A Holiday Mart Look

Blazer: Land's End (fun option); T-Neck: Ann Taylor (similar); Jeans: Loft (50% off); 

Boots: Rockport (similar); Handbag: Pour la Victoire (similar); All Jewelry: Stella & Dot; 

Shades: Karen Walker via Gilt (similar)

A couple of weekends ago, I attended a Holiday Mart as a vendor for Stella & Dot. I really wanted to look the part, without being overly dressy, so I reached for my most festive blazer! It's the perfect mix of holiday colors without being in your face Christmas! I think it would be darling over a simple dress for a holiday party or with winter white pants to add a little pop of color! Honestly, I can't wait to style it more over the next month!

The Holiday Mart took place at a local elementary school, so I knew it would be a more casual event. But you know me, I still love to dress up! I went with skinny jeans and a simple t-neck to keep the focus on the blazer. And the flat boots were definitely the way to go! Lugging all my stuff to and from the car would have been disastrous in another heel height. And these are the MOST comfortable boots I have ever own! I never thought that I would wear, let alone own, a pair of Rockport boots. I underestimated them! They are chic and comfortable and I will be living in them this winter! (Last seen here.)

 

  

I love this subtle statement necklace. A subtle statement necklace sounds like such an oxymoron, but it's true. It's not over-the-top. Just simple elegance. And, it can be worn five different ways. That's right, five ways!! Check it out here!

 

What do you go for when dressing for the holidays but not wanting to look like a walking billboard for Christmas? I guess it's officially the holidays with the Thanksgiving weekend coming to an end! Our house is 75% ready. Just a few more things, and maybe another tree, to arrange. I do love this time of year!

Happy Monday, Fashionista's!

A Golden Night

 Sweater: J.Crew; Top: Etiquette Boutique; Jeans: Loft; Flats: J.Crew; All Jewelry: Stella & Dot

It only seemed appropriate to wear gold sequins when going out for dinner with golden friends for what used to be an annual Friends Thanksgiving dinner. We skipped a year, and we realized that for some of us, it had been a year or longer since we had seen each other. That's completely unacceptable and I told my husband we were going to remedy that next year. My heart was so happy and my soul was full when I got home. My chosen family is a group of people I love! 

 

I hope you have a wonderful and golden Thanksgiving weekend!!

A Rainy Day Look

Last Tuesday I met my friend Megan for a little girl time! A morning of sitting on a cozy couch at t.Loft on the Plaza, while the rain poured down outside, kind of cured the soul for a couple of hours! Before hand, we decided to attempt a little photo shoot and hopped in and out of the rain drops while doing so. I love these! The stark white backdrop and rainy sidewalk against my all black look is simply lovely! And I thought rain was a bad thing!

Later that evening I was attending a friends Stella & Dot party and I thought this look would be perfect for a super busy day. And I was right. I went with leggings instead of jeans (notice I'm wearing them as pants) because I knew they would be flexible with all the moving I would be doing that day. I went with a Merino wool t-neck and sweater vest as I knew I would be too warm with a bulky sweater or coat. Honestly, this look was absolutely perfect for my day to night activities!

 

 

   

 

What is your go-to look on busy rainy day? I don't wear my leggings very often, but I'm thinking I definitely need to start styling them more this winter. And, they were a lot warmer than jeans on that chilly morning. 

It's a super short week this week! I know everyone is ready for family time!

Happy Monday, Fashionista's!

Photos courtesy of Megan from Chasing Davies!

Holiday Shopping with Groupon

A week from today is Black Friday, a day I never go shopping! The "specials" aren't that big of a deal to me! Have you seen the videos of shoppers on that day? Stampedes, camp-outs in the freezing cold, and having to get up way before the sun (or never going to bed) sound awful to me! I like the warmth of my bed, sleeping in until almost 7:00, and relaxing with my family all day!

I am all about saving while shopping though! With the holidays around the corner, everyone loves to save while shopping, right? My list isn't horribly long, but I have my husband, son, parents, and close friends I love to give gifts to every year. Shopping for my son is easy! If it's a truck, I'm done! And it doesn't hurt that his list to Santa is a mile long! My mom is easy as well. Girlfriends are the best to shop for because they love anything girly, boozy, and pretty! But my husband and dad....well, they're a challenge!

And let's face it, it's exhausting! Shopping all day, lugging bags all over the mall, fighting the holiday crowd that's also worn out, simply makes me cranky and ready to call it quits. Thank goodness for Groupon!

If you aren't using Groupon, you should be! It's the easiest way to shop WHILE saving money! The best of both worlds, no? I've been using them for years, mostly for restaurants, but did you know that you could shop for clothes, trips, wine, and makeup? Well, you can! It's a virtual shopping mall where you don't have to fight the crowds, lug around bags, and wind up cranky by the end of the day!

Some of personal favorites are the Groupons to Neiman Marcus and Lord & Taylor. It's a one stop shop within stores we don't have access to here in Kansas City. But, I love that places like Loft offer in store and online shopping rewards through Groupon that you may or may not get via email from Loft themselves! I mean, who can't use an extra $25 for spending $50! Yes please! A little post holiday shopping for yourself maybe.... And with the wine specials from Gold Medal Wine Club, I have now checked my dad off the list!

Here are some of the items I'm loving for my husband, my mom, for myself, and girlfriends, and all can be found via the specials offered by Groupon!

Cute boots for Joel.

Warm slippers for my mom.

A super cute handbag pom-pom for my girlfriends!

A darling sweater for me from Loft with those $25 rewards!

 And the wine club for my dad!

I think I may have everyone covered! And thanks to Groupon, I saved money while shopping! What are you waiting for? Get over there and start clicking those links! Seriously, the holidays are right around the corner!!

This post was sponsored by Groupon, but all opinions expressed are my own.

Cocktail Confessions - Souped Up Hot Cocoa

 I think it's safe to say that the chilly fall weather has settled in here in Kansas City. It's been rainy, dreary, windy, and just flat out cold! Yesterday afternoon, when layers of clothing weren't cutting it, I decided I needed something else to help take the chill off. When that happens, I usually reach for hot tea or hot chocolate. I also needed little something to help curb my sweet tooth so hot chocolate it was! Then I started thinking....what would make hot chocolate just a little bit more tasty? Booze! That's when I decided to soup up my cup of cocoa!

What You Will Need:

Hot Cocoa Mix, Hot Water, Peppermint Schnapps, Chocolate Liqueur,

and Marshmallows

 

Whip up a cup of your favorite hot cocoa! 

Add one shot of Chocolate Liqueur.

Add one shot of Peppermint Schnapps.

Mix all of that together and top with extra large marshmallows. A huge dollop of whipped cream would be amazing. Shaved chocolate over that would be extra decadent. And bits of peppermint candies over that.....well you get the idea!

What do you think? Ready to take your hot chocolate to the next level? Bring on the cold weather!

Cheers!

A Reflection

 Sweater: Piperlime (similar); T-Neck: Target; Jeans: Loft (similar); Boots: J.Crew (similar); 

Handbag: Pour la Victoire (great option); Jewelry; Stella & Dot

 Sunday was a cool fall day with a bit of a wintry sky. We had originally thought of spending the afternoon at the zoo, but wound up at the Museum at Prairie Fire. McKinley is currently obsessed with dinosaurs and is constantly asking for a trip to see Sue. So since a trip to Chicago isn't in the near future, we decided to take him to the next best thing. The T-Rex display in the Great Hall of the museum. He was thrilled! We were relieved. From there, we spent some time in the Discovery Center where McKinley dug for bones, tried on masks from various cultures around the world, and explored the tanks of bearded dragons, corn snakes, tarantulas, and shell turtles. I was thankful they were all behind glass!

Speaking of glass, the front of the museum is a spectrum of various glass colors in staggering heights. It's stunning to see! I took advantage of the backdrop for today's outfit post and Joel took a more artistic eye behind the lens. He loved that he could capture my reflection for a different take on my blog photos. I'm so glad he did! I have to say that this is one of the best shoots we've had together in a while!

As for the look, I've worn this sweater in so many ways, yet I never tire of it. It's a mix of wool, faux fur, and my beloved t-neck style! It is definitely a piece that is the epitome of my style. Dark skinny jeans, tall boots, and gold accessories cap off the look. And I've brought back my trusty black tote. A classic that literally holds my life!

 

The Sweater: Before and After

    

Hope you had a fabulous weekend and that your week is a styling one!

Happy Monday!

Staying at Home

 Sweater: Nordstrom; T-Neck: Bitten; Jeans: Banana Republic; Booties: Sole Society;

All Jewelry: Stella & Dot

We haven't been doing a lot lately when it comes to getting truly and out and about. We've been spending more time at home playing or hanging out with my mom and I'm totally okay with that. However, when it comes to blogging about fashion, our new "stay at home" attitude isn't really helping with the posts related to fashion. So today I'm bringing you a "stay at home" look.

I wore this while doing a little laundry, making lunch, baking, and preparing a make-ahead-dinner. Now I know what you're thinking, who does all that wearing something like this, but honestly, this is just as comfortable as sweats or yoga pants for me. A sweater to combat the wind and chill with shorter sleeves helps. And as for the jewelry, I added it for the pics! Just being honest!

All Jewelry: Stella & Dot

So it's Friday and I'm ready for it! Looking forward to a weekend of celebrating my dad's birthday and just spending time with the fam! 

Hope you all have a fashionably awesome weekend!

Cocktail Confessions -Spiked Candy Cane Iced Coffee

I'm on a roll with bringing back some of the older posts from several months ago. I've been lagging behind in my cocktail creations, but to be honest, I had lost inspiration. I turned to easier things like beer during the World Series, and champagne has been my friend during birthday and anniversary celebrations this month. It hasn't left much room for new drinks to try. 

Yesterday was a insanely windy day with a tornado watch for most of the afternoon. I ran hot and cold all day. Too hot with window closed, a little chilly with the window open. And I was running on low energy, so coffee was my friend for most of the day. By 4:00, I had had way too much coffee, but noticed I still had a little left over and that's when it hit me. Let's make a little spiked ice coffee creation.

Now, I'm not one to drink just plain coffee. I'm not a coffee snob, I just prefer flavored to plain. And, I coordinate my flavored coffee with a creamer. It's a little high maintaince, but that's me. I found Candy Cane flavored coffee and decided I needed that in my life and drank that for a better part of yesterday. And, even though I'm true believer in celebrating each holiday as it appears on the calendar, my house is currently outfitted for Thanksgiving, I've been in a pretty Christmasy spirit. As a result, my cocktail became a Spiked Candy Cane Iced Coffee. And it was good!

Here's What You Need:

Candy Cane Coffee, Rum, Half and Half

and a cute Candy Cane for garish

Fill up your glass with the tons of ice. Add as much coffee as desired.

I added a shot and a half of rum. Add as much or as little as you like.

Add half and half. Again, add the amount you desire.

Stir. How pretty is that color!

Add the cute candy cane for garnish. Or, crush it up and spring over the top. That would be so pretty and festive!

Next up, drink! It was so yummy and perfect for the upcoming holiday season, even if it is a little early. And it was a nice cooling addition to a hot and cold day! It would be amazing hot as well! May have to try that next. With maybe a little Peppermint Schnapps to enhance the candy cane taste!

Cheers!

Wednesday Wants - Glitter on My Feet

So I've never been what one would consider a glitter kind of girl. I love to glitter things when crafting, but to actually wear something with glitter is not really in my personal style closet. But then I thumbed through the new Boden and Sole Society catalogs and I completely changed my tune! I have fallen love with these particular glittered pieces and now all I want is glitter on my feet!

 One/Two/Three/Four

What do you think of my glitter picks? I love them all! They are perfect for the upcoming holiday season and I love that you don't have to go with heels to be festive! All of them would be darling with jeans, but equally chic with dresses and skirts! The skies the limit!

Hoping your week is going well! Stay fashionable! The weekend is almost here!