Rainy Day Hair

 

Top: Old Navy

 

Here in Ohio, fall is notorious for being rainy season. To keep frizz at bay, this is going to be my go-to hairstyle on those rainy autumn days.  I simply French braid each of the sides, then bring the two sides together and shape them into a ponytail, bun, messy bun, braid, or braided bun. Of course, there is still some frizz even when my hair is braided, but it sure beats looking like a poodle. Furthermore, braids are totally in style right now. This style is quite simple and quick to make, and the braid/bun combination looks sophisticated enough to pair with more formal attire, but also looks great juxtaposed with a casual top.

 

 

Trend Alert: Polka Dot Jeans

 

Paige Denim Polka Dot Verdugo Skinny Jeans in Faded Black.

 

 

I have to admit that, at first, I really was not a fan of the print jeans trend. And then I saw these. The dark wash denim with the white dots gives these pants a classic, almost 1950s feel. While they are quite a splurge, I can hardly resist the temptation of wearing these with a plain white tee and a bold red lip, maybe even a black blazer and some pointy-toe heels. Simple, classic, and totally chic.

 

Wait, what's that you say? You can't wear polka dot jeans because you are too busy with the colored denim trend? Fear not. Paige Denim has created a way for you to try two trends at once:

 

 

Paige Denim Polka Dot Verdugo Skinny Jeans in Dusty Rose

(also available here and here)

 

 

 

Happy Monday!

 

 

Leather Lapel and Colored Denim

{Tuxedo Jacket: American Eagle (Similar), Tee: Express, Jeans: Chor (Similar), Shoes: Franco Sarto.

 ALL purchased at Marshalls/TJ Maxx}

 

Last year, I had my eye on this blazer all season long. I wanted it so badly, but I have approximately 27 other black blazers, and the price point was just a little too much for me to spend on something I basically already owned. Then, a week or so before our wedding in July (this year), I was at Marshalls when the leather lapel caught my eye. To my surprise, there was one of the exact jacket I had been coveting from AE, and it just happened to be in my size. Furthermore, it was less than $20, and I had a little leftover birthday money to spend. How's that for pre-wedding luck?

In that same Marshalls trip, I found these jeans for $7. It is my first pair of colored denim, because, to be honest, I was a little afraid to try the trend. Now? I. Can't. Stop. Wearing. Them. I ended up going back to Marshalls later that week and spent the rest of my birthday money on a purple pair and a pink pair.

Necklace: Premier Designs (Similar)

Colors of Sunset

Top: H&M (Similar), Shorts: Express (Similar, on sale!), Sandals: Franco Sarto via TJ Maxx, Bracelet: vintage

I love this shirt for a lot of reasons, but mostly because of the color scheme and the swingy silhouette. The orange and pink feel very 1960s mod to me, but when paired with the red and purple on my nails, I felt like I was a walking sunset.

Gorgonzola Butter

Background info: My husband really likes cheese. So, last week when I was grilling some steaks for dinner, I decided to attempt to make a cheese-butter to top off the steaks like they do at some restaurants. My initial research showed that the most common cheese to pair with steak was bleu cheese...but I don't care much for that. So I settled for Gorgonzola, which I think is supposed to be a milder version of bleu cheese. (Please don't quote me on that. All I know is that I don't like bleu cheese, but I like Gorgonzola). The result was excellent, and may become a staple condiment to serve with steaks in our house. Next, I want to try it on a burger or maybe some grilled chicken.

Ingredients:

4 tablespoons butter, softened*

1 tablespoon butter, softening not necessary

1/2 onion, diced

1 tablespoon oil

2 oz. Gorgonzola cheese crumbles

salt and pepper to taste

Place the unsoftened 1 TBSP of butter and 1 TBSP of oil in a skillet and heat over medium heat. Add diced onion , salt and pepper, and stir occasionally until deeply carmelized, about 30 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool. In a small bowl, add Gorgonzola to the softened butter and mash together until evenly distributed. Add about half of the cooled onions to the mix, so that it looks something like this: 

Store in refrigerator. Scoop onto steaks just before serving. Sprinkle with remaining carmelized onions if desired.

Voila!

*To soften butter, you can let it sit out at room temperature for a half an hour or so, you can place it in a bowl near the hot stove where you are carmelizing the onions, or you can microwave it for a few seconds.

Baby Steps in Print Mixing

Striped tee and belt: The Limited (Similar top, Similar top), Skirt: Forever 21, Heels: Simply Vera Vera Wang (Similar but more expensive), Bag: Foley + Corinna (select colors on sale!)

When I first put this outfit together, it was just the striped shirt with the yellow skirt. I live in striped shirts, in part because I love the nautical/French feeling, as though I should be in St. Tropez and not Cleveland, Ohio. The yellow skirt was the perfect way to elevate the striped tee, and the color of the skirt added a splash of cheerfulness that I don't typically experience when I'm wearing jeans. When I grabbed the belt out of the closet, I was totally expecting it to be a disaster, but I was really pleased with the way it looked on top of the yellow background, and with the stripes nearby. To top it all off, I threw on my snake-print, studded heels.

Style tip: If you typically shy away from mixing prints like I do, this is good way to try it without going too far out of your comfort zone. Try wearing a simple striped top with a belt in a different print. The small addition of the secondary print from the belt will add extra intrigue and allow you test the waters of print mixing.

Lastly, if you are in the market for a new handbag, I highly recommend investing in one from Foley + Corinna. I have the Mid City tote, and I can't say enough good things about it. The leather is rich and buttery, and it comes in a variety of colors- mine is tan, but I'm currently craving one in red and one in black and one in fuschia. Furthermore, when folded over, it doesn't seem particularly large, yet it was able to comfortably accommodate my Ipad and two magazines the other day when I went to get my car serviced.

Photo Diary: Mayan Riviera

Just a quick post to share some more of our photos from our honeymoon at the Blue Diamond Resort in the Mayan Riviera. The property was absolutely stunning, the food was good, the drinks were delicious (they only use top-shelf), and the service was outstanding. We were treated like royalty for the week, which was extra special given my ridiculous obsession with Kate Middleton!

{My new husband (!) on the pool deck overlooking the ocean}

{I was fascinated by the single giant shellfish on top of my pasta}

{The walk to the beach from our villa}

{The private plunge pool on our patio, empty because we simply hadn't filled it yet}

{After dinner on the pool deck}

{One of the infinity pools}

{Amuse bouche- a buttery sea scallop. It was the first time I had tried a sea scallop. I wasn't a huge fan, but the presentation was really neat!}

{Our view from the restaurant where we ate lunch every day}

{Giant iguana on our patio...}

{...and looking in our window!}

{Our view from breakfast every day}

And since this is first and foremost a fashion blog:

Photo 2: Hat, Target (& similar); Coverup: TJ Maxx

Photo 5: Top and Shorts, H&M; Sandals: Franco Sarto via TJ Maxx (similar)



Details

Top: Express via TJ Maxx, Shorts: H&M, Shoes: Target (similar), Necklace: Joann

I love the way a plain t-shirt and pair of shorts can be completely transformed by a few simple details, like a statement necklace or eye-catching shoes. I wore this outfit the day I went to pick up my wedding dress and get my nails done for the wedding. The boyfriend t-shirt and shorts were really comfortable for running around town, but the shoes and necklace added intrigue and kept the look from being sloppy or overly plain.

Favorites

Dress: Old Navy, Purse: Prada, Sandals: Franco Sarto via TJ Maxx

This post is short, but full of my favorites: Red is my favorite color. Maxi dresses are my favorite kinds of dresses. This purse is my favorite crossbody bag I own. This picture was taken on our tropical vacation, which, coincidentally, is my favorite type of vacation!

I wore this dress to dinner the second night of our honeymoon in the Mayan Riviera. The long length makes the dress a little dressier, perfect to wear to the fancy-ish* restaurant where we ate, but still comfortable enough for a stroll around the expansive and stunning property where we stayed. More pictures to come!

*By fancy-ish, I mean that it was one of the fancier restaurants I've visited, but the required dress code for women was merely "elegant bermuda shorts," which leads me to add the "ish" to "fancy."