Fish 'n chips and Penny Loafers

We slept in until 11:30 today,  needless to say we got a very late start!  We still got a lot accomplished.  We saw the Tower of London, London Bridge, Trafalgar Square and St Paul's Cathedral!  This is where Princess Diana and Charles married.  Those of you who know me,  understand how big of a deal that was for me:)!  We finished off our afternoon by grabbing lunch at a pub with the best fish and chips in London at The Golden Fleece Pub.  It came out with a green substance and I got excited and said "Honey look, guacamole!"  He and the server looked at me like I was an idiot.  Then my husband sweetly informed me that guac was a Tex Mex thing and that the server had no idea what I was referring too!  Turns out it was "mushy peas"!  Well it was delicious!  All of it:).

Today was the first sunny day in two weeks!  So I wore a thin cashmere sweater and equally thin cropped mint jeans paired with pennies!  Perfect outfit for this gorgeous warm day! Here I am in front of the very doors the Princess Diana walked through to become a princess 32 years ago!

Earrings: Kendra Scott

Sunnies: Chanel

Sweater: J Crew

Belt: Hermès

Watch: Michele

Crossbody: Tory Burch

Bangles: David Yurman

Jeans: J Brand

Pennies: Tods 

Xoxo,

B

Woke Up In London Yesterday....

One of my favorite songs is "Good Life" by OneRepublic.  The first phrase of the song is: "Woke up in London yesterday
Found myself in the city near Piccadilly"!  And it's pretty cool that I'm actually singing it and its true!  Our Hotel is even on Picadilly Street in London! Hence the reason behind the title of today's blog post!

All right,  on to the good bits... This morning my husband had an epiphany.  What's that you ask?!?  Well,  that I was right!!  I'd been telling him he needs to buy a raincoat for our trip.  Yesterday, the afternoon rain got him pretty good.  Not me,  I was wearing my Burberry Gaberdine trench.  Burberry doesn't mess around,  I was dry as a cotton ball! And once he saw that everyone who lives here owns one,  he was sold!

So the first place on our list today was the Burberry Flagship store (the largest in the world)!  I was in heaven,  however,  we were shopping for Chris.  He ended up buying himself a gorgeous navy blue get up!  Lets just say that he got excited when the afternoon rain hit today and he was sporting his new water resistant frock!

I felt a bit edgy this morning after sleeping off our arrival.  So I threw on my staple chambray shirt and popped on a fedora!  Below was my ensemble,  the picture was taken inside of the Burberry store just in case anyone wants a peek at its glory!

On a side note:  please forgive the photo quality of my blog post pictures while we are away.  I'm doing all of the posts through my phone!

Fedora: J Crew

Necklace: J Crew

Gray Jersey Blazer: Zara

Chambray Shirt: J Crew

Bangles: Hermès & David Yurman

Watch: Michele

Jeans: Joe's

Shoes: Tory Burch Ballerinas 

Purse: Prada

Xoxo,
B

Leaving on a Jet Plane

The day has finally come....we are headed to the airport for our Europe trip! I'm so excited that I hardly slept last night.  

When I dress for the airport I never wear sloppy clothes.  I always do comfy but still don't look like I just rolled out of bed! Wearing Juicy & Uggs to the airport looks too Paris Hilton wannabe for my taste. I'm not trying to look like Daddy's Princess!  I think it's important to look stylish and classy because you never know who you will be sitting next to on your flight.  Our last flight had 4 A-B list celebrities within a chair from us.  

It probably stems back to my obsession with the 50's.  People used to dress up to fly,  it was a privilege!  I like to carry on with that tradition!

Our first stop is London, so to pay homage I am wearing my Burberry summer scarf!  Cheesy I know,  but I love everything British (I'm an Anglophile)!

I'm a bit of an over packer,  but managed to fit everything for a 3 week trip into one 27" suitcase, a hat box and a tote!  Impressive,  I know:)!

Stay tuned for daily posts of our Euro travels!! 

Sunnies: Chanel

Earrings: Pearls

Cardigan: J Crew

V neck: American Apparel

Scarf: Burberry

Watch: Michele

Leggings: J Crew

Flats: Tory Burch

Trench: Burberry

Luggage: TUMI, Vintage Samsonite hat box

Xoxo

B

Top Knot Tutorial

As promised, the top knot tutorial.  You will need two things, a bun maker found here and a hair tie.  Enjoy this video tutorial to see how you too can easily have a super fun chic top knot!

Top Knot Tutorial on YouTube Click HERE

Xoxo,

B

It's Friday, I'm in Love…with Red!

It's Friday, I am grabbing lunch with a girlfriend and then we are going to have a girlie day.  I wanted to be causal but cute, so I am wearing my super comfy boyfriend jeans and tee shirt.  To add some pizazz to this casual look I paired it with red lips, red heels and a statement necklace!  Nothing says fun and sexy better than red shoes, lips!  To dress it down & keep it dressier than flip flops, do the staple ballet flats.

Remember if you do red lips, go easy on the eye makeup!! 

Tee: J Crew crew neck

Necklace: J.Crew

Jeans: AG Tomboy

Shoes: Manolo Blahnik
Lipstick: Chanel

Xoxo,
B

Dressing for the Occasion

My husband and I went to the special viewing party for our new Mexican restaurant last night.  That being said, please excuse any typos or sentences that just don't make sense, I am a bit worn out today!

When dressing for an occasion such as these, there is a fine line between being over dressed and under dressed.  I was perusing through Anthropologie a couple of months back and stumbled upon this gem!  I saw it and knew immediately that it was what I needed for this particular event.

First off, green is my favorite color of all time.  Secondly, the floral print had that Mexican flare I was looking for on this occasion.  It was a very lady like, timeless length, which I love.  On to my FAVORITE part of this dress...it has pockets!!!!!!  Holy moly, you better believe that this dress is being packed for our Eurotrip next week.  I think I will pair it with my cork flats and do a low chignon to walk through Versailles or Monaco, all whilst having my hands in said pockets!

Anyway, I paired this casual yet chic dress with a pair of heels, an evening clutch, a festive Spanish style side chignon and voila.  Not too dressy and not too casual.

Now can we please talk about how perfect my gorgeous husband looks?  Although, I am a bit biased since I styled him myself.  It's Southern gentleman mixed with the East Coast prep.  Love everything about this outfit,  I would be perfectly happy if he wore this every day!!

On Me...

Earrings: Kendra Scott

Dress: Anthropologie, Moulinette Soeurs

Clutch: Christian Louboutin

Shoes: Christian Louboutin

On Chris...

Sport Coat: Bonobos

Dress Shirt: Armani

Pocket square: Nordstrom

Belt: Salvatore Ferragamo

Pants: Bonobos

Shoes: Salvatore Ferragamo

Here is a close up of my makeup and it gives you a good idea of how my hair was done.  Nothing too fancy, just fun.  This precious pup is not mine, we are dog sitting him.  He makes the picture though!

Hair: Blo Dry Bar

Makeup Artist: Texas de la Rosa

Xoxo,

B

Cork Obsessed

Cork isn't just for your wine bottle!  I first fell in love with cork accessories when I was about 9 years old.  My grandmother (whom I inherited my "sense of style" from) had a pair of cork Salvatore Ferragamo kitten heels and I was amazed that they could make a shoe out of corks!

Over the past few years I have slowly been able to buy my own cork goodies.  And to my surprise, this year , it's everywhere!  One of my staple stores, J.Crew has a ton of it this year.  I bought his stuff in early Spring but I am pretty sure they still have most of it!  My favorite cork "thing" are my Stuart Weitzman flats, seen below.  I originally bought them for our trip to the Hampton's last summer.  What says East Coast better than cork flats??  Some designers  (even my beloved staple, Louboutin) make a shiny cork, which I personally don't care for,due to it's lack of authenticity!  Cork isn't supposed to be shiny, it's supposed to be dry and rustic looking, it's cork!

Cork is a fabulous way to add  a touch of class to any outfit in the Spring, Summer & Fall!  Here are some of the many things you can buy in cork!  Please excuse my lack of hair and makeup today, we have an event this evening and I want to stay "fresh faced"!

Shirt: J. Crew

Dress: Express

Earrings: Tory Burch

Watch: Michele

Monogram Necklace: DKM Accessories

Arm Candy: Metals David Yurman Cork, J. Crew

Clutch: J. Crew

Flats: Stuart Weitzman

Cork iPhone Case

J. Crew bangle, as photographed on me above.

Love these cork wedges!  

I actually have this belt from J. Crew, it looks great with dresses and jeans!

This is the clutch I am holding above from J. Crew.

I bought this gem from American Apparel of all places!  Who knew that they too do East Coast style!

Xoxo, 

B

Be Beautiful on the Inside

Being beautiful on the inside, in my opinion, far supersedes being beautiful on the outside.  I unfortunately have known plenty of drop dead gorgeous girls that are mean as hell...therefore in the "Ugly" category.  

To attempt to be my prettiest inside and out I do a lot of personal work.  Each day I attempt to do one thing that challenges myself to be a better person.  At the end of the day everyone wins.  It's a huge self esteem booster and those around you get the pleasure of seeing your best!

One of the things I do, is read a blog called "The Daily Love" every morning.  The email gets into my inbox around 6:30 AM each morning.  When I check my email in the morning it's the first thing I read.  The writer is named Mastin Kipp.  He is a life coach in a spiritual sense.  Somedays his stuff doesn't resonate with me, and other days it's spot on!  The BEST part, is he begins every blog with great quotes from philosophers and other inspiring people that should be philosophers!

Some other great ways for self improvement or self growth are:
~Read Self Help Books...they aren't just for people going through a rough spot
~See a Life Coach or Spiritual Leader
~Take 5 minutes of every day to "center" yourself (aka, quiet time with complete relaxation)
~VOLUNTEER
~Exercise to feel good instead of look good, the later will happen either way!
~Before getting out of bed, say positive affirmations (i.e. today will be a great day, today I will help others, etc.)
~"Google" ways to be a better person, the one catch here...then DO those things!
~Surround yourself daily with people who uplift, support, love and INSPIRE you!  Let the emotional energy zappers go.

And one of my personal faves:
~ Write a daily gratitude journal, it has been studied and proven that people who keep gratitude journals are happier people.  Just write 5 things each day, maybe set an alarm on your phone to remind you.  It can be as simple as "I am so happy I had a great hair day today!" or "I am grateful for my husband." or "I am so glad that I made it through this rough afternoon."  Spin the negatives and make them a positive...pretty cool huh?!?!  Gosh I feel better just after typing these things....even though today was not a good hair day for me...so I am grateful for my top knot and how it took away my bad hair day ;)!!  In all seriousness though, we are all so blessed in so many ways, it's important to tell God or the Uni-verse that you are grateful for these things!

What are you grateful for today?

Xoxo,
B

Blog about a Blog

It's probably pretty weird to blog about another blogger.  However, I promised to share all of my fave secrets with you...and those of you who know me, know that I NEVER break a promise!

Her name is Jaclyn Hill and she has her own channel on YouTube and does makeup tutorials. So technically she's a YouTuber, not a blogger (but hey it worked for the title of my post!).  She's about as gorgeous as they come with loads of personality and has the most stunning eyes EVER (do I sound creepy yet?).   She's a makeup artist for Mac Cosmetics, so she is phenomenal at teaching her tricks. I highly recommend following her YouTube channel and also on Facebook. You can find her here:

http://www.youtube.com/user/Jaclynhill1  or 
https://www.facebook.com/makeupbyjaclynhill?fref=ts

You thought I was lying...gorgeous right??

Xoxo,
B

Feeling Parisian

I have the best husband, he is taking me away to Europe for my 30th birthday.  I have obviously been counting down the seconds to when we leave and of course learning the beautiful French Language.  We leave in 12 days.  So today, in honor of our upcoming getaway,  I decided to wear a Paris inspired frock.  The Parisians are known for their stripes and of course for the color red!  Even better, stripes and red are tres chic this season in the states.

Red Lipstick: Chanel

Striped Shirt: Zara

Earrings: Vintage Chanel

Red Skinnies: Joe's Jeans

Sandals: Gianni Bini

Watch: Michele

Arm Candy: David Yurman

I'm being a bit more American with the red lips and coiffed updo (Parisians are very simple and often try to look like they didn't try at all, with messy hair and al la natural makeup).  However, red lips make me feel sassy and it's a top knot kind of day.  BTW, I promised a top knot video to a friend last night, so stay tuned for how I do this simple style.   I really wanted to add some killer heels with this look. I'm running errands today so heels are highly impractical. For even more ideas on how to wear stripes this season:

And of course the always gorgeous Olivia Palermo!

Xoxo, B

Oh Monogram

Words cannot express how OBSESSED I am with monogramming!  It all started when I was a little girl and my grandma would make my clothes, she often monogrammed them.  Then in H.S. I wanted a monogrammed backpack, then in college I wanted monogram...everything!  Well, I have yet to outgrow this and I pray that I never do.  My favorite new monogrammed item that I just got in the mail are these ahhh-mazing wine glasses. One of my friends had them, and  I pretty much died when I saw hers.  I ordered them about two weeks ago and they finally arrived today.

I know, gorgeous right?  And if you are wondering...YES I am currently enjoying a glass of red in them.  Before ordering them at I had to look up the proper way to monogram with married initials (thank you Google).  After all, this is my very first MARRIED monogram...anything.  And believe it or not, there IS an etiquette to it.  Surprisingly the mans first initial goes on the left and the woman's goes on the right.  I remember this by how we stand at the altar (woman on left, man on right).  

This seemed weird to me because in addressing letters etc. you always put the mans name first.  So, I was thrilled when I still got to see that beautiful scripty "B" at the front like I am so accustomed to.  Again, I take this stuff seriously. Any who, now that I've given you a peak into my bourgeois tendencies, I will tell you where you too, can get these precious stemless gems.  Visit http://www.themonogrammerchant.com

Xoxo,
B

Born in the Wrong Era?

As I mentioned in my Blogger Profile, my style icons are Audrey Hepburn, Coco Chanel and Olivia Palermo.  One thing that they all have in common, is that classic look that became so chic in the 50's.  I have often been accused of dressing beyond my years and not "young enough".  There is something so whimsical and Lady like about those big calf length skirts with petticoats under them.   In honor of these beautiful style icons, I wanted to post some of my favorite "Classic" looks.  How amazing would it be if dressing this way everyday became the norm again?  Totally amazing, right?!?!

This is ultra feminine.

 Me at a photo shoot for Etiquette Vintage Designs.  I loved modeling this dress so much, that I bought it!

I love how when I sit down, it covers my knees, very lady like.

Oh Olivia Palermo

She is the modern day Audrey Hepbrun, no one in our generation has better style in my opinion

Love this Kate Spade number!

So Breakfast at Tiffany's

Big skirt, so beautiful!

Xoxo,
B

Chambray

One essential summer, spring and fall item is Chambray...chambray shorts, chambray shirts, chambray everything!!!  It looks good with anything!  Please do not confuse Chambray with denim, they are not the same...far from it.  Chambray is a light versatile fabric that you can dress up or down. The other day one of my girlfriends bought her very first chambray shirt (this is a big deal in a fashion sense).  She said that she was thrilled to have finally found the perfect one but now has no clue how to wear or what to wear it with.  Girl (or boy), the possibilities are endless!  I grabbed some examples off of Pinterest.  Take a looksy and I guarantee you that you own at least one if not more of these options.  It's great to take on a long vacation.  You can save space in your luggage (to buy more on your trip) and switch up the look each time you wear it!

Use it as a cover up

Pair it with cute shorts

With colored denim.

Wear it with a statement necklace 

Use it as a bottom layer

Wear it with a maxi

With dark denim skinnies.

Wear it with a fabulous tulle skirt

Wear it with a short sweet skirt.

Use it as a top layer and leave it open

Use it as a top layer and tie it

Xoxo,
B

                  

Beach Waves

Happy Monday (oxymoron?)! My post today will be something that hopefully reminds you of the weekend or your favorite holiday at the beach instead of the work week you have ahead of you.!

As promised...I'm talking about Beach Waves, it's a simple and super easy way to let your hair dry naturally without it looking like a hot mess.  If you have hair like mine, then letting it air dry without special product is not a good look.  It's a frizzy mess...my hair isn't naturally curly, but it has natural wave to it, however if I curl it with a curling iron it often wants to drop straight as a board, I don't get it.  C'est la vie!

So I have toyed with many different products. I just want a quick fix to hit the road because I have a ton of hair and it takes forever to blow dry!  My all time favorite is reasonably priced and works like a charm.  There are actually two products by the same brand.  This brand is called UNITE.

The first one is the obvious choice: Beach Day Texturizing for $29.95, from what I was told at the salon, there is actually salt water as part of the product so it gives you authentic "beach hair"  even better, it smells like the beach.  If you have ever smelled Bobbi Brown's "Beach" perfume or Tom Ford's "Neroli Portofino", it smells a lot like those.

How to use it:  Towel dry freshly clean hair, then spray an extremely generous amount and scrunch with your hands.  Then once your hair starts to air dry slightly, take the frizzy parts and spray it again.  This stuff makes your hair dry on the surface pretty quickly so it will only be a few minutes before your touch up round.  I have a frizzy top layer of hair, so you made need less if you have smoother hair or more if you have really curly hair.

Perks:  It's impressive how much it looks like you just dipped your hair in the ocean once you spray this stuff on!  It is a great price point, especially compared to other products that don't work as well and are double or even triple the price. for the look!!

Drawbacks:  It leaves your freshly clean hair a bit gritty to the touch, just like after getting home form the beach. Not bad unless you enjoy your hair feeling super soft and want to run your hands through it all of the time.  Also, it doesn't last a super long time since I have to use a generous amount. Luckily it is a great price point.

The second one is 7 Seconds Conditioner Leave in Detangler for $26.25. This one is technically a conditioning detangler.  However, when we were in Hawaii, I didn't want o waste valuable holiday time blow drying and styling my hair just for the humidity to flatten it back out.  So I gave it a shot one day and loved the results.

How to use it: Just like the Beach Day :Towel dry freshly clean hair, then spray an extremely generous amount and scrunch with your hands.  Then once your hair starts to air dry slightly, take the frizzy parts and spray it again.  This stuff makes your hair dry on the surface pretty quickly so it will only be a few minutes before your touch up round.

Perks:  It leaves your hair smelling fresh and clean, the scent is really nice.  Like a great smelling shampoo.  And it leaves your locks feeling touchably soft without a crunchy or over dry look.

Drawbacks: You have to use a significant amount (or at least I do for the amount of hair that I have).  Other than that this stuff is a no brainer.

To purchase online or find a salon nearest you that carries this, visit: http://www.uniteeurotherapy.com

Xoxo,
B

Give A Little

Giving back and doing things for others NEVER goes out of style!  Volunteering is something that I am super passionate about!  If you have time to read blogs (ahem) and Facebook stalk your ex boyfriend from 1999,  then you likely have time to give back.  I don't just mean at the local Salvation Army serving food to the needy (although,  that's a great way to give back, and I encourage you to do so).  If someone in your office is having a rough week,  why not pick up their favorite treat and leave them a little note on their desk, even go a step further and do one of their least favorite job duties that day!  Not just the needy, need love. It's contagious, the more you give, the more you get!  And it's pretty cool knowing that you can turn someones entire day around by one act of kindness!

I have always believed that TO THOSE WHO MUCH IS GIVEN, MUCH IS EXPECTED.  If you have a roof over your head,  food on the table, fresh water in your glass, a significant other that treats you well and or great friends/family, then you already have it all.  Help others that may not be so fortunate.  When you do,  your beauty radiates from the inside out,  that's far better and way more stylish than any new pair of shoes! 

XOXO,
B

As you grow older, you will discover that you have two hands, one for helping yourself, and one for helping others. ~ Audrey Hepburn

Casual Sundays

Sundays are a great day to frump around in your gym clothes or PJ's.  However, if you need to get out and risk meeting your future husband or even better...Ryan Gossling (you never know in Austin), it's important to look your best in an effortless way.  Here are a few Sunday casual outfits that are not only super comfortable but they are effortlessly chic and timeless.  May not be something you would go out on a date in, but definitely appropriate for grocery shopping, a relaxing movie night with the girls or a quick run to your favorite department store!

Left: Scarf-DSW, Earrings:Tory Burch, Top-Zara, Jeans-Citizens for Humanity, Shoes-Tods Driving Moccasin, Watch-Michele, Arm Candy-David Yurman 

Right:  Earrings:Tory Burch, T-Shirt-American Apparel, Belt-Hermes, Jeans-AG Jeans, Ballet Flats-Tory Burch

As you can see, effortless hair is part of the look: hair tousled from the night before is on the left and beach waves are on the right.  (I will be sure to blog about how to get great beach waves later :))

On the left I am wearing very fitted (fancy word for tight) cropped denim with a loose fitting top and a fun scarf for a fun "I just threw this on" look. And some super comfy yet timeless black penny loafer drivers in kid leather.

On the right I am wearing a low cut v-neck fitted tee (to add a little sexiness to the boyfriend jeans). Also my reversible black/brown belt with light gold hardware that I mentioned in my previous post.  The boyfriend jeans are long and just rolled up Huck Finn style (but way cuter than Mark Twains fictional friend) Paired with plain Tory Burch flats (with no iconic medallion on them)  They are comfy like house shoes and don't scream..."I'm wearing Tory Burch with this super simple outfit!"  They let you be high maintenance without looking it!

Throw on a chic cross body bag and some great aviator sunnies and hit the mall!!

Styling Basics

Beauty starts from within, once you've got that down the wardrobe should definitely match who you are inside.  Finding a style all your own is the key to having genuinely great style.  Simply knocking off someone's look wont cut it.  Sure you can take ideas and incorporate them into your own style, but taking them and making them your own is what fashion is all about.  It's all about interpretation and perspective.  I personally don't  follow "trends" very strictly because they are just that.  I invest a lot of time and money into my closet, so I want to be sure that I can wear the things I buy season after season.  First, it's important to have these "staples" in your closet:

• A great Sport Coat in navy, black and camel (with a cute lining for rolling up sleeves)
• Classic stiletto pumps in nude and black (patent or kid leather will do)
• A fabulous black and brown/nude handbag
• A casual yet chic handbag option in both colors as well (perhaps a cross body)
• Great jeans in every cut and length (for flats and heels you need differing lengths)
• Gold and silver stud earrings
• Gold and silver chandelier earrings
• Ballet flats in brown and black
• Great sandals in brown and black
• Great pair of boyfriend jeans (you can dress these up or down to look effortlessly chic)
• Scarves, lots of scarves, they can take any outfit from drab to chic in seconds
• A fierce pair of heels that have a pop of color (I choose red, it's always in style)
• An oversized gold watch and an understated silver watch
• An oversized watch with a black leather band and brown leather band
• Lots of arm candy, dressy and casual
• Chambray shirts (dark to light in color, variety is always good)
• Black, nude bras and strapless bras...it's not ok to wear a nude bra with a black top, wear  black!
• Black, nude and white bandeau top
• Reversible belt with light gold buckle to wear with silver or gold jewelry
• Statement necklaces are a must have.
• Black, nude and white silk camisoles.
• Sexy lingerie that makes you feel sexy (even if you're single, it's not for him, it's for you)
• Little Black Dress
• Leggings
• Classic trench
• An evening clutch in nude and black

It seems like an overwhelming list, but once you have all of this, you have the skeleton for your wardrobe. All you have to do is add trends here and there but the aforementioned will last you for years and years if you take good care of your things.  Don't fret, if you don't have all of these things you don't need to rush out and break the bank to get it all in one day.  Slowly work yourself up to getting all of these staple pieces.  Remember, Rome Wasn't built in a Day!!  Once you have these pieces, then you can add inexpensive trendy items that you don't mind getting rid of once they are out of style.  Keeping your closet "fresh" is super important in fashion.  Don't keep it and wait for it to recirculate 10-20 years from now, that leaves less room for the now!