Fashion Friday: Nine to Five

Happy Friday, dear reader!

This is the last post of my September Nine to Five segment - at least, for now! I will possibly be back for future endeavors. But it has been my pleasure to share my workplace fashion favorites with you, and thank you to all who read!

9-5: Working with Color

Okay, working bright color into my professional wardrobe has been very hard for me - you're reading from Queen Matchy-matchy herself. When neons and loud patterns started becoming popular, I didn't know what to do with them! But after some experimenting, and of course, some inspiration from J. Crew, I've fallen in love.

Here are some tips: if you don't feel comfortable being bright head to toe, color tastefully splashed can be just as effective (see above.) Or, choose one half to be bright and soften it with a warmer version of it, a pattern, or a neutral shade.

 

 

If you're feeling on the braver side, why not try mixing a bold pattern with a simple pattern?

...or just mix it with some layered solids for texture:

Last thing - I'm really loving colored suits. They sort of remind me of 1940s secretaries, and I love anything that puts me in a past era! Here's a modern take...

{all via *J.Crew}

That's all for today folks! Don't be afraid to incorporate bright colors into your work closet, as long as you style it with the workplace in mind. Keep it classy, keep it modest, keep it professional. Wear something that puts you on the right foot for your workday! 

Xo!

Chesli

*Quick note! If you think I'm crazy out of my mind for suggesting J. Crew to you, you're right. Look for J. Crew factory stores and outlets, which are ballparks cheaper than the real deal. Little known fact: all J. Crew stores offer a 15% student discount, and if I'm not mistaken, a teacher discount as well. I am always scanning their clearance sales, which most of my pieces have come from!

Fashion Friday : Necklines that Shine

I've never been one for gaudy necklaces, but recently the bold colorful jewels that are gracing necklines have caught my eye {in a much more appealing way}.  I love the pop of color, the feminine designs and the chunky shapes.  From $18 - $200, you'll find something to fit any budget.  Go ahead - dress up that simple white button up, a plain tee or that dress that's just missing something!

{The above JCrew look alike is a fraction of the price}

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While it's hard to say I love just one, I think #8 and #10 are two of my favorites.  What do you think?  Are you a fan??

Happy Friday Friends!

Midweek Favorites

It's been an extra hard week for Blakely, as you can see...

{Yesterday's nap on the couch}

{"Recovering" from our walk this morning - I got out of the shower to find this}

Life is just so exhausting, I had to share. :)

In between cleaning the apt, unpacking from this weekend's women's retreat and sorting through piles of laundry, I thought I'd share two irresistible deals I came across this morning.

Are you familiar with Julep??  If not, you need to be!  Jamie from FashionistaMusings recently landed a job at Julep {a nail boutique} and she's been telling me about their program called Julep Maven.  It's a subscription service that sends two of their unreleased polishes & an extra {think lotion, scrub, nail file, etc} to your door each month for a flat fee of $19/month {which is a great deal, considering a bottle of polish runs about $14 a pop}.  As a Maven, you'll also receive a 20% discount on your purchases, free shipping and a few other perks. Fast drying, long lasting, and toxin free - who wouldn't want to wear one of their many beautiful colors??  

So here's the deal - you can try your first Julep Maven box for a penny!  {Yes, I said a penny!}  Head to Julep Maven, take their style quiz and add your Maven Box to your cart.  At checkout enter promo code : PENNY {You must be a first time Maven}. How fun is that??  My style was "Classic with a Twist" {pictured above}.  I cannot wait to receive my box and give the polish a shot!  What's your style??

My absolute FAVORITE gadget these days is my CBTL Kaldi Espresso Maker.  I love this machine.  I actually won it {I know!  Me, win something?!?!  No way!} as a giveaway from Marla's blog FamilyFreshCooking. 

{A homemade Coconut Milk Chai Latte}

The CBTL Kaldi is a single serve coffee maker that makes brewed coffee, brewed tea, espresso and hot chocolate at the touch of a button.  Amazing right??  It truly does make the perfect cup of coffee every time I use it.  My girlfriend & barista, Lauren, showed me how to make all of my favorite drinks, so now I make delicious lattes and macchiatos in my own kitchen every morning!  {I'm sure you've seen my instagram and twitter accounts littered with photo upon photo of beautiful homemade drinks lately....this would be the reason.}

So why am I raving about this machine?  Because it was featured on the Today Show this morning and they're offering a killer discount on it!  Retailed at $314.39, the CBTL Kaldi could be yours for $99!  Head to this page - CBTL  and enter promo code TODAYCBTL to receive the discount.

I hope you're having a wonderful week!  Would love to hear if you are a Julep or CBTL fan.  Happy Wednesday!

*FYI : I'm sharing these products with you because I love them.  This is not a sponsored post.

Home : Change it up!

I've always love to decorate.  Growing up my mom decorated my room, usually giving it a theme of my choice.  As a little girl I went through a pink/kitten phase, so she painted the room pink and gave it a kitty cat wallpaper boarder.  As I matured, my favorite flower was the sunflower {middle school I think}, so I graduated to white furnishings, cheery yellow walls and a boarder of sunflowers, complete with {I think handmade} poofy, yellow and white checked window coverings.

Then came high school - my parents built a home and gave me free reign to design my quarters as I chose.  {I wish I had pics...but sadly, I couldn't find any.}  I went sea foam on the walls, painted a thick dark brown stripe that ran along the top of the walls and finished it off with a hot pink bathroom! In the bedroom, I had a beautiful west elm pendant light that hung in the corner above a little brown corner chair and floating shelves that graced my walls filled with tchotchkes and picture frames.  I loved that room.

As I've grown into my 20's, it's been fun developing my own sense of design style.  I struggled a little with it in our first home, as we didn't have much money for decorating, and what extra we did have went to buying essentials these newlyweds lacked {such as a couch and dining room table}.  But I made do with what we did have - hand-me-downs from friends and family, handmade wreaths and artwork, TJMaxx goodies and rare craigslist finds.  Moving across the country forced us to sell all that we had accumulated and start completely from ground zero.  While this was a little heartbreaking in the thick of the move, it actually gave me the opportunity to start fresh.  New apartment + ZERO furnishings = a blank canvas!

The second time around, setting up home has given me more insight into my own sense of style.  I used to think I was rustic meets girly {think anthropologie - don't get me wrong, I adore me some anthro, but I have a more glamorous side to me that I just can't resist}, then I thought it was cottage meets modern {think west elm & pottery barn....love these too} but now I've realized {as of late} that my heart beats to bold bright colors, shiny metallics, geometric patters, repetitive shapes, and crisp designs {think hollywood regency}.

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That's what's so fun about decor and design - as you change, your style and personal taste changes - a space can always be recreated.  Change is an important part of growth {in life and in decor}.  Make sure to allow yourself moments and opportunities to change it up every once in a while, as a well manicured space tailored to your specific style can bring about so many great things - inspiration & creativity, peace & rest, discipline & productivity, the list goes on.  I encourage you to take a look at your surroundings and ask yourself, "Does the space I live in inspire me? Calm me? Help me be productive?"  It is important to define what your space is supposed to evoke and then figure out what you need to get it there!  {Or ask a friend who has a good eye for design - sometimes we need a little help.}

Happy decorating!

Fashion Friday : {Summer Trend} Layered Jewelry

Hello,

Jamie from Fashionista Musings again.  Today we're talking layers...

A really fun way to update your jewelry look for Summer without spending any extra dough is the layered look. Using pieces from the collection you already own, you can mix and match depending on the occasion. Mixing different styles and textures creates a new, unique look each time. For example, try mixing brightly colored beads with leather or soft pearls with braided twine. 

A few Ideas to try mixing:

*Gold & Silver

*Metallics & Neons (Pink, Green, Yellow! Have fun with it!)

*Wood Bangles & Chain Link

*Turquoise Stone & Studded Leather 

Another way to layer up is to use pieces which are similar in nature, color or texture. Pairing several different types of pearl necklaces, for example, creates a look that is unique to you! Try on the bangle bracelets that you have. Now take a few off! Play with it and have fun. The key is experimenting with different pieces from your collection to see what you like together. If you are nervous about looking Over-Accessorized, start small with two or three pieces paired together. You can always build on your layers as the creativity strikes you. 

Remember to keep your earrings and make-up simple as you want the jewelry focus to be on your Bracelet or Necklace ensemble. Dress in solids or small prints, for example jeans and a black tank top or a white cotton sundress. Enjoy playing dress up with jewelry that maybe you haven’t worn for awhile! Above all, have fun with it! Isn’t that the pleasure of being a Girl???

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Until next week! 

-Jamie

Home : Color Dipping

Bold bright colors are EVERYWHERE this year and I LOVE it!  While color blocking has stormed the fashion world, color dipping is making it's impression on the home decor & DIY world.  A clean line of color can so easily {and affordably} bring an old piece to life again.  Take a look...

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I may just have to color dip something this weekend. :)

Do you like the trend?  Have you color dipped anything in your home??  Would love to hear about it!

Don't forget to enter our giveaway!