Spring Trench

Although this past weekend was near frigid, my heart leapt when noticed little buds beginning to sprout on the trees near our house. And with temps in the 60s this week, I’ve put away my winter jackets and moved my favorite lighter-weight coats to the forefront.

One essential I’ve found for spring is this gorgeous trench I got from Estiletta. I love the way it falls with its structured silhouette. A trench is such a classic piece to own so I didn’t mind spending a little more money on this one (although you can snag it on sale now for $105!) Whenever my outfit is feeling BLEH, I add this little trench and instantly feel chic.

To keep from looking like Inspector Gadget, I added a few feminine details like soft waves and a pleated midi skirt with pumps. It was perfect for an overabundance of meetings last week and made for a great first impression.

What are some of your spring essentials?

On Julien: Dress, Max Studio (old.) Trench, Estiletta. Top under dress, Achro via Anthom. Shoes, Nine West. Bracelet, Love Juliet c/o. Necklace, Rachelle Celine c/o. Sunnies, Michael Kors. 

Photos by Meaghan 

The 90's Called

The 90’s called…and they said it’s totally fine to keep the jean jacket. Which is great considering I wasn’t even going to give it back if they wanted it. So there.

Jean jackets are back in a major way this spring. They were sort of back last year, but I hadn’t really found one I loved so I waited. This jacket was worth the wait. 

I really wanted a jacket that was movable - unlike the stiff and rigid ones you see everywhere. And I wanted it to be a good price. Picky, I know.

Luckily, when J.Crew Factory was having one of their sales, I snagged it just before my size sold out. Since it was an online buy, I asked my friend Amanda about what she thought (am I the only one who seeks approval from all my friends when shopping?!) and she said she had THE SAME ONE. I’m so happy we’re friends.

When it arrived, I was so thrilled I threw it on and took these photos so I could show you. Please ignore the wet hair and no makeup (did we see wet hair on the runway this season? If so, THIS WAS *SO* ON PURPOSE) but I simply couldn’t wait another moment. This jacket is good so expect to see a whole lot more of it around these parts. 

On Julien: Jacket, J.Crew Factory (on sale here!) Plaid shirt, J.Crew (similar.) T-shirt Halogen via Nordstrom. Jeans, NYDJ. Horn necklace, Hanuel c/o. Silver triangle necklace, She's Unique. Bracelet, Tiffany & Co (similar.) Bag, Mimi's the Look c/o. Sunnies, Michael Kors.

Shifting Into Girls Night

Now that the weather has gotten above the point of “WEAR ALL THE LAYERS TO SURIVE,” I’m really excited about wearing lighter layers. I'm also super stoked about seeing all the beautiful faces I missed while hibernating! 

Today's post is all about what to wear when going from the desk to drinks. The key element here is finding a great shift dress. I'm not proud to admit this, but I haven't found my perfect shift dress yet. I'm on the hunt, but the one I wore in today's post is pretty close. I'm also found turtlenecking again, and I'm eternally grateful I invested in a really comfortable one earlier in the season.

During the day at the office, I sported a very conservative white jacket (very Olivia Pope) with some of my favorite statement jewelry from Hanuel. During the evening, I switched out the white jacket for a leather one, changed up the jewelry for a bit more edgy feel, and added some fun boots to the mix. 

How do you take your outfit from desk to drinks? Share in the comments below!

Look 1: Shift dress, Lord and Taylor (similar.) Turtleneck, Lord and Taylor. Jacket, Banana Republic (old but found the same one on eBay!) Shoes, Tahari via Marshalls. Bracelet, earrings, and necklace, Hanuel c/o.

Look 2: Shift dress, Lord and Taylor (similar.) Turtleneck, Lord and Taylor. Leather jacket, Halogen via Nordstrom. Boots, Luxury Rebel. Necklace, bracelet, and earrings, Hanuel c/o.

$500 Giveaway to Lululemon

Spring has finally arrived and with it, new motivation to work off those extra pounds I’ve gained consuming carbs all winter long. The struggle is entirely too real.

Since most days are just a little too cool for riding our bikes or jogging after work, I workout in my gym at work during my lunch hour. I used to feel self-conscious about working out in a place where I might run (literally) into someone i knew from work…but I decided I’m not going to let that hold me back anymore. 

BUT - if I was going to be seen by my fellow coworkers, I certainly didn’t want them to see me sweat in a ratty old tee-shirt and way-too-short shorts. I needed to update my workout wardrobe, so I headed straight to the most stylish workout clothes I know, Lululemon. I invested in a great pair of yoga pants that I wear almost daily to the gym.

Yes, Lululemon clothes are a little pricier than most, but what if I told you that you could get all the best workout clothes for free? “Sure Julien, maybe when pigs fly.” PIGS ARE FLYING FOLKS - I’ve teamed up with a few other bloggers to give away $500 to Lululemon. A big shout out to our host, Anna from Live More Beautifully!

I am thrilled to be collaborating with a wonderful group of bloggers to give you a chance to win a $500 gift card to Lululemon! Is your trusty work out gear worn out? Or do you need some motivation to get started? Either way, we're here to help you get bikini ready this spring! To enter, simply complete the Rafflecopterbelow. The more entries you complete, the more chances you have to win! This giveaway is open internationally. Be sure to check out the hosts below. Good luck! 

HOST

Live More Beautifully

CO HOSTS All Things Pretty // Mash Elle // Sugar & Something // Advice From a Twenty Something // Little Miss Fashion Queen Tanvii.com // Baked by Ashley // Oh To Be A Muse // Stylish Sassy & Classy // Brittany Gary The Middle Closet // Adventures in Fashion // The Style Gala // ShopNGym // Teach. Inspire. Change. Classy & Bubbly // The Desert Mermaids // Ash 'n Fashn // All Dolled Up Blog // Catcher in the Style It's Julien // Klass by Kayla // The Posh Teacher // House of Style // KBStyled

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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All about Lyst - Video edition

You know how friends don’t let friends miss out on awesome shopping websites? Well this is me - not letting you miss out. Let me tell you a little about my new favorite shopping destination, Lyst.

Lyst is basically a website that pulls content from all your favorite shopping sites and does the work for you. Umm yes please. It's set up in a super easy user-friendly way which is a must for me when I'm shopping. You can filter your searches by size, budget, color, brand, ANYTHING YOU COULD EVER THINK OF. It's basically magic. On the interwebs.

Why do I love Lyst so much? Check out my video explaining below!

And when you set up an account (you will literally not not be able to - it's that good!), be sure to follow my Lysts so I can follow you back! Shopping besties forever.

ALSO: Last week, Lyst launched their .gif creator feature, which is SO. MUCH. FUN. to play around with. See my clip below and make your own here!

This post was sponsored by Lyst and I've been compensated. However, I only share things with you that I'm 100% behind. I actually really love Lyst and I have a feeling that you will too.