Delicate Stacking Jewelry

One trend I am sooo loving right now is dainty and delicate stacking jewelry. I've always been partial to thin and delicate jewelry, so much so, that I may have hinted I wanted my engagement ring to have that same feel (good job D!). What's cool is there are so many designers at all price points that make gorgeous additions to any jewelry box. And because many pieces are not super expensive, it's a nice way to freshen up an old outfit ad to truly reflect your mood that day. Here are some of my current favorite pieces.

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Gorjana 18k necklace / Heart shaped ring / Gorjana ring / Stella Dot pave ring / BCBGeneration band ring / Yellow gold ring / Ileana Makri ring / J Crew j crew jewelry / Gorjana earrings / Gorjana yellow gold bangle / Gorjana gold necklace / Gorjana necklace

Have you gotten on board with delicate stacking jewelry yet?

Where are your favorite places to find your jewelry?

xo Steph

Fiesta Wear

In honor of Cinco de Mayo tomorrow, I thought it would be fun to share a very appropriate outfit for any type of fiesta you may be having! Whether you are hitting up a local Mexican restaurant, a happy hour after work, or hosting a small little dinner at your place, dress up in bright colors and soak in all the festivities. Just remember to have a Corona or margarita in hand…..of course!

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John Lewis maxi (similar)  // Sandals // Straw clutch  // Chloé round sunglasses // Essie nail polish // Bobby Flay Hammered Margarita Glasses // Margarita shampoo & shower gel // Chip & Dip for your guac (similar)

 D and I are actually going to see Slash in concert with our cousins and some friends. It's one of his rock idols (if you happen to remember our Halloween costume last year!) and I just love going to any type of concert. We are planning to hit up a local Mexican restaurant near the venue beforehand for dinner and drinks (Coronas of course) before we head to the show. 

So what are your plans for tomorrow?

xo Steph 

Let's Run Away….

…to a beach vacation. Or tropical island. Or really anywhere warm and sunny…..and not here! I think we can all agree that this winter was a brutal one and left us all craving warm weather and sunshine. Lately, I have been dreaming about warm sandy beaches and a tropical drink in my hand. Do I need a vacation? You better believe it! But is it in out budget right now? That's to be determined. I'm trying to convince D to convince his boss that a few days off won't hurt anyone. I'd love to go to Hawaii but I know that sort of trip will be too costly right now. I'll settle for Florida or anywhere there is a beach. So until we get our vacation details settled, I'll just keep dreaming and share this little outfit, complete with pretty pinks and corals.

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Juliet Dunn mini dress, $295 / J Crew swimsuits two piece / J Crew swimsuits two piece / Tory burch shoes, $330 / Tory Burch leather handbag / Gorjana chain necklace / Gorjana chain necklace / Gorjana gold ring / Illesteva round sunglasses / Topshop black hat / Tech accessory / Charlotte Tilbury lips makeup / Nars cosmetic / Bobbi brown cosmetic / Tory Burch travel bag

After this horrible winter, do any of you have vacation plans in the works? Please do share…..I might have to live vicariously through you! :)

November Cravings

November is finally here and it's one of my favorite months. For one thing, I work in a school in New Jersey and we have what's known as "NJ Teachers Convention" -- so we get the first Thursday and Friday of the month off. Who doesn't love a four day weekend? Add that to Thanksgiving vacation this month, and November tends to FLY by. Plus now that Halloween is over, it's now ok to have the holidays on the brain and get in the festive mood. Christmas music is officially acceptable to be played. Holiday shopping can be started. Merriment and joy can officially be smelled in the air :) And now that it's gotten much colder, I've been craving some warm and cozy clothes to get me through. I've been really attracted to the red, black and white combo lately and loving wine colored nails. And P.S. red cups are officially out and about. That means business people :) Here are some pieces that I'm currently craving to add to my wardrobe.

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Equipment black zip sweater / Even odd red sleeveless vest / Acne Studios highwaisted skinny jeans / Tory Burch brown leather bootie / Michael Kors drawstring shoulder bag / Gorjana chevron bracelet / Gorjana trio ring / Yves Saint Laurent brown lens sunglasses / Kate Spade tech accessory / Cream nail polish

What have you been craving lately?

Are the holidays on your mind yet?

xo Steph

My Early Fall Wish List

Some may say that it's too early to thinking about fall, and fall fashion, and pumpkin everything….but then you work in a school -- back to school time = fall. I'm back to work this week getting my office ready and then after labor day is the students first day back. And then it's all over. School and fall will be in full swing for me. But it's always been a favorite time of year for me, even as a kid. Back to school time signaled something in the brain of exciting new beginnings. What will my new schedule look like? Who are my new teachers? Will my friends be in my classes? And of course, the fall clothes. My mom always treated my brother and I to some new clothes for school to keep you looking stylish and fresh. And for me, that tradition even as an adult has never worn off. These days my shopping has been really scaled down (being that we have that whole saving for a wedding thing coming up) so I have to pick my new items carefully. Rather than getting a whole new wardrobe, I'll be adding a few pieces to freshen up my overall look, and add some fun fall touches. Here is a look of what's on my fall wish list: 

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Red button up shirt / J Crew quilted vest / 7 For All Mankind jeans / Tory Burch genuine leather boots / Kate Spade ring / J Crew hat / Kate Spade tech accessory / Parfum fragrance / kate spade new york 2014-15 Medium Agenda / Pumpkin candle / Pumpkin candle / Pier 1 Imports colored tealight candle / Nail lacquer

1. Fall Scents. I usually do a big candle/fragrance haul from Bath and Body Works when I have a coupon. I stock up on my favorite fall candles (Pumpkin Apple, Pumpkin Sugared Doughnut and Pumpkin Pecan Waffle are my favorites) and also invest in those plug in wall flowers to keep my home and my office smelling yummy. The kids especially love my scented office, and I think the scents seem to calm them down when they get stressed out. Perfect for school counselors everywhere. 

2. New Boots. Let's get one thing straight. Fall = boots. I've been wanting a nice pair of Tory Burch boots for a while now, and if I can find a pair to fit over my wide athletic calves, I'm going to have to splurge. 

3. Classic Fall Essentials. Such as this black quilted vest and buffalo check button down. These will literally never go out of style, and depending on how well you take care of your clothes, you can wear these pieces for years and years to come. 

4. Dark Nail Polish. Oh how I live for the dark rich colors of fall nail polish! It's really the little things that get me excited people! My all time favorite fall color is Essie's Wicked, which is a dark burgundy/chocolate color that flatters any skin tone. But I'm going to try out some new colors as well. I'm kinda loving the idea of slate gray nails for fall as well. 

5. New Cell Phone Case and Accessories. When you are on a limited budget, the best way to freshen up a look with with cheap accessories. So swap your cell phone case out to something fun and fresh, or get a new piece of jewelry. It will make any old outfit feel new again.

6. New Fragrance. Colder weather means you can wear heavier, warmers scents. So it's always good to swap out your fragrance. I love Chanel's Coco Noir as my fall/winter scent because it is a richer scent but I'm also intrigued that J.Crew just came out with a fragrance, and in a portable rollerball form, so I'll be sure to check that one out!

7. New Planner. Because I'm a school counselor my brain functions on an academic calendar instead of the typical Jan-Dec calendar, I am always shopping around for a new planner for the beginning of fall. As I mentioned in this post, I splurged on the Whitney English Day Designer and I am in LOVE with it. Such a nerd I am, but #sorryimnotsorry. I am already loving how productive I am when I use it, and I can not wait to use it at work as well! The Kate Spade planner above is also adorable and has a similar aesthetic with the black and white stripes as the Day Designer. 

So what is on your fall wish list this year?

xo Steph

Summer Vacations & Staycations

This summer, D and I just haven't really had a chance to go on vacation. Our last vacations were last summer to Vegas and Chicago, but nothing this summer. We managed to make it to the beach over 4th of July weekend despite that mini tropical storm but that's about it. I know we both want to get away somewhere but I just don't know if it's gonna happen between schedules and budgets. So whether we end up vacationing or staycationing down at the park or at our local pool, it's no reason to not wear something fun that evokes island breezes and tropical drinks! And as much as I love, love, love fall -- summer please don't end! Because when you end, that means I head back to work ;)

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Athleta swimwear / Hipanema tank swimsuit, $135 / Tory burch sandals / Tory Burch zip tote bag / Alex and Ani bracelet / Gorjana ring / Gorjana earrings / Athleta hat / Tech accessory / Nars cosmetic / Butter London teal blue nail polish / Eos beauty product, $10

One thing that D and I have done to make staycationing more fun was went to an ancient bath called Aire Ancient Baths. You can seriously find anything in New York. What is an ancient bath you ask? Well it's this ridiculously amazing luxury found in Tribeca, NYC; which was built to mimic the ancient bath houses of Rome and Greece. After a hard days work, you would basically swim around and float in these pools of various temperatures to relax and unwind the body and mind. D actually got us admission here and two massages for Christmas and we just got around to using them. It was seriously like heaven on earth. Staycation for the win!! We weren't allowed to take pictures (plus we were too busy enjoying ourselves!) but I pulled some of these images off their website.

First off, exposed brick heaven :))))

dim lighting, candles……so my style.

 And then this. Each pool had a different temperature ranging from a a standard hot tub, to a bath water warm, a salt water pool to float in, and a frigid ice one to take an icy dip (too wimpy to try that one!). They were without a doubt the most relaxing pool experiences I ever had. Aire even has yearly memberships (extremely pricey) but wow, would that almost be worth it to have unlimited use to these pools at any time. Could you imagine having a rough day at work and just being like, "yeah, I'm gonna go take a dip in the ancient baths before heading home." No big deal.

This place was seriously the best. 

Have you had a chance to get away this summer? What fabulous place did you go?

Or are you a staycationer? What did you do to make your staycation special?

xo Steph

Late Summer

By this time in the summer as August rolls around I have two things on my mind: my birthday, and then back to school/fall shopping. I know, I know, there's still sooooo much summer left but I just can't help myself! So I start dressing myself in "late summer" wear, which is slowly incorporating jeans back into rotation and wearing darker colors (like this adorable green color tank) and swapping in dark nail polishes (though I haven't quite gone that far yet.) 

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J Crew party top / denim / Tory burch flat / Sole Society black and white tote / Tory Burch bracelet / Gorjana bracelet, $185 / Gorjana stud earrings / Gorjana gold ring / J Crew chain necklace / Yves Saint Laurent black sunglasses / Lucky Brand straw hat / NARS Cosmetics lip gloss, $30 / Deborah Lippmann nail polish

Anyone else already getting the fall itch? (no judgement here!) You're in good company! ;)

xo Steph

Stars & Stripes

You know I love any excuse to dress festive and July 4th is right around the corner. This look is perfect for a casual backyard BBQ, day at the beach or boardwalk, or laying out at the park. This year D's mom invited us down to her shore house in LBI (Long Beach Island) and we were pumped because it would be the perfect getaway for us since all the engagement hoopla. Did I just say hoopla? Anyway, going down the shore for a few days sounded perfect complete with lounging out on the deck, and eating fresh crab legs and drinking ice cold coronas with the ocean breezes wafting through the air…..until we forgot we had a dog and, what are we going to do with her??

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Frayed denim shorts / Tory Burch leather thong sandals / Tory Burch genuine leather backpack / Alex and Ani wire bracelet / Yellow gold jewelry / Ray-Ban aviator style sunglasses / Sole Society black straw fedora / Burt s Bees lip gloss makeup / Bobbi Brown Cosmetics spray perfume / Deborah Lippmann matte finish nail polish / OPI thin nail polish, / Essie nail polish / Usa flag shirt

With our recent engagement-moon to AC, we dropped Tiki off at my parents house for what I like to call, "Tiki's vacationing at her country estate." While she loves it there, she is a sensitive dog who is very attached to us. We couldn't possibly ship her out again. And putting her in a kennel is out of the question for this pampered pooch. She wouldn't last a day there! So sadly unless we come up with some magical solution, we will be bumming around town for the 4th. Luckily, there is always something to do, so we might lay out at the park, hit up some food truck and try to catch the fireworks over the Hudson River. I guess plan B isn't too shabby.

So what are you all planning to do for the 4th?

xo Steph

That one time I didn't make it to Belmont, but I have a fabulous derby hat to show for it.

Yup, the title says it all. That one time I didn't make it to Belmont, but I have a hat to show for it. As you may know, D and I have a going on 5 year tradition that we go to Belmont for the big race. Every year we try to top our outfits from the last year, and this year I decided to make my own fabulous hat. Because the hats are everything at these races. Well the hats and pearl necklaces. Anyway, I made my own hat (see inspiration pic below). How fabulous is that hat with the gorgeous peonies? So I made my own version of the hat was all ready to go. 

Unfortunately we never made it to the races. It was a nasty combination of a car breaking down, a washer overflowing and flooding the apartment, and bloody fingers needing stitches (okay I'm exaggerating a tad, still bloody but no stitches needed) -- that prevented us from going. But there was no triple crown this year anyway so it's not like I missed anything special, right? Right!

This years inspiration photo.

Sorry I've had this pic saved on my computer so long I don't have the original source listed.

So I got to crafting with my little hot pink glue gun. 

And a bunch of flowers and ribbons from the craft store. 

So I hit up my local AC Moore and found all the faux flowers I needed for the desired color palette. I decided I wanted a mix of pinks, dark pinks, and whites, with a contrasting black ribbon for a chic and classic look. Plus the black would allow we to wear it with almost any color dress. I started with a basic straw hat (hat I originally bought for the races a few years ago) and lined the base of the hat with the black ribbon. Then I snipped off all the flower stems and went to arranging until I thought it looked good. Like so:

I decided I wanted to have all the flowers on one side of the hat for a more dramatic effect. Much like my inspiration photo. Once I had the placement of everything I liked, I snapped a photo and started hot gluing! 

My mom got in on the action since she is a natural born flower arranger by heart. She helped me with the proper placement of greens and even created this pretty  black plaid bow on the back of the hat for added texture and interest.

And there you have it. The most fabulous hat I ever made that I never got to wear. I guess there's always next year. I'll be ahead of the game with my entire ensemble picked out. Plus this could always double as a southern belle Halloween costume. Because you know it's never too early to be thinking about Halloween :)

xo Steph

b + w love

Summer breezes have been making their way into town and I am soooo pumped. School is almost out which means summer is almost officially here. Right now I am currently craving everything black and white. This color combination is so chic, crisp and clean -- and looks awesome with a tan, so its a total score! Plus, with everyone wearing the typical bright, neon colors this summer, you'll stand out in your classic monochromatic look.

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J Crew long sleeve sweater / J Crew linen tank top / J Crew j crew t shirt / J Crew white shirt / J.Crew shorts / J Crew underwire swimsuit / J Crew black flat / Tory Burch black purse / C Wonder bangle bracelet / Ray-Ban sunglasses / Tory Burch tech accessory / J Crew hat / Butter London nail polish / Essie nail polish

I don't care what people say, black and white are my favorite colors (are they colors or are they neutrals?) and I love wearing them all year. I rock my black purse despite people telling me I need to switch my bag to a summer bag (what does that even mean?).

What are your favorite colors to rock over the summer?

xo Steph

Met Gala Fashion

The Met Gala brought out all the high fashion stops this year and the celebrities were wearing their gowns in full artistic expression. So what is the Met Gala you asked? Well good question! I always knew it existed as a red carpet event but wasn't quite sure what it was all about. Was it an award show? What was it? Well after simple research, (aka Wikipedia) I found that:

The Met Gala, formally called the Costume Institute Gala and also known as the Met Ball, is an annual fundraising gala for the benefit of theMetropolitan Museum of Art's Costume Institute. It also serves as an opening celebration for the institute's annual fashion exhibit. It is widely regarded as one of the most exclusive social events in New York and one of the biggest fundraising nights of the city with a reported nine million dollars raised in 2013. Hence all the high fash-un, most of which I don't understand but fully appreciate. So anyway, I wanted to share some of my hits and misses. Again, most of these gowns are intentially over the top and outlandish and I tend to like more classic pieces….so keep that in mind! I think I have more misses than hits here.

My Favorites:

Hands down my FAVORITE dress of the night. Blake Lively is stunning and oh so retro glam here.

This is how you do it ladies!

Jessica Alba came in at a strong second favorite for me. 

Again with the old hollywood glam look. Timeless in my opinion.

Reese will pretty much always be on my best dressed list. ALWAYS.

She just knows how to dress her figure and looks effortlessly put together.

Selena is looking so grown up and beautiful. This dress fits her perfectly and I'm loving the deep burgundy color of the dress and lips. Total win!

Emma Stone is just adorable. Not super crazy about this two piece, but somehow she manages to pull it off.

Some people most people will probably hate this dress, but I have to admit I'm totally picturing Carrie Bradshaw when I see SJP. So in that case -- win, win, win! Can't you totally see Carrie with Mr. Big at some fabulous New York event. At the Met Gala perhaps?

The Misses:

This might be the only time I ever say this but…..Lupita is on the worst dressed list! Girl, you missed the mark here! This looks like a fishing net with seaweed stuck in it. Terrible. This is your one and only pass and I'm hoping the next time I see you, you are back to being fabulously stylish as usual.

Katie Holmes. Nope. This looks like something Scarlett O'Hara would wear, and I don't mean in a good way. Because let's face it, Scarlett O'Hara was fierce.

Note to self: never ADD extra fabric to your waist to make it look bigger. 

Why would anyone so this??

 This looks like a cheesy comforter in a motel. Like the kind you pull off and immediately throw on the floor because you know it's cleanliness is questionable. 

Sorry, just don't like it.

 Nope. Terribly unflattering and the fabric looks heavy.

Is this a space scene? Wait, is that the Death Star from Star Wars??

 I feel like little miss Hayden has continually ended up on my worst dressed list this past year.

Girl, get yourself a new stylist!!

This is Kate Upton? The same Kate Upton considered one of the sexiest women alive by Sports Illustrated?? Momma, you got some beautiful curves -- flaunt them. This looks like a hot mess.

I must state for the record that I typically never like anything she wears. 

Or her RBF (Resting Bitch Face). Find out more about this terrible affliction here. 

Negative.

 I have to admit, I typically like a lot of things Kim Kardashian wears (don't hate me!) This is not one of them. This dress is a little too 80's prom/bridesmaid to me for some reason. Also the thigh high slit is so Angelina last year. Over it.

And this monstrosity is just flat out ugly in my opinion.

So there you have it - my hits and misses from the Met Gala!

What were your personal loves & love to hate gowns?

xo Steph

Derby Style

With the Kentucky Derby this weekend, I thought it would be fun to look back on some of my favorite Derby styles, which is a "thing" all it's own. While I've never been to the Kentucky Derby, I have been to the Belmont Stakes which is in New York. Some do the Kentucky Derby, others do the Preakness, but around here we do the Belmont Stakes. It's probably the lesser known of the Triple Crown, but the fashion is all the same - big hats, springy dresses, pearls, sport coats....you get the deal. Very southern belle. Which as a born and bred northerner feels like playing dress up to me!  D and I had a tradition of going every year, but we missed last year -- so I'm hoping we can fix that this June when the Belmont races will be in town. 

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Hat: $5.99 from the grocery store (seriously!) // Floral Dress - boutique in Hoboken, NJ

Pearl Necklace and Bracelet: college graduation gift from the parents // Horse shoe earrings: old gift from my Aunt // Wedge sandals: Seychelles // Purse: Michael Kors // Watch: Michael Kors

Hats are a MUST here!

Horse shoe earrings for good luck!!

Pearls to look like a lady ; )

 And of course we took pics of the horses and the actual races...

And of course me and my oh so handsome man : )

 And I have to include out takes because they are just too funny!

 Ahhh finally got the self pictures done right! : )

Have any of you attended the derbys before?
What's your derby style?

Happy Friday friends!
xo Steph