Whoops, I Did It Again

Sooo I may have mentioned before that I’m obsessed with little orange dresses and drawn to them over and over again? Well, in the words of Britney Spears, whoops I did it again. I bought another orangey dress.

This is a dress that I’ve had on my wishlist for months (ever since it hit the site actually) and have been fawning over endlessly. The color looked more like a coral-y-red online, but in person it definitely has an orange tone to it, which couldn’t make me happier! What originally drew me to this dress is the amazingly intricate lace along the bodice and the way the sheer neckline cuts low (see my earlier post about necklines). When I saw the back of the dress with the adorable scalloped lace and button detailing I was smitten. There is no element of adorableness left un-thought-of on this stunning garment.

I had to model it for you here because I was way too excited about the dress not to share it, but I think I will debut this dress at my cousin’s wedding next month. Hopefully by then it will be warm enough to not require tights! I kept the accessories to a minimum since this dress stands out all on its own and adding too many other pieces could get overwhelming. Gold-toned shoes, earrings, and bangles did just the trick to compliment the lacey detailing and the lovely orangey-coral color!  

Dress: Ruche. Shoes: Chinese Laundry (old) similar here, here. Another dress here.

-C.C.

Going Green

For some reason green is a color that I have very little of in my closet. Every March I end up in a tiny bit of a panic trying to find something cute to wear on St. Patrick’s Day! I have a few basic green t-shirts and casual tanks, but those don’t seem very exciting for a holiday celebration or party. This year once again I am feeling underwhelmed by my selection of green items… I recently bought a cute green shoulder bag at TJ Maxx (above), which I will definitely be using on Monday, but for the rest of my outfit I’ve been searching for the perfect green piece to celebrate my Irish pride. 

Here are a few of my current favorites:

(images via Pinterest: Shoes: Sophie Gittins. Earrings: Kate Spade. Dress: Frances via Ave Styles. Green outfit details.)

Check out more of my favorite St. Patty's styles from:

Ruche: dress, dress, top.

Modcloth: wedges, tunic.

Follow me on Pinterest for more inspiration! 

Happy St. Patrick's Day weekend!

xoxo, C.C.

Monday Morning

Happy Monday! 

This outfit I put together as a "happy outfit" for a Monday morning at work. The bright coral tee, polkadots, and glittery necklace are all elements that keep me cheerful when I'm on my feet all day. I wanted to be comfortable but still look up for the challenge of a new week. This outfit did the trick for me! What do you like to wear when you need a pick-me-up? 

I definitely didin't have the settings right on my camera while taking the outdoor photos (my apologies--it was just too cold out there to waste a lot of time messing with them!), since the tee shirt looks so washed out--in reality it is a rich coral pink! 

Tee: Bobi. Polkadot cardigan: H&M. Sunglasses: Ruche. Boots: Steve Madden. Earrings: Gorjana. Necklace: Bella Clothing and Shoes.

-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.

Inspired to Bead

This week we got a new line of bracelets in at the store I work at, called Chavez for Charity. These charming beaded bracelets send money to different charities based on which color bracelet you buy. When I saw them I thought, “I could make these!” and it inspired me to start making bracelets myself again. I still have a ton of supplies from when I was in middle school and I liked to spend my days making dozens  upon dozens of beaded necklaces and bracelets that I attempted to sell at a local craft fair (I didn’t sell very many at all!).

Once I got my beads out inspiration took off and I spent several hours making bracelets on elastic using beads from my youth and also pieces from old jewelry I took apart. It felt so good to be back at it and let my creativity flow into a crafty project! And I have to say I am pretty excited about some of the results. I’ve even had a few requests to make some for friends and family.

I had been staying away from wearing beaded jewelry recently, because of the laid back homemade look, and sticking to bold bangles, leather bracelets, and my trusty pearls, but something about these was just too fun to pass up on. They have a great summery, easy, bohemian feel to them that is calling to me as I am anticipating spring (and potentially a warm weather vacation…!). Layering several of these bracelets will add a little casual sparkle to a simple maxi dress, or some color to a breezy white top with jeans. I have been wearing my new creations all week, and I am hoping to get even more use out of them as the weather (slowly) begins to warm up in the coming months. 

Above left: Chavez for Charity display. Above right: other bracelets that inspired me.

Nails: Covergirl Outlast, "vio-last."

-C.C.