Vacation Dreaming with Warby Parker

(Daisy in Aurelia Tortoise)

Just a few days ago I happened to be thinking about how a cute pair of glasses can add such a smarty chic edge to an outfit, and wouldn't it be fun to have a pair of stylish glasses to wear even though I don't need them? And wouldn't you know, almost as if they were reading my mind, Warby Parker reached out to me and asked if I would help them announce their new Spring Collection. 

One of my best friends introduced me to Warby Parker as a company that really inspired her with their program of helping those in need: for each pair of glasses sold they donate glasses to someone in need through their non-profit partners. Not only are they a socially conscious company, they make some pretty cute styles too! 

(Brooks in Striped Pacific)

The Spring Collection is full of pretty new hues and touches of nautical inspiration. I put together two looks featuring my favorite new Warby Parker frames: a tropical vacation look (because don't we all want to be somewhere warm right about now), and a New York dreamer look, for those of us who are still stuck in the snow only wishing we could be on a beach by the sea.

I keep seeing images of my favorite bloggers and celebs basking in the sun on a tropical vacation, and it has me longing for warm afternoons by the beach. This look would be perfect for a day in the sun, with the flowy dress, sandy brown glasses, and ocean-blue accessories. The Chalmer glasses in Striped Beach pick up on the sandy hues of the mottled beach, and are the perfect pair to pack on vacation. The light brown shade matches with golden hues and looks fabulous accented with tropical blues and greens. Pretty sandals, a carry-all tote and a pretty little camera to capture the view complete the vacation packing list.

For a more practical winter look I combined classic New York black on black with distressed skinny jeans and a cropped knit sweater. To keep warm, and mix up the color tones a bit, I added a long cozy blush-colored coat with a glamorous fur collar. I picked the Daisy frames in Aurelia Tortoise to add a little unexpected color to the cold winter outfits we're forced to wear here in the North. The pretty coral-inspired periwinkle hue is complimented in the matching clutch, which also picks up on the rosy tones in the frames (and I seriously can't get enough of this clutch). Gold jewels and stylish booties complete this look, while the bright touches and nautical accessories keep our minds dreaming of clear water beaches and warmer weather.

Glasses: Warby Parker, Daisy. Coat: Asos. Jeans: A Gold E. Sweater: Azalea (also love this UO). Clutch: Asos. Bracelets: J. Crew, Kate Spade. Ring: Baublebar. Earrings: One King's Lane. Booties: Eric Michael Berlin via Zappos.

(Chalmer in Striped Beach)

xoxo, CC

Loving Lately: Winter 2015

My stylish obsessions lately:

Fur vests. I love how they've taken on new roles being worn over jackets and in all sorts of creative ways. Faux or real, they add a little glam to any outfit, and keep you toasty warm while looking chic. I am still searching for the perfect one at the perfect price, but in the meantime I found this faux fur stole that creates a vest-like look from the front. I love that it can be worn as a scarf, wrap, or layering piece. 

Love these options for fur vests: 1/2/3/4

Kate Spade raccoon collection. I know I'm a little late to the game on this one, since what's left of the collection is now on sale, but hey, who doesn't love a deal? I saw the raccoon theme accessories a few months back and fell in love with the sweet whimsy of it. The cute little guy even has stars in his eyes! Check out how adorable the iPhone case, iPad sleeve (could totally be used as a clutch too), coin purse, and faux fur hat are. There was a knit hat, scarf and ballet flats in the raccoon set as well, but they seem to be gone from the site by now. Notice in the sale section the devil theme items as well, and the whimsical train bags (1/2/3/4/5)! I just love how creative and fun-loving Kate Spade always is.

Touch screen gloves. Such a life-saver. When it's this freezing cold out and I have blocks and blocks to walk each day to work, gloves are necessary. But what about when I have to check something on my phone while I'm on the go? Checking directions, answering a quick text, or even changing the song playing in my headphones are are all so much easier to do when I have my handy dandy touchscreen gloves on. I don't have to take them off (a hassle when your hands are full) or freeze my fingers to check my phone quickly. And look how fun some of these gloves are too (1/2/3/4)! I have the Verloop color block ones, and they're just so darn cute!

Check out my instagram for a glimpse at how I styled some of these items!

Anything you've got your eye on lately?

xoxo, CC

Rustic Chic

Brrr it's cold out there! New York has been hosting some chilly, snowy days of late!
Trying to envision an outfit incorporating my winter boots I had the idea of creating something rustic-chic, something like Sarah of Classy Girls Wear Pearls would wear. Digging in my own closet I found that a chunky cable knit sweater, classic pearls and a statement necklace in muted steel blue create the perfect mix of winter-tough and fashionably chic. An outfit perfect for staying warm and dry walking in the snow without losing your sense of style! Adding a touch of red in the lipstick keeps the look modern and feminine.

Trying to stay warm all day I ended up playing dress up with some hats…

Sweater: Wooden Ships (similar). Necklace: Lenora Dame (1/2/3). Boots: Sorel (last seen here!). Jeans: Jbrand. Lipstick: BareMinerals, cherries on top.

xoxo, CC

Colorful Cozy Winter

I showed you my apartment decor a few months ago, but a quick update seems in order with a few little changes made for the winter weather. I've swapped out my pastel quilt for a brightly colored comforter that not only keeps me warm but keeps my room cheerful in the darker colder days of the year. The bright colors and whimsical print go perfectly with the rest of the decorations and furniture in my room. 

A new planner for the new year is also an exciting addition each winter. I was so excited to sit down with a warm mug of tea and fill in my schedule on the crisp new pages. 

Duvet cover: Urban Outfitters (similar: 1/2/3/4). Pillows: Pier 1 Imports. Sheepskin rug: Ikea ($13!). Owl artwork: by my mom.
Sweaters: American Eagle, Wooden Ships, H&M (similar 1/2/3).
Planner: Lilly Pulitzer. Mug: Kate Spade via Marshalls. Slippers: J. Crew.

xo, CC

Velvet (& A Vintage Vibe)

One last shoot with the Christmas tree before it started to droop: a quintessentially wintery outfit of luxurious velvet and a touch of sparkle. These velvet skinnies are deliciously cozy to wear on a chilly day, and it's seriously hard to take my hands off them, they're just so soft. The charcoal color of the pants is lightened a bit by the sparkle in the sweater and some bright earrings. You saw this sweater recently when I paired it with a full skirt, but it is a super easy piece to throw on with jeans as well, which gives it a more casual, drapey feel. I had to mess with these photos a lot to get the texture of the velvet to show up in the shots, but I like the way the coloring takes on a sort of vintage-christmas-card vibe. 

Velvet pants: AG (in black). Sequin sweater: BB Dakota (similar). Boots: Steve Madden. Earrings: JoJo Loves You. Bracelets: Brandy Melville and Kate Spade.

xoxo, CC

Jewels & Cashmere

You know its officially winter when the snow finally sticks to the ground for more than a few hours! When I want color in winter I tend to go for jewel tones: rich and pretty but slightly muted for the darker season. A step up from basic wintery black, to be sure! As the days are reaching true snowy-Jaunary-cold temps I've also been turning to my cashmere for cozy warmth. A snuggly piece like this striped sweater is great for brightening and warming my day. The details like the pops of magenta and the mesh panel on the shoulders make this cashmere sweater anything but ordinary. I decided to play up the gemstone colors by adding a glitzy necklace in similar hues. 

Sweater: Jamison (Similar 1/2/3). Neckalce: J. Crew (similar 1/2). Jeans: Jbrand. Ring: similar 1/2.

xoxo, CC

Statement Pink

I've been taking advantage of the unseasonably warm days that were mixed in among the cold recently as an excuse to get more wear out of my dresses. Here I took the raspberry hue of this shift dress as my starting point to layer accents of pink. The tights are subtly dotted with pink, while the necklace makes more of a bubblegum statement. The necklace, while bright, is surrounded by stones in blues and opal whites making it easy to match with many colors. 

Topped off with some glitter nails from the holidays, this colorful ensemble brightens up any winter day.

Dress: Jack by BB Dakota. Necklace: J. Crew. Tights: old (similar). Boots: ModCloth (similar). Nails: Butter London, Fairy Cake. 

xoxo, CC