Muted Tones

If you haven’t noticed, I’ve been wearing a lot of black lately. From turtleneck dresses to my favorite black jeans, it’s all I seem to wear. But I decided to mix things up for a date night out with the hubby this past weekend. I dug out my trusty white jeans and threw on one of my favorite winter sweaters from Banana Republic for a cozy look. These blush studded heels and glitzy necklace add a bit of glam necessary for a night out. 

On Julien: Sweater, Banana Republic (use code BRYOU for an extra 40% off today only.) Jeans, Lucky Brand. Pumps, J.Crew. Bag, Cuero & Mor c/o. Necklace, Hanuel c/o (get $10 off using code CELEBRATE until 1/31.) Earrings, Love Juliet c/o. Bracelets, J.Crew, Loren Hope via Rockbox, and Love Juliet c/o.

JEM scarf

Do you ever feel like you're sinking into an endless abyss every time you step into your closet? You have so much and yet nothing to wear? Story. Of. My Life.

One thing I've started to do when feeling overwhelmed in my closet is decide on one item I really want to wear. Just one. Simple enough. Then I work from there to complete the rest of the outfit. 

Picking today's outfit centered around this gorgeous JEM scarf. (I met the designer, Jen, at Crystal Couture last year and I've been obsessed with her work ever since!) From there, I knew I wanted to go with muted tones so I stuck with my trusty boyfriend cardigan from Free People, my comfiest black jeans, and my favorite Cuero+Mor bag. The thing I'm most excited about? The fact that it didn't take me three hours to put this together. (#success)

Do you have any tips on overcoming indecision when it comes to getting dressed? Share in the comments below!

On Julien: Scarf, JEM Collection c/o. Cardigan, Free People (Bethesda location) c/o. Shirt, J.Crew (old.) Hat, Jack Wills (similar on sale.) Jeans, NYDJ. Shoes, Tahari via Marshalls. Bag, Cuero & Mor c/o. Watch, Swell Caroline c/o. Wrap bracelet, J.Crew (old.) Sunnies, Michael Kors. Linking up with More Pieces of Me + On the Daily Express

Little Black Winter Dress

I'm always on the hunt for a new little black dress. It's a bit absurd, actually. I counted nine in my closet last week. NINE! But here's the deal - there are so many varieties of LBDs. Like, there's the cocktail LBDs, the black maxi, the black sweater dress, the black dress you needed solely because it looked killer on you...need I go on?

When I tried on this dress at Intermix, I knew it was love. I sized up for a more slouchy feel (hips don't lie) and love how unbelievably cozy it is. Although it was a little more pricey than I'd usually spend ($150) it's one of those basic luxuries I've found myself wearing on repeat. The extra long arms, the oversized turtleneck...it's everything a winter LBD should be. 

On Julien: Dress, Sweats by Norma Kamali via Intermix. Sweater, Soft Joie via Piperlime c/o. Jacket, Calvin Klein (extra 40% off listed price!) Shoes, Tahari via Marshalls. Clutch, South Moon Under (under $50!) Earrings, Loren Hope via Rocksbox.  Linking up with The Fashion Canvas.

Speaking at Blogger Scene

Hey everyone! A little exciting news...I'll be a panelist at Blogger Scene this Thursday, January 22! I'm delighted to be joined by a few of my favorite area bloggers, Alicia, Ally, and Cheralee! Come out to The Gryphon to hear us talk about all things blogging for 2015! Tickets get you one free drink and access to a ton of super awesome giveaways. Hope to see you there! Get your tickets here! 

Rustic Winter Salad

As the winter months drudge on, it gets harder and harder to pass on the carbs. Lately, all I want to do is curl up in a blanket, eat macaroni and cheese, and wear sweat pants all day. But alas, life doesn't exactly work that way So instead, I've been on the hunt to find and create really tasty healthier alternatives to comfort foods. 

This salad is one of my favorites to make any time of year, but especially in the winter. The mix of kale with beets and goat cheese is just magical. 

Ingredients:
2-3 medium-sized beets (opt for golden beets if you want to avoid the mess!)
Squirt of lemon juice
A few leaves of kale
Pomegranate seeds
Goat cheese
Olive oil

Instructions:
1. Boil the beets (if you're in a hurry) or roast them (my preference) if you have a good hour to spare (which I typically don't)
2. Massage 2-3 leafs of kale with olive oil and lemon juice. This step is a game changer. I never ate kale raw because the texture is SO rough, and maybe I'm late to the game, but massaging the kale for just a minute changes the kale completely. It's a beautiful thing.
3. Drain the beets, place onto kale, and add pomegranate seeds and goat cheese. Enjoy :)