(Fall) Fashion Friday

My favorite thing about Fall is that I get to wear my favorite type of outfits. Put me in skinny jeans, boots and a 3/4 length shirt and I am a happy gal. There are tons of options with these three basic essentials.

Flats are the other must-have for your Fall wardrobe. They are a comfy yet chic option for daywear with skinny jeans and a scarf.

Need to spice it up a little for night but don't want to wear a dress? A sexy bun, a little lace and high heels make up a perfect outfit for date night with your honey.

What do you look forward to wearing most this Fall?

All images via.

FGA: Smoked Salmon Dip

Is everyone gearing up for this weekend's football games? If you don't want to make something hot, I have a tasty dip for you to make for this Saturday's tailgate or party. I made it last Saturday when we spent game day with Bryan's boss and colleagues. It is very easy to make. Here is this week's Football Game Appetizer:

Smoked Salmon Dip

Ingredients:

3 oz. cream cheese, softened

2 Tbsp. butter, softened

6 oz. smoked salmon

2 Tbsp. capers

2 Tbsp. purple onion, chopped

2 Tsp. hot sauce

Directions:

Combine all of the ingredients in a food processor and blend until smooth. Serve with crackers. (See, I told you it was super easy!) Yields about 1 cup, so I usually double the recipe.

LC's My Girl

This morning I had to make a quick run to Target before the day even began. Rewind...Starbucks came before Target and I had my first Pumpkin Spice Latte of the fall. Thank you to whoever reminded me about these this week! As I was pulling out of the Target parking lot I glanced over to see Kohl's and decided to stop. I never go to Kohl's. Ever. Don't know why, lots of people get great things there, it's just never on my list of places. I went in searching for a messenger/cross-body bag to use this weekend. No luck in that department, but I did hit the jackpot when I discovered Lauren Conrad's line. I remember seeing a tv interview with her months ago, thinking her clothes were cute and then forgetting about them. CUTE stuff! They remind me of Tucker, Rebecca Taylor, Joie and BCBG all rolled into one.

Isn't this shirt perfect for fall? And yes, they have faux leather shorts! They were very nice in person and I would have gotten them if my size had been there.

Ooh la la, this was my favorite outfit I tried on in the dressing room. The shirt is actually a very pale pink and the shorts are a red wine color. So stinkin' cute! Wish I were going somewhere tonight to wear it.

If I could have gotten more, I would have for sure. They have so many good staples for a fall wardrobe. I'm not big on pastels for fall, but there were so many pretty ones. There were also beautiful maxi dresses.

I got online to look for a couple of things that they were out of in my size in the store. Honestly I didn't think stuff looked that cute online, but it is adorable in person. Everything is either 40% or 25% off today only!

TGIF: Thank Goodness It's Fall

Best Fall Accessory

The Scarf

I recently saw this picture of one of Bryan's friends and his fiance. Ok, first of all, isn't she the cutest thing? The hair, the outfit, the earrings! Immediately I was drawn to the scarf. Not only the pop of color that it adds, but they way in which it is tied. I find myself only using a few different methods and realized that I must broaden my scarf-tying horizons. A day later I was forwarded an email with a link to the Capitol Hill Style blog. Much to my delight I was taken to a page full of tips on how to wear a scarf! I could not get any of the images to save, but be sure to click the link to see six ways how to tie a scarf.

This picture does not explain how to tie each scarf, but it does show different looks.

What better place to find beautiful scarves and different ways to wear them--Anthropologie anyone?

Anthropologie Scarves by hwood0955 featuring a silk shawl

Girls' Night

Today will be the third Monday that a bunch of girlfriends and I have gotten together to have a girls' night. It's pretty funny how all of us girls have recently moved to town, but somehow all intertwine in our friendships and how we know each other. Everyone has been super relaxed and enjoyed good girl time. The first week we were all together one of them mentioned something about reading blogs and I let the cat out of the bag that I blogged. Of course they all wanted to know how to find it and if they were going to be on it the next morning. Well...three weeks later we still have yet to take a picture. Me, being the stay-at-home housewife gets giddy to dress up. The others are all somehow in the medical field and show up in scrubs. It's an amusing contrast and we all love it. (A couple of them did bring clothes to change into last week.) I have promised them that each dish I make will be posted on here. The first week we had Mexican food. I made Chicken Enchiladas and those yummy Key Lime Cupcakes that I blogged about here. Last Monday I made Feta Artichoke Dip for our appetizer night. Tonight I am making Caesar Salad for Italian night.

When we originally came up with the idea for girls' night, we talked about going out for cocktails and dinner or staying in to cook and watch tv. The later won and we have all enjoyed a relaxed atmosphere and being goofy. Tonight we are going to watch the premier of Hart of Dixie, Rachel Bilson's new show on CW. Anyone else a fan of Rachel? In college a ton of us girls would pile together and watch her on The O.C. I have been a fan of hers ever since. I love her sense of style and think she is such a cutie pie. This new series has all of us girls excited. Anyone plan on watching this tonight?

Maybe we'll get around to taking a few pictures tonight and I can share them with you soon!

Sunday Inspiration: Books

Over the next couple of weeks I thought I would share a few books that I have read lately. Most of them pertain to being a Godly woman and/or strengthening your marriage. I am the first to admit that I am only human and continuously fail miserably in both of these areas. I'm sure that you will agree with me that we all need all the help we can get, and thus I though I would share some of the books that have encouraged me.

The Five Love Languages, by Gary Chapman, explains how each of has a "love language" that must be met in order for us to feel truly loved. According to Chapman, there are five love languages are: Quality Time, Gifts, Words of Affirmation, Physical Touch and Acts of Service. The chances are that you and your significant other do not have the same love language. We tend to express love though our own gift(s), but instead we need to understand what gift(s) those around us have and need in order to feel loved.

This is a book that I Bryan and I have read together. I personally feel that reading with your husband draws the two of you even closer on an intimate level. With this book, we have been able to talk about both of our gifts and how we can strive to be a better wife and husband.

Saturday Ramblings

1. Instagram. Need I say more? You can easily tell by the pictures I post how much I like this app. Only this week did I start following other people and start tagging my own photos. Obsessed.

2. Missoni for Target? Try your local TJMaxx, you might just find the "real" thing.

3. Back to the shorts thing again. This outfit looks relaxed but pulled-together. The shoes are the statement piece.

4. Need some new lip gloss? Move over Chanel, NARS and Bobbi, Revlon coming though. All of my mine are down to nothing and I desperately needed some the other night. I swung by Walgreen's and hit the jackpot. Revlon Super Lustrous is just as good as some of the more expensive brands I tend to purchase. These three are: 150 Peach Petal, 120 Pink Pursuit and 040 Nude Lustre.

FF: Leather Shorts

One of my favorite fashion trends right now is leather shorts. Going gaga over them, for real. There have not been many fashion pictures where I have seen them that I have not been immediately drawn to them. Love. I think you most certainly have to wear them the right way though or you might look a little w.t. (white trash or whiskey tango as some like to call it undercover). Booties and heels add a nice touch, I think you must have a little height on your feet to pull of the shorts. Tibi has brown/camel colored ones that make my heart pitter patter. Yet, the price makes it just about stop. I need to find a much cheaper alternative.


You know I'm bound to have a little Tibi in here somewhere, and once again Olivia does not disappoint in either of these smashing outfits. Seriously, does the girl ever look bad? I either need to become her best friend so I can raid her closet, or ditch the friend part and just raid her closet.


Here are a few that I have found online. Shopstyle has a ton of cheaper options, but I had a hard time finding a lot that I could use with Polyvore.

Leather Shorts by hwood0955 featuring leather shorts

Anyone jumping on this trend wagon? If so, what color do you like best--brown, tan or black?