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Everyday Style & Recipes. Est. 2010

spring

Spring Blazer

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When Spring has officially sprung, the weather can get a little funky. It’s almost, barely but not quite t-shirt weather! So close but not quite. So what to do? Throw on a blazer over a t-shirt of course! I’ve been loving casual looks with oversized blazers lately. I usually associate blazers with work outfits, but they look great dressed down too. Who would have guessed they work great with jeans and sneakers? This one from Zara is oversized and inspired by menswear suits. Love the pattern on this one and it’s a perfect outer layer since the material is a wool blend.

Another recent obsession has been anything Levi’s (though you probably got that impression by the t-shirt already). Love these super skinny 720 high-rise jeans in Azurite–I feel like they’re the perfect lighter wash jean without looking too mom-ish. They have a more modern look with a perfect amount of stretch. Oh, and did I mention their jeans are super affordable? It’s a win-win! To complete this casual look I added a pair of comfy sneakers that also look great with blazers–these Van’s “Old Skool” sneakers have been my go-to shoes for a while now. They’re surprisingly versatile, and look great with both jeans, dresses, and skirts!

Outfit Set:

Outfit Details: Blazer: Zara, Jeans: Levi’s, Tee: Levi’s, Shoes: Vans

Spring Thaw

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Who else lives in oversized knit sweaters and boots during the winter months? I do! Since the “Bomb Cyclone” blizzard hit northern Colorado last week, it has warmed up quite a bit so I’m hoping this will be the last Wintery outfit for the blog *crosses fingers.* Since Winter weather can hit as late as May in Colorado there’s no guarantees.

It’s hard to find a quality pair of Winter boots for trekking around in the snow, and even harder to find ones that actually keep your feet warm. These classic ones from L.L. Bean have been my go-to this season. They continue to make their products in the U.S. and their quality hasn’t gone down over the years, which is kind of amazing! You can get this style in several different types, and I chose the eight inch with gore-tex/thinsulate lining. It costs slightly more but I definitely noticed a difference in warmth compared to other boots. I ordered my usual size but they do run a bit large to make room for thicker socks. I like a little roominess since tighter ones can actually make your feet colder — and nobody wants that. Another recent favorite has been this messenger bag from Karlen Swiss. These bags are made from recycled Swiss military blankets and made from heavy-duty wool. It’s been a perfect Winter tote this season!

Outfit Set:

Outfit Details: Sweater: Zaful, Leggings: Felina, Boots: L.L. Bean, Scarf: Amazon, Bag: Karlen Swiss

 

 

Winter Botanicals

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It has warmed up quite a lot here and it’s starting to feel a little like Spring! Which is crazy to say in February but I guess Colorado has a different idea of what Winter is.  It’s still pretty likely we will get a ton of snow in March, so you never know what the mountains have in store!  For those who read this blog you probably know that I love vintage botanical prints.  I was recently gifted this lovely botanical print tee made by an Etsy shop.  I love supporting small sellers on Etsy, plus they make some pretty awesome stuff!  This tee features a Xeranthemum Annuum, also known as the Annual Everlasting or Immortelle flower.  Pretty cool right?  I love the Spring vibes and the vintage feel of the print.

I wanted to feature a cozy layering outfit perfect for in-between seasons (or if your climate is just confused right now).  This cardigan from American Eagle is a great convertible piece because it’s half-cardigan, half top.  You can button this up and tie it at the waist, or you can wear it as a regular cardigan.  Gotta love those versatile pieces!  I’m pretty in love with the rosy berry color combined with the neutral greys and tans.  These grey corduroy pants from Adriano Goldschmied are great for Spring or Fall, and they go great with so many outfits.  Plus they’re perfect for work or for an everyday casual look too!

Outfit Set:

Outfit Details: Tee: Botany Press, Cardigan Top: American Eagle, Pants: Adriano Goldschmied, Chukka Desert Boots: Lucky Brand, Scarf: Amazon

Little Black Dress

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Lately I’ve been into 90’s inspired dresses, especially fit and flare styles with button down fronts. This “LBD” from Urban Outfitters is a perfect homage to 90’s style while keeping it modern and fresh. It works as a day-to-night option, perfect for every day wear that can be easily transitioned to an evening out–kind of hard to find in one black dress! In this case I paired it with more casual items, including my favorite pair of flats right now from Free People   and a few finds from Etsy: a vintage tooled bag and a few pretty little rings. How adorable is this mountain range ring? I must admit I am a little bit obsessed with VermeilSupplies’ rings and accessories–go check them out!

I wanted to also give a quick review of my two holy grail products for pale folks. As you can probably tell I am very pale and a lot of companies just don’t really have a great match for my skin tone. Most products are too yellow and look awful on me so after a lot of trial and error I wanted to talk about a few of my favorites. I’m not a foundation girl–it’s just too heavy for every day wear but I do have somewhat alarming dark circles. If I walked around without under eye concealer, you’d probably think I had a serious illness sooo I do have to rely on concealer to look normal. After I apply SPF (I like EltaMD’s physical sunscreens), I use NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer in Chantilly which is described as a “true ivory shade” which is 100% accurate. While it runs on the pricey side, its worth it for me since the benefits make up for the price. It’s a perfect tone match and as the name describes, it has a lovely creamy, matte texture and brightens everything up. While it’s a little thick, it does not settle into fine lines and dries perfectly matte almost immediately. I usually just apply this under the eyes and t-zone, or to calm down red areas. Another one of my favorite “pale folks products” (PFPs?) is this HD Finishing Powder from E.L.F. It has absolutely no pigment and goes on completely sheer. I can’t stand heavy powders and this one is completely transparent and gives a very natural matte look. And of course, leave it to E.L.F. to make it super affordable. So pale people, I highly recommend checking these two out if you are still looking for your holy grail products!

   

Outfit Set:

Outfit Details: Dress: Urban Outfitters, Shoes: Free People, Ring: VermeilSupplies, Bag: Vintage

Mustard Dress & Circle Bag

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 Spring has officially Sprung here in Colorado! One moment the trees have tiny buds and the next they are in full bloom almost overnight. It’s nice being in a spot with real established seasons compared to California. In Cali, every tree, flowering plant or whatever had their own rhythm of blooming and dying off, with little regard to seasons. Here, the plants seem to all be operating along a similar pattern even though the weather here is all over the place all the time. I’ll take it though, I actually enjoy seasons and weather.  A good thunderstorm is one of my favorite things and that almost never happened in California.

Now back to some of my latest Spring finds–how about this dress from Forever 21? I love how much the color and style reminds me of Spring time. I can see this becoming a perfect dress for a Sunday brunch or just hanging out on a warm afternoon. Looking forward to the weather warming up a bit more so I can wear it more regularly!  Lately I’ve been getting more into wrap “fit and flare” style dresses, they seem like a perfect Spring addition to the closet.

I’ve also decided to share with you guys a review of some of my favorite hair products. My hair is a bit weird where it can straighten out really easily but can become fairly wavy if it air drys without heat. I’ve been trying to find a “holy grail” product that accentuates waves without using heat and I recently discovered Ouai Wave Spray. This product is a great way to get beachy, natural waves with minimal effort. All I really do is spray on dampened hair and run through with my fingers and voila–defined, natural waves. I am completely obsessed with this stuff and it smells so good too! A few other products, as shown below, are a couple of my tried and true favorites: on the left is my favorite anti-frizz product–one tiny little dab helps smooth out frizzies. On the right is Lush’s No Drought which is my favorite dry shampoo product. I’ve tried a bunch of other brands but I prefer the powder instead of aerosol sprays for one big reason–it lasts so much longer! You get way more for your money with this stuff. I apply just a few puffs to my roots and brush out with a boar’s hair brush and it soaks up access oil super well! I’m not really a hair product nut so these are pretty much the only three I use regularly over the years. Definitely recommend checking these three out!

Outfit Set:

Outfit Details: Dress: Forever 21, Bag: Alba Baskets and Shoes: Lucky Brand

Dusty Rose Midi

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Just when I think I have enough tank tops, a new one pops up that inspires brand new ideas and outfit inspiration and I have to snap it up. Dang it, they just keep pulling me back in with these pretty patterns! I am definitely a sucker for pretty dark florals–it’s a bit of an obsession. Thank goodness tanks can be easily stored and don’t pose too much of a storage problem (unlike shoes, but that’s another story). This is actually one of my favorite floral patterns and is the perfect length to pair with a cardigan, pants or a skirt. It’s just short enough to be tucked into a skirt without a lot of extra fabric floating around underneath (for some reason this really annoys me when this happens–I could be the only one).

Now that it’s mid-March, I have been craving a lot of warmer weather outfits that also won’t cause you to freeze your butt off if the weather goes south (or North might be more accurate). Midi skirts paired with layered tops like cardigans, tanks and jackets make for a good compromise for the the early Spring months. I have been into rose and tan color combos for Spring and darker florals that usually pop up in the Fall for a surprise Spring appearance as well. But really, when isn’t it a good time to wear pretty florals? All year sounds perfectly good to me!  To complete the look I added these great minimalist sunnies from Civion and an incredibly comfy pair of Steve Madden loafers that really can’t be beat.

Outfit Details: Cardigan: Bajee Collection, Skirt: Forever 21, Tank Top: American Eagle, Shoes: Steve Madden, Bag: Hustle & Hide, Sunglasses: Civion

Outfit Set:

Heather & Fawn

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I was recently inspired to try out a bit of menswear styling–you know, slacks, button downs, loafers and oversized cardigans. All of which I happen to be a big fan of! I had the idea of wearing something that you might see your English professor wear but I wanted to make it more feminine and updated. 

This big oversized cardigan is perfect for such an occasion. It’s so cozy comfy it feels almost like a blanket! The jeans are nearly as comfortable as the cardigan as the material is extremely soft sateen. I am absolutely obsessed with this fawn color–it’s just so pretty. These suede loafers from Steve Madden have been one of my favorite closet additions. They go with so many things and have a simple, classic look. They’re also made out of a super soft suede so there was really no break-in process at all! 

Outfit Details: Cardigan: American Eagle, Shirt: Conversation Pieces, Pants: Adriano Goldschmied, Shoes: Steve Madden and bag: Cocoono

Outfit Set:

Spring Greens

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Spring is one of my favorite times of the year and this season has been especially great due to all the rain we got this past winter. I wanted to showcase my favorite midi skirt in a perfect olive green as well as some awesome wild edible plants growing right now. I love the midi skirt trend since I live in a really windy area and just, you kind of need a little extra length for that you know? Without tights, flowy skirts above the knee can get a little bit risqué ’round these parts when the wind hits above 15mph. But I digress, the midi skirt trend is one of my favorites because they work so well with so many different outfits. Forget about frumpy, there’s lots of ways to dress up the midi skirt in a very non librarian-ish way. I paired this skirt with a simple black and white striped “Breton” style shirt and some beautiful Frye ballet flats. I’ve always had a bit of a long distance love affair with Frye and I recently found these flats on sale and I couldn’t pass them up. My favorite sun hat and vintage leather engraved bag completes this look. 

Since living in California I’ve been able to learn more about the local edible plants and have found a bunch that I routinely pick and use in cooking. The following are a few that I find most often. Rosemary and sage are drought tolerant plants and grow in large bushes all over in California. I find Black Sage most often along sunny, dry trails. Fennel is also something I find really frequently along trails in dry areas too. You can usually smell the licorice-y scent of them if they are growing in the area. All of these wild herbs are amazing to cook with. I like to use them in soups and meat dishes. After picking, I hang them together with twine to dry them out slowly and use them as needed. Another amazing find I’ve been enjoying recently is picking Miner’s lettuce for salads. It is a delicate little plant shaped like tiny lily pads. To me it tastes like a milder, sweeter arugula. I usually find it growing in secretive, shady spots along trails. They dry out with any direct sunlight and hot weather so I don’t expect this year’s batch to last much longer. Since miner’s lettuce is better eaten raw than cooked, throw it in your salad if you can find it. It is so delish and I almost prefer the flavor to arugula. As a disclaimer, I don’t endorse picking and eating wild plants without the required knowledge so be mindful of what you’re collecting and make sure you know exactly what you’re eating.

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Dark Floral

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Lately I have been into long sleeved, dark floral patterned dresses and this one combines the best of those things. This dress is comfy and loose fitting with a great retro 70’s floral pattern. You can take it in at the waist with a belt if you’re looking for a more fitted look but I actually like the looseness of this style. I like this outfit as a transition look for the in-between seasons. Long sleeve dresses and tights are your friend for that weird in between time. It’s also super affordable too which is a plus.

I’ve also been pretty much obsessed with these Marc Fisher ankle boots…they just look so good with so many things! It’s hard to resist wearing them with pretty much everything. To complete this look I added my favorite Brixton felt hat and this Hustle & Hide leather bag. Who says black and brown can’t be worn together? I beg to differ thank you very much. In terms of where to wear, I would probably wear this out to a concert or as a Winter to-Spring every day look.

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Cactus Print

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Spring has sprung here in California, hence this new look! It has been perfect sweater + skirt weather.  The plants and flowers are going nuts after all the rain (a follow up post on this will be coming) and we did a little bit of edible plant hunting. I love the loose sweater and midi skirt look and I thought pairing cream and rust would be a nice color scheme. I’m most excited about this super cute bag I got from an Etsy store recently! How adorable is that print? It works with so many different looks and livens up the whole outfit. The size is great too–fits a phone, makeup, wallet and a few other things just fine. This big sunhat has saved me from many a sunburn and I highly recommend getting one for us pale folks. It’s still a bit chilly to wear sandals so I went with some comfy leather ankle boots instead.
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