Style

I received free product in exchange for styling. All opinions are my own.

Oh October, how you make my heart flutter. The temperatures have officially dropped in Utah and the mountains are covered in red and orange. I’m begging Dustin to take me on a scenic drive through the mountain pass before the leaves all drop – because as beautiful as Autumn is in Utah, it passes by way too fast. And you can bet that I’ve been wearing my favorite fall clothes nonstop, even when the weather was still a little warm, because FALL CLOTHES ARE THE BEST CLOTHES!

I mean, co’mon – it’s NO SECRET that fall is my favorite season to dress for. I am allllll about the leggings and cozy sweaters and booties and blanket scarfs. My fall closet is easily 3X the size of my summer closet and I’m not sorry about it at all. As the seasons turn, I get really excited to see what new trends become “THE” styles of the year.  Although some of these new trends never fail to make me go “uhhhh what???” I am usually super stoked about 75% of them and can’t wait to try them out. But, let’s be real – I don’t have money to spend on re-filling my closet EVERY season with new trends. I’m just an every-day girl who loves wearing cute and trendy clothes but who doesn’t want to break the bank in order to do that. Who’s with me on that?

So,  in order to feel trendy without breaking the bank, I limit myself to only 3-5 trendy pieces a season and I try my hardest to shop from affordable boutiques. I was beyond thrilled when I was introduced to Mulberry Drive, an online boutique store based in St. George, UT. This shop is filled with trendy and high-quality pieces with VERY affordable pricetags, compared to other boutiques. Plus, it’s run by a #girlboss who started it up just over a year ago and has grown it so well! I was able to pick up three on-trend items that I’ve been trying to add to my closet for some time. I styled them below to give you all ideas on how to rock these trends this year and some fall fashion inspiration because I KNOW I’m not the only one who loves fall clothes.

Crushed Velvet Black Dress – $35.00

When I first saw that velvet was coming back on trend, I cringed. I couldn’t stop thinking about the velvet tracksuits that were all the rage when I was in middle school. Whenever I spilled something on them, the material would get crusty and would be impossible to clean. I’m literally cringing right now as I think/write about it. So it was pretty understandable when I was a little nervous to see velvet becoming a trend for this fall. I wasn’t sure if velvet would ever be modern enough for me to want to wear. But, when I saw this crushed velvet black dress on Mulberry Drive, I knew I had found THE velvet piece for my closet. It had a beautiful color palette, fun details on the sleeves and hem, and didn’t look dated at all.

*Wearing a size Large

How to style velvet this fall:

• Look for a flattering silhouette – since velvet can still look dated and frumpy, it’s important to pick a piece that has a modern shape to it. This will keep you looking young and hip! I love that this dress has the ruffle hem and sleeves and that it’s a shift dress – all modern styles and shapes that have been in style for a couple years now.
• Choose a color/print that can hide stains. Since velvet can still be a catch-all for food, it’s important to choose a dark color and/or a print that will look fresh and new despite your
• Accent with jewel-toned accessories. I love accessorizing with jewel tones in the fall because they still add pops of color to outfits but give off that moody, cozy feel. Since my dress was a dark color, I knew that this emerald green bag would pop against it and bring out some of the colors of the floral print.

 SHOP THIS LOOK

[Read more…] about 3 Must-Have Trendy Fall Pieces from Mulberry Drive + GIVEAWAY

This post is sponsored by the PRIMP Network. All opinions are my own.

Last week it warmed up to 65 degrees in Utah and I drove with the sunroof open and the windows down and sang at the top of my lungs to twenty-one pilots. Today, it’s supposed to get to 75 degrees! I think it’s safe to say that spring has finally arrived in the great out West and I couldn’t be happier about it. Spring used to be my least favorite season because I was just so unsure of what to wear while the weather transitioned. This year, however, I feel way more prepared and am excited to share a few different spring outfit ideas over the next couple weeks to help anyone else who feels the same way about Spring clothes.

Many of you know that I am all about affordable style and getting the most out of your closet. However, there are a few pieces that I believe are worth the splurge because of how often you wear it. One of those things that are worth the splurge, in my opinion, are shoes. Being the proud owner of a total left knee replacement, it’s important to me to own shoes that are well-made, stable, and comfortable. Especially when it comes to heels – I don’t wear them often, but when I do, I want to make sure that the heel isn’t going to snap off and, consequently, do some damage to my knee.

Marc Fisher Footwear

That’s why I’m totally okay with splurging on these spring sandals from Marc Fisher because they are the most comfortable and stable heels I’ve EVER worn. I wore a pair to work for a FULL 8 hour day last week and didn’t have any swelling in my knee (which is unheard of) or blisters on my toes. I was surprised that both pairs of shoes felt like they were already broken in, they were so comfortable to wear. I actually feel confident walking in them with my knee because they feel stable and secure.

Since my shoes were a splurge, I decided to thrift as much as I could when styling them, because you know I’m still about getting a good deal and not breaking the bank too much. I’ve been frequenting a thrift shop called Uptown Cheapskate over the last few weeks and have been so impressed at the brands and quality of clothes they carry at a fraction of the price! It was really easy for me to find some ideal spring pieces that can be styled and worn multiple ways, including with my new sandals from Marc Fisher.

Spring Outfit #1 – Denim & Denim

[Read more…] about Things to Splurge On – Spring Sandals with Marc Fisher

A couple weeks ago, I teamed up with some amazing blogging friends of mine in Utah and a fantastic Lularoe consultant to style several dresses from her inventory. We were all feeling some spring fever, but since it’s still February in Utah, we decided to pick dresses that we could transition from winter to spring, in order to get the most our of our closets!

I’ve tried a couple pairs of leggings from Lularoe, and as fun as they are, I will say that I think they are a tiny bit pricey (especially since I found the exact dupes from Simple Addiction.) But, I hadn’t tried their dresses and was excited to see how I felt about them. Hannah has an amazing selection of items in her inventory, and those of you who “went shopping” with me on Insta stories got to see just how large her shop is! I had so much fun trying on all kinds of dresses and, after consulting with all of you on Instagram, decided to go with this bright coral Amelia dress.

The Amelia Dress is really fun because it’s long enough for my legs, it has pockets, and it has a fun zipper detail in the back. The cut on the dress is flattering on almost every body type, and the material was thick and high quality. Everything about the dress felt high-quality and like it would last a long time. The color is perfect for spring and summer, but it also transitions well from winter into spring when paired with black fleece-lined tights and booties. The pattern on my dress was more subtle, which adds a fun detailed element that you might not pick up on at first.

My favorite thing about Lularoe is that each print they release is only used on about 2500 pieces across all their different styles. This means that the chances of you owning the same dress in the same pattern as someone else is pretty stinking slim!

Meet my blogging friends:

Keara from Modest Style – Amelia Dress

Abby from The Classy Giraffe – Madison Dress

Kate from Love Simply Kate – Amelia Dress

Karli from Everyday Ellis – Carli Dress

Valentina from Life’s Riches – Carli Dress

I love the way all the girls styled these dresses, especially because it gave me so many ideas on how to transition my dresses from winter to spring. Here are some of the common ideas that we had between us on how to rock your dress while you wait for the weather to warm up!

Winter to Spring Style Ideas for Dresses:

Fleece Tights – Perfect for keeping your legs warm on days when the weather can’t make up it’s mind and settles for an awkward 47 degree temperature. They add great contrast to bright colors and add warmth to the outfit!

Booties – When it’s too cold (or slippery) for heels, but your dress hem is too long for knee-length boot, whip out those booties! They will keep your tootsies warm, give you more stability on snow, and give your dress a relaxed feel.

Leather Jackets – Once again, this is the perfect item for that awkward “in-between” weather. Plus, my buffalo plaid peacoat might clash a little bit with the brighter colors. I love my leather jacket (styled here and here) because it actually keeps me pretty warm without taking away from my dress.

Gold-Toned Jewelry – Almost all of us ended up accessorizing with gold-toned jewelry. These pieces bring warmth to all the outfits and make me think of sunshine and warmer days, which is why I love wearing them during weirdy-weather days!

Shop similar items here (the booties are one sale for $13.99!)

Also, how cute are these sweet blogging friends of mine? I had an amazing time collaborating with them and would highly suggest you check them out if you are looking for some new reading material/cyber-friends. We all had our hair done by the talented Christy Lee, our makeup done by Makenzie Peacock, and our photos taken by Sadie of Sadie Banks Photography. So, friends in Utah, check these girls out if you are in need of any of those services! And, if you are interested in checking out the Lularoe dresses, you can check out Hannah’s inventory here.

What is your favorite dress styled here?

P.S! To get you all in the spring spirit I’ve teamed up with some awesome bloggers to do a little “self-care / spring break recovery” care package (or you can choose the cash!)

The bloggers: The Confused Millennial  |  Coming Up Roses  |  Blissful Gal  |  Gen Y Girl  |  Very Erin  |  Breakfast At Lilly’s  |  It Starts With Coffee  |  Endless May  |  A Good Hue  | Hey There Chelsie  | GenTwenty  |  Tilley’s Threads

*The winner will get to choose one of the three prize options below – so this photo does not represent the exact prize

The Prize: The winner will get to choose one of the three options below!

Option 1:

Set of 6 Bath Bombs

Fujifilm INSTAX Camera with Film (color of your choice)

Bath & Body Works 3 Wick Aromatherapy Candle

$100 sent to you via Paypal

Option 2:

Beach towel (pictured)

Flamingo Pool Drink Holder (pictured)

Pool float (Your Choice of Flamingo, Swan, or Donut)

1 bkr glass water bottle (your choice of color: fuchsia, white, pink, green, mint, or blue)

Bluetooth water resistant speaker

$100 sent to you via Paypal

Option 3:

$225 via PayPal

The details: The giveaway is open internationally (however, if you are the winner and living internationally, you will only receive option #3 as the prize). The giveaway starts today (3/3/17) and running until 3/13/17! The winner will be contacted on 3/15/17 via e-mail (if the winner does not respond in 72 hours, a new winner will be selected).

The more “tasks” you complete below, the more entries you will receive, increasing your chances of winning.
CODE: a Rafflecopter giveaway