The Popular Pant

Wide leg crop pants are flattering comfortable and quite honestly a pretty pair of pants. They're slimming on the leg and offer the opportunity for any shoes pairing.

This one pair however is so popular among actual gals I know, online influencers and the staff and retailer itself. This pant is so loved that it comes in a ton of colors, prints and fabrics (stretch cotton, corduroy, velvet, faux leather).

I finally got myself a pair and whole heartedly agree they're amazing! They're so easy to move around in and give my go-to denim a break. I chose this dark olive color as you can style this just as you would a neutral. I do have my eye on the purple pair and find the prints super fun.

Style Tip: these do have stretch so I went my with normal size.

Cropped Wide Leg Pants - Lots of other options

Dress Beautifully in a Cropped Wide Leg Pant

XOXO Sarah Louise

2023 Home Design Inspiration

I have so many design dreams for our 1963 Georgian Colonial home! When we purchased it 4+ years ago every single room needed my touch with the exception of the master bathroom. It was perfect! We started by having every wall painted prior to moving in and slowly we've been remodeling and decorating.

Last year we took a break and invested in lots of travel but this year I'm ready to add a lot of design to a few spaces.

Here's the inspiration I have for our home this year ...

GUEST BEDROOM

I love this calming soft mint green color for the wall. 

Contrasted against our rich wood furniture gives a very traditional look.

I'm going to accessorize the room with crisp linens, pop of print in pillows and with my nature treasures: seashells, rocks, feathers, and sharks teeth!

HALLWAY

I believe hallways are one of the most important spaces in a home and yet they are often the most neglected when it comes to design. They are a high traffic space and a center focal point. We have an extra wide and long hallway upstairs with a large landing area at the top of the stairs giving ample opportunity to make a style statement.

I want to add chair molding with picture framing underneath starting on one side of our stairs up and through the entire hallway. I'll then add this fern branch wall paper above! 

POWDER ROOM

We have remodeled our powder room with new flooring and fixtures but now I want to give it more pizzazz with mural wallpaper!

My gal pal put this scene in her sauna room and I love it!

LIGHTING

I believe lighting is the jewelry for the home! I'm looking for shiny gold fixtures for our sunroom, den, office, guest room, our master closet but perhaps a white one for Vivian's room.

KITCHEN

This will leave only our kitchen left to design and it's going to be a doozy! It may be a few more years of waiting. A complete renovation from top to bottom with a big price tag (so we've saved that one for last). But since I'm sharing here's my inspiration for it. 

Dress Your Home Beautifully

(even if it's just in your dreams)

XOXO Sarah Louise

Friday Favorites: Jeans

 Gals, jeans are my jam! I wear them Every. Single. Day! I chill in them, play in them and dress them up in the evenings. I'll share this unsurprising fact - I have quite a few pairs. I go through phases with my favorites and have quite the variety of washes and cuts.  I gravitate to raw hems, medium washes, high rise (but not too high) and very little stretch. 

Style Tip: I'm 5'2" (if the nurse doesn't mash my hair when measuring my height) so jeans are often too long. After washing, I take a pair of scissors and cut them for raw hem - do NOT do before washing as they may shrink. You can always go back and cut more. 

I find raw hems lighter and less bulky on the leg. 

My favorite brands are Mother (designer and worth every penny!), J Crew and Madewell. In fact after review those are the only brands I have.

Style Tip: Find brands that fit for your body shape and stick with it! I have thicker legs proportionally to my hips and waist. 

Due to the number of wears and years I wear them I'm happy to invest because there's so much greatness about a pair of jeans that fit just right!

Here are my favorite jeans ...

Light Distressed Straight Leg

These are a splurge but amazing! 

These are a rigid no stretch jean - I got up 2 sizes for a loose fit (27)

Crop Step Fray

I love the interesting hem. Cropped styles are best for me because I am petite and they allow for any shoe.

These have some stretch so I stay true to my normal size 25

Crop Distressed Chew Hem

I call these my cool girl jeans. These are fitted and I typically wear on evenings out - stretch (true size 25) 

Skinny

You can't go wrong!

They're great styled with absolutely ANY shoe - but there's something sassy when you dress them up with a heel and fun blouse for a night out.

I like a high rise - these have a little stretch I size down to 24 in almost all Madewell jeans.

Straight

These are my go-to for a classic and comfortable look. A medium wash, slight gradient fading and slim straight leg. These are the MOST flattering wash and design when it comes to jeans (IMO).

I size down in J Crew jeans to a 24.

Relaxed Straight

These are a slightly more roomy straight leg with a high rise, button fly & raw hem. They're just a smidge more casual that the classic straight jeans above. These are great for causal day-to-day living and super cute with sneakers!

This pair does not have stretch - I size up just 1 to a 26

Demi-Boot

This style is similar to a straight leg but with a slight little flare just at the hem (a true flare/boot cut begins to flare at the knee). I've had to cut the hem on these and to be honest they need a little more trimming. I chose to show you a charcoal wash - I prefer it over black as it modern and you don't have to worry about fading/color transfer with washing like you do with a pitch black pair.

A little stretch & in this brand again I size down to a 24

Dress Beautifully in Jeans

XOXO Sarah Louise

Orange Gladness

Orange you glad it's the new year - or that the kids are back in school (me too!)  I love fresh starts and new beginnings but New Year's can be too much pressure. The reality is each week, morning, hour or even half hour you can start new.  I find my self adjusting my perspective throughout my days.

This is my 10th year sharing on this space and for the first month I'm going to create very colorful outfits to inspire you! Kate Spade said 'Live Colorfully' and I couldn't agree more - which is one of many reasons she's one of my favorite designers.

I like mixing bold colors and pastels. It makes for a pretty contrast that's more unexpected than pairing color with a neutral. Using the color wheel is a full tool for combining colors but honestly going with what looks beautiful to you is best. 

As much fun as color blocking is, I do believe in adding print and shine, even if small. I chose a cool neutral snake print handbag and metallics with a classic hoop earrings and hardware on my loafers. The brightness from the ivory in the shoes & bag enhance the colors of the outfit.

I adore the sweetheart illusion design! It's so unique yet very wearable. 

I also find high waisted pleated pants flattering and comfortable. They create a soft silhouette as opposed to super fitted pants. 

Orange Sweetheart Top - Orchid Pants

Similar Loafers - Similar Handbag - Earrings

Dress Beautifully in Color

XOXO Sarah Louise

2023 Word of the Year

 Happy New Year! I'm so jazzed about what 2023 will bring! 

I'm an eternal optimist, always looking ahead with enthusiasm - frankly I just don't see any other way. It's not that I am naive to challenges but that I know there is so much good that accompany them making the future exciting to see what's in store.

Rather than resolutions, that most often never come to fruition, I make goals and most prominently a word that I focus on applying throughout my life. I have found this very impactful over the past 4 years! 

Here are the posts from the past 4 years sharing my word and application  ...

2019's word of the year - Contentment 

2020's word of the year - Giving 

2021's word of the year - Purpose

2022's word of the year - Enjoy

Now, without further adieu, 2023's word of the year is ...

BEAUTY

1. Seek It 

It's easy to see a sunrise over the ocean, the valley from the top of a mountain hike or wild heron in the marsh and find beauty in this world. However it's more challenging to see beauty in relationships, circumstances and in hard times.

I want to strive to see the beauty in others, as God's creation, even when they are difficult and hurtful. 

I want to strive to see the beauty despite my circumstances not being what I want or expect.

2. Share It

Within my life I want joy, peace and hope ... who doesn't?! I want to share beauty to others with encouragement, my time & talents and as many moments of laughter as possible. Life is meant to be enjoyed and that's done best with others.

3. Create It 

I'm not an artist by the world's standards but that doesn't mean I can't make beautiful things. I want to strive to create beauty in my home with time well spent having fun, by opening our doors giving hospitality and by inspiring others with my creativity and compassion. 

I have other goals:

- drink more water (I've managed to fail at this my whole life - who knows maybe 2023 is my year) 

- Consistent skin care routine - I'm turning 40 this year!!

- Floss regularly 

- More dates with Ryan

- Take as many trips with Vivian as possible

- Give grace to myself when nutrition, exercise or schedule upsets occur

- Learn to play tennis - I plan to start lessons when Vivian starts kindergarten

- Decrease screen time 

- Increase reading

- Be proud of my body and wear the things I want to wear despite my insecurities

I encourage you to find a word to inspire your year

Dress Beautifully in 2023

XOXO Sarah Louise