Three Years

Happy Monday!

I started this little blog three years ago this week. 

In celebration I threw on a orangy-red sweater dress and matching statement earrings. Pairing it with OTK boots and a faux fur wrap makes the outfit perfectly wintery for a 40º February afternoon. 

After three years you sometimes have to revisit your motivations and evaluate what's important to put time and effort into. On a milestone like this I like to remind myself why this is important for me to keep up with. Why do I blog? Because I love clothes and I love finding different ways to style things, and I want to share that passion with others who enjoy fashion and styling. Clothing is such a fun way to express yourself, and I choose my outfit each morning based on how I feel that day and what look feels right to reflect that. I always like to pair things in new ways so my outfit is always fresh and current to my mood and not stale or repetitive. While it's always fun to have something new and exciting, lately I've been challenging myself to wear old favorites in new ways or to style unique pieces into wearable work outfits. I like being able to share my fashion adventures in this way and connect with other people who share the passion for getting dressed each day.

I haven't been posting as much the past few months as I would like to... it can be awfully hard to find time to shoot photos during the daylight, and then have time to edit them and write as well. As we are getting into the spring I will have more daylight hours to work with (yay!) and hopefully will get settled into a good work routine that will allow for me to allocate more time to a blogging schedule. I've had lots of ideas lately for posts involving other aspects of life as well, such as restaurant spotlights, "book club" posts, and home decor that I'm considering working into the rotation as well. Let's see what this next year brings!

Dress: J.Crew (similar 1/2). Boots: Sam Edelman. Faux Fur: Urban Outfitters (1/2). Earrings: J. Crew (1/2). Lip: MAC 'flamingo.' 

xoxo, CC

Floral and Fur

Happy Friday!

I styled this skirt before, for early fall, but since it incorporates so well with darker colors and thicker textures, I wanted to show off how well it works in winter despite the pinks and florals. 

The colorful floral skirt brings a touch of brightness into these winter days, but it is grounded by the balance of a thick faux fur vest reminding us all what season it is. The chambray top draws out the shades of blue in the floral print maintaining a cool tone throughout the outfit. Of course an extra pop of pink with my favorite blush bag was necessary just to defy the winter cold a little bit more. Balancing winter staples with more colorful prints makes for a fun combination to help ward off the winter blues -- while still giving a nod to the season's best staples. 

Also, wouldn't this be a cute look for a casual valentine's day? All that pink would be perfectly appropriate for a day celebrating love--and it's only two weeks away believe it or not! What are you planning to wear? 

Skirt: H&M (get the look 1/2/3). Chambray top: JCrew. Vest: Chicwish. Bag: French Connection via Marshalls. Boots: Sam Edelman.  Sunglasses: anthropologie. Earrings: anthropologie. Wrap bracelet: similar. Choker necklace: similar. Hair clip: similar.

xoxo, CC

Sometimes Backwards is Better

Happy weekend!
While I'm back in snowy cold New York, I want to share one last look from my Cali trip with you. The weather there was a bit chilly as well, so it was necessary to bundle up in cozy sweaters and jackets, like this adorable fuzzy piece I picked up on my trip. Not only is this little jacket adorably chic, but it's actually pretty warm too since it is fluffy on the outside and lined with a cozy sweatshirt material on the inside. I kept getting compliments on this piece everywhere I went! 

This cute little tee from Anthro is super trendy with it's lace up detail, and I just adore the pale blue color. But guess what? I'm actually wearing it backwards! It is meant to be worn with the lace up as a detail in the back, however I thought it looked cuter flipped around. The way the seams run vertically up the top just didn't flatter me when worn the correct direction, but when I put it on backwards the lace up detail draws the eye away from those seams making it a super cute tee! So I say who cares how it is supposed to be worn, if it works better worn your own way then do it, because sometimes backwards is better! Putting your own spin on things can make them genuinely better and more uniquely you, and it's totally trendsetter material. What do you think, would you purposely wear something backwards to get the look you like?

Top: Anthropologie, get the look: 1/2/3. Jacket: Anthropologie/very similar here. Sunglasses: Anthropologie. Lip: Marc Jacobs Beauty. Necklace: identical here. Earrings: Anthro.
Please forgive the poor quality of these photos! iPhone cameras at dusk are not the best... :(

xoxo, CC

California Christmas

Happy New Year from California! I realize I haven't blogged in a few weeks (whoops!), but now I am on vacation for the holidays so I thought I would share a few quick recent pics. I flew out to California to spend the holidays with my family and we have been exploring around the area the past few days. It has been sunny here with a slight chill, although infinitely warmer than New York, allowing me to get away with lighter jackets and dresses than I am used to this time of year!

We trekked out to Picchetti winery for a wine tasting at one of the oldest wineries in the state and then had a picnic lunch overlooking the nearby reservoir. I wore this pretty snake print boho dress in shades of pink and purple layered with my cozy pink cardigan for an extra bit of warmth. Tights and booties were necessary, but so were sunglasses! These round lenses are actually a dream to wear since they don't impede my line of vision, but they're also super cute in a retro-glam sort of way. The sunshine felt warm and invigorating but it was definitely nice to have a cozy layer sitting beside the breezy reservoir for lunch.

On the way back from the winery we stopped at the Stanford University Cantor art museum for a quick stroll through a few of their exhibits before closing time. The contemporary section was filled with brightly colored canvasses, which always draw my eye!

Dress: Anthropologie. Cardigan: Ruche (available in beige). Bag: Rebecca Minkoff. Sunglasses: Anthropologie.

Artwork by Dashiell Manley, an "Elegy for whatever" piece.

xoxo, CC

Fall Capsule Wardrobe

I've always been intrigued by the idea of a capsule wardrobe --especially for traveling-- so I put together this color coordinated collection of pieces that I'm excited about wearing this fall. I stuck to a mostly pink, burgundy, and taupe color scheme with a few pops of print. I included several current trends such as flare sleeves and lace-up details, as well as fall classics like faux leather and fur. A mix of textures and prints keeps the collection exciting, while most of these pieces can be mixed and matched to create a myriad of looks. With a range of shoes from heels, fun flats, or casual sneakers, I can dress these looks up or down. I made sure to include a variation of skirts, dresses, tops, and outer layers to keep the collection versatile. 

As we speak, I am packing for my trip to Milan, Italy (keep up with my adventures next week via instagram @charlotteclaraxo)! I am packing most of these items for my trip, and I love the way they are interchangeable to create different outfits. While I couldn't limit myself to stay within the capsule collection and I mixed some other pieces from my wardrobe in as well, I found it so helpful for packing to refer to a set of items that I know will match and coordinate with each other.

I have a few more posts coming soon featuring looks from this capsule collection, so look out for those, as well as posts from my adventures in Italy! 

What items would be essential to your fall capsule wardrobe? 

From L to R: bebe jacket, Francesca's collections skirt (similar), VeronicaM dress, Asos sweater 1/2, Ruche sweater dress, BB Dakota dress (similar), H&M skirt, J. Crew top, BB Dakota vest 1/2, Zara skirt, J. Crew top 1/2. 

similar bag, Lipsy sneakers via Asos, H&M flats, Bandolino heels.

xoxo, CC

Classics

Happy March!

I wore this look on an adventure downtown to see the kate spade home pop up store in Soho. I don't make it downtown very often, but I love the architecture and some of the neighborhoods you can find in lower Manhattan. I was in the mood to wear stripes and a cuddly fur vest, but I wanted to add a little color too, so my kate spade gumdrop earrings were the perfect addition. Polka dots and stripes are classic prints that pair nicely together, and I added ripped jeans to update the look. A slight orangey lip gloss nods to the coral earrings and adds a touch of color.

The kate spade home store is gorgeous, and I want absolutely everything in it (but I was pretty good, I only made one small purchase!). And don't worry, I took tons of pics-- I have a post coming your way very soon!

Even though it was beautiful and sunny, it was SO windy yesterday that my hair was flying all over the place and my ears turned bright red from the cold! A high pony was the best I could do to keep my hair under control and looking somewhat chic.

Top: H&M (similar). Vest: Chicwish. Jacket: Tulle. Bag: kate spade (striped, floral). Earrings: kate spade. Sunglasses: Urban Outfitters. 

xoxo CC

Street Style at NYFW

I had just a little time this week to head down to Moynihan Station to catch some of the comings and goings at the NYFW events. It's always fun to see what people are wearing, and this time I even caught a lot of the runway models' street style as they exited at the end of the show. Wild hair was the name of the game for the Naeem Khan runway show, and the models left looking very windswept! 

Luckily, even amid all the necessary winter outerwear, Fashion Week goers found ways to incorporate plenty of color into their style. The weather wasn't too terribly cold so attendees were able to show off their looks with open jackets in an array of prints and furs. I myself wore the vintage coat I posted about here, with leather leggings, OTK boots, and a touch of faux fur.

For more winter style inspo check out my NYFW post from last February! 

xoxo CC

{Faux} Leather and Fur

It's incredible how warm the weather has been in NYC this week... It's February and every day has been in the 50's! To celebrate not needing a big winter coat I decided to bring my black faux leather jacket out for a spin. To keep it wintery in vibe and add a touch of warmth I layered a faux fur vest over it. This layered look is one I've admired on other people but never tried before myself, and I really love the combo! Simples stripes and cuffed jeans keep the look casual yet chic. 

Even though the outfit is primarily black and white, the contrast of stripes and polka dots adds an element of interest and a statement necklace keeps the look girly with a touch of soft pink. I love the contrast of textures between the smooth jacket and the fluffy vest and the way that together they create the effect of a more wintery jacket than either could alone. 

Jacket: Zara. Fur vest: Chicwish. Top: Ruche (similar). Jeans: Gap. Booties: Nine West at DSW. Bag: Kate Spade. Necklace: Saks Off 5th. Lip: BareMinerals Cherries On Top.

xoxo, CC