Dress Beautifully: February 2021

Feb 26, 2021

Friday Favorites: Black for Spring

TGIF! As you probably know, I rarely wear black but when I do make it with ruffles and puff sleeves pretty please. I believe that's the key to keeping such a dark hue from becoming too heavy. Feminine details keep the look more fun than formal.

Sunglasses - Similar Hunter Bell Top

When wearing black I like to try and mimic the chic way Audrey Hepburn styled the classic color. She kept it sleek and youthful. It also helped that her attitude and smile exuded happiness.

Style Tip: Avoid polished accessories such as pearls and rhinestones but rather opt for shiny gold and natural beaded baubles to keep it more casual & modern.

Here are some pretty black beauties for Spring ...

Eyelet Top

Eyelet Dress

Embroidered Skirt

Flutter Sleeve A-Line Dress

Eyelet Sleeve Maxi Dress

Puff Sleeve Collared Short Sleeve Sweater

Linen Midi Skirt

Ruffle Sleeve Top

Button Front Top

Denim Rolled-Sleeve Shirt

Dress Beautifully in Black this Spring

XOXO Sarah-Louise

Feb 24, 2021

Beat the Blues

Tiered dresses are a good in-between design that's just right for every shape & style. Not fitted like a sheath but not shapeless like a shift. The graduated seams create an a-line shape thats loose enough to be comfortable and forgiving but doesn't drown your body in volume either.

It's just right!

Here's the kicker ... it's still not Spring yet so if you're bursting to wear a sundress you'll have to layer. It's a happy compromise. I love a Moto jacket to add an edgy touch to my feminine style and these boots have a western hint to them which suits my Southern self perfectly!

Also, I recommend layering this solid maxi with a long necklace or scarf to add some print and break up the solid palette.

Dress - Savvy Option | Jacket | Boots

Dress Beautifully in a Tiered Maxi Dress

XOXO Sarah-Louise

Feb 22, 2021

The Wonder of Wallpaper

Fun Fact: I'd wallpaper every room in our home if Ryan & budget allowed!

Wallpaper is just so beautiful to me! It's like clothing a room in a pretty dress. And as with yourself, dressing a room with color, print, texture and quality materials is the key to great style.

Wallpaper can be as subtle or bold as you want.

Dining Room Paper

The herons have sentimental meaning to me

Details to come soon when I share our dining room design

Wallpaper isn't your basic element of design. It's a luxury these days for the investment in materials and installation. And because of this, and the lack of an easy undo, choosing where and what wallpaper is a big decision.

Typically, wallpaper is best for small and/or formal spaces. Gone are the days of wallpapering kitchens and living rooms. Today it's most commonly used in powder rooms, formal dining rooms, entry ways, and bedrooms. Kids bedrooms are the most fun!

Entryway Paper

The hydrangeas, color & print are all sentimental

Details to come soon when I share our entryway design

I'm not an interior designer and in no way want to step on their expertise. They are educated and have the unique talent & resources to do what they do BUT I believe that having ownership of your space is a must. It is your home where you live and where you make your memories. Therefore the design, decor and elements should mean something to you and reflect who you are.

When choosing finishes for our home I implement these very principles in each room.

Here are My Tips for Implementing Wallpaper into Your Home:

Choose the room

Choose a color palette - we have an heirloom rug in our living room in pink and blue that set the tone for the papers in the adjoining rooms

Narrow down the pattern - florals, graphics, small or big repeats ...

Pinterest, IG & Google image Search! When you believe you've found a wallpaper you love, search online to see it implemented in spaces. It will help give you a good idea of what it would look like on your walls.

Order a Sample! It's hard to know colors and textures online shopping. Our dining room paper has metallic gold throughout that just doesn't covey in images. The raised texture in our entryway paper is a detail you can't feel on the screen.

Visit a Design Store! It is so helpful to see, touch and flip through books of papers. It can help you hone in on your selection.

Hire Professionals! This is not where you watch a Youtube video and try and hang it yourself. NO. It is an art to paste and line the print up just right - it's worth every penny! If it's off just a hair it will haunt you.

I started to round up my favorite papers and about an hour into it I realized I could be here uploading and linking for weeks! There are so many beauties out there.

Here are some that I would add to our home if I could (I just may and beg for forgiveness after!) ...

Citrus Garden

I'd love to incorporate this into our sunroom

Chinoiserie Mural

I originally chose this for our dining but now want it for our bedroom

Formal with Birds

8 colors

I love this for our upstairs hallways

Bowood

This would be precious in Vivian's room

Snake

I'd love this for the back of lacquered built in shelves in the office or in our closet!

Forest

I love this for our office, powder room or den

Swan Lake

This would be so lovely in our guest bath or bedroom

Our master bedroom had gold grasscloth paper already up when we purchased our home.

While I absolutely love the natural texture, the gold wasn't my favorite at first but it's beauty has grown on me! It actually warms the space and compliments nicely as a lustrous neutral.

I believe for such a large room (it's over 25 ft long) a print would have been too overwhelming. I highly recommend grasscloth for depth if paint is just too plain and print is a tad too much.

P.S. I'm will be sharing more of my home decor & inspiration this year because I enjoy dressing it beautifully almost as much as I do myself!

Dress Your Home Beautifully in Wallpaper

XOXO Sarah-Louise

Feb 19, 2021

Friday Favorites: Pockets of Sunshine

Little pockets of joy are everywhere! You just need to stop and look around.

Gals, there's not a dull day in the news and rarely is it ever good. Whether it's COVID, politics, or as of late winter weather wreaking havoc don't let it put a dark cloud over you. Pull that sunshine out of your pocket and celebrate the blessings you have despite all that other stuff.

We've all tried on a dress and as our hands are skimming the fabric in admiration we feel that side seem and slip into a little pouch. And suddenly that dress went from a prospect to 'it has pockets, score!'

Pockets are functional for men, they carry their wallet, keys, money clip, and maybe chapstick or a handy tool or two.

The funny thing is, pockets aren't really for storage for us ladies, we have handbags for that. Well, it's not unheard of for Vivian to slip some acorns or left over snacks in mine for me to hold for her #momlife. Pockets are more of a place holder for our hands. It keeps us from fidgeting and aids in standing tall with good posture. They're little hidden gems of confidence.

Here are some pretty pieces with pockets ...

Button Front Trapeze Dress

Under $40

Flutter Sleeve A-Line Dress

6 prints/colors - Under $40

3 prints

Flutter Sleeve Floral Mini

Popover Dress

5 colors

Flutter Sleeve Dot Dress

also in black

Dress Beautifully with a Little Sunshine in Your Pocket

XOXO Sarah-Louise

Feb 17, 2021

Cozy but Make it Chic

Brrr it's so cold everywhere! I know it's Winter, but for us Southerners it's colder than we're used to! I also know that for the past year cozy clothes have become the uniform for most gals since the entire country is held captive in their home. Even retailers have converted their racks from holding their usual polished pieces to sweat suits.

If you know me IRL, you know SL is nothing like the norm so this won't come as a shock, but I do not own sweats. Pause for reaction.

I own 2 pairs of joggers that I may wear once a week and as for leggings - mine are true athletic wear and only worn during sweat sessions.

Yes, that means I'm at home each day in my blue jeans.

Fact: You can be cozy, comfortable AND chic. Take your warm tops and elevate them by pairing with jeans, or here's an idea, a maxi skirt! You're covered (so don't stress about shaving your legs) and may just feel better about the way you look, feminine! I bet you you'll even twirl around a bit.

I may not be about lounge wear but I do value comfort. This fleece is #1 for that. It's warm, soft and stylish with the oversized funnel neck. I've shared the amazingness of these fleece tops/designer on this post. I believe every wardrobe needs one, two or several of these! They come in 3 different lengths and so many colors!

What I really want to encourage you to do is to take your cozy sweaters, fleeces, even sweatshirts (please make it a modern one and not the oversized alma matter one you purchased at the college campus store) and pair them with a long skirt and a little sneaker. Swapping out your leggings, joggers or jeans for a little femininity will make a world of difference in feeling pretty and put together while still being comfortable.

You can be cozy but make it chic!

I'll be pairing this skirt with tanks and even over my bikinis while vacationing come Summer!

Fleece | Maxi Skirt - $20 option & Here - Under $30 & lots of colors/prints | Sneakers |

Dress Beautifully in Cozy Pieces but Make it Chic

XOXO Sarah-Louise

Feb 15, 2021

Ruffled

What ruffles your feathers?

My Blouse

For me it's not being early, clutter, bad weather (I currently can not remember how many days it's been since I've seen the sun!), lazy people and disrupted plans #typeA

Ruffled tops and dresses, now that's a win! Ruffles are a soft flutter of fabric that adds delicate emphasis and flounce to your step! This detail is a big trend right now & I couldn't be happier about it.

Since it's been days and days of frigid cold (well for us Southerners) and dark grey rainy skies, I'm lifting my spirits browsing Spring styles.

Here are some pretty ruffled pieces ...