It’s Party Time!

The weekend is finally here!! And that means it’s crunch time for Party outfits. If you like glam and a little bit of metallics, but don’t want to go overboard with skin-tight sequins and extremely short hemlines, maybe the above outfit is a nice inspiration. I absolutely love combining Black & Gold, so this was a no-brainer for me. So throw on your heels and make it fun! Have a fantastic weekend and I’ll see you in 2012.

xo

{Blazer & Blouse – Zara, Skirt – Versace for H&M (yes, I stood in line for hours on end to score this baby!), Tights – J.Crew, Shoes – Sergio Rossi (purchased on Gilt.com), Sunglasses – Chanel, Earrings – Vintage Chanel, Necklace – All Saints (old),  Cocktail Ring – Anthropologie (old), Leather Cuff – Tory Burch, Crystal Bracelet – J.Crew, Clutch – Chanel (old).}

Weekly Color Inspiration {Party Time}

Happy almost New-Years- Eve-Weekend! I can’t believe 2012 is about to begin. What are your plans for the weekend? A Party maybe? Or if you’re not into the hyped-up Holiday activities (NYE can be a bit of a drag with all the crowds and overpriced events)…maybe a low key dinner or game night with friends & family? Either way you look at it, it’s nice to dress up a little and make it a fun night – complete with a manicure, right? I’ll be heading to one of my favorite restaurants here in Chicago for a delicious dinner and I’ll most likely be wearing shades of red, so I chose a deep, deep red from Deborah Lippmann and mixed it with 2 levels of glitter. I might have gone a little nuts with the glitter on my pinky fingers – but hey, it’s only December 31st, 2011 once in a lifetime! Have fun!!

xo

{Dark Side of the Moon by Deborah Lippmann on all fingers, Good Girl Gone Bad Glitter by Deborah Lippmann on both index fingers, A Cut Above Glitter by Essie’s Luxeffects on both pinky fingers.}

{Color} Gimme Color!!

Does the typically drab Winter weather have you feeling a little blah? Trust me, I know how it feels – Chicago can be is a very grey and cold place during the Winter. So…while keeping that fact in mind, I absolutely don’t understand why so much of the Winter fashion tends to be a muted and dark mix of black, grey, black, brown, and some more grey. Why oh why??

Adding some unexpected pops of color to your wardrobe makes the cold Season so much more fun! Let’s bring some Summer light to our drastically shortened days, people!! Above is a selection of my favorite of-the-moment colored things. Yes, I realize that there are some sandals/shorts thrown into the mix…but that’s what fun tights are for, right!?

xo

1. Proenza Schouler PS1 Bag in Coral.
2. Jimmy Choo “Samos” Sandals.
3. Deborah Lippmann Nail Colors in bright & colorful hues.
4. Vionnet Suede Flats.
5. Missoni Wool Knit Dress.
6. Maslin Zebra Print Beach Towel (for those with a warm vacation coming up – sigh.)
7. Rag&Bone Danby Wool Cable Sweater.
8. Dannijo Clip-on Crystal Earrings.
9. Stella McCartney Striped Shorts (paired with opaque tights & killer platform booties – done!)
10. Reed Krakoff Leather Tote.
11. Marc by Marc Jacobs Wool & Sequin Sweater.
12. Charlotte Olympia Satin Pumps.

The Lighter Side of Things.

Oh, I love the Holidays. A lot! I especially love all of the rich & decadent desserts that come along with the Season. But after stuffing myself for days on end with spiced cookies, peanut butter balls, pecan-chocolate and/or pumpkin pies, and rum bonbons, I’m now in the mood for something a little more fresh and light. Enter one of my faves: The Lemon Tart! Its perfectly sour filling melts in your mouth and the sweet & crunchy shell is such a nice complement. The addition of a lightly torched meringue topper – while not completely necessary – adds a wonderful airy sweetness to every bite. Yum!

Find the Tart recipe here and if you’re feeling ambitious, here’s an easy Meringue topping recipe! Have fun and save me a bite!

xo

{Photos by Miss Renaissance.}

{Been Naughty} or Nice?

Well Hello, hello! How was your Holiday weekend?? I hope Santa was in a good mood and you were on the “nice” list. I definitely made it onto Santa’s “nice” list this year. Yay! And in light of that, I figured why not go with a good-school-girl-inspired outfit today?! Et Voila! Hope you enjoy… (P.S. Below is a little spontaneous outtake picture. I was having a lot of fun during this shoot.)

xo from sunny Florida.

{Sweater-Metallic-Shirt-All-In-One by Marni (found on Gilt), Skirt by Brochu Walker, Socks by Aritzia, Shoes by J.Crew, Clutch by Chanel, Earrings 1920’s Vintage by the Ladies from Luxury Garage Sale, Bracelets by J.Crew and Vintage, Watch by Hermes via Ebay, Rings both Vintage.}

{Have a great Monday!}