This past week has been absolutely beautiful! We are in full-on spring weather here in Iowa. We thought we’d celebrate the end of winter with the springiest of spring fabrics: Gingham! Gingham has been popping up in all sorts of places, from darling swimsuits to dresses to even sunglasses!
1. Perfect for hosting a spring fling party!
Picnic Hostess Dress :: Modcloth
2. No such thing as too many sunglasses!
Cat Eye Sunglasses :: Opening Ceremony
3. Red gingham is so adorable. And this cute knotted crop is great.
Red Gingham Crop Top :: TheBraidedBandit via Etsy
4. These would be cute for a day date.
Paris Hilton Amina Green Platforms :: Heels.com
5. Never too early to start bathing suit shopping.
Pool Party Picnic Swimsuit :: Modcloth
6. These drapey, light shorts go with everything.
MINKPINK Gingham Shorts :: Urban Outfitters
Happy Spring!
I am happy to report that I’m not sick anymoreeeeeee! I know 99.9% of you crazy cats didn’t even know I was sick but oh man. I was! It all started last weekend when my son was hit by the stomach flu in the middle of a Cheesecake Factory (being a mom can be so glamorous!) and then it hit me 4 days later. Anyway, I’m not going to let you in on the beautiful details, but please know I am feeling more alive and energized than I have in a few days and it feels goooood!
So anyway, these photos were taken awhile ago (proof: where’s the snow?) but I have to say I may need to pull this outfit out again. Polka dots on polka dots are always a good idea!
I’m going to keep this short and sweet today. Have a lovely Sunday! I’m going to go drink another Americano and daydream of spring. Gingham prints are coming soon to the blog!
Outfit details: Hair bow, chain fringe necklace :: Forever 21 (here and similar) | Striped crop :: Target | Dress :: Charlotte Russe | Flats :: Thrifted, gift from Jessi
Two years?! Yay us!! We decided to commemorate this milestone with a lil celebratory ladies brunch, and It. Was. Delicious. As you well know, I love to get good and dressed up for a Sunday brunch and who better to do that with than your fashion partner-in-crime? You can tell we’re getting old though, because instead of bloody mary’s and mimosas, hot tea and a latte were our drinks of choice.
Here’s what we wore!
JESSI:
I went for something a little bit Valentine’s inspired, but strayed from the classic red I wore on Valentine’s Day. Mint green and magenta seemed to make sense to me (yes? no?), and they most definitely matched this incredible wall that I’ve somehow never noticed before. Purrrrfection!
Dress:: Urban Outfitters | booties :: c/o Shopbop | sweater, heart necklace :: Forever21 | belt :: Hill Vintage
MARLENA:
I went full blown Valentine’s Day down to my heart tights! This top was a dress with a black skirt on the bottom but it was a super dowdy length. Think ankle length. Anyway, I had cut it shorter but it really needed hemmed. Flash forward 2 years and I had never worn it and I thought… HELLO! Just cut off this silly skirt and make it a top. Voila, kitties! I’ve already worn it like 3 times since I did it. Success story!
Outfit details: Ribbon :: Michael’s | Peplum top :: House of Vintage | Collar :: thrifted | Earrings :: Forever 21 | Skirt :: My mom’s from the 80s | Black heart tights :: Target | Black booties :: Jessica Simpson
Love you all, pretty kitties, and thanks for reading!
Here’s my take on the dress Marlena styled a few days ago! At Here Pretty Kitty we love layers and I decided to go for an old Jessi classic: throw a sweater on over a dress! While a cardigan over a dress is very practical it’s also very obvious, and I wanted to mix things up a bit! I don’t have a lot of yellow in my wardrobe but I noticed the yellow in this super cute Lularoe dress matched pretty perfectly with this great vintage sweater I so often forget about. A match made in heaven! This dress is SO comfortable and I really love the length. Trust me, I have plenty of short skirts and dresses in my closet, so the extra booty coverage is a welcome change! I actually can’t wait to bust this dress out on a beautiful spring day with sandals and bare arms. BUT none of that is happening in February in Iowa.
I’m a sucker for matching a brown belt with brown shoes, but took a detour from my usual brown booties for these wooden heels. Honestly guys, they are much easier to walk in than it looks!
So last week we shipped off Charlie to my parents house for the week and while we of course missed him, it was so awesome! We tried to make the most of it. Highlights from our first Sunday alone (and yes I realize this list is totally pathetic to most people but we were living the dream!):
SUNDAY
• Stayed in bed until 9 a.m.!
• Had a luxurious morning at a local coffee shop drinking lattes and pretending to read the paper.
• Went out for a late brunch at a semi non-kid friendly spot
• Spent the afternoon lounging and putting together IKEA furniture (with no arguing!)
• Met my BFF Mindy’s new baby, Rafa
The rest of the week was filled with happy hours, a double date with Jessi and John, 30 extra minutes to sleep in the morning, and so much more!
I definitely checked out on my environment this time around didn’t I?! Chain link fence = hot mess
Have you kitties ever heard of Lularoe? My friend Kate brought over a bunch of their clothes over one lovely evening. It was the best! Everything they offer is both super adorable and super comfy. I got this dress in two different patterns. You should definitely go like Kate’s page on Facebook because she’s always posting great stuff from them, plus discount codes and stuff!
I love pairing a collared shirt under a dress, and this one works really well for that. I’ve been super into scarf ties lately. The winter, for me, can get oh-so-dreary so I always like figuring out ways to add color. I’d love hear your ideas in that department!
Outfit details: Scarf tie :: thrifted | Glitter collared shirt :: TJ Maxx | Dress :: c/o Lularoe On the Go with Kate | Riding boots :: Target
Stay tuned to see how Jessi styled this Lularoe dress!
Well, 10 inches of snow is falling outside right now so we thought we’d daydream about what we’d wear if it were spring!
Jessi’s:
1. Dress up any outfit with tassels!
Tassel Drop Earrings :: Saks 5th Avenue (on sale for $18!)
2. Brighten up your day instantly with this dress.
A.L.C. Thomsen Dress :: Shopbop
3. Nothing says “Spring Please!” like a little floral.
Pink Rose Hair Barrette :: ClaudiaMadeThis via Etsy
4. Cut the color with a little edge.
Lauren Merkin Snakeskin Clutch :: Shopbop
5. Purrrrfect for curing winter outfit blues.
Selima Suede Ankle Booties :: The Outnet (similar)
6. Contrast with colored tights.
Pink Tights :: Uniqlo
Marlena’s:
1. These are the perfect shape and color!
Bilko Shades :: Nasty Gal
2. A short sleeved sweater works with any coolness still lingering in the air.
3.1 Phillip Lim Sleeveless Crop Sweater :: Shopbop
3. What a cute springy pattern!
Oh My Love Floral Shorts :: Urban Outfitters
4. I love a darling flat when the weather gets nicer.
Dolce Vita Pavari Skimmers :: Anthropologie
5. The 80s really nailed the clutch.
Red Clutch :: TheVintageMistress via Etsy
Think Spring, Kitties, while you don those cute snowsuits!
This black and white striped skirt is my best fashion weapon, kitties! While I’ve only worn it on the blog twice, it’s definitely one of my go-tos, especially on days when nothing is working. This skirt always works because it has endless possibilities! I thought it would be fun to do a little tribute to it and show 4 different ways you can style this darling. The skirt shown is from Modcloth.
1. Color Pop
This is the easiest one because it adds a beautiful contrast against the stark black and white. I love the button down with skirt, and adding little oxfords is so preppy and adorable!
Wyatt Cobalt Colorblock :: Bluefly
Cause for Collaboration Heel :: Modcloth
2. Pattern Mixing
This option is the one I probably do the most. Plaids, cats, polka dots: have fun! This pretty fuchsia top is hitting all the right notes for me, and I love the edgy feel of it paired with the boots.
Hewitt Printed Blouse :: Francesca’s
Jeffrey Campbell St. Elmo Boots :: Urban Outfitters
3. Casual Chic
A cute white graphic tee with red heels is a lovely match! Add a statement necklace and you’re all set.
Joie Rancher J Tee :: Shopbop (they have a million cute white graphic tees, seriously!)
Melissa Classic Heel Pumps :: Shopbop
4. Stripe on Stripe
To make this work, I’d go either smaller stripes like this one, or introduce some color. Add a fun floral heel for a break from the Stripey-Stripe Club!
Striped Crop Top :: Forever 21
Waltz Floral Print Pumps :: Ruche
Here I am mixing mine up for a holiday party with sequins and another one with a ruffled plaid:
See the full posts here and here!
Hope I’ve offered some inspiration today! Xoxo
Not so secret confession: I am not super outdoorsy. Sure, I’ll have a walk in the park moment but for the most part I’d prefer to be indoors. I’ve really always been that way:  when I was a kid my mom would push me outdoors and I’d just sit on my bike and read the latest Sweet Valley Twins book (am I the only one on Team Elizabeth?). My childhood (and current!) BFF Kim was (still is) super outdoorsy, loved sports (her street hockey phase was unbearable) and just being outside in general. We definitely had to take turns playing in the woods vs. playing Girl Talk.
So when we went on a little winter adventure with the frozen lake this past weekend, I wasn’t super pumped. I mean… you can literally hear the ice breaking and gurgling! Despite my husband’s soothing voice saying, “Honey, look at this ice. It’s super thick!” I just kept imagining our little family making the 5:00 news: FAMILY OF THREE DIES IN ANKLE DEEP CRACKED ICE, ALL FOR FASHION BLOG PHOTOS. This is how irrational I’ve become with my accident-prone 3 year-old!
Anyway, you will notice I am not in fact on the frozen lake in any of these pics and now you know why!
Fashion time! I bought this skirt in a moment of desperation before Jessi’s Holiday Party. Nothing was working in my closet so I made a last ditch effort at the Target 2 minutes away and luckily it all turned into a success story. This cute top came to us courtesy of Shopbop, and I love it. It’s the perfect amount of crop mixed with the a lovely combination of comfort and style. Plus it’s a color I don’t have a lot of in my closet, so it’s been fun to mix it up.
Outfit details: Crop top :: c/o Shopbop | Hooray of Light Necklace :: Xmas gift from Joe, Modcloth | Striped skirt :: Target (similar) | Cupcake Contest Bag :: Xmas gift from Joe, Modcloth | Riding boots :: Target (these are on sale for $30!)
Hope you’ve had a great week, and happy weekend!
Happy new year kittens! I don’t know about everyone else, but I’m ringing in the new year busy as a bee. I’ve started another job (!!!) that is totally different from anything I’ve ever done before and it’s great and exhausting. The dress code for my new job is suuuuuper casual, so leggings, a big t-shirt and comfy hoodie have been my recent uniform. That means that putting on a skirt, fun tights and a pair of booties has some novelty for me!
This polka dot skirt has been a wardrobe staple for me since I unearthed it from a garage sale last summer. For the rest of this outfit though, I dug into the depths of my closet for some old favorites. These mint green tights don’t often make an appearance in my life, but I keep them around just in case. I’ve found they add a perfect pop of color to a drab winter day.
I’ve had this lil sweatshirt for years and it was hiding in a plastic bin shoved in the back of my closet. It was a little big for this high waisted skirt so I tied a side knot and voila!
Here’s a fun fact: this gold headband I’m wearing is not actually a headband but all, but instead gold gift-wrap ribbon that I tie around my head and call a headband. Genius or crazy?!
I, for one, had a pretty great holiday season full of friends, family, food, gifts and wine! By the time New Years Eve hit I was partied out and gathered two of my besties to ring in the new year with me by eating takeout and watching the ball drop on TV. Newsflash: I’m officially old!
Outfit details: Headband :: gold gift-wrap | Necklace :: Urban Outfitters |Â skirt :: thrifted | sweatshirt :: Forever21 | tights :: Target | booties :: Fergalicious
Need some last minute inspiration on what to wear tonight? New Year’s Eve is all about stepping it up a notch! So take a classic look: pretty dress, heels and a clutch, and make it memorable! Add a pop of color, some sequins, a luxe fabric… or all of the above!
Outfit 1
1. Sequins always make it festive.
Sequin of Events Dress :: Lulus
2. This fringe adds a little sass.
B-Low the Belt Twiggy Clutch :: Shopbop
3. These are such a statement heel.
L.A.M.B. Tomas Ankle Pumps :: Shopbop
BONUS! Shopbop is having a “sale is on sale!” sale! 25% off with offer code CHEERS2015 until 1/1. Go buy cute stuff!
Outfit 2
1. Stun in a white dress with lace detailing.
For Love and Lemons Rosette Dress :: Nasty Gal
2. This crazy awesome clutch is the perfect accessory for NYE.
Santi Jewel Clutch :: Shopbop
3. Finish the look with the brightest heel you own!
Mojo Moxie Billie Pump :: DSW
Outfit 3
1. Blue velvet = always a good idea.
Sirens of the Time Dress :: Modcloth
2. Charlotte Olympia is killing me!
Charlotte Olympia Fantastic Chain Clutch :: Selfridges
3. Finish off the look with gold sequin heels with an adorable strap.
Yes I Candescent Heel in Gold:: Modcloth
Now that I’m looking at it, you could seriously mix and match all of these things in a number of ways!
Have fun tonight, and Happy New Year from us here at HPK!
Here, Pretty Kitty! an Iowa fashion blog 