Gingham Lovin'

outfit details: button-up [J. Crew] sweater [J. Crew] pants [love culture] shoes [aldo] jewelry [forever 21] lip color [MAC girl about town] nail color [sinful colors easy going] crossbody bag [michael kors]

outfit chat: i am currently obsessing over these three things: gingham, bright colors to break up the cold, dark winter months & also all things J. Crew! and this fabulous post includes all of thee above! this also was my first real go at online shopping! I must admit I am all about going in to my favorite store & walking out with a bag full of my most favorite items! I may be okay trading that feeling for the happiness felt when the UPS truck pulls up to my home! so fabulous! well, what can i tell you about this fun little outfit? first off button-ups are so fun right now! you can throw them under a sweater [as in this look] or you can put them underneath a cardigan. i went with a basic, blue denim because of the already fun use of colors in the outfit. i also did this because this is a classic look, putting a pair of black leggings with it would have made it look harsh & confusing. it needed the denim to calm the look down & help give it that simple, classy look that a sweater + gingham button-up already totally gives! so you may be wondering why i went with a leopard print shoe if i was trying to keep in simple, right? i could also have pair this outfit with boots. that would have been safe & perfect for the wintery weather. although, that would have been safe & typical. i like to think of leopard as a neutral color [even though it's not just one color] and since mixing prints & patterns is all the rage right now i can be brave & bold by mixing a gingham print with a leopard shoe! a few things to keep in mind when mixing prints: the colors go perfectly together, i didn't have patterns or prints that were too much together & the mix of color [as in the button-up and sweater] was simple enough that a bold shoe just made the look complete! lets just say, i always like to try & add something a little bold to my outfits. a little something to make it exciting & different! go grab a fun button-up top & get playing with this fun look, why don't ya?

[xoxo] allyLou

polka dots & mint.

outfit details: top [cotton on] pants [bohme] boots [steve madden] bangle bracelet [h&m] lip color [MAC girl about town]

outfit chat: my cute little sis let me borrow this fabulous polka dot button up & i had way too much fun with it! i already can't get enough of the fun lose, flowy button-up look so when i saw this polka dotted version in her closet i knew i could do way too many good things with it! when putting this cute thing together i first knew i needed, & wanted, a fun splash of color. a bright shade of colored shoes would have also been a fabulous option. for example, a bright royal blue flat with a denim skinny would have been fabulous. for this outfit i went with my mint skinnies because it just seemed too fun to pass up. i also knew i would want to pair it with boots since the shirt alone is not a very wintery look [being three quarter sleeved and all]. i also opted for the boots because black flats just made the outfit seem so plain, the nude flat option didn't quite seem right with the bright white in the shirt & when i tried on the boots it gave it a little bit of excitement. i am not a huge fan of black boots in the first place, but black boots with this would have just been so typical. so matchy matchy. i am all about mixing the right shade of browns with blacks when appropriate. and something about the mint skinnies with that shade of brown boot just makes me so happy! 

[xoxo] allyLou

Monday's Fabulous Must-Haves

Here are a few purchases totally worth making! I struggle to finish off many of my looks without these fun items. Some I use daily, some I find myself thankful for on occasion. Either way, go to your nearest mall & give your closet and makeup collection a little boost!

Details: [OPI By Sephora Top Coat] [MAC Lipstick] [Aldo Nude Flats] [pearl earrings] [Colored/Denim Skinnies] [Colorful & Patterned Scarves] [Gold Stack Bracelets]

Chat: Let me explain my personal ideas & touches to these simple items! I went ages without a good topcoat. I would freak out every time my nails would chip after only a few hours of wear. My cute Santa added this to my stocking & I feel like a whole new woman! MAC lipsticks... Do I even need to explain?! If you want to feel fun & flirty apply a bold, bright shade. Feeling simple & classy? Grab a more neutral, softer shade. Whatever mood, just make sure you are making good use of those kissers! My Aldo nude flats are my best friend & a fabulous idea! They go with everything I own & talk about classing up an outfit ?! I'm in love. My pearl earrings are my go to earring. I truly don't wear anything else. A good pair of skinny denim or colored pants are an obvious must. The color of a fun pair can truly add a lot to an outfit & goodness, take advantage of this fun style!! Scarves can add something that a piece of jewelry just can't do. I love to throw a floral scarf with a simple outfit (or even vice versa) to give a little something to the outfit. & last, my gold jewelry is my best friend! go create a fun stack of bracelets for a fun look on your wrist!

[xoxo] allyLou

lazy legging lovin'

this was my lazy look for the first day of the new year! after a night of celebrating & waking up when half of the day was already finished i was looking for a simple, comfortable, fashionable look to go out with my honey. this was what i came up with! and i have to admit it felt fabulous. take a look!

 

 

outfit details: chambray [forever 21] floral top [buckle] black legging [wet seal] scarf [new york & company] boots [steve madden] bracelets [forever 21] crossbody bag [michael kors] lip color [MAC coral bliss] nail color [sinful colors timbleberry]

outfit chat: i love leggings with all of my heart! i wear them several times a week [i have too many pairs] & i think that is because they make an outfit feel simple, flirty, relaxed, & can throw in a pattern to really add to the look you are trying to achieve. leggings can be best paired with long loose button ups or sweaters, cardigans, or blazers. just to name a few. the options really are endless, which is why i plan to do several posts showing a few different uses. this simple pair helped with the relaxed, somewhat grungy, look i was going for. i am not a huge fan of "grunge" at all so this is my version. the unbuttoned chambray went fabulously with the look & paired with a floral top i was able to make the outfit look feminine. fun, right? the scarf & boots topped off the wintery look i was needing on this freezing cold january day, as well as allowed for good color additions to the outfit! whenever i am feeling the relaxed look i find the top knot my first choice in hairstyle for the day. and since we were going out on the town i had to class up the outfit with my Michael Kors crossbody bag. which is my most favorite possession by the way! now go make sure your closet owns a pair of this fun & flirty substitute for pants & put them to good use! 

[xoxo] allyLou

bold stripes & a little leopard.

 

      oufit details: top [forever 21] pants [love culture] boots [steve madden] belt [american eagle] jewelry [forever 21] lip color [MAC girl about town] nail color [essie sand tropez & china glaze swing baby]

outfit chat: this outfit is a way to mix pattern and print in an interesting, yet subtle, way. i paired the belt with the shirt with the idea in mind that the colors went together fabulously yet together they gave the pattern play i needed to complete the outfit. typically with this outfit i would put a colored belt with it, but since the print gave it that pop of excitement i was safe with the matching color scheme. when wearing an outfit with not a lot of color fun happening, i like to make sure my lip color is bold, bright & able to give my look that pop of color that the outfit itself is missing. a little side note on these fabulous new boots? my husband completely picked them out himself & had them waiting for me on christmas morning! what a perfect guy, right?
 have a fabulous snowy weekend everyone! 

[xoxo] allyLou

sequins & chambray.

this outfit is a flashback from last month's fabulous anniversary date with my cute guy! i won't typically do posts of flashback outfits, but this one is one of my favorites i have worn this season so i think it's fitting for my first actual outfit post. also, the chambray is most definitely my favorite item of the season & i am certainly guilty of over wearing this cute thing! here is my outfit & the details i incorporated to make the look so fun, yet classy at the same time! take a look why don't ya?

outfit details: 

chambray button up [forever 21] 

sequin sweater [bohme/last season] 

denim jegging [love culture] 

nude flats [aldo] 

gold stack bracelets [forever 21]

 lip color [MAC coral bliss cremesheen] 

nail color [NYC skin tight denim]

outfit chat: you can pair a chambray with leggings, colored denim/pants, blue denim, under a colored cardigan, with a cute colored or patterned skirt, you can dress it down, or even make it look a little more dressy?! it is the perfect go to item. for this look, i put it under a fun sweater with sequins. i used a darker denim jegging for a simple, classy look which my nude flats finished off perfectly! gold jewelry is my favorite this season so i threw together a little collage of gold bracelets. this bracelet look you may see a little too often in my posts. i love this look with jewelry. the blue nail polish? this brand i do not recommend, but let me explain. i am a shades of red & pink kinda girl, right? i just knew that this color would be fabulous with this outfit so i purchased a cheap shade of this blue to try it out & i absolutely fell in love! and i stole my cute michael kors wristlet out of my purse because it went with the simple look i was trying to achieve.

[xoxo] allyLou

leopard obsession.

this season, leopard print is all the rage. and i have taken it completely in to my own wardrobe. i love to pair a leopard accessory with a plain outfit to give it personality. i love to feel a little sassy in my leopard flats with gold jewelry. i also love to pair a pattern, such as stripes or gingham, with a leopard accessory. be sure to never over use the print in one outfit. if i have a belt on with a tucked in oversized button up, i would never finish the outfit off with pair of leopard flats. just keep that in mind. the key to rocking this look is to have simple outfit & let the leopard do the work. let the leopard class up the outfit. let the leopard be the focal point to your ensemble. so go out and purchase something that looks a little sassy & put it to work!

[xoxo] allyLou