Hello, Framboise!: April 2012

Sunday, April 29, 2012

Sunday Snapshots: Paris Edition

Jacket: Zara | Cardigan: Abercrombie | Shirt: Limited
Jeans: Current/Elliott (similar here) | Sunglasses: Karen Walker
Scarf: Target | Boots: Hunter

L'Artisan Feminine Parfum Set (contains Mure et Musc, Nuit de
Tubereuse, and La Chasse aux Papillons) and L'Artisan Mon Numero 4.

Macarons from Laduree

Blazer: Zara | Top: Aeropostale | Jeans: Current/Elliott (similar here)
Shoes: ALDO | Bag: Longchamp | Necklace: Ann Taylor (similar here)

I.M. Pei's pyramid at the Louvre at night

Basilique du Sacre Coeur

Jacket: Zara | Tee: Nordstrom (similar here) | Jeans:
Current/Elliott (similar here) | Sunglasses: Karen Walker | Boots: Hunter
Bag: Longchamp

Van Gogh's Starry Night at the Musee D'Orsay

A sparkling Eiffel Tower at night

I learned a couple things on my trip to Paris.

1. The people who said Paris in the springtime was generally chilly and rainy were absolutely right. I thought I was prepared to ward off the cool weather and some spring showers when I packed my umbrella and rain boots, but the chill was a little more biting than I had expected--fifty degrees in dry, sunny Denver is very different from fifty degrees, damp, and raining in Paris.

Enter this fabulous Zara leather jacket, which was both reasonably priced (even in euros) and the perfect fit. I'd been searching high and low for a petite-friendly leather motorcycle jacket in the U.S. that met these criteria to no avail, yet there it was right when I needed it. I was warm and cozy for the rest of the trip. (Although the black jacket I have appears to be out of stock online at the moment, you can still snag the cream one right now.)

2. Always bring your charger and a back-up battery for your fancy camera. I wish I had lots of gorgeous photos to share with you, but my DSLR camera ended up being an expensive and awkwardly-shaped paperweight after I forgot to pack these essentials. Live and learn! On the bright side, I am continually impressed with the quality of the photos one can take with the iPhone 4S.

Life lessons notwithstanding, it was truly a lovely trip. I adored the city, the food, the shopping, the history, the art, and the Parisians, and I can't wait to go again!

Wednesday, April 25, 2012

Lace, Ruffles, and Spring Flowers

What a crazy-busy last couple days it has been! Somehow, it seems like every area of my life needed attention after just a little more than a week's vacation.

There hasn't been any photo-taking or photo-editing happening recently, so here are a few more outfit photos from Easter weekend. I brought out this floaty top and fun floral skirt from the back of my closet and wore this springy, fresh ensemble for Easter Sunday. I am really excited about the summer shoe clip potential of these nude wedges--they have a little loop at the top that fits cheap little hair clips perfectly (meaning they never stab my toes--hooray!). I see lots of DIY possibilities with summery flowers, ribbons, and bows.

Saturday, April 21, 2012

Bubblegum Stripes

This is a quick post as I'm soaking in the last moments of my vacation, munching on macarons and sipping rose in my Paris hotel room. Coming home from vacation is never easy, but I'm excited to share some of my snapshots from this gorgeous city with you soon!

The photos in this post are from Easter weekend and feature a stripes-and-layers look, similar to the one I posted a couple weeks ago. Even in the mountains, it was warm enough for me to break out this chambray skirt I wore constantly last summer. After a week of chilly, wet weather in Paris, I'm looking forward to spring at home!

Friday, April 13, 2012

A Little Print-Mixing, a Little Restyling

First of all, I wanted to tell you all that I am blogging from a plane. I know this technology has been around a little while, but I haven't ever tried it before. I absolutely love feeling productive on a plane ride, so this is pretty thrilling for me!

I promised in in my last post that I'd show you another way to style this neon-striped sweater. This look would be perfect for those spring days when the weather is a little cooler--still bright, cheery, and colorful, but warm enough to keep you comfortable on a breezy morning. It's also another way to comfortably color-block and mix patterns without a lot of brain damage (see me mix stripes and dots in a different outfit).

Hopefully I'll be able to get Internet at my destination so I can stay in touch with you all! Have a wonderful weekend!

Wednesday, April 11, 2012

Neon-Striped Sweater and a High Low Skirt

The neon-yellow-and-khaki Vince Camuto sweater I'm wearing in this post is one of my favorite new spring pieces. It incorporates both the ubiquitous neons-and-neutrals and stripes trends, and it's lightweight and soft, making it perfect for wearing on its own or for layering when the weather is a little cooler.

In this post, I decided to style it in a way that's both fun and a little edgy to easily go from day to an evening out. In my next post, I'll show you another way to style this that's a little more casual and preppy for a chillier spring day. Just so you know, readers, my next couple posts will be scheduled as I'm taking a little vacation in a couple days--but don't worry, any questions or comments you might have will be answered as soon as I get back!

Monday, April 9, 2012

Petite Work Attire: Rhapsody in Blue

Even though it's Monday, and the Monday Blues are hard to shake, I hope these blues brighten your day as they do mine! I love the pretty watercolor floral print on this dress, and it's definitely office-appropriate with a neutral cardigan and nude pumps. Have a wonderful week!

Thursday, April 5, 2012

Prep-a-Porter: Yellow Skinnies and Stripes

I love this versatile Urban Outfitters striped shirt. It's no longer available, but you can find a similar style here (on sale!). A classic striped tee with a subtle boatneck and three-quarter-length sleeves looks timeless and chic whether you mix it with other patterns like I have done previously, or whether you wear it layered with a preppy button-dwon and bright-colored jeans like I did here. (Remember my preview of this outfit in my last post and on my Instagram feed?)

Although I've theoretically known that leopard print is a great, fun neutral for a while now (see me in these same pumps in one of my very first posts), it continues to amaze me how well it pairs with almost everything! So much so, that today, I brought home a leopard cardigan (shh--it's on sale in J.Crew's kids' section, Crewcuts) to add a little interest to my extensive solid-colored cardigan collection!

Sunday, April 1, 2012

Sunday Snapshots

Ballerina flats: Loeffler Randall (on sale!)

Bracelets: Express, Common Era, Ann Taylor, Boutique
Watch: Vintage Dior

Romper: F21 | Sandals: House of Harlow 1960
Sunglasses: Karen Walker Perfect Day

Dress: Polo (similar here) | Loafers: ALDO | Belt: Vintage
Bag: Coach (old) | Necklace: Ann Taylor (similar here)

Shirt: Urban Outfitters (similar here on sale) | Button-Down: Abercrombie
Pants: H&M (similar here)| Necklace: Ann Taylor (similar here)
Sunglasses: Prada | Bracelets: Ann Taylor, Boutique

Sunglasses: Karen Walker Perfect Day
Necklace: Ann Taylor (similar here)

Hope you enjoy these latest shots from my Instagram feed. I love Instagram as a way to capture my favorite things in my daily life as well as the outfits that don't necessarily have entire posts dedicated to them. Have a wonderful week, readers!