transition

After peeking at the 15 day forecast for Denver last night, I think tomorrow is our last chance for temps in the 80s for a while. I LOVE Fall, & one of my favorite parts is that it keeps you guessing about what to wear. Some days you get to squeeze out one more appearance in your favorite maxi dress, & the next you are bundled up eyelashes to ankles in knits + layers. What can I say, I like variety!

I know this might seem silly, but before I moved from Nashville to Denver, I was really naive about seasons in other parts of the country. I had always lived in the South, & it was my understanding that Summer basically continued straight through to Thanksgiving, with a day or two of crisp evenings to break up the sweaty, humid block of April - November. I could write a whole post about the pros of moving away from where you grew up, but I digress...

I love this dress because it lets me frolic in in the sun like Summer never ended, but the moody dark florals remind everyone that I'm not crazy, I understand that it's about to get real chilly & is indeed nearing the end of October... am I the only one that picks out clothing based on what will make me look least crazy to strangers, while still embracing my fully wacky personality?

Since Tyler and I knew we were moving out of our first Denver neighborhood - River North Arts District or RiNo for those in the know - we spent our last few weekends there making sure we had explored every nook and cranny! This outfit was perfect for stopping by the cute boutiques (no wasteful plastic bags for me, I've got my own giant one!), hitting up a few of the yummy breweries, & strolling down alleys to find new murals. If you have a visit to Denver on your list, make sure you hit up Larimer Street in the RiNo area - there is a bit of construction going on, but don't be deterred, there are many hidden spots waiting to be discovered!

What are your best tips for transitional dressing? Just go with what you love, embrace the season, or dress for the weather?

dress: Nordstrom lace-up, flutter sleeve maxi dress

bag: Sole Society oversized shopper tote

shoes: fsj black suede sandals

watch: Fossil leather strap watch

All Photos | Walnut Street Photography

{shop these exact pieces + other favorites}

In Bloom

This post was sponsored by Elizabeth Arden as part of an Influencer Activation for Influence Central. All opinions expressed in my post are my own.

Since Spring has sprung, I've been a busy bee freshening up my daily routines for warmer temps. Tyler and I have been enjoying more days with the windows open and afternoons spent on patios with friends. This means that my clothes, and beauty routine needs to be updated for Spring too. There is something so amazing about seeing favorite clothing items that have been in hibernation since last year. While I am still not sure what is going on with Colorado weather, slowly sweaters are being replaced by tunics (how great is this floral one I'm wearing below), & booties are swapping places with sandals. Right now I'm in a stage of small changes - mixing in warmer weather items with my seasonless basics, like these black jeans that I can't get enough of, regardless of season. Eventually I'll be ready to bust out all the sundresses & open back tops, but for right now, I'm just happy my wrists and ankles are being kissed by the sun.

The transformation in my closet is happening slowly, but I'm fully embracing Spring with my daily fragrance. As a child of the 90s, it actually makes me giddy that my favorite celebrities now have their own beauty/fragrance lines. It has felt like I grew up with Britney Spears - from "Hit Me Baby One More Time" coming out in Middle School, to being on team Britney when she was making her come back, to seeing her in concert 2x as an adult, thinking of her & her music will hopefully always bring back happy memories of my youth.

During the cooler months, I have been using Britney Spears' fantasy fragrance, but have recently traded it out for her fantasy IN BLOOM perfume. This is one scent that is perfect for day or night, & it makes me think of fresh flowers every time I snag a whiff. 

If you are looking for a new Spring perfume, I definitely recommend Britney Spears' line. Britney Spears fantasy IN BLOOM is currently available at Kohl's nationwide & on Kohls.com.

All Photos: Noah Berg Photography

Not only do I love the well balanced scent of cherry blossoms, the bottle looks so pretty sitting on my vanity! I love how Britney describes her latest fragrance:

I love flowers, and fantasy IN BLOOM gives me that fresh feeling of smelling a gorgeous bouquet. It’s like a daydream in a bottle – a beautiful garden where the warm sun is on your skin and blooming flowers are all around.” – Britney Spears 

Find Britney Spears Fragrances on Facebook & Instagram. 

boaters

Last Summer it was all about the Panama Hat (I wore mine to death - see the outfits here), but 2016 is the year of the boater hat! I just picked up this one from Sole Society & I'm confident you will be seeing it on the blog many times in the coming months. I like how it adds a touch of French gamine to my favorite warm weather dresses!

One feature I didn't expect about this hat - it has a hidden adjustable drawstring that allows it to be perfectly fitted to most any head size… my weirdly sized head much appreciates it!

dress: Wayf floral midi dress

hat: boater hat c/o Sole Society

shoes: lace up sandals c/o Sole Society

You know those ridiculous "stranded on a deserted island" questions? Well, if I was stranded on a deserted island, and could only purchase 1 brand of shoes, I would easily pick Sole Society! Also loving these platform espadrilles from Sole Society (like an unreasonable amount of love for these shoes!)

purse: Rebecca Minkoff 5 zip crossbody

All Photos | Catherine Truman Photography

Shop these exact pieces:

bling bling

sweater: J.Crew Factory "Teddie" sweater (J.Crew Factory currently has 9 green sweaters on sale, shop them all here)

skirt: faux leather skirt c/o Chicwish

shoes: Chris booties c/o Sole Society

jewelry: All items loaned from Kendra Scott Green Hills store. Featuring Tristan choker necklace, Gavin cuff & Naomi 3 stone ring. 

All Photos | Kate Davis Photography

If you talk to a teacher, they will tell you that the two worst months are October & February. Hard to understand if you aren't in the profession, but for some reason the kids are just extra rowdy around these times, & the stretch between where you stand & the next school break feels like FORRREVVVERRRRRRRRR!

To combat the February blues, I plan on pulling out my brightest clothes & faking an ear to ear smile all the way until Spring Break! Oh and LOTS. OF. COFFEE.

I just got this neon sweater as a little Christmas surprise from my parents & it makes me endlessly happy - if you can believe it, it is even more electric in person! When I spotted these gunmetal pieces from the Spring 2016 Kendra Scott collection, they instantly asked me to be paired with my new little slice of neon - although, now I'm dying to try them with some creamy whites too! My go to jewelry metal is gold, but I think Kendra Scott has finally gotten me officially out of my jewelry rut comfort zone

I have been having so much fun showing off the new Kendra Scott collection over the last week. Did you miss a post? Catch up below:

Distressed denim + polished crystal necklace + earrings

Mosaic skirt + stained glass inspired jewels

Shop exact pieces from this outfit:

This faux leather skirt is really soft & luxe looking in person - oh & did you spot those pockets?! Money!

snow bunny

sweater: bedazzled collar sweater c/o Chicwish

blouse: J.Crew (no longer available, but I linked lots of cute polka dot blouses below, including this fun ruffle one!)

jeans: ASOS ripped Ridley jeans (mine are in the petite style)

shoes: Chris booties c/o Sole Society (also available at Nordstrom, but currently limited in sizes. This pair & this pair are also gorgeous)

hat: J.Crew (super old, but I love this similar style)

sunglasses: Carrerra shades c/o Sunglasses Shop

jewelry: large stud earrings c/o HumbleChic.com (Get 15% off your entire order on HumbleChic.com with promo code LIKEIT)

All Photos | Kate Davis Photography

Since many of us are snowed in, I thought it would be fun for everyone to share 5 things that have been going on lately in your life. I'll go first ;)

1. Tyler & I visited the D.C. area for a nice long holiday weekend. We did double duty meeting our new niece & catching up with some of Ty's college friends. One day Ty & his buddies hit up an NBA game, so I got a chance to explore the city on my own. I met up with Cathy (Poor Little It Girl) for coffee at Dolcezza & then wine at the St. Regis to warm us up after walking around City Center. After leaving Cathy, I explored the National Mall, hitting up several monuments & my favorite exhibit - the hall of mineral at the National Museum of Natural History. I navigated all day on foot, and was amazed at how warm and comfortable this pair of booties was from Sole Society. It looks like they are currently mostly sold out (hoping for a re-stock), but these styles below look very similar & are all under $100:

2. I have had this pink beanie since high school. That means I've known this hat longer than I've known my husband. Now that is a relationship. 

3. Well, I officially have cabin fever. After taking an extra day off for the MLK Jr. weekend + 4 snow days, I haven't been to work since January 15th! Definitely not complaining about an extra dose of relaxation, although I am getting concerned about how I am going to catch my students up! I have been spending some of this extra down time getting my closets in order. I've loaded up 4 bags of clothes to donate (Where is the best place to take them? I've heard that not all charity organizations are equal.) & am selling some pieces on my Postmark closet too (More being added today).

4. I'm pretty sure that we are getting close to watching EVERYTHING on Netflix. We just whipped through the first season of Sense8, & started the Chelsea Handler series last night. We love documentaries and binge-worthy series... now accepting suggestions! What have you been watching lately?

5. The only vacation that Tyler & I have been on together (except to visit family/friends) was our honeymoon, so I'm itching to plan an adventure for the two of us soon! I'm thinking Asheville, NC for my Spring Break & then maybe something bigger for Summer -- Amsterdam or Copenhagen are striking my bucket list fancy lately. Where are you wanting to travel next? Already got something booked?

Shop the exact pieces from this outfit:

These gorgeous earrings (in the photos & linked below) are from HumbleChic.com - get 15% off your entire order on HumbleChic.com with promo code LIKEIT

Bloggers Who Budget: Fall Shoe Trends

shoes: leopard "Jillian" heels ℅ Sole Society 

skirt: "skater skirt" ℅ Belk

top: J.Crew Factory classic blouse

purse: Rebecca Minkoff quilted convertible crossbody

sunglasses: Carrera sunglasses ℅ Sunglasses Shop

My Fall/Winter skirt wardrobe centers around versatile black skirt options. I'm loving this faux leather skirt or this slighlty longer midi option! And don't even get me started on the suede fringe number that is totally calling my name! 

All Photos | Kate Davis Photo

Sharing My Sole | Lou What Wear | Let It Be Beautiful | Here&Now | Pearls & Twirls | Stylin in St. Louis | Living in Color Style | The Pumpkin Spot

Bloggers Who Budget is baaaack! This month we are teaming up with Sole Society to show you some budget friendly Fall shoe trends!

Leopard is pretty much a year-around staple in my closet, but it is extra luxe to add a punch of spots to your cooler weather outfits. These leopard heels have a low wedge and comfortable pointed toe, making them all day favorites - even when I'm teaching!

I'm OBSESSED with these sunglasses & you can enter to win your own pair here: Sunglasses Shop Designer Sunglass Giveaway 

color pop

{ outfit 1: J.Crew polka dot Blythe blouse (similar) // Celebrity Pink white denim* // American Eagle neon belt* // Julianne Hough collection flats c/o Sole Society /// outfit 2: J.Crew Factory blazer // Sole Society heels (love these) }
*gifted in the SBS Brunch swag bag

I love starting with a neutral base & adding pops of color.

My two favorite ways to colorfy my outfits: 

a little bit with a belt

or a lotta bit with a blazer

What is your favorite way to add color?

If you are looking to add colorful flavor to your drinks this Summer, Dasani has just the thing!

I am in the participating in Lucky Style's Dasani Drops outfit challenge!

Please vote for me here :) 

(I'm a little late with my submission, so every vote helps me catch up!)

weather girl

{ What I Wore: J.Crew** Panama hat, baseball sweater, skirt (obsessed with this one), belt // wedges c/o SoleSociety // C.Wonder bracelet* // Target sunglasses }
* gifted in the Southern Blog Society brunch swag bag
** so didn't plan to be such a J.Crew FanGirl in this outfit!

Although you wouldn't know it now, July started out feeling more like Spring than Summer...

chilly nights, rainy days & no humidity to speak of.

I found myself reaching over & over again for my light linen sweaters to pair with jeans, skirts, and thicker shorts.

I don't know if Nashville will let me pull out layers again, but these light Summer sweaters will definitely be coming with me to Oregon next month!

Do you get to rock Summer sweaters were you live?

If you are in the market, these are my favorite picks: