Purple Reign

When you take a look in my closet you'll see a whole lot of white next to a whole lot of color. And of those colors you'll see pink the most right next to purple. Color, whether in decorating our homes or our outfits, brings joy to yourself and shows others an insight to your personality.

I believe it's important to style with things you love to create a presentation that's true to you.

I'm not a gal that finds something I like and buys it in multiples BUT this dress AND this skirt in a beautiful purple patterned silk spoke to me. I was luck to find them on a sample sale and while the fabric is the same I plan to style them differently.

For this dress adding a heel and jewelry is perfect for a dressy look.

For something a bit more casual, layer a fur vest and opt for a knee high boot or bootie.

For this skirt there are quite a bit more styling options ...

I love a crisp white shirt, but denim, a cozy sweater and even a sweatshirt are great options.

As for accessories, belts are my #1 but I find a leather jacket, vest and boots are chic too.

Purple Dress & Here & Here

Purple Skirt  & Here

Tip: Next time you're shopping filter by a color that makes you happy!

Dress Beautifully in a Favorite Color

XOXO Sarah Louise

Golden

Last week I wore this golden color and my sister says to me, 'that is your color!'.  I was perplexed. I don't gravitate to this shade of yellow, had never thought about it being a complement to my personal tones and yet I don't think she's wrong. 

It's just the right amount of bright and bold but in a rich and soft way in this feminine blouse. I easily could have paired it with my go-to light wash jeans but I want to show you more ways to mix colors with other colors, giving your neutrals a break.

I wish I had added a necklace, one that's a bit of a statement with some soft colors to add some texture and print. But also I'm happy with just letting the gold shine.

I love these pants for their high waist and minimal pleating for comfort. They add just the right amount of room so that the fabric skims (more flattering that super fitted). 

Tip: If I don't replace the self fabric belt (rare) I will tie it beyond the belt loop so it hangs more on the hip.

I kept my handbag and shoes very soft and neutral as these jewel tones need no competition.

Gold Blouse - More Gold Options - Purple Pants

Dress Beautifully in Gold

XOXO Sarah Louise

Power of a Pretty Printed Top

Gals, there's power in a pretty printed blouse! Power of versatility with a variety of color pairings, power of interest as the pattern showcases your personal style, power of flattery as it camouflages and power to elevate your look with even the most simple of pairings.

This pretty printed top had the power to tickle my fancy with it's colors, shape, fabric in a cool crisp cotton and vintage blossom print. 

I LOVE flutter sleeves for the way they frame the body.  They add emphasis/strong volume that creates a visual hourglass silhouette making the arms appear slimmer, waist smaller, and adds proportions to the hips.  They also have coverage for your shoulders concealing undergarments and protecting against the sun. As if that wasn't enough they also add femininity with a ruffle or pleat and have ease of moment.

Styling a printed blouse with a simple solid short, skirt or jean allows the blouse to be the focus of your outfit. I chose my favorite distressed jeans for a laidback chic look with a heeled espadrille (my fav Summer shoe) but for church I'll pair with an ivory skirt and for outdoor shindigs a pair of ivory, brown or navy shorts with flat sandals.

Top (2 color options) | Jeans | Espadrilles | 

Dress Beautifully in a Pretty Printed Top

XOXO Sarah-Louise

Ikat

Ikat is a method of printing woven fabric by tie-dyeing the warp yarns before weaving. 

One of the defining characteristics of Ikat textiles is the ‘blurriness’ of the design.  It’s a result of the extreme difficulty in lining up the yarns in constructing the pattern.  The blurred print gives a softer statement and over the years has become valued by designers.

Personally, I love the not so sharp print.  I prefer abstract over graphic for its subtlety and more discrete statement.

Blurred prints are easier to mix with other prints and colors and are especially great in interior design for pillows and upholstery.

This top is particularly nice for its purple color.  Is it just me or is purple a very rare color to find?  From a production stand point I know that purple pigments/dyes are more expensive than other colors but I would totally be willing to pay for such a pretty shade!

I kept this look light in pairing with a complementary ivory skirt and nude heels.  

Ikat Top: Similar & Here || Skirt: Similar & Here || Pumps: Cole Haan ||

Dress Beautifully in Ikat

XOXO Sarah Louise

Orchid

Orchid is one of my favorite colors and plants for that matter. It’s not too dark and not too light, not too pink and not too purple … it’s just the right shade.

I shared with you my love of maxi dresses here and how when designed in a dressier fabric can really be versatile from day to night.

This dress particularly caught my eye first for its orchid color and then for its slim silhouette, and strappy top. 

With a denim jacket, long printed scarf and sandals it’s perfect for casual weekends. 

With a silk shawl, statement jewelry and a pulled back hairdo it’s perfect for date night or weddings.

I kept my styling simple with a dainty long necklace and tan strappy sandals.  

Orchid Dress: J Crew || Sandals: Similar & Here || Necklace: Similar || 

Dress Beautifully in an Orchid Maxi Dress

XOXO Sarah Louise

Purple & Orange

I'm totally loving this color pairing!  Mixing bright colors makes me happy.  It's sunny and Springtime, so give your darks and neutrals a time out. 

When I mix my colors I make sure there's print involved to add interest.  Gingham is a favorite! Check out these gingham pants from last week.  

I kept it cool with rolled up sleeves and a collar pop.

Gingham Shirt: Brooks Brothers Similar & Here || Skirt: Skirtin Around Similar & Here ||

Shoes: Franco Sarto Similar & Here || Earrings: Tory Burch || 

Dress Beautifully in Purple & Orange

XOXO Sarah Louise