My last set of photos to share from New York Fashion Week, you’ve got to save the best for last! Y’all have seen me work with Morning Lavender in posts before (like this one and this one), and I knew when I collaborated with shop owner Kim and her mega talented photographer husband Jason (not to mention she’s pretty incredible behind the camera herself), that it would be magic.
They’re the dream team, and I love all of their shop’s clothing! I felt like the affordable version of Carrie Bradshaw on the cobblestone streets of Soho – some photos I know I will look back on when I’m having a frumpy day and need a little extra glam (like right now as I type this post with a top knot and a wrist brace for my right wrist which now has carpal tunnel, trés chic).
top (sold out, love this one) & skirt – Morning Lavender Boutique | necklace – Morning Lavender Boutique | sunnies | heels – Zara, similar here | clutch – borrowed, love this one and this one | lipstick – in After Dark
These might be some of my favorite photos from my time in New York because it captures the entryway to our hotel so beautifully and reminds me of what a dreamy time we had there!
But, let’s get to the clothes. This spotted dress is the pattern that I have on throw pillows on my sofa and I mean… now I want it everywhere! I love that it combines my favorite neutral colors – beige, white and black in a pattern that isn’t leopard, but a little softer.
These sunglasses have been a major hit on Snapchat (CBLied), and they are Dior dupes that I found on Amazon for less than $14! AND they come in 17 colors. I am not even kidding. Also, these are my second pair because I sat on my first pair in Cabo and broke them.
So do I regret all the nachos I ate in Mexico? Not one.
– mixing up my usual routine with some french pressed coffee –
– having fun with some skull tassels –
– putting out some Halloween décor, including these adorable skull candles –
Halloween decorations are full force, and I’ve been having so much fun with it! October and November are two of my favorite months because there are fun holidays to celebrate that have so much less pressure than other holidays. It’s all about wine food, fun, friends and family!
Some highlights this week include rearranging my bedroom a little bit (we’ll see if it lasts… stay tuned!), and falling deeper into my addiction to The Affair. I snapchatted about this (CBLied), and several of you have told me that you also watch the show – it’s SO ADDICTING, right? Even my mom and her best friend were like, “I don’t know about this show…” boom. Watched the first season in less than a week.
On that note, I also watched the next episode of American Horror Story last night and Christian was on call – in and out of the house all night. Which meant I was 98% sure a ghost was going to try to kill me in my sleep, so needless to say I slept terribly. Reflecting, I’m assuming my fear of getting a glass of water in the middle of the night boils down to the media I’m filling my subconscious with. How to Get Away with Murder, Scandal (which I decided I’m over this week), Narcos, The Affair, American Horror Story, the podcast Serial, The Americans… even the books I read are often centered around murder.
Perhaps I should be watching less TV. I also got jury duty this week, and I’d say my mind is a little paranoid.
As for today, off to check out a brunch spot today that I’ve been dying to try – The Attic in Long Beach. They put mini hamburgers on bloody marys… WHAT!? Thanks so much for reading – tell me what you guys are up to this weekend! XO –
Another look from my time in New York – how fun is this outfit? I love trying to pair things together that might not have initially come to mind, like this off the shoulder dress and vest. Black, white, a little shoulder and a pop of orange, yes please!
This graffiti collage covered a wall outside of the hotel we stayed in, and I found it so inspirational and quintessential New York. One of the things I’m grateful for having an artist mom is the ability to really appreciate all kinds of art – even the art of the clouds in the sky. I’m happy to skip the museums and peruse street art – some of my favorite pieces of art in our home are from sidewalks from various cities and countries.
After many months of working on our guest bedroom, I’m excited to finally share the completed room with y’all! This room was an empty “storage” kind of room for a year. We wanted to keep it empty enough that an air mattress would fit when we have guests, but knew ultimately we wanted it to be more of a work space, knowing we would get the most use out of an office.
SO rather than fill it with a bed (sorry to our guests – but we do really love you guys!), we chose to create another living room type of space that can still be moved around for an air mattress. When guests come, we simply move the trunk into the closet and voila!
On one side of the room is Christian’s desk (more on that here), the middle hosts our old sofa (you can see our main living room upgrade here) and the opposite side of the room from Christian’s desk is some shelving that hosts more of my shoes… which is basically my continuing memo to Christian that this room is not intended to be his man cave (but I love you buddy). Personally, when we added this hide rug was when everything really came together. I’ve always wanted a zebra hide and I am in love with this one from SummerHouse!
You can scroll to the bottom of the post to see where everything is from! Visit this post for a house tour of the rest of our home (before this spare room was completed!).
It’s no secret I love a crop top. Honestly, I never thought they would stick around for so long and I’m delighted to see that they have! This sleek, black crop top is going to look so great with high-waisted leather skirts or pleated maxi skirts – I’m all about it. While in New York I paired it with this birds of paradise skirt that I can’t get enough of. I love the waterfall ruffle on the side!
Some of you guys may have noticed on Snapchat (CBLied) and/or Instagram that I recently darkened my hair to it’s natural dark brown, ridding of the ombré that I’ve had the past few years. Christian tells me (regularly) that he prefers my hair dark, but I was living my California beach girl moment!
Seeing these photos makes me miss it a little bit, but with fall here I figured no time like the present. Have any of you colored your hair recently? Did you lose like, a handful of hair in the process?! I was like, “nooo! I don’t have enough hair to lose to shed so much!” #RIP
You know it’s that time… if there’s any kind of long weekend, there’s a sale to go with it! I wanted to share with you guys some great sales happening over the next few days, and of course, my picks!
Nordstrom – lots of great additions to the sale section!
Shopbop – tons of fall items added to the sale section – and some seriously great accessories
Old Navy – 30% off $75 with code ENJOY + up to 60% off throughout the store
One Kings Lane – major furniture sale with some items marked up to 70% off
J.Crew – 30% off all full price items + 40% off sale items with code WEEKEND
– a nude and gold clutch (on sale!) that I can’t wait to rock with black! –
– a quick trip to LA to celebrate my nephew’s first birthday (seriously how cute is this cake made by my sister-in-law!?) –
– custom Nikes… I mean, these shoes are way cooler than I am let’s be real –
I can’t get over these high top sneakers with my name (the other shoe has my last name) – I mean – ahmazing! I’ve got to find a way to rock these without looking like I’m some old gal trying to look younger and cooler than she actually is.
I’ve come across some Internet gems this week that you know I have to share. Of course this week’s Whine About It was especially hilarious centered around the annoying things about fall. I think the part about the aggressive fall squirrels was just the whipped cream on top. The pastry eating squirrel… I can’t even.
Also, I might be late to this, but this article about the Bahamian raccoon named Pumpkin who thinks she’s a dog!? WHAT!? Only the cutest thing I’ve ever seen in my life. Discovering Pumpkin had an Instagram account was enough to make me jump out of bed to run downstairs to show Christian. This picture!? I don’t want a baby, I want a baby raccoon. Decision made.
In other news, I wanted to share with you guys that I will be speaking on a panel at StyleCon in OC on 11/7! If any of you are attending, I would love to meet you! Get the details here.
This weekend we are laying low – Christian is working and I’m considering dragging him to a pumpkin patch on Sunday. The jury’s still out. Who’s been to a pumpkin patch already this year? Tell me your pumpkin picking strategy! Thanks so much for reading guys! XO –
Christian and I have been wanting to upgrade our living room sofa for a few years and we’ve been dragging our feet because we couldn’t seem to agree and commit on the same one. A nice sofa is a big investment (easily the most expensive piece of furniture in our home), so I knew I couldn’t pull the trigger unless it was a piece I wanted in our home for years to come. This meant it needed to be comfortable, attractive and versatile.
SO, when the opportunity came along to work with Gatehouse Home to finally select the sofa we had in mind, I knew this was our chance! I wanted to share with you guys not only the finished product, but also my recommendations if any of you are looking to make a similar purchase.
Know your non-negotiables. For us, this meant machine washable. We have a dog and a cat, and I know we will always have pets because we are both big animal lovers. This means I need to be able to throw a cushion cover in the wash when someone puts their dirty paws on the sofa or drops a piece of pizza. Who am I kidding – I’ve spilled half a glass of wine on a sofa before. But guess what? I washed the cover and it was good as new. #smallvictories
Keep it neutral. This may seem like a no brainer, but I can’t preach enough to invest in neutrals for your big pieces. I always add color with art, flowers, throw pillows, blankets, picture frames, the list goes on. Don’t get me wrong – I love the beauty of a statement sofa (like this one), but I know myself, and I know I would tire of it. Before I committed to a fabric, I brought two large swatches home and put them on my current sofa arm. I wanted to see what the color and texture looked like during all hours of the day, as well as against my current living room layout. Doing this showed me that one swatch actually looked much darker than I had anticipated, but had I not taken them home for two weeks, I wouldn’t have known!
Test it out. I knew I’d found our new sofa when I sat on it. Gatehouse carries Lee Industries sofas, and when I sat on the down-blend cushions, I was all, “welcome home.” Christian lays on the couch more than he sits on it, so it was a match made in heaven. You sink into it just enough, and I wanted the seating area to be just deep enough to be comfortable, but not so deep that it affects your posture. We’re both tall, so 40″ deep was perfect.
Check the warranty. When making an investment purchase, check the warranty. Lee Industries offers lifetime warranty which is a huge bonus. They also keep all the measurements of their furniture designs, so even if this particular slipcovered sofa was to no longer be available, I could still contact them about ordering a new slipcover down the road. This kind of service makes the price tag sting a little less!
Have you made a big furniture purchase recently? Have any advice? I’d love to hear it! And if any of you are in the Orange County area, I can’t recommend enough popping in Gatehouse Home in Costa Mesa. The store is so beautiful (and inspiring for any décor lovers!) and the team is so friendly.
Thanks so much for reading, and you can see our full home tour here. Stay tuned for a reveal of our home office and guest bedroom! XO –
When were in Napa, one of our favorite stops was in the late morning when we visited Inglenook Winery and Vineyard. The scenery reminded us so much of Europe, and it was the most romantic little spot. For a (delightful) and long day of wine tasting, I wanted to look cute but most importantly, be comfortable.
This striped dress is so comfortable and paired perfectly with these majorly comfortable boots. Styled with the crossbody bag that goes with everything and a cashmere wrap for the chilly morning – it was a good choice for not only wine tasting, but also our casual picnic lunch. Writing this post just makes me want to go back – we didn’t get to spend nearly enough time in Sonoma! #wineaboutit
Have any of you visited this winery before? I would definitely recommend it if any of you headed to wine country! Thanks so much for reading and for all of you amaze suggestions along the way! XO –
While I mostly share fashion, home and travel on this blog – I do love beauty and have shared a few beauty related posts with you guys in the past few years (you can click the beauty category under categories up at the top right of the site to see more)! I’m so excited to team up with Pro Beauty Tools to share some hair tutorials in the next few months, and today I’m kicking it off with a tutorial on how to achieve that messy bedhead that looks effortlessly styled just enough.
My hair is naturally very straight and fine. I like to say I have the same hair as a six-year old girl – think about that silky, stringy hair (can’t you see it?). This has been both a good and bad thing for me, but when it comes to a quick hairstyle, it’s usually something I’m thankful for.
First I brush my hair out and spray it with a heat protectant spray (I’ve used several different kinds and don’t have a preference). Then I take my straightener (which heats up in only 30 seconds and gets as hot as 450 degrees) and clamp a section of hair about 4-5 inches from my scalp. I turn the straightener about 90 degrees away from my face and wrap the rest of my hair around the straightener, leaving 1-2 inches at the end.
After a few seconds, I slide the straightener down the section of hair, unclamping and clamping as necessary. Once I take the straightener off my hair I kind of scrunch the section with my hand and then move onto the next!
Once I’ve repeated this to my entire head, I spray a few spritzes of a texturizing spray and voila! I’m done. I really like this look for everyday and even more so, I like the affordable price tag of this straightener. Recommended by stylists, it straightens, reduces frizz and increases shine for better looking hair in minutes. The less time I spend primping, the better!
Do you guys have any straightener tips? I’d love to hear! Thanks so much for reading, and let me know what you guys think about some more beauty posts! XO –
When I was in New York, we stayed at the Nomo Soho and there were the most incredible cobblestone streets all around us! I usually opt to stay in Midtown when I travel to New York, not only because it’s where I lived the summer I lived in the city, but also because it’s always a little more quiet and a little less busy.
This time we wanted to be downtown, close to the venues hosting the shows, and I had so much fun exploring Soho and Chelsea. I remembered more than I thought I would (I’m not the best navigating downtown, although I really do love all the character of the different neighborhoods), and it was hard to say goodbye!
Not to worry, I’m heading back in December – and I plan to spend a little less time primping and little more time exploring.
