{Cream Of The Crop}

{Top} J.Crew (30% off! Can never have too many basic tees!) // {Cropped Pants} J.Crew, on sale! (Stretch cotton version here) // {Heels} Shoemint, old (similar here and love this style) // {Bag} Vince Camuto // {Sunnies} Ray-Ban, on sale! // {Necklace} J.Crew, old (love this style) // {Watch} Michael Kors, on sale! // {Bracelets} J.Crew, BaubleBar

Happy Thursday and hello again!  I’m keeping this post brief because I’m writing this very late at night and I’m struggling to keep my eyes open.  I hope to get back to blogging new outfit posts more regularly in the near future.  In the meantime, here’s a simple office look incorporating some basic staples – many on sale!  I hope you’re all having a great week, and I hope to be back soon.

Thanks for stopping by :)

{Stay Lovely}

K.

{Punch of Neutral Plaid}

{Sweater} Target // {Dress, worn as skirt} Banana Republic, on sale! // {Heels} ZARA // {Scarf} ZARA // {Bag} Rebecca Minkoff // {Sunnies} Michael Kors // {Necklace} Banana Republic, on sale! // {Rings} Bleecker + Spring, BaubleBar // {Nails} Essie ‘Merino Cool’

Today I’ve styled an easy work wear look with solid neutrals and a pop of print with this super soft oversized plaid scarf.  Every autumn/winter season Zara comes out with the best blanket scarves.  I love how this black and white style adds dimension to an otherwise simple look.  When it’s not yet Friday and all I want to do is throw on jeans, this look is a great alternative.  An oversize knit sweater paired with a stretchy ponte dress with an interesting hem is both comfortable and professional :)

{Stay Lovely}

Kristin

{Bridal Beauty Style with Lover.ly}

Happy Monday everyone!  Today I’m writing about something a little different from my normal posts: bridal beauty style!  I’ve teamed up with Lover.ly – your one-stop shop for wedding planning – to create a bridal beauty look to share with you all today.  Lover.ly’s mission is to make wedding planning more simple and fun.  We all know how overwhelming and emotional planning a wedding can become, and Lover.ly will help make the process easier and more enjoyable – as it should be!  If you’re planning a wedding and need ideas, aren’t sure who to hire, or just need a way to keep your ideas and contacts organized, stop by their site here to find out more!

Lover.ly sent me three gorgeous dresses and asked me to choose one to create a bridal beauty look.

While all three dresses are gorgeous, I felt the option that fit my style the best was dress #3. When I imagine what I would want my wedding dress to look like, the first thing that comes to mind is lace.  A lace wedding dress is so timeless.  This third dress translates as classic romance. The cap sleeves, high neck in sheer lace, and trumpet silhouette makes me envision getting married in Italy, surrounded by a city rich in beauty and history.

Because of the dress’ classic elements, you might be thinking I’d style this dress with deep red roses, a red lip, and a bold stroke of black eyeliner. This was my initial thought.  However, I decided I wanted to pair this classic dress with a modern smokey eye, pale lip and a subtle nail color.  Fall is my favorite time of year, and I wanted to incorporate a warmth to the overall look with shades of plum, mauve, and hints of gold.  This will create a soft and sultry look which complements the romantic mood of the dress.  I then decided to incorporate red roses another way – through a lovely Jo Malone scent composed of seven types of roses from around the world:

I would use the shades of plum in the makeup palette to create a base on the eye, and then blend them out to shades of mauve, highlighting the brow and inner corners of the eye with the lightest shade. I would then go back and add a touch of the shimmery gold shadow into the inner corners of the eye over the lighter shade of eye shadow.  This will create a subtle smokey eye.  Adding a seamless line of waterproof liquid eyeliner in black will really frame the eye. (Waterproof is key — because what girl doesn’t cry on their wedding day??)  I would finish off the eyes with two coats of black mascara.  The bronzer and blush in this makeup palette are neutrals which would work with most skin tones.  I would blend the bronzer below the cheekbones, and highlight the apples of the cheeks with the nude rose blush.  A touch of highlighter can be added to give a subtle glow.  A nude lip color, like YSL’s ‘Nude In Private,’ will allow the warm smokey eye to really pop.  It’s never a good idea to overwhelm your face with both a smokey eye and bold lip color.  I added a pale pink nail, and simple pearl studs to finish off the look. The pearls will perfectly compliment the classic style of the dress. Pearls, like lace, are timeless.

Lastly, I chose a hairstyle that  was soft, romantic, and swept back in order to show off the amazing sheer lace, high neck cut of the dress.  The soft texture and loosely-pinned chignon will pair beautifully with the classic and romantic style of the dress.

{Photo credit}

I’d love to hear your thoughts on this bridal beauty look!  What dress would you have chosen, and how would you have styled it?  For more bridal beauty inspiration, visit Loverl.y here!  And for a full gallery of Lover.ly’s wedding gowns, click here.

To shop my beauty picks, the links are listed below:

Tarte Limited-Edition Rainforest After Dark Colored Clay Eye & Cheek Palette 

Yves Saint Laurent ‘Rouge Volupté Shine’ Lipstick #9 (Nude In Private)

Stila Stay All Day Waterproof Liquid Eye Liner

Essie ‘Fiji’ Nail Polish

Jo Malone London ‘Red Roses’ Cologne

Pearl 360º Studs

 

Thanks so much for stopping by!  And thank you to Lover.ly for allowing me to style this beautiful wedding dress :)

{Stay Lovely}

Kristin

{Blush + Burgundy}

{Blouse} The Limited (similar here and also love this style) // {Skirt} J.Crew Factory, on sale! // {Heels} ZARA (love these blush-colored pumps and also these) // {Clutch} ASOS (love this style) // {Sunnies} Ray-Ban // {Earrings} BaubleBar // {Nails} Essie ‘Carry On’

Happy Wednesday, and Happy 1st of October!  Today is the first day of National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and therefore I tried to incporporate some pink into my look today with blush tones.  Blush and burgundy complement one another beautifully.  I find this combination of colors to be perfect for transitioning to fall.

Don’t forget to show your support for those fighting and surviving breast cancer by wearing pink this month.  For more information on how you can help, visit the link here.

{Stay Lovely}

Kristin