interior inspiration: mixed pattern outfit.

It was really fun to browse all sorts of interior spaces in hopes of finding inspiration for an outfit. One of the big "aha" moments I had was with pattern mixing. I'm a huge fan of mixing patterns regardless, but with outfits I've been more hesitant to take risks because of the smaller canvas size. Using an interior space as inspiration gave me the direction I needed to pull something together that is cohesive yet visually interesting. 

Oh - and this just in - totally fine to mix brown and black. 

tip: Keep pattern styles similar to each other when mixing. It will help tie all of the fabrics together without having to match the color palettes exactly to each other. 

interior / clutch / bracelet / sandal / blouse / skirt

trend alert: icy pastel clothing.

The best accessory for this trend is a tan. Icy pastels have had some serious exposure on the runways and I can't wait to give them a try. Pair with more saturated hues like coral, teal or cobalt to add boldness to an outfit. Try neutrals for a more crisp look or patterns for something more graphic. 

tip: When choosing patterns, opt for ones that include only a small amount of the solid piece you're pairing it with. It will be more visually interesting and keep the look modern. 

1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5 / 6 / 7 / 8

trend alert: crop tops and skirts five ways.

I've been in love with the crop top trend for a while now and am so glad it's here to stay this year. Asos has by far the best selection - so much so I couldn't choose just one look. 

The key to pulling them off is remembering to stay a bit modest, especially for women 30 years and older. This means no belly button ladies - I mean it. 

tip: Use a crop top to sex up the hard-to-make-work midi skirt.

look 1: top / skirt / shoes look 2: top / skirt / shoes look 3: top / skirt / shoes

look 4: top / skirt / shoes look 5: top / skirt / shoes

golden globes outfit inspiration: cap sleeves 3 ways

The Golden Globes fashion was off the chain this year. Out of all the gorgeous silhouettes, colors and styles, what I was most inspired by the cap sleeve trend. Unlike the previous years, 2014 feels like the year of the bicep and I couldn't be more excited. Be sure to keep up on those arm dips, ladies!

 

julianna margulies

blouse / midi skirt / solange knowles / leather tote / watch / bracelets / booties

julie bowen

blouse / rihanna / bag / pencil skirt / heels

elisabeth moss

dress / clutch / biana balti / necklace / heels

Cozy cardigan goodness.

I love fashion almost as much as interior design. No, I'm lying. The love distribution is probably more 50/50. So to give a little shout out to my other styling crush, I'm kicking off each weekend with a little bit of wardrobe talk.


This week: the cardigan. LOVE me a good cardigan.


First off, let's all take a minute to reflect on the evolution of the cardigan. The way it separated itself away from the sweater set was huge. And the expanding past cable knit and varsity letters has improved this staple by leaps and bounds.


That said, one of the greatest things about a cardi is it's flexibility. It has the ability to add a layer of texture, color or pattern to any outfit while creating depth and dimension. It also can either dress up or dress down an outfit depending on your goal. Wool, cotton, cashmere or jersey, here are some great ideas for incorporating more of this little gem into your wardrobe lineup.

Madewell Daybreak Cardigan

J.Crew Microstripe Cardigan

Topshop Tall Tipped Stitch Cardigan

[try pairing with a floral dress or bright red or blue cropped jeans]

Mod Cloth Go Cat Go Cardigan

[tuck into a pencil skirt or pair with a colored calf-grazing pleated skirt]

via pinterest

Ruche Honey Oatmeal Striped Cardigan

[pair with boyfriend jeans and some mustard flats]

via freshly picked

Faux shopping at Ruche.

At the risk of sounding completely superficial, I love shopping and consider it one of my favorite hobbies. I love the hunt, the decisions, the choices, the sales. Love it, love it, love it.

With this new found budget idea (or rather the new idea that I actually follow it), shopping quickly became a thing of the past and I was crushed. That is until my friend Amie shared how she was able to continue to "shop" without spending a dime. First start by going online and visiting one of your favorite places to shop. Then browse through the selection, putting everything you like in your shopping cart. And that's it. While you never get to actually hold, wear or use your purchases, it does allow you to continue to shop in a make believe sort of way - relieving the urge to splurge and letting us avid shoppers continue on with the hunt without actually blowing giants amount of unavailable cash.

Anyway, I thought it was a great idea and have been shopping this way ever since. Today's faux shopping date? Ruche. A gorgeous site that is full of great, unique accessories, vintage inspired pieces and flowing silhouettes. Here's what I ended up putting in my cart today. Total Spend: $322.91.

always on my mind belted dress

stroll to notingham floral dress

feeling sanguine ruffle dress

clever calculation navy cardigan

elite and chic bow top

fading away floral flutter top

golden dahlia indie hair clip

aloha sunset double strand

golden dreams leaf necklace