elements of style v.5!

I personally have three simple elements (or tricks!) to a simple but beautiful outfit. I call them them my 'elements of style'. They are something casual, something neutral and something dressy. These three elements combined are my fail-safe for outfits that are easy to put together and that look and feel feminine and relaxed.

Stripes to me are an absolute staple... I probably wear them and style them here on the blog more than I should, but a striped top is so absolutely versatile.  Here I paired it with a very fun neon skirt - this outfit is all the basics with one amazing pop of color mixed in.  It's the perfect way to have an outfit that stands out but that isn't over the top.

I hope you have a very stylish weekend!

get the look: top, skirt, earrings, purse, flats

see you around...

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what to wear: summer date night!

I'm still working through a few "reader questions" that were recently posed on the good life Facebook page... (you can still submit your own question if you like here!).  Today's question addresses what to wear for a summer date night...

Simple dinner and drinks or movie and dinner with a loved one are definitely a highlight of the summer - especially when the weather is just perfect and you can dine al fresco.  But keeping cool and looking great can be a challenge.  Here is my ideal date night look and a few tips on simple date night outfits!

(get the look above: necklace - crushing on this for real!, sheer blouse, pleated shorts - last day for 30% off at J.CREW!!!, clutch purse - have you seen this new line? Gorgeous!, wedges - on sale!)

Summer date night tips:

- go for simple and lightweight layers to keep cool while looking effortless.

- shorts are a super modern take on date-night apparel... a dressy pair like these are so fun and fresh!

- wedges are the ultimate summer date shoes... a little height with a lot of comfort!

- leave the big bag at home and go for a smaller version for a sleeker look.

Elements of Style v.4!

I personally have three simple elements (or tricks!) to a simple but beautiful outfit. I call them them my 'elements of style'. They are something casual, something neutral and something dressy. These three elements combined are my fail-safe for outfits that are easy to put together and that look and feel feminine and relaxed.

Shorts are such a staple for summer time fun... but they can also be dressed up for an evening out with friends or (gasp!) if you could get away with it a casual Friday in the office.  Choosing key pieces to dress up shorts without going overboard is key.  These heels are the perfect piece to bring these eyelet shorts from ready for the park to ready for the evening. A chambray top keeps the look grounded (roll up the sleeves messily for a summer-chic look) while a fun clutch pulls the entire look together.

(get the look: sunglasses, eyelet shorts, chambray top, heels - over the moon for these!, clutch)

I am signing off early for the week so I can enjoy the rest of my vacation!  I hope you have a fabulous weekend!

see you around...

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elements of style v.3!

I personally have three simple elements (or tricks!) to a simple but beautiful outfit.  I call them them my 'elements of style'.  They are something casual, something neutral and something dressy.  These three elements combined are my fail-safe for outfits that are easy to put together and that look and feel feminine and relaxed.

Lately the day time temps are nice and warm, but the evenings are still a little cool (in my opinion that makes for a perfect summer day!)... so for evenings I like to shed my shorts, bathing suit and tanks for a comfortable pair of jeans, a great pair of shoes and a light-weight summer sweater.  It's perfect for catching an evening ball game or dining al fresco with friends.

I hope you have a stylish and enjoyable weekend... enjoy this simple look! I plan to recreate it myself this weekend!

(above: jeans, sweater, flats, earrings, clutch)

this weekend, why don't you...

The weekend is here! This week seemed so long even though it was a short one, did anyone feel the same way? I am looking forward to a nice relaxing weekend with plenty of fun summer activities.  Hopefully the weather will hold out for a little picnic or pool time.  What does your weekend hold for you?

get the looks above, 

picnic: shorts, polka dot top, sandals, picnic basket, wine/champagne basket (I totally need one of these!)

pool: swim top & bottom, earrings (amazing!), sunglasses, pool float (I'll take two!)

Have a great one!

Happy Weekend: make it a MEMORABLE one!

Memorial Day weekend is here and it brings with it the official/un-official start of summer.  My head is still spinning after just arriving home from my trip to California (which was absolutely fabulous but I will admit that I missed my kids terribly) so I am looking forward to a super chilled out summer weekend as a family.  We have absolutely NO plans all weekend, which in my book is just perfect.  We will likely be eating some good food, mixing up a few cocktails, hanging with the kids at the pool and in general just relaxing.  What are your plans for the weekend? Activity galore or serious relaxation?

Are you wondering what to wear this Memorial Day weekend? These ultra fun summer pieces are perfect for kicking off your summer on the right note!

(striped shorts, bathing suit, linen sweater, flip flops, tote, gingham top, anchor necklace, sunglasses, striped skirt, spf spray)

celebrate MOM!

Happy Mother's Day weekend!

If you are a mom, I sincerely hope you get spoiled rotten this weekend... if you aren't a mom yet, then take some time to spoil your momma a bit!  Mom's deserve it!  For my ideal Mother's Day I would be wearing this outfit for an ideal day of sleeping in, brunching and getting loved on by my kiddos!  I love that it's so bold and vibrant!

In reality I will be soccer-momming it this weekend... my son has a big tournament on the East side of the state all weekend. So my weekend is going to be spent in a fold out chair, in a traveling teams hotel with continental breakfast. Not ideal. But in honor of my soccer loving son - I will have the time of my life - and maybe be sneaking mimosas with the other moms from the sidelines. (wink, wink!)  I think my husband and kids still have a few surprises up their sleeve for me so all will definitely not be lost.

(get the look: dress, necklace, shoes, lip gloss, clutch)

Let's play ball!

Hey there! Just popping in on a Sunday morning... we are having the most beautiful spring weekend... the sun is shining and the temps are absolutely perfect!  I hope you are enjoying your weekend as well! It's only half over, so get out there and soak it up!

Later this afternoon we are heading to the baseball stadium for an afternoon of hotdogs and home runs (hopefully for the home team!). I can't wait to hang with my family and have some good old fashioned fun!  This would be my dream outfit for the baseball game today... so cute, right?!?! Unfortunately I think it will be TOO HOT for closed toe shoes and a long sleeve top (I know, Michigan really got it's act together with spring!)... I'm looking at a tank and shorts probably.  But it's fun to dream!

Do you love going to baseball games in the summer? We usually only go once, but it's always a blast!

hat, shorts, baseball top, shoes

make WEEKEND plans!

Make plans now for a fabulous spring weekend... I know I am!

1. Break out those spring clothes and add a scarf if the temps aren't quite warm enough!

2. It's bronzer season... I'm faking some sun exposure for sure.

3. Pink wedges? Yes, ma'am!

4. I'm in serious need of a mani/pedi right now! The hard part is deciding what spring color to choose! I think "Hip-Anema" is my favorite

5. 25% off here? Nuts. Try to decide what I should snag at a great discount.  Maybe this in "natural"?

Make it a great one!

see you around...

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it's the freakin' weekend!*

*my husband says this every weekend and it always garners a little giggle from me. It's the little things, no?

Yay! The weekend is upon us, I'm hoping this rain will finally clear out and we can get some time in the sun this weekend. It's not supposed to be super warm here this weekend, but as you have probably heard the mid-west just got pounded with flood inducing rain and I sure wouldn't mind a day without rain or clouds, regardless of temperatures!

I'll be back on soccer-mom duty this weekend, likely on very wet fields (better than snowy fields like last weekend!) so I'll be sporting some wellies and plenty of layers.  I'm finally biting the bullet on a pair of Hunter boots, I have a pair of wellies that are/were really cute but they have gotten so much use and haven't really stood up to the test that well.  Just another reason to always invest in the key pieces that you definitely need in your closet: rain boots are in my book an investment piece, I've learned my lesson the hard way.

The only problem? I don't know what color to get. I've been going back and forth between classic black and spunky red - both I equally love. Then I saw this pair and thought maybe that color (swoon!) might be fun too? It's turned out to be a tough decision!

(get the look above: earrings, peach jeans - loved them so much from this post, I wanted to style them up!, gingham top, jacket, boots, tote bag - perfect for extra juice boxes and bandaids for my soccer heroes!)

see you around...

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this weekend!

The weekend is here, the first week back to the grind after Spring Break went surprisingly quickly and for that I am thankful! I always love a vacation, but I love it just as much to get back to work and a routine once I return. There is something so soothing to me about a routine and work is just fun - so I miss it when I am on vacation!

This weekend is supposed to be terribly cold and rainy (with a chance of snow even - eep!) so I will be daydreaming of sunny days and flowers blooming and bees buzzing.  I would totally rock this outfit for a sunny Saturday spent visiting the farmers market, reading in the backyard and then an impromptu date. This little swing dress is just that amazing that it would be perfect for all three of those activities. Don't you think?

While I am bundling up for a busy soccer-mom weekend (we only have 5 games these next three days, yes, five, we are nuts!) I'll be dreaming of this outfit... and if you are lucky enough to live somewhere warm, take a chance on a little black dress, why don't you?

(get the look: dress - it's UNDER $30 too, bonus!, necklace, bag, sandals, lips)

And just because... here are a few links I loved this week:

- I've been not so great about going to the gym lately (blah!) but I did this quick exercise the other day and it was really GOOD and it only took 10 minutes. Bonus: I talked my kids into doing it with me and they thought it was a blast, working out is more fun with some buddies!

- this quote blew my mind. Um, YES!!!

- Have you ever tried this for blemishes? It looks a little weird but the reviews say it works great. I'm thinking of buying it.

- Strawberry balsamic vinegar dressing recipe - how easy is that?

- I want to redecorate every room in my house (which is nothing new, it's an addiction!) and this dining room is my dream come true! (too bad my whole first floor is about as big as this room, I need to scale back my plans I think!)

Have an amazing weekend!!!

p.s. linking up with the fabulous Friday Fancies today!

If we haven't already... let's get social!

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what to wear on a chilly spring day!

At this point I am so beyond sick of this winter/wintery spring that I think I am actually done complaining about it. I know, so big of me, right!?!? It has seriously been snowing here for three days straight.  Or maybe more, I think I lost count. But you know what - who cares! I'm looking on the positive side that spring has to arrive at some point (right. right!?!?).  I am working on transitioning the super spring looks I THOUGHT I would be wearing this time of year to looks that are still spring-ish but that offer more warmth.

To me, this is the perfect outfit to wear on a chilly spring day.  White jeans (or shorts - if it's warm where you are!), chambray and a little jacket are always a simple look to pull together. I absolutely love my white jeans, bright white for the warmer months and creamy white for the fall and winter, and white shorts are no exception.  Plus, I have a feeling that white shorts are going to be an absolute must-have for summer - so hop on the trend now!

(get the look: white jeans, white shorts, tweed jacket, chambray top, gold necklace, tortoise necklace, leopard flats, clutch)

Do you have any fun plans this weekend? 

Make it a great one!

If we haven't already... let's get social!

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weekend style: super casual!

Oh I just love this weekend look... this is my ideal weekend wear right here!  What do your weekend plans involve? Delayed Valentines celebrations? A quick getaway for the weekend? I know my kids have a long weekend for Presidents Day. Or maybe shopping some sales... whatever it it, I hope you have a great one (and of course a stylish one!).

get the look: jeans, sweater, glasses, flats, wrap bracelet, gold bracelet

weekend style: lovey dovey!

I love this pre-Valentines Day outfit inspiration... it's fresh and fun and in shades of pink and orange it is just irresistible!

I hope whatever you have in store for the weekend is good... I sure am ready for some R&R, this week seemed a little long for my liking!

get the look: pink jeans, pink button front top, orange sweater, flats, pink bracelet, flower bracelet

weekend style: all black inspired by Olivia Palermo!

We all love O.P., don't we? I am also a lover of an all black look. It's not for everyday but for every once in a while it's stylish and SUPER comforting (and comfortable) - and TOTALLY easy!  I love this look for a lot of reasons... but I am absolutely SMITTEN with the bag.

Have you seen this bag yet? I'm swooning for it and mark my words it is the next handbag I will own!

get the Olivia Palermo's look: inspiration, leggings, sunglasses, cape, bag, boots

Do you love peeping out celebrity style? Check out my 100 Inspirations blog!

weekend style... dreaming of pops of red!

Another weekend? This week was too fast even though I haven't been feeling great (this cold is hanging on and it's miserable!) so I am hoping that this weekend we can just chill out and get back on track health-wise (both my daughter and I have been sick and my husband has now caught this nasty cold too!).  Fingers crossed!

I just bought these adorable red flats and likely won't be able to wear them for a while or until the weather significantly improves, so in the meantime I will be dreaming of styling them just like this!

get the look: inspiration photo, sunglasses, coat (or THIS ONE is 40% off!), oxford, jeans, bag, flats

Happy Weekend ladies! Make it a good one!

If we haven't already... let's get social!

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weekend style!

I'm mixing it up a bit with my long-standing weekend style posts... including a new format with an outfit from Pinterest that I am crushing on.  I hope you enjoy it.  I am known to copy/re-create outfits from Pinterest all the time {that is why we love Pinterest and blogs in the first place right? It's first class 'stealing'! :) }.

This one looks warm (I swapped the open toe shoes for a pair of boots) and comfortable and perfect for my weekend plans.  What are your weekend plans? Anything fun?

image, jeans*, sweater, denim jacket, black wool coat, clutch, boots

*I've been crushing on these for a LONG time. Should I just bite the bullet and get 'em?

If we haven't already... let's get social!

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what to wear: weekend!

Another weekend is upon us... if you are staring down a few holiday events, check out this post here for my ideas on how to add some sparkle to your event without running out to buy a bunch of new clothes.  I have one last event tonight, and of course, no idea what I am wearing (I better get on that!).  Then for the remainder of the weekend we are totally foot loose and fancy free! No soccer games, no parties, nothing! Just hanging around the house and hopefully doing some baking!

What does your weekend hold? For the casual portion of the weekend I hope to be bundled up in sweaters and other cozy but refined pieces in my wardrobe.

above: earrings, jeans, sweater, clutch, scarf, driving mocs (love these, the green is cute too!)

weekend style!

Hey stylish ladies! What's on your agenda this weekend?  The weather is supposed to be great here this weekend (great for mid-November!) and I'm hoping at least to see some sunshine and do some relaxing.

Whatever you have planned... make it a good one!  Only one week until the holiday weekend...

jeans, bracelet, striped sweater, blazer, scarf, purse, flats

I also have some very exciting news for my wardrobe consult lovers out there! I've taken a break from them for a bit in order to focus on a few other things... but Kelsey from Kelsey Designs is just getting her wardrobe consult business off the ground and offers a very similar service as mine at a great price! I highly recommending checking out her blog and her services!  At this point I don't know if/when I will be offering these services myself again... so I highly recommend Kelsey if you need some help with your wardrobe now or in the future!

weekend style!

The weekend is HERE!  And this week was a doozey - between the election and our unexpected house hunt (we've put an offer on the house and are looking to sell our home if the offer goes through - we are NUTS!) it's been a busy and hectic and exciting one.  This weekend I am looking forward to some serious relaxation and down time.  Next week is going to be just as busy (and some fun!) and I want to be fully mentally and physically prepared for it.  (I feel a cold coming on and could use a nap or two!).

What are your plans for the weekend? Whatever you do... bundle up (the mornings are cold) and get outside a bit - we are still having some nice sunny afternoons where I live!

(sunglasses, earrings, nail polish - obsessed with gold lately!, sweater, jacket, scarf, boots, jeans, gloves)

*just realized I'm a little obsessed with this camel brown, pink, burgundy color trifecta... it looks familiar from this look!