What Snow?

It’s hard to imagine my relief the first time I saw a whole block of sidewalk in Boston. I knew it existed underneath the mountains of snow and ice but seeing the glorious stretch was so satisfying. It meant spring was coming (even if it was still weeks away) and I could someday soon leave my apartment without gloves. The little act of leaving them in my purse was one of the best feelings.

This morning, I was finally able to put on shorts for the first time this year for a run. It was beautiful, balmy and I’m so happy the warmer weather has come in.

Oh the Places you will go

The past three months have been a whirlwind of excitement, change, adventure, and growth. I’ve been traveling non-stop with family and friends. I’ve had the chance to go to Florida, Vermont, New Hampshire, Vancouver, Rome, Paris, and New York. I have certainly caught the travel bug and can’t wait to explore more states, cities, and little nooks around Boston.

I started a new job at the end of January. It allowed me the opportunity to take on new challenges. After being there for a couple of months, I have to say, I’m much happier and more fulfilled than ever before. I was able to learn so much from my previous job that I have been able to apply and I’m thankful for having that opportunity. It’s always scary leaving the life you know, but it’s been satisfying to push my boundaries and build my professional skills.

I’m moving from my cute studio to a one bedroom. It’s the chance to redecorate (yay!) and try a new environment. It’s also forced me to do some serious spring cleaning and get rid of clothes, furniture, and books that I no longer need or use. I’m up to 20 Trader Joe’s shopping bags worth of stuff that I’m going to get rid of and I’m only half done! Help!

Overall, while I haven’t been as active on this blog as I would like, I’ve been taking advantage of opportunities to grow and expand my horizons. Now that things are starting to settle down, I’m excited to jump back into painting, writing, and blogging. I’ve miss you all and can’t wait to be back in the swing of things.

Shiver Me Timber

 

Batten down the hatches, Boston and the New England area is getting a blizzard. I’m planning on hiding behind coats, scarves, gloves, giant hats or anything I can get my hands on that will keep me warm. I enjoy snow the most when I’m at home in front of a fire in a pile of blankets. That’s how I enjoyed the couple of inches this weekend and hopefully how I’ll be able to weather the coming days.

Sequins After New Years

I spent New Year’s Eve at the Westin’s party in Boston and had a blast! Men and women were dressed to impress. There was a handsome selection of men in tuxedos and suits with women in every type of dress length and sophistication. I wore a cocktail dress in burgundy with one shoulder. There was sequins on the collar and in a petal pattern down the whole dress.

I especially loved seeing all the sequins dresses on display. A little sparkle is always fun and adds a special touch to an outfit. I admit it made me want to incorporate sequins into my outfits this week!

It’s important to keep a couple of tips in mind when you wear sequins when it’s not a holiday, a trip to Vegas or a night out with the ladies. Here are some ideas to incorporate it into your daily outfits.

1. Wear it as a top or bottom, not both.  To keep your outfits on the more casual side focus on bringing attention to one half. By wearing sequins with cotton or a blend the outfit will look dressed up and dressed down at the same time.

2. Try embellished shirts. A touch can go a long way. Pick tops that have a sequins collar or embroidery on one shoulder. A simple subtle pattern looks beautiful underneath a suit jacket at work and to drinks.

3. Accessorize. Choose a shoe or bag with that is embroidered. It will add a sparkle to your step or a swing of your hand. They won’t overpower your outfit and they are easy to switch out if you need to be more formal for part of the day.

4. Try different colors. While the standard sequins come in black mix it up by choosing brighter colors. Pick a gold, red or silver to lighten an outfit. These colors will pop and can be mixed and matched more easily with other items in your wardrobe.

Make a Wish

It’s almost 2015 where I hope to be more fabulous, fashionable and fit than ever! Even though I’m awful at following through with them, I’ve decided to make some new years resolutions. My favorite part about resolutions is looking back over the past year and admitting to yourself the successes and failures. It’s important to address both sides to help yourself grow.

Here are my top 3 fashion resolutions for 2015.

1. Buy more clothing that focuses on quality over quantity. There isn’t a sales sign posted that I didn’t love. I’m guilty of being a constant pillage of the sales rack. Those four letters get my heart pumping and I view the purchase as “basically free” if it’s 70% off or more. I’m going to try to exercise more restraint and be more conscientious about what I purchase.

2. Buy more up and coming designers. Living in Boston, it’s easy to fall into the trap of going to Newbury Street and browsing the big name designers or popping into Marshall’s for a steal. However by focusing on the big names I know I’m missing out on the little local boutiques of Beacon Hill, North End or Cambridge. This year I’m going to make an effort to take the time to explore.

3. Get out of my comfort zone for work clothes. I’ll admit, I have a uniform of clothes I wear. My work wardrobe is the same routine of blazers, cardigans and shift dresses. It’s tough to find clothes that are professional, classy and have a touch of fun. Looking for those pieces that pop will be a pleasure and a challenge I gladly take on!

What are your resolutions this year?

How to keep your winter wardrobe bright

It is officially cold in Boston. I can no longer stand to walk around in cute, light outerwear but I’m huddled into a giant sleeping bag of a coat with giant boots covering my legs. The only pop of excitement in my outfit these days is a scarf.

When it gets cold, it’s hard for me to think about dressing in bold colors. I start to go for the black wool, cashmere or really anything soft with some sort of insulation!

While it’s always sophisticated to dress in all black, I try to keep these outfits fresh by adding different scarves and shoes to make a statement. I love a bright scarf or a bold pattern like the leopard above to make the outfit my own.

Cheering at Head of the Charles

 

What a perfect weekend for Head of the Charles! It’s great for the rowers by not being too hot as they work to win their races. Spectators are happy because it’s easy to walk around the Charles River. The banks are full of people cheering on the rowers with contagious excitement. Over by Harvard there is always a long row of tents with free food and gear that you can buy. I love trying all the samples. I’ve gone every year since high school and always have a good time. I can’t wait to cheer on the rowers again this year!

 

 

Weather Flips

Fall weather is always confusing. Boston has been a yo-yo from hot to cold. This weekend has felt like the summer was back again. I have friends who even got sunburns at the beach! Most have started the transition from summer to winter clothes in their wardrobe and it’s tough with you hit that in between.

I use these warm days as the perfect excuse to bring out longer skirts with light tops to blend the two seasons. The changing weather makes this skirt easy to pair with a lightweight three-quarters shirt for now and change to a fun turtle neck in the winter!

Dewey Square Inspiration

Last night I stopped by the unveiling of the new mural on the 70-by-76 foot air intake structure in Dewey Square, Boston. It was created by Shinique Smith and I loved what she did to make the space interesting and engaging. It’s an abstract mural with a collection of shapes and textures. It will be a great addition to the hustle and bustle of the area.

There were several artists in the crowd and their outfits help to inspire this drawing. She’s the combination of artsy, fun and edgy. I loved the idea of a looser crop top that shows off her small waist. While I could never pull this off in a million years, I would love to see if on someone else.

Savor Summer

Today was the first day I wore a true “fall” outfit. Boston had a bite to the air and I need to cover up a little more. I mixed in some darker colors and heavier fabrics. While I love that first fall outfit I’m still holding out on packing away my shorts as long as possible. There’s something about shorts and a tank top that I can’t help but love anytime of the year. The thought of endless summer is what inspired this outfit.