Currently Craving:: Tory Burch

Growing up the other kids wouldn't have called me a fashionista.

EVER..

Honestly, you wouldn't call me one today either, but as I'm the downward slope of my 20's and a mother of three, I've really started to come into my own womanly style. Most importantly I've realized that quality will win over quantity every time and that I don't have to be wealthy to dress like I want.

Even if things are out of my price range, waiting allows me to exercise my patience muscle {as if  it doesn't get enough of a workout on a daily basis} because in the end it's well worth it.

Kate Spade and Tory Burch are my two favorite designers right now. And while I love Kate Spade, I'm just not as on board with the whole color blocking boom right now. That is, as much as I'm in love with all the tweed, burgundy, and military/over-sized coats that Tory Burch's Fall Look Book is dripping with.

Plus-- girls from Philly and I gotta represent!!

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So today I wanted to share a few of my favorite noteworthy tips for the upcoming season.

And from her lips to our ears::

1. Deep emerald green is a fall favorite. You can pair it with black, navy, and creams. It is also great for all skin tones.

2. Coats aren't just for outside anymore. By adding a belt you can pull together any look, and keeping it polished and sophisticated.

 

3. Want to know the perfect match for a prim and proper tweed jacket? Go for your favorite pair of skinny jeans hanging in your closet. {yes-- to answer your question I hang up my jeans...lol}  If you are really feeling brave this fall take your look to the next level with a coated jean or colored denim.

  4. Reds are everywhere this season...burgundy, bordeaux, wine, scarlet-- take your pick and incorporate it into your fall pallet...STAR! {This is my personal favorite seeing as how I am a red head and can't wear "red, red" well. Burgundy, however,  is deep enough to not clash with my fair complexion}

5. This fall...fall in love all over again with the classic pointy toe.

6. Grab a patent leather skirt off the rack at your favorite local department store or boutique. This slimming piece will help elongate your legs for a striking silhouette.

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And because I couldn't resist--

A few of my personal faves:

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Man Tory,  you sure know your way to the fashion corner of this girls heart<3

So, have your broken into your fall wardrobe yet?

What are some of your favorite stlyes for this season-- Don't be shy-- share them below:)

xO- Etheline

And we're back....

Last week Royal was in Manhattan.

 The very same Manhattan where fashion week was taking place {sighs...lol}

I was suppose to go with him, but unfortunately things became to last minute and it was best for me to stay home.Which I'm not bitter about it at all....

anymore;)

All in due time will I get the chance to explore the big city-- spend an entire day wandering through The Met, traveling by Circle Line to Ellis Island, admiring the city skyline from the top of the Empire State building, see a broadway show, eat amazing food...oh my gosh the list goes on and on. As I said before all in due time.

I must admit since we have started school in our home I'm finding that my blogging has taken a back seat. It's not how I want things, but priorities are priorities and the important ones make it into the day.

That doesn't mean I can't share some snapshots of the fun things have been happening round here in the meantime-- cause even if I can't blog about it-- I'm still snapping photos:)

{country goodness}

{home grown}

{new fall booties:: xo}

{missing Royal}

{favorite new top :: New York and Company}

{belated birthday brownies for dad}

{home}

{reunited}

{momma and daughter at the county fair}

Stay tuned for more fair photos later this week. Now it's time for this mamma to get up to the school room:) Before you go tell me what fun adventures found you this past weekend? Have you gotten into the fall feeling yet? We haven't here, but come October we'll be lip syncing another tune.

xO- Etheline

A Few of My Favorite Things: Blogs

As stated in my last post I have been trying to weed out the things in my life that take away more than add. This is especially true for my blog reading cause, boy can I ever get sucked in. I can have 20 tabs open if I'm not careful; just exploring new blogs. Let's be fair though-- visiting and commenting on new blogs can be fun and even good for your own blog. For myself I have come up with a few simple ways to help me decide if they are a keeper of if I'll throw them back into the sea that is the world wide web.

Tips on Keeping You Blog Roll Simple: 

 - Chances are if you fall in love with one, you'll fall in love with their sponsor! Beware. This is how I got hooked the last time..lol That being said it's how I have found some of the best blogs that I feel cater to my life at this time, so go me!!

- Once I found one that has convinced me that we were friends in a past life, or something equally as embarrassing I save them to my bookmarks banner. Easy access ya know.

- If after commenting on a few of their posts and they are sweet enough to take the time and visit mine and comment as well...Well, duh, they are officially a keeper.

- This last tip is the easiest one-- if they keep you coming back for more, give up. You are hooked my friend. Like a fish on a line! I usually give them about a week to a week and a half depending on how frequently they post.

Current Top 5 Favorite Blogs: 

 1.

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  La Famille is all about...family. Alicia is a mother of 3 and home school super hero! She posts about life, family, and has the best sense of humor! She runs a great Etsy shop and once you learn about The Happy Day Project you will return not once or twice, but dozens of times. {Is my hook showing?}

 

2.

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The Simply Luxurious Life is one of my most recent obsessions. Shannon runs a clean site filled with great photos {thank you pinterest}, but more importantly great words. Her posts always stay with me throughout the remainder of the day as they are smart, practical, and forward thinking. Her "Why Not..." series is my absolute favorite.They include questions from Why not....stop competing with others, to Why not...Invest in your dreams? Great stuff, really!

3.

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So TJ runs this blog and when you stop by you will know why His Little Lady is on the list. She is a Peeta fan and in my book, well that's just enough. Her little notes are so cute and always levels with her readers. I love that! Her readers are loyal gals...we are talking upwards of 70 comments daily. {oi!} And she's nice enough to stop by Her Eclectic Life and leave some love. Awesome!

4.

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Brunch at Saks? Yes please? Who wants to meet me? This fun lifestyle blog is run by Annemarie out in LA. She focuses mainly on fashion, home decor, and entertainment....just a few of my favorite things. You wouldn't believe some of the things she finds or the people she meets. Guess that's Hollywood for ya. I wouldn't know though, I'm an east coast gal!!

5.

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Reviving the charming arts of Etiquette. I absolutely adore this! I mean the whole things really just sounds like a reading a book while floating on a cloud or something. Honestly though...in a world that gets to wrapped up in technology I think sometimes we forget how to interact with others, let alone properly. Anastasia provides excellent tips to help with this. She also does great old Hollywood celeb spotlights that I just can't get enough of  as well as a "best dressed of the week" poll for fashion which is fun if you are into that kind of thing. Which; I am.

Well that about raps it up here for this edition of A Few of My Favorite Things. I hope you take a peek at some of these blogs. I promise you won't regret it. These women provide me with great inspiration for my life and I hope they will do the same for you. So thanks. What are some of your favorite blogs that you read all the time. Share them with me in the comments section so I can check them out too.

xO- Etheline

{I should also mention if any photos have been used in an unpleasing manner I apologize. Let me know and I will remove them immediately. I'm still very much trying to get the hang of this all. Thanks in advance for understanding}

Words to Live by

Even though I have as much in common with the great DVF, as a polar bear to a tanning bed, I couldn't agree with her words more. 

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In the last year or so I have been focusing on minimizing my life and being there in the everyday special moments with my husband and kids. I have learned that to keep order in my home I can no longer allow myself to be pulled into so many directions. It just leaves sad children, a messy home, and an unhappy mama. Instead I have been able to weed out all the things I like to do and just keep the things that actually help my family and bring me the most joy around. They are three things; home school, reading, and writing. I cant express the joy that has been present in my life with making these choices. Some women can do it all, all the time. I my friends, am simply not one of them, and that's okay with me. I am coming into the women I have always wanted to be. I have started to be able to make out that balance that has in the past always been blurry, but is now coming into focus. And I like what I see.

What have you always wanted to be??

xO-Etheline

Current Obsessions

Alright-- For those of you out there who know me I doubt it would come to you as a surprise that I'm not what one would call a "fashionista". It's not that I don't like fashion because I do. I love it. {well most of it. have you seen some of the stuff out there??}

Every so often something catches my eye that I just fall completely in love with. This season its scarfs. There is something so wispy and feminine about them that I just adore. However, after I bought one I found myself asking, "Alright, how exactly do I wear this?" I jumped onto trusty google and found the viral video 25 Ways to Wear a Scarf in 4.5 Minutes found here. With over 11 million hits how could you go wrong? This led me to stumbling upon Wendy's own site called Wendy's Lookbook. I immediately was drawn to her style. It was a wake up call that me that was saying It's Time! Time to start coming to terms with your womanhood. It's time to put away the jeans, tee shirt, and converse and have a more presentable looks. Please don't get me wrong. I love tee shirts and jeans and wear them whenever I can {I'm a mother of 3...lol} Finding this fashion wonderfulness was like the hand to hold I needed to cross over into fashion womanhood.

I watched a lot of her tutorials and looked at her outfits and started to apply them in my own wardrobe. While I was out over the weekend with Chaz we were are the mall and a woman who was just passing by looked me up and down, smiled and said, nice outfit. I don't tell you this to gloat by any means, even though I was tickle at the comment. This kind of thing has never, I repeat NEVER happened to me.

So now I am currently obsessing over several things for spring and I made a little collage below for fun over at Polyvore to share.

Current obsessions by cat-martin featuring sheer tops

Uhh! Isn't Julianne Moore ravishing? She is one of my red head icons. Which I will devote a whole other post to later in the week.

xO- Etheline