{Mixing Prints} | Florals + Stripes

- outfit details -dress || Target
sweater || Target
scarf || gift from my sis-in-law :)
bag || Target
heels || DSW
watch || Target
sunglasses || Forever 21
belt || Forever 21
earrings & ring || Target

One of my favorite "mixing prints" combos is stripes + florals. I love how the simple, clean structure of stripes contrast with the unstructured, beautiful "chaos" of floral prints. This particular floral print scarf is a favorite of mine - it was a gift from my awesome sister-in-law last Christmas and gets a lot of wear (also seen in this post).

When picking a floral print scarf, I say the more colors the better because you'll be able to wear it with more outfits. There are various ways to style a scarf, but this is the first time I've tried securing one with a belt, which ended up contributing to a much more flattering shape than this outfit looked without one.

Side Note || For extra outfit inspiration, try experimenting with adding "edgy" twists to more feminine looks. For example, in this post's outfit, the faux leather bag and cage heels contrast with the dress and floral details.

Happy print mixing and thanks for stopping by! :)

Party on the Patio

Last week I shared the "mini lemonade bar" setup I put together as part of a birthday celebration for my parents a couple of weekends ago. The majority of our time together took place on our back patio, where we were blessed to have beautiful temperatures and a light breeze all evening while we enjoyed some delicious steaks my husband grilled for us. My mom is always the best about making family gatherings feel unique and thoughtful, and now that I'm married and have a home of my own to host family gatherings, I enjoy following in her footsteps (or at least attempting!) and creating special memories that she gets to enjoy!

If you've made any trips to Target recently, you've probably noticed the adorable "Oh Joy! for Target" fall collection. While I would have loved to have taken home literally every piece in the collection, I settled on the cute mini party hats! I don't know what made me think to put them on top of the mason jars, but I loved how that turned out! Scrounging up some craft supplies I already had at the house, I created some "present place cards" to compliment the party hats.  I liked the simplicity of this setup - a little really does go a long way, and it doesn't take much to add a few personal touches to your hosting efforts to make your guests feel special! 

DIY "Present Place Card"
1) Tear the edges of a piece of card stock to form a square.
2) Add a piece of washi tape down the left side.
3) Use sticker letters to label a gift tag.
4) Secure the gift tag with a bow. 

- details -
dishes || Fiesta (via Macy's)
mason jars || Target
mini party hats || Target
table runner & placemats || Target (clearance section - $5 total!)

I hope you were able to find some inspiration for your next family/friends gathering from this post! As always, thanks for stopping by!

Fall Fedora + Textures

- outfit details - 
jacket || H&M (old)
sweater || Target
leggings || H&M (old)
boots || Calvin Klein (gift)
bag || Target
hat || Target

Well, fall is officially here! With these cooler, fluctuating temperatures comes the opportunity to experiment with various layers, textures and accessories. I have a feeling this burgundy fall fedora and I are going to be spending a lot of time together this season. I love wearing hats because 1) they're a lifesaver on bad hair days (or for trying to go as long as possible in between hair washes lol), 2) they can take an outfit to the next level, and 3) the extra warmth is always nice for a cold-natured person like myself!

When picking out a hat for your fall wardrobe, you can't go wrong with neutrals (black, brown, gray, etc.), though color can be fun! I went with this burgundy color because I tend to wear a lot of neutrals in the fall, so this particular hat will provide a nice, muted pop of color, as seen in this outfit.

Also, layering different textures is a great technique to keep in mind when putting together fall outfits. In this outfit alone there are six different textures (leather, faux croc leather, canvas, knit, felt, nylon). This technique also helps differentiate several pieces of the same color in one outfit.

Have a Happy Monday and thanks for stopping by!

Mini Lemonade Bar

Reed and I recently had my parents over to celebrate their birthdays (my dad, mom, brother AND myself ALL have birthdays in September - it's a crazy month!) and at the last minute, I threw together this "mini lemonade bar" (I had remembered seeing this one on the Pink Peonies blog earlier this summer which gave me some inspiration!) to add some festive fun to our drinks for the night! Fortunately, I had everything I needed for this setup except the fruit, lemonade and sweet tea. Thirty minutes later after a quick trip to the store, preparing the fruit, filling up the glass bottles and arranging all the details, our mini lemonade bar was open for business!  

I love adding fruit to water, lemonade, tea, etc.! There are so many options you can go with when choosing "toppings" for your drinks, but blueberries, strawberries, lemons and limes always seem to be favorites for most people! 

Confession: those lemons in the jar are fake! I actually use that piece as a decoration in a different part of my kitchen but knew they'd make a cute accent piece for this setup! 

This chalkboard always comes in handy whether I need it for a photo booth prop or for making a quick sign as seen here! 

I found these glass bottles recently at TJ Maxx for like $4 each! I knew they'd eventually come in handy for something like this. Also, I'm a sucker for cute straws and will use them any chance I can (those are from Target)! 

You guys remember the adorable "Oh Joy" line for Target over the summer? Snagged this pitcher from that line for $5 on clearance! It's such a great festive piece for entertaining guests! 

I originally set up our lemonade bar on our kitchen countertop for easy access, but because I utilized a serving tray, the whole setup was easy to transport to our back patio, which is where we ended up spending the majority of our evening.

How cute is that apron?! One of my favorite wedding shower gifts from my bestie! 

Our mini lemonade bar really was so simple to put together and provided an extra added element of fun and thoughtfulness to the evening! I encourage you to come up with your own spin on a lemonade bar at your next family/friends gathering - your guests will love it! 

Thanks for stopping by! Have a wonderful weekend! 

Styling Overalls

- outfit details -
overalls || Target
tank || Target
blazer || Target
scarf || Ross
bag || Francesca's
booties || Ross

I probably haven't worn overalls since my elementary days (which would make sense as I grew up in the 90s!) and have truly enjoyed their recent comeback! Styling overalls can be a lot of fun because there's a lot of fresh inspiration floating around as you'll see on this special Pinterest board I've created in light of this post. Layering is a styling technique that can be applied just as easily to styling overalls as it can with any other outfit. Overalls by their very nature are a very casual piece of clothing but adding a blazer and a pair of heeled booties automatically raises the sophistication! Adding other accessories like scarves, headbands, clutches, etc. is another creative way to "dress up" this casual clothing piece (you might recognize that head scarf from this recent post - I love how versatile it is!).

If you haven't given overalls a chance this season, I encourage you to try! They're really comfy and can be used to create many more outfits than you might think!

If you have other ideas on how you've styled overalls, I would love to hear them! Or if you have questions on how to style overalls for YOU, I'd be happy to offer any help I can! Thanks for stopping by!

Denim Shirt-Dress

 - outfit details -
dress || Target (similar)
wedges || Marshalls (old)
bag || Francesca's
hat || Target
lip color || Cover Girl Lip Perfection - "Hot - 305" 

Even though these photos were taken back at the beginning of the summer, this an outfit that can easily transition to fall by switching the shoes (I'd go with either a pair of heeled ankle boots or closed-toe flats) and throwing on a scarf &/or light sweater! Also, a red lip is another great addition to your fall outfits, as it provides a great pop of color against fall hats and scarves. 

Also, a shout-out to my handsome husband below! :) He's truly my best friend for life. Thanks for stopping by!