Yesterday we had to wake up and travel almost six hours round trip for a family gathering, which meant we had to wake up early, get dressed and hurry out the door to meet everyone before noon. If you know me, you know that I am last minute, down to the wire and queen of procrastination. I should have had clothes picked and laid out the night before, but of course that didn't happen. I purchased the printed blazer last week from one of my favorite Austin boutiques, Beehive. It was still hanging over my bathroom door and the first thing my eyes focused on when I rolled out of bed. Naturally, not thinking twice, I grabbed it and paired with basic additions for a quick and easy style. A blazer, simple white tee, a trusty pair of denim, fun heels and a few jewelry favorites will always see us through the "gotta get dressed in a flash" moments. It's foolproof. Always.
Today I am partnering with Country Outfitter and talking boots, not just regular boots. We are not even discussing your typical brown/black basic cowgirl boots, but silver ones. Yep, silver. You can see more of this trend here.
Supposedly this is a new thing in the cowgirl boot world. I am sorry, I just can't. I think this is one of those trends that will be here for less than .5 seconds. Cowgirl boots are an investment. I think if you are going to make the purchase, it should be on a pair that are classic and will take you through several years of wear, like the Ariat pair I chose from Country Outfitter.
If you have been reading for a while, you know I am from Texas, I love country music, I enjoy "country" things and I am a big fan of western boots...all season long. Silver though? It's just not going to happen; even if Miranda Lambert is on board.
In my opinion, I think every girl in the whole entire world should own a pair of cowgirl boots. I have worn mine over and over. I have had these Tony Lama ones for a few years. They have been my sidekicks on so many occasions. Then I came across this Ariat pair and fell more in love and felt a little guilty. Don't get me wrong, my Tony Lamas will still get plenty of attention, but for the time being my new boots are going to take the spotlight...they just aren't silver.
If you are looking to invest in a quality pair of cowgirl boots, I highly suggest Country Outfitter. They have a wide selections of colors, brands and prices. Their customer service is amazing and many items ship with 24 hours + receive FREE shipping on all boot purchases. Also, I recommend sticking to your typical shoe size when purchasing.
Happy fall, ya'll! I am sure that phrase was written in some shape or form on every blog/social media channel yesterday. I know I was guilty and here I am today, saying it again.
I felt obligated to dress the part for the seasonal change. It was actually ironic that when we woke up yesterday morning a chill was in the air and a crispness lingered throughout the day. I am not saying it was cold, but enough of a cool down that made me want to skip. It was as though the universe knew that it needed to take the temps down a notch because after all, it WAS the first day of fall.
I have been waiting to wear this Zara blanket scarf for over a week, but because it's not even close to being cold here, there is no way I can wrap it around my neck. I can however drape it around my shoulders, add a belt and get my blanket scarf fulfillment without dying of a heat stroke or getting the side-eye from passersby. I might have clapped a couple times when I found out that Zara brought back a few new plaid color options from their ever-so-famous ones from last year. Unfortunately, the one I am wearing today is sold out online, but I think they plan on restocking soon. So make sure you leave them your email if you want to be notified once they are back. You can also call your local store.
I did find several great options for you to browse. I recommend grabbing one for the cooler days of fall and upcoming winter season. I purchased my first oversized scarf last year and wore it all the time. You can check out a few ways that I styled it here and here.
In other blog news I have a few randoms for you.
1. I just finished Big Little Lies. If you haven't read it, download or head straight to the bookstore and grab a copy. I was so sad when it was over. It's one of the best I have read in a long time. Next on my list, another book from Liane Moriarty called The Husband's Secret.
2. I am getting my hair done next week. I want to do something new, but nothing too drastic. I found a few ombre colors on Pinterest that I fell in love with, but is ombre a thing of the past? Or maybe the new word is "bronde". At least that is what Google is telling me.
3. Candy corn M&Ms, pumpkin everything, darker lip colors, acorn stains on my drive away, a football obsessed husband, Halloween costume brainstorming, dinner from the Crock-Pot, hot apple cider and shorter days...I can finally talk about it all without feeling silly because the sun has officially set on Summer. Until next year...tear.
**If you are linking up today, the only request is that you follow my blog with GFC or Bloglovin' and link
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Do you ever wish you could hire a personal stylist, have someone help guide you when it comes to styles you know you like? Do you loathe clothes shopping because you get overwhelmed and frustrated by all the choices? Do you put it on the back burner because you just don't have time? If you said yes to any of these questions I have a fun and affordable solution for you. I'm so excited to share a fun and easy way to shop. It's called Golden Tote.
If you haven't heard of Golden Tote I'll explain. It's an online site where you have the option of choosing between 2 different
levels of service. You can select the 2-3 item tote for $49 (a $200 value) or 5-7 item tote for $149
(up to $600 value).
Does this spark your interest? If so, you can begin by going to Golden Tote and fill out your style profile, select 1-2 of your favorite pieces and the rest of the items are chosen for you, selected by a stylist, based on your
preferences.
I had the pleasure of trying out their service and couldn't wait to share what I chose and what my surprises were. To be honest, I was a little hesitant on the surprise portion. I am not a big fan of people picking out clothes based on what they "think" I would like, but was I beyond pleased by how well they matched my style. The quality of everything was superb. Plus, they sent idea cards for styling some of the pieces.
I have always been skeptical of these types of services and actually enjoy shopping for myself, but I must say, this was so easy and fun. I picked a few pieces I knew I would love, got a few surprises along the way, received a box full of goodies on my door step and didn't even leave my house. Score!
I do want to mention that this is NOT a monthly subscription. You can try it out once, if you like it you can come back next month, every other month, once a quarter or even send as a gift to someone else.
I put together five styles of the six pieces I received. As you know, my style is eclectic, so I had fun playing with five totally different looks. I hope that you see at least one you can relate to.
If you want to give Golden Tote a whirl, you can sign up here. I
highly recommend it and hope you all know that I never share companies
or products that I don't 100% believe in or have not have tried for
myself.
P.S. In case you are worried about receiving an item that doesn't suit your style preference, there is a Golden Tote trading group on Facebook where you can exchange pieces from your tote.
Thank you Golden Tote for partnering on this post. As always, all opinions and thoughts are 100% my own.
I am sure you ladies got the email this week about Nordstrom's triple points promo. I tried to ignore it, file it away to the back of my mind and not look, but how could I not? It's TRIPLE POINTS time.
What does that mean? For every dollar you spend using your Nordstrom credit/debit card you will earn 3X the amount of points than you normally would. If we are going to shop, and we all know we will, we might as well do it now and earn the extra savings for later.
On Wednesday I mentioned five of my favorite wardrobe essentials for the fall and winter seasons. I thought I would remind y'all one more time and throw a few more into the mix.
I love a good floppy hat like this one for less than $30. They add a fun element to so many styles and looks. Plus, when it's raining or that pesky cowlick won't go down they become a lifesaver...and did I mention their fun? I have a brown one that I purchased last year and picked up a new black one that I will show you next week.
Cardigans. Another lifesaver on days when all that matters is staying warm, comfy and cozy. I am loving all the over sized, chunky knit options that are available this season. And because owning too much plaid isn't possible, I want this one in both colors.
Speaking of plaid...I am always drawn to the "classic" plaid like this one, but I am REALLY wanting all three of these fall color combos too...maybe because they are only $20.
I saved the best chat for last, shearling! Oh my goodness, this takes me back to the days of bomber jackets. Top Gun anyone? I am so happy that it's come back around. I just wish I didn't get rid of mine so many moons ago. I love the contrast sleeves on this one. It not only looks super cozy, but chic too. I couldn't believe the price on this camo option. I really want it for our weekends at the ranch.
Oh, one more quick note, the cut out heels I featured today are almost the EXACT pair I got from Zara last year. I wore them in my post on Wednesday. I got a few comments asking about where they were from on Facebook and Instagram, so I wanted to share the link again. The sizes are running low and they are on MAJOR sale...50% off major. If you want them and they still have your size, I would act fast.
So, if you skipped all that explaining, describing and clothes talk up above, the CliffsNotes version is:
Your chance to earn Nordstrom triple points ends this Sunday. Don't miss out. Happy shopping and weekend.
There is something about a solid blazer that just gives every outfit structure and class. Even though the fall weather that came last weekend is long gone, I couldn't help but to put on this tan blazer that I got from Target. I wanted it last year, but they sold out of my size both in stores and online. When I saw it again this year, I yanked it off the rack without hesitation. In my opinion, the quality is better than the J.Crew Factory version and less than $40.
I met a client for lunch yesterday and
wanted to look polished, yet laid back and effortless. By adding
the blazer as a final detail, I think I accomplished just what I was
going for. I wish I would have had Ross take of photo without the jacket
to show the dramatic difference one wardrobe staple can make to a
style. If I had to choose my top five must have pieces for the fall (or for any season) everything I am wearing would make the list:
1. Solid, structured blazer
2. Pair of black heels or ankle boots
3. Stripe top for layering under jackets
4. Distressed denim, skinny or boyfriend fit
5. Tote bag (preferably printed) to spice up the simplest of outfits
**If you are linking up today, the only request is that you follow my blog with GFC or Bloglovin' and link
back to it in your post. It's how weekly link ups work. Oh, and go meet some new friends!
