Friday, February 20, 2015

{i really love my: striped shirt}

If you've been following my blog for a while now… or you just know me… you've probably noticed I wear stripes a lot. In particular I wear my white and black striped H&M shirt all. the. dang. time.

Stripes go with everything in my book. It takes a totally neutral outfit and makes it pop or it turns into a neutral with a fun pattern (read: plaid or leopard). I just love it!! Layering it under a poncho or a colorful sweater and having the stripes peek out at the sleeves or wrist is one of my favorite things to do. I think it would also be so much fun to wear under a shirt with an open back.

If you're getting tired of your winter wardrobe (cough cough every girl and me cough) then I suggest grabbing an easy cotton striped tee and spicing it up. I scoured the internet and found 9 striped shirts that I think are really similar to mine - versatile, cozy, affordable, cotton, and they are stocked in a lot of sizes right now! I particularly like the options with two different thicknesses of stripes!
*bonus points because stripes will transition into spring nicely*







Be sure to follow me for daily #ootd inspiration :)

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

Love Always,

Thursday, February 19, 2015

{cutouts}


Little slivers of skin for the winter time.












photography by Emily Smalling

ASOS "Cold Shoulder Top" (1, 2, 3, 4) // J.Crew Gigi Pants // Sam Edelman Heels // Gorjana Gold Necklace via Rocksbox // Vestique Purple Necklace (black, similar) // Clare Vivier Clutch // Revlon Lipstick in "Provocateur"

I bought this top last summer and always get a ton of compliments on it. I love how flowy it is and the cutouts at the shoulders are such a subtle way to bring sexy into the winter time! The material is really smooth and… it washes really well! I couldn't resist but break out my new Sam Edelman heels to keep the cutout theme going ;) I found them on super sale at Bloomingdale's a couple of weekends ago! I literally ran to them!! (I'm sure you guys remember me talking about these shoes and putting them on my wish lists multiple times!)

I've got a great deal for you guys for Rocksbox again! Use the code jenniferxoxo1 for your first month free!! After your first free month you can use this code AGAIN for 50% off your next month!! If you have any questions just email me :) I'd be happy to explain more… I'm so in love with my Rocksbox!

Love Always,

Wednesday, February 18, 2015

{preserve your boots}

This winter weather is awful dressing for work… my options are brown boots? Or black boots? And then tall boots? Or booties? I've attempted walking to work in flats and tights and it's just miserable with the wind chill. I decided once I graduated college that I was going to start investing in quality boots aka no more cheap Target boots. Don't get me wrong, I love my fair share of Target, but they just will not last through the years.


So I thought I would share how I keep my boots/booties looking brand new and lasting through the seasons:

1 // Leather treater
I absolutely swear by this [no, it's not a sponsored post :)] and rub it on my shoes every time I put another pair on. It's a sponge that has the treater in it that also helps shine and keep the leather supple. With all of the salt in slushy snow this helps whisk it away and bring back the natural color. I buy the clear product so that I can use one sponge on both my black and brown boots.


2 // Re-sole the bottoms
I have had these cowboy boots since I moved from Texas to Maryland… no joke. Resoling your shoes keeps the wear and tear down while making the traction better. If you let your shoes get too worn down then the heel begins getting worn away and it's near impossible to salvage them. Find a good cobbler that you trust and will make sure the leather is treated with care while resoling! If you want a certain color on the soles (cough cough Louboutins) that is an option as well!


3 // Spray your suede
Everyone used to spray their Uggs so why stop there?! Spraying your suede (with any drugstore brand is fine in my opinion but I tend to get a spray from Nordstrom because the mist is normally finer) protects it from getting water stains if you get caught in a rainstorm.  If you spill on your shoe it tends to make it a bit easier to clean as well! With my leather/suede boots I covered the leather part before spraying.


4 // Store upright or flat in the original box
As you can probably tell my cowboy boots are so worn-in that they tip over and the leather begins getting creases. If you don't have room for the original flat boxes then I recommend storing them upright with empty wine bottles! My boots all tend to get creases at the ankles from wear so this is a great way to help prevent them from setting in even deeper.


5 // Color the nicks
Sharpie. Easy as that!! There's no point in letting a nick in the wood heel show when you can quickly cover it up. It keeps your boots looking in tip-top shape and presentable to wear to work.



Do y'all have any other tips to keeping your boots looking brand new?

Love Always,

Tuesday, February 17, 2015

{purple piko}


Still reveling in all of the love and colors of the holiday weekend? Me too ;)











photography by Emily Smalling


I hope everyone had a great weekend with the people you love the most! I just got this new pike top and am obsessed with the soft fabric and lavender color. I kept it pretty casual with some ripped jeans and my favorite suede booties. I layered up a collection of my "every day" bracelets that I rotate through and contrasted the purple with a necklace I got while studying abroad in Spain a couple of years ago. I've talked about my love of this style shirt before and they seriously are just the best! Pure comfort :) Necessary clothing has a great collection of colors and they have a longer dress version!

Hope everyone's staying warm in this snow (if you're getting it)!

Love Always,

Friday, February 13, 2015

{ruffled up love}


What's more perfect for a Valentine's date night than a little black dress?!












photography by Emily Smalling


This week was all about girl time and girl talk! Today's post is about dressing up for a fun night on the town… be it a hot date or a crazy night of dancing! It's the perfect combo: red lips, little black dress, and a heck of a lot of sparkle!
I love how the back and front are so different but each one is a party on it's own!! I don't know if I like the front or back better ;) On date nights like Valentine's Day I always go for a black dress with pops of red. It makes me feel a lot sexier while still being understated. It's fun to dress up and look pretty but you want the full attention to be on your face and your smile… hello, red lipstick! This Sephora rouge cream lipstick lasts for.ev.er! No joke, through morning, through lunch, and then through that afternoon cup of coffee!

What fun plans do you all have for Saturday night?!

PS. On a less happy note - I wanted to thank everyone that left a comment on my instagram last night. If you didn't know I lost my sweet puppy, Kelty. He wasn't exactly a puppy, he was a 10 year old Pembroke Welsh Corgi, but he was so full of life and brought such joy to my family every day. He was best buddies with my dad - they did almost everything together. I've shared all of your kind words with my family and it truly helped us realize that the 10 years we had with him were so special. My sister put it best: "the three of us grew up together  and he still loved us during our awkward stages." Thank you for all of your thoughts and prayers!!

yes, this is me as a freshman in high school with Kelty as a puppy!

Love Always,
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