This week I am Austin bound for a little vacation with the hubs and some of our dear friends from back east. It’s a place that’s been on my list for years but I’ve never made it down, so I’m extra excited to see the city and take in some fashion inspiration. As I’m getting ready to pack, I’m inspired by styles that are a little bit hipster, Americana with a southern twang, and of course the always necessary touches of glamour and edge. I’ve been making a list of spots to eat, see, and shop at, so definitely fill me in on your favorite Austin hangouts!
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When I grabbed this top from the Prabal Gurung collection at Target a couple months ago, I wasn’t sure how much wear I was going to get out of it. I tend to feel that way whenever I shop the designer fusion lines at Target or H&M because it’s so easy to get caught up in the hype and start thinking you want it all. But this collection had a few things that were right up my alley which I found to be pretty impressive quality for the price. Sure enough, I’ve worn this top a ton already for all sorts of occasions, from lunch with friends to out in Vegas. This is my favorite way to wear it – half tucked into boyfriend jeans with sassy accessories that join the party the top has already started with its loud kaleidoscope print. It makes for a hybrid day/night ensemble which can be quickly modified by adding a blazer or swapping out the heels for flats. Whenever I wear it, I pull a different color out of the print to match my lips to. With the amount of colors in this top, the lipstick possibilities are endless.
Prabal Gurung for Target top, GAP jeans, J.Crew belt, BCBG clutch, Sam Edelman heels, Kate Spade sunglasses (similar), Nixon watch (c/o Watch Co), Bracelets: J.Crew, Ferragamo, Topshop, Forever21, MAC lipstick in Toxic Tale (limited edition)
Happy Friday to you, dear friends! If you follow me on Instagram, you probably know that I’m a big practicer of what I preach when it comes to regular closet detoxing. It should be done at least once per season – it takes about that long to figure out whether stuff we bought last season is going to end up being a long term staple or just a quick style experiment. Or perhaps something you bought a couple of years ago has hung around long enough waiting for its moment before you finally decide it’s time to pass the torch on to another fashionable lady. I recently did my spring detox, and along with Jaimi who also just did hers, we’ve got a bunch of goodies to sell! My pile is a well edited bunch, if I do say so myself. It’s comprised of the items I allllmost held onto but had to be brutal and realize they are better suited for someone of a different style, fit, or coloring. I know Jaimi has a lot of really good stuff to sell too, so there’s bound to be something for everyone! I hope you will join us TODAY at 10:00am PST/1:00pm EST at @catherinejaimisale on Instagram for what’s sure to be a fun treasure hunt! If only we could all do this in person over champagne. Something to keep in mind for next time…
P.S. Closet Detox is one of my most popular styling services. Read more about what it entails here.
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Sometimes dressing up is hard to do. OK sure, maybe not for the bow loving, skirt rocking, glam girly girls out there… and don’t get me wrong, I’m completely at home in a sequin laced Vegas wardrobe any day of the week. But when I’m not going crazy on the peacock end of the spectrum, I tend to reach for jeans whenever remotely acceptable. So dressing up in a classic skirt and top combo for a regular evening out is not something you’ll see me do very often. This outfit on the other hand manages to be right up my alley. The top is covered in gold jewels trickling from top to bottom yet it’s still restrained and classic, and the skirt is easy, stretchy, structured trumpet perfection. Throwing on an orangey bright lip, arms of gold, and black leather everything else brings it to a place I’m more than happy to be in.
a-thread top and skirt (c/o), Theyskens Theory jacket, Pour La Victoire shoes, BCBG clutch (sold out but I love this snake version), Kule cuff (c/o), Michael Kors watch, Bracelets: Forever21, BCBGeneration, J.Crew, BP, Lipstick: Maybelline Color Vivids in Vibrant Mandarin
When the baseball cap trend first reared its sneaky incognito head, I’ll admit I was almost a little bit horrified. Is that too harsh to say? I don’t know why I was so offended by it. I guess it just seemed like it was only here because we’d been through every other kind of hat and were running out of options. It feels weird saying that now, and that’s the effect that trends have on our brains. First we’re nay saying, then the next minute we’re coveting. Now the nay saying is a thing of the past for me and I want one. Immediately. Not only will it chicify any outfit, but it’s the perfect way to get yet another day out of that wilting blowout. Choose one in black or a saturated color for a more amped up look (I’m partial to the former as you can see below).
Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5
Kling umbrella, Miss Selfridge earrings, Calypso St. Barth hat, Kate Spade iPhone case, Joie blazer and shorts, Dior sunglasses, Maybelline Color Sensational lipstick, Chanel nail polish, Miu Miu swimsuit, Juicy Couture duffel, McQ Alexander McQueen pumps
On one of my first trips to LA as a teen, we stopped by the Beverly Hills Hotel for tea. I remember marveling at the iconic decor and just taking in all the glamour. Now, some fifteen years later, that place is every bit as chic as it was back then and I’m lucky that I now live close enough to spontaneously pop in for a gin fizz, or better yet – a staycation. And while it may not be the best idea to so blatantly match the famous banana leaf wallpaper when actually on the premises, it sure is fun to pretend.
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Every spring for the past three years, I have found myself standing in a corner at Zara debating over a novelty non-basic blazer, wondering whether I’d reach for it enough to make it worth the $90. First it was the orange blazer which granted me with endless good outfits in Europe (not to mention for the rest of the summer and fall), this year it’s the aqua embroidered one I just purchased last week and have pretty much worn it everyday since (as seen here), and last year it was this canary yellow tweed zipper number (I also wore it here). Each time I decided to go for it has been followed by months of said blazer addiction, and I’m still reaching for them the years to come. Perhaps it’s time I stop questioning the novelty blazer purchase, and embrace it from the get go. I love the yellow one because it has the perfect spring brightness we crave, but it’s still a warm enough fabric for those cloudy, breezy, transitional days. This weekend I threw it on over one of my favorite Free People tees (completely obsessed with these), some stretchy skinnies (comfy enough for a Sunday), and my trusty wedge sneakers. Before too long, I’ll be swapping in cutoffs to take this look into summer.
Zara blazer (last year), Free People t-shirt, Joe’s jeans, Steve Madden sneakers, Nixon watch (c/o Watch Co), Ray-Ban sunglasses, Workhorse Jewelry necklace, Bracelets: BCBGeneration, Forever21, Kate Spade, Valentino bag
Certain things aren’t worth doing unless you really do them right, especially something as wonderfully lavish as an evening at the casino. In my mind, that casino simply has to be in Monaco where I’ve decided that the lights are dimmer, the chips are mother of pearl, and men are in tuxedos, smoking cigars. The martinis and secrets are in abundance, and most importantly, your outfit is of the utmost scandalous and garish perfection.
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After living the first 27 years of my life in much colder states, I still can’t get used to the fact that I now live so close to the Pacific, with palm trees in abundance. While a flowy maxi might be the more obvious choice for a sunset gaze over the ocean, I like to opt for something a bit more edgy, structured, and a little kitschy. The only kind of shark I like is one on a cute tee with pretty colors like these, worn with a seafoam embroidered moto blazer and some sharklike accessories in gray leather and razor sharp silver to match. These sunnies from Ivory + Mason remind me of something you’d see in Miami in the 70′s, which makes them perfect for this outfit. This is about as beachy as my wardrobe gets, and I’m totally fine with that.
We all know I’ve blogged about my fair share of drinks, but this is only the second time ever that I’m blogging about food. I hope you don’t mind. I just simply had to tell you about a revolutionary new part of our weekly cooking routine: Fresh Dish. I heard about it from my friend Audrey who raved about this new way to have dinner already figured out as you head into the week without having to brave the Trader Joe’s mobs over the weekend, and I was instantly intrigued. We’re talking about gourmet meals which come in portions for two or four, planned out a week in advance with four menu items to choose from each week, at $8-12 per person. You pick what you want by Friday, then on Tuesday you get a special delivery with fresh ingredients already prepped and the recipe to make it – in a refrigerated box, mind you. It cuts out all the parts I don’t like about making dinner – the decision making about what to cook (for us that’s always the worst part for some reason), the shopping, and the chopping/measuring, but leaves in the part that still makes you feel like you’re accomplishing something (the actual cooking part). Not to mention the recipes are delish and *usually* healthy. Usually is the key word, as you can see from this particular meal, but hey – we all deserve a treat every now and then, right? So far we’ve made dinners like Mediterranean lamb meatballs with hummus and spinach salad, chicken di parma, panang curry, and shrimp fajitas.
Like any new and innovative idea, it’s not completely perfect. The packaging is intense. It comes in a big box with heavy cold packs which I’m sure are somewhat necessary, but a bit wasteful and cumbersome. I did talk to the nice folks at Fresh Dish about this and they informed me that they are working on a great reusing program, so I applaud them for that. Maybe the next goal could be to go all organic with the ingredients? In any case, it’s a great way to make dinner even just once a week – especially if you have multiple people to cook for.
This time we made a delectable turkey mac and cheese with apple and fennel slaw. Comfort food at its best! Get the recipe here if you want to try it out – we loved it. It was so easy and fast, and we had leftovers for the next day. You can sign up for Fresh Dish here and get $10 off your first order, AND Fresh Dish is offering a special promo for The Life Styled readers where if you buy one 4-person kit, you’ll get a second one for free! Just use the code STYLEDFRESH. Next week’s menu is up now til Friday so have a little look around. If you’re anything like me, you’ll find yourself waiting for Monday to come so you can see the new menu and start getting excited for your week’s meals. It’s a planner’s dream. If they’re not delivering to your area yet, don’t fret. Rumor has it they are expanding to more cities and in the meantime you can at least find the yummy recipes on their blog. Enjoy your dinners!
Thanks for stopping by! I'm Catherine Sheppard, a fashion stylist living in Los Angeles...
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