When I was putting together outfits for Palm Springs, I started playing with something I’ve never done before – mixing polka dot pieces. I’ve worn two pieces together that came as a set, but I’ve never mix and matched different polka dot pieces in my closet.
It totally works!
I know not everyone might wear this exact outfit (it felt very appropriate for retro Palm Springs), but you can do it in your own way. Maybe a polka dot blouse tied at the waist with a skirt or a polka dot blazer over a polka dot romper. Different colors, even different polka dot sizes are totally acceptable.
I thought it was such a fun idea for spring and ways to think out of the box within your own closet. Play with it!
What do you think? Would you mix some of the polka dot pieces you already have? I shared a few extra fun polka dot pieces in the thumbnails below, some of the rompers are real-time cute.
This isn’t the first time you’ve seen this pretty Palm Springs home on CBL. Three years ago I stopped by in this post to check out this desert landmark for the first time. I’ve been 2-3x, and I’ve never been alone. Thanks to the #thatpinkdoor hashtag, there is always a line of tourists and Californians waiting to snap their photo by this pink door!
I wore this little dress to brunch at Melvyn’s and then we popped by this fab house on a drive around some of the mid-century modern homes in town. If you’ve never been to Palm Springs, it’s truly like stepping back in time. The homes, the restaurants, the decor… it’s like you can really envision what Frank Sinatra was up to. It blows my mind every time I visit!
If I owned a home and could paint the front door, I would probably go for a light blue (mostly because C wouldn’t allow me to paint it pink, let’s be real). What color would you choose? Or do you already have a lovely painted front door?
Three looks, one dress – today I’m going to share a few spring staples that are comfortable, extremely versatile and classic!
When it comes to an everyday dress that you can get the most bang for your buck, James Perse is a go-to for me. Nordstrom has a a great selection of their pieces that are great foundation investments. Another spring must-have is a classic chambray shirt. I recently snagged this one and I can already tell it’s going to be worn on repeat.
A few years ago I put a Burberry trench coat on my “lifetime wish list.” I kept my eye on a few online as well as consignment shops and ending up splurging on a vintage one. A piece like this is one you know you’ll still wear and love thirty years from now. Nordstrom has a great selection of Burberry pieces, and if a fabulous trench is something you’ve been longing for, I’d recommend saving $100 a month with this big purchase in mind. Then you can take the plunge without guilt!
SO, how is this three looks in one? Scroll down to see! I layered a chambray and trench for a look that would work in the office, ditched the trench for a weekend-inspired look and lost all the layers other than the LBD for a date night look. You could easily wear booties, sneakers or sandals with a dress like this. The silhouette and fabric is so easy to make it your own, and the ruching at the hips provides some camouflaging (which I appreciate).
I recently stumbled upon this post that I found via Pinterest, and I was SO inspired by this chick’s cool style. I particularly loved how she made her Louis Vuitton speedy a display of travels, experiences and memories. So original!
I knew exactly the bag I wanted to try it on. My sweet mom bought me this damier speedy over ten years ago, and I haven’t worn it as frequently as I thought I would. At one point I considered selling it, but really felt it was such a classic bag that I (or future daughters/granddaughters) would get plenty of wear out of it.
I couldn’t commit to glueing or sewing patches on, but I thought I could try some sticker-patches! I had a few patches already (and have since added this one), but I both bought some sticker patches (several are shared below) and used my all-time favorite fabric tape, toupee tape, to adhere some that didn’t have a sticker backing.
I definitely feel like the sticker made patches stay on the best, and I think this store has the best ones – their varsity letters are so cute.
On Friday I shared that I spent last week in Palm Springs with this crew to celebrate Jenn‘s wedding next month!
I was so excited to get in on a little bachelorette party prep, and we definitely started the week with a bang thanks to Seven Daughters Wines. All of that being said, I wanted to share some of my bachelorette party-planning tips with you – and yes, karaoke microphones are definitely involved.
Don’t overthink the decorations.
When you first start thinking about a themed party… it can feel overwhelming. But it doesn’t have to be! All you need is a decorated “area” where you can have all of the gifts, party supplies, snacks and so on. If you think about decorating the entire room floor to ceiling, it’s too much.
Have a designated photo spot where everyone can get their picture with the bride, where she can sit to open gifts and so on. I am linking all of the supplies for this party at the bottom of the post – and they were so fun and not expensive.
If you need a space filler: blow up balloons and have them on the floor. It looks so fun and adds some quick and easy “party” vibes to the room!
Keep it tasteful.
Call me old fashioned, but I like to keep bachelorette party decorations tasteful. People are going to be videoing, snapping photos, etc. Thanks to the internet and social media… some of these private moments are no longer so private. No one wants a wild photo resurfacing online when they’re interviewing for a new job next year.
While we’re talkin’ tasteful, delicious snacks are a must.
Any party I’m throwing needs the essentials: a cheese and charcuterie plate, fruit, crudité, anything wrapped in a wonton wrapper and chips and an assortment of dip. We had a homemade dip, smoked gouda dip, salsa and guacamole… and as I’m writing this I’m now hungry again.
Wine, wine, and please more wine.
Of course, find out the bride’s favorite blend or drink so you can have that ready to go, but this group likes to keep the wine a-flowing. We had Seven Daughters Red Blend, Cabernet Sauvignon, Moscato and Rosé for the occasion.
The Rosé Cans were so handy because you can easily slip in a little straw, grab another if yours is no longer cold, share with a friend, etc. When it comes to parties – having some cans to serve is so convenient!
Having wine charms (how hilarious are these) or a wine glass marker are great ways to keep track of whose glass is whose.
Have an element of fun/silly/playfulness.
Our girl Jenni Jenn is all about the laughs, so some of her requests were karaoke and disco balls. I must say, they were quite a hit. And I love that you can continue to enjoy them and it’s not just a one time thing!
Party rings are also usually well received. I love that these light up for later in the night. So fun!
Add a party playlist.
You know I love a playlist. Flashback to this post when I shared a “Friday” and “Monday” playlist. For this party we had DJ Krystal on the scene and she did not disappoint. This helped with the karaoke as well… and everyone boo-ing me when I wanted to sing Billy Joel.
That is rude.
Take photos in the beginning of the party, then put your phones away and enjoy yourselves!
We had these adorable little polaroid cameras that were so cute for snapping photos. If someone has a polaroid or is willing to add one to the scene, it’s a really fun addition.
Have you ever planned a bachelorette party!? I’d love to hear your hits and misses. I have another one coming up in July, so let me know if you think I missed something!
You can check out Seven Daughters on Facebook and Instagram and find their wine in your area here. AND the code CBL7D is good for 20% off any Seven Daughters purchase on Uncorked.com! XO –
Happy Friday! I’ve been hanging with the gals this week in Palm Springs celebrating Jenn and her upcoming Cabo wedding. We’ve had this trip planned for several months, so to see it come and go felt both SO FUN and also a little sad.
You know when you look forward to something for so long and then you’re blue when it’s over? I’m feelin’ some of that. I love time spent with the girls! I’ll be joining them again in a few weeks for the wedding throwdown, and trust me – I’ll be there for it. Can’t wait!
As for this weekend, the celebrating isn’t over quite yet. Christian’s birthday is this weekend, and while he has a standardized test to take first (it has fallen on his birthday… 5 years in a row), we have some QT planned and maybe a little Oscars viewing party? Time will tell!
Do you have any girls trips ahead of you? If so, I want to here where and when. And know that I’m jealous! Thanks so much for reading – XO –
Houndstooth, velvet, jumpsuits, rockstuds – all the things. Sometimes less is more and other times more is more!
But today I wanted to chat about layering jumpsuits. This velvet jumper looks so fabulous on its own, but I wanted to share one of the many ways I created a totally different look with it, maximizing its versatility.
I think it would also be great with a leather moto jacket, a faux fur vest (50% off) or duster cardigan. My girlfriend recently gave me this bright yellow houndstooth blazer and I’ve had so much fun adding it to looks. Yellow is going to be everywhere for spring, so if you spot something fun and cheerful in yellow – I highly recommend adding it to your closet!
Another piece I think is really versatile is a neutral statement belt. I found this rockstud belt on eBay and it adds such a punch to outfits. I love it! I linked a few similar styles I also love below.
Shopbopis having one of their major sales right now, and it’s a great time to score a great deal on some designer duds. Above are some picks I extra love, and sharing more from the sale below!
The breakdown is:
15% off orders $200+
20% off $500+
25% off $800+
with code GOBIG18
And this applies to both full price AND sale items! I definitely picked up this belt and these earrings… but I have my eye on a few extra things. How fun is this bag strap? These heels are also screaming my name. This also looks like the perfect travel scarf. I have these sneakers, and I’m so excited they’re in the sale! They are SO comfortable and have quickly become a travel and street style favorite.
Have you picked up anything? I’d love to hear! Thanks so much for reading – XO –
I recently shared how I paired a tee with a midi skirt and sneakers here. Today I wanted to share a similar look but a little more dressed up. This skirt is a few years old (flashback to our epic 2014 photography here), but I also have it in green and still love it, love it, love it.
Pairing something casual with something dressy is one of my favorite combos. It’s also an easy way to maximize some of the pieces you think are too dressy too wear as often. Wear a crisp white cropped top or silk cami with this skirt and you have a formal outfit.
You can see how I wore the green version of this skirt to a family wedding here.
And scroll down for the details on this tee and tons of other Gucci look-for-less graphic tees!
Would you wear a tee with dressier skirts or dresses? I have another post coming soon showing how I knot tees over jumpsuits. Let me know if you like these mix and match-style posts and I’ll definitely create more!
So often we think we need to go shopping and buy something new, when really we just need to think outside the box in our own closet.
Exhibit A: belting a cardigan sweater as a top! When I got this chunky cardigan, I thought it would not only be a great layering piece, but also fab on its own. This could also work with a v neck cardigan buttoned up as a top or a loose fitting blazer belted as a top… get creative!
I paired this with faux leather pants, but I think it would look great with high waisted jeans or fitted boyfriend jeans. When the top is chunky knit, I try to balance it out with something more fitted on the bottom so I don’t lose my shape entirely.
There are some great sales going on this weekend, specifically Nordstrom’s winter sale which has TONS of amazing items marked down big time. Above are some of my favorite items, some of which I have myself, and I’m sharing some additional favorites below.
Hope y’all have a beautiful weekend – thanks for reading! XO –
I bought these classic Chanel flats for myself as a birthday gift last year. I thought I would wear them constantly, but because I’m such a heels girl… I actually haven’t. I keep telling myself I will wear them a lot more in San Francisco because we’ll be walking everywhere. Until then, I’ve challenged myself to style them in new ways to show you (and myself) the versatility.
If you’re like me and you like to give things a “trial run” before making the splurge, there are a ton of similar styles that are a fraction of the price that you can try out first. I bought a similar style from ZARA years ago. After wearing them to shreds during the work week and on trips I made the splurge.
I styled these flats with boyfriend jeans here. Today I wanted to make them a little more edgy with faux leather and this rockstar bag that I am more than in love with.
This is the kind of look that I think really works for nearly any age – a fitted legging, boyfriend fit button front shirt and chic flats. It’s kind of fool-proof in my opinion, just like the denim on denim look here!
Do you have a ballet flat that you can’t get enough of? I want to hear about the comfortable shoe in your closet that goes with everything. Seriously… share the goods, sister!
