Style Lush

Rounding out my curtains

By Elisabeth

We finally purchased and installed the remaining curtains in our home! All that was left was the living room and the dining room.

(Don't get me started on our kitchen. I am seriously submitting our story to any kitchen show that will not submit a restraining order for the amount of times I've submitted our kitchen photos. The 80's called and want their oak and laminate back. HA.)

We purchased both curtain rods from Cost Plus World Market, but found a classic dark gray curtain set from Z Gallerie, of all places. Actually, these curtains look more blue/green/gray in person and in our living room. They're perfect and my favorite ones in the house, hands down.

The remaining set for our dining room was from Pottery Barn. (Seems I have a thing for their curtains.) These silk ones really went with the theme of our dining room. They're classic, refined, but not too stuffy.

 

Tell me, are you more of a curtain lover or blinds person?

I love the simplicity of blinds, but like how I can replace the curtains, if I had to, without too much out of pocket. Plus, my tastes of today might not be the same down the road!

(Photo credit: zgallerie.com, potterybarn.com)

My Current Favorite Necklaces

By Jessica

I know the trend right now is "statement necklaces" and I have seen beautiful examples worn beautifully on many of my friends, hanging in shop windows, styled in catalogs and on various fashion blogger-y types. Unfortunately whenever I try to wear one, I feel like a little girl that has been playing in her mother's jewelry and not in a good way. 

I thought maybe I was just not a necklace person (I love a loud cocktail ring, like whoa) but I have an undying love for a Fossil necklace I own so maybe I'm just a different kind of necklace person, a pendant type of necklace person. 

I guess I like my statement to be a whisper. 

Like these necklaces I purchased, with my Christmas cash, from Fossil (outlet), which I absolutely ADORE. Seriously. I couldn't be more in love with them or this 

wishbone necklace from Sosie. 

Of course, now that I've identified my style I have others I want to add to my collection.

Pin Drop necklace in silver via Sosie

Signature Pendant in yellow via Fossil

Freshwater Pearl and Ebony Friendship necklace via Blue Poppy

or any of these Jennie mentioned.

What necklaces are you loving right now?

Etsy Shop: Flow Designs

By Sara

I'm always on the look out for pretty, sophisticated and well-made jewelry. Yes, yes, there is a place for a trendy find from Francesca's or Target but sometimes you just want something you know was made with a little love and good design. I stumbled across Flow Designs and really fell in love with some of the designer's pieces. They're classic, timeless and have that handmade element that I enjoy so much.

 

Lido Necklace, $42

Sona Earrings, $34



Rialta Necklace, $46

Vero Earrings, $32

Let's just say I'm a sucker for a gold hammered finish and a shimmering stone. Find Flow Designs on Etsy.

(All images courtesy of Flow Designs.)

 

What I bought myself for Christmas: SHOES

By Elisabeth

I received a couple of items for Christmas that were quite lovely, but weren't exactly what I needed/wanted, so with the money I received on my returns, I purchased two pair of shoes.

I already have a few pair of boots, all for different circumstances, but I didn't have something that would help in the cold and the rain. Spending most mornings a week walking my 2nd grader and Preschooler to school can be rather chilly and wet and we haven't even hit the wettest part of Winter yet.

I had heard a fair amount on Hunter boots, but didn't pay attention to most besides how cute they were. I went to Amazon to do some window shopping. After asking some lovely ladies on Twitter, I learned that the the sizing of Hunter boots can run large. What I didn't know was how large? Instead of hoping for the best and order via Amazon/UK retailer, it was suggested to go to Nordstroms to try on a couple of pairs. The difference? ONE WHOLE SIZE. Plus, there is still a little wiggle room in there.

I decided on the navy glossy pair due to their super cuteness and how well they went with my waredrobe. I really wanted the gray, but Amazon didn't carry them. I think my second choice was good enough!

On a whim, I purchased some Toms flats at Nordstrom Rack while I was returning a belt for my husband from Christmas. The Size 8s, my actual size, were too big, so I grabbed a 7 1/2 and booked it out of there. I was with my youngest son who thought throwing Cheerios on the floor was SUPER FUN. When I got home, I realized they were too big. I asked around and learned they do run big, as well, but also can stretch. By the time I went back to return them, the color I purchased was no longer available, so I purchased these teal courdoroy ones and am certainly glad I did!

 

Have you had issues with shoe brands running too big? Is this the new thing? I get to buy a smaller pair of shoes and feel better about myself? HA.

Seriously. Why isn't an 8 an 8 anymore?!

 

(photo credits: me)

Figgie Shoes

by Hillary

Figgie Shoes almost make me wish I was getting married again just so I could order up a pair of these gorgeous, custom hand-painted shoes. 

I think they'd look perfect peeking out from under a wedding dress and are an adorable wedding keepsake.

{Photo credit: michelebowmanweddings.com}

Splurge vs. Steal: J. Crew Classic Pave Link Bracelet

By Sara

I'm completely 100% smitten with the Classic Pave Link Bracelet from J. Crew. I borrowed it from a friend a few weeks ago to dress up a casual outfit and it added the perfect touch of sparkle and trend to my look. Sadly, the J. Crew bracelet is $125 and out of my price range for a costume-y bauble. Isn't it so pretty?

I would be sad but then I found a gorgeous knock off from T Plus J Designs for...$25 less.

Not a GREAT discount but then add on a $10 off coupon for new customers and it starts to veer into steal(ish) territory. Then the angels sang from above and the online shopping gods decided to be extra kind because I found a good substitute from ILY Couture for...$49 on sale!

Here's the breakdown:

SPLURGE: J.Crew, $125 but no free shipping and doesn't ship until February 11, 2013;

STEAL(ish): T Plus J Designs, $100 plus $10 off coupon for new customers AND free shipping;

TOTAL STEAL: ILY Couture, $49 (half off regular price of $99).

Go forth and glimmer and gleam with a new gorgeous bracelet.

My Favorite Christmas Gifts: Faux-Fur Scarf & Cashmere Slippers

By Rebecca

In my husband's family, we draw names for Christmas gifts. My sister-in-law drew my name this year, which is always fun because she manages to find things that I never knew I wanted, but end up among my favorite presents. This year was no different.

I opened up my gift from her and found two awesome things. First, this Luxe Faux Fur Scarf from Restoration Hardware. I had never laid eyes on it before, but immediately fell in love with it. It's super soft and keeps your neck REALLY warm! I tested it out on a trip to Colorado over New Year's, and it was cold weather approved. It looks equally nice with a black dress as it does with jeans and a sweater.

The second winning gift (also from Restoration Hardware, WHO KNEW?) was this pair of cashmere ballet slippers. She got me the red ones and they are light, warm, and a welcome change for someone who customarily clomps around the house with Ugg boots on during the winter.

Now, tell me: what was YOUR favorite gift this year?

(Photo credits: restorationhardware.com)

 

An Underachiever's Style Resolutions

by Tara C.

Happy 2013, everybody! How many of you made resolutions for the new year? Have you broken any of them yet? This year I decided to set my style-related resolutions at a nice, reasonable level. I'm not exactly reaching for the stars here, but following these rules will be an improvement for me.

• Don't wear anything that is ripped, stained, or has holes. I know, this should really go without saying. But I'm saying it anyway. I've been guilty of ignoring little signs of disrepair, and it's just not a good look.
• Stop wearing things that don't make me feel good. I'm guessing we all have items in our wardrobe that we realize are less than flattering or don't make us feel our best. For starters, I should only buy items I love, not just things that are "good enough" or on sale. Once I realize that an outfit is making me look heavier, frumpy, or sad, it's time to donate it and get it out of my clothing rotation.
• Change out of my workout clothes as soon as possible after exercising. Once again, this should probably go without saying. Walking around in sweaty exercise clothes is kind of gross and not great for my skin. I need to stop doing this as much as possible. I will say that I don't ever want clothing to become a barrier to exercising, so if squeezing in a quick workout before, say, picking up the kids is the only way to fit in the workout, fine. But most of the time that's not the case.
• Be wary of cropped pants. There are people who look good in cropped pants. Audrey Hepburn, for example. I do not. They make my legs look stubby. 
• Make more of an effort to accessorize. My wardrobe is fairly basic. A couple years ago, I organized my closet by color and I've kept that organization ever since. What it made me realize is that I have a lot of neutral colors in my wardrobe. See the picture above with all the green clothes? That's not what my closet looks like. I could try to buy more colorful things, but, in reality, I know that I tend to wear neutral colors more often. It can be kind of boring. Adding a scarf or colorful jewelry would help liven things up. 
• Wear heels from time to time for no good reason. I admire bloggers like Super Kawaii Mama and The Glamorous Housewife who seem to make everyday life glamorous. These are advanced-level glamorous ladies, and I'll probably never progress beyond beginner-level. Still, I don't see any reason that I can't dress a little better than necessary from time to time and perhaps throw on a pair of heels.

I am a firm believer that you should start from wherever you are and that just about anything can be accomplished if you break it down into manageable steps. So there you have it--six little steps to a slightly improved, more put-together me.

{Photo credit: A Life Well Told}

Marc Jacobs Pouch

By Elisabeth

I was completely finished with all my Christmas shopping, except I still needed to find something for my Secret Santa. This year, I get to buy for my sister-in-law. I don't know why I was stumped on what to get her, but it remained difficult in choosing the "perfect" gift. I admire her and think she's all that, so I wanted it to be cool, you know?

My budget was $50, so I took to Twitter yesterday for ideas. One piece of advice was to look through our gift guide, which was, of course, brilliant, but I was hoping to find something with Amazon Prime since I had been procrastinating too long and was running out of time. (Plus, I didn't want to leave my couch.)

I did find a darling gold, crinkly Kate Spade pouch on Amazon, but it was a little over budget, then even more so with the new tax addition. (BOO.)

Our lovely Rebecca mentioned she saw some Marc Jacob pouches at Target on sale for 50% off. Score! So, that pretty much meant I had to get out this morning with the kids. A girl's got to do what she's got to do for a sale, yes?

These pouches come in Gold, Silver, and Rose. I adored the pink color choice and for $34.99, it was a no brainer. Plus, I found some super cute rose gold hooped earrings to go with the pouch.

Not bad for some last-minute shopping?

Anything you're still shopping for this close to Christmas?

(I don't even want to think about stockings. That will have to be sometime this weekend. I need to finish wrapping!)

{photo credits: target.com}

Boot Cuffs

by Hillary

I started seeing something new this autumn, as the summer dresses and flip flops were replaced by skinny jeans tucked into boots.

People were wearing their boots with legwarmers. Except that they're not called legwarmers anymore. They're boot cuffs.

That, my friends, is a pair of legwarmers. Re-branded.

What do you think? Are boot cuffs fresh and exciting or do they make us look like we're trying to revisit the 80s?

{Photo credit: The Comfy Times on Etsy}