POP of blue

Hello friends! I do apologize for the lack of writing and pictures as my life has been turned upside down! Later in the day, after this shoot, I had a musical performance and my boyfriend popped the question (see what I did there with the title?)! Of course I said yes and we are so very happy and cannot wait for wedding planning to begin. Let me know if you would like to read a little about my process here on the blog. Leave a comment below. 

This reason I love this outfit is because it plays with one of my favorite colors! Colbalt blue.  I realize that this color trend is not new at all but it something I like to play around with and is still pretty daring for me! I paired my cobalt blazer with a plaid top to bring in another color and add dimension. Gold and black accessories then followed. 

 Blazer - JCPenny's (Old)/ Plaid Button Up/ Leggings

See you soon! 

Gift Guides - for the bestie & men

Gift for your bestie? Your mom? Friend from college? Favorite co-worker? We've got you covered! We're all about comfort and warmth here..

Your bestie will LOVE this top because its a comfortable sweatshirt but can be paired with a dress skirt and easily dressed up!

LOFT petite top  

I LOVE my sleep shirts. So comfortable to sleep in :) 

Aerie sleep shirt  

Bling bling. Need I say more?! 

Forever 21 gemstone necklace 

For all the nights of going out and little purses, Kate has us covered...with glitter ;)

 Kate Spade accessory 

Keep her warm!

LOFT mitten glove 

Cake for breakfast? Okay.

Kate Spade drinkware 

This is the cutest scarf ever! Who doesn't LOVE reindeer?! 

Reindeer Scarf | Loft 

Fabulously cheerful.

Merry Christmas Light Up Acrylic Double Wall Tumbler

Looking for some good ideas for the men in your life? These fun gifts are great for brothers, boyfriends, and dads!

**Every man likes to smell good. Check this out - its amazing. 

 Euphoria Men by Calvin Klein Eau de Toilette

**As much as men say they're not cold, sometimes even THEY need gloves. These 'etip' one have a light to keep your techy boys happy. 

The North Face 'eTip' Gloves 

**Beautiful? Yes. Professional? Yes. Good price? Oh my goodness!

 21 MENS Faux Leather-Strap Watch 

**Have a blind man?  Check out these funny contact cases :) 

21 MENS Contact Key Case  

**Naughty? Maybe a little. But so very funny. 

American Eagle Outfitters / 

**For the athletic man in your life... he'll be thanking you forever.

GoFit 'Triggerball2' Therapeutic Double Ball Massager 

**How neat is this phone charger?! 

FOREVER 21 dci Holiday Lights Phone Charger

All I want for Christmas...

Its the day after Thanksgiving and its official. It is now socially acceptable for me to be the Christmas song singing music teacher that I am! Not only can we get a tree, decorate the house, and constantly bake cookies, but its also time to start thinking about Christmas gifts. After doing a little online shopping, I have created a few GIFT GUIDES for the various people in your life. To start off, here are my top 6 things for this Christmas.

Stay tuned for more gift guides!

Good luck shopping and welcome to the Christmas season!
Dear Santa,

Eddie Bauer parka coat / Collar jacket / Kate spade crossbody / Kate Spade holiday jewelry / Isaac Mizrahi tech accessory / Blanket

Thanksgiving Day Outfits

Its thanksgiving morning. The parade is on, the smell of good food is filling the house. OH and you must decide what to wear for the special day. Here are my three recommended outfits for your Thanksgiving Day!

Outfit #1- Dressed Up

This is my pick for this Thanksgiving. This is great for someone who really like to dress up or has a more formal get together. Pair a dress with a nice collared shirt for a classy look. Add some tights and heels and you're done!

Outfit #2- Girly Flair

I love this look. Pair one of your favorite blouses with a big sweater. When pairing these, look for similar color schemes so they mix well. I love this blouse from Charming Charlie's because it has fun details in the arms -- little bows! Add a necklace for a little sparkle. 

Old Navy Blue Sweater         AE High-Rise Jeggings

Outfit #3- Casual

If you have a more casual Thanksgiving environment, look for something with jewel tones. Alongside a good pair of jeans, you can dress this look up a bit with some good jewelry. 

AE High-Rise Jeggings           Boxy Crop Top

I hope you all have a filling (with food and love) day & you can truly reflect on your life. BUT remember! Don't forget to reflect on your life and be thankful all year round :)

Happy Thanksgiving friends! 

Buffalo Check & Pearls

 This past weekend, Tony and I met his sister and family to have a mini photo shoot in the snow since I got a new camera about a month ago (could you tell?! :)) The air was very cold but gosh I am most definitely ready for winter now that I've seen wonderful midwestern snow. Ask me again in January and I might not have the same answer... Regardless, we got some great pictures and I think they represent us perfectly (see the old school house?!)

   Opposites attract. This is the best way I can describe this look from this past weekend. When thinking about red plaid, I have always thought lumberjack. But now this pattern is a strong player on the fashion scene for this fall and winter and I love it! Pairing this pattern with feminine touches such as pearls soften the look up a bit.  Next time, I might add some sparkly necklaces instead!

Charlotte Russe Top             Old Navy Leggings       

Three Years

    What a crazy but wonderful weekend! Tony and I celebrated our 3 year anniversary of dating so we took a little trip to Galena. We had a wonderful meal, tasty wine, sweet dessert, some shopping, and SNOW! The romantic night became even better when it started to snow while we were shopping downtown. It was a short but great trip to reflect upon the last three years of being together.

   Not to get all mushy gushy, but I am very thankful to have Tony in my life. He has always been at my side and he's the best friend a girl could ask for. He's sweet, funny, motivated, and kind. If you are reading this, know that I love you very much.

    Okay thank you for still reading. Now, back to clothes! Knowing it was going to be cold, I wore my MK dress coat, AE jeggings, Gap gray sweater, and my self made buffalo checked scarf!

Embrace the cold and break out those winter sweaters everyone. Stay warm my friends!

Falling for Fall: Stripes & Ponchos

Happy Saturday! This weekend is off to a good start with a fabulous Friday night out.  I got to meet some of my boyfriend Tony's friends so we went into town to have a few drinks. After an exciting time last night and today being so chilly, a warm sweater was necessary for today.

Forever 21 pretty much was pretty much the entirety of this outfit. Poncho and turtleneck were from Forever with leggings from Old Navy. What can I say? I love good fashion but on a budget!

Heres a peak at my look from today :)