Some Fall Wardrobe Favorites

Thank you so much for all of the wonderful book recommendations after my last post!! One of my life long goals has been to start a book club that doesn't immediately fail due to lack of organization and time haha so thanks for helping me keep the dream alive!!

One of my biggest chores of the week, in preparation for our move, has been to go through all of my clothes and shoes so I can get rid of all of the things I don't wear anymore. After being in Florida this long I definitely feel like my work wardrobe has dwindled down to flip flops and sundresses, which we all know will not cut it in a NC winter.

So, out come the three organizational piles! The donate pile. The keep pile. And the trash-it-before-anyone-sees-it pile. My favorite part about the changing of the seasons is being able to switch up my wardrobe. As someone who is constantly trying to focus on the NOW but who is always thinking way too far ahead, I get sick of the seasonal fashion trends really quick. After like 3 weeks of bikinis and short shorts, all I can think about are sweaters and jeans. After a month of so of hoodies and tights, I am ready for flip flops and rompers.

It's really hard work being this basic.

With all of that being said, I have been gearing up for fall by creating a list of my fall fashion staples. My favorite part about fall fashion is the juxtaposition of all of the textures and patterns. I love mixing a huge, chunky knit sweater over opaque black tights, with some Frye boots. And seeing all of the rich, jewel tones people mix in with their work blazer through scarves and accessories. Everything is so comfy but so interesting to look at. In my opinion, a perfect, oversized, knit sweater is the equivalent of your favorite blanket you curl up in on your couch. Except the sweater is not frowned upon when you wear it in public.

Speaking as someone who is obsessed with always making everything as cozy as possible, the fall is my absolute favorite time of the year for fashion.

Must Haves:
Black Tights: they go with everything.

Boots: ankle, over the knee, etc...all of the boots!

Nice Jeans: I prefer dark wash, but a nice pair of bf jeans are amazing for a more casual look.

  

Flannel Shirt: the fitted flannels from Madewell and J-Crew are perfection. They are very flexible and can be tucked into a skirt or worn over jeans to a tailgate.

 

Blazer: a fitted, fresh blazer is perfect for going from the office to dinner.

Sweaters: I love a chunky, off the shoulder knit that can be layered or worn in its own.

Flats: A dressy pair of flats can be worn with jeans or a dress and they always look good

There are so many awesome fall outfits to try and so little time to try them all. You could always turn the A/C down and completely jump the gun like I did this morning! What are some of your fall wardrobe necessities?? 

My Favorite Things This Week: Click the Links to Explore!

A list of my weekly favs...Enjoy xo

1. Favorite Blog: The Daily Tay (So hilarious, and true, and hilarious)

2. Favorite Workout Site: BodyBuilding.com (Much cooler than it sounds...you can even find a plan that matches your health goals!)

3. Favorite Pandora Playlist: Bob Marley (So ready for summer!)

4. Favorite App: Boomerang (Perfect for capturing awkward moments, and repeating them over and over and over...)

5. Favorite Instagram Feed: mamawatters (She always posts such inspirational posts and lovely photos)

6. Essential Oils: We are loving peppermint, lavender, and eucalyptus right now! So refreshing on these hot days!

7. Favorite Show: House of Cards!!! (Obvi, we are taking it a little slower than some of you dedicated binge watchers!

8. Favorite Food: Fresh strawberries from Bailey's Market!

9. Favorite Swimwear: Victoria's Secret Swim (They always have the cutest suits!) But also, I love a good Target swimsuit if I can catch them early on before the good ones are gone ;)

10. Favorite Recipe: We are all about some smoothies for breakfast these days, and huge fresh salads with lettuce straight from our garden!

...E

What are your favorites???

Ode to Summer: Part One

Ooooooh February, when are you going to be over? I know it sounds absurd but it has been super cold in Florida recently (aka below 65) and my body just can't handle it. I was not made for cold weather! Unless of course it is snowy and I am bundled up and there is a fire and I'm drinking wine. Lots of wine. 

Honestly though, the weather has been clear and beautiful but just chilly enough to where you would potentially freeze to death in a bathing suit.  And that just won't do. That being said, summer does come on very suddenly down here and once it does...were talking 80 degrees by 9:00am. But I LOVE it. The beaches down here are beautiful! White sand, clear aquamarine water, and little stands on the beach that sell mixed drinks. 

Since today is 67 degrees, with blue skies, and helicopters buzzing overhead like big, old birds (oooh base living) I have decided to put together a montage of summer things to get us through the next month before beach weather is officially upon us! 

Favorite Summer Things...Part One

1. Watermelon. Now, you may be saying to yourself...'what a weird summer thing to start with...' BUT watermelon is amazing. You can eat it for every meal. It is delicious, hydrating, and only tastes good in the summer. 

2. Beach Couture. Otherwise known as adorable bikinis, cute jewelry, gladiator sandals, and awesome beach gear. The more sparkles the better. Tie dye? Bring it on. Headscarves? Why not. Kimono wraps? Yes, please. 

3. Crazy sunnies. Personally, I love huge sunglasses that cover your face and border on ginormous insect eyes. But in the summer I feel like one can go a little further and rock some truly spectacular eye wear...

4. Outdoor activities! There are so many awesome things to do in the summer! Kayaking, tubing, hiking, surfing, sunbathing, water skiing, paddle board yoga...the list is infinite :) And it makes me super happy because I have a really hard time sitting still, so if I can be doing something fun WHILE getting tan and being near water. I'm in. 

5. Girly bevs. In my old age (cough cough 27 cough) I have severely cut back on my intake of hard liquor. Mainly because Ive found that I don't really have a taste for it anymore. I'm more of a red wine or coffee porter gal. But in the summer, something weird shifts in my brain and all I want are pina coladas, rum, and coronas...drinks which, when consumed on a beach in a bikini on a hot summer day, become "dranks". 

The list goes on, quite literally, forever. But for now I will leave you with these five awesome summer things to help stave off the cabin fever. It's almost time to plan those beach trips so hang in there! And don't forget to protect your skin with some yummy smelling, glittery sun screen so you don't grow up and look like a leather bag ;)

Peace, Love & Sunshineeeee

E

Cold Weather Fashion Favorites: Party Time

One of the best parts of the holidays is getting to see friends and family that you don't normally get to spend time with. And a perk of these reunions is that you get to see each other at holiday parties! Now, I've been known to go out in sweat pants when highly unmotivated, but the fashion this time of year is just too fun to pass up! With that being said, here are some of my absolute favorite holiday party looks...

1. Faux Fur: adding some faux fur accessories is a great way to dress up an outfit. It's also super comfy to wear if you decide to take a little catnap at the bar...

2. Sequins: You know where I stand with sequins. We love each other and have been in a committed relationship for years. To keep it from getting out of control, try pairing one sequined piece with something more casual like a fitted T, jeans, or a skirt. 

3. Texture: holiday parties are a great place to play with different textures and fabrics like feathers, or tartan, or chunky knits. Mix them all up in crazy ways and see what works for you! A nice, classic black blazer is a great way to keep it in check when your mixing everything else up ;)

Happy Holidays!!

xo Em

Cold Weather Fashion Favorites: Shoes

Now that the weather has finally turned, and the nights are crispy and cool, it is officially time to whip out those comfy knits, warm scarves, and awesome booties that have been sitting in the back of your closet all year! This is probably my favorite time of year as far as fashion goes because it is so easy to be comfortable and cute...most of the time.

You can literally put on black tights with any outfit and you will immediately be warmer and dressier. And of course, there are all of those wonderful holiday parties to dress up for! Anyone who knows me will tell you that if there is an opportunity to wear sequins or glitter of any kind, I am 100% in. So, this season provides ample occasions for me to whip out the holiday bling ;) Sorry, not sorry. 

With all of that being said, I've decided to compile a list of my holiday fashion must haves for all of your cold weather needs, but since the list is really long, let's start with SHOES!

My go to shoes during the winter season:

1. Bean Boots: these boots are not only super comfy and warm, they are also adorable when you pair them with jeans and some funky xmas socks. I wear them when I'm showing houses so I can tromp through construction sites easily. But I'd be lying if I said I didn't also just wear them with jeans around town because I love them so much. They are kind of pricey but last forever and are totally worth it! (Also, the J-Crew camp socks are perfect with these boots.)

2. Holiday Heels: my favorite go-to heels are a pair of nude Madewell Mira pumps that James gave to me. They go with everything and are super comfortable. I liked these heels so much, I bought them in a bright red too. I also think it's important to have a pair of crazy party heels that are covered in glitter. Some people may argue against me on this one, but they're wrong. Every girl needs glitter pumps. It's nice to have a pair of great black heels that you can wear with jeans and a nice dress. Sidenote: if you are wearing peep toes in the winter PLEASE, for the love of god, don't wear tights! 

 

3. Frye Boots: I wear my classic harness boots with everything, from tights and dresses to jeans. Frye boots may be expensive but I bought mine in high school and they are the only pair I've ever had. They get better looking with age and after breaking them in are really comfy. I do recommend buying a half size up though because they are tight at first and if you're like me, you will usually have big socks on with them. 

4. Moccasins: I LOVE my moccasins, unless its wet outside and then I hate them. Not really, but I definitely don't recommend wearing them in wet weather unless they are made for that, which mine are not. They are cute with leggings and jeans, and are great casual go-to shoes because they look good with funny socks ;) They are also fun to wear with tights and a little dress or skirt. 

5. Cute Everyday Flats: Flats are always a staple for any season. They are easy to wear with any outfit, can be dressy or casual, and are much more comfortable if you will be on your feet for a long time. 

So, there you have it! My cold weather shoe favorites :) Of course, no shoe is complete this time of year without an assortment of awesome fluffy socks, great patterned tights, and maybe a couple of pairs of sequined leggings...but that is a story for another day!

Hope everyone is as excited about the holidays as I am! Remember, as important as the fashion is this time of year there are bigger things the season helps us to focus on. There are tons of great charities which allow you to donate your gently used or older clothes to those in need! So before you head out and go shopping, go through your closet and give the things you don't wear anymore to someone who needs them :)

Peace & Shoes

E

Christmas Tree Lights & Adorable Dogs

The tree is up! And after much debate about whether we should use the wrapping around method or the weaving up and down method, the lights are on the tree too! Our ornaments are en route from NC and should be here any day now. It is officially our first christmas in our new home :) I love spending our evenings on the couch, drinking hot tea, and watching Christmas movies in the glow of the tree. The whole house smells like the holiday season!

It's even getting kind of chilly down here in good old Florida! We actually had to turn on our heat yesterday, well, maybe we didn't haaave to, but in the wise words of a random female extra on New Girl, 'it's 65 degrees and I'm freezing!' 

But you know it IS December and I would really like to break out the cute sweater dresses and scarves. While we were unpacking I discovered 4 boxes that remained unopened from the last move and they contained all of my cold weather shoes, coats, pants, you name it! It was like Santa came early! Just one of the random perks of having to move so much I guess.

Here are a few photos of our holiday decor so far...and maybe a couple of random dog pics...

Getting our tree! They were all brought down from Boone NC!

Hooray for NC trees :)

Yes, I only put lights on the front of the tree because it was heavy, I didn't have enough lights, and I got a little bit lazy, oops.

It also might be a little crooked because I attempted to adjust it while James was flying, but Copper still likes it!

So does baby Tuck! (sidenote: look at his crazy horse legs!! So cute)

Alright, I'm done posting pictures of our dogs by the tree. FOR NOW! But you better believe this next month will have a lot more to come :)

What are some of your favorite tree decorating tips and traditions??

E

Gimme All The Sweaters!

I feel like Florida has played me for a bit of a fool.

All last week was in the 60's and 70's and felt amazingly Fall-esque. Fall-like? Fall-y? Anyway, it was crispy and cool and delicious, is what I am trying to say.

However, as I sit here and write this post, it is 93 degrees and I am NOT a happy camper. You can't just trick a girl into unpacking her tights & sweaters and then rip it away like it meant nothing! I wore boots today for goodness sake!

This post is dedicated to sweater weather. In fact, it is the equivalent of a sweater weather rain dance! Bring back my bonfire enjoying, pumpkin carving, hot cocoa sipping weather!

And yes, I do truly feel this strongly about chunky knits ;)

E