Leopard & Leather

// Jacket H&M in stores similar here // Denim here // Scarf NYC// Booties similar here // Lips MAC Russian Red // Belt Target // Watch here (LOVE) //

Have you stopped over to see Jade at A Spoonful of Style? Well, I was obsessing about her fabulous jacket posted here. I was equally devastated to see it was sold out in my size (UGH). 

Thankfully, I spotted this great alternative at H&M in stores for $40. I thought it was perfect because it screams Polished to me. The high color, the leather sleeves, and the detail on the back, I knew it was something that could easily be added to my wardrobe. This is the definition of trendy--when you can add a few articles can be integrated into your existing wardrobe that you LOVE. This is it! 

Spoiler Alert: I thoroughly enjoy shopping! Shocker, right!? Well, besides the art of shopping, I love physically taking my finds home with me for a personal fashion show. When shopping online, my 'shopping high' is... well, kind of deflates. Although I LOVED her jacket, I was happy to snatch this up and wear it out of the mall! (You all know I am not kidding!)

Thanks for stopping by!

--Kelsey

Follow us on Instagram @KelseyMKipp and @Courtney_m_B

Winter Bliss

Turtleneck JCrew // Denim Express // Jacket Loft-similar Old Navy // Vest Aeropostale // Boots here // Statement Necklace Shamelessly Sparkly // Bag Francesca's Collections // Mittens H&M //

Have I mentioned I live in Buffalo? You know, home of blizzard weather. Last week, we experience the Vortex of 2014--city shut down, state of emergency, complete white out! Well, thankfully the snow belt has passed but it is C-O-L-D. Needless to say, layering, mittens, and boots have become essential, literally! So, I make no excuses for living in my fur. It feels even better knowing I only paid $20 for this winter white vest!

 

Since my winter bliss attire is full of layers, I needed a piece of jewelry to Polish it off. I chose this statement necklace from Shamelessly Sparkly. Ode to the statement necklace-such a selfish piece, isn't it? Even wearing multiple layers, patterns, destroyed denim, and still it steals your attention. Isn't it FABULOUS!? Doing what it does best... making a statement! Check out their website, I am so glad I found it :)

 

--Kelsey

 

Don't forget to follow us on Instagram @KelseyMKipp and @Courtney_m_B

Quick Change

So here's the thing, I don't know about you all, but I tend to think/insist that everything I do requires an outfit. And by everything, I mean EVERYthing. So if I go for a workout, then grocery shopping, then to dinner, that's three outfits. I make no apologies for my need to do this, not a single one. However, a gal can run out of options really quick doing this. And although I LOVE to shop, I couldn't possibly sustain 3 outfits a day. This is where accessories and beauty options come into play! Yay-my favorite! :)

Accessories, makeup and hair Polish an outfit. These pieces give a look it's "feel," if you will. A soft eye and dainty jewelry says something much different than brushed out curls and a red lip. A heeled boot was made for a different kind of walking than a riding boot. Changing these pieces of an outfit can make such a difference and the best part is...they are easily carried from place to place!

Let's take happy hour or an after work event, for example. I am sorry, but I am not even trying to wear exactly what I wore for 7 hours. I like to separate work and play, outfits included. But seriously, who has enough time to pack up an entirely new outfit? Or haul it from point A to point B? Not to mention, who wants to change in a bathroom stall if it's not necessary? 

Shoes, a brush, a belt, and red lipstick are all I had to carry to change this look in 5 minutes without having to actually change. A make up touch up is necessary, especially your lipstick! We all know how a red lip can make us feel-HELLO happy hour-here I come! Brushing out my hair was a preference, I like to wear it both ways, but when you want to change a look, changing your hair makes a huge difference! This is why I always, ALWAYS have a tease comb on hand (check out my tease tutorial). Adding a belt cinches in the waist and changes the silhouette of this dress, making it look and feel like a totally different dress! Changing my boots from a flat to a heel adds just another Polishing touch to the outfit, not to mention I love a high heeled boot alllll the time! My laptop bag can double as a purse that matches the outfit and voila! I am ready in under 5 minutes to take on my next event!

 Outfit Details: Dress-Target // Boots-Nine West (Similar here) // Link bracelet-Target // Belt-Marshalls (Similar here) // Earrings-Charming Charlie (LOVE these from Shamelessly Sparkly) // Lipstick-Covergirl Tempt 355 // Computer bag-Target // Sunglasses-RayBan // Ring-Forever 21 (Similar here)

Happy, happy hour my lovelies! 

--Courtney

Check out our Instagram pages for more styling tips and tricks! Courtney_m_b & Kelseymkipp

Date Night

Thank you to all of my fabulous followers who are asking about my Date Night Look. Below are all of the details! Feel free to leave your comments below :)

 

 

Dress from Express // Tassel Necklace Brina Box // Bracelet here // Shoes (obsessed) from Daily Look // Stockings similar here //

I am loving this necklace--I think I have worn it everyday since I bought it :)

If You Like It Then You Shoulda' Put a Scarf On It.

Outfit Details: Shoes-Express (Now 50% off!) // Jeans-American Eagle // Shirt-Express (Now 50% off!)// Scarf-Burlington (similar here for 50% off!) // Link Bracelet-NY&Co (similar here for 50% off!) // Watch-The Limited (similar here) // Earrings-NY&Co (similar here for 50% off!) // Sunglasses-RayBan 


Okay so here’s the deal…I literally love scarves so much and I have become quite the hoarder collector. I like a wool scarf, a summer scarf, a trendy scarf, a scarf that’s actually meant to keep you warm scarf, and the list goes on. But let’s be serious, wearing a scarf, no matter how “summerish” it is, in the summer, does not interest me as much as I wish it would (it’s too hot people, my neck needs to breath a few months out of the year!). Anyhow, I count down the days and check the weather like a maniac to see when it’s time to pull out the trusty “cherries on top” of my outfits, if you will. I do look at my necklace collection with sadness because I know that scarves will take their place on my neck for the foreseeable future. No love lost though. But seriously, scarfs make me HAPPY.

See how happy scarves make me?!

My personal favorite is a leopard scarf that I snagged for $8 at…Burlington…yes…Burlington. P.s. if you haven’t checked out the accessories at Burlington in a while, please do, your wallet and your outfits will thank you! I also love my “pashminas” and have them in way too many colors a lot of colors. I put “pashminas” in quotes because well…mine are all from Canal Street in China Town and most of the “pashmina” tags fell off years ago. Nonetheless, I have fond memories of finding them on the streets with my sister and smile a little every time I put one on.

I enjoy finding new ways to wear my scarfs and have collected quite the body of research (…my Pinterest page) on new ways to do so. One of my new favorites is the braided scarf. Check out the instructions here.

A braid adds a little extra Polish to this look. 

Now onto the scarf struggle that I have faced this fall in the saga that is “Courtney Vs. Trends Vs. Labels Vs. Wallet”…the Zara blanket scarf. Oh, how much I LOVE these scarves. I love the colors, the fabric, the 100 million ways to style them, and the SIZE. Hello, these scarfs aren’t called “blanket” scarfs for nothing! Who doesn’t want to wear a blanket all day? I certainly DO.  The larger the scarf, the faster it goes into my shopping bag. Which by the way, reminds my of shoulder pads. Why you ask? Well I believe that a trend starts small and as women or men begin to accept the trend and wear the trend, the trend gets bigger and bigger. We want people to notice that we are fashionable and trendy (ladies, we definitely noticed your shoulder pads…). And so help me God, I want people to know how trendy I am by wearing a Zara blanket scarf. So, I bought one and we lived happily ever after.

Kidding. I can’t get myself to spend 40 dollars on a piece of fabric. I just can’t do it. And trust me, I  tried. I must have searched the scarf 1,000 times and put it in a shopping bag at least 5 times. I am one to search out what I want, find it for a good price and bask in it’s glory. I like quality pieces with lasting worth and relevance to my lifestyle. I am not so sure that this blanket scarf fits into my lifestyle very well. I am a teacher and wearing such a large scarf all day may will not last so long. So, I decided to…make my own. And by make my own, I mean getting a yard of fabric and styling it perfectly. So, I searched my local Hancock Fabrics and did I EVER hit the “knock off Zara blanket scarf” lotto! I found the two most perfect fabrics on the sale table (even better, cha-ching, cha-ching!). For a total of less than $8 for two yards of fabric, I left the store with two scarves resembling the ever so coveted blanket scarf. I WAS SO EXCITED (can you tell how excited I was?) that I put one on right in my car! Is it ironic that I had to take off a scarf to put my new one on? Yes No, it means that this gal LOVES her scarves.

The actual "Zara" scarf car selfie...I just couldn't wait!

Thank you for reading! 

--Courtney