Stripes N Cream

When the weather starts to trick you with its flip flop behavior sometimes its nice to layer on a light-weight top and a cute lil jacket.  Even if you are slightly bundled up you can still feel light and Springy while wearing all white or cream or both I should say.  It was the perfect day for a stroll through the neighborhood when all of the new flowers decided to fully bloom.  Nicole dressed in the perfect mix of cream, white and just a tad of gray.  These soft colors really balance each other and I love the bold red lip against this look.  Oh and  I can't forget to mention how absolutely AMAZE these two-toned patent loafers are to me.  If her foot wasn't the same size as Cinderella's, I  probably would have put them in my bag and made a run for it.  J/K

~Jen

Beach Top - Rag and Bone

Jeans - Joe's - find similar

Blazer - Theory - find similar

Oxfords - Dieppa Restrepo - find similar

Aviators - Ray Ban

Lip Color - Ilia Crimson & Clover

Bag - Louis Vuitton

Necklaces - Vintage

BubbleGum Blue Nails

Lately I have been going crazy buying different shades of blue nail polish.  I always loved how different shades of blue look together so I started playing around a bit.  I tried some dots of blue polish on a lighter blue background.  Once I saw one nail finished it reminded me of Bubblegum.  Blue bubblegum to be exact.  Then I thought ooooh how about trying the whole rainbow of bubble gum colors.  Before I knew it I was buying a bag of bubblebum and painting my nails to replicate this colorful nostalgic candy.

Base Blue Polish - Essie avenue maintain

Blue Dot Polish - Essie butler please

Pink - Revlon flirt

Yellow- Sally Hansen Xtreme Wear mellow yellow

Green - Loreal creme de mint

Orange - Wet n Wild 405

Red -Maybelline Express Finish

Scent Change-UP

Do you update your scents with the change of seasons? I have had perfume on the brain ever since I opened my bottom drawer and found all of my sunny weather favorite perfumes lost in the abyss of my beauty products.  I immediately pulled these babies out of the drawer and left them out on my vanity.  I vowed not to forget about them again and was quite thankful for spotting them which reminded me it was time to update.  Sure I have my usual daily routine  that includes reaching for the same "old faithful" bottle of perfume.  I am pretty confident that most of us ladies have that same "go to" scent that is just easy to grab b/c we know we like it.  What about your other perfumes?  You know you have some others that you don't wear enough.  I always try to make an effort to wear some of my more mood lifting happy scents in Spring and Summer. The Sun really influences my fragrance choices.  Put your olfactory senses to work and let them lead you to the perfect fragrance for this time of year.  Update your usual aroma with something fun that makes you feel good.   If nothing on hand strikes you maybe its time to add some newbies to your collection.

Above you will see my favorites.  Burberry Summer is actually my "old faithful" but it is a lovely light uplifting scent that I would recommend for anyone.  Clean perfumes have been long time favorites of mine. Once you smell any Clean scent you will be in love.  Lollia is my newest addition.  I purchased it this past Winter but find it to be more appropriate for this time of year with it's soft rice petal and magnolia notes.  Pacifica scents in general are so awakening. They are fruity, natural and simple.  My favorite is shown above and is the perfect scent to pack for a tropical vacation.   Fresh Strawberry Flowers is actually discontinued.  Sephora is the last retailer to carry it if you are lucky enough to live near a location that has it.  It's sold out on-line.   Marc Jacobs Fig is a combo of fig and woodiness.  It smells slightly fruity but has a very unique scent of its own that is lovely.  Daisy is one of those happy smells that I find most people like.  Truth be told I didn't like it at first but it has grown to be a favorite of mine.   I hope this helped entice you to alternate some new scents into your routine.  I would love to hear about your favorite sunny day scents.

1. Marc Jacobs - Daisy
2. Lollia - At Last 
3. Clean - Warm Cotton 
4. Pacifica - Hawaiian Ruby Guava roll-on

5. Clean - Shower Fresh roll-on

6. Burberry - Burberry Summer 
7. Fresh - Strawberry Flowers -Sephora in-store only

8. Marc Jacobs - Fig 

Arm Candy

Lately some of  my favorite accessories have been bracelets.  I love all kinds, shapes, materials, colors etc:  For a long period of time I wasn't really wearing bracelets.  I'm not sure why but when I realized it I immediately wanted to make a change.  Little by little I have been collecting along the way when I see a bracelet I really adore.  I have always been a lover and wearer of watches and rings.  Combining all of them together and adding some peppy nail color is always a fun project and makes any outfit more interesting.  On this particular day I was dressed rather casual and colorful so I just layered on my most fun and  bright colored baubles and cute wee purse and here you have it. 

Have a fabulous Weekend!

-Jen

Purse - Louis Vuitton - find similar

Blue Topaz Ring - David Yurman - find similar

1. Stella & Dot - Tribute Bracelet
2. Iwona - Tribe Triple Three Part Bracelet
3. Stella & Dot - Foundation Bracelet
4. Found at Peper and Parlor
5. Michael Kors - Chronograph Layton Watch Golden

Fave Warm Weather Polish

The thing I love about nail polish is that you can change the color to suit your mood anytime.  If I wake up feeling bright and cheery chances are I will want to wear a bright orange or yellow.  When I think vacation or beach I immediately think of blues and bright flirty pinks for my toes. Here's looking at a smidgen of my nail polish collection for Spring/Summer.  Lately I have been obsessing over several colors but as of right now these 3 picks definitely fall within my top 5.   All of these colors are super easy to wear. This yellow polish is so buttery soft and I Love cool blues paired with warm colors like Orange. If you ever have a hard time picking a nail polish color, have your mood do the decision making.

1. Deborah Lippmann - Yellow Brick Road
2. Essie - Mint Apple Candy(Orange flower Art-Essie - Orange its Obvious)
3. O.P.I - Koala-Bear-y

Polka Dot Prepster

The Spring time seems to always start with a few nice days and then flip flops between warm and sunny to cool, breezy and sometimes rainy weather.  It can definitely be challenging to know how to dress through Spring without constantly checking the weather reports.  One thing is for sure, its time to get your color on! This adorable and fun layered outfit is a perfect example of a pretty safe bet in an otherwise unpredictable time of year.  The polka dot sweater will keep you warm but you can layer down to just the button down shirt if you're too toasty.  These Comfortable wear anytime flats keep your tootsies totally covered just in case your feet get chilly.   I love the way the blue shirt pops against the bright pink sweater.  The neutral pleated skirt is so easy to wear with anything but also adds a splash of preppy.  Nicole kept her hair fun and simple with her orange headband and added some chunky jewelry and Fabulous lip color to top it all off perfectly.

Polka Dot Sweater - JCrew 
Striped button down shirt - Theory - find similar or similar for less
Suede Skirt - Ellie Tahari - find similar
Shoes - Jenni Kayne or similar for less
Necklace, bracelet, & ring - David Yurman
Headband - JCrew - find similar
Lip Color (Neon Angel) - Ilia

Picnic in the Country

Last weekend my husband and I left the rush of the city to have a relaxing weekend in the country with family.  My mother-in-law thought we should take advantage of the fantastic sunny weather and have a festive picnic.  The idea was to keep things cool, comfortable and casual, which was a great change up.   While it was bright and beautiful outside it was also quite nippy so we decided to bundle up in layers and enjoy the great outdoors. This memorable day included eating, drinking and some Easter festivities, ie: egg hunt.  The spread included Fried chicken, salad greens, pasta salad, Italian olives,  and assorted cheeses with french bread.  Drinks were a simple but perfect selection of iced tea, lemonade, and fizzy water.  Dessert - strawberries and chocolate chip cookies.  Easy right? 

Things got a little competitive with the adults and the egg hunt so we made sure to wear our hard core Hunter boots to keep our selves clear of possible mud splatters.  Mud or not it was such a fun day in the sun.  

I highly recommend throwing a picnic with friends or family or heck both.  It was a great alternative to the usual structured meals at home at a table in proper attire.   For your next celebration or just day to hang out with your faves, make it outdoors on some comfy blankets with delicious grub.  At the bottom of this post you will find our favorite places  to find awesome picnic gear.  

Thats me (JEN)

You may recognize Nicole from the Spring Mis-Match post

My adorable nephew's picnic supplies.

Picnic Basket Above - Optima

Another option for great picnic baskets - Pottery Barn baskets

Cozy Blankets - Pottery Barn

Other great baskets to display food and drink - Pottery Barn

On the cheap Baskets - Bed Bath and Beyond

Great source for all things Picnic - Picnic Shop

Spring Mis-Match

There is nothing quite like that first beautiful day of Spring.  The slightest bit of warmth gleaming from the sun is enough to urge most people to burst out the door in excitement wearing their first warm weather outfit of the year.  I find that I usually get overly excited and wear something that is not quite warm enough, forcing myself to add back layers throughout the day. Warm or chilly, Springtime brings the desire to wear colorful fun pieces for most of us women.  I spent this particular sunny afternoon  flower shopping with my sister in-law and amazing friend (Nicole).  While her outfit may a bit daring for some people due to the mis-match prints & patterns, you have to admit it works!  I Absolutely Love the floral print blouse paired with this timeless tweed jacket.  These 2 prints look great together and somehow that amazing scarf manages to sneak in adding even more vibrant color.  The white jeans really allow all of the colors to pop and they are a great staple item to carry you through Spring and Summer.  Finally, that cerulean BAG steals the show! Yes I think I may need to borrow that bag.  You can wear this ensemble any spring day or to lunch with the ladies.

Let the beautiful sun shiny days inspire you to be creative. So don't be afraid to break out those fun prints & patterns hiding in your closet.  Also be brave enough to wear those white jeans before Memorial Day, there are no rules anymore remember?

Tweed Jacket - Chanel find similar
Floral Blouse - Rebeca Taylor find similar
Jeans - Citizens avedon skinny
Scarf - DVF
Heels - Manolo Blahnik find similar or find similar for less
Bag - PRADA or find similar for less