Strawberry Wine & A Strapless Dress

This past week some girlfriends and I took a little day trip to visit some wineries and do the wine tastings that they offered. I had never done a wine tasting before, and it ended up being a fun activity for a gorgeous summer day. The first winery we chose was called the Charlotte Village Winery, which we picked because of the name. It is located with a picturesque view out over the grape fields to the Lake Champlain valley and the impressive mountain range beyond. Towards the end of their tasting list they have a delicious set of fruity wines which my friends and I all loved, including Peach Blossom, Strawberry, and Raspberry wines. After the tasting we each got a glass (I got the strawberry) and sat on their porch in the sun with the stunning view laid out before us. What a perfect day. 

I wore this floral spin on the LBD, which has been one of my all time favorite dresses since I bought it four years ago. Unfortunately the dress doesn't fit me as well as it used to, it is now very loose in the top, but I decided to risk wearing it anyway and just crossed my fingers that the top wouldn't come falling down!  (Luckily I got through the day without incident). I added some bright chunky jewelry, which felt right for a bright summer day, and neutral sandals to complete the outfit. 

Dress: Urban Outfitters (similar, floral, cutouts). Bracelets: Ruche and J. Crew Factory. Earrings: Kate Spade. Sandals: J. Crew. Necklace: Dogeared. Bag: Deux Lux via TJ Maxx (similar).

xoxo, CC

A Brief Respite

After a long and especially cold winter, a week in the sun was a much needed break!

Many people may be surprised by the fact that there is still well over a foot of snow where I live, that most days in March don't get over 40 degrees, and that as 'hardy' New Englanders we know not to expect any major changes for the warmer for at least another month! For all of those reasons I needed a change from the cold and snow, so I took a trip to Florida with a good friend to soak up a little sun and warm weather. And boy, was in worth it! It was very windy while we were there, but just being able to walk barefoot on the beach, read by the pool, and wear shorts and dresses that haven't left my closet since September felt so good. I couldn't wait to wear my pink crop jeans and this sassy little daisy print top. I'll admit, I jumped on that trend train for spring, and I even noticed a few other girls in Daytona Beach wearing daisy prints too! 

Traveling between climates always poses a challenge when you are trying to pack light. I opted to wear as many pieces as I could re-wear in Florida, such as light wash jeans, a cute t-shirt, and a chambray button down. I also had to layer on a light jacket, scarf, and sneakers to stay somewhat warm getting to and from the airport. Trying to look fashionable while traveling can be quite a challenge especially when all you want is to be comfortable and warm. Layering basics with cute pops of color or pattern is a good rule to follow, which I tried to do here. This chambray shirt goes with literally everything (I can't believe I've been missing out on this basic for so long!) and I even took the style risk of wearing it with jeans… what do you think, did I pull it off? 

Look #1: Floral print top: Garage. Pink jeans: Joe's Jeans, similar. Denim Jacket: Gap, similar. Sandals: Sam Edelman, Gigi. Bag: TJ Maxx. Sunglasses: Ruche.

Look #2: Chambray shirt: Rails. Scarf: Yarnz, similar here, here. T-shirt: Ruche. Jeans: H&M. Sneakers: Gola via ModCloth, similar. Bag: Ruche. 

Just a casual game of Harry Potter Uno at the hotel after dinner :)

-C.C.

Sweetheart Tee

Ever since Amy Adams ROCKED the plunging necklines in American Hustle, (some examples here) I’ve been obsessed with deep-v tops and dresses. I know I can’t pull off anything like Amy did, but some more modest pieces like this maroon sweetheart tee and a gorgeous Esley dress from Ruche (that I can’t wait to post about soon), are creeping their way into my wardrobe. This tee in particular gives the illusion of the sexy plunge without compromising anybody's modesty. It is just sheer enough to feel daring, but still appropriate for day-to-day wear. 

I paired this top with a simple black skirt, sparkly bow belt, wedge booties and tights for a look that is equal parts sassy and sweet. A feminine clutch and pink lips top off the outfit with the perfect tones for transitional March. I am also in love with my new sunglasses from Ruche because I can never decide between black or brown sunnies and these ones are black on top and tortoise shell on the bottom! Best of both worlds! 

Top: Ruche. Skirt: H&M. Sunglasses: Ruche, out of stock. Belt: Target. Booties: DV by Dolce Vita. Clutch: Spool No. 72. Bracelets: my own creation. 

More deep v-neck options: here, here, here, here.

-C.C.