Vintage Chic

What a beautiful, sunny, freezing cold day!! I was freezing my a** off trying to get these photos done in the whipping wind -- but worth it, right? Ah, what we sacrifice for the sake of fashion. Luckily this vintage coat handed down to me from my grandmother is 100% wool and super warm. I keep seeing images from Paris Fashion Week Men's going on now, and so many of the ladies attending are wearing long tweed coats just like this one. 

I paired this coat with a navy blue teeshirt featuring a floral hemline for a touch of print mixing.  Simple black jeans and booties keep the look classic and clean when I'm all buttoned up, while pretty vintage-glam inspired earrings add subtle sparkle. From afar the coat looks like a navy and brown combo, but up close you can really see how pretty the jewel tone greens and blues are. I wanted to pick up on the blue and green in the coat with the navy tee and greenish earrings. This long straight silhouette is back in style these days so I'm embracing the vintage feel for a classic feminine look that adds a little print to my winter outerwear style. 

As I was writing this post the song Thrift Shop kept running through my head with lyrics like,

 "I'mma take your grandpa's style, I'mma take your grandpa's style,
No for real - ask your grandpa - can I have his hand-me-downs?"

"Is that your grandma's coat?"

Yes, child from the Macklemore song, it actually is. 

Coat: Vintage (similar styles 1/2/3/4). Tee: J. Crew. Jeans: J brand. Booties: Jessica Simpson via DSW. Bag: Kate Spade. Earrings: Ruche. Necklace: Kate Spade. Nail tutorial. 

xoxo CC

Hermès Moment

I’ve always heard that spring in Paris is a sight to behold. I have been there in the fall and winter, but have always dreamed of seeing the city at this magical time of year. With my mind on travel to the City of Light a pretty pastel scarf by Parisian brand Hermès seemed a fitting outfit choice. This scarf was gifted to my mom, who knew that her fashion-loving daughter would just love a chance to style it. A flowy white top with dainty gold detail buttons and classic jeans seemed like a perfect airy spring outfit to really let the pastels in the scarf shine.

The print on the scarf is of gypsies (Le peuple du vent) and animals, all in gorgeous spring colors. Pale blue shoes and clear peach earrings accentuate the candy colors and make me dream of tasting macarons in similar hues while strolling Parisian streets lined with gorgeous historic building and fresh blooming flowers….

Scarf: Hermès (more 1/2/3). Top: Ruche (1/2/3). Jacket: bebe. Jeans: J.Brand. Shoes: Cynthia Rowly via TJ Maxx. Earrings: Kate Spade. Bracelet: purchased in France. Sunglasses: AJ Morgan via Ruche. 

xoxo, CC

April Showers Bring May Flowers

As usual, April has been a rainy and cool month, but the flowers are already starting to creep up! Snowdrops, always the first to bloom, have been in my backyard for a few weeks now (they are featured in the last photo below), but just this week I started to see a few daffodils and other varieties flowering near my work! Its a magical time of year when everything begins to come to life. 

This outfit got really busy really quickly with all of the prints going on, but as I have learned, rain boots go with everything. They don't have to match. They're not meant to match, in the traditional sense. Rain boots are an 'occasional' item so they can be thrown on with any outfit to keep your feet dry. I usually try to keep in mind that mine happen to be kind of busy, and at least attempt coordinate my prints. I bought these boots in France during my college semester abroad a few years ago, and the newspaper print reflects my love for words. I have always had an eye out for newspaper print items, though I find it slightly funny that the boots are printed in English when I found them over in France! By coincidence the jewelry I happened to put on with this outfit is from France as well. The little pearl on the charm necklace says "Paris" on it, which I thought was a cute souvenir. 

As you can probably tell, it was not actually raining when I took these photos (I would't want to ruin my camera, people!) and I even got a few brief moments of sun. But sure enough it is outright pouring again as I am typing this… I am hoping the rain will give way to more blooming flowers soon now that May is here!

Happy May Day everyone!

Dress: Isle Of You Boutique, similar, similar. Tights: Gap (old), similar. Sweater: Eileen Fischer at Garnet Hill, $23 similar version. Boots: purchased in France, available here, similar. Earrings: Promod. Necklace: purchased in France. Umbrella: Target. 

-C.C.