a lovely living

As the weather is ever so slightly beginning to shift for us here, shoes have been one of the first things I’ve started to adjust when it comes to my outfits. I wasn’t overly inspired by anything new over the summer months, but fall is another story. There’s something about all the cute loafers, booties and sneakers that have me adding to cart like crazy. I’m obviously gravitating towards the browns, taupes and neutrals as you can see below, but that makes them easy to pair with almost anything.

In terms of sneakers, a classic pair of Converse is always a go-to for me. I recently got this pair and love the change from my typical white ones. I also have a pair of high-tops similar to these and love having them as another option to give an even more playful vibe. I love a good athletic sneaker that works with everything from an athleisure look to jeans and a sweater as well. This pair arrived recently and they are so comfortable! I did size up a half size as I typically do in athletic shoes to get a perfect fit.

When it comes to loafers/booties/mules I feel like many of them can be interchangeable with various outfits. Depending on what heel height you’re after, you could go for a slip on like this just as easily as you could use a heeled mule like these. The Sam Edelman loafers are a classic go-to of mine that I own in a few colors. They are sleek, classy, comfortable and won’t go out of style. A great shoe worth investing in. And if you need to update your booties, I love both these and these. The have a great shape and would look adorable with skirts or straight leg jeans.

(Click on images below for shopping details)

One of the best parts about fall shoes is that you can make the most of the cute styles without the worry of winter weather ruining them! But we aren’t there yet, so you can nix those snowflake images from your mind ;) Hope these help to provide a little fall inspo for your closet this season!

Hello all! It’s September! One of my favorite months of the year. I love the weather, football season, and the fact that it’s our anniversary month to name a few reasons. We had a wonderful summer and although I do miss having the kids home and enjoying our laid back days, it’s refreshing to get back into a routine and have more time to commit to work and upcoming projects. With Labor Day weekend before us, I’m guessing some of you will take advantage of the sales going on, Loft being one of them. I stopped in the other day and was drawn to so many of their dresses, which isn’t always the case. I wanted to share them with you as they’d make great options for anything from work, church, weddings, date nights to everyday paired with sneakers. Scroll on to see what I loved…

To be honest, the colors in this dress feel more spring/summer to me, but we all know that the warmth of summer carries well into September and it’s such a beautiful dress! I think grey heels or booties would help it to lend more towards fall but you could also through on a cardigan over top like this…

This sweater also comes in a few other colors. It has a great fit and is incredibly soft and comfortable. I’m wearing a 2 in the dress (it fits well, maybe ever so slightly large) and a small in the sweater, and I’d say they run pretty TTS

This is another similar dress in a different print and material. It comes off as more casual and could pair well with booties and a denim jacket but you could also do loafers and a blazer for work. I sized down to compare the 0 in this dress and it fit but I think I’d prefer the 2 (which is more TTS for me).

I probably have 5 similar jackets in my closet which goes to say this is a great staple to have on hand if you don’t already. It’s a great length to pair over dresses (in addition to wearing it with denim/pants) as the cut is more flattering. It runs TTS, I’m in the small.

This adorable dress is so preppy-chic, I adore it! The ruffle detail and tie waist pair perfectly on this shirt-dress. I love it with my Converse, but can also see it with heels/wedges as the weather allows and then with a denim jacket and booties when it starts to cool off. I’d say it runs slightly large, I’m wearing the XS here.

The print and colors on this drop-waist dress are spot on for fall while at the same time they don’t feel like your typical fall colors. The deep teal is striking and this dress style is another one that could easily be dressed up for down based on your destination. It runs slightly large as well, I’m in the XS and still had enough length to feel comfortable.

This dress is such a classic-chic with strong Jackie O vibes. Black and white is not really my style, but gosh it’s adorable. It’s rather fitted and I’d say it runs TTS, I’m in the 2.

Obviously not a dress, but I had to include this gorgeous skirt. The print is screaming fall in the most beautiful way, pulling together so many beautiful colors. Here are a few ways you could wear it; with a cardigan, a light-weight pullover, or going bold with a matching printed top. The skirt does run small, so I’d size down. All of the tops are pretty TTS (the pink runs a bit small in the sleeve), I’m in a small in all three.

It’s that time of year when the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale comes along and we ever so briefly think about the fall season to come. I know there are mixed feelings when it comes to this sale in particular, and in my opinion, it isn’t as appealing as it was in years past. I do however always take advantage of some key items that are worth grabbing at a discounted price. Below I’m sharing what I purchased this year as well as items that I’ve bought in the past and/or believe are great pieces to take advantage of while they are marked down. The sale is currently open to all Nordstrom cardholders and opens to everyone on July 15th but you can create your wishlist now so you’ll be ready to check out. You can find everything I share linked below.

Here are the purchases I made this year…

And here are items I’ve bought in the past and find to be #NSale staples…

You know me and my love for ruffles and pretty prints, so naturally I wasn’t about to pass up this adorable floral top. It also comes in a solid which I have from last year in cream (seen here). You could pair this style with anything from a denim skirt to cut-offs to a dressier pant for work etc. These pants are from Zara and I have them in a couple of colorways. I realized my closet was lacking bottoms in anything other than my more neutral navy, black and army green so I wanted to branch out a bit. Both Zara and Loft are great places to look for pants in a wide variety of colors and styles. Whether you’re looking for a wide, straight or tapered leg, you can find them all.

top (available in solid here) / pants / shoes (similar) / sunglasses (similar)

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I hadn’t ventured into Loft lately, so I stopped in the other day and found so many cute pieces! If you need anything patriotic for the 4th, I’ve included them as well. The best part is, you are able to wear everything all summer long. Plenty of cute, casual looks as well as a number of pretty dresses for all your outdoor gatherings. Most things ran true to size unless otherwise noted below and I’m 5’7″ for reference. Currently you can get 50% off your purchase with code YAY!

Dresses like this are so practical and always get a ton of wear. With sandals or sneakers and a denim jacket over top it’s great for picnics or ball games or also makes a great swim cover-up.

I loved this adorable jumpsuit. It’s another one that you could pair with white sneakers and a denim jacket or take it in the other direction with sandals and a blazer to dress it up for church, work, showers stc.

This dress screams summer time! I love the plaid print and and the cut-out back. I’m typically an xs in Loft dresses which is true here.

The mix of color and prints on this shirt-dress was so pretty! A great piece to pack for a beach vacation.

Loft has a knack for playful prints like this pineapple sweatshirt. It’s light-weight and pairs perfectly with these green, tie-waist shorts. I’m wearing a small in the top and xs in the bottoms (their bottoms tend to run large).

A basic striped tee is always good to have on hand. Instead of pairing with basic denim, consider mixing and matching those bright summer hues.

A classic light-weight Lou and Grey sweater with patriotic flair. I’m wearing the small here. I don’t always have luck in Loft jeans, but this style was a winner for me. I love the vintage wash and straight leg, it’s exactly what I’m drawn to these days and they feel much more expensive than their price tag (especially at half off!).

A great, classic, striped tee that you can’t go wrong with. Pair it with shorts, skirts, sneakers, sandals….the combinations are endless with this one.

A cute and casual sleeveless sweatshirt that also comes with matching shorts. Super cute to pack for vacation for lounging around.

It doesn’t get much more summer classic than this red, white and blue combo. All three are great mix and match pieces, but I love pairing tailored shorts and a blazer together for a chic summer look. The tee runs large as do the shorts, I recommend sizing down in them.

This terry sweatshirt is perfect when you need an extra summer layer. It would be great for chilly mornings/evenings at the beach!

I love a good business casual look regardless of where I’m wearing it. This blazer is lightweight, comes in a bunch of color ways and is perfect for summer. It has a slightly oversized look which is on-trend at the moment, yet it doesn’t feel overly boxy or shapeless. It would look just as cute over a maxi dress or with a graphic tee and cut-off shorts. You can really get your money’s worth with this piece! These gingham pants are all sorts of adorable with their neutral print and paperbag waist. Not to mention they are so comfortable and run true to size. I could see these worn with just about any solid color top or even a chambray shirt to dress them down a bit. If you need a good base layer this summer, this bodysuit has been my go-to and I have it in an array of colors. The white one just had a run in with a bottle of nail polish in the wash (a sentence I never thought I’d have to say) but I have a new one already on the way!

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With Memorial Day behind us and pool season in full swing, I wanted to share some of my favorites when it comes to swimwear. For the most-part I’ve always been more drawn to one piece suits than any other style. I find them to be flattering and I generally feel more comfortable and confident in them. In addition to a good fit that isn’t too cheeky, I’m always looking for fun and feminine details in a swimsuit. Whether it’s a bow or ruffles, scalloped edges or fun color-blocking, there are multiple ways to express your style and personality. Below you’ll find my top swimwear picks that fit this criteria in an array of color ways. And if you’re on the hunt for a good cover-up, I love both this fishnet sweater and this long wrap skirt. Both are lightweight and great layering pieces to mix and match all summer long.