Cocoon

The pattern on this long open sweater reminds me of animal print, but it is very subtle and sophisticated mixed in with the stripes. That and the drapey cocoon silhouette make it a great throw on because it is comfy and still cute. I love that because of the two tones in the pattern I can wear it with black and with brown, even at the same time. My favorite way to wear the sweater is just how I paired it in the photos, with this black tee and my short brown boots. Add a long gold necklace and it becomes an easy and stylish outfit to throw on in the morning. It is a very neutral colored outfit, but it looks nice with my hair!

Sweater: Local find, almost identical at UO. Tee: Bobi. Jeans: Jbrand. Necklace: Target. Earrings: Gorjana. Boots: DV Dolce Vita. 

xoxo, CC

Leather/Sweater

 Faux leather is very in this season. It's comprising or adorning skirts, tops, dresses, and the more I see of it the more I want to join in the fun. And voila, this leather mini. I decided to go ahead and purchase  one because even though it's short and pleather I realized that I can pair it with sweaters and button ups to dress it down for daytime wear. I found a good high waisted one so that I can wear it with crop tops too, and the effect gives the illusion that the skirt is not so short after all. I love that the skirt has a perforated pattern going down the sides and across the back which adds texture and contouring. This day I decided to wear it with a striped sweater for a casual black and white outfit. I paired it with black tights and booties, but the day was so warm (65 degrees, in November!) that I ditched the tights after all. Because, who likes wearing tights. 

Skirt: H&M (similar, also liked this one). Sweater: Target (similar. Also love this & this). Booties: Steve Madden via TJ Maxx. Bag: Ruche. Bracelet: J. Crew. Necklace: Kate Spade. Earrings: Kate Spade. 

xoxo, CC

Chez Moi

I wanted to share with you today some photos of my apartment now that I am settled in. Before I moved in I spent hours looking at apartment decorating ideas online, so I wanted to share my results with you. Most of the furniture and decor that I've used are things that I already owned, but it is always nice to get some inspiration on how to set up a room, balance decor styles, and maximize space in a small apartment. 

For my bedroom I reused some of my pink college dorm pieces (yes, I was that girl who showed up freshman year with all pink everything), such as the bulletin board, bookshelf, and owl paintings. I wanted to balance out all the pink by using white as a unifying background color and mixing in some blue and teal as well. The mirrored nightstand, white rugs, and white polkadot curtains keep the room airy and light, especially since I don't get any natural sunlight in the room. The antiqued mirrors on my dresser add a more mature aspect to the decor, while some white ceramic trays and another mirror contain my jewelry. I made my own wall-hanging necklace holder as a way to organize and display my statement necklaces, and I am so excited by the way it came out and the way it compliments the room. 

To maximize space I use my bookcase, along with the help of pretty boxes and baskets to store my more presentable belongings, such as books, art supplies, and nail polish, and I got a cute blue rolling cart to contain the less-easy-on-the-eyes items. By the way, I love this bookcase because it is super light weight and easy to transport, and it was so easy to assemble since the pieces are adhesive. My decor style is definitely girly and colorful, with plenty of classic white to balance it out, and touches of elegance and whimsy. 

I am still looking for some wall art to fill the blank wall above my bed which is also directly opposite the door when you walk in. I was thinking something in a mostly white color scheme, maybe with pops of color, or maybe with some 3-dimensionality… Any ideas? 

Bookcase: Way Basic (similar, more options). Bed frame and dresser: Ikea Malm collection. Faux sheepskin rug: Ikea. Rolling cart: Ikea. Polkadot baskets: Target (similar). Lamp: Target. Mirrored table: Target (available here for more than I spent). Decorative pillows: Pier 1 Imports (similar, similar). Quilt: The Company Store (love this one). Jewelry dish, bulletin board and storage boxes: TJ Maxx. Curtains: Ikea. 

xoxo, CC

Little Black Bows

I wore this outfit a few weeks ago in early September, on a sweltering hot day shopping downtown. I was helping a friend to find a bridesmaid dress in some of the department stores on the East Side and I wanted to wear something that was both comfortable, breathable, and fashionable. This full skirt makes a sweet statement, especially when paired with bow accessories, like the belt and Kate Spade bag. I chose a basic black tank to let the pink really pop, and it also gave the look a bit of a ballerina twist. Animal print sandals with a touch of pink, plus some gold and pink bracelets balanced all the black and added some fun detail.

Skirt: Club Monaco (similar, also cute). Top: Target. Belt: B-Low the Belt (similar, similar). Bag: Kate Spade. Sandals: Sam Edelman.

xoxo, CC

Skyline

This weekend I got to explore more of the city with some friends, and we ventured down to Brooklyn for the weekly Smorgasburg food fest. There is an incredible selection of delicious food available there, not to mention the stellar view of the New York skyline, which seemed like a great spot to take some pictures! I sampled a strawberry champagne flavored macaron, had a chicken burger for my main meal, and topped it all off with an amazing ice cream sandwich. Yum yum! And we made it back to the subway just before the downpour! (you can see the angry sky in a few of these shots).

For this casual weekend outing with a lot of walking involved I slipped on this easy printed dress and some bright pink sneakers. Sneakers and skirts is a combination I am just getting used to, but I think it'll be an essential one for walking in the city without sacrificing style. I love the way these sneakers bring out the pink in the feather print on the dress while also making the outfit undeniably comfy-casual.

Stay tuned for more of my adventures in the city, and the outfits that take me there! 

Dress: Target (similar, feather print). Sneakers: Keds. Bag: TJ Maxx. Earrings: Gorjana. Bracelet: Zulu Grass.

xoxo, CC

What Makes You Happy

Wear What Makes You Happy. 

I recently read this line while I was browsing lots of blogs for inspiration, I can't remember where I saw it, but it is a statement that I truly believe in. Sometimes other people may not like what you wear, or you may not feel comfortable in a certain trend, so what matters most is to wear what makes you happy. For me that can mean a lot of things depending on the day. Sometimes a fun dress or a favorite sweater make me happy, and sometimes its simply wearing bright colors or comfortable clothes that keep me smiling.

At my job I stand on my feet all day, so usually by the end of the day my feet are so tired and sore that I just want to curl up on the couch and not get up again until tomorrow. While my job demands that I dress stylishly and I really like to wear cute shoes like flats, sandals, or booties, those often are not comfortable all day long. Sneakers are a lot more casual, but they really make my feet a lot happier come 6:00, and these bright beauties also make me smile at the cheery yellow print. I love any white shirt, so my favorite white tee and a long necklace are the perfect choice to match with my bright footwear and a great pair of jeans.

So when I want to be comfortable all day at work, I am going to sacrifice dressy outfits and skirts, forget what other people think, and just wear what makes me happy.

What makes you happy?

Sneakers: Gola via ModCloth. Tee: Bobi. Jeans: Hudson. Bag: TJ Maxx. Necklaces: Dogeared and Target (similar). Earrings: Kate Spade. 

xoxo, C.C.

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.