Friday Favorites: Velvet

 TGIF! This has been a wonderful week for my family. We were together!!! We go extended periods apart with Ryan's travel job in the ER, and this season includes some long stretches. 

There's a lot of girl dinners and giving gratitude to endure the challenges. 

VELVET VEST

There's SO MUCH holiday on the racks with sparkles, satins and embellishments.

Velvet is an elegant and rich fabric that translates to both special occasions and the every day in this season. The soft texture and weight makes it lovely for dressy occasions but not limiting. 

Style Tip: Pair with cotton (tees, button ups), sweaters and jeans for a casual look.

Beautiful Velvet Pieces ...

ONE SHOULDER TOP

BLAZER

also in black, navy & lilac

the trim is beautiful!

WRAP MINI SKIRT

WIDE LEG TROUSER

4 colors

BARREL PANTS

PUFF SLEEVE MINI DRESS

MARY JANE FLAT

BLAZER DRESS

KNOT HANDBAG

RELAXED BLAZER

Dress Beautifully in Velvet

XOXO Sarah Louise

Orchid Vest 3 Ways

 Where do I begin? 

To me, style is a way to showcase you, your personality, your likes and a way to make you feel your best.

I love color - especially pinks & purples. I also find that structured pieces add sophistication to my wardrobe and enhance my confidence. Put them together and you have this vest that's not only pretty but makes me feel pretty! 

It's also versatile ... Here's 3 ways to style it:

ORCHID VEST - SIMILAR

JEANS - STRIPED BUTTON UP - BLACK PANTS - BUCKLE FLATS

Dress Beautifully in a Structured Vest

XOXO Sarah Louise

Style Mullet

 Mullets, a tragic hair style from decades ago that should never ever come back. They're often referred to as 'business in the front and party in the back' due to the contrasting length of short & long lengths.

I find that applying this contrasting concept to fashion by mixing dressy & casual pieces is a combination that's chic! 

For Summer, a vest is a great option to add structure, look polished but also staying cool. Rather than trousers or even jeans, pair with shorts for an unexpected look that balances with casual comfort.

GREEN VEST

Designer Veronica Beard has a similar vest that's I've wanted for a while but it's a splurge!

PINK TWEED

I love the double gold buttons and open design to stay cool.

Dress Beautifully in a Vest & Shorts

XOXO Sarah Louise

Vest -astic

 Vests are a great way to add structure and sophistication to your look.  That can be challenging in the warmer months as pieces are light weight (for heat survival) and casual. 

A vest, due to its sleeveless design, adds polish while still keeping you cool.

PS the v-neck is elongates the face and the un-layered look is chic!

Style Tip: Pairs beautifully with shorts! I find the contrast of dressy & casual to be very stylish.

Pretty Summer Vests ... 

DENIM VEST

STRIPE LINEN VEST

several colors

SCOOPNECK

several colors

SLIM LINEN

several colors

CONTRAST TRIM

great price!

Dress Beautifully in a Vest

XOXO Sarah Louise

A Little Leather

 Gals, I love adding a little leather to my outfits. It provides an edgy and expensive looking element to the look. Leather can be styled dressy or casual but regardless is a timeless texture.

MY VEST

Style Tip: Adding leather (jacket, vest, boots or belt) to a girlie dress/skirt creates an interesting contrast!

Here are some pretty leather pieces to style:

JACKET

I love the texture on this one

PANTS

This wide leg crop cut is flattering

also in brown & black

DRESS

also in black

SKIRT

The long length of this skirt is so flattering & chic!

Dress Beautifully in Leather

XOXO Sarah Louise

Friday Favorites: Light Layers

 TGIF! And finally weather to layer.  Our mornings here have delighted with a slight chill. I'm making the effort to enjoy these mornings with coffee, walks and windows open to the outside because the afternoons are still hot!

MY METALLIC VEST

also in green

A light layer will not only keep you comfortable but it adds a dimension of style! A layer is an opportunity to showcase your personality. I had some fun with this metallic puffer vest.

Here are some beautifully layers with a variety of look ...

SWEATER VEST

SHEARLING

love the green color and waist pulls

CROPPED MOTO

I have this one

FAUX LEATHER PUFFER

4 colors

REVERSIBLE PUFFER/SHEARLING

also in ivory

QUILTED 

4 colors

Dress Beautifully in a Light Layer

XOXO Sarah Louise

Sharp Dressed Girl

Everybody's crazy about a sharp dressed girl! We all want to be cool and comfortable in these warm months but we shouldn't have to compromise on style. A vest is a great option for adding a tailored piece this season. Designed in lighter fabrics and colors they bring elements of structure and sharpness into a causal look.

To me they add sophistication in a modern way.

Tip: Pair with a loose bottom like pleated shorts or skirts and wide leg pants for balance.

I paired this white linen vest with a light wash wide leg crop jean. It's comfortable & causal yet very sharp! 

Vest (also in tan & black) - Wide Leg Jeans - Platform Heels

This linen vest is fun in a pink color. I balanced with a white trouser jean. This outfit has the look of a suit but relaxed. These jeans will be my go to this summer! They're much lighter than a skinny pair as they are roomier on the leg and also make you appear taller!

Pink Vest (also in tan & black) - White Trouser Jean

Dress Beautifully in a Vest

XOXO Sarah Louise

Python Purse

Gals, this look bumped the others down on the list to post because I was so excited to share this python purse Mr gifted me for Christmas.  I had posted about it on this Friday 5 Post several weeks back and when it was 30% off for Black Friday I made sure Mr knew about it.

Surprise presents are just rare for us.  So rather than struggle and hunt down something that the other may want we either treat ourselves or send a link via email - so romantic I know. But honestly romance isn't in wrapped presents, it's in the little things like when Mr surprised me with my nursery chair or when he put together baby girl's crib on a day I was super sick at work and sent me a picture.

So back to the purse/outfit, I do believe that when you're wearing solids or color blocking you must add some print somewhere and animal prints are my most favorite! Despite my intense fear of snakes I'm obsessed with snake accessories.  They have a fierceness and expensive look about them.

This dress is obviously maternity - but my vest is not.  I've utilized vests and jackets to add style and variety to my maternity pieces.  Even thought they don't button I find that they still get the style job done and they even help me feel a bit more confident by adding coverage to all my extra curves.

PS #36weeks

Maternity LBD  ||  Vest  ||  Python Purse  ||  Pumps  || 

Dress Beautifully with Python Accessories

XOXO Sarah Louise

Blanket Scarf

The Blanket Scarf is Trending .... Just in Case You've Been Living Under a Rock and Didn't Know.

Trend: Something that is currently popular or fashionable.

Gals I Must Share this Rule: "Just because it's Trending Doesn't Mean You Should Wear it!"

So Here's My Criteria for Embracing a Trend:
- Is it Flattering?
- Can it be Worn Next Year and the Year After?
- How Often Can it be Worn?
- Price, Can You Rock it Inexpensively Until You've Decided to Invest?

When it came to Jumping on the Blanket Scarf Trend the Answers were All Positive. 
It's flattering (well it's an scarf so it's great for all shapes and sizes), it's a plaid print in traditional colors so a classic that can be worn for years, it's an appropriate accessory for work & weekend looks, and since you can find them at almost all apparel retailers in a variety of fabrics there is sure to be a price that fits your wallet. 

Bonus: It's Warm! 

I'm more of a Silk Scarf Enthusiast so I Opted for a Blanket Scarf that Looks & Feels Expensive but at a Price that You can't Walk Away from. 

And for Even More Fun, I Paired it's Many Colors with Pattern, Texture, and Shine

Stripes, Plaid, Fur Oh My!

Blanket Scarf: Target || Striped Dress: Saint James Similar || Fur Vest: Tahari Similar ||  

Gray Boots: Cole Hann Similar || Hobo Handbag: Marshalls Love this One from Madewell || 

'S' Bracelet: C Wonder Similar || Earrings: Kate Spade || 

Sunglasses: Target || Polish: Butter London || 

Dress Beautifully in a Blanket Scarf

XOXO Sarah Louise