pinspiration: floral manicures

Floral manicures are nothing new, but they've definitely been prominent on my Pinterest feed lately! I've noticed that a lot of the beautiful images are from LA Studio Olive + June, but there are plenty of DIY versions as well. I have nothing but admiration for ladies who have the patience and talent to paint these designs freehand on their own nails - for the rest of us, there are manicurists and nail wraps to get our nails perfectly ready for spring.

Would you try floral nails? Do you prefer one accent nail, or ten floral tips?

this week's clicks.

get your week off to a colorful start...

SWOON.

Michael and Carina Photographers via Magnolia Rouge

• I fell in love with this classic country club wedding in Virginia.
• From Beka Price, a dreamy maternity shoot in a lavender field.
• A sweet, romantic couples photo sesh. In Hawaii. With a puppy.
• Love Alicia's convenient and chic do-it-yourself office nook.

SMILE.

• Desktops:  The Everygirl, CrossCards, Flipsnack, Sarah Hearts
• Rifle Paper Co.'s new collab with Keds is here + includes kids'!
• Love peeking at Bridget Beth Collins' creative floral artwork.
• Currently pinning inspiration for Holy Week and Easter.

FLASHBACK.

• 2016: spring reading challenge recommendations, tattoos I'd love to have
• 2015: my March favorites (and OUAT obsession).
• 2014: inspiration for a sweet mint and baby's breath wedding.
• 2013: memories of Ireland and citron wardrobe inspiration.
• 2012: inspiration for a moody pastel country wedding.
• 2011: creative ideas for wedding card storage and thank you signs.

Happy Un-Boxing Day - My First Maternity Stitch Fix [December 2017]

Maternity fashion is complicated. During the first trimester, I was mainly trying to disguise my pregnancy with flowy tops and waterfall sweaters. We didn't tell people we were expecting until second trimester, and then came a point, around week 16, where I wouldn't have been able to conceal my bump even if I'd wanted to! Long tees and cardigans have been a staple, along with leggings and dresses. It was pants that were becoming an issue - I can't yet fit into the maternity pants my BFF loaned me, but I'm no longer comfortable in my pre-preganancy favorites. I found some great jeans at Motherhood Maternity, but still needed some work staples, so I reached out to Stitch Fix to try their maternity service.

This is not a sponsored post. I signed up for Stitch Fix and purchase the items I keep from each of my Fixes myself. I am a Stitch Fix Influencer, and my styling fee was waived for this Fix. My opinions on this blog are always 100% honest and authentic. This post does contain affiliate links - for each new sign-up I will receive a commission towards my next maternity Stitch Fix.

In my note to my stylist, I explained where I was in my pregnancy and requested a cozy Fix with work-appropriate pants and dresses that could be worn with leggings. I was pretty excited about my Christmas gift to myself.

If you're new to the concept of Stitch Fix, here's how it works: when you sign up, you pay a $20 personal styling fee and fill out a profile with your detailed size, style, and price preferences. I usually set my price preferences to "the cheaper, the better." Your stylist chooses five items just for you, which may include shoes, purses, or jewelry, and the $20 styling fee is applied toward the cost of any items you decide to keep from your shipment. There's also a 25% buy five discount if you love everything in your Fix! For a limited time, Stitch Fix is going to waive your styling fee when you sign up using my link - that's right, you can try Stitch Fix for free - if you don't like it, you can send everything back with no shipping costs. When my Fix arrived, I was excited to see the cute Holiday '17 packaging and the small box that meant I'd received an accessory as one of my five items!

Since Stitch Fix launched in 2011, they have become more and more diverse in their offerings - their services include petite, maternity, plus size, and even a men's line. While some of the items Stitch Fix offers can be found in stores, others are exclusive and can't be purchased anywhere else. For me, the maternity service is great because I live in a rural area and most of our local stores don't have a maternity section at all. Additionally, it's been a real challenge to find maternity pieces that are also petite - just because I'm pregnant doesn't mean I'm not short anymore! I'm going to include the prices of my items in this review so you can see how maternity items compare to regular Stitch Fix pieces.

My favorite Stitch Fix stylists are Heather and Jan. The note in my Fix explained that Jan was on vacation so Heather styled for me again this time. Her note said,

"I packed this Fix with some maternity essentials to help you look effortlessly stylish in the coming moths. Try wearing the enclosed navy Skies are Blue Blouse with the navy Liverpool Pants, the taupe Dreamers/Debut Cardigan, the Nakamol Necklace, a tan purse, and navy flats for a polished work outfit. If the pants are too long, try cuffing them by rolling them up two to three times for a stylish twist. For a different business casual outfit, pair the cardigan and the necklace with the burgundy French Grey Dress, black leggings, a burgundy purse, and black flats."

I tried on the Skies are Blue Maternity Nidra Ruffle Neck Blouse ($58) with the Liverpool Reagan Maternity Skinny Pant ($78). As soon as I saw "if the pants are too long" in my stylist note, I was disappointed - my height is in my Stitch Fix profile and I request petite items whenever possible. The Liverpool pants are made of a nice stretchy material and have a full belly panel made of what felt like swimsuit material. Although the tag says they are a legging, they had real pockets, and I'm pretty sure they were black even though the stylist note said "navy pants." I didn't like having to cuff the pants for them to fit me length-wise, and they were more expensive than I'm really comfortable with for one pair of pants, so I returned them. I thought the Skies are Blue blouse was very pretty, especially the tulip sleeves and feminine neckline with buttons. It reminded me of the Papermoon blouse from my seventh Fix. However, it's December in Virginia, so short sleeves aren't very practical, and my best friend gave me several of her short sleeve maternity blouses. I was really hoping for some cozier tops in this Fix.

I paired the French Grey Maternity Ariell Knit Dress ($48) with the Dreamers/Debut Bartone Cable Trim Cocoon Cardigan ($58). The cardigan wasn't a keeper because it was very similar to a cardigan I received in my last Fix in color and shape - and this one didn't fit; the sleeves were much too long since it wasn't a petite item. The dress, though, was definitely a hit! This is my second French Grey dress - the first came in my November 2016 Fix. This one had a similar shape but was more flowy to accommodate a baby bump. I love the burgundy color and floral print, and the price was comparable to similar dresses from maternity retailers.

Please excuse the squinty face I'm making in this picture - I'll wear my glasses in the next post! The accessory I received in this Fix was the Nakamol Angelo Fresh Water Pearl Charm Necklace ($44), a three-strand piece with silver chain, neutral colored beads, and a silver pearl charm. The necklace was very pretty but not really my style - it was very "blingy" and I didn't think it would go with my bohemian-inspired wardrobe.

Even though the only "keeper" from this Fix was the French Grey dress, I'll definitely be trying Stitch Fix Maternity again - for me, it's a chance to feel stylish while my body is going through crazy changes!

Linking Up With:

Blended Blog Style at Foxy's Domestic Side

Weekend Wear at Threads for Thomas

I Feel Pretty at Get Your Pretty On

Trend Spin at Walking in Memphis in High Heels

On the Daily Express and Straight A Style

pinspiration: Easter in the garden

What are your plans for this weekend? I'm looking forward to Easter Sunday and getting inspired by floral maxi dresses and full-on garden party vibes. Hopefully it will be warm enough to fire up the grill after church and invite some friends over for brunch on the patio!

If there's one day of the year that a flower crown is acceptable in public outside of Coachella, let it be Easter Sunday.

Love this vintage-inspired garden sign from Ella Claire.

How pretty are these botanical painted eggs from The House that Lars built?

There's lots more Easter inspiration over on my Pinterest boards, and I'm working on a Spotify playlist to celebrate:

this week's clicks: ovaries before brovaries.

get your week off to a colorful start...
LISTEN.

• My typical move for this week would be to put a sweet, sappy love song here - BUT today is February 13th, Galentine's Day, a holiday that as far as I know was created by my fictional idol, Leslie Knope from Parks and Recreation. Here's the newest bit of sass from Ingrid Michaelson, featuring a cool ASL video.

SWOON.

Kelly Sauer via Elizabeth Anne Designs

• Vintage infused floral bridesmaid inspiration from EAD.
• Dreamy blush and gold moodboard from Mospens Studio.
• From Texas, a romantic Southern-meets-Scottish wedding.
• A modern organic wedding in North Carolina from SMP.

SMILE.

• Desktops: Cross Cards, Red Stamp, Going Home To Roost.
• Perfect for today: a roundup of Galentine's DIYs and crafts...
• and a giant pink-frosted donut cake, such a fun centerpiece!
• Fun Etsy find: succulent jewelry that looks like the real deal.

FLASHBACK.

• 2016: favorite looks from the Grammys and Instagram faves,
• 2015: a business casual V-Day look, my second Stitch Fix, and February faves.
• 2014: sporty s-t-d ideas, the Olympics, and Sochi and Team USA wardrobe picks.
• 2013: inspiration for a poppies and lace wedding, the Cupid Swap, Cinderella-inspired wedding ideas, Oscar Party tips, and February blog loves.
• 2012: a couple of V-Day snapshots, and a peek at  my weekend.
• 2011: our wedding inspiration in textures, V-Day as an engaged couple, flower arranging, and contemporary instrumental wedding music.

this week's clicks.

get your week off to a colorful start...
SWOON.

Jennifer Daigle Photography via Found Vintage Rentals

• Inspiration to throw more dinner parties outside.
• At SMP, a stunning organic wedding in Portugal.
• I can never resist a glam blush and gold wedding.
• Pretty DIY floral party goods from Tomkat Studio.

SMILE.

• Desktops: Oh So Lovely, Roost, Soggy Musings.
• Emily's family road trip makes a stop in Virginia.
• Kate Spade's new collection is for chic cat ladies.
• Juliette's Olympics questions made me LOL.

FLASHBACK.

• 2015: Visiting Sullivan's Island.
• 2014: A Sunday Social about my preferences, soft neutral summer wardrobe inspiration, music-inspired save the dates and wedding invitations.
• 2013: A forward-thinking Sunday Social, my favorite work outfit, colorful kitchen pieces, and inspiration for a soft coral and teal wedding.
• 2012: Navy blue wardrobe and home decor ideas, bohemian weddings and brides in forehead bands.

Style: Building a Business Trip Capsule Wardrobe with Stitch Fix (#7)

As most of you know, my "day job" is teaching eighth grade English. Last month, I got an early-morning phone call from my school division's director of secondary curriculum. Once I recovered from the confusion of being woken up by someone who wasn't a member of my immediate family, I processed what she was offering: an opportunity to travel to an educational conference for the network our school is preparing to join - in Orlando, Florida! I would have been crazy to say no, and I soon as I completed my conference registration, I set up a Stitch Fix request. 

Curious about Stitch Fix? 

When you sign up for Stitch Fix's personal styling service, you pay a $20 styling fee and fill out a profile with your detailed size, style, and price preferences. Whether your closet leans toward classic, glam, preppy, or bohemian pieces, or you're looking to add more of a particular style to your wardrobe, the Style Profile is the place to give your personal stylist insights on what you're looking for. When your Fix arrives, the $20 styling fee is applied toward the cost of any items you decide to keep from your shipment. If you decide to keep everything, you'll receive a 25% discount! If not, simply send anything you don't keep back to Stitch Fix in a prepaid Priority Mail envelope. I definitely recommend giving this service a chance if you're trying to find your personal style, simplify your life, or get on board with new trends. One of my favorite things about Stitch Fix is that unlike many subscription services, you can schedule as many or as few Fixes as often as you want - there's no obligation to keep paying the styling fee every single month! 

Business Trip Capsule Wardrobe

In my note to my stylist, Heather, I explained that I needed to step up my business wardrobe game for this national conference. I wanted to stick to a palette of mostly neutrals, navy, and green, and also wanted to try a blazer. I set to work filling my style Pinterest board with inspiration. Two resources that ended up being incredibly helpful to me as I decided what to pin (and later, what to pack) were the 5 Levels of Business Attire infographic from Business Insider (I decided to follow the "+1 rule" and wear "executive casual" pieces on my trip) and this spring business trip packing guide from Anne of In Residence.

When my Fix arrived, I was so excited that I forgot to snap a picture of the unboxing! This Fix ended up reminding me a lot of my fifth fix from this spring - the styles, colors, and patterns were absolutely perfect and just my style, but there were some fit issues that kept it from being a 5/5 (That's Stitch Fix speak for "I kept it all"). Stylist Heather had really put together a capsule wardrobe of pieces that could mixed and matched to create several different outfits throughout my business trip.

Stylist Heather's sweet note reflected that, as usual, she had read my note and paid attention to my Pinterest board. She is so kind and good at her job!

#1: 41Hawthorn Lucida Colorblock Knit Dress

This was the first piece I tried on and I knew it would be true love - I'd pinned several sheath dresses and usually wear my favorites to work at least once a week when the weather is warm. I loved the modest cut and easy knit fabric of this dress - like a thick, high-quality t-shirt. It zips up the back, but I didn't have any problem slipping it over my head. I like wearing navy as a neutral and the pop of teal matches the accent on my glasses. This dress was definitely a keeper, and I think it's one of my all-time favorite Stitch Fix pieces!

#2: 41Hawthorn Teegan Draped Blazer

I haven't worn blazers much since college - it's hard to find one for a petite body that doesn't make me feel like a box! I pinned several blazers that were made of softer fabrics. I wasn't sure how a draped blazer would look on me, so I paired it with the Lucida dress for a business look. I loved that the draped style kept the blazer from looking too formal or stuffy, and the fun polka dot detail on the three-quarter sleeves. Consider me a blazer convert!

This was Mr. Q's favorite piece in this Fix - he predicts that I will wear this blazer more with casual outfits this fall than I will to work, and he's probably right. The Stitch Fix style card shows it styled with a sheath dress and with jeans to show what a versatile piece it is. Though the price was a little higher than I'd typically pay for a jacket, Mr. Q pointed out that I'm unlikely to find something so cool looking in our small town. It's nice to be married to a guy who believes in #treatyoself, so I decided to keep the blazer, too.

#3: Papermoon Bastille Tulip Sleeve Blouse

I was really glad that stylist Heather sent this blouse my way. I'd pinned several floral short-sleeve blouses and not only is this print totally adorable, it fit right into the color scheme I'd given Heather in my note. I was a little worried that the blouse gave me linebacker shoulders, but after seeing the photos I decided it was a keeper as well. Like the Teegan blazer, it's a piece that can be dressed up or down. I typically don't keep Stitch Fix pieces unless they can go from the classroom to the weekend, and the Bastille blouse fits the bill.

#4: Margaret M Deandra Textured A-line Skirt

I tried on the Bastille blouse with the Margaret M Deandra skirt, which is made with the same fabric as Margaret M's insanely popular Emers pants. The skirt I received was a very pretty black and navy jacquard pattern. The fabric is stretchy and very comfortable. What kept this skirt from being a keeper for me is my personal modesty factor - since I work with thirteen year old boys, I try not wear above-the-knee skirts to work, and I couldn't see myself wearing such a formal-feeling fabric on the weekends. For reference, I am 5'1".

Then I got photobombed by my neighbors' cat.

#5: Crescent Croatia Lace Bib Blouse

Papermoon/Crescent is my favorite brand that Stitch Fix carries (they're also really sweet to me on Instagram!), and I'd pinned a LOT of emerald-green blouses, so I had high hopes for the Croatia. The color was beautiful, as was the lace detailing on the chest. However, this was a case of a piece looking better on the hanger than on my body - the bib detail ended too high on my chest and the flowy style kind of gave me maternity vibes. I tried pairing it with skinny jeans and it wasn't much of an improvement.

Here's a side profile shot so you can see how the hem is lower in the back. See how much the front of the shirt drapes away from my actual body? Along with the Deandra skirt, the Croatia blouse ended up being sent back to Stitch Fix. 

Overall Impression of this Fix:

I loved the pieces I kept and the inspiration I got from the capsule wardrobe stylist Heather put together for me. I felt prepared to take on the world - at least the world of project-based learning - at my conference, and I'm looking forward to signing up for a back-to-school Fix soon.

Please excuse the kitty booty. Do you ever have to travel for work? What are your go-to business trip essentials?

Linking Up With:
     Share Your Fix at Crazy Together                      Let It Shine at Still Being Molly    
    Beauty by Miss L                      Style Sessions at Style Elixir                   The Mix  
Mix it Mondays with Fizz and Frosting   Hello Monday at Sincerely Jenna Marie
Confident Twosday at I Do DeClaire   Fresh Fashion Forum    Good HUES-Day
Style Me Wednesday at Shopping My Closet                 Thursday Fashion Files

Weekend Wear with Posh Classy Mom                            Elegantly Fashionable 

Disclaimer: This is not a sponsored post. I signed up for Stitch Fix and purchase each of my Fixes myself. My opinions on this blog are always honest. This post does contain referral links - for each new sign-up I will receive a credit towards my next Stitch Fix.

style: olive chinos two ways

Now for something I haven't done in a while - a style post! Toward the end of the school year, my work look gets a little comfier; after all, my students already *know* I'm a professional, and the crunch of finals and standardized testing is stressful. I recently picked up my third pair of Old Navy pixie pants - this time in the chino style - and immediately thought of two ways to style them with some other new wardrobe favorites. Luckily, Mr. Q was on hand to offer his photography services while I was brainstorming.

I've been coveting a chambray shirt for what feels like years now, but a well-fitting button-down is very hard to find for a petite hourglass shape - shirts that are short enough in the torso tend to be too tight across the chest. I spotted this perfect light chambray blouse at Wal-Mart, of all places, and knew it would be the perfect match for my Pixies, Bare Traps sandals (similar), and homemade tassel necklace and charm bracelet.

Want to hear a slightly funny story about my charm bracelet? Of course you do! I got the bracelet at A.C. Moore and the tiny charms from Michael's, and chose the Om symbol to remind me to keep my yoga-time peace and calmness with me wherever I go. This is especially important in a middle school classroom. One of my darling boys saw my bracelet and said, "Mrs. Quinn, do you like Stephen Curry?" He'd definitely mistaken the Om for a 30 and thought I was a die-hard Golden State Warriors fan. I think trying to explain the significance of Om left him even more confused...

The second way I knew I'd style these Pixies is with my new favorite J. Crew Factory tee (similar - I waited forever for this one to go on clearance!) and all-time favorite boyfriend cardigan from GAP. These two comfortable outfits were the basis of my go-to uniform during a hectic spring!

Linking Up With:
Let It Shine at Still Being Molly
Mix it Mondays with Fizz and Frosting

Style Me Wednesday at Shopping My Closet
Friday Faves at Style Elixir

this week's clicks: Hippity Hoppity

get your week off to a colorful start..
LISTEN.

• The Paper Kites' "Featherstone" is airy, peaceful, calming, and exactly what I need this week - and the video reminds me of Where the Wild Things Are. Things are finally looking up, I think.

SWOON.

Kasey Ivan Photography via Bridal Musings

• You must see this candlelit barn wedding.
• A mod City Hall wedding from S+I's archive.
• Love this joyful wedding with floral 'maids!
• On Wit + Delight, Kate's chic home tour.

SMILE.

• Desktops from Lily and Val and Shannon Kirsten.
• A quick cold-shoulder DIY from Hello, Maegan.
• Kelly Christine's colorful round-up made me smile.
• Lots of ideas and inspirational Pins for spring.

FLASHBACK.

• Last year I turned my blog into an outfit, rounded up teal and chambray wardrobe updates, pretty watercolor stationery, and recapped life in IG and in entertainment.
• Two years ago I featured garden-inspired wardrobe ideas, rounded up inspiration for a French lavender wedding, and recapped February and March in entertainment.
• Three years ago I reflected on the course of this blog, and shared my blog loves.
• Four years ago we designed our invitations and found our flower girl's dress.