new year's musings and an update

Oh HEY there, friends! I feel like I haven't blogged in about a month (tail between legs), it's nice to be back! Did you all have a relaxing, restful holiday? We had a blast in Connecticut - it went by in such a blur, but here are some highlights:

We ate a lot. We drank a lot. We laughed a LOT.

We hung out with lots of cute little ones. We made this:

MOV_9636.m4v

I'm actually oddly feeling that look, in that video. I came across a random t-shirt from when I studied abroad and truly lived in it for the entirety of my trip. Which is why I felt better about life when I saw this. Which is very different from today's topic on LRW. Are you guys going out for NYE? Raven and I are attending a birthday brunch during the day, and he actually has the night off, so we're considering hitting up our friend's house party. What will I wear? What is festive and yet not sparkly/obvious and not unrealistic to put on my body? Here's what I've worn in the past:

Four years ago I wore a silky navy tunic with knit leggings and a thin gold belt (remember when everyone belted every shirt ever?).

Two years ago I wore a red peplum tube top (which had previously been a dress that I took a pair of scissors to) with a red flannel and black holey skinny jeans.

This year, I would love to wear a pantsuit like this, but I don't own one, and with a wedding on the horizon, my clothing allowance is essentially nil. Tell me, friends, what are you wearing this New Year's Eve? What are your plans? Inquiring minds want to know...

xoxo,

image 4 by Joe Power, image 5 by Kennedy Kanagawa.

wedding wednesday, part 1

Morning, friends! There's only one more sleep till Christmas! I am so excited to celebrate - Raven and Charlie get in in a few hours and there's going to be lots of holiday cheer happening in the next few days. I had a great night's sleep and feel so much better today, so I thought I would kick off a new series - Wedding Wednesday! I am totally open to names, here, for this series, but for posterity, let's call it what it is for now. Even though Raven and I have only been engaged for a week, we've been brainstorming ideas for our wedding since we designed my ring. I'm excited to say we have a date, a venue and more importantly (to me), a wedding planner! I've been a fan of Melissa McNeeley's work for years, and I was thrilled when she said she'd work with us for our big day. Two seconds into my first phone call with her, she completely understood our vision. Raven and I love the outdoors and the fall and winter seasons, so a cozy November wedding by a lake in Connecticut is perfect for us. I've put together a moodboard from my Pinterest page so you can get an idea of what we're thinking:

Yup, you guessed it! Lots of plaid, lots of dark, moody colors, and we are trying our hardest to make the inside look like the Connecticut woods. Oh, and we are thrilled and HONORED to be having Ashley Caroline Photography photograph our wedding (basically, we planned our date around her availability)! Needless to say we are so excited to start this planning process. What do you guys think??

xoxo,

images via Pinterest and here.

boudoir session with victoria gloria!

Hi ladies and gents! Apologies for the late post today, I of course came down with some achy fever-y type of illness the second I got home, so I've been sleeping it off. But, I had to pop in today to tell you of an exciting opportunity this January!

My good friend Victoria Gloria is hosting a very limited number of boudoir sessions and I am styling them all! I am so excited for this shoot, you have no idea. I've worked on boudoir sessions before, and they're so fun to style because there's so much to experiment with. For this shoot, Victoria and I have talked a lot about vintage silk and lace, faux fur, and fun stockings. I've started sourcing pieces already, ladies, and things are looking good.

If you're getting married, or just want to do something sweet and sexy for your love, this is the shoot for you. Victoria is so wonderful to shoot with, and her images are pure and so strong. Her work is so exceptional, please check her out by clicking the link above. If you have any questions about the shoot (look at all you get for what you pay!) drop me a line here or send me an email.

Can't wait to see you January 17th!

xoxo,

she wears many hats

Freedommmmm! Is my middle name. As of 12am this morning, I am officially off for the next week! I had a restful Saturday (Harry Potter and wine) and a work filled Sunday (lovely wedding with Ashley!), and here I am at my parent's house, sipping coffee in my jammies at the kitchen table. Bliss! Was your hood as cold as mine yesterday? At the wedding, I was freeeeeezing, and I found myself wishing I had brought a cozy winter hat. I'm super spoiled because my SIL is the most talented knitter and has made me some gorgeous snuggly winter pieces, but there's no harm in browsing, right? Today I've rounded up some gorgeous hats to keep you stylish and warm all winter long:

 // pink lady // veiled // kitty cat hat // fair isle // frenchie // headband // houndstooth //

I feel cozier already, don't you? I love Eugenia Kim's pieces - I just recently discovered her, and I already scooped up one of her headbands for my wedding (yes, I'm insane)!!

Here's hoping you have a lovely, friends!

xoxo,

legging love

You can guess what's on my mind lately. CHRISTMAS. Specifically, curling up on the couch with babies and animals. I don't want to sound TOO 2008, but I've been thinking a lot about leggings lately. They're easy, they're (usually) flattering, and they're comfortable. Let's do leggings right this holiday season. Here's how I would style them for myself:

// sweatshirt // leggings // earrings // sneakers (on sale!) //

Sneakers are the footwear loophole for leggings. Wear them with your leggings, unabashedly, as if to say "I could be working out, or I could be looking really busy, or I could be hanging out." We don't really want anyone to be abundantly aware that we're wearing leggings  - they're the most polarizing pants out there. So aside from not being see- through, we need to mind our calf / ankle situation. The only rule is, no lower calves / ankles. Cover those babies up. That is to say,  no loafers, no flats, no brogues. It's either boots, sneakers, or bust. Check it out:

// sweater // leggings // watch // boots //

Another good rule of thumb is: cover your bootie. Even though David Lerner leggings (please, if you're going to buy a pair of leggings, invest in his) are thick and not sheer, it's not really apropos to have people seeing your junk up close and personal. So, long sweaters and tunics. And I just like to avoid cardigans because I feel like they're a little too easy and obvious. There are exceptions to every rule, believe me, I'm not trying to shame everyone, I just want to give you all my opinion.

// dress // leggings // boots //

My sister often wears mini dresses over leggings (as opposed to tights) to work. I love this look - it's office appropriate and uber comfortable. Any dress that you deem too short for work is probably perfect for this look. Throw a jersey knit turtleneck under any short sleeved dress to transition to a winter look. These rag & bone booties work beautifully because of the high rise in the front.

What do you all have to say about my tips? Any questions?

xoxo,