Brocade for Valentine's Day

I am getting really into midi skirts lately...oh and prints. Brocade is so fun, and I thought it would be lovely for a Valentine's Day celebration with my hunny. I was in for a wonderful surprise on Valentine's Day when I enjoyed one of the best meals I've had since I moved to London. We dined on potted mackerel, steaks and incredible sides at Hawksmoor. I was particularly fond of the Champagne Charlie cocktail which featured champagne, gin and seasonal fruits. The seasonal fruits were beet root and blood oranges which made the cocktail and bright pink...perfect for Valentine's Day. Needless to say, my Valentine's Day was perfect. Give this girl a great steak and you've got my heart.

Thank God I wore a peplum because all that food definitely meant a food baby at the end of the night. The shape was definitely flattering, but more than anything I love the cut outs on this top. I wore a midi skirt on Valentine's day, so the least I could do was so show off a little shoulder.

It's been a while since I've worn this statement necklace, but it was perfect for the occasion.

I tweeted a picture of the end of my night where I was holding my shoes in my hand. I had a pair of flats in my purse because as much as I love these shoes, they hate my feet. Barely 4 blocks in these babies, and I think my feet were bleeding. I guess I'm as big an idiot for wearing these little foot murderers as the guy who made them. Anyway, these are date night shoes. They're meant to be under a dinner table or in the air...let's be real.

Outfit:

Top and skirt: Asos

Belt: H&M 

Shoes: Christian Louboutin

Bag: Louis Vuitton

Jewelry: Stella & Dot necklace and bracelet, Frugal finds NYC ring

Stay fab! xx

Flowy Tops and Chunky Booties

Nothing like leggings and an oversized top to hide bloat on one of those days. I picked up this green flowy top from COS in the fall, and it's definitely my go to on those days I'm feeling less than stellar. I like the color and the ode to the military trend. I paired this top with my new favorite leggings. They're push up leggings from Calzedonia. Unlike the padded leggings, these push your cheeks up to make it look bigger as opposed to those unnatural looking booty pops. When I tried them on in store I liked the way my bum looked so much I purchased 3 pairs on the spot. I definitely recommend them to anyone who wants a little boost in the back. You won't go from a pancake bum to a donk, but you'll have a little somethin' somethin' to work with.

Again with the pearls. It must be something in the air. I love this long strand since it can be worn multiple ways. For a casual day out and about, I just kept it long and tied it into a knot. I decided to give my tic tac toe rings a day out as well. I'm really trying to reach down deep into my jewelry box to start wearing some of the great stuff I already own. It's so easy to start grabbing for the same things over and over again. Obviously this goes for clothes too!

Overall, I like this look for a casual day out and about. The chunky booties made it easy to stomp around the city and I got to hide some bloat under an oversized top. Win, win, win.

Top: COS

Leggings: Calzedonia

Booties: Office

Bag: Oryany

Sunglasses: Jimmy Choo

Jewelry: JewelMint rings, Amrita Singh bangles, Nordstrom pearls   

Criss Cross Will Make You...Wear Pearls

I found this criss cross back jumper on ASOS a couple weeks ago, and I just had to have it. I probably own a billion black tops, but the criss cross back definitely makes this one a little unique (at least that's how I justified the purchase of another black top).  As a busty girl, I'm not walking out bra-less anywhere, so it's difficult for me to wear anything with a dip in the back. The V in the back is perfect because it allows me to show off a little bit of skin without showing the back of my bra (TACKY!). I paired my new favorite jumper with an old skirt I purchased at Express like two years ago. It's nice to be able to pull things out of the back of your closet and still feel great in them.

It's been a long time since I've opted to wear pearls. In spite of a life time of private school education, I don't consider myself preppy. It's not often that you'll catch me in a cable knit sweater with a strand of pearls around my neck, but every once in a while I like to go classic. I love this necklace by Kenneth Jay Lane because these are pearls that make a statement. The multiple strands are a perfect addition to a simple outfit.

Once again, I broke out my Charlotte Olympia lips clutch because I am absolutely obsessed with it. I purchased it on the Net-A-Porter.com sale, and so far it's the best purchase of this month. The sale ends tomorrow so hurry and snag some goodies while you still can! Some of the items I was eyeing have already been further reduced, so I may be handing over yet another fistful of money to them this evening.

Nothing gets me going like a pair of fun tights for these cool, winter months. I would kick myself if I didn't share with you my new favorite brand. The tights I'm wearing are called cougar legs and they're made by Commando. They are perfection. I love a fun print, but not nearly as much as I love tights not digging into my middle. Commando's line of luxury leg wear has a raw edge that prevents digging. It is the single best thing ever to hit the leg wear market. Just saying. Grab a pair because they're life changing.

Criss Cross Jumper: Asos

Skirt: Express (OLD)

Tights: Commando

Booties: Steven by Steve Madden (OLD)

Sunglasses: Chanel

Clutch: Charlotte Olympia

Jewelry: Kenneth Jay Lane, Tiffany & Co., Stella & Dot

Stay fab! xx

Trend I'm Loving: Studs and Spikes

The studs and spikes trend is HUGE in London. I can barely walk out of my flat without seeing spikes on leather jackets, hats, jewelry, etc. I fell in love with the edgy trend the moment I saw it. I don't know that I'll be customizing all my wardrobe staples with studs at this point, but a couple pairs of pumps would be nice. I adore the Christian Louboutin Pigalle studded pumps, but for now I'll be hunting for the look for less. I've already found a few pairs that I'm loving. Fingers crossed I'll be posting about those finds soon!

Stay fab! xx

Big Kiss

It takes a lot for me to abandon my massive hadnbags. I prefer to have my bags double as luggage in most cases. However, when I saw the 'Big Kiss' clutch by Charlotte Olympia I couldn't pass it up. 50% off the original price helped quite a bit as well! I absolutely adore this clutch. It's red lips so naturally we're a match made in fashion heaven. It has a little strap, but I have yet to use it. I like holding this little baby in my hands.

For an evening catch up with my cousin, I wore an oversized jumper with my go to faux leather pants. I'm by no means a sample size, so I didn't think I'd be able to pull off a full leather pant, but after purchasing this affordable option I'm kind of in love with them. This was definitely a lesson for me as it should be for everyone, don't knock it until you try it! If this trend sticks around long enough I might just snatch up a real leather pair. I love these as a chic alternative to jeans.

I've never been a fan of Aldo shoes because they're unreasonably uncomfortable, but I do love these Aldo wedge booties. I can do quite a bit of walking in them without wanting to cut off all my toes which is pretty much my number 1 concern when buying heels to stomp around London in. I'm not sure that I'm completely sold on Aldo at this point, but these will do for now.

I said that I would start playing with lip colors this year, so here we go! I kept my eyes bright and simple and went for a deep plum lip. I am obsessed with the Nars 'Train Bleu' velvet matte pencil. It's really dark, but it looks fantastic on. It's also quite versatile. I've worn it with my 'Dragon Girl' pencil for an ombre look and with glosses to sheer it out a little bit. Last night I wore it with Nars Larger than Life gloss in 'Rouge Tribal'. I loved the look and will definitely be rocking it again soon.

You may have noticed that I got a hair cut. It's a new year, and I got tired of managing chemically relaxed ends and new natural growth. Now it's all gone. I'm still getting used to the look, but I love the lower maintenance!

Sweater: Whistles

Faux Leather Pants: Topshop

Booties: Aldo

Bag: Big Kiss clutch by Charlotte Olympia

Jewelry: Stella & Dot and Tiffany & Co. bracelets and ring, Zodiac watch

What do you think of the new look?

Stay fab! xx

A Night Out in Gilgamesh

American Apparel Dress
Hue tights
Whistles Blazer
Christian Louboutin pumps
Hobo International clutch

 I've gotten several recommendations for restaurants in the area, so Saturday I decided to tap into my arsenal for a night out with my hunny and one of his law school buddies. We went to Gilgamesh for some cocktails and light bites. I absolutely loved it. The ambience is very cool, and the decor is grand. The bar is made of rich mahogany wood and hand carved with really intricate designs. The food was average, but the drinks were delicious. I had like 4ish house martinis with peach vodka, gin, peach and cucumber. Amazing. I can't wait to go back. I had such a wonderful time.

For the evening out, I pulled out my favorite hot pink blazer for a pop of color on my monochromatic outfit. When I can't find anything to wear I always fall on all black, but my pink blazer is definitely a great way to refresh the look. It's cooled down quite a bit, so I had to pull out tights for the first time in a while. I did my smokey eye again, since I'm obsessed with the look. Black pumps and a statement necklace completed my look.

Date night makeup...obviously obsessed with this smokey eye look
Stella & Dot Sierra Necklace

If You Love It, Buy All the Colors

Banana Republic tee
H&M belt
Asos skirt
Topshop flats
Stella & Dot serenity pendant necklace

It wasn't too long ago that I rocked a maxi skirt with a thigh high split. Well I really loved the look, so I decided to go for the black one as well. Thursday called for a hair appointment and lunch in central with my hunny, so I wanted something chic and casual. I just love this maxi skirt! I wore a fitted white tee this time around and my fave (obvi) neon belt. I think I'll need to give it a rest soon. I pull that thing out for like every outfit now. I'm sure everyone is sick of seeing it!

I switched up my makeup look for the day as well. I went for a more natural look and nude lip. I purchased a tinted moisturizer from Nars a couple weeks ago that I am LOVING. It's a really great lighter alternative to the foundation I wear every day. It's really great when you want some coverage, but don't want to necessarily have a face full of makeup.

After my hair appointment, I met my hunny for lunch near his office. We did a little breakfast for lunch thing at the Breakfast Club. I've had a lot of lousy breakfasts in London (I really miss brunch in the US among other things...) but the Breakfast Club is actually quite good. I had smoked salmon and scrambled eggs with multigrain toast since I'm trying to lose a little weight before the wedding in December (!!!!!). I've had pancakes there before in the past that are almost as good as what I get at home. Almost. Good enough for now though! Anyway I loved this look for a nice day out and about.

Yet Another Summertime Dress

Found this dress at some boutique in Atlanta
Stella & Dot femme fatale necklace
Topshop ballet flats

For the last really nice day in London, I pulled out a color block dress for a day out. I spent some time at Liberty where I got my makeup done at the Nars counter. I don't really care for "makeovers" as much now that I like wearing my makeup a certain way, but it's cool to see what a different pair of eyes would choose for you. I told Francisco that I wanted to do something a little different from my usual go to toned down eyes/bright lips look. He went for a smoky eye using deep blues and blacks. I don't ever wear blue eye shadow, but he did a really great job. My only issues were the way he did my foundatino and eyebrows. I get really anal about the coverage with my foundation. I have really good skin (yay!) but that also means that makeup artists put little or no foundation on me when I go to these things. I like my skin, but I like it to look 100% flawless. My tone is a little uneven, so I like to correct that. I also have terribly thin and shapeless eyebrows. I basically fill in and draw in the nonexistent parts to look like a normal person. This man just filled in what I had. Ugh.

In spite of my own little neuroses, I did purchase a few of the products to duplicate the look. We'll see how it looks when I try it on my own. It was a little early for such a dramatic smoky eye, but sunglasses quickly resolved that problem. I'm curious what a day time smokey eye might look like. Kris Jenner pulls it off quite well.

The weather has cooled again here, so I'll be back in layers next week. I can't wait for fall though! Gotta love boots season!

Summer Uniforms

H&M dress
Sam Edelman sandals
Prada shades

Last week we had hot sticky summer weather. I would have appreciated it much more if the humidity wasn't suffocating me. I spent the morning walking around Borough Market with my hunny. We enjoyed some brats for lunch, walked from stand to stand looking for yummy treats, and finally stopped at a Sangria stand to enjoy some Sangria on our way home.

For my little day trip, I slipped into my summer uniform - sundress and sandals. Gotta love a nude dress...perfect backdrop for bright lips and colorful accessories.

Style Repeats

Whistles dress
H&M belt
Sam Edelman sandals
Prada shades

I blogged this dress a few weeks ago when I wore it to church. I pulled out my hot pink Whistles dress again for an afternoon at the hair salon and a late lunch with my hunny. I just adore Whistles dresses. They're so chic and versatile. I always feel like it was money well spent when I can wear a piece multiple ways to different events. I love the bright hue of this dress against my skin tone. Perfect casual fit for a warm sunny day!

I like being at least a little glam when I head to the hair salon. I always have a little boost of confidence when my hair is whipped, so I like my look to reflect that. I had a Brazilian blowout done this week, and I really like the results. My hair is straight, full and bouncy. I'm not sure if this is cheating since I'm supposed to be ditching chemical straighteners, but whatever. I like the way my hair turned out. I think I'll stick with this for a while.

Maxi Skirts and Thigh High Splits

Asos knit tee and maxi skirt
Sam Edelman sandals
Rebecca Minkoff handbag

I've been seeing maxi skirts all around London, but I wasn't really sure how I could pull it off. I've never been a boho kind of girl, and I'm not about to start now. This is my first attempt at the maxi skirt. I got this one from Asos. I love the thigh high slit and could barely resist giving a little Angelina Jolie action every few minutes. I went for a simple grey knit tee and flat sandals since I was just going to see a movie with my hunny. The skirt is quite long, (I pulled it up under my bra urkel style to wear with flat sandals) so I'm excited to pair it with wedges for a dressier look at some point.

The maxi skirt is a really great transitional piece for fall. I've already found the perfect booties to wear with this once it cools down.

Peplum Love

Miss Selfridges peplum top
American Apparel leggings
Dolce Vita sandals

Like pretty much everyone, I am loving the peplum this season. It's such a flattering shape for much everyone, and the fit can chic up just about any outfit. I'm conscious of how much I wear peplum tops and dresses because there's this woman who's been on several shoots I've worked on who wears them constantly...like so much so that we refer to her as the peplum lady. I don't want to be "that girl". Anyway, I love this pastel number because it's a nice, casual take on the trend. I paired it with leggings to meet a friend for coffee. I wore some big earrings for a refreshing change since I usually go for necklaces these days.

I met a friend for coffee at Heathrow since his layover was too short to come into the city. It's crazy that I've been meeting up with more people now that I live across the pond. No one came to see me in Chicago...just saying.

Chocolate Tour!

Saturday afternoon I went on a 2 1/2 hour chocolate walking tour around west London. We visited a few chocolate shops, sampled some truffles, and learned all about the queen's favorite chocolate shops in London. I really loved the salted caramel filled chocolates at the Paul. A. Jones shop. We also stopped at Laduree where I got to get some macaroons....my favorite!

H&M Leggings and top
Topshop vest
Converse sneakers
Marc by Marc Jacobs crossbody bag
Stella & Dot fringe necklace

I threw on my favorite vest with a white tee and chucks for a comfy casual look. I opted for a crossbody bag so I wouldn't have to lug around my life all afternoon long. I just got this Stella & Dot fringe necklace earlier this week, and I am in LOVE. I love how it made this pretty low key outfit just a little more cool. Gotta love a good statement necklace.

Stella & Dot and Topshop Arm party

Stella & Dot Fringe Necklace