Walking on Sunshine

Gals, I'm literally walking on sunshine! Yesterday was my 35th birthday and I couldn't be more blessed to welcome this year.  Last year when I blew out the candles on my cake my wish was for God to gift us a healthy baby. Here I sit with the most beautiful baby girl!

It's amazing how much has changed in the past year ... I survived 8 months of pregnancy (puking my guts up daily), an emergency c-section delivery, a premie baby who is now 4 months old in 2 days and nursing with it's epic struggles. Crazy Changes!!!

I feel so blessed (do not confuse that ... my life is NOT problem free) that I struggled to come up with a wish this year. Vivian Louise has certainly changed my perspective on things that really matter and the things that just aren't so important any more.

Now, I still care about what I wear.  Although  nursing makes me look at the functionality of outfits first ugh (still not a fan but still doing it and still feeling like a dairy cow)
Note: this dress is not nursing friendly but I don't let that run my life, I'll just limit it to shorter outings/occasions like church, dates or with my gal pals

Eyelet is my sister's favorite fabric so when I saw this yellow dress I immediately thought of her.  I love the midi length and the tiered design.  The pom pom balls are added fun :)
Kate Spade designed a very similar dress last year but it was a bit pricey.  This one looks just like it!

I don't really own much yellow in my wardrobe so adding this sunny dress brought some happy to my closet.

Note: This dress is from the Crown & Ivy line at Belk - sadly I couldn't find it online

Similar: Yellow Dress & Here  ||  Wedges  ||  Denim Jacket  ||  Handbag  ||  Earrings ||  Sunglasses  ||

Dress Beautifully in a Yellow Dress

XOXO Sarah Louise

Moto

Everyone has a style box.  Perimeters that we dress within a majority of the time.  For example I would categorize my style as classic, polished and ladylike.  But that doesn't mean I don't appreciate other styles. I believe it's important to incorporate elements that aren't your instinctual go-to.  It would be so boring and predictable if you didn't.

So, I make effort to add preppy, sporty, boho, glam and edgy pieces into my wardrobe to add variety and to stay modern.  If you venture too far outside of your 'style' box I can promise you won't wear it. The key is to find pieces that you actually like (don't choose something because someone or everyone else is wearing it) and avoid going to the extreme.

I knew I wanted a moto jacket to add an edgy element to my wardrobe. The leather moto jacket while trending huge this past year has been around for decades. I chose one that's fairly basic in black.  I didn't go for one in color, with fringe, or with embroidery or grommets.  That would just be too much and I'd feel like I was in a costume.

I also try and keep the investment lower on pieces that are more trendy or outside of my style box. So, I went with faux leather and purchased on sale when choosing this moto jacket.

I styled weekend look on the greyscale.  This moto jacket paired with my weekday office garments (sheath dresses, trousers & blouse) or a feminine floral piece and you have a very modern and chic outfit.

Moto Jacket || Blouse || Grey Jeans || OTK Boots || Polish || 

Dress Beautifully in a Moto Jacket

XOXO Sarah Louise

Foxy & Fabulous

"I say, dress to please yourself. Listen to your inner muse and take a chance. Wear something that says 'Here I am!' today." - Iris Apel

Foxy & Fabulous!  That's how I feel in this arctic blue fur number.  It's a statement, a bold statement, and I L.O.V. E. it! Fashion is about wearing pieces that make you feel beautiful and confident and this piece does just that.

I literally have been frustrated over the past few weeks that the weather hasn't been cold enough to rock this beauty.  But finally Winter has shown itself and I'm strutting out in my pale blue faux fur coat.

Now, not everyone is a fan. What??!!! Bless them.  #haters
What some may think is over the top, gaudy, tacky, or crazy I find to be stylish, glamorous and down right fabulous! (I can't use that adjective enough)

So, if you share my sentiment let's talk about this blue wonder.  It is faux fur and in a slightly cropped design the fit and thickness doesn't overwhelm with too much volume.  Cropped hems leave room to showcase your top and shorter sleeves leave room for movement of your arms and hands while allowing space to let your cuffs or bracelets shine. I also adore the necklace neckline.  With no collar it leave the space open around your neck and face which is slimming and again leaving room for layers and highlighting accessories.

The fur is super soft and has an eye-catching luster that makes the ice blue pop.  There are hook and eye clasps for closure.  I apologize for not capturing the lining but it's in a small damask print in navy and burgundy.

Tip:  Always look to the lining of jackets/blazers for color pairing options.

I stayed neutral in color pairings with this fur.  I went with a semi-casual look with a silk ivory blouse, grey skinny jeans and suede over the knee boots. Mixing casual and dressy is the name of my game.  It allows for optimizing wear of my 'work' clothes and investment as they are almost always more expensive due to the nature of their quality and it takes my weekend/evening looks from basic to chic!

I'd rather be interesting that blend!

I plan to pair with navy, ivory, grey, burgundy suiting pieces for the office for a more subdued palette. For the weekends, it's all about color with printed pieces containing the colors mustard yellow, emerald green, purple ... the sky's the limit!

While the silk blouse, boots and fur are more on the fancy side of the style scale the jeans and cross body saddle bag are more relaxed.

When you take garments out of their intended style box and blend them together you create a blended look that sure to set a fabulous tone!

Maybe a colored fur coat is a bit much for you; I sorta get it.  Then maybe you should try a colored faux fur collar or simply try embracing a piece that is outside your box that makes you smile.
Clearly I don't let others dampen my strut and you shouldn't either.

Here I am in my blue foxy fur!

I seriously feel like I'm snuggled up in a luxurious stuffed animal

It's simplistic yet chic when the coat comes off 

Party on the outside and business on the inside

Blue Faux Fur Coat - Similar & Here & Here & Here || Silk Blouse || Grey Jeans || 

Over the Knee Boots || Saddle Bag || 

Dress Beautifully in Faux Fur

XOXO Sarah Louise

Houndstooth

The weekend is just a hop, skip and a jump away!  I know we just had a big long Thanksgiving holiday ... about that, sorry for the blog break but a timeout was just what I needed and besides I'm hoping you were like me, soaking up moments with the ones you love and focusing on all there is to be grateful for!

When it comes to the holiday season, tis the time to dress beautifully for all those festive fetes. As much as I love sparkle, lace and shine I don't find it wise to invest in cocktail dresses that get worn once maaaaybe twice.  I believe in owning pieces that are versatile and that means investing in classic, quality pieces that fit for multiple occasions and this dress fits the bill.

This dress is not only fun with it's flirty hem ruffles but it's in a brushstroke houndstooth print, my Most Favorite print EVER! Houndstooth has been my favorite since my college days.  It's timeless and not overly anything.  What I mean is isn't not too feminine/masculine, not too graphic/abstract, not too warm weather/cold, not color/neutral specific and perfect in any home designed in drapes/upholstery.

You can wear this beauty to the office, date night, holiday party, church, basically anywhere you want. The silk fabric gives it a luxurious sheen and all season wear.

Stay tuned - Five ways to style this houndstooth number on tomorrow's Friday 5 post!

Oh and I finally jumped on the tassel earring trend!  I went with black as I knew they weren't an everyday kind of bauble and black goes perfectly for dressy occasions. I must say, I wish I had jumped on board sooner.  Despite their slightly heavy weight they're fun, elongating on the face and show off nicely with a pulled back hairdo.

Houndstooth Dress || Over the Knee Boots || Tassel Earrings || 

Dress Beautifully in Houndstooth

XOXO Sarah Louise

Charcoal

Charcoal jeans are my favorite addition this Fall.  They still go with everything your standard blue jeans go with because grey is a neutral.  Think about how you style your grey trousers for the office, the same color pairings apply but in a more casual way.

One of my struggles with traditional blue jeans is that styled with dark blue tops/sweaters your look becomes monochromatic and the prettiness of the top/sweater can get lost in the sea of blue.

Charcoal jeans will show off those blues and for that matter all colors.  Go light or dark the sky's the limit.  Grey is one of those soft neutrals that adds freshness to a look.  It also add an edgy element/vibe.  After wearing these grey jeans, 2 of my gal pals have now added them to their closets. They're a great fit, wash and price point.

I went with the classic black and white palette.  Since Fall temps can literally swing 50 degrees throughout the day, a sleeveless sweater is a nice balance of warmth.  Now, these over the knee boots have been front and center the past few posts #sorrynotsorry.  To say I love them is an understatement.  They're a soft black suede, fit my legs like a glove and have cute ties in the back to hold them in place.  But the Best part is the gold block heel! Swoon!
These shine with style and comfort.

One of my sweet readers and gal pals requested for me to show you how to wear these over the knee boots with pants.  I'm all about it as my inventory of hemlines that fall above the knee is limited. Just keepin it classy.

There's a method here gals ....

- Opt for skinny snug jeans or riding pants
- Thin ankle socks
- Fold the boots down (if there is no zipper) and place your foot into the boots
- Fold the boots up and over your pants similar to how you would put on tights

This will eliminate the struggle of shoving/bunching that happens when stepping into the boots from the top as your pants come up too.

This season add some variety to your denim with charcoal jeans and chicness to your look with over the knee boots.

Charcoal Jeans & Similar & Here || Sleeveless Sweater & Similar & Here || 

Over the Knee Boots || Handbag & Similar || 

Dress Beautifully in Charcoal Jeans

XOXO Sarah Louise

Pink & Plaid

Til the season for layers which is great because more is more right?! Well, it depends, but when it comes to style I love that cooler weather allows for endless combinations of textures and colors.
This time of year in the South can be a struggle.  Down right cold in the mornings but by lunch you're breaking a sweat. And then it's cold again come supper time.  #SMH

Yes it can be annoying but use this indecisive weather as a styling opportunity to pile on the pieces.

Take this look for example, it's has all the elements of chic style: color, pattern, texture and shine.

Let's break it down ...

Color: Pink is all year pretty ladies and it's fun to add lighter shades to the season of darks

Pattern:  Plaid Plaid Plaid is everywhere come September, this patterned plaid is called 'Glen plaid' and it's my favorite.  It's more sophisticated than your typical lumberjack check

Texture:  This jacket in a structured warm wool contrasted with the delicate ruffled blouse adds interest and depth to the look.  Not to mention these soft suede boots!

Shine: Those gold block heels are strut worthy! You can always use jewelry for this element.

Layer on Ladies!

Blouse || Jacket || Skirt & Similar || Boots 

Dress Beautifully in Plaid & Pink

XOXO Sarah Louise

Texture & Shine

Tweed is one of my favorite textured fabrics.  It's soft, warm and adds depth to a garment with its blend of threads.  This peplum top is a perfect transition piece for Fall.  The fabric adds just the right amount of warmth and with elbow length sleeves just the right amount of coverage.

What sold me on this top was the structure and tailoring.  Everything about its construction is flattering!  The straight elbow sleeves slim the arm, the front pleats cinch the waist and the peplum hem creates curves. #winner

I used the threads of the tweed in the top to create the palate for this look.  A shorter ivory skirt to compliment these AMAZING black over the knee boots creates a cohesive pairing to the top.

These boots!  I love the suede over the knee boots that have stormed the scene for the past few years but I've found it to be a challenge as I prefer a low/mid heel, the price needs to be right (no offense Stuart Weitzman but you are too rich for my feet!) and I struggle finding boots that fit my legs. When I saw the shiny gold block heel on this pair, I said a great big prayer that they would fit my legs. Amen! they fit beautifully! I often have to go up in size for the extra room in the shaft and have to wear extra thick socks.  Not this time gals, they hug my legs like a glove and the back tie secures them in place.

These will be on epic repeat all season long! Obsessed with the gold heel!!!

Tip:  When wearing over the knee boots, your dress/skirt hem should be slightly above the top of the boot; but not too short #keepitclassy

Tweed Peplum Top || Skirt || Boots 

Dress Beautifully in Tweed 

XOXO Sarah Louise