

So...I thought this outfit was a great way to say au revoir! LOVED this sweater when I saw it on the Forever 21 website! Hurry and snatch it up before it is all sold out! Love you guys and thanks again for a great past couple of months! I will see you all in December :)

Have a great Friday everyone!

Keep it cool and refreshing!

P.S. Hope you all love the new web design! A special thanks to Danielle Moss for her incredible work!

Shift to Thrift – Part 2 Keep an Open Mind

In Part 2 of the Shift to Thrift series I really want to focus on how to maintain an open mind when wandering the aisles of your local thrift store. I can't say this enough times but you NEVER KNOW WHAT YOU ARE GOING TO FIND! Let us begin with part 2 :)

Tip #2: Keep an Open Mind

One of the best ways to knab some really great wardrobe pieces is to allow yourself to step outside the fashion box. This is the thrift store ladies so nothing is going to be overly priced or too unrealistic to try on. SO TRY IT ON! TRY EVERYTHING ON! I always seem to have a problem limiting myself to what I think looks best on me. When I was younger and shopped with my mom for new clothes, I would always shy away from her fashion picks and refuse to try them on thinking that because it looked hideous on the hanger, it would look hideous on me. I WAS WRONG...MOM WAS RIGHT! The same principle applies here..just because it might look terrible on the hanger..it might actually flatter your body shape and figure quite well! Take the dress below as an example...another one of mom's picks that I wasn't too thrilled about...I DID NOT want to try it on. However, once I did try it on {because moms are good at getting us to do it anyway} I really fell in love with the way it made my figure stand out. Not only was it comfortable, but I knew it would make a great fall dress once it was styled with the right pair of boots.

Another great tip for keeping an open mind while thrifting is to scan the racks for colors, patterns, or certain shapes that you know look good on your body type and shape. Maybe the shape is perfect but the color is off a bit or maybe you have found the perfect polks dot pattern you have been searching for but the skirt is just way too big...it is ok it is only $2!! Snatch it up and make any alterations of your choosing..just have fun with it! Try sewing on some new buttons to jazz up an old blazer or try dyeing that hideous peach color a bright pop of hot pink! Also, ACCESSORIZE, ACCESSORIZE, ACCESSORIZE! I cannot tell you how many times adding a belt, scarf, necklace, etc. has made an outfit look entirely different and sometimes unrecognizable! So try it..it works..I promise! 

Stay tuned for Tip #3 next week!

Keep it cool and refreshing!

Guest Blogger - Meaghann Bendis "Sealed With Style"

I am so excited today to share with all my readers one of my favorite fashion blogging friends! She constantly inspires me to try new styles and trends and I know that I am in for a special treat when I pop over to her page on a daily basis! Without further ado here is the GORGEOUS Ms. Meaghann Bendis from "Sealed With Style"......

Hey everyone!

I’m Meaghann, and I write over at the Sealed With Style fashion blog. I am so excited to be a guest blogger today for my fabulous fashionista friend Meghan.

My style is a mixture of classic and edgy, and I love to combine soft and hard elements together for the perfect mash up of styles! Today I took a very girly dress and added edgy rock star booties, a moto jacket, and jewelry to spice things up. I think everyone has a little rock star edge, so why not show it? I know I will be rocking this look for Holiday parties coming up!

A big thank you to the gorgeous Meghan for having me today! And don’t forget to stop by Sealed With Style and say hi! (Also the links for this look are on my site) 

Xo

 

 

 

 

Here’s a little more about me…

What got you interested in starting a fashion blog?

I always knew I wanted to pursue a career in fashion and had a true love for personal style and inspiration, so I started following fashion blogs. I decided I wanted to start my own one day, and the rest is history! Starting my blog has been the most amazing experience of my life!

What or who influences your style the most?

My mom and aunt were always into fashion, and they got me hooked! I remember going on shopping trips with them all the time when I was younger; it was my favorite thing. (and still is!)

What is your go to store that you always know you can find great fashion pieces?

Oh that is a hard one! I do love H&M because they have really fashion forward looks for great prices! I also love my classic pieces from J. Crew!

Also what is one fun fact about yourself!

When I was younger I wanted to be a fashion designer, and my brand was called “Cool Rule” (I know the name, yikes!) But I still have stacks and stacks of sketches and drawings of my various collections, from swimwear to jeans to dance costumes. I loved creating something I could call my own!

Pink + Polka Dots + Houndstooth

Cardigan: JCREW | Polka Dot Top: Thrifted {similar}| Pants: NY&C old {LOVE these}| Shoes: JCREW | Necklace: Reve Boutique | Clutch: ASOS | Arm Candy: Kate Spade, Kate Spade Bow Bracelet via TJMAXX {similar}, JCREW, c/o A Beauitful Heart, Skagen | Sunnies: House of Harlow

Good morning fashionistas!

These are my last few days in the states and I  have really been pulling out all the stops for some great posts this week! For today I really wanted to attempt some pattern mixing with the polka dot and houndstooth combo! Of course it never hurts to add in a great pop of hot pink!

Have a great Monday everyone!

Keep it cool and refreshing!

Shift to Thrift - Part I Thrifting 101

So I sat down this weekend to read through some of my old blog posts to find out what my readers have thought about the blog so far! I came across a recurring theme that I believe everybody seems to love… how do I score awesome thrift store finds?

Although this might be a relatively easy weekly routine for me…I started to realize that thrift store shopping can be a very daunting challenge for even the most experienced fashion-minded gal. Take a minute to honestly think about it. You walk into a warehouse of miss-matched, nasty smelling, sometimes down right disgusting looking clothes..and you are probably thinking what in the world am I doing here! Well I wanted to help you out with some tips that will make your thrift store experience faster, easier, and an all around more enjoyable experience.

I am going to name this series Shift to Thrift and I will offer a tip per series on how to thrift store shop with ease! You can not only find some INCREDIBLY AMAZING..let me repeat this again AMAZING finds at the local thrift store, but you are also helping out your community! Great way to knock out two birds with one stone! So let us begin.

Tip #1: Thrift with a Purpose - Know what you want ahead of time!

Know what I want ahead of time? How can I know what I want ahead of time if I don’t even know what they have?! Hold on just a second I know that is what you are thinking but it is much simpler than that... 

Begin your thrift hunt even the night before you head to the store. Have a plan ahead of time knowing exactly what you need. Take a look at your closet and make a mental inventory about pieces that you are lacking or wish you had more of. If you head into the store knowing that you need a black blazer in a size 6, it can be a lot less stressful than if you just throw yourself at the thrift store wolves and hope for the best! 

I found both the blazer and skirt below while thrifting because I went into the day knowing that I was specifically looking for these two items. I searched diligently for a black blazer with gold buttons and a leopard printed skirt and it was not only a success but I got both for less than $5 combined!

Also check out pinterest, instagram, or your favorite fashion blogging site and keep your eyes open for things that you may not expect to find or that are just too far out of your budget for you to manage at bigger retail stores. You honestly may never know what can be lurking around the next rack :)

I will have tip #2 next week!

The winner of the Southern Jewels giveaway is ........BECKY PLUMMER!
Congrats Becky!

Have a great Thursday everybody!

Keep it cool and refreshing!

Browns

Dress: A local boutique {another great fall option} | Shoes: Gifted from my fashionable aunt in New Jersey! | Handbag: Kooba | Arm Candy: JCREW, Skagen, c/o A Beautiful Heart | Sunnies: Jimmy Choo {similar option}

I got this great fall dress on sale a couple of weeks back at a local boutique {$19 score!}! I knew the minute I saw it that all it needed was a great pair of boots to pull of a great fall look! Since it was a blistering 90 degrees outside this past weekend I took advantage for a night out on the town in my new backless piece! 

Have a great Tuesday everyone!

Winner of the Southern Jewels Giveaway will be announced Thursday!

P.S. Saks F&F sale is going on right now too

Extra 20% off with code FRNFAM2 :)

Fall Fun & Favorites

As in the words of Julie Andrews from the Sound of Music...these are a few of my favorite things lately :)

Photo Ops with the hubs :)

I am teaching him about the bordeaux color trend! He is doing well!

Everyday hair essentials that help me get through the hot and humid southern 

days {btw who else had a 90 degree day yesterday besides me?!}! Hairspray and curling iron {Sally's} | Root Pump and Osis Dust It {Ulta}

 

Love love love decorating for fall! Thanksgiving is by far my favorite holiday! 

Good food, family, and friends :)

 

My current obsession {since I was born} are jewels and accessories! 

Loving my new ooh la la bracelet from Kate Spade!

Love my L'OREAL infallible lipgloss! They come in some 

really amazing colors!



Hello who doesn't love funfetti cupcakes...
Halloween version oh yeah!

And of course anything JCREW {they seriously need to stop 

with all the sales lately!}

Have a great week everybody!

Keep it cool and refreshing!

The "It List"

• The Double Take Girls spiced up her little black dress with a splash of lime! Also makes it cool weather friendly - a win win! (find The Double Take Girls on Twitter!)
• Citrus Refreshing Fashion updated the hippy look with a little chevron! The perfect mix of old and new! So cute! 
• My Thrifty Chic went glam for her anniversary on a major budget! Sequins are definitely the best way to celebrate - especially for such a great price!  (find My Thrifty Chic on Twitter!)
• Lipstick and Lollies is breaking out of her shell to pair three trends into one look - neon, colored pants and sequins! She nailed it! 
• Sweetest Somethings looks divine in blue suede shoes and a blue skirt - keeping it simple for a monochromatic look! (find Sweetest Somethings on Twitter!)
• Olivia Moone is taking cues from menswear and sporting a tie! Pop over to see how she styled this adorable look! (find Olivia Moone on Twitter!)
• Everyday with a Redhead is giving the "other" animal print a little love! A zebra sweater is a fall must-have! Check out her cute jewels, too!
• Lily Says Go shows us how to dress for a fall wedding - wool, tights and lots of color! Love this look! (find Lily Says Go on Twitter!)
• Living After Midnite isn't giving up on bare legs just yet! Head over to see how she is making her summer wardrobe work for the cooler temps!
• Peach Gingham is rocking some seriously fab leopard shoes! They might just be the perfect Fall wedge! (find Peach Gingham on Twitter!)
• Ash 'n' Fashn found a gem in the kid's aisle at Target! This might just change the way we all shop - go check it out! (find Ash 'n' Fashn on Twitter!)
• The Glossy Life is taking us through a quick and fun Halloween project! This is the fanciest pumpkin I have seen - a must! (find The Glossy Life on Twitter!)
• Olive and an Arrow has a new favorite color and she looks amazing in it! Head over to see how she is sporting her number one hue! (find Olive and an Arrow on Twitter!)
• Second Street East found a gorgeous painting to use as the inspiration for her upcoming bedroom remodel! So colorful! (find Second Street East on Twitter!)
• Sweetie Pie Style shares five sweet treats for under $25 - a whole outfit worth! Such great finds! (find Sweetie Pie Style on Twitter!)

the IT list is brought to you weekly by Jill of Good Life and edited by Michelle of Second St. East.

For more information on how you can be involved - click here

Have a great weekend ladies!

Keep it cool and refreshing!

Chevron Hippie

 

Sweater: Apricot Lane Peoria sold out {love love love this!} | Leggings: Kardashian Kollection | Handbag: Steve Madden via TJMAXX {great alternative!} | Headband: Dana Bands | Boots: Maurices | Jewels: JCREW, Dillards, Skagen | Sunnies: House of Harlow

I always love a good sweater and leggings during the fall and this combo really stood out!
What are some of your fall must-haves that you live in during the colder months?!

Have a great Thursday!
Keep it cool and refreshing!

Enter in the Southern Jewels giveaway now!