W2WW :: Wear to Work Wednesday

Be the chicest woman in the office in this Miu Miu lace jacket and Christian Louboutin pumps.

Coat / Necklace / Pants / Sunglasses / Pumps / Bracelet

W2WW :: Wear to Work Wednesday

A great outfit for both work and drinks. Style like this deserves a good cocktail - extra dirty. ;)

Top / Shoes / Necklace / Skirt / Bracelet / Hangbag

Trend Report :: Fair Isle

Fair Isle was around as a 2011 trend, but stuck around in 2012 too (and for good reason)! Any trend that allows oversized, baggy sweaters is okay in my book. It makes me think of curling up to a fireplace in a cabin in the Rockies after a long day on the slopes.. although, more realistically, I'd probably wear it with boots and leggings (duh) out running errands.

Since this is a pattern that is typically winter-only (unless you really like breaking the rules), I wouldn't suggest spending major bucks on a Fair Isle article of clothing. Most of the pieces below are closet-worthy without breaking the bank!

1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5 / 6 / 7 / 8 / 9 / 10 / 11

The countdown continues.. 4 days until Christmas!!

xoxo

Chels

W2WW :: Wear to Work Wednesday

Sweater / Sheinside / $27

Skirt / Dorothy Perkins / $32

Boots / Tory Burch / $495

Ring / Stella & Dot / $35

Necklace / Jonnybella / $50

Who's got two thumbs and doesn't care that it's 70 degrees outside and wore her long winter coat complete with fur collar today anyways? THIS GIRL! True story. 

Come on Santa, all I want for Christmas is a little snow. Heck, at this point I'd be okay with any weather below 50 degrees. Come on! Global warming, you suck. 

xoxo

Chels

W2WW :: What to Wear Wednesday

Sweater / H&M / $50

Pants / Ann Taylor / $140

Shoes / Zara / $80

Bag / Gucci / outrageous

Tassel Necklace / Kenneth Jay Lane / $220

Happy Wednesday! You're halfway to the weekend!

xoxo

Chels

W2WW :: Wear to Work Wednesday

I'm pretty convinced that there's nothing comfier than a fur stole and a big, oversized sweater. If it was socially acceptable, my outfit would be a big sweater, leggings and flats. Every. single. day. 

Alas, society expects us to change up our attire every now and then. I LOVE these green pants and would be so happy if they magically appeared in my closet!

Pants / Nordstrom / $50

Blouse / Monki / $45

Sweater / Sheinside / $40

Bag / Louis Vuitton (duh)

Fur stole / Jack Wills / $50

Pumps / Mango / $110

What's your favorite outfit to rock on a daily basis?

xoxo

Chels

W2WW :: Wear to Work Wednesday

This outfit could work in so many different environments, including a casual office, which is what makes it so perfect. Run to the office, run some errands, stop for drinks - all without worrying if your outfit is appropriate. For a more formal look, simply take off the vest. 

Many people say leggings shouldn't be worn as pants, but unless you're this woman I say GO FOR IT! Yours truly does it at least twice a week. 

Sweater / Donna Karen (similar) / $780

Leggings / Urban Outfitters / $34

Pumps / Zara / $90

Laptop case / bottica.com / $150

Vest / J.Crew / $77 (on sale!)

Earrings / Kate Spade / $130

Sunglasses / Ray-Ban / $150

W2WW :: Wear to Work Wednesday

Coat / indressme.com / $199
Top / La Petite S***** / $965
Skirt / J.Crew / $98
Pumps / Elizabeth & James / $325
Bag / Chanel / Idon'tevenwanttoknow
Necklace / DANNIJO / $420
Sunglasses / mango.com / $40

Well, this is an expensive outfit (with the exception of the skirt and sunglasses), but I'm totally into this color combo. Unexpected, yet still appropriate for fall! The pumps add a hint of sexy, and I'm secretly (or perhaps not-so-secretly) looking for a more affordable version. 

Happy hump day,

xoxo
Chels

Skull Chic

1 - Bing Bang earrings / $42
2 - Zara necklace / $20
3 - Toms shoes / $100
4 - Topshop shirt / $64
5 - Z Gallerie skull objet / $15
6 - 291 sweatshirt / $107
7 - ASOS bag / $66 (on sale!)

Disclaimer: I didn't include anything from Alexander McQueen because I think we all know he was and always will be the king of skull. Carry on. 

Halloween is long gone, but you can still incorporate skulls into your wardrobe without looking like you're in costume. I know this trend has been around for a long time, long enough for it to trickle down to stores like Lulus and F21, but you can still make it look trendy and not tacky. I, for one, love the edginess it gives an outfit - and certain "IDGAF" if you will.

I've been feeling particularly rebellious lately (thinking about tattoos, piercings, etc.) but perhaps a safer (and non-permanent) way to be a little more edgy would be to just add some skulls to my wardrobe? I think yes.

xoxo
Chels

Winter Whites

Yes, Virginia, you can wear white after labor day. And I think these outfits from Club Monaco prove it. 

Or how about J.Crew? 

Fall 2012 also saw lots of white on the runway from designers like Philip Lim and Tibi. 

I love breaking the rules so I know I'll be all over some white outfits this winter. Labor day, shmabor day! 

How will you wear white this winter?

xoxo

Chels

W2WW :: What to Wear Wednesday

Top // Equipment // $106 (On sale! Hurry!)
Jeans // Hudson // $189
Boots // Rag & Bone // $495
Blazer // SheInside // $40
Candle // Diptyque // $60
Earrings // Kenneth Jay Lane // $185
Bracelet // Kate Spade // $78

W2WW is (finally) back!!! I've missed putting these boards together for you. This week is W2WW :: Casual Edition. Since my new job is much more casual than my last (think jeans instead of suits and ties), I'm having a lot more fun experimenting with outfits. And you should too! Life is short.

Happy Hump Day ;)

xoxo
Chels 

W2WW :: Wear to Work Wednesday

Earrings: 1 / 2 / 3

Dresses: 1 / 2 / 3

Pumps: 1 / 2 / 3

I decided to do W2WW a little different this week.. what do you think?

xoxo

Trend Report :: Fur, Baby!

This is something that has yet to become part of my wardrobe, but I'm determined to add a fur vest to my closet for winter (faux of course). The ladies above look so comfy and chic.. I'm in love!

How about this vest from Free People...

Or this one from Urban Outfitters?


You can always add some glamour to your decor with a faux fur throw like this one from Restoration Hardware..

How would you rock this trend?

xoxo

W2WW :: Wear to Work Wednesday

It's Wednesday! Here's your weekly wear-to-work inspo.

Blazer - ???
Pants - Ann Taylor LOFT - $65 (now an extra 40% off!)
Bag - Michael Kors - $174
Necklace - Etro - $355
Bracelet - Windsor Store - $7
Nail Polish - Dior - $23
Lip Color - Clinique Black Honey - $15 (I am obsessed with this! I keep losing it and every time I go back and buy a new one. It's that good.)

Make the pattern of the pants the focal point of the outfit with a neutral top and nail color. Make sure you don't overdo the jewelry, especially with the large necklace it's important to keep the rest of your accessories to a minimum. And, of course, add a pop of color with your bag. Who's surprised?

Happy hump day.

xoxo

Tips from a Pro

Close your eyes.
 
Imagine, in your mind, the perfect rolled up sleeve.

The perfect mix of formal and messy.

 

What is the first thing to come to mind? Is there a certain brand over others who takes this look to a new level of perfection?

 J.Crew, perhaps? The brand who can do no wrong? Yes, they have the perfect rolled-sleeve down to a science. 

According to Marina Dobreva, personal stylist for J.Crew, you achieve the J.Crew sleeve by "Taking the cuff and bringing it up to the elbow... THEN rolling the remaining part of the sleeve up to the elbow. This way the cuff is always showing."

*cue the "OMG why didn't I think of that?!!?" feelings*

That was how I felt, at least. No more awkward, chunky sleeves pushed up to my elbows for me!

Happy Tuesday, loves :)

xoxo

W2WW :: Wear to Work Wednesday

Top / Modcloth / $35
Boots / Loeffler Randall / $695 (in my dreams...)
iPad case / Marc by Marc Jacobs / $98
Denim / Joe's Jeans / $190 (similar from Old Navy here)
Earrings / Nordstrom / $60
Necklace / J.Crew / $165

Many companies these days are ditching the business formal dress code for business casual. Embrace it! Happy employees = productive employees.

My new job allows us to wear jeans to work, but I'm a little slow to work denim into my work attire. Something about feeling more professional in formal dress, but hey, to each his own!

What kind of work outfits do you want to see featured on W2WW? I'd love your input!

xoxo

Splurge vs. Steal

SPLURGE // STEAL
Leather jacket: Mango // OwnTheRunway
Jeans: True Religion // Forever21
Flats: Chloe // Charlotte Russe
Bow ring: Ivanka Trump // BaubleBar
Scarf: Alexander McQueen // Republic.co

Which do you prefer? Are name brands like McQueen, Chloe, and True Religion worth the splurge, or would you go for the steal?

Personally, I recommend a mix of both high-end pieces and more practical, cheaper ones. I'd totally splurge on the True Religion jeans and still rock the Charlotte Russe flats. No shame, I tell you...

 

xoxo

Wanderlusting :: Outer Banks, NC

Centuries before the area became a vacation hot spot, the Outer Banks, a long string of barrier islands off the coast of North Carolina, was the setting for a story unlike anywhere else in the US. In 1585, more than twenty years before the 1607 settlement of Jamestown, a group of English settlers forged a colony in the Outer Banks. By 1587, however, the settlers had inexplicably vanished. In the ensuing years the region witnessed similarly mysterious shipwrecks and sporadic pirate encounters along its extensive coastline...

 

I imagine someone wearing this outfit strolling down the boardwalk on a crisp autumn day. Sometimes I think there is nothing more peaceful than the beach when it's cool outside.

The treacherous seas off the Outer Banks and the large number of shipwrecks that have occurred there have given these seas the nickname Graveyard of the Atlantic.

Before bridges were built in the 1930s, the only form of transport between or off the islands was by boat, which allowed for the islands to stay isolated from much of the rest of the mainland. This helped to preserve the maritime culture and the distinctive Outer Banks accent, which sounds more like an English accent than American.

The islands are home to herds of wild horses which are thought to be descendants of Spanish Mustangs washed ashore centuries ago in shipwrecks.

Nearby was the home base of pirate Edward Teach, better known as Blackbeard. It is also where the famed pirate was killed.

The rules are different out here. Shaped by nature just like the Outer Banks were swept in from the Atlantic Ocean. The first colonists to settle the Americas only to mysteriously disappear.

Happy FRIDAY

Happy Friday, ladies! 

Go out this weekend. Have fun with your friends. Enjoy the weather. Love life! And tell me all your crazy stories ;) 

xoxo

W2WW :: Wear to Work Wednesday

Black + white + raspberry = a yummy wear-to-work outfit.

It's pretty much impossible to go wrong with black and white, especially when it comes to office wear. If you've been following my W2WW series at all, you know how much I love to add pops of color to an outfit using accessories, like this McQueen scarf. If you have something more formal to attend, like an important business meeting, you can just take it off for a more polished look. Easy!

Pants / J.Crew / $118

iPad case / Juicy Couture / $95

Bag / Tory Burch / $495

Scarf / Alexander McQueen / $260 (in my dreams...)

Blouse / J.Crew / $88

Blazer / SheInsife.com / $46

Shoes / Nine West / $50 (great price for those of us on a budget!)

Earrings / Kendra Scott / $60

Perfume / Chanel Coco Mademoiselle