You guys know I’m more of a maxi skirt/dress girl, but every now and then there’s a mini skirt that steals the show. When I saw this studded leather skirt, I thought it could be the perfect skirt not only for NYFW, but also for California’s mild fall with ankle booties or OTK boots.
I styled a similar faux leather skirt last year here that had a little fringe, and I love that this one is still feminine with the peplum hem but edgy with the studs. Plus it feels like butta’.
I’m already trying to think of all the other ways I can wear it! I’m heading back to London next month so maybe it will help me achieve that London “cool girl” look they pull off so effortlessly. A girl can dream!
What are your thoughts on leather skirts? I once found a knee length one (with pockets!) at a consignment store when I was still working at a corporate office and wore it ALL the time. You can definitely make a longer leather skirt work for the office!
AND, I have to share that today starts one of Shopbop‘s epic sales! Starting today:
Spend up to $500, get 20% off |Spend over $500, get 25% off with promo code: EOTS17.
Thanks so much for reading – XO –
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As we say goodbye to summer, I wanted to share the second set of photos we snapped at the beach in July with Abbi (first post with her photos here). We had so much fun capturing one of our favorite parts of summer – actually being able to get in the ocean (it’s typically freeeeezzzzing out here)! I know when we’re in San Francisco next year it will be so fun to have these photos to remember how fun our five years in Southern California were. Not going to lie… I don’t think I’ll be ready to say goodbye to OC in May but I’m grateful to have several more months to soak it in!
Today I thought we could chat about dating your spouse. You’ve heard people say to “date your husband” before, right? When I first heard someone call their husband their boyfriend I thought, that is so simple yet a genius way to remind yourself to keep it light and fun.
I wanted to share five of our favorite ways to revisit that “young love” feeling in a relationship. I think even if you’ve been dating for a while or if you live with your significant other, it can be easy to forget some of those initial things that drew you together in the early days.
And of course I’m not saying I’m a relationship expert, but these are some of the things we actively try to do, especially when life gets busy and we slip into just going through the motions.
1. Make plans.
Christian one time told me that the best part of a vacation was looking forward to the trip beforehand. I had never really thought of it like that, but I completely understood what he was talking about. I think it’s the same with a date night. It might even just be cooking dinner at home and eating outside on the patio under bistro lights with candles and music while the kids are asleep. But set a date and time so you can look forward to it during the week, dedicate some alone time, plan what you’re going to wear, which brings me to…
2. Dress up.
This is actually another one of Christian’s requests – ha! When we would go on dates earlier in our relationship, we always dressed up for each other and of course over the years there is a little less effort when you see each other every day vs. just a few times a week. Just the act of getting ready and knowing it was done for each other (not for a wedding, girls night, church, etc.). It just shows that little bit of extra time and thought, wanting to look our best for each other.
3. Hold hands.
I mean… what’s better than walking around before or after dinner holding hands? Perusing windows, people watching. Something so simple, yet can evoke those early warm and fuzzies.
4. Try something new together.
This is my favorite! I LOVE trying new things with C. Sometimes this involves traveling somewhere new that we’ve never been. Other times it’s making a list of things we want to do – ice skate together, take a cooking class, see an outdoor movie, go to a concert. It’s easy to get in a routine (and I love staying in and watching movies with takeout too, don’t get me wrong), but trying something new together can stir up those fresh, new feelings of excitement and fun.
5. Give compliments.
I tend to compliment C on the same things, and he knows some of the things I love most about him… but who doesn’t like a compliment? Whether it’s on appearance or personality, a little reminder is nice to hear.
swimsuit (50% off! Size up if you’re a long torso girl), also love it in black and white | denim shorts (run TTS), also have and love these, similar look for less here | hat | similar swim trunks here and want to buy C these
Thanks so much for reading and if you have any suggestions on this topic of keeping it fresh – I’d love to hear! I think we all have so much to learn from each other when we take the time to open up. Appreciate you guys – XO –
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3. It’s modest enough for church yet fun enough for date night, an event or holiday party.
Because I was holding onto it for so long to bring with me to NYFW… it’s now only available in one size but don’t fear! There are nearly identical styles available here and here, and they have bell sleeves. So that’s real fun.
I’m also linking some of my favorite black floral dresses below!
Today I’m really excited to share a fun collaboration I’ve been secretly working on. I’m sharing how to style Old Navy‘s Stevie pant three different ways on Who What Wear and sharing how I prep looks ahead of time for busy weeks!
When I worked in the corporate office, outfit planning was essential. I still find it saving me tons of time when I know I have places to be, and I want to feel great and not rushed.
I’m linking the details to these looks below but head over to Who What Wear for the full scoop!
Look 2 | pants | similar top here and here | similar striped sweater here (60% off), also love this one | similar clutch | similar loafers here and here (under $25!)
Look 3 | pants | vintage trench, new version here and look for less here | similar sweater here and here | mules | bag, how fab would this one be!? #need
For the full post and why the Stevie pant is a great staple for fall, head over to Who What Wear.
This was the first look I wore in NY for fashion week (as in… three hours after I landed from a red-eye), and I wanted to share with you guys why I think ivory is perfect for year-round. Unless you’re attending a bridal function and you’re not the bride – but you guys know that! Speaking of, this dress would be PERFECT for a bride. Just sayin’.
I think we all tend to go dark for fall and winter. Hunter green, black, navy, burgundy, etc., but that’s why ivory, camel and gray can be so refreshing to break up the darker colors. Truth be told, before I moved to California I purchased much more dark colored pieces. Now I tend to gravitate toward the lighter colors after living in coastal atmosphere.
Who knows, maybe next year in San Francisco I’ll return to darker colors! For now, pretty dresses like this make me feel like all I’m missing is the SATC intro song and a bus to drive by and splatter me with a puddle of water.
JK, please don’t do that – unless someone is videotaping and it will get me on my favorite Instagram account.
What are your favorite colors to wear in the months ahead? Do you try to work in lighter colors or embrace the darker palettes of fall? Thanks so much for reading and sharing – XO –
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I’ve said it before, but one of my favorite things about living in California are all the quick weekend trip options we have. Christian schedule is much less flexible than mine, so if we can pack a quick duffle bag and spend a weekend away, we try to take advantage of it.
I recently personalized some travel bags with Barrington Gifts that are perfect for fall getaways. I am seriously loving them. I also have a matching laptop case that isn’t pictured, but I’ll be sharing in a Friday’s Five post with you guys. As soon as I got it, I immediately tossed my old cover because this beaut is a serious upgrade.
I love that you can customize the bags with numerous color combos, fonts, etc. It really allows you to put your creative touch on something personal, and I’m already thinking about all the weekend trips I’m going to be taking this duffle on. I actually took the tote with me to New York recently and it was the perfect carry on for my computer, headphones, etc.
Where are some of your favorite places to travel to on the weekend? Have you looked at all the different patterns available for customization (you can check them out here)? How cute would a personalized bag be for a holiday gift?
Thanks so much for reading – and if you’re a Californian, I’d love to hear your favorite spots. Ojai is on our list! XO –
I love a pair of wide leg pants. I had a black pair in the CBL x Morning Lavender collection styled here (and if you’re looking for a black pair, these are pretty amazing). This green velvet pair from ModCloth is a whole new ball game. In LOVE!
When I first saw them, I automatically knew I had to have them because they’re fun, unique, comfortable AND have pockets and an elastic waistband. Come to think of it, it seems like a no-brainer that these need to be my Thanksgiving pants. Mental note.
ModCloth has a seriously great collection of wide leg pants for fall, and below I’m linking some of my favorite pairs. I think these would look great with a fitted turtleneck or tee, but I chose an oversized sweater for a cozy fall look. If you need some more inspiration on how to style them… I mean, the images are endless.
Are wide leg pants a trend you would try? I am tall and wear the tallest heel I can find when rocking wide leg pants (like these). If you’re on the petite side, I would recommend wearing your tallest heel and finding a pair that is lest voluminous like this pair or this pair.
Would love to hear your thoughts on this trend! Thanks so much for reading – XO –
In every handbag I use, you’ll probably find a lip gloss or lipstick hidden somewhere in there. I can’t leave the house without a few of my beauty staples, so today I wanted to share some of my new favorites in the “on the go” arena!
I’ve always been more of a fashion girl than a beauty girl, which is why most of the beauty products I purchase are from Nordstrom. I go for a pair of jeans and leave with jeans… a lipstick and highlighter. #Gofigure. I recently tried out Charlotte Tilbury’s Instant Look Palette and now I know it is the perfect travel companion. One compact with everything you need (and labeled – how easy is that!?).
The two beauty products you’ll never find me without are a colorless finishing powder for a quick touchup when I’m shiny (this MAC one is a great buy) and a neutral lip that will go with any look. This lip liner and lip gloss are the prettiest duo!
Another bonus from snagging beauty items at Nordstrom? The samples. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve tried a sample and ended up going back for the product. Which is even better because you can be way more certain that you’re actually going to like it!
And did you guys know that there are a ton of beauty services offered at Nordstrom? AND you can even find tutorials online! Tell me the last beauty product you bought – I want to hear!
– embellished booties that make me feel so fancy –
Happy Friday! This week was a littler sweeter than my average week because of all of your feedback from Tuesday’s relationship post and yesterday’s self-love post. WOW. I am so overwhelmed with appreciation and love for you guys. If the saying, “your vibe attracts your tribe,” is true, I’m pretty freaking lucky to have some seriously incredible women who take the time out of their busy days to read CBL and share your own stories and struggles. The short of it: love you, appreciate you, MEAN IT.
The temps have finally dropped in SoCal (praise Jesus!), and as we are getting into fall, I’m starting to feel some fall cravings. I just spent some time in New York and fall is in the air on the East Coast for sure.
That being said, I am really ready for some of my favorite fall tv shows to start back. Because I work from home. By myself. Thus tv characters are basically my co-workers. This Is Us, The Affair, Modern Family, American Horror Story and Shameless to name a few… what are your fall TV shows? Fantasy football is (still) such a thing, which means that instead of watching one or two teams there’s a need to watch all of them, so I’m always looking for a little laptop distraction!
On the note of American Horror Story, I have to mention that they are filming parts of it in our neighborhood! I mentioned this on Insta-Story earlier this week, but I get so excited to see different scenes. A lot of movies and TV shows are actually filmed in Old Towne Orange because this little town kind of looks like Anywhere, USA vs. a palm tree lined neighborhood that gives major California vibes. The movie That Thing You Do was actually filmed here, along with scenes from Parks & Rec, Big Momma’s House, Surviving Christmas, American Wedding, etc.
– and on the note of embellished (insert heart eyes) –
– the cutest pom pom pumps that I can’t wait to wear this fall –
– this volcano candle that seriously gives me all the feels… best candle ever at night before I crawl in bed! –
When Christian and I were snapping these photos a few weeks ago, I knew exactly what I planned on sharing when I posted them.
I consider myself pretty tough (I asked Christian this to verify I’m straight-shooting). I am not much of a crier, and I am fairly good at knowing how to “stay in my lane.” I can put on blinders and just do me, blocking out negativity or outside influence. I think when I was 17 and in Miss Teen USA, I learned not to compare myself to others and rather focus on my own strengths and weaknesses. I am a competitive person, but only against myself. I’m always trying to out-do my own personal best.
But I have my moments where I’m anything but confident.
Five minutes before we took these photos, I had tears rolling down my cheeks. In terms of my career (which is currently this blog), this summer hasn’t been my favorite. Every week it feels like I’m tackling a new problem and it’s felt like two steps forward and one step back since May. This blog was my passion project since 2010 and over the years, it has morphed from an online journal of sorts into a lifestyle website. I left my corporate career to pursue it full-time. My husband is still in school, and he greatly helps me with CBL as it’s kind of become our own little family business.
With that comes a feeling of pressure, expectation to meet certain goals, milestones, etc. Some days I feel completely fulfilled and embrace myself, flaws and all. Other days I feel like I’ll never be good enough and that I might even be happier if I dialed back the blog, ultimately putting less pressure on myself.
I’m not a size 0, and I’m fine with that. I have a 10 lb. fluctuation range that always ebbs and flows depending on how much I’ve been traveling. I’m not a model, never have been and never have pretended to be one. I’m not a tech guru or analytical expert. I’m not a web designer or professional stylist. I don’t have perfect hair or glam makeup skills. I don’t have professional photography training. I hustle, I work as hard as I can, I do my best and most importantly, I always try to have fun with it. After all, when I started this blog I had no idea it would make a dollar. I blogged for years without making a penny, and had so much fun with it!
When style bloggers hit the scene 8+ years ago, it was about seeing real girls wearing outfits and thinking, “oh I can style a dress that way or look like that in those jeans.” As this industry has continued to evolve, now many bloggers look like they just marched out of the magazines. And hey, hats off to them for being so gorgeous. I love to see it! But those of us that are more on the relatable spectrum can be left thinking… real girls, where you at!?
But that attitude isn’t fair either. The girls lookin’ magazine-ready are real girls and they are just #blessed. The issue isn’t other people, it’s my mind. Learning to be content, to love myself, to stop reaching for unrealistic goals thinking that a new handbag, losing 5 pounds or getting 50,000 more followers will make me feel more confident. That is absurd! Learning to be happy with myself, to think of all of the reasons I am so fortunate rather to count all of the ways I could improve… this can sometimes be a day-by-day challenge.
And of course I have this amazing life partner who is both a sounding board and truth-teller. I was so embarrassed that he saw me shed tears out of lack of confidence. I usually keep those moments private because I want him to only see me as a strong and secure wife he married. But he knows exactly what to do. I don’t need someone buttering me up, I need a truth-teller who can hold up a mirror and say, “girl – you’re never going to be satisfied unless you learn to CHILL!”
So there’s my spiel on self-esteem and a little bit more about the days that I definitely don’t have it. I just want to humanize those feelings and self-doubts we can all have, no matter how confident we appear to be.
I’ve never claimed to be the authority on all things style, but I share my life because it started out as fun and has become my job. There are websites out there dedicated to bashing bloggers for literally anything. You can’t please everyone, and the fact that anyone would choose to spend their free time writing crazy mean and usually incorrect things about complete strangers is both appalling, sad and bizarre, but it exists.
Perfecting my ability to put on blinders is always a work in progress, and I’m challenging myself this fall to focus on my attitude and perspective. Do you guys relate to this? Just to be transparent, this isn’t a cry for compliments, rather I’m hoping to start a little conversation about learning to love yourself.
I’d love to hear your insights on self-esteem and how you tackle those moments when you’re feeling anything but confident. And if you need a little music motivation, this and this are two of my favorite songs when I need a little self love.
Thanks so much for reading and sharing – XO –
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I shared some of the details of a recent trip to Napa last week in this post, but I wanted to share one of my favorite looks from the trip!
This cardigan made me realize that I don’t have enough polka dots in my life. I build a lot of my wardrobe around solids (which are super practical), but a few statement pieces like this are always fun to have. And it’s currently on sale for less than $20!
I paired my polka dots with these jeans I can’t seem to stop wearing. I added my designer dupe mules from this post. I am so into them right now! The final touch was a spotted clutch – spots on spots on spots.
Tell me your feelings on polka dots! And how cute would this cardigan be partially buttoned over a white or chambray dress? Thanks so much for reading – XO –
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Anytime I do a Q&A with you guys, one of the most frequently asked questions is always about advice being married to a medical student/resident/fellow/doctor. Hint: for some of the rest, check out my FAQ page!
I’m always so surprised, yet when I recently shared this post I realized that so many of you guys are in the same position with your significant other. Furthermore – many of you ARE the MD and have said that I help you understand how your partner feels. Hats off to those smarty pants. You go Glen Coco!
I always strayed from the topic because I was worried that I would sound like I was just complaining, but a reader had the great suggestion to make it more of a “how to stay busy when your partner is away 90% of the time.” I thought, now THAT I can do.
We took some of these dreamy beach photos with Abbi Cooley in July, and I’m so excited to share them with you guys. There will be a second part sharing the rest of the photos we took (and when I got tackled by enormous/aggressive waves not once, not twice… but three times). I thought these photos would be perfect for this post that I’ve been wanting to share.
SO, all that to say… scroll down for my tips for being married to someone who’s an MD. Fun Fact: I’m actually the daughter, sister, sister-in-law and wife of doctors… so I’ve learned from some of the strong women in my family too. And I would think what I’m sharing below applies to anyone whose partner works a lot.
Their job and the health of their patients is going to come first, so your life will be more fulfilled if you’re passionate about your own career. If that’s not the case, picking up an exercise/running hobby, perfecting your cooking skills or learning a new craft (calligraphy, painting, learn a language, learn photography, etc.) are some suggestions.
Maybe this hobby is a Bravo! or Netflix marathon… I’m not judging. #Youdoyou.
2. Keep it moving.
In our house, Christian would much rather me keep things moving and live my life than wait around on him. He can easily get caught up at the hospital – most recently when my parents were in town he didn’t get home until 1AM. So go ahead and cook dinner, and leave him a plate in the microwave. Go to the musical or movie solo (the lights go out and you can’t talk anyway – who cares if you’re alone?). Walk the dog without him. You get the drift. Sometimes a spouse can feel pressured to not let you down when they know you are waiting but their schedule is out of their control. C always knows I would rather him be present, but when he can’t be, he wants me to have fun without him.
I’ve always been independent and after a being a med school girlfriend for four years and a resident wife for five years, I’ve become even more independent. I call AAA my boyfriend.
3. Make the home a peaceful place.
I always try to have the house tidy and clean by 5PM (my mom always did this for my dad), and if I’m really good – the kitchen is brewing with good smells or a candle is lit. I want Christian to look forward to coming home to a quiet, relaxing house rather than feel like he’s leaving one hectic place for another.
When I work crazy hours and come home to this scenario – it’s the best!
4. Share how proud you are of them. And when they’re exhausted… remind them that their patients don’t want to be there either.
Of course your partner knows you love them and are proud of their commitment to helping others… but a reminder doesn’t hurt. And when they’re exhausted and feeling snippy, remind them that their patients don’t want to be at the hospital either. They would much rather be… pretty much anywhere else. My father-in-law told Christian this and he continues to say it was one of the best pieces of advice!
5. Respect their sleep.
Growing up, my mom made it very well known that 9:50PM was last call on loud noises or incoming phone calls. My dad is like a fine-tuned robot – in the bed at 9:30PM and lights out at 10PM. We had an upstairs phone line for the kids because anyone who knew our family knew that calls on the downstairs line after 10PM were no bueno. Procedures are often scheduled crazy early in the morning, and my mom was majorly protective of my dad’s sleep.
At the time I was like… ok everyone relax! But now I totally get it. Christian’s hours are very intense and he is operating on patients in both scheduled surgeries and emergency room scenarios, so when he has the opportunity to sleep, he needs to take it. Buy your partner a silk eye mask and if you’re a late night TV watcher, invest in some wireless headphones.
I’m by no means saying we have a perfect marriage or that there aren’t times that I feel lonely or jealous of my friends whose partners are around more often… but these are just some of the things that work for us!
Do you have any tips for being married to an MD or partner who works crazy hours? I’d love to hear. Thank you so much for reading and as always, if there are posts you’d like to see I love getting your feedback! XO –
