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

Stripes and Sperrys... Thinking of Spring

And so we begin with a close up of my GiGi New York monogrammed clutch :) Isn't it pretty? Believe it or not, I actually did not plan this outfit around the bag. I planned it around the nailpolish (and it just so happened that the threading for the buttons on the shoulders of this top was lime green... pretty serendipitous if you ask me). It has been really rainy and gray here these past few days and I'm really looking forward to spring so I decided to go with a nautical look over the weekend and got crafty with my hair to hide the frizz... the weather just hasn't been cooperating lately! I loved breaking out my Sperrys and this red, white, and navy striped top was the perfect complement... I also added a pair of turquoise shell earrings. Anyone else ready for the beach?

shirt- Anthropologie (thanks Can!), jeans- J. Crew, belt- J. Crew, shoes- Sperry Top-Sider, necklace- Tiffany & Co., sunglasses- Ray-Ban, earrings- old (so old that I cannot remember where they're from!), watch- Kate Spade, bracelets- Express, ring- Madewell

I hope this outfit reminds you of spring and summer and helps to put you in a lighter mood, too (it changed my mood considerably!)! Happy Tuesday :)

❤Britt

A Mustard, Lime, and Hat Kind of Day

So... here's the surprise present that I was talking about... a monogrammed all in one bag from GiGi New York in lime! Joe was so sweet- he left the box on my pillow and then asked me to go upstairs to get him something... I was really surprised... and impressed! I am totally in love with this clutch. I think I've used it at least three times this weekend (and even planned outfits around it)! I didn't originally have the hat in the plans for this outfit but as you can see, it was a rainy kind of day and my hair definitely needed some cover... it started to frizz the minute I stepped outside. Also, I had painted my nails this bright red before Joe gave me the bag the night before so I added some red lipstick to pull it all together!  I really liked the bold color palette of this ensemble. The navy and the hunter were muted enough to allow the mustard top to shine but still gave the look some punch. The black heels and hat grounded the color scheme, and, as for the lime... I had no choice :) What color combination would you have done with the lime?

pants- J. Crew, shirt- J. Crew, blazer- J. Crew, shoes- MICHAEL Michael Kors, belt- J. Crew, necklace- Anthropologie (old), hat- Charter Club (old), clutch- GiGi New York

I hope you all had a wonderful weekend! We certainly did and we ended it just the way every weekend should end... with a nice cup of tea and a movie marathon.

❤Britt

Chocolate Chip and Salted Caramel Cookie Bars

After a long week, I decided it was time for a pick me up... yes, in the form of chocolate and salted caramel! Most of my baked goods end up in my husband's lunch box to take to the office anyway... he's never brought any back home so I guess that means they like them :) That's where more than half of these bars ended up this morning and Joe said they were gone before the end of their morning meeting! They really are that good... I hope you have a chance to try them... I prefer mine with a scoop of ice cream (or two)!

Inspired by the recipe from twopeasandtheirpod.com, makes 16 cookie bars

This is a relatively simple recipe. You can really substitue any cookie batter you want... I used my own variation of Toll House's chocolate chip cookie recipe and then just made the caramel according to the directions on two peas and their pod. I also used their baking instructions.

Ingredients:
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 cup (2 sticks) butter (I use salted)
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 1/2 teaspoon  vanilla extract
2 large eggs
1 3/4 cups milk chocolate chips
10 ounces caramel candy squares, unwrapped
3 tablespoons heavy cream (I used light cream)
Additional sea salt for sprinkling

Directions:
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Spray a 2 quart baking pan (I used a 2.2 quart Pyrex dish) with a non stick baking spray.
Combine flour, baking soda, and salt in a small bowl. Mix butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar, and vanilla in a large bowl. Add eggs one at a time and then slowly add the flour mixture. Stir in chocolate chips.
In a large microwave safe bowl, combine the caramels and cream. Microwave on high until caramels are melted, stirring every 20 seconds (this took me about 3 minutes- the timing depends on your microwave).
Divide the cookie dough in half and press half into the prepared pan. Cover the cookie dough with the hot caramel and sprinkle with sea salt. Layer second half of cookie dough over the caramel (I flattened the dough in my hands and placed over the caramel... it doesn't spread well so this method is best). Sprinkle with additional sea salt as desired.
Bake for 30 minutes or until the top layer is a light golden brown. Cool to room temperature before cutting into bars to serve.

Enjoy!
❤Britt

Emerald Love

Today was a lovely day. Aside from the fact that green is my favorite color and my post today involves a big dose of emerald, I was able to bake something that involved both salted caramel AND chocolate (to be posted at a later date), I went to the bookstore (one of my favorite places), and Joe bought me a surprise gift (also to be showcased at a later date!)! I added the green cardigan here to brighten up the black on black, the pearls to class it up a bit, and the vintage looking sunglasses both to add to the vintage feel of the look and for another pop of color (I love the burgundy!). I thought the loafers helped to dress it down and worked as an unexpected piece. I also paired my Rebecca Minkoff bag with this (another gift from Joe) because the color is similar to the pearls I'm wearing... and because I'm in love with this bag.

skirt- Gap outlet (old), shirt- J. Crew, cardigan- J. Crew, stockings- Hue, loafers- Bass, bag- Rebecca Minkoff, necklaces- Bedazzled Boutique (old), sunglasses- very old

 

It's finally Thursday night... it has been a long week but I hope it's been a good one for you. We've had some beautiful weather here :) Also, I'm currently obsessed with monogramming... I can't stop thinking about it! What is your current style obsession?

 

❤Britt