Holiday Fashion w/ SWELL: Family Party

Sweater: c/o SWELL

Pants: c/o SWELL

Boots: c/o Tobi

Earrings: c/o Kelsey's Feathers

Fa la la la laaaaa la la la la.

It's the holiday season and you know what that means!

Holiday season = Holiday parties.

woop woop!

I feel like there is a party every weekend till Christmas and I ain't even mad.

To help you prep for those events, I'm teaming up with SWELL to bring you a 3-part series where I share some holiday-inspired looks to wear to specific parties! Today I'm wearing an outfit to be worn to a family party! It's comfy, cozy, and perfectly casual. When I think of family parties I think of running around the house with kids, catching up on life with cousins, and playing all sorts of games like a white elephant gift exchange! This outfit is perfect for all those activities because it's so laid-back which is what a family party should be is all about.

I really love the cowl neck on this sweater because it's different from any other sweater I own. It adds that extra umph of cozy to the look which I love! Also, these velvet pants are actually the first velvet-thing I've owned in my closet! So that's a major stepping stone for me! They're super comfy which I was kind of nervous about because I've heard velvet is bit itchy, but the lining inside is a silky material that feels like butter on my skin (is that weird to share?). I don't know what it is about it but I feel like velvet material screams Christmas, so I was excited to add this piece to my outfit.

What are some of your favorite clothes to wear to a holiday family party?

ps. At the end of this series (Friday) I will be hosting a huge giveaway with SWELL so you'll definitely want to tune in for that!

Check back tomorrow for my Social Party look!

If you don't I'll throw elf ears in your face...

JK, but really you should swing by tomorrow.

Cheers.

#BeTheGood

Top: c/o Cents of Style via Jane
Jeans: c/o Abaday
Boots: thrifted [similar]
Headband: c/o Kelsey's Feathers
Necklace: c/o Le Tote
Bracelet: c/o LuLu*s [similar]
Earrings: c/o Billie+Betty

Hey fraaaaans. 

I have been challenged by Jane.com and Cents of Style to participate in their #BeTheGood campaign! And as Barney Stinson would confidently say, challenge accepted! What sweet opportunity to do something, big or small, for another person. Through this challenge I chose to pick up someone's dinner tab anonymously.

The other night Connor and I went out to eat dinner at one of our favorite restaurants. Towards the end of our meal, we saw an old, scruffy-looking man enter the restaurant and sit down at a table. I don't know if he was homeless or not, but I could definitely tell he didn't have the most ideal lifestyle. Right as we were about to pay our bill, I had this feeling that we should pay for his tab as well. Connor agreed that we should (another reason I love the man so dearly) so we asked our waiter to add the old man's dinner tab to our check, paid, and left the restaurant. I'll never know how the old man reacted to hearing that his dinner was paid for, but I'll always remember that feeling Connor and I left with. The feeling that we did something good. Sure, Connor and I have our own financial struggles and stresses, but we have to remember that there is always someone out there that has it worse than us.

 I challenge all of you to take a part in this movement and spread goodness throughout! I also personally challenge Jessica, Lauren, Rachel, Gentri, & Bri! Good luck my friends--you have 24 hrs to complete a service or act of kindness (kind of like the Ice Bucket Challenge, minus the ice water). See below for details: 

1. Choose a good deed. Could be as simple as paying for the coffee or meal after yours.

2. Share your goods. Pick your favorite social channel (Facebook, Instagram, Vine, Twitter, etc.), but first, make sure to take a selfie (or something appropriate to your story), and share your story, big or small. Be sure to use these hashtags to help this campaign spread: #BeTheGood #JaneCares and #CentsofStyle. You’ll see your story featured on Jane.com!

3. Tag 1-5 of your friends to do the same within a 24 hr period.

4. Look stylish while doing it! Jane.com and Cents of Style are selling some super cute #BeTheGood t-shirts on Jane.com. All profits made will be donated to Girls Inc. an organization that inspires girls to be strong, smart and bold.

"Be the change that you wish to see in the world."

-Mahatma Gandhi

Even an awkward hug counts.

 Good Luck!

Cheers.

Ahoy, mateys.

Headband: c/o Kelsey's Feathers

Top: c/o SWELL

Skirt: H&M [similar]

Sandals: c/o LuLu*s

Bracelet: c/o LuLu*s

Yo ho ho
(and a bottle of yum)

If there is a such thing as "pirate chic" I'm guessing/hoping it would look something like this. It's mostly my hairdo that makes me categorize it that way--it's what I imagine a toned down female version of Captain Jack Sparrow's hurrrr would look like. It's kind of ironic because I usually put braids and/or headbands in my hair when I'm on day two or three (don't judge) of not washing my hair and it's looking greasy, aka pirate status. And when you've got an amazing feather headband from Kelsey's Feathers, being a pirate never looked so good ;). Johnny Depp ain't got nothing on me.

Speaking of pirates, I remember my friend telling me last year that it was International Talk Like a Pirate Day (it exists, guys) so I looked up to see when it was this year. Turns out it's the 19th of this month! I was debating saving this outfit to post on that day but let's be real, I'm too impatient for that. Story of my life.

So be sure to brush up on your pirate lingo so you're well prepared for September 19th!
A little birdie told me that if you go to Krispy Kreme on that day and talk like a pirate, you'll get a free doughnut.
If you dress up like a pirate, you get a DOZEN free doughnuts.

Meaning,
I will be there.
with an eyepatch.
and a hook.
and possibly Samson on my shoulder dressed as a parrot.

Anything for free doughnuts.

and if they run out before I get there?

then I'd be a sad lass.....

Fair winds, me mates.

Is it Fall yet?

Top: c/o Style Lately

Cardigan: Forever 21 [similar]

Jeans: c/o Impressions Online Boutique

Earrings: c/o Kelsey's Feathers

Sandals: c/o LuLu*s

As much as I love the beautiful Summer sun, I can't wait for it to be Fall already!

I'm obsessed with boots, hats, layers, maroons and olives, and scarves so naturally, Fall is my favorite season when it comes to fashion!

These past couple of days the weather has been WEIRD in Utah (anybody else agree?). One minute it's hot and sunny and the next minute an angry thunderstorm sweeps through town....and then it's gone in ten minutes. Like can you please make up your mind Mother Nature?

The weather explains my Fall-esque outfit today because of how things have been so unpredictable lately! I'm keeping it cozy with this knit cardigan and boyfriend jeans, but I'm keeping my sandals on instead of boots just so my feet don't get all sweaty (TMI). I'm LOVING these bright feather earrings from Kelsey's Feathers because they add a nice pop of color to the neutral outfit! Seriously how cute are they? And of course, you can't forget this statement top from Style Lately that quotes one of my favorite songs from Pharrell! I know "Happy" is a bit overplayed, but I can't help but feel cheerful whenever I hear it aaaand it's from one of my favorite movies, Despicable Me 2 so I can't not like it. :)

 It's hard not to get excited about these little guys.

Cheers.

A family who wears shades together...

Sunglasses: c/o Ltd. Optics

Top: 3Brunettes Boutique c/o Jane

Jeans: c/o Abaday

Sandals: c/o PB&J Boutique

Purse: c/o LuLu*s

Feather Clip: c/o Kelsey's Feathers

Earrings: c/o Aeropostale

Necklace: c/o Wild Butterfly Boutique

Bracelet: c/o LuLu*s

Watch: c/o Arvo

Connor's Outfit:

Sunglasses: c/o Ltd. Optics

Shirt: c/o Aeropostale

Shorts: Jordan

Shoes: Vans

...stays together!

#cheeeezy :)

Today Connor and I (and Samson) are wearing some sweet new shades from Ltd. Optics! I've featured Ltd. Optics on my blog before (view those posts HERE and HERE) so I was stoked when I found out that they were coming out with some new lines! I'm wearing The Boardwalk in black and I love how it fits my face--it has a bit of a feminine shape to it and is meant for people with smaller faces. What's cool about these sunglasses is that they are made of 7-layer skateboard wood with internal spring hinges and they are finished by hand so every pair has it's own unique touch to it! Connor is wearing The Chameleon in Red and if I do say so myself, he's looking pretty handsome in them :). I love how they combined the look of rubber with wood to create something totally stylish and cool! The frames were a little too big for my face, but it looks great on men! Even Samson is looking pretty smooth in them as you can see in the picture above.

We weren't originally going to have Samson in these pictures but Connor isn't a big fan of posing for photos (this is only the second His and Hers post we've ever done, haha) so I figure if he had someone to pose with, he'd be happier :D I'm obsessed with the little guy so any excuse to have him on my blog I'll take!

Be sure to check out Ltd. Optic's new sunglasses lines!
They're perfect for looking stylish on all the summer adventures that await you!

This past Saturday I finally got to meet and hang out with Marsa from The DayLee Journal! She's one of the first bloggers I started following when I entered the blogosphere over a year ago and we bonded over how we were both asians from Hawaii who were born in Japan! It was a bummer though because she moved to Seattle just as we became good friends so we never got to meet IRL. She finally came back to Utah to visit family so we made sure to sneak in a GNO with Rachel and Lo! You know those people who you instantly click with as soon as you hang out? That's Marsa! :) Miss you already!

I also rode a rocking horse made for big kids this weekend.
Yep.

Here's to another week!

Cheers.