Cole Haan Sale Picks

COLE HAAN is currently having their semi annual sale where everything is 30% off with code FALLEVENT.

Definitely take advantage of the savings and grab a pair of ankle booties or boots if you've been on the hunt for a pair.

I have the MARINA over the knee boots and absolutely adore them. These retail for $500, but are $350 during the sale. The price is still a bit steep, but I think it's well worth it because it's so versatile. The material is soft and molds to your legs. These are perfect for those with smaller calves. I purchases mine two years ago during the Nordstrom Fall sale. Below are several ways I've worn these boots - over jeans, with a skirt for work, and with a dress over tights.

A few other pairs of boots caught my eye as well. These would have been high contenders if I didn't already own 4 similar pairs of ankle booties.

For a more sleel/work appropriate bootie, the NARELLE is great.

The HAYES booties are amazing for everyday casual wear- these retail for $280 and are on sale for $196!

Happy shopping!

REVIEW - Steve Madden Claara Block Heel Sandal

Navy and camel colored option

I'm reviewing the STEVE MADDEN CLAARA BLOCK HEEL SANDAL that FINALLY arrived in the mail. I originally ordered these during the Nordstrom Anniversary sale, however my order ended up being canceled. Luckily these were restocked in the last week and I immediately purchases it again.  I fell in love with these online, however I was a little skeptical about the 4.5 inch heel. I wanted something I comfortable that I could walk around in and thought these would be a little too tall. When these arrive, boy was I surprised. They are by far the comfiest pair of 4+ inch heels I own. 

Glasses - GENTLE MONSTER

Initial Necklace - KATE SPADE

Bangle - SIMILAR

More Nordstrom Anniversary Sale Purchases and Reviews

I want to remind everyone to shop the sale through EBATES where you can earn 6% cash back on Nordstrom purchase and up to 20% on other retail sites, including Fandango for movie tickets!
Anyways, on to some reviews:
Lush V-Neck Crepe Blouse - I purchased an XS in the color grape leaf. I absolutely love the color, it's a gorgeous bright olive green shade (picture appears darker) that would be great for both summer and fall. I love the hem line on this. The longer front and back make this wearable with leggings, but it can also be tucked into trousers for a work appropriate look. There are still several color lefts in different sizes.

Given how low the neck line is, you definitely need a tank underneath if wearing this to the office

This Topshop Strip Bardot Dress is not part of the anniversary sale, but with a price point of $45, it's a pretty reasonable deal. It is extremely comfortable and embraces the off the shoulder trend but  a has little added support with the straps. It runs true to size - I'm wearing a US size 0. The length is also great on me, it comes up about 2 inches above my knees, but I would stay away from this dress is you're over 5'6 (for reference I'm around 5'4)

I also purchased this HALOGEN poncho. This is currently sold out, but different sizes keep popping back up, so keep an eye out. BAREFOOT DREAMS has a very similar one that is much softer to the touch. 

I am wearing a regular XS/S. These come in petite sizing as well. It's a little long on me, but can work tucked in.

And lastly I can't emphasize these Cole Haan Marina Over the Knee boots  ($329 from $500)I purchase these last year during the sale and it quickly became one of my favorite pair of boots. Full review HERE. Given how many times I've worn these and how well they fit,  I would definitely purchase this at full price. 

You can read more reviews and purchases HERE

Nordstrom's Anniversary Sale Purchases

I’ve neglected my blog for quite a few months, but I’m back and hopefully can start writing more frequently.

I will be sharing some of my favorite items from the Nordstrom Anniversary sale as well as of my purchases from this year. Last week was the pre-sale where only card holders had access to sale items; the sale is now open to the general public and prices will go up on August 8.

I placed several orders over the last week and have been slowly receiving them in the mail - I still have quite a bit of things I’m waiting for.

I want to remind everyone to shop the sale through EBATES where you can earn 6% cash back on Nordstrom purchases. Through my orders in the past week, I have already received $42 back.

First up is the Cole Haan Marina Over the Knee boots  ($329 from $500)I purchase these last year during the sale and it quickly became one of my favorite pair of boots. These are a stiletto heel, which is not great for cobble stone streets in  Boston, but the smaller 3.5 inch heel balances it out, making them more wearable. These are about 23 inches tall, and have a VERY small opening of only 13 inches, making them ideal for women with smaller/slim calves. They run slim all the way through the legs and fit tightly around my legs. These are extremely versatile - you can dress them up with a dress of dress them down for a more casual look with leggings and an oversized sweater.



I'm wearing the Halogen Noble Boot here with

Next up - Halogen Noble Over the Knee Boots ($109 from $189) I’ve been looking for a replacement pair of over the knee boots with chunky heels. I had a pair, but I think my foot grew and they are no longer fitting. I have only worn them a few times and just listed them on my Poshmark page. Last week, I ordered the Halogen Noble Over the Knee Boots since they were on sale for only $109. They arrived in the mail earlier this week, I loved them so much, I ordered the gray pair as well.



 


These fit true to size, They are not as slim fitting as the Cole Haans mentioned above, but they still look great on bare legs and have room for jeans tucked inside on those colder days.

SHOPPING FOR A WEDDING DRESS

Spring is slowly creeping in which means wedding season is just around the corner. Today I will be sharing my wedding dress shopping experience. I was asked on Instagram by a long time follower, Audrey to share some ideas.

My wedding was last summer, and I would say that I was a relatively unconventional bride as in I didn't spend over a year planning my wedding and definitely did not spend most of my time doing it. I was engaged the summer of 2014, and didn't start planning my wedding until end of March in 2015 for a September 2015 wedding. I was lucky and was able to book my venue the last weekend in March. However given there was so little time, I did a LOT of research beforehand. My friends joke around now and tell me I should start a wedding planning business - I was able to get everything I ever wanted in a wedding, within my budget. If you're interested I can definitely write some more posts about planning/budget, etc. just let me know below =).

Anyways, I will be focusing my efforts on wedding dress shopping today. I tried on at least 40-50 dresses that ranged in price from $500-$15,000.

My mother came dress shopping with my every time and luckily snapped lots of pictures on her cell phone. Most of the dresses I tried on were around a size 4-8; I'm typically a 00, but luckily the stylists were able to pin/clip the dresses for a closer fit.

I think it's definitely VERY important to try on dresses of all shapes/sizes. I had always envisioned a large "princess gown" which was one of the first ones I tried on. I quickly realized it was too large for my frame and did nothing for my figure.

Trying on different fabrics and textures is also important: This tulle gown with lace overlay was gorgeous on the rack, but clearly did not fit my style. I did however LOVE the light weight fabric. If you've tried on wedding dresses, then you know that many of them are extremely heavy especially those with lots of beading. I'm 5'4 and weight ~105 and knew I couldn't walk around in a heavy gown all day. It very important to find a gown that is comfortable - you will be running around greeting guests, getting photos during the wedding, first look, etc..

After having so many failed attempts with the ball gown/A-line style, the stylist brought me a dress that was on the opposite end of the spectrum - almost Greek goddess like/Marilyn Monroe-esque. I tried it on, but did not think it was appropriate for my wedding - if you like this style, it could be a dress that you change into for dancing!

This is the same dress with and without a belt; adding a belt completely changes the look...ACCESSORIZE!

Wedding dress stores are filled with all kinds of accessories - belts, jewelry, hair pieces. I would highly recommend trying on dresses with different belts. As you can see from the picture above, adding a belt really changes the look and feel of a dress.

Lastly, I tried on trumpet/fit and flare dresses and decided that was the shape I wanted. I have a very slender frame with minimal curves, but wanted a dress that showed off the little curves I have. Even with the same fit, there were so many styles:





Other things to consider when dress shopping:

• THE VENUE - if your wedding is on a beach, go for a light weight flowy dress, sand-friendly. If your dress is in a hotel or somewhere a little more formal, perhaps something more formal or a large train is appropriate.
• YOUR SHOES - if the dress is long, there's a big chance you may trip on it, so be careful with heel height and dress length. I highly recommend bustling your dress during dinner and dancing!
• COLOR OF DRESS - Beige/off-white vs. white dresses. I ended up going with an off-white colored dress. I'm a skin is a little darker and thought the white was too white against my complexion. Some dresses come in both white and off-white so be sure to ask.
• You may want to consider matching your fiance's shirt color to the dress color if you're really want to match, but honestly you can't see a different in pictures (my dress was off-white and my husbands shirt was white)
• Side note: MEN'S SHIRT - My husband only buys non-iron dress shirts from Brooks Brothers, so for our wedding, he of course bought a new white Non-Iron Golden Fleece Tuxedo Shirt from Brooks Brothers. He HIGHLY recommends a non iron shirt to wear. Once the music starts and the tux jacket comes off, you definitely don't want a crinkled shirt. What's great about BB shirts is that they come in 4 different fits - extra slim, slim, regular, relaxed (they recently changed their naming convention to Milano, Regent, Madison, and Traditional)
• LENGTH OF DRESS - Depending on how tall you are, this may or may not apply to you. As I mentioned, I'm 5'4 and many of these dresses were much too long for me. I wore 5 inch heels, stood on a 6 inch platform while trying on dresses, and the dresses were still dragging on the ground. If you're getting significant length taken off the bottom of the dress, just make sure the details at the bottom are not cut off and the shape will remain the same after alterations.
• THINGS TO BRING WHILE DRESS SHOPPING:
• Remember to bring SHOES - they don't have to be the exact shoe you plan on wearing during your wedding, but bring a pair of shoes with the same heel height you plan on wearing during your wedding. This will give you a better idea of what the dress will look like and can practice walking with the dress. There are always shoes at the dress store, but bringing a pair that fits you and are already broken in allows you to experiment with walking around with the dress.
• NUDE STRAPLESS BRA - this is a must; it will give you a better idea of what the dress will look like and it will decrease all the fuss of tucking in straps!
• UNDERGARMENTS - bring any slips, padding, etc. whatever you plan on using during your wedding to all of your shopping trips/appointments. This will again give you a more accurate idea of the look and feel of the dress during your big day. This is especially important during alterations.

I hope you found this helpful. Please let me know if you'd like me to write any other wedding related posts!