Giveaway: Custom Leather Luggage Tag

I am so excited to announce my very first giveaway!  I teamed up with the fabulous Etsy shop, OF THE FOUNTAIN, to offer one of my lucky followers 1 custom 3''X 2.5'' leather tag.  I blogged about them here, and I think they are such a cute idea.  So what do you need to do to win you ask?  All you have to do is be a public follower of my blog, and leave a comment letting me know what your custom message would be, along with your email address so I can contact you if you win.  How easy is that?  Your entry number will be designated from the order in which comments are left and I will announce the winner next Monday, February 7th.   Please note that this is open to everyone not just my U.S. followers.  Happy Monday and good luck! 

P.S.- Sorry no post on Friday, that cold bug is going around and caught me.  :)  But I am feeling a lot better now.

New Twist on a Classic Piece....

The button down shirt is a classic piece in everyone's wardrobe male or female.  The leather jacket, in it many forms, can also be a staple in your wardrobe as well.  So why not marry the two and come up with the leather button down?  I don't know how functional this idea actually is but is sure does look fabulous!

I Love a Good Deal!!

This past weekend I decided to take quick stop into Homegoods to see if there were any new rugs for my living room. I have been looking for the perfect rug for quite sometime, and the problem hasn't so much been that I can't find one that I love, its that my wallet doesn't agree.  :)  Needless to say I didn't end up finding anything this time.  I did however venture over to the TJMaxx side of the store and found the below shoes.  Now I do LOVE these.  I have also been on the hunt for a few more animal printed items to add to my wardrobe and at a retail of $39.99 they were mine!  I can't wait until it warms up a bit so I can wear them.  Any of you find any great deals lately? 

The Cutest Birds......

I loved this dress from the moment I saw it because of the cute bird print.  Please don't let this picture fool you its cold in Dallas however in my office, and I'm sure I'm not the only one with this problem, its Summer! So this morning instead of putting on layer after layer of clothing I just threw this sleeveless sweater coat on over my dress, added some jewelry, and the knee high socks for a little extra coverage and headed out!

Fossil Dress, Bag, and Belt, BCBG Sweater Coat, Forever Earrings and Ring, Anthro Bracelet, Michele Watch, J Crew Socks, Banana Boots

The Man Bag....

I have always loved a good bag.  But seriously why does this guy have a bag more fabulous than one I have ever owned in my life? And did you see the ring?  :)  Happy Monday everyone!

Image via

YSL....

I love YSL's accessories.  I think its mostly because they are a little more attainable to the gal with a regular job than most of the other clothing they offer.  I blogged about the arty ring a few months ago which keeps moving down on my wish list in favor of other items that I will wear more.   With that said I saw the below image on the Sea of Shoes blog the other day and decided that I needed to devise some type of plan to get these shoes! I don't know how and I don't know when but,  aren't they amazing???  Totally 70s and totally in for Spring.  I hope you all had a great week and an even better weekend!

Leather I.D......

After taking a brief hiatus from Etsy I finally found a moment to see what new products they had to offer.  I came upon one of those items that you don't realize that you might need until you see that its for sale.  They are these great leather id tags and are sold to go on luggage but I think could also be a great addition to any gift as a gift tag to then later be used on luggage.  The color of leather has the perfect balance of highs and lows and will only look better with time, and the best part is you can make it your own by adding any verbiage you choose.

Shopping in River Oaks...

I was in Houston this past weekend spending time with my family.  The weather was less than desirable the entire time I was there.  I really wished that I owned some Wellies, and since this weekend they have been added to the short list of items to add to my wardrobe.  I took some quick shots while out doing some shopping.  I like to keep it pretty casual and I also got a chance to wear my new bag.   Yay!

Gap Blazer, Fossil Chambray Shirt and Bag, Martin and Osa Pants, and Banana Boots

My Poetry.....

There hasn't been a celebrity who could pull off a blush pink gown since the infamous Ralph Lauren dress Gwyneth Paltrow wore to the Oscars over 10 years ago.  Well, on Sunday Lea Michele looked flawless in her gown for the Golden Globes.  She is the girl we love to hate on Glee and there isn't a single thing I hate about this dress.  I don't know who her stylist is but they somehow they always make her look oh so glamorous, and her blush pink Oscar de la Renta gown is no exception.  Carrie would be so proud!

The Chicest of Messenger Bags....

The messenger bag trend doesn't seem to be slowing down any, especially with the Proenza Schouler roll out of his take on this very popular style.  I have seen many colors and sizes of this bag but after seeing the below today it totally made me think of the upcoming Spring season.  I love the everything about it, the antique gold hardware, the dusty rose color, and the added texture from the material that its made of, suede.  Yummy....  I hope you are all having a great Monday!

My Take on Black and Brown......

I have a confession to make. I used to really, really, dislike when I saw outfits that combined the colors black and brown.  After being glued to the TV watching episodes of House of Style and Fashion TV back in the day and all I knew was that it was a big no no, and that stuck with me for quite sometime.  Since then I have come into my own when it comes to my personal style and more and more this color combo has grown on me.  I saw the below image today and its the perfect execution of these 2 colors.  The white stripe lightens up the black and the burnt caramel fringe bag adds some interest to the outfit, so lovely.  I hope you all had a great week and for those of you that have one, enjoy an even better long weekend.

Paris....

Have you seen the latest Free People catalog? In a word its AMAZING!!! For the spring season the Free People team chose Paris as their back drop. The clothing encompasses everything that is beautiful, bohemian and girly rolled in to their staple silhouettes. I couldn't post the entire catalog like I wanted to because I love everything, so I just picked a few of my favorites.

My Denim Vest Moment....

I was so inspired by my post last week about the denim vest that I pulled one of mine out of the closet.  I  knew it would be perfect over the cream sweater from Forever I had been obsessing over, that I finally found. The weather on Saturday was mild and just warm enough that I could still wear a skirt with bare legs.  On the way out the door I decided another layer was in order so I grabbed my favorite leather jacket and popped it on over my outfit.  I think I had the perfect denim vest moment.....

Fossil Jacket, Forever Vest, Sweater, Necklace, Ring, and Skirt, Banana Boots

I Love the Unexpected...

Especially when it comes to color selection for home decor.  I saw this room in the most recent issue of Lonny Mag and was immediately drawn to the dusty coral and dark purple color combo.  Need I mention that ottoman is to die for?  Overall this room, is amazingly unique and done in just the right way.  Happy Monday everyone! 

The Importance Of Trying Things On.....

I saw this dress during the mega sale that Anthro was having few weeks ago.  It was virtually untouched since there was several of this style still left on the rack.  It wasn't the most flattering dress just hanging there, but at a little over $20 bucks something told me to just pick it up and try it on with the tons of other items that I had already found.  Well, I put it on and to my surprise it looked great.  It was the perfect vintage inspired pattern and a great fun dress that I can wear both in the winter and fall months, this year and next.  So the moral of my short story is when in doubt, and its a great deal, just try it on, you really have nothing to loose.  I hope you all had a great week and are enjoying and even better weekend. 

Anthro Dress, Gap Coat, Banana Boots and Necklace, MK Watch, and Forever Bracelets

The Classy Chic or Grungy Street Vest.....

I love most clothing items that are made from denim.  I have talked about my love for the denim jacket, but haven't ever really mentioned the vest.  The vest trend comes in and out every few seasons but the denim vest,  I think can be a staple in anyone's wardrobe if worn right.  I love the way these two women below take this usually very unflattering style of the denim vest and make it their own. 

Images via Stockholm Streetstyle

Not your Grandmother's Doily.....

Growing up my one of the things that I remember not only about my house, but most of the houses that I went into were the lace doilies that adorned all the end tables in any formal or family room.  Most of them have since been removed but my grandmother's house somehow always looks the exact same as it did when I was a child.  I would have never thought that this decor style would become such a trend in fashion.  Now and days the crochet detail that made those doilies have turned into something much larger.  From dresses to tops, the crochet look is one of the staples at Free People and I want to share a few of my favorites.
 

Twinkle Tips......

I was in line at Forever over the weekend and found myself, yet again, rummaging through the bins of impulse buy merchandise at the register.  I was about half way through the nail polish bin when I saw this fantastic gold color.  All weekend I had the gold half moon manicure top of mind and knew this color would be perfect.  I flipped it over for a quick price check and at $2.80 I was sold.  Now I just have to find a color to complement this gold, which I don't think will be too hard, and I will test this manicure out for myself.

P.S.- Please head over to Annie's blog, Paid Up Top, where she talks about some of her favorite blogs and yours truly is one of them.  Thanks for the awesome write up!

The Classic Navy Blazer with a Twist.....

I bought this blazer at Zara several months ago now and finally got the chance to wear it this past weekend.  I was immediately drawn to the unique button detail on the cuff which is one of my favorite parts of this jacket.   It was only after I tried it on that I noticed the exaggerated shoulders which I also love.  There were a couple of colors to choose from but I decided on the classic navy with the single gold button closer at the front.  I hope you all had a Happy New Year.

Zara Blazer and Pants, Forever White Tee and Ring, J Crew Scarf, Marc by Marc Watch, Fossil Booties