PJ Salvage marble pajama set.

– mornings in my new favorite pajama set

Purple flower lei

denim – Forever21 (old), similar here, here (40% off) and here | sweater c/o, no longer available, triple love this one | tank – Target (old), similar here | sunnies | bracelet

– coming home to a flower lei that Christian picked up for me on the way home = obsessed –

White hydrangeas and a miniature American flag.

– picking up blooms in Corona del Mar that have lasted over a week –

Giant flamingo pool inflatable.

– my new best friend this summer, Betty the flamingo

The Blogger CollaborativeKathleen Barnes of Carrie Bradshaw Lied.

– checking out these photos from a fun OC/LA blogger gal photo shoot –

This Friday is a little extra fun because my parents are visiting from Mississippi!  They helped me do a little painting when we moved into our townhouse last year, and they also came to Malibu for a California Christmas. This time, I’ve forced them to stay with me (my Dad is more of a hotel kind of guy) and I can’t wait to treat them to a long weekend in our neighborhood before they head to LA to hang with my brother’s family.

I’m also heavily considering dragging them to Disneyland because fun fact – my pretty serious Dr. Williams dad is actually a huge Disney fan.  I went four times as a kid with my family and recently took Christian to Disneyland for his second Disney trip.  Now that I’ve been at least once here in California I feel like I have a better idea of where everything is, what is and isn’t worth the wait and so on so… I’m pretty pumped to go back with my parents (and also to let them pay for it… because I am the youngest child and can still use the “help me I’m poor,” as I’m pretty sure I’m still 18 in their eyes).  I’m sure you’ll see some Mickey ears on instagram if we head that way!

What do you guys have planned this weekend?  Or are you still recovering from last weekend’s festivities?  Thanks so much for reading – I always love reading and replying to your comments! XO – 

PS – Thanks so much to P.S. I’m from the Midwest for this adorable feature!  Hollyn is such a doll, and it was a privilege to participate in her Catching Up With series.  Y’all check it out and give sweet Hollyn some virtual web love!

20 Comments|See Comments

White faux leather skirt.

When in doubt, go with solids that can’t go wrong.  I recently snagged a few amazing cashmere pieces from Minnie Rose, and this short-sleeved black cashmere shirt is going to get a lot of wear.  I think I told you guys about my eBay cashmere shopping spree, but a few turtlenecks and sweaters later, they are mostly kept in my closet for the occasional wear on a ski trip (or petting as I peruse my closet options… you know you’ve been there).

SO, when I realized short-sleeved cashmere was even a thing, you know I was all about it.


Black trapeze bag.Short sleeved black cashmere shirt. Black crocodile trapeze bagBlack and white outfit

photos by Jason Huang

 

cashmere top c/o, similar here (25% off with code SALENEWS) | skirt c/o | heels c/o, no longer available but sandal version here | sunnies | bag, no longer available but similar here and here | watch c/o | gold rings c/o | gold cuff c/o | “c” bangle c/o

Thanks so much for reading! XO –

9 Comments|See Comments

Nordstrom half yearly sale picks.

 

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12

With so many great pieces I’m looking to add to my closet this summer, I couldn’t help myself from putting together another wish list (!!).  Several of these picks are on sale (more info sales going on here), and several pieces are from a favorite shop of mine when I lived in New York for a summer – Scoop!  I have such fun memories of walking into Scoop in Soho with my roommate and bestie Shallon and leaving with one of those brightly colored shopping bags. So I can’t help but peruse their site for the latest statement pieces.

Lots of solids, denim and a punch of color – what more do you need for summer?

Tell me what’s on your wish list! And where do you have some of your most fun shopping memories? Thanks for reading! XO –

10 Comments|See Comments

Kathleen Williams Barnes.

Is a long weekend not the best thing ever?  Christian actually had yesterday off (no worries – he did work on Sunday) and we had so much fun making the most of the weekend – hiking, brunching, wine tasting, flower picking, playing with my brother’s family and my little niece and nephew and hitting the pool (if you guys follow me on instagram or snapchat [CBLied], you may have seen the gigantic flamingo pool float that I’m obsessed with and got quite a workout inflating).  It was one of those weekends perfectly split between adventure and relaxation – a hard balance to find but when you find it, it’s like striking gold.

But back to the clothes.  I let my hair air-dry and kept it comfortable and simple this weekend for a date on the Circle.  This gray tee comes in three colors and is actually reversible – how amazing is that?  I paired it with these jeans that I have been wearing on repeat and some of my favorite accessories.

White acrylic mirrored sunglassesSteven Madden floral Stecy heels.Banago woven clutch.Orange County blogger.Carrie Bradshaw Lied blog.White distressed denim.

 

denim c/o | heels c/o | tee (reversible, in 3 colors and under $30!) c/o | bag c/o | turquoise cuff c/o | gold cuff c/o | sunnies c/o | earrings | statement ring c/o | gold bangle c/o

 

I’d love to hear what you did over the weekend!  Thanks so much for reading you guys and I hope some of you snagged some great steals from all the discounts shared on Friday – XO –

14 Comments|See Comments

Yellow Lab in Sunglasses.

– Bailey’s pool ready for the long weekend –

Farmers Market berry display.

– always being able to count on our neighborhood berry selection –

Sigma makeup brushes.

– a new assortment of Sigma makeup brushes

Stella Artois Host Beautifully Event.

– photo booth fun at the Stella Artois event at a ranch outside LA where John Legend performed (life moment for sure)! –

Donut Pool Inflatable.

– an assortment of new inflatables for the weekend (flamingo / donut) –

Hey hey hey!!  It’s the weekend, and I hope all of you get an extra day off to celebrate Memorial Day and pay tribute to our veterans.  According to historians, Memorial Day actually started in my hometown of Columbus, Mississippi when the women of the town went to Friendship Cemetery to put flowers on the graves of fallen soldiers.  I think several towns claim to have started Memorial Day, but there is also a lot of history in my childhood church that was at one time transformed into a hospital during the war. There’s a lot of fascinating history there, and I still am so amazed that my hometown church is almost 200 years old!

Christian actually has the entire weekend off (including Monday!), so we plan to catch up with some friends of ours in Laguna, and I’m crossing my fingers my brother’s family makes it down to visit us in Orange County for a pool day.  We’ve got the pool floats, a fridge full of booze and food to grill and bikes to ride – let’s do this summertime!

Tell me what you’re up to this weekend.  Thanks so much for reading guys, and don’t forget some serious SALES:

You can still get up to 50% off select items this weekend at Nordstrom (shop my picks here)!

BaubleBar is offering 20% off site-wide using code MEMORIAL20, 25% off 3+ items using code MEMORIAL25 and 30% off 4+ items using code MEMORIAL30

Until 5/25 Amazon is offering 25% off fashion purchases with code FUN20SUN

20% off at Anthropologie

20% off at ASOS with code LONGWKND through 5/26

40% off at Banana Republic with code BRSUMMER

30% off at BCBG through 5/26

Bloomingdale’s is offering 20% off with code SPRING20 through 5/25

Handbag and shoe sale at Bluefly – an extra 20% off through 5/26

Additional 30% off sale items at DVF with code SUMMER30

20% off markdowns at Equipment with code MD2015 through 5/25

30% off EVERYTHING at French Connection with code FC30MS

15% off site-wide at Furbish Studio with code SUMMER15 through 5/25

25% off at J.Crew with code SUMMERLOVE through 5/25

Up to 70% off at Kendra Scott

Extra 25% off with code HOORAY through 5/25 at Macy’s

20% off at Max & Chloe with code VACAY

Up to 40% off at ModCloth

Up to 40% off select items at NastyGal with code HOT$TUFF

Up to 50% off everything at Old Navy

Up to 75% off at Revolve

Up to 55% off at Saks

40% off at Scoop NYC

20% off site-wide at Serena & Lily with code ALLOUT through 5/26

Up to 50% off at Spanx (love their workout gear!)

Have a fun and safe weekend!! XO

6 Comments|See Comments

Sleeveless Trench Coat.

When I put this ensemble together, I felt both comfortable and totally myself.  You know when you put those pieces together that feel so “you?”  I strutted down the stairs to Christian and was all, “this outfit is so me.”

To which he replied, “it’s a lot of fabric.”

I’m fine with it. I love the t-shirt material of the dress that wraps into a side knot, which looks amazing on its own or with a vest or blazer layered over it.  These sandals come in eight different colors, and with the simple and flattering style I’m (naturally) convinced I need all eight!  I used to wear so much black when I had a more formal workplace, while I’ll always love all black everything, now that I live in Southern California I love wearing breezy, light colors.

Kathleen Barnes of Carrie Bradshaw Lied.Neely Phan hand chain bracelet.Nashelle beaded necklace.Sleeveless trench vest. Floral ankle strap sandals.Gray Midi Dress.Carrie Bradshaw Lied blog.Kathleen Williams Barnes

 

dress and heels c/o Lulu’s | vest c/o | bag c/o | necklace c/o | statement cuff c/o | hand chain c/o Neely Phelan | sunnies c/o | watch c/o | snake cuff c/o, love this | pendant drop necklace c/o | extensions c/o LuxyHair ($ off with code LUXYKATHLEEN)

Thanks so much for reading, and don’t forget to shop the Nordstrom sale – up to 50% off select items! XO –

10 Comments|See Comments

Nordstrom Annual Sale.

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

 

So this morning I shared the news of Nordstrom’s major sale going on now through 5/31.  Confession: I tried to prep and pick my favorites the night before the sale began… and literally none of the items I listed were on sale.

A) Yikes.

B) Story of my life, champagne taste on a beer budget.

C) I’ve got to fix this!

SO, now that the sale is underway, I’ve picked some Nordy’s faves that actually ARE on sale.  I’m sorry about that guys, honestly, I was laughing when I was double-checking my picks and was like… “WHAT IS WRONG WITH ME!?”

So I couldn’t finish the week off without correcting myself!  Above are some steals that are worth checking out and tell me if you score something major! Thanks so much for reading and for your patience – XO –

2 Comments|See Comments

Nordstrom Half Yearly Sale 2015.

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10

 

Oh snap – Nordstrom is having their half-yearly sale starting TODAY!  Snag up to 40% through May 31st with free shipping and free returns.

Basically a shopaholics dream scenario, so get to scopin’ out the scene.  Above are some of my favorite picks.  This dress comes in so many colors and this bag, I mean… it’s adorable.

So much to choose from.  Last year I snagged some designer jeans, Frye boots and cashmere… can’t wait to see what ends up in my cart this year (Christian if you’re reading this, as Melissa McCarthy would say… “look away!“).

Tell me what you score! Thanks for reading y’all. XO –

5 Comments|See Comments

Pairing pinot noir with food.

Cheers!  Why not start off a Monday with a little wine?  The best.  I’m always excited to try out a new bubbly or Pinot Noir, and today I’m sharing my favorite bruschetta recipe with a new bottle from Gloria Ferrer.

In our house, weekend nights are meant for quick dinners, comfortable clothes, good wine and good movies.  The night we enjoyed this light dinner on the patio, we realized that neither of us had ever seen Good Will Hunting. 9 Oscar nominations and we’ve never seen it!?!? That’s a problem.  It was so good – so long, but so good.  It felt crazy to see Matt Damon and Ben Affleck in this movie, knowing that they had written the screenplay, produced the film, acted in it and the film had been released by the time they were 27. I’m the same age and it makes me feel so #basic.

But back to the booze. This pinot noir was so smooth and to participate in the Be Glorious Photo Contest, I struck a pose with my Gloria Ferrer and my favorite accessory of the moment – tassel everything!  I can’t get enough of these tassel bracelets and the necklace is a perfect addition.  I know these pieces will be my summer staples, and now that I have a crisp new vino, summer nights can’t come soon enough!

Picking the perfect pinot noir. Seychelles propoganda booties. Classic Bruschetta recipe. Gold and Gray tassel bracelets. Michele Deco Diamond Watch.kathleen-barnessilver-and-gold-wine-glass Black three-legged cat.

chambray top c/o | denim c/o | mules c/o | tassel bracelets & necklace c/o | watch c/o | c bangle c/o | turquoise bangle c/o | kitty ring | gold rings c/o | gold bangle c/o

Don’t forget you can enter your photo by striking a pose with your fave Gloria Ferrer bubbly & fashion obsessed and tagging #GloriouslyGlam #BeGloriousContest.

Thanks so much for reading! Tell me your favorite wine – I’m always looking to try new vinos! XO –

Thank you Gloria Ferrer for sponsoring this post!

25 Comments|See Comments

Makeup-organizational-bins.

– these organizational bins that are game changers for my beauty routine –

Pink and ivory lace trimmed nightie and robe set.

– the sweetest robe I picked up in Miami –

Yellow Labrador.

– coming home to this doofus –

Collecting matchsticks.

– grabbing some matchsticks from my travels – I love collecting them! –

Issa de Mar brazilian bikini

– trying out some beautiful (but tiny!) Issa de’ Mar bikinis –

Pop fizz clink – it’s the weekend! Christian has made plans to pick up some coffee truck lattes and head to the beach for a surfing day, and I look forward to unwinding and watching him in his element.

Let’s talk about some of these parts of Friday’s Five. First of all, these bins are my latest obsession.  I have makeup everywhere – eyeliners in julep cups, lipsticks on a tray, a makeup bag in a drawer, the list goes on.  These little bins are the perfect containers to store underneath my sink and stay organized.  I LOVE them.

Secondly, Brazilian cut bikinis.  Can we talk about this? While in Miami, I met some of the team behind the mega fabulous Issa de’ Mar bikini brand. I was telling them how intimidated I was with the tiny Brazilian bikini bottoms and they shared that your eye is drawn to fabric.  Therefore, too much fabric can actually make you appear larger.  Interesting.  I wore a teeny tiny bikini while in Miami, but I don’t know if I’ll have the courage to rock this number in the real world.  However, I’m lucky to have a husband who gives me the confidence to rock anything – so we’ll see if I pull out this number tomorrow for our surf date!

What are you guys doing this weekend? Do share. Thanks for reading – XO –

8 Comments|See Comments

Ily Couture Classic Sweatshirt.

As a full-time working gal + blogger, I love any outfit that can quickly take me from the office to cocktails. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve gone to work with a clutch and stilettos in my work tote so I can make the quick change in my car on the way to an event or happy hour.

What I love about these Julie Lopez flats are that A) they’re named Edie, and you know I love my niece, and B) the Italian leather is top notch.  I mean, these babies feel like butter, not to mention their classic structure and stylish patent cap toe make them the perfect day flats. Now I just need them in nude!

For night, I just pull out this fab foldover clutch and my highest heels and just like that, I’m ready for the night.

Julie Lopez black ballet flats.DL1961 Emma Jeans in Heath.Calfhair foldover clutch.Orange County fashion blogger.Draped trench coat.Christian Louboutin So Kate Pumps.Carrie Bradshaw Lied blog.Old Towne Orange.

ballet flats c/o Julie Lopez | denim c/o | sweatshirt c/o | trench c/o | clutch c/o | sunnies | nude pumps | hat c/o | watch c/o | spike bracelet c/o | cable bracelet 1, 2, 3 | “c” bangle c/o

 

Do you have any quick day to night tips? I’d love to hear. Thanks so much for reading! XO –

12 Comments|See Comments

Summer wish list.

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12

 

I mean… I want it all.  Lately I’m convinced that if I had cuter workout gear that I would want to exercise more (as ridiculous as this sounds, this is known to work for me – #shopaholic).  I also have decided I want one of these blue and white vases, which pains me because I had the coolest urn from my mom that she and I spray-painted white. Dumb.

I am a girl in love with accessories, so this collection is no different, but this coverup is also on my summer wish list.  Seriously – too cute!

What are you lusting after? Thanks for reading y’all! XO –

6 Comments|See Comments