trending: the tutu

the next trendy thing i would love to splurge on this season (to go with all the pointy-toed Valentino studded pumps of my dreams) would be the ballerina-inspired tutu skirt or a frilly feather skirt.  the fluffy, textured skirts are the epitome of girly and you can dress them up for a holiday party or down with boots and an oversized sweater.

{Balmain}

make it less princessy by pairing with a boot

 

 

 

{Oscar de la Renta}

love the idea of pairing it with a pretty cropped top and bootie for a super femme look

 

 

 

sophisticated in a nude/neutral palette by Wendy's Lookbook

 

 

 

 

{try it in black and mixing it up with animal print for an edgier look}

 

 

 

 

{free people layers their version with an oversized sweater and boots}

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

cozy cozy!

it is finally cold and Thanksgiving is less than two weeks away.  i went ahead and started putting up my Christmas decorations.  i'm basically ready for Christmas as soon as Halloween is over.  it's my favorite holiday---duh!  i hung a small, colorful wreath and strung some pretty lights around my fireplace.  here are some of my favorite cozy things to get ready for winter.

{a warm fireplace}

{the prettiest party dress for all the holiday parties}

{thick socks for pitter pattering around the house in}

{hot chocolate and pumpkin spiced lattes all season long}

{textured tapestries and stockings for all}

{lots of layers and the chunkiest hand knit scarf}

{three perfect mini gourds i picked for a decorative bowl}

{lazy nights in bed watching tv and finishing up this oatmeal colored scarf}

rugged bohemian beauty

got the final images from that gorgeous bohemian inspired photoshoot i styled a few weeks ago and couldn't be happier with the images.  they are absolutely beautiful and was soooo fun to style and shoot.  Kaitlyn is one of my favorite models to work with, she is fun and gives sooooooo much fierce face, what a beauty.   what an inspired day!  i can't wait for the next shoot..........maybe after the holidays.  they've been added to my online portfolio, yay!

my favorite image.  looks out of a catalog!  i kept this poncho because i just couldn't bring myself to bring it back.  i wanted the look to feel more rugged and edgy by adding sexy buckled wedge booties (you can't see them!) and layering on tons of chunky accessories in varying textures and metals.  i belted the poncho with my favorite leather corset belt to give it some sex appeal and showed some skin to make the look less heavy.

{hair/makeup by Heather A. Hawkins}

{that beautiful grass background wasn't as glamorous as it looks, there were ant hills everywhere.  i loved the bracelet stacks i used with this look and the chunky snood}

{i layered some leather belts, a studded brown, braided brown, and Chanel-inspired black belt with gold horses to give this outfit a pop}

{that face, that jewelry, that hair <3 p="">

{i wanted this outfit to feel a little more earthy and monotoned but lively with lots of textures.  i used a suede and shearling jacket with a pretty lace shirt underneath and baroque textured pants.  freshened up the look with a gold statement necklace of mine and layers of bangles}

photography by Mark Hanson at  http://www.markhansonphoto.com

model Kaitlyn Johnston at Directions USA model management

hair and makeup by Heather A. Hawkins www.heatherahawkins.com

styling by Sophie Nguyen at www.sophienguyen.foliohd.com

Holiday Vintage Market

had SOOOOOOOOOO much fun at the Holiday Vintage Market yesterday.  Vintage Charlotte is a bi-yearly pop-up event held at the Fillmore.  there were a ton of good vendors, but i was too busy to shop (a good and a bad thing?).  here i am not looking very cute behind my table before the morning bum-rush.  my sister helped me this time and was the best little assistant.  we didn't go home with too much left over.  a very successful day!  i always use crates and shelves from around the house as risers for display to keep the table interesting.  i also bring some of my vases with flowers and handmade signs for all the different scents i offer.  sorry for the poor quality of photos, it was dark in there and we were so rushed!

{hello!}

{soaps, lip balms, sugar scrubs, pamper gift bags lined up and ready to go}

{kitsch and fancy}

{kitsch and fancy holiday pack: pumpkin spice, holiday berries, maple pecan streusal, balsam fir tree $20}

. 

{purchases from Bly Design, i love it all!}

Gift Ideas for the Girly-Girl

i've always considered myself a "girly-girl".  it means i've always loved the fluffy little petticoats my mom made me as a child that i could layer underneath my skirts and my socks always matched my shirt.  to this day i am still a girly-girl.  i'd much rather stay home and make soap than go hiking (unfortunately).  

what makes a good gift?  something thoughtful, sure.  i love giving something luxurious, something that feels like a treat, something the person would love but might not necessarily splurge on herself.

from my own wish list, i've picked some budget friendly gift ideas for the girly-girl in your life!

HAPPY SHOPPING!

{Yoyogi Park Gloves $78}

{Distressed Leather Weekender by Free People $178, for all those non-hiking weekends}

{Etched Plate Necklace $48, in sweet Bohemian phrases}

{West Elm Bentwood Breakfast Tray $38, for those days you just can't get out of bed}

{Sherpa Robe $98, to go with the bed tray when you can't get out of bed.

Soft as a baby lamb.}

{14 karat gold hammered ring on Etsy $78}

The Smock Dress

after all my hard work at yesterday's Vintage Market, I decided to treat myself to a cute little dress from Asos.  i've put on a few pounds, which i will try to lose when i feel motivated enough to.  for now, i am happy that one of my FAVORITE silhouettes is back in style:  the smock dress.  i first started seeing them again with Victoria Beckham's line (which I am obsessed with by the way).

{Victoria Beckham collection}

{Victoria Beckham collection}

i found myself a quirky, discounted version with the Cute Fox Smocked Dress from Asos.

I will probably wear it layered this winter with tights and a chunky cardigan.

{adorable!}

The Statement Bib Necklace

I've been M.I.A. for a while now, sorry I kind of have a hard time remembering to keep up with things once I start them.  Promise to do a better job of maintaining my blog this holiday and the upcoming year.  I've been eyeballing the Bird Of Paradise Bib Necklace from Baublebar for a while now.  It has some of my favorite colors and my favorite fashion blogger from Atlantic-Pacific wears it well!  Baublebar has great mid-range jewelry that is good quality.  I've been shopping with them for a year now and gotten some of my favorite little baubles from them.  I'm so excited to add this piece to my growing collection...I will probably wear it with a festive holiday outfit when I get it.

on one of my favorite bloggers: Atlantic-Pacific

A few years ago when I was still managing at Anthropologie, I realized that I was buying too much clothing and needed to restrict my budget.  A way for me to feel like I was still shopping and revamping my wardrobe without breaking the bank was to expand my accessories collection.  I love all things accessories: belts, headbands, jewelry, scarves, tights, etc.  Accessories are what every girl needs to take full advantage of her wardrobe.  It is the best way to keep your wardrobe in use all year long by transitioning seasonal pieces, and layering.


A few of my favorite ways to use a pretty statement necklace.

when you want the necklace to speak for itself.  ALL-BLACK is a chic way to display a pretty statement necklace.

under or over the collar of a soft denim shirt

as a part of an over-the-top accessorized ensemble

color-blocked with a bright colored top or dress

casual with a soft tee in neutral colors

preppy style under the collar of a button-up shirt, tucked in a with a pretty skirt

in the fields

finally got hired on full-time at RR Donnelly as an assistant stylist!  woo!  the life of a freelancer can be kind of stressful sometimes, not the life for me.  i'm a Taurus that craves stability.  I made it a goal this year to start working on more creative projects outside of work, like styling fashion shoots for my portfolio.  this weekend I worked on my first test shoot with Mark Hanson and my favorite model Kaitlyn Johnston.  here are some behind the scene phone snapshots from the shoot.  such a beautiful, perfect day for a shoot.  the sun was amazing, the wind gave us the exact amount of breeze we needed for a windswept look.  the outfits turned out amazing.  love love love!  I can't wait to see the final shots.  Mark sent me some inspiration shots that were a little grungier.  The shots were beautiful, but I added a little
femininity to the styling by adding a lot more jewelry, a little more color, and showing some skin to make the outfitting less heavy.  I wanted the styling to be a little younger and sexier and hopefully the final product will reflect that.  stay tuned!

instagram shot of one of our first shots. kaitlyn was such a trooper!

look at that beautiful landscape.

 

 

 

close up of our little beauty.  I chose lots of heavy jewelry that I thought would photograph well.  added a belt to this look to give it a little shape and sexiness.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

true love

 

i spent last Saturday organizing my closet by color and sleeve length.  i also put up some hooks to hang my handbags.  i have been on the hunt for a beautiful, classic brown leather hobo handbag.  i very occasionally see a COACH handbag that i love....and this one i was obsessed with as soon as i saw it.  I love the brown color and the vintage-look of this bag.