I love feminine, silky blouses… They’re one of my closet staples. I find myself always reaching for one of these and pairing it with a fur vest, jeans, and boots. But this season’s bow blouses take the femininity and whimsy up a step. Pair them with a big bun and large, bright earrings and the bow blouse becomes a bit quirky. Hair down to showcase chandelier earrings and the bow blouse becomes glam.
In the look above, I paired my black bow blouse with last year’s fur vest, some straight-leg jeans, and my favorite boots (available in both wide-calf and regular). I’ve linked my favorite bow blouses down below in the slide, including lower price points and plus size styles. Just click the arrows to scroll through the photos and when you see one you like just click to shop.
Don’t forget… A few fellow bloggers and I are hosting a Chloé Marcie bag giveaway that ends on Saturday October 31st, so be sure to enter if you haven’t!! I’m crossing my fingers for one of my readers to win!!
This weekend J needed to be in South Dakota for work, so we jumped at the chance to relax at the ranch. If you’ve been a reader for long, you know how special this place is to me and my family… And now J too. The Black Hills are a stunning, spiritual place for many and I always feel a special kind of peace while I’m there, taking in the picturesque views and listening to the wind blow through the pines.
This year, I took a DNA test through National Geographic’s Genographic Project and discovered that I have Native American genes in my DNA. My parents and I have been fascinated by Native American art and culture for a long time, so it’s interesting to think perhaps there’s a deeper reason for that connection we feel. Anyway, whenever I’m in South Dakota I wonder a little if it’s where my ancestors could have lived long ago.
I wanted to show you this sweater I’ve recently fallen in love with. It’s cozy and snuggly with a flowy, soft neckline and hem that keep it light and feminine. I’m trying to pretend I don’t know know there are three more color options or that the price point is under $70. Because it’s rare to find a sweater that is cozy without adding bulk, delicate while remaining functional. I usually pair this sweater with my favorite simple tank in white or gray underneath.
Lovely ranch Brittany. So neat your DNA history. Love the photos. Recently purchased a teal and cream blanket shawl with beautiful pin. Any hints on how to drape these appropriately.
love,
Patty in Ireland
Thank you, Patty!! 🙂 Your shawl sounds beautiful!! I really love folding a big square shawl or scarf in half like a triangle then bring each end behind the head, crossing behind the neck, and then finishing with both ends in front alongside the drapey point of the triangle. I would add the pin on the side of the drapey triangle part in front to add interest. I also like wearing a simple tee or long-sleeve tee and creating an almost off-shoulder look with a scarf or shawl wrapped around the shoulders and fastened over one shoulder with a pin or brooch. Your shawl will be the perfect accessory for fall and winter!! Xoxo Britt
It’s been rainy and cloudy in Denver the past few days and I’ve been loving it. We typically have pleasant weather, lots of sunshine, and very few rainy days. After leaving an event the other night, J and I both noticed we weren’t feeling so well… Accepting the first cold/flu of the season has been the perfect excuse to stay near the fireplace in the evenings.
I really love the fringe trend this fall… When I saw this beautiful (MARSALA!!) suede fringe top I couldn’t resist it. I paired it with some fringe earrings I had to accentuate the movement. I’ve linked some of my favorite fringe tops down below for you.
I often hear people saying they don’t know how to wear a certain item of clothing… Or they don’t know what to pair it with. I wanted to point out how I layered this outfit because the top is bold and more of a statement piece, but it blends beautifully when paired with more classic pieces and together they make a really fun outfit with lots of texture.
TIP: Sometimes all it takes is a little layering to make an outfit feel more comfortable for various settings. I used this top like any other tank or tee and layered on my favorite leather jacket followed by a fur vest on top. I would wear this to dinner, but if I switched out my heeled boots to casual booties or flat boots I think this outfit could be appropriate for shopping dates, out to lunch, or daytime events… Imagine this top paired with a big, cozy “grandpa” cardigan or knee-length duster?! So casual and cute.
Scroll through the items I’ve linked below to see similar options at various price points. Just click on the arrows to scroll through the images and if you see one you like, click on it to shop.
I miss my family like crazy, but I’m happy to be back in Denver and getting back into a normal routine. Which includes frequenting some local coffee shops to blog and work on home decor. Because with no travel in the foreseeable future, my current goal is to tackle some of the half-started projects around our house. Houzz and Pinterest have been constants on my phone and computer lately.
Another current favorite of mine is Kora Rae, a contemporary luxury clothing line I recently discovered. The line gets its name from Kora, a rescued tiger the designer sponsors. I love to celebrate various philanthropic causes on my Facebook page and I adore animals, so when I began reading about this brand I felt an instant connection!!
Each item in the Kora Rae line is sophisticated and feminine. And all the pieces are versatile… They could be incorporated into a work wardrobe, date night outfit, or more casual looks. I was elated with this gorgeous jacket… The quality of the fabric is fantastic, the cut is tailored and polished, and the elbow pads and zip-off side panels add edge.
Be sure to check out Kora Rae’s Instagram for some styling inspo and while you’re at it, take a look at the flirty-meets-girl-next-door line called Kittenish Jessie James Decker designed with Kora Rae.
Tips For Adding Edge:
I think every woman needs an edgy necklace like this one in her jewelry arsenal, as they can take an outfit from day to date or completely change the vibe of a simple black dress.
Tough moto-inspired bags like this one really amp up an outfit and when they’re nice and roomy they can hold tablets or computers when you’re traveling or just on the go.
Last but not least, there’s nothing edgier than this season’s over-the-knee boots!! I’ve been living in mine lately, but I’ve included my favorites at various price points down below in the slide. Just click the arrows to scroll through the photos and when you see an item you like, simply click on the photo to shop.
Don’t forget to enter my Chloe Marcie bag giveaway!!! A group of style bloggers and I are hosting it… And the winner will be drawn on Halloween!! I would love to see one of my readers win that gorgeous bag!!
Co-hosting my friend Sarah’s baby shower had an added bonus… I was able to see my family in Iowa after the shower. Luckily, my uncle is a photographer and was willing to snap photos of some new fall pieces I was wearing at my family’s farm in Iowa. I love fall in the Midwest. The leaves are just beginning to change and there is a crispness to the air. Why can’t fall last 6 months?!
I’ve been wearing my lip look I showed you how to get in my Bridal Lip Tutorial so often this fall. I love the rose tones in the lip color and find that it complements the fall shades in my wardrobe perfectly.
I found the vest, bag, and boots at Nordstrom and was really happy with the quality and price of all three. They’re easy pieces to work into your casual fall wardrobe and give it a bit of an update. These jeans were an emergency purchase since I forgot all my jeans drying in Denver!! But… I really like how comfortable and slimming they are. I would order a size down as they are very stretchy.
Not wanting to leave my family and these gorgeous Iowa fall days!! But I have a bit of excitement to look forward to… I’ll be co-hosting a fun giveaway coming up with some fellow bloggers. If you’re a fashionista or handbag collector, you won’t want to miss it, so stay tuned!!
I was a bit nervous to tackle co-hosting my first baby shower for my friend Sarah. I felt the same way I did when I hosted my first bridal shower for a friend, first bachelorette party for a friend. But now that I’ve accomplished all three I think I can host just about any event… Except kids’ birthday parties. Those still seem daunting, but I won’t have to worry about them for a while!!
My uncle was our photographer for the baby shower. While we were setting up decor and food items, he captured such beautiful images of my friend, her husband, and their soon-to-be baby girl bump in a nature preserve nearby.
Food & Games
The party was held at Sarah’s friend Abby’s home. Guests were welcomed to light appetizers, chicken salad sandwiches, and mimosas for lunch. We had each guest fill out their wishes for the baby on cards that coordinated with the invitations. Games included a matching game with animal gestation periods and a guessing game with saltwater taffy pieces in a giant baby bottle.
After games, guests refilled their mimosas and treated themselves to gluten-free, dairy-free confetti and pink champagne cupcakes with strawberry frosting from Sweet Rewards Bakery. For guests without food sensitivities, there were delicious strawberry, almond, and snickerdoodle cake balls from Caché Bake Shoppe – the same bakery that made my bridal shower cake.
Shower Decor
The decor was inspired by the pink and gold glitter tiara on the shower invites. My favorite part was the gorgeous diaper cake my mom made, accented with adorable pink tiara baby shoes from Oh Baby Couture and gold Swarovski crystal embellished baby shoes from Esme’s Bows N Stuff. My friend Sarah is a shoe lover and we’re guessing Baby Whiteley will be the same way!! I contributed to Baby Whiteley’s shoe collection with my gift… A set of Chanel-inspired baby shoes. (What can I say?! I’m obsessed.)
Most of the items came from Hobby Lobby or Etsy, but we made the guest favor bags with my mom’s Cricut machine and accented them with princess-themed bling from Hobby Lobby. If you have a Circuit or Silhouette machine, you could make the baby banner and photo props yourself.
I’ve linked absolutely everything down below for you.
After being so pleased with the artistic bottles and great quality of the Christian Louboutin nail polish, I couldn’t wait to see the new lipsticks that double as beautiful pendant necklaces. The price point is steep, but I find my makeup usually lasts a long time and I loved having the option to use it as a necklace as well.
Having tried the lipstick several times now, I can say I’m quite happy with the quality, wear, and pigmentation. I adore the Velvet Matte formulation and I think it looks gorgeous with glowy, highlighted skin. I feel the matte option gives more versatility, since you can always add gloss on top if you’d like a more shiny look. I do wish that the necklace cord was metal instead of ribbon and that the lipstick would be removable/replaceable from the pendant as these changes would give the lipstick/necklace more longevity.
Lately I’ve really been inspired by the fashion looks of the 1980’s and 1990’s. Think Cindy Crawford, Tyra Banks, and Christy Turlington… Powerful, strong looks that simultaneously conveyed a distinct feminine sexuality. I wanted to show a look that feels sexy without exposing anything… The boldness comes from the contrasting colors and the sleek, simple silhouette.
I love when I purchase things and find that I use and enjoy them even more than I thought I might. That’s what happened with this dress I’m wearing. I packed it for NYFW, thinking of this specific fall outfit, but I ended up wearing it again in Ohio with bare legs and heels for a friend’s wedding. Once back in NYC, I paired it with sheer black hose, heels, and a teased ponytail for this more glam look. I also wore it with sheer black hose and my over-the-knee boots. It’s so versatile. It’s one of those dresses that can go from professional to cocktail party to date night. It’s quickly become one of my closet staples.
When I was attending FIDM I did a study on women’s beauty concerns and found that the #1 priority for women was speed of application… Nearly everyone who participated in the study wanted a faster makeup routine. The average goal was to get their makeup routine down to 5 minutes or less.
Last year, I filmed a 5-minute makeup tutorial for fall and since many of you enjoyed it I decided to do it again this year. With the season changing and kids back in school, now is the perfect time to add some fall colors into your makeup bag and work on whittling down your getting-ready time.
This look focuses on natural-looking, glowing skin with minimal eye makeup and a berry-rose lip. Watching the video over, I realize that doing my mascara in the camera isn’t the easiest and I would have brushed out my lashes with a lash comb after applying my mascara!! It’s one of my favorite tricks for lush-looking lashes.
Please let me know down below if you have any questions or future video requests!!
Hi Brittany and thank you very much for your friendship on IFB. I’m very happy!!! You are a really expert of make-up….so beautiful video!!!! Have a nice day, kisses,
Eni
I have the same NARS lip pencil, but didn’t care for it much, I couldn’t seem to get it to work for me, but I love how it looks with Whirl, I’m going to have to try that! I love fast makeup tutorials. 🙂
I love the formula and texture, I think the problem was I just wasn’t using the right shade of lip liner, I can’t remember what it was but it was a little bit lighter than my natural lip color. I’ve tried it with Whirl now, it looks great! 🙂
“Marsala” is Pantone’s Color of the Year 2015; think of a beautiful red wine with just a hint of exotic spice. To be honest with you, I’m pretty sure we’ve seen this color the past few years but by its alter egos: burgundy, oxblood, and wine. I think the reason we see this beautiful color again and again is because it’s universally flattering and perfectly complements our favorite fall neutrals like caramel, cognac, chocolate, and black.
I got this turtleneck and skirt at Pinko when we were in Italy this summer, but I’ve linked duplicates available in the U.S. beneath the photos above… Just click on a link to see the item. (I think my outfit photographed a bit more purple; it’s actually a true burgundy.) Down below, you’ll see a collection of all my favorite marsala pieces for fall and winter. Just click through the items and when you see something you like, click on the photo to shop!!
I’m thinking of wearing this to a girlfriend’s baby shower I’m co-hosting soon. It’s the first baby shower I’ve planned and as with every first-time shower planning… I’m a bit nervous!! Any ideas or tips for fun games, what to do/not do??
Love this!! What is the nail polish you’re wearing? Those Paige jeans you linked in the post are on sale, that makes me so happy, haha!! I’ve only attended one baby shower so far, so I can’t really give advice, but other than gifts for the baby, the host gave the mother a gift just for herself, (a gift set from Lush) I thought it was very sweet.
I’m wearing OPI’s “You Don’t Know Jacques” in these photos. One of my favorites for fall and winter. It seems to go with everything and has enough warmth to flatter skin tones. I love those Paige jeans too!! When I’m making my look-books I’m always drawn to the sale items. Sometimes by the time I take photos and post them the items I’m wearing are already on sale!! (Which is kind of a bummer if I bought them full-price haha)
LOVE your idea of a gift for the mother. That’s so thoughtful… I’m definitely going to get her something to pamper herself!!
Amazing blog! Do you have any tips for aspiring writers? I’m hoping to start my own site soon but I’m a little lost on everything. Would you propose starting with a free platform like WordPress or go for a paid option? There are so many choices out there that I’m completely confused .. Any suggestions? Bless you!|
I have used Blogger and WordPress and really enjoy them both. My advice is to save money on the platform, but get someone to create a great layout for you. And… Write only when you’re in the mood, as your writing will be much better than when you’re tired or stressed!!
I’m loving this outfit, especially those boots!
Thank you, Stephanie!! The boots are my favorite… So comfy and easy to wear!! Xo