Sparkling into the New Year

 

Happy New Year! This is my first post of 2023 and, of course, I had to do a little something extra and fun for the new year, like wearing a sequin skirt! I love sequins all year long but, obviously, they are usually associated with the holidays, especially New Year's Eve. I love mixing something dressy with something casual, so I decide to pair this blue sequin pencil skirt with this winter dog tee from J. Crew Factory. The tee shirt has a lot of the same pastel blue colors in it, so I thought it would be the perfect match! It was also a little bit chilly, at least for Southern California, so I also added this light blue wool cardigan to add some layers to the look. I love all of these icy blue colors for the winter season!

 

To accessorize my outfit, I wore my light blue Teddy Blake bag, again, to bring out the pale blue colors in the look and a lavender beret. I went a little overboard with berets last year, but I added this one to my collection a few weeks ago. I think at this point I'm probably good when it comes to berets but who knows, as one can never have too many berets! If I find a beret in a cute color or style I don't have, I will probably add it to my collection this year. Maybe one of my resolutions for 2023 should be no more berets or just clothes in general...or not!

 

Tee: J. Crew Factory here

Cardigan: J. Crew here

Skirt: Anthropologie similar sequin skirt here and here
Shoes: J. Crew similar lavender pumps here

Bag: c/o Teddy Blake here

Beret: Zara similar here

 

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Mad Hatter

 

This summer, I have officially become obsessed with hats! I've always had a few hats in my wardrobe but I recently added a couple more to my collection.  One new addition is this orange hat that I got on sale a few weeks ago from Anthropologie. I like that it offers a bright pop of color to any outfit plus some much needed protection from the hot summer sun! (It's both practical and fashionable, which is not something I can say for many things in my wardrobe!) One other thing I really like about this hat is that it's well made, so I know it's something that I will be able to wear for years to come. Below are some other colorful hats that I love for summer!

 

 

Despite buying a couple hats, I'm trying to shop my closet this summer. I cleaned out my closet at the beginning of summer and I realized that I should try to get more use out of the things I already own rather than buying more things. This colorful popover dress from J. Crew has been in my closet for a few years and I love the popover style! In fact, I love it so much that I own this style dress in a few different prints! I thought this print was a perfect match with my orange hat against this fun restaurant in L.A. Unfortunately, the restaurant was closed for lunch when we went to take these pictures but, based on the fun exterior, I definitely want to come back when they are open to dine!

 

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Dress: J .Crew similar here, here, and here

Hat: Anthropologie here

Shoes: Loeffler Randall here

Bag: Louis Vuitton similar here

 

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Print Party!

Sometimes prints are so addicting that you can't just stop at buying one item in the print! This is somewhat like the famous Lay's potato chip slogan that claims "bet you can't eat just one". When it comes to a fabulous print, I bet you can't buy just one! So, the print that I am currently obsessed with is this confetti floral print from J. Crew. If it looks familiar, you've probably seen it on their website or, if you follow my posts regularly, you've seen it on me a few times. This spring, I purchased the print in a pleated skirt but since the sales are so amazing, I also recently sprang for the blouse version that I am wearing in this post in addition to a dress version that just came in the mail!

When I posted this outfit on Instagram, I found, via the comments, that my pompom shoes ended up being the center of attention with this particular outfit. Unfortunately, these shoes are from a few years ago and are no longer available. For reference, they are from Anthropologie and, who knows, maybe you can find a pair on eBay if you're head over heels in love with them. To be honest, I was so in love with them that I also have them in the color blue! I guess, as you can see, that when I love something, be it a great print or a perfect pair of shoes, I don't hestitate to buy multiples! (Maybe this is why I am currently undergoing a major closet clean-out right now!)

Blouse: J. Crew here and skirt in the same print here
Skirt: J. Crew Factory similar here
Earrings: c/o Zenzii here
Shoes: Anthropologie
Bag: J. Crew here

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Signature Marimekko

Marimekko, which is a brand that's known for it's playful and modern textile designs, has a lot of cool prints from which to choose. If I had to pick the design house's most iconic print, it would either be this black and white dot print or maybe its signature floral print but since I'm wearing this tunic in the dot print, I'll choose it as the most iconic! I've been posting a lot about the Uniqlo x Marimekko collaboration, which is probably due to the fact that most of my new fashion purchases over the last couple months have been from Uniqlo and this collaboration. Honestly, I very seldomly shop at Uniqlo but whenever they do a collaboration with Marimekko, they just seem to create so many affordable, unique pieces that it's hard to resist!

I actually wore this outfit to go to the grocery store last week. While we've been getting out a little more due to things opening up here in Los Angeles, we are still mainly home bound with the exception of a weekly trip to pick up groceries or the occasional trip out to pick up lunch from a nearby restaurant. I just kind of threw this outfit together with the white pants, tassel sandals, and pink headband. I think the pink headband, which has been getting a lot of use this year, really ties the whole look together! Plus, it has been a while since my last haircut, so it hides the fact that my bangs are now way too long and I have split ends!

Shirt: Uniqlo x Marimekko here
Jeans: J. Crew similar white jeans here
Sandals: Target
Bag: Zara similar straw bag here
Earrings: Zenzii here (Save 25% with code KATIE25)

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My Headband Habit

This winter, I said I would only get a couple of these turban knot style headbands. Well, buying one or two turned into six or seven and, to be honest, I kind of became addicted! Well, I'm back at this headband obsession for spring and the good news is that the headbands for spring are even cuter than the ones for winter, in my opinion! I am especially loving gingham headbands, including the cute pink one that I am sporting below. It instantly makes a plain, casual outfit, like this grey sweatshirt, look super cute!

Wearing a headband is also perfect for what we are all going through right now regarding staying at home and sheltering in place. First of all, if you have to do a Zoom meeting, it's an easy way to look cute and put together from the shoulders up with pretty much no effort! Also, because there is no going to the salon, everyone's hair is a mess! Headbands are a good way to cover up or distract from the fact that maybe your roots are showing or, in my case, your bangs have grown out! (I was right on the verge of needing to get a haircut before all of this happened, so there's no telling what my hair will look like after this is all over!) So, I guess what I'm trying to say is that now is the perfect time to become addicted to headbands! Below are a handful of my favorites for spring or to start or to continue your addiction!

A Tropical Print from H&M

A great print can take something from ordinary to extraordinary. This is the case with several of the pieces that I've purchased recently from H&M, including this pleated skirt. I love the rich tropical print featured on the skirt because, not only does it depict some pretty amazing palms and flowers, it also has butterflies and a parrot! (The vibrant parrot is clearly my favorite thing featured on the skirt and was probably the main thing about the skirt that convinced me to purchase it! Never underestimate the allure of animals!)

To play up the wildness of the flora and fauna featured on my skirt, I took out my trusty leopard clutch to go with the outfit. I also went for just a simple tee and a wide belt. To bring out the orange of the parrot, I styled the skirt with some chunky orange sandals. It turned out to be the perfect look for a casual lunch out in the very hot weather we've had lately! In the upcoming weeks, I'll be featuring some of my other finds from H&M because this isn't the only print that I fell in love with, so stay tuned!

Skirt: H&M here
Sandals: Target similar orange sandals here
Belt: Target similar wide belt here
Clutch: Clare V. here
Sunglasses: Prada

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Safari Ready

This January, I scored so many great deals at J. Crew that I am still posting about them! While I'd love to be the type of blogger who gets items as soon as it comes out and posts it before anyone else, I have to face the fact that I am a sucker for a good deal.  Because of this, I wait until I can buy things at a price that I feel comfortable with before I make a purchase. Luckily, J. Crew offers many similar things from season to season, so I can always share similar items with my readers. Take, for example, this deer print popover blouse: some sizes are still available, but it's mostly sold out. The good news is that  J. Crew just came out with an equally adorable shirt for spring with elephants that has a very similar print and color scheme as this one!

The elephant version of this shirt would also look great with the safari-esque accessories that I am featuring in this look! I felt that this chino skirt, also from J. Crew, would be a perfect pairing. I also have my trusty Clare V. leopard clutch that might be one of the most used bags that I own. For a little bit of glam, I added my gold ball earrings from BaubleBar and my lovely cuff bracelet from Les Georgettes. I featured the bracelet last month on my blog and explained how inside of the metal bracelet is a double-sided, reversible leather liner so you can change the color depending on your outfit. Here I am featuring the blue side, which is a perfect match for this shirt. As you can see, if you are going to go on a safari, you might as well have the right accessories and make it a style safari!

Shirt: Deer print popover blouse here, similar elephant print blouse here
Skirt: J. Crew similar here
Shoes: J. Crew almost identical red flats here
Earrings: BaubleBar on sale here
Bracelet: c/o Les Georgette here
Bag: Clare V. foldover leopard clutch here
Sunglasses: Prada

Out on the Town

Last week, my husband and I went to dinner, which was the perfect occasion to wear my new floral Boden dress and bracelet from Les Georgettes by Altesse. This particular dinner happened to be about eight courses, which is not only a lot of food but also takes a considerable time to eat, especially when it's a weekday and you basically just want to go home, put on your PJ's, and get into bed! Although I might complain about the calories and the time sacrifice, it was really a lovely dinner.

Speaking of lovely things, one of the things that I adore about this Les Georgette bracelet is that it's  made in France, so the craftsmanship is excellent. Additionally, the company offers a unique design concept: all of their bracelets feature an interchangeable, reversible band that comes in different materials and colors.  I chose leather and am showing here the red side, which matches my dress. The other side is a lovely blue and I only realized later, after the sun had set and I had finished a cocktail, that it would also match my outfit perfectly! Had I realized this sooner, I would have taken some additional pictures with this blue side showing.

As you can see, the reversibility aspect of the bracelet makes it incredibly versatile and a fun way to change up the accessories in your wardrobe. It also adds a lovely pop of color to any outfit, not that this particular dress needs any more color, but, then again, one can never have too much color! Of course, one could also wear the bracelet without the color insert for a more subdued look. Truly, though, this bracelet, regardless of configuration, will go with any style, mood, or occasion, just as they say on the Les Georgette website. I am definitely going to be doing a followup post on it where I will reveal the lovely blue reverse side of the leather strap, so stay tuned!

Dress: Boden here
Shoes: Banana Republic
Bag: Louis Vuitton similar yellow bag
Bracelet: c/o Les Georgette by Altesse here
Earrings: J. Crew similar here
Sunglasses: Prada "Baroque" here