Leopard & Leather

Old Navy Sweater (similar) / LOFT Skirt / Apt. 9 Tights / Bandolino Heels

Coach Bag (similar) / Premier Designs Jewelry

I wore this edgy look to chapter the other night, and had my Little snap a couple quick pictures! I love this leather skirt I picked up on super clearance on LOFT.com not too long ago... It's just the updated and trendy basic I had on my wish list from this post about defining your personal style! I can already tell that it is going to become a staple in my wardrobe. Also... While I love my Coach bag (which I got as a gift many year ago) I think I would have loved to be carrying this purse instead! It would have matched my necklace perfectly. I just might have to go see if they have it at my local Stein Mart... :)

Happy Tuesday!

--Caroline

Linking Up With: Walking In Memphis in High Heels and The Fashion Canvas for the Trend Spin Linkup!  And with Sincerely Jenna Marie for the Weekly Linkup. 

Animal Accents Done Right

Runner / Carpet / Ottoman / Pillows

I'm having a huge moment with leopard prints. I recently have added these flats (similar) and this sweater to my wardrobe, and I've been wearing a Premier Designs necklace that has acrylic leopard links probably too much. Then, I came across a picture on Pinterest of a home with leopard print carpet, and out of boredom I typed in "leopard print home decor" in the search box... yikes! Leopard print can look elegant or a little gaudy in the home, and there seems to be a fine line. So today I am sharing my tips on how to add animal print accents to your home, the right way.

Consider animal print carpet. Whether it's a hallway runner or an accent on your stairs, adding animal print in carpeting or rugs can be a very nice touch. I wouldn't place it throughout your entire house, but a well-placed runner can add a lot of style to a hallway, for example. Keep the animal print more tone-on-tone if you are nervous it will be too much. 

Less is more. Think of animal prints as accents, not the "theme" of your space. A well-placed pillow or two is far more sophisticated than animal prints here, there, and everywhere. This sentiment is true with most anything in life, trust me. 

Don't put a large scale print in a small space. When you put a large and eye-catching print in a small space, it can seem overwhelming and make the space seem even smaller. Instead, pick a print with a smaller scale to it, or try more tone-on-tone to make the print less obvious. If you do opt for a large, bold print, then keep everything else simple in the space. 

Mixing animal prints should be done with care. A leopard pillow paired with a giraffe pillow gives off a completely different look than a giraffe pillow on a leopard print couch. Unless we are talking about your child's room, then you probably don't want a space that look like a zoo.

Avoid tacky. Think about the items you pick that have the print on them. Toilet seat? Please don't. Satin leopard bedsheets? Probably not the look or vibe you want. (And yes, a leopard toilet seat did come up in my search!) You want the space to look elegant and playful, not tacky, and the pieces or materials you select for the animal print can have a huge effect on the feel or vibe of the space. 

Some great home decor picks in a variety of animal prints...

Zebra Rug / Alligator Rug / Giraffe Tray 

Leopard Throw / Leopard Chair / Zebra Wine Glasses

Would you add animal prints to your decor? Do you have any tips to share?

--Caroline

Layers

Dress: Charming Charlie (similar, similar) 

Sweater : Banana Republic (similar, similar, love this option)

Scarf: World Market (nice option) / Belt: Old Navy (similar)

Shoes: Audrey Brooke via DSW (similar) / Jewelry: Premier Designs

Bag: local boutique 

When Kyle was here over the weekend, we went out to breakfast Sunday morning before he had to leave town, and this is what I wore. It was a chilly morning, and these layers were perfect for a fall morning that turns into a not-so fall afternoon, a frequent occurrence in north Florida. Begrudgingly, he snapped a couple pictures on our way out the door. Next time I think I should let him eat first! In hindsight, this would have looked better with my cognac bag, but I was also hungry and this purse already had everything in it. Hey, it was a lazy Sunday morning after all. 

Moving on to my shoes; as you might recall from this post and this post, I was excited to add some leopard flats to my wardrobe. I love these Audrey Brooke flats, because they are not only of great quality and extremely comfortable, but they also come in a wide variety of colors. In fact, I have three pairs of the Newport style: the leopard I just added, a cobalt (since discontinued, but they have a similar style in cobalt), and a silver pair. And would not be upset if I added more--I'm intrigued by the camo pair, and their cognac leather one is a great basic!

Do you own multiples of something in your closet? If so, what?

--Caroline

Linking Up With: Walking In Memphis in High Heels and The Fashion Canvas for the Trend Spin Linkup! 

Closet Vitamins

Weird title for a post, I know. But bear with me. 

I've posted recently about being in a bit of a closet rut. I feel as if I've got good pieces in my closet that were once great, but now they are a little sick. Perhaps they still are great; my wallet would prefer that! We've all reached that point though where we need a mini wardrobe renovation, a little detox. Now, I pride myself in frequently cleaning out & editing my closet (see posts here and here), but I think it's time to do some replacing. I have a list of items I'm okay with, but would like to love more. It's time to replace them with some fresh new pieces, a little extra Vitamin C here, a little B over here. (C for cute tops, B for belts? Sure!)

So I've been doing some shopping, and I've added some new items. Some are still on their way (so excited for that DSW box to arrive!), and some are already chilling in my closet, waiting for the perfect entrance. 

1. Yes, I went for them! I've been lusting after lace up heels since this post, then talked about them again earlier this week. So ordering these pretties was a no-brainer.

2. I order the cutest leopard top from toAdorn, similar to this one.

3. While this isn't the exact top, I picked up the softest plum patterned tunic from my local Francesca's recently, and I can't wait to layer it when the temperature gets cooler.

4 & 5. Two belts, same style. They are replacing a belt I have that is not really gold or silver and sometimes looks funky. 

6. I'm trying the mustardy trend with this scarf!

7. These classic J. Crew shorts are replacing some from the factory store which are thinner--the thicker version maintains shape better throughout the day.

8. I'm stepping out of my comfort zone with this plum belt, but thinking it will look great with number 3 & 6!

9. Leopard flats in the style I have two other colors of... How could I say no?

Notice how the majority of these pieces are accessories, like shoes, a scarf, and belts. I say this all the time at my Premier Jewelry shows, but clothes are your backdrop and accessories are your personal statement! They are also the easiest way to update your wardrobe without stretching your budget too much! 

How do you remedy a need for a closet detox?

--Caroline

Dreaming Of Shoes

Heels: Caged / Lace Up / Ankle Strap

Flats: Leopard / Cutout 

It has recently occurred to me that I am getting a little bored with my clothes, and that it might be time to update some pieces, as well as incorporate some new styles. One of the areas I'm thinking is in need of an update about is my shoe collection. As far as heels go, I've got great black pumps & nude pumps, a dated pair of patchwork mauve pumps, and dressy gold-ish heeled sandals. That's it! Nothing special, considering I wear heels fairly frequently for sorority events. Now to my flats--I was getting ready for an interior design event the other day when I realized that I really wanted some brown flats to go with my outfit, yet I had absolutely none in my closet! Especially with fall around the corner, I believe this might need to change. I've done some shopping around, so we will see if my dreams can become a reality!

Do you have any shoes you've been dreaming about?

--Caroline