12 spring handbags to love...

Is a new bag on your wishlist for spring!?!?  I've rounded up the most swoon worthy bags around to add to your spring wishlist!  None of these babies will disappoint... see my top picks below and why I love them so much!

1. black/white striped tote - love the cream version too! So simple and classic and perfect for busy moms.

2. "T" saddle bag - this sweet and simple bag is the perfect classic camel color or it is available in some other great colors!

3. nude hobo - this peachy/nude color is perfect to add a bit of spring to any look you sport!

4. pale blue satchel - pale blue is going to be HUGE this spring and summer... this blue will act like the perfect neutral to your spring wardrobe.

5. pale pink hobo - I love this classic silhouette and it is also available in navy!

6. poppy red tassel cross-body bag - craving a pop of color? This orange/red hue is the perfect bold spring statement.

7. cream satchel - this bag has been on my radar lately... is she a beauty or what!?!? The hardest decision is the color, they are all so beautiful!

8. lilac hobo - I just got this in black and am obsessed with this lilac color too! How cute!?!

9. black tassel cross-body - I love a bag with a tassel and this adorable budget-friendly option has two!

10. grey chain strap shoulder bag - pale grey is a beautiful color for spring, this bag is a really beauty.

11. camel drawstring hobo - simple and classic for the no-fuss personality!

12. pale pink satchel - how can you not love this sweet pink lady? (or in taupe)

Shop these beautiful bags below...

handbag basics...

A good handbag or purse can really pull an outfit together - we all know that, right!?! There is something that carrying a gorgeous handbag does both to an outfit and to the gal wearing it.  It feels great to carry a beautiful bag. There is no doubt about that.

About three years ago I made a promise to myself to start investing in quality handbags from there on out.  A gorgeous handbag isn't always an easy acquisition. If you are on a budget you really have to shop the sales and be mindful about your purchase.  But I honestly believe it is one of the best investments you can make for your wardrobe.  Once you own a beautiful leather bag that is butter soft and looks and feels luxurious, you will know you can never go back!  Not to mention that a high quality leather bag will last nearly forever.  So it's an investment that definitely pays off.   Especially when you stick to classic colors and shapes that live through the trends.

These are a few of my favorites styles that I rely heavily upon in my wardrobe. I don't own a ton of handbags but the ones I do own I absolutely LOVE.

tote bag: left | right

black satchel: left (on sale!) | right (on sale!)

cream satchel: left (on sale!) | right (on sale!)

black cross-body bag: left | right (on sale!)

bucket bag: left (on sale!) | right

burgundy cross-body: left (on sale!) | right (on sale!)

camel satchel: left (on sale!) | right (on sale!)

What is your favorite handbag style? Do you believe in investing in quality handbags too?

(on another note… I have a girlfriend that got one of these and says she'll never carry another bag besides it - do you agree?)

12 spring bags to love!

In fresh and fun silhouettes and candy colored hues… a new spring handbag is the ultimate indulgence!

top row, from left: graphic blue tote, camel saddle bag, striped tote, camel bucket bag

middle row, from left: citron tote, white bucket bag, mint tote, 'oh la la' pouch

bottom row, from left: pink tassel tote, pink/chili color blocked satchel, pale pink zipper top satchel, cream tote

these bags are TOTES amazing!

I am loving a simple and classic tote these days… especially for the warmer months when I feel like I always need to have a million things in my bag!  Books, juice boxes, spf, socks (why do I always have kids socks in my purse - am I alone!?), frisbees and who knows what else.

one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten, eleven, twelve

Have a great weekend ladies! And especially you mommas out there… have an amazing Mother's Day weekend!

see you around...

Instagram | Pinterest | Facebook | Twitter | Bloglovin

9 swoon worthy bags.

I'm a bag lady, plain and simple. It goes way back too... I remember hoarding/collecting the fabric ESPRIT bags in junior high and high school and absolutely squealing when a new style came out that I just HAD to have!  I remember my first "grown up" purse that was my 21st birthday present (a Coach) and many other "bag" moments throughout my youth.  Since then my husband knows the way to my heart is always with whatever bag I am swooning for at that moment.

I also splurge on them for myself as well.  The really classic ones I will squirrel away for my daughter and hope that one is a "cool enough" vintage for her to enjoy.  I choose to invest in bags because I believe they can last for a really long time if treated nicely, as a legacy to my daughter (fingers crossed) and because there are very few material items I truly enjoy more than a gorgeous bag.  My usual budget range for a handbag is under $400.  For some that may seem like a crazy high amount or for others that love the Phillip Lim's and LV's that may seem like small change.  For me I find that I can find a stylish and high quality bag for that price or lower easily.  

I usually have a running list of the bags I'm currently obsessing over... these are my current loves.  I gravitate towards neutrals but I always love a little something crazy thrown in like the neons (that pink bag! Amazing!).  This past spring I bought a yellow neon bag that I adore... it's so fun to carry.  Are you with me? Love bags? What is your favorite style of late?

top from left: neon yellow, silver, black

middle from left: brown, cream, pink (!!!!)

bottom from left: pale pink, leopard (I just need to break down and buy this already!), burgundy (amazing, but heartbreakingly expensive.)

see you around...

Instagram | Pinterest | Facebook | Twitter | Bloglovin

good look for less: EXPRESS!

Today's consult is for Gena... she and her husband are celebrating 15 years of marriage and are heading to Gatlinburg, Tennessee for a long weekend together (no kids!) to celebrate. How fun! She wanted outfits for walking around and spending time with her husband. I checked the weather there for this time of year (because I'm nerdy like that and I have this dream that I will live in Tennessee someday, I'm weird obsessed with it. Weird.) The temps should be in the 60s and 70s during the day and cool in the evenings. So layers are key.

Let's take a look at the outfits I pulled together for her!

My goal was to pull together cozy, chic, casual looks together. This is one of my favorite of the three looks. It's refined but casual and while it's perfect for a weekend away, it's also perfect for everyday wear. This scarf is so perfect for fall and Gena mentioned she tends towards and apple body shape - so this pair of Long & Lean jeans are perfect for that body shape. This style is UNIVERSALLY flattering. I just LOVE this style jean.

(earrings, jeans, top, flats, scarf, bag)

I love the look of these loose layers over a slim pair of pants. Gena said she wanted to try a pair of slimmer pants like these... a cropped pair is very flattering if it's your first venture away from a bootcut look.

(ring, pants, top, bag, sweater, shoes)

Just for fun I wanted to throw in a nice dressy outfit for a nice dinner or cocktails. A wrap style dress like this with an emphasis on the waist is another great option for apple shaped bodies. It shows off the waist (not the hips!) in a very flattering way. And I just love the subtle print on this dress.

(dress, clutch, bracelet, shoes)

Have a great weekend Gena!

~~~

Interested in learning more about my wardrobe consultation services? Click here!

dangerous territory...

I was perusing the internet waaaay too much this weekend. I had a few wardrobe consults to complete and I have a new super fun project in the works that launches WEDNESDAY... so I was busy as busy can be this weekend. All for you ladies!

Lots of time on the internet for me means lots of little treats for you... today's post is VERY dangerous territory. Read at your own risk!

These boots and that price. What is not to looooove? Wow!

(Equestrian Boots, American Eagle, $69.50)

I think I am going to start collecting clutches... I just want to behold them. There are so many great ones out there and the price points are usually quite budget friendly. I'll start with these two. K?

(Antique Metallic Beaded Clutch, Urban Outfitters, $38)

(Soft Leatherette Clutch, Forever 21, $14.80)

Gap's modern take on leopard print. Um, yes please. I'm really loving Gap lately. Really.

(Leopard Print Cardigan, Gap, $59.50)

Faux fur and me have a "thing" going on. This jacket looks SO comfy! You could pull this on with jeans and a t-shirt and still look smokin. Or wear it with a super hot dress and be on fire! LOVE this!

(Faux Fur Belted Jacket, Forever 21, $32.80)

If I bought these pants I would NEVER take them off. I mean come on. Have you ever seen such lovely coziness. Must. Not. Buy.

(Purva Pants, Anthropologie, $58)

I'll be back with a bonafide post later today... Happy Monday!

what to wear: Happy Weekend!

Happy weekend gals! I'm leaving on a jet-plane for Vegas soon so I am feeling a little celebratory! How about this amazing outfit this weekend??? Make sure to celebrate in some small way yourself this weekend!

(skirt, top, clutch, necklace, bracelet, shoes)

shopping guide: camel!

The color camel has long been a classic (think London Fog or Burberry). And it's making a swing back through "trend" status this season. I still have some camel pieces from the last go round (which was maybe only 6 or 7 years ago?!). Pieces like scarves, shoes, classic sweater silhouettes and wool coats are great investments in classic colors like camel. They will NEVER go out of style and are always easy to incorporate into your everyday wardrobe.

I happen to love this color... it's very "fall in Paris" to me. Plus it's a great neutral - it's a true win - win. So invest in a new camel piece for your wardrobe this fall or bring out an oldie-but-goodie!

(1. Ultra Soft Cardigan, Gap, $49.50 2. Vintage Bateau Top, JCrew, $42.50 3. Square Hold All, TopShop, $70 4. Corset Peacoat, Express, $148 5. Lightweight Scarf, Forever 21, $5.50 6. Fitzwell Leslie Pump, Zappos.com, $62.10 7. Shawl Collar Belted Sweater, Express, $78)

my outfit: ArtPrize!

If you live in West Michigan you are probably (almost) sick of hearing about ArtPrize... but soon it will be gone until next year and we will miss it so! If you HAVEN'T heard of it yet... you should know about it... it's the most amazing open art competition with the largest purse in the world and Grand Rapids is luckier than lucky that it's in our own backyard.

The Top 10 has been announced - did I mention that it's judged American Idol style? Super fun! - and while I haven't seen many of ALL of the entries (there are thousands of total entries), I have seen many in the Top 10. What I love most about ArtPrize is that it's 100% accessible to the public and not at all snooty or overly art-sy. It's just good honest fun and inspiration!

My husband and I had a date night on opening night... here are some of the favorites I saw that night: (iphone photos to follow...)

This was the coolest sculpture... from the side it was several pieces of cut metal...


When you stood directly in front of the piece, it became a woman's face. Isn't this just amazing?


One of my favorites of the evening is this piece made all of red thread... this one is currently in the top ten and deservedly so.


This piece entitled, Cavalry, is showing at the Grand Rapids Art Museum... it was SO busy there, but somehow the crowd split and I got this amazing picture of the artist in front of his piece. Cavalry is a pencil drawing... it's amazingly large.


And here is a close up to get the magnitude of this drawing... look at the detail. Amazing! This piece is in the Top 10 as well.


In the "I want to steal this to take it home" category... this paper cut out wins my vote. This would look amazing in my stairwell. Isn't it so cool? It was rather large... maybe four feet by six feet. I just loved it.


Here's what I wore:

Details:

(the crazy stickers on my shirt are from ArtPrize, admission stickers and artist stickers... random, I know)

Necklace, Forever 21

Lace Top, Charlotte Russe (similar)

Jacket, Courtesy of Tulle

Zip Ankle Jeans, Forever 21 (similar)

Wedges, Cynthia Vincent for Target (similar)

Purse, Deux Lux (similar)

pretty little things...

Lately I have been admiring boho style more and more... in general my style is more tailored or classic. I don't tend towards the whimsical and flowy... except for lately. I seem to be craving loose and flowing tops, florals, fringe and the like.

Here's some beautiful examples:

Topshop Feather One Shoulder Top

Jeffrey Campbell Clogs

Linea Pelle Vintage Hobo

Marlyn Schiff Tear Drop Earrings

Forever 21 Draped Knit Tunic

Do you think it's just a phase? Do you ever crave clothing that is not your "usual" style?

work it wednesday: classic turtleneck!

I thought I would keep it old-school today with two classics for you. The first is a Work It Wednesday post! My longest running series here on the blog where I take one piece and "work it" three different ways! The second is to feature a super classic wardrobe piece that never goes out of style - a turtleneck sweater.

The specific sweater I chose today is from JCrew... it comes in several classic colors and is knit up in a wool/nylon/cashmere blend. What I love about JCrew is that while they stay modern and keep with (and create!) new trends... many of their pieces remain the same from year to year. A sweater like this has probably been featured in the past 20 fall catalogs and is still as applicable today as it was then and as it will be. Perfection!

I wish I was wearing this cozy, but chic, outfit today! This sweater is so great for layering for warmth and style and is perfectly paired with cropped black pants.

(watch, bracelet, pants, sweater, clutch, fur vest, pumps)

I love this outfit for a brisk but sunny fall day. How cute are these boots?

(sunglasses, necklace, jeans, sweater, bag, boots)

A perfect weekend outfit... pile on the layers for extra warmth doing all of your favorite fall activities!

(earrings, jeans, scarf, jacket, bag, sweater, shoes)

Happy Wednesday!

yes, please.

For the most part I love gold accessories lately... they are warm and feel cozy and seem to be enjoying their time in the spotlight. But with my new silver TOMS hanging around... I seem more and more drawn to silver. During my recent internet wanderings, there were quite a few silver items that caught my eye - hopefully enjoy the inspiration as much as me!

Sheer Sleeve Dress, Topshop, $100

Skinny Metallic Belt, Banana Republic, $29.50

Infinite Scarf, Piperlime, $51

Marc by Marc Jacobs Tote, Bluefly, $96

Penny Loves Kenny Flat, DSW, $49.95

my outfit: event!

I was able to get out of the house recently for a really cool event in downtown Grand Rapids. It was urban-y and fashion-y and all around inspiring. I hope to bring more details about it to you soon... in the meantime, here's what I wore.

I will say right off the bat that this was NOT what I had planned... I had a last minute wardrobe malfunction with the outfit I WAS going to wear, don't you hate that? So this was definitely a "safe" alternative. A black top and big earrings, duh!



As a mom do you ever feel like you are a blur just running around like crazy? I served dinner at 5:15 and we had to be dressed and downtown by 6:15... I was flying through the house, the kids were screaming, my husband was trying to take my picture and general craziness was happening.



Thus, blurry pictures.



I took some iphone photos and there was also a professional photog there (I'm secretly hoping he posts some stuff to FB so I can "borrow" them). But I will have details soon!

Details:

Top, Gap

Earrings, Amrita Singh (similar... I got mine at GILT)

Jeans, Seven for all Mankind (similar)

Wedges, Cynthia Vincent for Target (similar)

Clutch, Target (similar)

fall retailer preview: Forever 21!

I am feeling a bit better, thank you for all your well-wishes. I'm trying to keep up with things here and behind the scenes... so THANK YOU for your patience!

~~~

Forever 21 is an always go-to stop for me for the trendier items in my wardrobe. You can't beat the prices (that is if you can stand the rude teen shop-girls, but I don't mind them... I'm like two times their age. Reminds me of the "I hope you have good insurance" movie scene... what movie is that even from?) ANYWAY, this fall is no exception. Forever 21 has some great pieces this fall... let's take a look at them!

1. This season I am particularly drawn to flouncy blouses like this one. It would be a classy and versatile addition to any wardrobe, whether paired with jeans or trousers. (Silken Blouse, $27.80)

2. Bold necklaces with vintage flair to them are a no-brainer this season. They can quickly and easily dress up any outfit! (Grand Chain Necklace, $8.80)

3. Boots, boots, boots! I love this pair, they would be great to wear everyday. And how cute are the laces up the back? (Suede Lace Up Booties, $22.80)

4. I love this style of a smaller cross-body bag lately. So practical and a little bit throwback feeling. The price is right on this one! (Distressed Leatherette Bag, $24.80)

5. Skinny cargo pants, need I say more? These are oft coveted on the interwebs lately... very cute! (Cargo Pants, $27.80)

6. I feel like I sound like a broken record with the bold jewelry thing. But I love this look because it's so simple. Add this bracelet and voila! Instant statement! (Wide Metal Cuff, $8.80)

7. The feminine details of this cardigan are so adorable. Very JCrew-ish without the price tag. Love it! (Skewed Cardigan, $19.80)

I'm just about done wrapping up my fall retailer previews... is there a store you wanted to see that I might have missed? Let me know!

Saturday!

Today I have for you the perfect Saturday song...



(I love ALL things Kanye... well, most, not his "dealings" with Taylor Swift, because she's my GURL... but I really like these dealings with Estelle)

And the perfect Saturday outfit...

Shorts by Forever 21
Sandals by Steve Madden

Enjoy your weekend!

oxo, Jill

my outfit: endless summer!

School doesn't start here for another solid two weeks (brutal!) - but my kids and me were ready for it to start like a week ago. So we are entering the zone of the summer past (waaaay past) the "dog days" into what I deem "endless summer". We are literally sick of the pool, beach, cartoons and each other. It's not pretty. One of my goals this year was to grow the blog to the point where I could afford dedicated time to work on it (ie. child care). I love my kids, but I believe in balance and socialization. I need time away from them so that I can prepare myself and love myself to fully love them. I also think that the more experiences the kids have in social settings away from parents (that are safe and nurturing, of course), the better for them. I am not a 24/7 mom. Never was. There are those moms out there - I don't know how they do it, but I salute them. I'm in more of the "it takes a village..." camp.



This fall my son will be in school two full days and one half. My daughter will start half day preschool (daycare) on the days that my son is in school. Not only is this a HUGE goal of mine achieved (and major pinch me moment!) but it will be a godsend - for all of us! What I hope this dedicated time will yield is tons more new ideas for the blog, a new blog template (which I have been wanting for a month or so) and hopefully lots of pitch letters sent to magazines and retailers to grow this sucker! Whew! Very exciting!



I don't know why I told you all that. It's just me. How about this outfit? I really liked it, felt great in it all day which proved a very, very busy day. It was fall looks:book launch day! which was lots of online/email work to make sure everyone was happy and pilates day and farmer's market day and do final "visit new preschool with Abigail" day and also make the biggest vat of homemade salsa day and catch up on blog posts day. Wow... that's how I roll. See why I need a little "dedicated" blog time??? Srsly.

And because I was feeling saucy, you also got a rockin' shades picture. I promised it was coming. :)



I also got a perfect tan on vacay. Not too much, not to little... ahhh, only during an endless summer I suppose. Give and take.

Details:

Sunglasses, F21

Top, Gap (similar, similar)

Shorts, Old Navy (similar)

Sandals, F21 (similar)

Handbag, Deux Lux (similar)