Cobalt, Mint, and Lavender Love

Here I combine cobalt, mint, (yes, again) and lavender- three of my favorite colors for spring... is it spring yet? The sun is out today and every time I look outside I keep thinking it's going to be warm... and it's not :( So, since it's still sweater weather, I paired my new polka dotted lavender button down with this sea-colored navy striped sweater (and, of course, the pop of cobalt). I think that the shades of blues and greens remind of the ocean and summer... which is probably why I keep working them into my outfits. What reminds you of warmer weather?

 
pants- J. Crew, sweater- J. Crew, shirt- J. Crew, flats- Sam Edelman, bag- Target (old), watch- Kate Spade, earrings- Anthropologie, belt- J. Crew

Do you have any plans for the weekend? I'm hoping to have another bout of rest and relaxation and maybe get some more reading in... any potential plans will be relegated to the afternoon and evening so that I can enjoy my morning coffee in peace!

Happy Thursday!
 
❤Britt

Hippie Chic

Braids + flowy top + fringe booties + beaded bracelet = hippie chic :) I love this purple top... I bought it back in November to take to New Orleans and now it is one of my favorites! The deep, majestic purple ups the ante of any outfit and I love versatile pieces... this can be paired with anything from jeans to dress pants to skirts! Same goes for these Sam Edelman booties :)

pants- J. Crew, jacket- Old Navy (old), top- Madewell, booties- Sam Edelman, necklace- Lucky, bag- old, sunglasses- Ray-Ban, bracelet- Charlotte Russe (old)

I brought out my old jean jacket here to dress down the ensemble a bit... what do you think?

Also, last night I took my first dance class since about third grade... burlesque! It was a lot of fun but I realized I'm a little too uptight... I'll add that to my list of things I need to work on for 2013. I definitely need to let loose a little more but just the fact that I went and got out of my comfort zone is certainly a step in the right direction (for those of you who are counting, that makes two for this month: rock climbing and a burlesque dance class)!

Here's to trying new things and to working towards a better you! What is something new that you'd like to try?

Have a great Wednesday!

❤Britt

Pastels in the Snow

I'll admit that this is not something I would normally wear on a snowy day... but I didn't realize that it had started snowing until I was already dressed. I did have to change out of these heels to go to dinner (I swapped them for my black Uggs... a much better decision for the snow-covered ground). This jacket is new from H&M. I love the mint color and the fact that it goes with pretty much everything even though it's not technically a neutral color. I've also been wearing a lot of cobalt lately... another one of my recent color obsessions :)



skirt- J. Crew, top- H&M (old), jacket- H&M, stockings- Madewell, heels- Target (old), clutch- old, sunglasses- Kate Spade

However inappropriate this actual outfit is for the snow, I thought the colors worked pretty well with the wintry backdrop! And I have to point out the cute chevon print on this top that I thought made this look a little more playful when paired with the polka dot tights. I've been trying out some pattern play... even if it is super subtle! What do you think about mixing patterns?

Happy Tuesday!

❤Britt

Coral and Flame

Even though I'm bummed that the weekend is over, I did get to have the relaxing weekend that I wanted (I even started The Great Gatsby). What did you do? I also went shopping for a little yesterday... I had way too much luck. I'm pretty sure I found at least three things that I liked in every store I was in... especially Anthropologie. I loved everything there! It was so hard to narrow down what I was going to buy when it came time to leave. Their color selection for almost every piece had me picking up multiples and taking them back to the dressing room... it was all so pretty! I think I'm going to have to lock myself away for at least the next week... I can never say no to color so it's pretty dangerous for me to be out shopping right now since I'm in love with all the colors for spring.

coat- J. Crew, scarf- Target (Thanks Devon!), sweater- J. Crew, pants- Kut from the Kloth, shoes- Adrienne Vittadini, sunglasses- Kate Spade, gloves- Kate Spade, necklace- vintage, watch- Kate Spade

I love this sweater- it's the Tippi sweater from J.Crew and I am planning on buying a few more in their new spring shades! This sweater can be worn with literally anything (it looks really cute when paired with a skirt, too). Also, I'm not sure how well you can see in these pictures but these flats have pearls on the tops of them... adorable :) They give any outfit a ladylike polish.

Also, if you're not already, don't forget to follow me on Twitter and Instagram. And if you read multiple style blogs like I do, try Bloglovin' (you can follow me there too)- it's a place where you can compile all of the great blogs that you follow and it keeps you updated as new posts come in! It's pretty awesome!

Hope you had a great weekend and Happy Monday!

❤Britt

Pineapple, Orange, and Banana Cake with Cream Cheese and Fluff Icing

This morning after I packed Joe's lunch (complete with fresh pineapple chunks), I was contemplating what to have for breakfast and my mind kept going back to the fresh pineapple in the fridge. I couldn't decide what to have with the pineapple (just a case of my usual indecisiveness) so I started looking up recipes online. In this case my indecisiveness paid off as I came across one for pineapple cupcakes with cream cheese and fluff frosting... this is my take on the original recipe... I changed it quite a bit :) I took the idea for the icing (the cream cheese and fluff mix) from the original and then added my own ingredients to my taste. I also added the mandarin oranges and banana because I didn't have enough pineapple for the recipe... Note well: I don't often make box cakes (actually, I don't think I've made one in a really long time) but I saw this recipe and just so happened to have one in my cabinet already so I thought I'd give it a try. I think it turned out to be delicious. Let me know what you think!

Inspired by the recipe on www.skinnytaste.com

Ingredients:

1 box yellow cake mix (I used Betty Crocker Super Moist)
1 cup crushed pineapple (I used fresh fruit and crushed it myself)
1/2 cup mandarin oranges
1/4 cup banana, mashed (I used half a banana)

*no eggs, oil, etc. needed... the fruit and juices are enough!

1 package 8 oz cream cheese
1 cup marshmallow fluff
1/4 cup butter (I used salted)
1/4 cup powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Directions:
For the cake:
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees if using a dark or nonstick pan (just follow the directions on the cake box for this). Combine dry cake mix with pineapple first. Then add oranges and stir. Add the bananas last to avoid over mashing them.
Pour into 13x9 cake pan (or cupcake tins) and bake for 28-30 minutes (I also followed the directions on the box here). When done, remove from the oven and allow to cool before icing.

For icing:
Combine softened cream cheese and fluff (I used a hand mixer). Soften butter and add to mixture. Add vanilla and powdered sugar. Blend well and chill before icing cake.

This is a really light cake with an airy frosting... perfect for a breakfast cake! In the wise words of Kate Spade, "eat cake for breakfast." I really should have bought that bag when I saw it in their store!

❤Britt

Flowers and Chambray

Even though it has been under 25 degrees out lately, I decided to bring some spring essentials into the wintry mix. Floral skirt...check. Chambray pullover...check. With some heavier tights and layers, I think that spring pieces are totally game for winter months (there's your excuse to start shopping for next season... you're welcome!)!

skirt- Anthropologie (old), button up- J. Crew, top- J. Crew, tights- J. Crew, shoes- Sam Edelman, sunglasses- Kate Spade, bag- Rebecca Minkoff, necklace- gift from my sister-in-law (Thanks Tara!)

I love the colors in this skirt...I already told you how much I've been loving pink and teal, and adding green and purple (my other favorite colors) with the mustard makes it perfect! It also makes it a super versatile piece since you can pair it with so many different colors. That's a win in my book :) I'm all for versatile pieces... I think that wearability is key in any purchase (I may have mentioned that before... but it's true!). Any time I'm considering buying a new item, I always try to think of what I can wear with it that I already have in my closet. What do you consider when buying something new?

❤Britt

Vintage Pearls with Pink and Teal

I'm sorry I'm posting this so late tonight! Joe took me to a surprise dinner in the city for restaurant week (even though we ended up ordering from the regular menu anyway)! We had a really nice night and our food was delicious (we went to Serafina's) but now it's almost time for bed already... and I can't believe tomorrow is Thursday! Do you have any plans for the weekend yet? I'm hoping to get in at least one day of uninterrupted downtime... maybe I'll actually be able to start reading The Great Gatsby... I downloaded it on my kindle over a month ago and haven't had a chance to start it yet!



pants-Anthropologie (old), sweater- J. Crew, belt- J. Crew, flats- J. Crew, bag- Coach, sunglasses- gift from California, necklace- vintage (from my grandmother)

Almost all of the accessories I'm wearing here were gifts. The sunglasses were from my mother-in-law a few years ago, the necklace is from my grandmother, and the bag is from my mom-mom :) Í'm really liking the color combination of pink and teal right now... what is your color combo of the moment?

❤Britt

Black, White, and Vintage Sequins

I can't believe tomorrow is Wednesday already! I feel like the beginning of the week always drags for me but I think this week is moving pretty quickly. It's been freezing here! We got some snow last night and are expected to get more this week :) I'm pretty excited about it! Maybe that's why...


dress- Anthropologie, stockings- old, shoes- Madden Girl, scarf- Anthropologie, rings- Madewell, old, sunglasses- Target, bracelet- Forever 21, bag- Rebecca Minkoff, earrings- Tiffany & Co.

This dress is totally not frigid weather appropriate but I just love it and had to wear it anyway. Also, this barette that I'm wearing is the one that I wore for my wedding (it was my grandmother's)... I love throwing in a fun vintage (or vintage-looking) piece here and there. Do you have a favorite vintage piece?
Well, I've been having a cheese craving all day so I'm making some homemade macaroni and cheese :) Here's to some comfort food on a cold, winter night!

❤Britt

Fair Isle Friend

I hope you all had a great weekend :) Ours was super busy but we had a lot of fun. We went rock climbing for the first time (which is a lot harder than I thought it would be) and spent most of our time in the company of good friends. We even spent some time shopping... there are way too many new items that I'm in love with... I'm loving the colors for spring! Shades of mint, pink, and coral are everywhere! Kate Spade and Rebecca Minkoff have some amazing patterns and color combinations out right now... I need at least one new bag (I'm thinking a tote would be nice!)! I also want to get a new floppy hat and though I saw a few at Nordstrom that I wanted, I had to exercise some self control :(
Anyway, I got this sweater right before Christmas (I actually wore it on Christmas Eve) and I think that the colors are just brilliant. It is such a statement piece that I decided to just pair it with skinny jeans, brown booties, a brown leather wristlet, and simple pearl studs.

jeans- J. Crew, sweater- J. Crew, booties- Nicole, sunglasses- Ray-Ban, wristlet- Coach, earrings- Tiffany & Co.

What did you do this weekend? Have you been rock climbing before? Hope you're having a great Monday. It's snowing here!

❤Britt

P.S. I'm going to make a conscious effort to start posting earlier in the day :)

Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins

This recipe combines two of my favorite ingredients: chocolate (which you already know) and bananas. I love a good banana bread, or frozen chocolate covered banana, or... well, you get the picture. This was a really simple recipe inspired by a recipe that I found on Pinterest... gotta love Pinterest! Let me know what you think. The best thing about muffins is that they keep pretty well (I made these over the weekend for an event that Joe had here and we ate them well into the week for breakfast). Just heat them up and and some butter :)

Inspired by the recipe from Chiquita Moms (seevanessacraft), makes about 14 muffins

Ingredients:
3 ripe bananas
1 1/2 cups flour
2/3 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 egg
1/2 cup butter
1/4 cup milk
1 cup chocolate chips (original recipe says to use semi-sweet mini chocolate chips, I used regular sized milk chocolate chips)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon in a bowl. Mash the bananas and set aside. Mix the egg, butter, and milk with the dry ingredients until blended and then add the mashed bananas. Take care not to over mix. Stir in chocolate chips and spoon into muffin tins (I lined mine with cupcake liners). Bake for 25 minutes or until golden brown (25 minutes was just enough for mine, any longer and they would have been too dry).

See? Super easy! Simple weekend morning breakfast :) Give it a try this weekend and let me know how they turn out for you.

It's a gorgeous day here... hope yours is too... enjoy!

❤Britt

Rain, Tweed, and Hunters

The only bright side of this day was my aqua-hued tweed skirt and that I got to wear my Hunter boots. In case you can't tell from the pictures, it was rainy and gross outside (just light enough so that we could actually take pictures that day). It was also really cold! All complaints about the weather aside, this is only the second time I've worn this skirt and I love it! The colors are much prettier in person and the slight flare is adorable. The first time I wore it I paired it with a cobalt blue top but this time, since it was so cold and I absolutely had to wear a sweater, I chose this eggplant one to pull out the purple threads in the skirt. It also goes with my purple Hunter boots!

skirt- J. Crew, sweater- J. Crew, belt- J. Crew, boots- Hunter, stockings- J. Crew, clutch- Express, sunglasses- Kate Spade, bracelet- Forever 21, earrings- Tiffany & Co.

'Well, time for my Thursday night tea (I've been loving Twinings Darjeeling lately)... and I should probably spend some time with Joe since he just got back from a business trip in Chicago :) I hope you get to relax tonight... it's almost Friday! What are you doing for the weekend?

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Classic in Pink and Black

So, time for another one of my recent obsessions: pink! I can't seem to get enough of it... especially shocking pink (I bought a tank top this weekend in this particular shade and I cannot wait to wear it!)! For this look, I painted my nails a Barbie pink with a neon accent nail, worked J. Crew's flats in neon azalea, added pink and coral neon rings, and wore bright pink lipstick. Also, this thermos is lovely and instantly brightens my morning coffee time.

sweater- J. Crew, pants- Kut from the Kloth, shoes- J. Crew, bag- Kate Spade, sunglasses- Kate Spade, rings- Madewell, earrings- Anthropologie, thermos- Kate Spade (thanks Tara!)

These pants may be the most comfortable pair I've ever worn (aside from leggings, of course!)... this was my first time wearing them and I love the way they fit. I didn't even want to get changed when I got home from work that night (a rare thought for me as I've already told you how much I love my leggings). What's your go to piece for comfort?

❤Britt