a lovely living

I hope you’ve all had a wonderful week and are looking forward to the weekend ahead! We have a wedding to attend tomorrow and I’m so relieved and happy to say that my rental dress (from Rent the Runway) has arrived and fits perfectly, phew! That saves me a day of running around like a maniac in search of the perfect dress, haha! I shared a peek last night on Snapchat (mczerby) and I got the approval from a few of you, so thanks ;)

On another note, I have decided to do a shopping freeze for the month of October (gasp). I know, I know, a style blogger that’s not shopping you say?! I do this every now and then in order to keep myself in check and to make sure my grip on ‘stuff’ doesn’t get too tight. Talk about the worst timing as we are just entering fall (my fav) but I was feeling the nudge and now that it’s in writing you can all hold me accountable….and you’re welcome to join me if you’re up for it ;) Now to make sure there aren’t any ‘necessities’ I need to pick up today! Kidding!

On to the outfit…I’m wrapping up this week’s discussion on fall vests and this cashmere number (from TJMaxx!) is such a fantastic staple to have on hand. Any neutral colored sweater vest for that matter would serve the purpose of adding some warmth and style to the simplest of outfits. I tend to lean towards the cooler tones in clothing, but these warm shades are just all too perfect for autumn and I couldn’t pass it up.

One final side note, this post has nothing to do with Target, but do you like how they got their little cameo here?! Too funny.

Details: Max Studio sweater vest (also love this and this) / Paige denim (similar) / Long-sleeved tee (similar) / Choker necklace (similar here and here) / Fringe booties (here and here) / Madewell tote

Ok ladies, today we are continuing our discussion on the oh so exciting topic of fall vests! ;) If you read Monday’s post, you saw that I begin the conversation with the very popular cargo vest. I also gave a number of shopping options on that post, so if you’re on the hunt for one, please refer back here. Today I’m sharing vests of every type including quilted, sweater, moto and denim. I didn’t include faux fur yet as I don’t typically break that out until winter. And with all of these options available to make use of, it’s not really needed yet! As I’ve mentioned before, these aren’t worn for warmth alone. Vests have a way of completing an outfit and at the same time allow you to show more of your style personality (is that a thing?). I other words, they help you to make a statement and say, I can pull an outfit together quite well, without speaking a word ;)

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There are so very many things that I love about fall, and I know many you are with me in that boat! When it comes to fall style specifically, well, again, so…many…things ;) But one thing in particular that I’m going to focus on this week is the vest. It’ll sort of follow through as the theme for the week as I style the cargo vest today, share some of my favorite vests in various styles on Wednesday and then style an open sweater vest on Friday. You’re excited, I can tell ;) If you don’t already own a cargo vest, you probably want to pick one up. I’ve had this one for years and it has gotten a ton of wear out of it. You can wear them with so many outfits, think jeans and t-shirts, maxi dresses, t-shirt dresses, leggings and tunics etc. Just like jackets, vests have a way of completing an outfit but without the bulk.

Stay tuned for the rest of this week’s posts where we carry on this conversation and/or make sure you’re signed up for my newsletters which I send out weekly to make sure you don’t miss out on anything (see the sidebar to sign up!).

Also to note, I’ve been obsessed with these booties since last year and then I ran into them at TJMaxx for $29!! So if you love them like I do, first run to your TJ and see if they have them but if not, you can find them here and here and here.

Details: Madewell vest (see options below) / Michael Stars shirt (similar) / JCrew pants / Booties here, here and here / Madewell tote / Michael Kors watch

Many of you saw that I wore this dress on Instagram last week when Jack and I celebrated our 10 year wedding anniversary. The funny thing is we started dating 10 years prior to that (if you can call it dating at 14 years old!) Yes, we were high school sweethearts way back in the day ;) Anyway, the dress, which is under $20, was perfect for our dinner out. The burgundy shade is all too appropriate for autumn and with the summer temps lingering, I didn’t even need an extra layer…although a denim jacket sure looks cute over top! And while I wore heels, booties would also pair wonderfully with it.

Details: SheIn dress c/o / Heels (similar) / Kate Spade bag (similar) / Michael Kors watch / Stella & Dot monogram necklace

Hi ladies! Do you want in on a little secret as to how I curate my ‘loving lately’ and/or ‘wishlist’ posts? I visit my online shopping carts to check in on what’s waiting for me ;) Most of those items never find their way to my home (sadly enough) but when sales pop up at least I already know what I want! Well, now that that’s out of the bag ;) …let’s continue on to what I’m loving lately. Navy is a part of my wardrobe yearlong, but when it comes to fall I love pairing it with cognac, burgundy and other rich hues. Prints and plaids and ruffles, are also right up my alley! Have a look for yourself, what strikes you??

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Flannel shirts fall into the same category as scarves for me….I can never turn a good one down! I do however, wear them very regularly through the fall months, so I figure it’s worth it, right?! Those of you following along on Instagram saw that I finally tracked down the perfect mules that I had been looking for. I really wanted these from Madewell to work, but the fit just wasn’t right for my foot. This pair by Corso Como on the other hand, fit like a glove and they even have a cushiony footbed! Also to note, this adorable bow choker. I found the one I am wearing locally, but this one is very similar. The straight up chokers that are very of the moment right now just don’t feel like me, but I am quite fond of the longer wrap styles and of course, anything with a bow on it ;)

Details: Lucky Brand top (very similar style here, also love this and this option) / Gap denim (similar) / Corso Como mules / Bag (similar) / Bow choker (similar here and here)

Shop the post here:

While Jack was at school the other day, I decided to do a little shoot with my girls to show off some of their new fall pieces. The bulk of Audrey’s clothes are hand-me-downs from Madelyn (which I am thrilled are getting used again) but Madelyn looooves being able to match her little sister. So when I saw these adorable prints at Old Navy the other day, and took note of the sale prices, I went ahead and bought them some matching pieces. Of course Madelyn prefers that every outfit include a dress or skirt, so we had to make that addition for her! I’ve also been a huge fan of TOMS for my kids since Jack was an early walker (he’s now 7 and still loves them). Not only are they stylish, but they are comfortable and hold up to the wear and tear my kids put them through. I love Madelyn’s new cheetah print high topped sneakers almost as much as she does…it’s a fight to get them off of her when she walks in the door!

I hope you enjoy these shots…I didn’t have high expectations since a non-stop 1 year old was involved in a ‘photo shoot’, but I did my best ;)

Details: Old Navy top / Old Navy leggings / Old Navy skirt / TOMS cheetah sneaker / TOMS pink shoe (similar)

Congrats to Lane Tanner who was the winner of the Lula Roe legging giveaway!! Please be sure to check your email for details!

Shop my other Old Navy favorites from the kids department:

I wasn’t planning on blending in with the scenery when I put together this outfit, but one color I always turn to for fall is army green. I have numerous pairs of pants and jackets in this hue and still always feel I could use more…I probably don’t ;) I recently discovered Clad & Cloth although I can’t recall exactly how I came across them…was it through one of you?…or likely down a rabbit trail on Instagram (boy can I get lost in there!). Regardless, I love their effortless and beautiful collection that you should most definitely check out! I ordered this peplum tee and knew I’d love it before it even arrived. I’m thinking denim and OTK boots to pair with it next time ;)

Details: Clad & Cloth top (also love this and this, both on sale) / JCrew pants (similar here and here) / Booties / Necklace (similar) / Bag (similar) / Hat

Happy Monday, ladies! Our weekend flew by, but it was packed with plenty of fun activities! We spent Saturday at a local waterpark with my in-laws, brother and sister in law and their handsome little son, Max. The weather was close to 90 degrees, so it was the perfect place to be and the kids had a blast! Audrey included, that little 16 month old could not get enough water splashed on her face if she tried :) Then yesterday I hosted a combined Stella & Dot/ Lula Roe party at my home and had so much fun chatting, styling and shopping! I’m sure most of you are familiar with Stella and Dot as you see me wear my engrave-able necklace quite often, but maybe less of you are familiar with Lula Roe? I was at least, until a few months ago when a friend of mine started selling it. They are known for their amazingly soft (and well priced!) leggings, but they also offer a number of different style tops/dresses/skirts/kimonos. This is a dress that I snagged at the party (and then quickly rushed my husband into a quick shoot before the sun went down!), the Amelia. I was a sucker as soon as I saw this color combo in my size! It has now been added to my growing collection. Now for the fun news, my Lula Roe friends are graciously giving away a pair of leggings (adult or child sizes available) to one of you as well as opening up one of their sales to my readers! You can enter the giveaway below and be sure you are following A Lovely Living on Facebook because that’s where I’ll be posting the link to shop their inventory once they go live at 8pm tonight!

Details: Lula Roe Amelia dress / Kate Spade bag (similar) / Heels (similar) / Necklace (similar)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

For those of you that follow me on Instagram, you saw earlier this week that I worked my way through the LOFT sale that’s currently going on. I shared a number of my favorite pieces/outfits after spending too much time in the dressing room ;) Now through Saturday they are offering 40% off the store including Lou & Grey which is rarely on sale! As much as I would have loved to bring half the store home, I decided to be practical and settled for a few loungy Lou & Grey pieces. Their brand always feels luxurious which makes wearing sweats all the more appealing. What’s even better is that by throwing on a few pieces of jewelry, you’ll be stylish enough to run around town without feeling out of place. At least that’s what I’m hoping because that’s exactly what I did ;) Make sure to scroll below to shop some of my favorites from the sale!

Details: Lou & Grey top / Lou & Grey bottoms / Madewell tote / New Balance sneakers (similar) / Stella & Dot necklace / Michael Kors watch

My picks from the LOFT sale (use code FIRSTLOOK for 40% off):