LIBRARY IN MULBERRY

We all know my affections for pink. So how about this magenta colored library? It's absolutely fantastic! A jewel toned wall is the perfect look for a glamorous reading nook... so very modern day Aladdin. Designer Lindsay Coral Harper decorated this room for the Cathedral Antiques Show House in Atlanta. She did a wonderful job...

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pretty AND pink

Being that summer is here and color is finally accepted in New York as a neutral, I am ready to rock some pink! Here are a few of my favorite pink moments in the decor world...

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HOME TOUR: Pretty Styling Magic

I am just smitten with this fabulous apartment. The busy fabrics, bold dashes of hot pink, mix of vintage and modern pieces. Completely gives you an idea of how white walls can really work! The black chesterfield sofa is incredibly stylish and works some masculinity into the feminine panache...

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Case of the Vanishing Dress

{Belt: Similar | Blazer: Similar | Flats: Similar}
I wore this outfit a few weeks ago and instagrammed it. (side note: I love how I can make any social medium a verb.) Unfortunately we didn't get photos that day because that's when I caught the flu. And as I've said before -- if it wasn't photographed, it didn't happen.
This is the dress that almost didn't happen. I saw it a few months ago at Gap and had my eye on it for a while. And then it was gone. Like not even on the sale rack gone. It had vanished. One day when I was at another Gap store (judge me, it's fine.), the dress was there -- only one in my size on sale. I snatched it up quickly and held it aside in the dressing room. When I got to my dressing room, a few things were missing. I kid you not, the dress was gone. The nice Gap lady told me that someone else took some things to try on. Um, what? Doesn't that girl know the sisterhood rules of shopping: you don't take things from other people's dressing rooms, especially dresses that they've dreamed about their whole lives. There are few things that I get confrontational about but clothing -- I will throw down. 
Luckily the dress didn't fit the mystery girl who I never got to front, so I am now the proud owner of a crazy print dress of my dreams. (Although dear mystery girl -- you have great taste, if I do say so myself.)

Dress Code

{Tee: Bloom | Skirt: J.Crew | Wedges: Gap | Watch: c/o Kenneth Cole}
With the exception of one job, I was called into HR about dress code for every position I held from the time I was 16 until now. As a cashier at a drug store in high school, the uniform was to tuck my polo into my khakis, but let's be honest -- that just wasn't ever going to happen. Minimum wage was not worth me looking like a dweeb. (I only lasted 2.5 months at that job. Go figure.) One time in college I actually got sent home from my job because I wore shorts and heels to work. (May I just say I was ahead of my time.) But I have to proudly say that since becoming my own boss, I've yet to be called into HR for violating the dress code. 
Luckily, cute t-shirts and bright pencil skirts are alright in my boss's book. She's pretty cool. She also talks about herself in third person on the internet, so there's that. 

Hello Spring

{Sweater: Bloom | Skirt: Fancy French Cologne | Shoes: Similar| Purse: Melie Bianco}

I'm back! I'm alive! In the contest of flu vs. Kendi, I won after a 5-day battle. I also developed a nice set of dreaded hair and some atrophy in my legs. Putting on heels for the first time after laying in bed for several days was equivalent to a baby giraffe walking for the first time. AKA very graceful.

A couple of weeks ago I was wearing a skirt and the first thing my mother said to me was "I've missed your legs." Thank you mother. I realize that you might not find my legs quite as special, but here they are again, not covered by colored jeans. A bit underwhelming, eh? Legs only a mother could love, I suppose.

Also, my skirt is wrinkled and I should probably have worn a slip. Eh, you can't win them all. 

Pants Formerly Known as Capri

{Blouse: c/o Questhaven | Pants/Jacket: last year | Purse: Melie Bianco}

Last year around this time, after I had purchased these capris from Gap, I read a quote from Tim Gunn. I can't exactly remember his wording but it was something to the tune of "Ladies -- just say no to capri pants." I went into my closet, took a good hard look at these pants and decided right then and there -- these are not capri pants; these are cropped pants. And since I have a .01% chance of ever meeting Mr. Gunn in person, I'm going to speak for him and say that he would definitely approve of this pair of cropped pants.

This is also his favorite style blog, too, if you were wondering. And he loves my cooking. 

Sunday Best

{Dress: Banana Republic | Bag: Melie Bianco} 
I feel like if you saw me in this dress you would think one of two things: that girl is really excited about Mad Men or she really likes Easter dresses. In my case, both are true. To top things off (pun intended, wait for it) I really wanted to go all the way and put a huge hat on, but sadly I do not own a huge hat that is appropriate for public viewing.  And by all the way, I mean I wanted to be Kate Middleton, again. Some obsessions will never die. 
Hope you had a happy holiday weekend.

(Also -- if you are having trouble pinning, I don't know what the deal is. But I'll try to figure it out soon!)

Almost Rebellious

{Tank: Old Navy | Pants: Karen Kane | Shoes: Similar | Necklace: Bauble Bar | Purse: Melie Bianco}
I know that there is a spoken rule about not wearing white before Easter, which for some reason has a hold on me. I don't know why but I really do follow this rule (for the record, I don't really think this rule applies anymore.) Another rule I always follow: wait at least 15 minutes after eating before swimming. I am absolutely terrified of what would happen if I did not wait. I'm pretty sure chocking on your own vomit and then drowning is what happens, but I'll never know because I follow the rules.
However I do feel a bit  like a rebel in the fact that I still have two days before it's Easter and look at me -- I'm wearing white pants and open toed shoes. Rebel without a cause, I tell ya. 

Remember Me?

{Sweater: Bloom | Jeans: Similar | Wedges: Similar } 
A week is too long, right? I've missed you guys. So what's new? We have so much to not catch up on because nothing happened last week. Honestly, you missed a lot of reality TV and some colored-jean wearing, but that's about it. I am glad to be reunited though. I mean if this was a Nicholas Sparks novel, we'd run into each other's arms after writing love letters back and forth for years and then have a passionate make out session. But sadly, I don't even think Nicholas reads my blog. But we can still make out, if you want. 
I did cheat and take these outfit photos last Friday. Mainly because I had showered that day and put heels on, which to me calls for a photo shoot. Really I can make any excuse for a photo. I have hair: photo shoot. I'm wearing something: photo shoot. I woke up today: photo shoot. And this is why Instagram exists. 
(Also, if you are wondering what that splat is in the last photo, it was an orange. I'm sorry to report that the orange is no longer with us.)

Last seen from the boyfriend jeans:

Another Day, Another Blazer

{Blazer: Similar | Tank: Gap | Jeans: Similar | Heels: Urban Outfitters | Necklace: Vanessa Mooney}
I honestly don't know when I wore this outfit. It was a week or two ago on a Friday or Saturday... maybe. Who knows? Although I'm fairly certain that I did wear it. I have photographic evidence. 
Yes, this is another blazer to add to my collection. If you learn one thing from this blog, it's to go find a  nice, fitted blazer. Easiest investment ever. In fact I'm wearing one right now. Will you see this outfit? Who knows, it could be days, weeks, years....
***(PS -- I bought this one at Anthropologie but if you are into thrifting, and I think you are, I always see a ton of red blazers around. Do you see what I'm doing here? I'm trying to get you to buy more blazers to make me feel better about my obsession.)

Fancy Friday

{Tee: Target | Skirt: Bloom | Jacket: Similar | Wedges: Similar}
I've been dreaming about maxi skirts and dresses all winter. AKA I'm warning you now because this is pretty much all I want to wear. I've had this skirt for a while (we got it in the store in late January) and I've been waiting to wear it for so long. (My timeline is a lot like a child's timeline -- so long = the month of February) Today is the day. Also, can I make Fancy Friday a thing in which we all wear our best to end the week? 
Oh. I think just heard everyone wearing jeans at work today groan. Fine, it isn't a thing. Resume to your casual Friday shenanigans. 
Yes, this is day 5 on the denim jacket. I should probably wash it soon. And by soon I mean April. (See timeline equivalent above.)

Denim Jackets and Other Fears

{Dress: Simply Audrey | Jacket: Similar | Belt: Similar | Bracelet & Watch | Wedges: Similar}

I don't know about you, but there are a select few pieces of clothing that I am traumatized by from my high school days. Jean jackets, denim overalls, 4" wedged flip flops with large faux flowers attached to them just to name a few. Wind suits. I'm traumatized by wind suits, too. These are the things my nightmares are made of. I don't know why but high school kind of ruined denim jackets for me; I've been weary of them since. (We can't even talk about denim overalls. My therapist says it's still too soon.)

But I've been seeing denim jackets everywhere and I knew that I had to take the plunge. So I took the cheap plunge and found this one on sale. So far so good -- I got it last week and I've worn it 4 times since. Fear of the jacket has been conquered. 

It's official -- I'm in that annoying growing your hair out again stage. I feel like my hair says to me every morning: "remember when your hair was cute and short/remember when your hair was long and pretty?" Only a few more years until it's long again. Hopefully overalls and platform flower flip flops will be back in by then.

Shoes and Speeches

Sorry for the slight blogging delay (I started having withdrawals on day two, I've missed you guys) but I was at a blogger conference over the weekend. Ironically enough, I wasn't able to blog during the blogging conference. It seems so wrong, right?  But I digress. 
Of course I had no idea what to wear so I turned to my trusty mustard pants. And not to make my favorite red orange pumps jealous, but I might have picked up some new pink shoes. Pink is the new  red orange.  Right, Pantone? 
And if you ever wondered what I look like while giving a speech, it's this: 

Compelling.