purple + blue

It's difficult to see in these pictures, but my shirt, sweater, and vest are different colors. The shirt and vest are navy blue, and the cardigan is dark purple. I think this is the first time I've paired these two dark colors together, and I like the dark, mysterious & wintery look that resulted.

There are obviously many ways to pair colors - complementary, analogous, and warm & cool colors. And then there's wearing colors that are the same saturation - dark blue and dark purple. mint and baby pink. mustard and burnt orange. You can pull off any color combination, as long as the colors are the same "depth." It makes a look more cohesive and intentional, instead of "I got dressed in the dark." Not to say that you CAN'T pair different color saturations (and you should!) but sometimes the best color combinations come from neighboring colors on the color wheel, but in the same tone.

Really, though - try it sometime: deep jewel tones, pastels, navy and purple, forest green and deep red (Christmas colors!), and let me know how it turns out.

shirt: thrifted (Target)

cardigan: Ann Taylor

vest: Old Navy

jeans: thrifted (Old Navy)

shoes: DSW

necklace: from my Grandmother

game day: part 1

A few weeks ago, my friend, Chelsea (her blog here) gave me an idea for a blog post. She told me she struggles to look cute at sporting events, without looking like a hot mess express student wearing a t-shirt turned strapless dress. Not that a t-shirt turned strapless dress is a bad look, but if you're trying to look a bit more mature and classy while watching your favorite team, you're probably looking for some other ideas. 

Here are five warmer-weather looks you could wear to your favorite team's football game this fall.

Look for game day: part 2 later this fall, as the temperatures drop (it will include A LOT more layers).

A graphic tee of your favorite team and white pants. Or try white shorts. I'd wear this to watch the game at a friend's house - I'd probably stay away from tailgates and bleachers in these pants...

A graphic tee, a skirt and some boots. Boots of any kind would do well for tailgating, especially if the parking around the stadium is in fields, rather than on blacktop.

Another skirt, but this one a solid. It also has pockets. 

 

Don't be afraid to layer over your shirt - sometimes it gets cold watching games, and your chambray can act as a light jacket. I probably wouldn't wear flats to tailgate or attend the game in person, but definitely to watch the game with friends at someone's house, or a restaurant.

And if you don't have a graphic tee for your team, fear not! Just wear something that incorporates your team's colors (the Denver Broncos are orange and blue) - that way you're still showing team spirit.

I found my "Broncos Pride" tee at Victoria's Secret - they've got a whole line of apparel for NFL & college teams, as well as stuff for your favorite MLB team (I've got Colorado Rockies yoga pants). 

However, there are plenty of other places to find an outfit for your favorite team. WalMart, Target, the thrift store (sometimes they have the best stuff - I got a t-shirt from the Rockies inaugural season there, 1994, baby!), JCPenney, the team's official website, or make something yourself. In high school, we used to take tees & tanks and paint on names and numbers of the guys on the football and basketball teams.

I'd love to see how you show your team spirit - do you go all out? When my brother played high school football and baseball, I wore lots of too-big sweatshirts and windbreakers in navy blue and forest green (our school colors) with our school logo & mascot emblazoned on them. I'm sure I still have a few of them around...

that being said, I like to think I've matured a bit when it comes to what I wear to sporting events.

Broncos Pride tee: Victoria's Secret 

orange striped tank top: Target

chambray: WalMart

white pants: Old Navy

striped skirt: J. Crew Factory

black skirt: from a friend

gray skirt: from a friend

tassel flats: Target

boots: Steve Madden via DSW

python flats: WalMart

plaid tennis shoes: Coach via DSW

blue scarf: WalMart

wednesday

Here's a preppy, almost nautical look for this Wednesday. A white button-up, navy & white striped skirt, and white sandals. So, Happy Hump Day!

shirt: GAP

skirt: J. Crew Factory

sandals: DSW

what I'm not saying

 

 

 

 

 

I’m not saying you SHOULDN’T wear white after Labor Day. I’m just saying you should style it differently than I did here. I’ve got plans to wear my white jeans with chunky sweaters and boots this fall and winter. However, it was still summer when I wore these two outfits (which is til September 23^rd, so don’t go wishing fall upon us just yet), and it was also Labor Day or earlier. With both of these, I took a monochromatic approach – I’ve been dying to wear white on white all summer.

left:

shirt: Old Navy

scarf: WalMart

shorts: Old Navy

sandals: Born via DSW

right:

shirt: Aéropostale

shorts: Old Navy

shoes: Rocketdog via DSW

blushing x2

 

 

 

 

 

Since picking up this blush blouse at H&M on my 4^th of July trip to Florida, I want to wear it almost every day (that was almost two whole months ago. WOW. I think my sun burn tan lines are fading). And now I want all of my clothes, accessories and shoes in shades of blush and nude, with the occasional piece of black, brown, or gray thrown in, to mix it up.

Can one ever have too many neutrals? I say no. To prove my point, here are two ways I’ve worn this blush blouse – once with skinnies & nude heels, and the other with a light pink skirt and brown wedges.

left: 

blouse: H&M

skinnies: Aéropostale

nude heels: Target

right:

blouse: H&M

skirt: Nordstrom

brown wedges: Rocketdog via DSW

me and kacey

For two (short) weekends in a row this summer, I went to a concert every weekend. First was Tim McGraw, and the most recent was Kacey Musgraves. We just missed her performance last summer at Sports Authority Field at Mile High before the Eli Young Band, Eric Church, and Kenny Chesney, and were reeeeeally bummed. So when I heard she was coming to Colorado (with shows in Aspen and Denver), I bought tickets right away. 

Kacey performed at the Ogden Theatre in Denver and put on a really great show. The venue was smaller(ish), we grabbed a spot up in the balcony (right by the bar), and swayed and clapped along all night. I was a fan before, but now I'd say I'm a HUGE fan. 

Girl can sing!

And play guitar!

And write songs!

She wrote "Mama's Broken Heart," made popular by the lovely Miranda Lambert. She played some songs off her new album and I can't wait for it to come out. 

I wore my new arrow print tank from Aéropostale as a subtle nod to one of Kacey's songs "Follow Your Arrow," and even got complimented on my whole ensemble a few times at the show - a little country, a little sweet, a little (teeny-weeny-tiny-bit) edgy. Kinda. Sorta.

Arrow Racerback Tank: Aéropostale

 Scalloped Crochet Skirt: Aéropostale

clutch: thrifted

boots: Steve Madden via DSW

me and tim

After my Dad and I ran the 10k Saturday morning, D and I headed up to Cheyenne, Wyoming to see Tim McGraw perform at Cheyenne Frontier Days. We lucked out with tickets - one of D's friends had purchased them, but wasn't able to make the concert. So, he sent them to us. And I got to see Tim.

*swoon*

The opening acts were Cassadee Pope and Kip Moore - both put on a really good show. And before Tim performed, the organizers of the rodeo announced the headlining acts for next year's show: Miranda Lambert and Keith Urban. You better believe I'm gonna try to get my hands on some Miranda tickets.

from Instagram. D is not a huge country music fan, but he's coming around. We saw Kacey Musgraves, the Eli Young Band, Eric Church and Kenny Chesney last summer and he even admitted it was a good show.

I had planned to wear a skirt, but the weather was calling for rain (and when it rains in Colorado and/or Wyoming, it's cold). Turns out, it was hot and humid. Blegh. Regardless, I got to see Tim and sway along to "Red Ragtop", "Just to See You Smile" and some new songs, like "Back at Mama's," and "Overrated."

shirt: from a friend (Lauren Conrad via Kohl's)

jeans: Aéropostale

boots: Steve Madden via DSW

beer: Blue Moon ;)