love: sequin aztec prints.

 

it seems this week i can't look anywhere without seeing one of my favorite prints decked out for the season. surprisingly, it was a combination that had never even crossed my mind. it is the type of sequin & sparkle that seems toned down and almost a little grown up.

i first came upon it in the december issue of instyle as part of their holiday dress article, featuring this allsaints dress. then one day later, i see it in an anthropologie email. this time paired with a super shiny skirt (paired with a cable knit sweater.. love!). finally, in the same day, i see this pair of shorts on the opening page of topshop website. these paired with a matching sequined top and suspenders. cool and festive.

'tis the season for sparkle.

the jackie coat.

wearing:

shirt - gap

pants - jaeger, found at goodwill

belt - goodwill

shoes - missoni for target

bag - coach

coat - j crew

ladylike, 60s inspired with touches of menswear. this is what a good part of fall has been about for me. i love mixing something very structured like these wool trousers with something light & free like this blouse. as i always find to be true, a belt will pull everything together. in this case, i loved the print and style of this shirt so much that i bought an extra large. it was the last one left and on sale for like $6. i knew i could make it work with a belt or tucked in. by keeping the shirt loose, it made this work outfit work for fun after work activities!

as we begin to leave fall and enter into winter, we need to make smart decisions about our outerwear choices. most people are only going to see this outer layer, so to them, it wont matter what you have on underneath. for this particular outfit, i chose a structured camel coat which also fit the 60s look i started with. my mom calls this my jackie coat. that to me means it is classic and will definitely make you look classy, even if you may not always be. unbuttoned, it give extra structure as an overcoat. button, paired with these pants is a great look on its own. running errands is easy. no one even needs to know what is going on underneath. judging my the cover, you look perfectly pulled together, even if you may only be wearing a t-shirt underneath.

there are so many fabulous coat styles to chose from this season. it is the easiest way to step out in style. what is your go-to coat this year?

'must' have sunshine.

wearing:

dress - h&m

jacket - goodwill

tights - target

boots - luckybrand

purse - goodwill

i am now in full fall mode. mustard yellow is a must! pairing it with browns and navy add that extra punch. fall has always and will always be about layering. it works out great this day because i don't need a jacket. i don't have to cover up an outfit i am really enjoying. 

and most importantly, i don't have to be cold! 

i love how the dress is bringing out the colors in this blazer. it makes the brown pop, almost becoming a little brighter. with this outfit, like many others, it is the little details that make big differences. 

a simple belt adds to the color scheme and brings attention to the smallest part of your shape. basic jewelry can make a bold statement when there is not too much going on or too much to look at. and of course, accessories like your bag. i chose this one for a reason. on the day i bought the blazer (part of set with a matching skirt), i also bought the bag. i had imagined in my mind wearing the suit with a floral printed shirt in deep fall colors and with this bag. i love the idea of mixing prints and by keeping the colors similar, it would be okay to have three different prints mixed into an outfit, especially when one is just an accessory. so immediately after getting dressed, i went straight for this bag. not only does it add a bit of fun, but it also adds to the ladylike look of this outfit. 

it may not have been the crazy print outfit i had envisioned (keep a look out for it!), but it is fall and it is fun. and it makes the little things stand out just a bit more.

SWAPmaine success.

saturday was the second SWAPmaine event and it was a huge success! bigger than our first, but an equally amazing swap. we had over 300 attendees and donated over 3000 pounds of left over clothing to goodwill! a huge thank you to everyone who made this possible! we could not have done it without donations from amazing local businesses, our volunteers, and, of course, the swappers!

swag table.

our mascot manni

food table

 donations!

setting up.

dress row.

sorting station.

pre swap party.

the swapping begins!

organized chaos!

i had so much fun. i loved watching everyone go crazy over all the clothes and leave with some amazing finds. i did not go home empty handed either! i emptied out my SWAPmaine bag this morning to see what i went home with. one of my favorite parts of swapping is seeing what was actually in my bag. with all the commotion, i forget what i actually scored. it's like going through all the excitement all over again!

here is what i got:

 denim dress.

sheer pink dress.

 paisley print dress.

hot pink jumpsuit!

sequined silk blouse.

 light pink silk blouse.

michelle picked it out for me!

80s striped tee

picked out by kate!

floral jacket

picked out for me by the team of sorters.

(glad everyone had my best interests in mind!)

 bright striped jacket.

allie showed me the pockets & i couldn't say no!

polka dot pants.

floral print pants.

brown leather shoes.

i want to thank my amazing SWAPmaine team, allie, laura, laura, michelle, and kate! i love working with you guys. what an amazingly fun and creative group we are. i cannot wait to start planning our next event together!


what were your favorite finds??

fall away.

wearing: dress & shirt f21, denim shirt goodwill, shoes f21, bag flea market.

even though we are now fully into fall, we are still being blessed with warm, sunny days. this means layers. when the sun goes behind a cloud or when it starts to set, the temperature drops. 

here i layered a sheer blouse over this short sleeve dress then added a chambray shirt for a little warmth. this was the last day for sandals. they are all packed up for the season and i am so ready for boots, but it was fun to give them one last go. the loose cuts of the blouse and shirt make a fitted dress a little more flattering. it covers up the areas i like the least without hiding my shape. 

as the days keep getting shorter and the temperature lower, layering is going to be our new way of life. it will also get a little harder when the pieces start getting heavier, so start practicing now!

do you layer? what are your favorite fall pieces to pair together??

in just one week..

number two is here!

october 29th to be exact.

10am - 12pm is the pre swap:

bring your donations, indulge in some treats from awesome local vendors, & take a chance at winning great prizes in our raffle while getting pumped up to swap!

12pm - 3pm swap till you drop;

fill up one of our SWAPmaine tote bags with new-to-you clothes, accessories, & shoes for BOTH women AND men!

all the details are at swapmaine.com

follow us on twitter & facebook too!

spooktacular style..

halloween is right around the corner. i must admit it is not always my favorite holiday. i always have a hard time coming up with the 'perfect' costume and just end up stressing out! this year was different. read about my costume idea on goodwill of northern new england's blog! hopefully it is just in time to inspire you for this year's ghoulwill ball on saturday at port city music hall, since i know you will all be there!