Maids

All too often friends of brides everywhere are forced into dresses they dislike to simply make their bestie bride happy on their big day. I am pretty sure my bridesmaids weren't thrilled to spend a few hundred dollars on a "cerise" colored dress that they could never wear again when it came to our wedding. Let's be honest, no matter what any bride says...I have very rarely have seen a dress that can be worn a second time without screaming this was a bridesmaid dress. However this all may change with the announcement of Lauren Conrad's new Paper Crown bridesmaid line. Simple styles that aren't over the top trendy are available in soft colors may make the entire bridesmaid dress experience a whole lot prettier. A few of my favorites are below. What do you think of this new venture?

images via Martha Stewart Weddings

purchase above dresses

Under The Tuscan Sun

A friend of mine asked me to help pull together a little inspiration for an Italian themed party.  I was excited to help as I love a little celebration for any occasion but also was fortunate enough to have recently attended a beautiful bridal shower for my lovely friend Amelia that was Tuscan themed as well as help put together an Italian themed birthday party for another friend where these favors were a big hit. Below is a little round up of some of the ideas we were working with to create a memorable event. 

invite // flowers // cake stand // table numbers // straws // balloons // twine // bottles // tags // napkins

Black & White

Whenever I need outfit inspiration I always like to go to my black & white board on inspiration. Something about this classic combo always feels fresh and modern no matter what season it is. With a lot of upcoming travel I also like choosing this color palette for efficient packing. It's great for pairing with every other color out there and when these two colors are combined into prints, I am not running away scared. A little round up of some black and white favorites are below, happy shopping!



DVF Harlow Blouse {more sizes here} // Rebecca Taylor Tweed Jacket // Theory Dress // A.L.C Pants // Tibi Sequoia Tank // J.Crew Houndstooth Flats // Jimmy Choo Pump {look for less} // Zimmerman shorts // Baublebar Necklace // Helmut Lang Skirt // Jordan Carlyle Iphone case // McQ - Alexander McQueen Clutch

For the Mommas

After a fun evening out last night with my college friends who are all wonderful moms I was inspired to share a few treats for the woman that make the hardest job in the world look so good. 

Ashley Brook Designs has an adorable shop for cheeky accessories but this custom stationary is beyond adorable for the stylish mama's out there. 

Sophie & Lilli create custom dolls for your kiddos for toting around, also available for the little fellas. 

Got a nugget who is scared of the dark? How cute are these Bright Lab string lights to add some color & soft illumination to their room. 

Von Jet Silhouettes are a unique way to turn your children's profile into art in your home.  

Fiesta

This past Friday was a fun one as some friends and I got together to celebrate our dear friend Amelia's birthday. It sure was hard keeping a secret for so long from a friend you talk to almost everyday. Luckily the fiesta went as well as we had planned and the birthday girl was totally surprised as she and her husband entered a favorite local Mexican restaurant. I was so happy that her husband allowed me free range on the decorations and favors. It's always fun to plan colorful parties and since I was asked about a few of the places I purchased the evenings treats, I thought I would do a post featuring all the sources so you can use to plan your next fiesta!

cake topper {ours said "felix cumpleanos"} // gift pom  {seen here} // mini donkey piñata // drink stirrers // straws // margarita salt bags // giant confetti balloon {seen here} // Mexican blanket

Finally our dear friend Krissy of Boston Pollen created the most beautiful arrangement of different dahlias for the tables and a flower crown for the birthday girl. 

Take Me Away - Amsterdam

Next month we venture off to Europe for a quick trip to Amsterdam to celebrate my husbands birthday. I have been once before during a summer abroad in college but without divulging into my younger self shenanigans, I plan on making this trip much much different. Since my visit was about 15 years ago {holy crap I am old} I would love some suggestions if you have them...I have a few things planned, museums, canal tour and so on but open to hearing other unique ideas. We are staying here where I cannot wait to wake up to the crisp air and a view of the canal. Some people associate vacations with beaches and warmer weather {don't get me wrong I love that too} but for us an urban getaway can be equally satisfying, especially when we get to explore a city together for the first time.

Boutique Crush - Phoebe & Belle

So last week threw me and my husband for a bit of a loop. One day he was complaining of some minor pain and the next day we are transported from one hospital to another for higher level of care and then a late night surgery. I don't want to go into too many of the details because the important thing is that he is now thankfully fine and that is all that matters. But I did want to say a thank you for returning back to my little corner of the internet after unexpectedly taking last week off. 

While visiting our family in NY we stopped at a new little boutique located in Cutchogue, NY on the North Fork of Long Island. Phoebe & Belle is a gorgeous little home store selling everything from gardening goods to chic furnishings. I literally fell head over heels with every single thing in this store. I even picked up this cute little cloche {mercury candles are from my friend Kate's shop} for my bedroom makeover. Some snaps of the other items you can find in the shop are below but feel free to visit the site for a healthy dose of prettiness or the actual store for one of the most charming shops I have ever been to. I know I can't wait to go back for some holiday shopping!

fun little history on the name

definitely on my Christmas list, these beautiful mixed print bowls & trays

my kind of gardening space

little gifts

outdoor entertaining essentials

shelves filled with unique finds for the big & little kids

now & later

I recently read an article {I forget where} that said when making a purchase you should try to think of at least five things to wear it with. If you can't do that, then the purchase isn't versatile enough to be an investment in your closet. Since I have been picking up a few things for fall I have been exercising this suggestion hoping to build a better wardrobe of items that I will love longer then a single season. Two items that I felt fit this assignment was my new favorite Madewell dress and a new leather jacket that I know will be on heavy rotation due to their simple silhouettes and style. I will be wearing the dress now with strappy sandals and a statement necklace then next month when it's cooler I will be swapping out my sandals for booties and tights along with a fitted leather jacket to keep warm.


now - dress // sandals {on super sale} // purse // necklace {also on super sale}
later - jacket // dress // tights // boots

Color Crush - Burgundy

Morning friends! Did you all see my guest post over on Preppy Love yesterday? I was having a major moment with gold and neon pink. Today I am focusing more on autumnal hues like burgundy. This moody color is very much on my radar when it comes to fall shopping. My color crush all started when I spotted those rock studs below...yes I know, every single blogger and their mother owns these shoes and I have never really lusted after them for that reason, but something about them in this bordeaux patent color has me seriously weak in the knees. I have been dreaming up some other wine colored treats that would pair oh so nicely with them. 

button down // tote // wrap sweater // belt // dress // shorts // shoes // necklace // iPhone case

Guest Post with Preppy Love

Hi there ladies! My name is Kasey and I write the blog preppylove. I always love Heidi's style, so I asked her to do a guest post for me today over on my blog, and I am here writing a post for her readers! 

I am a huge fan of classic, sophisticated style... if I could wear Chanel and Burberry every day, I would do it in a heartbeat. Along that line, my favorite color combination is white and gold. Whether it is summer or winter, white and gold together look so fresh and pulled together. I think a white purse with gold hardware can pull together almost any look, so today I wanted to share some of my favorite sophisticated bags:

From top to bottom: MARC by Marc Jacobs Third of July Crossbody Bag // Rebecca Minkoff Mini MAC Crossbody Bag // MICHAEL Michael Kors 'Large Reese' Saffiano Leather Satchel // Burberry 'Small Abbott' Crossbody // COACH 'Madison-Smyth' Leather Satchel // Kate Spade 'Lola Avenue-Lia' Leather Crossbody Satchel // Ted Baker London Crosshatch Shopper

Thanks so much for having me today! I hope you will become my newest follower at preppylove!

Time Off

Morning friends! I just wanted to pop in & say there won't be any posts this week as I tend to some personal matters that need my full attention. Hope you all have a great week & I hope to be back to blogging on schedule next week. 

Stop...Collaborate & Listen

Often collaborations with high end designers with affordable retailers don't always translate as well as we would hope. I often get excited over the hype and then let down when I see the actual products in person. I still can't help but hold hope when two awesome brands come together and create limited edition products that are not only stylish but also affordable. First up, the Missoni & Converse capsule available at Nordstrom. I personally am not a sneaker gal outside of the gym but I think I would totally sport some of those fancy kicks below {probably not the high tops} for travel and in place of flats on casual dressing days. 

shop them all here

Next up is the super chic line of clothing created by Roland Mouret & Banana Republic. The office ready looks are sleek and modern without losing that classic style that Banana customers love. Never mind all the swoon worthy new arrivals since Marissa Webb took over  - so good!

shop all the looks here

Finally have you seen the new line of fine jewelry that Jennifer Fisher did with J.Crew? It's so dainty and the layering of charms is so fun, I love the simple design, something you won't tire of. You can see more of their In Good Company lines here. 

shop all the looks here

Tory Burch Home

We all know Tory Burch for her comfy flats and incredible fashions that make mixing prints so effortless. This top designer has pretty much dabbled in everything from handbags to beauty so it should come as no surprise that she has extended her empire to include home decor. This collection of stemware, tabletop treats as well as home accessories is just as good as I would imagine coming from the well known brand. I personally love that the few items she is offering are shown with an image on how to decorate it a la Tory along with her signature packaging which is almost as pretty as the goodies itself. Oh and the blog offers some fun entertaining ideas and recipes to host your next get-together in style. Take a look below at some of my favorites along with her gorgeous styling suggestions.   Which items are you loving???

cocktail napkins // stemware // pillows {1 & 2} // platter // box // tray // frame // bottle opener // nutcracker // pitcher 

{see the entire collection}

all images via Tory Burch