Wednesday Uniform

Source

Like every other girl in the world I am obsessed with mean girls; even 10 years after it originally came out in theaters. Mean girls is a iconic movie; and like everyone else who loves this movie....on Wednesdays I try to wear pink (original, I know hahaha) This Wednesday it was no different, I decided to pay homage to Mean Girls by wearing pink.

On Wednesday we wear pink and monograms:

Earrings (Exact Here) // Shirt (No longer available but good options Here, Here and Here) // 

Clutch (Exact Here) // Shoes (Similar Here) // Jeans (Exact Here)

Sunglasses (Exact Here)

Pink and a monogram is the perfect combination :)

Love, Isabel

Leopard is a Neutral

Source

I have a slight obsession with leopard print; ok i'm lying I am completely obsessed with leopard print.   Leopard print as an accessory can take an outfit from boring to fabulous, and leopard print as the focal point can be hard to pull off but it is done the right way all eyes will be on you (in a good way!)

One of my favorite leopard pieces in my closet is my leopard faux fur vest, so naturally I had to wear it twice for forgetting about it al winter long :)

One vest two ways...

The first day I wore this leopard vest was to work and I decided on an all black outfit and letting the vest be the focal point.

Shirt (Similar Here) // Pants (Similar Here) // Vest (Similar Here or Here) //
Booties (Similar Here)

A selfie with this vest was a must :)

Necklace (Similar Here) // Kendra Scott Necklace (Exact Here)

The second day I wore the vest to travel back home and it was the perfect combination of warmth and chic. I decided on a neutral palette to offset the leopard print :)

Sweater (Similar Here) // Vest (Similar Here or Here) // Jeans (Exact Here) //

Booties (Similar Here) // Kendra Scott Necklace (Exact Here)

Love, Isabel

Working in a Winter Wonderland

I love snow...well let me rephrase that; I love snow when it doesn't cause flight delays and I don't have to go outside. Since I work in Michigan it means I have to deal with snow most days during the winter; but that doesn't mean that you can't look cute.

When I first started traveling to cold weather place I thought that being warm and stylish was impossible; but I was wrong! Now a days fall and winter are my favorite seasons to get dressed for! Layers can make an outfit better!

This week when I got to Michigan I was struggling with the cold weather and I had been in a style rut..so I decided to add some color to my outfits :)

 

Sweater (Exact Here) // Pants (Similar Here) // 

Kendra Scott Necklace (Exact Here) // Shoes (Similar Here)

 

One of my favorite outfits this week!

 

It was also a good hair day :)

 

When I leave the office I have to change my shoes...this is something I've had to get used to 

Boots (Exact Here, and they are on sale!)

  The snow looks so pretty!!!

Stay Warm! :)

Love, Isabel

Leaving on a Jet Plane

 Source

Today we are getting some fresh and fluffy snow here in Michigan!

You might think what is this Texas girl doing in Michigan...well I live in Texas but work in Michigan...it is quite a commute hahaha! Once a week I pack my bags (let's be hones I never unpack them when I come home)  and fly to Michigan, then on the weekends I fly back home to be with my family! I've had this lifestyle for almost two years now (different states but same routine) and I love it, I'm not going to lie there are times when I hate waking up early or get really frustrated when I get delayed or stuck in an airport (last year I got stuck in Vermont on Valentine's Day...my fiance wasn't happy about that!)

Over the past two years I have learned a lot of things about being a 'Business Traveler' and I would like to share those things with y'all:

1) Enroll in all of the loyalty programs that you can: I highly recommend enrolling in hotel and airlines loyalty programs; when you travel as much as I do it is nice to know that when you get stuck somewhere or miss a flight you won't charge extra fees to get home. It is also really nice not to have to pay for baggage fees when I travel (it's a little bad for the over packer in me!)

2) Always pack and extra set of clothes in your carry on: I didn't always do this, but after being stuck in airports several times I starting carrying extra clothes. A couple of months ago I was coming to Michigan and got stuck in Minneapolis; it was a Sunday afternoon and of course I was wearing casual clothes. The next morning I had a meeting with the client and I couldn't show up wearing leggings and a baggy sweater...Luckily I was smart enough to pack a dress and a pair of heels in my carry on bag, I made it to my meeting on time and looked the part :)

3) There is no such thing as being over-prepared: My fiance always makes fun of me because in my purse I have make up remover wipes, anti-bacterial wipes, travel size hairspray, travel size deodorant, contact solution, contact case, Advil, trial size mascara....you get the idea...When you travel you never know what might happen, it is a great thing to be prepared for anything! The travel isle at the grocery store is my best friend...I even found a tide to go travel size pen! I was way too excited about that! haha

4) Make friends with the people at the hotel and airline counters: These people can make your life a lot easier when you travel. There have been times when the hotel we stay at is sold out and for some reason I forgot to make my reservation for that week; I was freaking out a little bit because I thought I was going to have to sleep on the street that week (I'm a little dramatic lol), but the guy at the front desk got me a room and gave me a hard time for not making my reservation...Another time I was stuck in Vermont due to weather, but i really needed to get home that day, the lady at the airline counter was able to get me on a flight out of Vermont and get me home that night...as bad as my experiences traveling might be sometimes, these people really try to do their best to make your travels easier. I still get birthday cards and Christmas cards from the hotel where I used to stay in Vermont :)

5) Plan complete outfits when you pack: When I started traveling I always packed clothes but didn't have complete outfits, this became a problem because when got to my destination I wasn't happy with what I had packed and it also led to over packing. Now I plan complete outfits; from the clothes I am going to wear all the way to the jewelry that will complete my outfits :) This has helped me get ready faster in the mornings, stop over packing (well I still over pack but not as much!), and love the outfits I am going to wear while I am away.

6) Always check the weather: This might be common sense; but you should always check the weather for your destination as well as your departure place. Checking the weather will help you pack for the place where you are going as well as for your return back home. This is always helpful for me because it might be 60 degrees in Texas and 20 degrees and snowing in Michigan (just like today!)

7) Learn to adapt to the weather: Getting dressed for work in Texas and getting dressed for work in Michigan is quite different, specially during the winter. In Michigan when it is snowing I wear my snow boots and snow jacket to leave the hotel...I usually leave my heels at the office and change when I get there. When I started traveling I made the mistake to wear heels outside, while it was snowing....big mistake...needless to say I fell and one of my shoes got stuck in the snow so I had to walk barefoot across the street to retrieve my shoe...it was really embarrassing....

8) Do your research: I believe this is one of the most important things I can tell y'all...it doesn't matter where you are going to be or what you will be doing; always be informed about the place you will be visiting. I have a coworker that researches the best restaurants, the best grocery stores, and things to do in the city; we might be traveling for work but we still want to make the most of it! Research help me when I switch from traveling US Airway ans started traveling with Delta...I was really upset because after a year and a half of traveling with US Air I had to start from the bottom again; but after doing my research I realize that Delta has a status match program, this allowed me to keep my status with a different airline :) Always do your research you never know what you might find!

9) Enjoy yourself: It doesn't matter where you are going or why you are going there; make the most of your travels...there are a lot of people who would kill to have the same opportunities :)


I hope these tips will help on your future travels!! :)

Love, Isabel

#LoveYourClosetChallenge

The past couple of days I have been posting outfit pictures on my Instagram with the hashtag #LoveYourClosetChallenge....and I gotten a lot of questions from my family and friends about what it is...

Last week I joined two wonderful bloggers; Abbie from All Things Tiffany Blue and Samantha from Life & Messy Hair on the #LoveYourClosetChallenge and pledged to not to shop for 30 days!! These wonderful ladies came up with an amazing idea; for 30 days (from January 14th until February 14) only wear things that you already own, fall in love again with the things in your closet and stop impulse shopping.

When I first read about this challenge on their Instagram I thought it would be so much fun, but I did not realize how hard it would be. Anybody that knows me knows that I LOVE to shop, and most of the time I buy things that I don't need, or things that I am going to wear once and then forget about them. I decided to do this challenge because it will help stop shopping just to shop and it will also help me become more aware of the clothes, shoes, and accessories that I already own!

One of the most exciting parts of this challenge is using your creativity to put together looks that you didn't know were in your own closet!! After the challenge you should have created 28 outfits from things you already own; there are 2 free days because everyone deserves a lazy day! :) (I already used one of those days on Friday! It was a hard week hahaha)

If you want to participate on #LoveYourClosetChallenge make sure to check out Abbie's post and Samantha's post about the challenge for all the rules and details :)

Here are my first 7 looks for the #LoveYourClosetChallenge....Enjoy!

Day 1:  

After a stressful 3 days at work my fiancé and I decided to go on a casual date, which we hadn't done in a while. It was chilly outside (30 degrees is really cold in Texas!) and I wanted to be comfortable but still look cute...that's when I found this Lauren Conrad sweater that I got over a year ago, and it still had the tags!!!

Sweater (Similar here) // Leggings (Same here) // Boots (Similar here) //

Monogram (Similar here) // Kendra Scott Necklace (Exact here)

All Smiles for Date Night :)

Day 2:

I have an obsession with animal sweaters and bows...i can't believe I forgot I owned this beautiful pair of shoes :)

Monogrammed Necklace (Exact Here)

Owl Sweater (Similar Here) // Jeans (Exact Here) 

Shoes (Similar Here same brand, just open toe)

Day 3:

I used one of my free days! I was in my PJs all day, and it was AMAZING :)

Day 4:

My fiancé and I drove to his hometown for his little brother's reception/going away party, he joined the army and will be leaving for boot-camp next week! We will miss him very much, but I know he is going to accomplish amazing things!!!!!

Necklace (Similar Here) // Blouse (Similar Here) // Jeans (Exact Here) //

Booties (Similar Here and Here)

Let's not forget a mirror picture :)

Day 5:

Sunday was spent make-upless, with my family, watching football and taking naps...I really love Sundays!!! I completely forgot I own a monogram sweatshirt!!!! I was really excited to find it in my closet :)

Sweatshirt (Similar Here) 

Monograms on my walls, monograms on my clothes....Monograms everywhere!!

Day 6:

After a week at home it was time to travel back to Michigan for work! I always try to be comfortable when I travel, but that doesn't mean I can't look cute ;) Layers were very important for this outfit because I was going from 70 degree weather to 30 degree weather...

Sweater (Exact Here, different color) // Layering white sweater (Exact here) // 

Leggings (Exact Here) // Booties (Similar Here and Here) // 

Laptop Bag (Similar Here)

Necklace (Exact Here) // Watch (Exact Here and it's on Sale!)

Kendra Scott Ring (Exact Here)

I love these booties, I haven't worn them in over a year because they were hidden at the very back of my closet!

Day 7:

There is not a lot of soft pink in my closet, because I feel like it washes me out....but this JCrew baggy sweater is perfection! Pair it with military green pants and black accents and you have the perfect combination of tough and girly! Another reason why I love this sweater so much is because it is really warm, and it is not bulky at all!

 

Sweater (Exact Here, different color) // Pants (Exact Here)

 

Bangles (Similar Here) // Watch (Exact Here) 

Make sure to follow me (@isa678), 

Abbie (@allthingstiffanyblue) 

and Samantha (@xosamanthabrooke) 

to keep up with our looks for the 

#LoveYourClosetChallenge

I hope y'all have a great week!! :)

Love, Isabel

Dreaming about warmer weather - #LillyforTarget

Source

The first week of January has come and gone, which means we are a little bit closer to warmer weather...That is what i keep telling myself to get through 20 below 0 temperatures...

I cannot believe it's 2015 already!! Last year flew by and I cannot wait to see what this year has in store!!!

The first week of January was filled with excitement and good news; one of my best friends got married, my fiancé and I booked a photographer for the wedding (jumping and screaming on the inside!! nbd!!), I went back to work in Michigan where almost froze to death (0 degree temperature but it feels like -20, not my cup of tea) and Target announced their newest designer collaboration.... Lilly Pulitzer!!!!!

For those of you who don't know who Lilly is you can read her story here.

When I first heard the news Wednesday afternoon (My sister sent me a screenshot of Target's Instagram when they announced the collaboration) I jumped up and down my hotel room, and screamed a little bit...Im pretty sure the people staying in the floor below found it very annoying. I have loved Lilly for a very long time, I love the fact that she is not afraid to use color and her clothing is timeless and effortlessly chic. The one thing that I didn't love about Lilly is the prices, but like my mom always says....you get what you pay for....and a Lilly dress is something that will be in your closet for many years to come!

The Target collaboration with Lilly Pulitzer means the timeless clothes and accessories we love at an affordable price....which will be a great thing for my wallet!!! :) After I had come down a little bit from the high of hearing this fantastic news I started to really think about what this meant; both for Lilly Pulitzer as a company and as a brand.

Lilly Pulitzer as a company:

1) Appeal to a wider demographic; which means that people that would't normally got out of their way to buy a Lily piece might find something they like at target and buy it. If they are satisfied with their purchase they might become a loyal consumer and buy pieces at a Lilly store or boutique that carries the brand. Lower prices, good quality and bright colors will attract new customers, will may drive an increase in sales.

2) National exposure; the Lilly brand will be sold at Target and this means that it might reach places where Lilly boutiques are not a staple (You would be surprised at how many people in Vermont didn't know who Lilly was)

3) Increase sales for local boutiques that carry Lilly Pulitzer; Target collaborations are not forever, they are limited edition pieces and sales. This means that after the Lilly and Target collaboration is over people who fell in love with Lilly through target (lets be honest once you buy your first Lilly piece you will be in love) will be looking for places that sells their new favorite brand....and I've seen more boutiques that sell Lilly than Lilly stores around my area :)

Lilly Pulitzer as a Brand:

1) It won't be an 'Exclusive' brand anymore; over the past couple of days i have read a lot of tweets about how it is not fair that now Lilly will be affordable while the rest of us have been paying full price for the past couple of years. Now everybody will have something Lilly, there for the brand won't be as exclusive. I disagree with those opinions, Lilly is releasing exclusive prints for Target which means there will be some brand expansion and more prints to love. The sorority prints will still be exclusive to Lilly Pulitzer stores and high end retailers.

2) Plus Size Lilly, Target will release Lilly plus size clothing online only, this will be the first time that Lilly clothing will be sold in plus sizes. Target is testing the waters by selling plus sizes online only and figuring out the possibilities Lilly can have as a plus size retailer.

3) A symbol of timeless elegance; Lilly will still be known as the perfect brand for the spring and summer. The Lilly brand will obtain more recognition among customers as effortlessly chic clothing in bold prints and bright colors.


In Honor of #LillyforTarget here are some of my favorite Lilly pieces:

This is one of my favorite outfits to wear to the office, it is so versatile! The pants are the focal point of the outfit, they can be dressed up or down depending on the occasion.

Pants (Exact here) Print - Splash Pink Show Your Stripes // Heels (Exact here) // Shirt (Similar here) //

Necklace (Similar here) // Watch (Similar here)

I have worn this dress plenty of times, it is great for easter or any special occasion. The pastel colors make it perfect to start wearing in the spring.

Dress - Lilly Spring 2013 // Print - Spring Fling

Shoes (Similar here) // Pearls (Similar here)

Who says pencil skirts have to be boring?? This is the perfect skirt to cheer you up on a rainy spring day :)

Blouse (Similar here) // Skirt (Exact here)

Lilly Pulitzer prints inspired me to paint this monogram for my room, and some smaller ones as part of my Bridesmaids gifts :) This print is called First Impressions!!

Lilly Pulitzer inspired wooden monogram

Initials for my Bridesmaids :)

Regardless of how you feel about the Target collaboration with Lilly, i believe it will be a great move for the company and I can't wait for April 19th, 2015.

Lilly Pulitzer herself would be proud, now she will have the opportunity to make more people happy with her fabulous clothing...and happy never goes out of style!! :)




Love, Isabel