There is something so cozy and nostalgic about the fall season, it has always been my favorite. Hearing a football game on in the background, sipping mulled apple cider, seeing all of the beautiful colors on the trees, curling up under a fluffy blanket or hearing the sounds of leaves rustle and crunch under my feet as I head out for an evening walk all just remind me how grateful I am to experience this beautiful time of year, a season I missed for nearly a decade while living in the southeast before moving to California 2 years ago.
While many of us gravitate towards lighter and brighter colors during summer, I have to say that as a lover of classic style, black is a staple that I just love wearing year round, and there is nothing better than great fitting black jeans paired with heels, flats or boots during fall! They're easy to dress up or make more casual-a staple in every lady's wardrobe! What I love about this pair is that they hold their shape due to having a bit of stretch and have retained their color really well compared with other black denim I've owned in the past. I recently purchased a second pair on sale and also own 2 pairs in the dark denim wash, both colors are essentials for my fall casual wardrobe. I wear a size 4 long for reference (the long size is awesome for all of us tall girls!) these also come in regular and short lengths.
This rose embroidered ruffle sleeve top has just enough pattern and a pop of color and the best part is it's just under $20! While I could have paired this outfit with a solid black clutch, I find the pattern play against my top along with a red mani adds a playful twist which is perfect for date night or casual Friday at the office.
What's your favorite thing about fall? What pieces are you most excited about wearing this season?
Autumn officially began just a few days ago and I have to say that as much as I love summer, the warmer temps it brings and the easy breezy wardrobe options that it offers, there is always something so cozy about this transitional time of year as we lead into fall-my favorite season. I'm wearing jeans and a sweater as I type this, our first of many cooler days after a massive month long heat wave from 90-107 degrees that seemed to dominate every weekend of August.
This year I'm enjoying all the soft velvet we're seeing in bold, deep hues and the ruffle trend continuing. I'm still a huge fan of booties so I've shared several options that can be dressed up or down-I'm loving this pair of black booties, they are on my wish list! They also come in a riding boot version which are currently on sale. Being a dress lover, I had to include several dresses also that I've had my eye on as well as some really great skirts-you can't beat the versatility. You can click on any image above in my boutique and it will take you straight to the ready-to-shop source!
What do you have on your fall wish list this year? What is your favorite autumn hue?
Happy October everyone! The first day of Fall in the Bay Area certainly didn't disappoint! The leaves have already begun turning colors, the air has that crispness to it in the early morning + late evening and during the day we're warmed by the sun's rays on even the chilliest sounding temps-the 60's actually feel more like 80's. We've already begun stocking up on white mini pumpkins and other fall decor. If you've been following along on instagram, you may have seen that we are actually growing our own pumpkins and have already harvested 9! They grew from seeds in the compost on our property and were transferred so they had already turned orange weeks ago and were ready to be picked.
I find that September and early October fluctuate so much in most parts of the country (as evidenced by the 66 degrees we had last week only to experience a heat wave of nearly 100 degrees just a few days later during the weekend. I've always said that my perfect place to live would be where I could wear a dress and jeans + a blazer or cute blouse daily and I'd say that I've found that here. Since my wardrobe necessities in California are different than that of Florida, I've made it a point to focus on both transitional and layering pieces to get me through the next couple months until warmer coats are truly needed daily. In my last outfit post I shared this floral dress to take you from summer to fall and now I wanted to share a casual yet pulled together look that does the same job.
When I'm not at a playground with Lily, tending to the garden or working from home, I like to dress up my denim whether it's with the addition of a blazer, putting on a pretty blouse or a fab pair of heels. This is a pretty typical everyday look for me, as a mom I prefer to wear flats to chase after my little monkey and they're the perfect choice for weekends when we're doing a lot of walking. I save my heels and wedges for when I'm flying solo for the day while she's at school.
I'm loving this black and white striped bow wrapped blouse that I ordered a few weeks ago. It has a slight ruffling at the bottom and of course a pretty side tie bow which would pair equally as well with a black pencil skirt or even a pair of shorts when those hot days roll in again. The material is thicker, so coupled with my wide leg jeans, I didn't feel cold once during the day. I've had these 7 For All Mankind jeans for a few years and I find wide leg jeans really comfortable, I'm glad to see that wide leg pants and denim are on trend again this season, I especially like pairing them with a fitted short sleeved or long sleeved tee along with a belt. They currently offer a lighter version of the same style here. I just stocked up a bunch of these super affordable and ultra soft pima cotton tees which are currently on sale and perfect for layering!
I've also been experimenting with some new hair styles (inspired by a more bohemian, relaxed look here in California I suppose), which actually originated from my need to find new toddler styles for Lily's long hair. Not long after, she'd see something I experimented on in my own hair and ask if I could do the same to hers so she could have 'hair like mommy'. This hairstyle is super easy and takes about a minute to do. It's essentially a series of flips. secure a low ponytail (I use tiny clear plastic elastics from the drugstore) then create a part in the lowest part of the gathered hair above the elastic and feed it through the center hole and pull. Add another elastic about 3 inches under that and do the same thing, pulling the pony through each time. It creates a braided effect without any complicated braiding techniques and if you're on the go and it gets a little bit too messy, it takes just seconds to redo it. I like to pull out a few pieces of hair to frame my face so it doesn't look to perfect.
Hi Lovelies! I'm switching things up this morning by introducing something new. Although I typically share a more formal outfit post on Fridays, throughout the week I often snap my daily looks on-the-go and share them via Instagram along with all of the exact/similar item details so you know where to find it all! For those of you who use Instagram, come and follow along here @TheClassyWoman. I'll be rounding up my favorite pieces and looks here about once per month.
If you are on Instagram, love a good find and haven't yet registered your e-mail with Like To Know It it takes just a couple seconds so I highly recommend that you do! Let me explain what it is. How many times have you scrolled through your IG feed to see the cutest swimsuit, a killer pair of heels or the prettiest dinner plates and you're left wondering where you can find them? Let's face it, not everyone is great at replying to comments, and even if they do, a direct link to the item is so much more helpful! Be sure to sign up one time with @Liketoknow.it which you can do right in from your browser) and when you 'like' (heart) any of my LTK-enabled posts that appear in your instagram feed (which are always indicated as such), it will trigger an e-mail to your inbox with all the specifics including the photo of the outfit and all links to where pieces can be purchased. It's such an awesome tool that also saves me from replying over and over again as to where a particular item is from (I don't mind doing so but it allows you to see it instantly vs. waiting for that reply). So, that's how that works! :)
Below I'm sharing some of my recent outfits over the past weeks from my insta feed along with all of the sources below. Since I live in Florida and our 'winter' is literally 85 degrees one day and 45 the next at times, you'll see a mix of fall, winter and spring styles. Inspiration for warm temps ahead!
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You may remember this skirt which has become a favorite and was featured in this Valentine's Day post. It's was sold out but they just restocked sizes (2-14) and it's on sale under $40! I'm also sharing a few similar style ribbed and flare dresses of varying lengths and full length lining.
My most recent outfit post which was a Valentine's Day look included this new red lipstick! I love pairing a red lip and red nail together to enhance a neutral outfit such as black & white. My exact nail polish shade is no longer available but I've linked some similar hues for you.
I recently bought this rose quartz color cable knit sweater on sale for just $12.50!! It also comes in 4 other great colors and fits TTS. It's perfect for layering over a white tee or tank then wrap it around your waist as the temperature increases during the day. It's such a classy wardrobe staple!
These patent pointy toe tassel flats are just $31! I love a ballet flat but find that a pointed toe provides a more dressy look. Perfect for denim, skirts and shorts! Size up if you're between full sizes.
One of my favorite accessories is nail polish and while I love classic red, a french manicure and a great pale pink or nude, I equally love a splash of color to complete a look. Right now I'm wearing Flowerista (the purple bottle on the far right). Fiji (the pink bottle) is a spring + summer favorite!
This outfit is cozy and perfect for cooler days. I'm not one to leave white behind after Labor Day. White (when done right) can be worn throughout the year. I've long been a fan of Tommy Hilfiger for well-made pieces with that Americana look. While my sweater is no longer available, they are having a 30% OFF sale right now! I'm linking to some of my favorite sale sweaters above.
I recently treated myself to a few pampering gifts. This Olive fruit hair mask is amazing, I use it once per week instead of my regular condition and it leaves my hair feeling soft and moisturized. You'll notice a change in the overall look + condition of your hair (especially the ends) in just a couple treatments. I couldn't resist these Kate Spade pink lips socks.
These 5 scarves were my most worn during fall and winter. I tend to gravitate towards neutrals during winter as I can wear them so many ways, in spring, however I love both soft pastels and bright punchy pops of color to evoke the cheerful feeling of the season.
These comfy suede booties from Sole Society have quickly become my go-to. They sold out months ago in coffee but I was lucky to snag a pair in my size/color of choice. I'm sharing similar booties as these can be worn pretty much year round with skirts, jeans, denim shorts and even a maxi skirt.
I purchased this lace overlay tee from NY & Co. during their big sale in two colors: pink and black. Great news!! The sale is back and they're just $15 again and all sizes were recently restocked. I just wore the black version this past weekend with white skinny jeans.
This blanket wrap scarf was a steal at $17! The multi-color plaid makes it quite versatile and the perfect jumping off point for a variety of solid colors, I especially love pairing it with black, white, red or navy. The photo on the left was taken before I added a black belt around my waist.
I have wanted a pair of classic Hunter boots for a while because it rains in FL a lot (especially during the summer). I love how they offer matching boots in toddler/kids sizes too! Here is their current sale.
