sparkle it up

i'm a big big big fan of this fall's military and simplistic styles - which is why i appreciate this bag for a little girly and sparkly flair. sure, leather messenger bags are all the rage - but what about a nice evening out with friends? you don't want to rock a 20 lb bag in one hand and a glass of bubbly in the other. steve madden blustful crossbody bag, $38.95

outfit in action: making a statement at a wedding

bcbgeneration dress, swell necklace, zara shoes (even though you can't see them)

i mentioned my new wowza-thats-a-statement-necklace last week and here are some photos of it in action. nick and i attended a friend's wedding in maryland over the weekend and they couldn't have asked for more beautiful weather. i heart weddings, especially when i get to catch up with some really great people that i haven't seen in years. and helloooo...that's the view from our hotel room. we got to watch them set up for the ceremony and cocktail hour, both of which were awesome. congrats, julie and todd!

it's gettin' chinchilly up in here

my ski teal we drop manicure finally bit the dust (lasted two weeks, woot!) so i decided to go back to an old favorite from earlier this year - chinchilly by essie. i finished it after the second coat but i kiiiiinda think i coulda gone for a really thin third. a great transition color from bright summer hues to the darker shades of winter, chinchilly is a lovely option this fall. it's funny, though - it looks more green in the photos than it does in real life (it's really grey in the sun) and i kinda like it! goes with the military trends of fall.

caldrea for target

if you've been reading the blog since day 1, you'll probably remember my obsession with molton brown hand soap. i have a special bottle of molton brown naran ji next to my kitchen sink, and while i love love love it, it pains me to think i'm spending roughly $.50 every time i wash my hands. i decided to pick up some of the new target line by caldrea as my "i don't need to spend fifty scents washing bacon grease of my hands" kitchen soap and let me tell you, it's awesome. i picked up the olive oil scent ($7.99, not available online) and it's exactly what i'd like next to my kitchen sink. now i don't feel so bad when i wash my hands...

that's what i call a statement

nick and i are heading to a friend's wedding this weekend and i decided it's about time i got myself a new fall dress for weddings just like this. i found a bcbg navy blue number on super sale last week and decided to go for this orange statement necklace to top it off. i plan to take photos during the weekend so i can blog about the entire ensemble upon my return. zad statement necklace from swell, $39

anniversary gift from the bridesmaids

today is by bff katie's birthday. what better timing considering i've been meaning to blog about the anniversary gift the other bridesmaids and i sent for her one year wedding anniversary a few months ago. we were all so thrilled for katie when she married the love of her life (who i adoringly call w-squared), so we wanted to send something special their way to commemorate a whole year of marriage. these personalized wedding vases by maidofclay are amazing. this is the second time i've given one as a gift and it's a guaranteed hit. so much more special than something off the registry - yet not so "special" that it goes in the "ummmm thanks" pile. and felicia of maidofclay is outstanding. give her shop a look!

ps. happy birthday katie!!

outfit in action: canadian tuxedo

banana republic top, new york and company jeans, michael kors wedges, belt from nyc street vendor, banana republic cuff, danielle stevens necklace

when the chambray shirt came back into favor last year, i admit i was a bit skeptical. jean on jean = canadian tuxedo in my book. however, i've embraced the chambray craze (and so has my dad for the last 25 years) and i rocked it all day and all night. it was a super comfy work outfit and transitioned well to see tosh.0 at bass concert hall that night.