Spring 2015 Pantone Series #2

This is part two of my Pantone Spring 2015 Color series. You can find part one here.

Here is a refresher for you:

I've already discussed the first three hues and today I am going to discuss the next three.



4. Classic Blue
"...an anchoring color that works with pretty much every other color on the top 10 list"- Pantone
I couldn't agree more! I adore navy and this blue is a lighter alternative for Spring.

5. Toasted Almond
"Suntanned neutral that is comforting, warm, toes-in-the-sand color" - Pantone
Every season needs a light neutral. Toasted Almond achieves that and is also one of my favorite snacks.

6. Strawberry Ice
Pink! Easily one of my favorite colors. In high school my senior superlative was "Most Likely to Be Wearing Pink." I don't actually wear pink that much but I am a very feminine person overall. I think that nickname was a reflection more on my personality than my actual wardrobe choice. Strawberry Ice is a nice salmon color but with a cooler tint. And it's basically the same color as Flamingos are and those are my favorite animal!

Don't forget to check back on Monday when I will post about the final 4 Pantone colors for Women Spring 2015!

Ciao for now!

Jaclyn

Spring 2015 Pantone Series #1

Coffee. Accordion Folder. Comfortable Shoes. It's market time!

My favorite job is being a buyer for a local boutique, Vignettes, in Augusta, Ga. Tomorrow we are headed to the Atlanta Apparel Market. The past few days, I have been researching (Pinteresting) some spring/ summer trends. I was reading Pantone's spring colors this morning and I thought of the idea to do a seasonal color series on my blog. I ALWAYS look at the Pantone color forecast before going to market. This helps me predict what colors people may be looking to buy. 

Pantone looks at what colors designers are using and puts together 10 colors for each season. If Pantone says that a color is "hot," then it is.  I know that if I buy within this palette, then I have a better chance of making cohesive outfits across brand lines. Also, I know that sticking (I'll use that term liberally) to these colors that our items will have a better chance of matching clothing bought elsewhere. I can't tell you how often customers come into the store looking for a top to wear with a skirt or shorts or vice versa. Deviating from the list can be very refreshing as well. Don't think that these are the ONLY color items I suggest we purchase at market, but it gives me a preview of what I'll see at market and what to expect from my favorite designers. 

Here are the 10 women's colors for Spring 2015. 

I was going to be an overachiever and talk about all ten today, but I decided to instead, talk about 3 today, 3 tomorrow, and 4 on Monday! I know, I'm cruel for making you wait till the weekend is over but I gotta add in some suspense. (Plus, I'll be at Market all weekend and don't want to make promises that I can't keep). 

1. Aquamarine
"Somewhere between the color of the sky and the sea..." - Pantone 
To me, including this color was Pantone's way of acknowledging Chambray as a Spring Time Staple. Blue is arguably my favorite color to wear so I have no problems with so many blue hues being included for this Spring! 

2. Scuba Blue
"... surfers aren't the only ones who wear Neoprene." - Pantone
I love this blue. It reminds me a lot of my sorority's blue, azure. It is definitely a brighter blue than aquamarine and adds that -pop- of color to jazz up any outfit!

3. Lucite Green
This green is the perfect marriage between seafoam and mint! So just think.. mint, but brighter!

I hope you enjoy this series!

Ciao for now!

Jaclyn

Wallpaper Wednesday

Rachel was so sweet to link me in her blog post yesterday about her new iPhone case.

As usual, here are some cute wallpapers to use on your iPhones. I find all of my photos on Pinterest, you can find each artist by clicking "source" below the pictures. 

Remember, a new wallpaper can make you feel like you have a brand new phone!

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This one would be great for Masters coming up because they look like little golf balls. It's never too soon to start planning for Masters Week! 

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This one was inspired by my sister Kaitlyn. Beauty and the Beast is her favorite Disney movie and I thought the castle would be great for Valentine's day (as would most of the ones I posted today). Plus, it was just announced that Emma Watson will be playing Belle in the upcoming movie!

Ciao for now!

Jaclyn 

Recent Wardrobe Staples

I buy a lot of clothing. Partly because I work at a boutique, but mainly because I love shopping. I always buy items with the intention of wearing them a lot, but truth be told, most of my purchases just end up on my closet floor (then into the Goodwill bin or off to a local consignment shop). There are, however, several pieces which I get each season that I end up wearing all the time. Today, I've decided to share with you two clothing items that make great staples for the end of Winter/ transition into Spring! 

This bracelet: 

I wear this J. Crew Factory gold link bracelet every day. It looks a lot like this David Yurman bracelet, but it's a fraction of the cost. Also, it's gold plated.  

This tunic: 

(Today was cold and windy and I only went outside long enough to take this photo). 

This tunic was given to me by my best friend, Rachel. She originally bought it for herself. The first day she wore it, she got a stain on it. Since she loved the tunic A LOT but wasn't sure if the stain would come out, she bought another one. The stain came out, so she gave me the back-up tunic. A perk of having a fashionista as a best friend is that a fashion emergency for her can turn out to be beneficial to me and vice versa. 

Back to the tunic, it wrinkles easily (as you can tell above) but it's comfortable and it fits really well. It's just long enough to wear with leggings and it's super soft. I probably wear it once a week. 

Both of these items make great Spring wardrobe staples. I wear scarves and vests over the tunic and the link bracelet makes a great addition to my jewelry collection. 

Ciao for now! 

Jaclyn 

Top Knot Tutorial

Happy Saturday! Today I decided to attempt a top knot! I posted a picture on Instagram and was asked how I got my hair to look like this. I decided that it was a good time for a tutorial. I have pretty thick hair and it's a little longer than shoulder length. I used a sock to achieve the volume in the bun that I wanted. 

First step is to put your hair in a ponytail on the top of your head. 

Stand it straight up.

Take a sock and cut the toe part off and roll it up so it looks like a donut. Slip this onto your ponytail but leave it close to the ponytail tip.  

Part the ponytail in half and tuck the tips under the sock. (You can see my thumb tucking one half under the sock above). 

You can see that both halves are tucked under (there are still some stray pieces which will tuck under as you roll it to your head). 

Use your thumbs and fingers like I am above and start rolling. 

Tuck as you roll so that the bun tightens. 

Eventually the hair will start to look neat. At this point you need to spread the hair around the sock so that no white is visible. With the next roll I'll be sure to push the hair forward to cover the front of the sock. You want to concentrate on covering the back of the sock first so that way you can adjust the front as needed. It's hard adjusting the back of your hair without two mirrors. 

And there you have it! You've successfully made a top knot! 

I've seen many different ways to put in a sock bun but this is the easiest way to me. 

Let me know what you think! 

Ciao for now! 

Jaclyn 

Ipsy Review: January Glambag

I have been subscribing to ipsy to close to a year. Originally, my roommate, Mica told me about the service because I love trying new make-up products. This subscription service sends you a Glambag every month full of four or five goodies for $10 a month. Before ipsy, I would spend more on that on random things at the drugstore. Ipsy sends me quality brands and I've yet to have a Glambag that I felt I hadn't gotten my money's worth. Bonus: ipsy always comes in a cute metallic pink mailer which always puts a smile on my face when I check the mailbox.

This is what the metallic mailer looks like. Cute, right? 

This was January's Glambag. Each month it has some sort of new creative design. 

The other side of the bag is white. I'm originally a Florida girl so I was a sucker for the colors this month. 

The first item in the bag was a liquid eyeliner. I usually stick to pencil but liquid gives a heavier effect which is more dramatic (and messy). I'll probably use this eyeliner on Valentine's Day. 

I LOVE it when ipsy sends brushes. This one is for all over eyeliner and I will definitely put it to good use. Plus, it's pink. Love. (I apologize for my short unpainted nails but I just haven't had a chance to paint them since I peeled my gel polish off. Bad, I know.) 

Honey face mask! What a treat! I used it earlier today and it worked well. I was definitely one of those kids growing up who would popular Elmer's glue all over my hands just to peel it off. It left my skin feeling smooth and refreshed. 

Next up is a mojito lip balm. It smells great and was fine on my lips. You can never have enough lip balm in the colder months so no complaints here. 

I've gotten this eye shadow twice now in my ipsy bag and I am obsessed with it. Last time that I got this shadow, it lasted a very long time. I am thrilled that I got it again! (It's a blush/champagne color in case you can't tell)

Want to try ipsy? Sign up here!!!

Ciao for now! 

Jaclyn 

Wallpaper Wednesday

Here are some cute wallpapers to brighten your hump day! 

I love prints that involve animals, which is why Lilly Pulitzer is one of my favorite designers. Hope you like these designs as much as I do!

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Ciao for now!

Jaclyn

Shoesday Tuesday: The Perfect Riding Boots

"Where did you get your boots?" That is the number one fashion-related question I'm asked during the winter months. My boots were from Vignettes, where I work, but they're a few seasons old. The key to investing in a pair of brown riding boots is simplicity. You don't want boots with a bunch of buckles or logos on them. As we say in design, "Keep it simple, stupid!" Since the riding boot trend does not seem to be going anywhere anytime soon, I really should invest in a nice pair.

These Frye boots are my favorite designer boots. I love Tory Burch but I do not have $500 to spend on shoes. These Frye boots, in my opinion, seem like better quality and are more reasonably priced (especially if you were to get them on sale).

Frye • $367.95 

If you're unsure about the riding boot trend then these boots off of Amazon are perfect for you. They are very similar to the above Frye "Melissa". These are vegan leather and are the least expensive on my list. Also these have an inner-calf zipper which irritates my ankle bone but if you've never had that problem, then these might be the boots for you!

Amazon • $29.99–51.27 

These boots (below) from Target look just like the Frye Melissa boots and are REAL Leather! How stellar is that? These look like they would be a great investment and come in three colors: black, chocolate brown, and cognac. My favorite is the cognac. These also come in a wide calf which I know is really helpful for some ladies.

Target • $74.99 

I can't believe I found these boots for you! The boots below (again, vegan leather) are the exact boots that I get asked about all the time. They have two buckles on them (one on the top and one on the heel). They have lasted me two seasons and they still look great. We are sold out of them at Vignettes but JCPenney's has them in stock.

Wanted • $70.00 

Here's a wrap up for you:

I know it's almost spring and a little late to be buying boots but you can usually score an end of season sale. Our cold weather doesn't come until right about now until March so it's still not too late.

Ciao for now!

 Jaclyn

My Favorite Salad

Boots: Macy's [similar]

During our trip out west, Jordan and I stopped in Scottsdale, Arizona. The night before stopping in Scottsdale, we stayed in El Paso (I hope to never go back). I'm not sure if Scottsdale was ACTUALLY as wonderful as I remember, or if El Paso was so horrible that I remember Scottsdale being better than it was. Whatever the reason, we fell in love with Scottsdale. 

We were hungry by the time we got into town so we stopped for dinner at Cowboy Ciao. Jordan ordered mushroom stew and I decided I wanted a salad. I usually like chopped salads and there was on one the menu, so I ordered it. The description read as follows: 

Stetson Chopped Salad: "I loved that chopped salad so much that I put it on my screensaver!" - Actual Guest Quote

This is what the salad looked like: 

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It was amazing. So amazing that I found the recipe online and made it at home. It wasn't quite as good as the in restaurant experience but it satisfied my taste buds just fine. 

Here is the recipe: 

Ingredients

SALAD INGREDIENTS:

• 1/2 cup (2 oz) Israeli (pearl) couscous, cooked
• 1/2 cup (2 oz) Roma tomatoes, diced
• 1/2 cup (1 oz) super-sweet dried corn
• 1/2 cup (2oz) arugula, chopped
• 2 ounces smoked salmon, diced
• 1/2 oz asiago cheese, crumbled **
• 1/4 cup (1/2 oz) toasted pepitas **
• 1/4 cup dried black currants**

PESTO DRESSING INGREDIENTS:

• 1/2 cup basil pesto
• 1 cup aioli (Note: If you cannot find commercially prepared aioli and don`t want to make your own, you can substitute mayonnaise, or use 1 cup olive oil, drizzled in very slowly with motor running so the mixture emulsifies. It should thicken further with refrigeration.
• 1 shallot, roughly chopped
• Salt to taste 

Directions

SALAD INSTRUCTIONS:

• 1
  
  In a shallow bowl, assemble the salad ingredients in rows. Start with tomatoes or arugula at one end; push previous row back with one hand as you place and line up the next ingredient with the other hand.
• 2
  
  **Combine these ingredients beforehand and use as one row. All are available at Trader Joe’s. 

PESTO DRESSING INSTRUCTIONS:

Add first three ingredients to food processor and blend thoroughly. With motor running, pour in buttermilk. Add remaining ingredients to combine. If using prepared pesto, taste before adding additional salt. Store in refrigerator until ready to serve.

Source:Cowboy Ciao Restaurant - Scottsdale, AZ

 

Shirt: Old Navy [exact]

Shorts: Nordstrom [similar]

Boots:Macy's [similar]

Purse: Longchamp [exact]

This was taken at the resort at the bottom of Camelback Mountain. 

We will definitely be making a return trip to Scottsdale, even if for no reason other than to order the Stetson Salad!

Ciao for now!

Jaclyn 

Edibles & Drinkables: Ramen Bars

So there is the new (to me) trend: Ramen Bars. I remember seeing an episode on the Food Channel show Food Court Wars where one of the contestant's restaurants was called Ramen Bar. I can't remember if they won. And I'm not sure if the two are related.

In case you have no idea what I am talking about... this is Ramen:

Earlier this week, I was grabbing coffee with a dear friend, Leah. We were talking about my semi-recent trip to LA. Leah asked if I went to a Ramen Bar while I was there. Our mutual friend, who lives in LA, loves Ramen Bars. I didn't see any of these restaurants on my trip, but with a simple Google search I found a ton of them. From what Leah said, this Ramen isn't like the 10 cent packages at Kroger but is extremely delicious. I am very intrigued by this concept and hope to visit a Ramen Bar next time I am in the vicinity of one. Honestly, all I saw on menus in LA were different types of Kale. Lollipop Kale was pretty delicious.

Are there any Ramen Bar type restaurants near you? Have you been to one? What do you think of them? Yay or nay?

Let me know your thoughts.

Ciao for now!

Jaclyn

Wallpaper Wednesday

I've recently become obsessed with changing my iPhone wallpaper (both lock and home screens). Here are some of my recent favorites that I found on Pinterest. I'll link the sources to the best of my ability.

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This would have been perfect for New Years but works with Valentine's Day coming up soon!

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This is currently my lock screen wallpaper. It reminds me of FL and CA, both happy memories from 2014.

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This is currently my home screen wallpaper. I have so many apps that I like simple wallpaper for the home screen but the bottom flowers really add a nice pizazz!
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Can y'all tell that I am wishing for Spring?  I am definitely ready for warmer weather and brighter colors. 

Ciao for Now, 

Jaclyn 

Thrifty Three

I love fashion. It has always been a passion of mine and I hope to turn it into a career. I have yet to make the transition from student to full time career woman. but the clock is ticking.  I have learned how to manage well with a tight student budget. I value quality and so the majority of my purchases are from the sale rack. I have decided to start a mini series of weekly posts sharing some great deals and steals that I have purchased or intend to purchase. I hope you enjoy it and feel free to give feedback.

1. Smoking Slippers

These beauts are only $53.99 which is great for this type of shoe. J Crew (factory or original) has great quality and style. Theses would've been adorable for New Years but work for any occasion. Also blue is my favorite color so what is not to love about these shoes?

2. Pixie Ankle Pants

What is not to love? Only $30 right now at Old Navy. These would be wonderful for Spring. I love Old Navy pixie pants because they are the perfect professional ankle pant. Plus they're super comfy. They have a wide variety of colors but this blue grid was just the right amount of funky for me. It says the color is blue but it looks more periwinkle in my opinion. I also love the contrasting belt with which it is styled. I happen to have a belt this exact shade of pink... guess I HAVE to buy the pants now.  ;)

3. Patterned Tunic Dress

This dress comes in at $58.50. It reminds me of a Sail To Sable dress but is a FRACTION of the price. I love everything about this dress. I do not own this dress so I cannot speak to the fit but it looks like it would be very comfortable. I had to cut this poor model's face off to screen-shot it but her hair is gorgeous, am I right?  This dress is perfect for Resort / Spring.


BONUS:
I started doing yoga this week. I haven't ventured into a studio yet (even though there is a great one right down the street from the boutique where I work). I have been doing YouTube tutorials in my bedroom, and let me tell you, it's quite the work out. I am not as flexible as I used to be. In high school I was cheerleading captain and worked out five days a week, now... not so much. Because of my recent pasttime, I have been shopping for yoga friendly clothing. My sister swears by Athleta for the quality and durability. And this week THEY'RE HAVING A SALE! Click here. Use Code ATHLETA20 and get 20% off your entire purchase until the 19th. I will definitely be taking advantage of this great sale.

Ciao for Now,

Jaclyn