this week's clicks.

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

Tiffany Sangster Photography via Green Wedding Shoes

• A crazy-colorful elopement shoot in the Vegas desert.
• This dreamy blush Airstream makeover is a must-see!
• A roundup of the prettiest long-sleeve wedding gowns.
• Modern boys' nursery picks from West Coast Capri.

SMILE.

• Desktops: Smashing, May Designs, Mospens Studio.
• Anthropologie's new Nordstrom home decor line.
• Who's psyched for Target's collab with Hunter boots?
• Five rules to live by as a feminist in the workplace.

FLASHBACK.

• 2017: garden-themed Easter pinspiration.
• 2016: serenity blue color inspiration, spring table number ideas.
• 2015: my entertainment faves and Rachel Held Evans' Searching for Sunday.
• 2014: a classic Spring Break wardrobe and a spring and summer bucket list.
• 2013: about me + Twitter, citrus prints, and the Susan G. Komen 5K Race for the Cure.
• 2012: Titanic dinner party.

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

this week's clicks.

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

• I'm currently obsessed with this Apple commercial - the combination of lyrical dance choreography, that romantic Sam Smith song, and the falling snow is pure magic.

SWOON.

W+E Photographie via Ruffled

• A Hallmark worthy Christmas wedding from Emmaline.
• Bre's sitting area is my #1 Christmas decor inspiration.
• At Ruffled, a festive Alabama wedding (all the wreaths!).
• Cozy-meets-glam cocktail party inspiration from SMP.

SMILE.

• Desktops: The Everygirl, Dawn Nicole, Design Is Yay.
• This crock pot Italian pasta casserole is a new favorite.
• Love Virginia's daily photo advent calendar idea.
• All about Harry + Meghan in the news this week.

FLASHBACK.

• 2015: My five favorite holiday recipes and geeky Christmas wish list. 
• 2014: My December favorites.
• 2013: Why Christmas is complicated for me and my holiday wish list.
• 2012: Honoring caregivers during the holidays and our Dickens-inspired decorations.
• 2011: Mr. Q and I got engaged and officially started Beyond the Aisle!

pinspiration [pride and pineapples]

Today's Pinspiration is dedicated to all the best things about June.

sunday simplicity.

O'Malley Photographers via Style Me Pretty

“It had long since come to my attention that people of 
accomplishment rarely sat back and let things happen to
them. They went out and happened to things.”

― Leonardo da Vinci

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:

Pinspiration: Lush Meadow Green for Fall 2016

As most of you know, I'm a sucker for Pantone's seasonal color reports. I love seeing which colors the experts predict will dominate the runways and how those trends manifest in my favorite stores. Autumn is my favorite season for fashion - I love, love, love sweaters, scarves, knit dresses, tights, books, and jackets. One of my favorite fashion colors this fall is the rich green Pantone calls Lush Meadow (LOFT calls it Ponderosa Pine, and at Old Navy it's Winter Spruce). Here's some of my current inspiration:

What are your go-to colors for fall?

sunday simplicity.

Shea Christine Photography via Style Me Pretty

“True friends are always together in spirit.”

― Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery

Pinspiration: The Sweet Side of Serenity

My main color inspiration so far this season has been Rose Quartz, but let's not forget that Pantone named TWO Colors of the Year for 2016, both perfect for spring. This year's most popular shade of blue, Serenity, is romantic, soft, and cool.

this week's clicks.

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

• I've been on a Sara Bareilles kick lately. Have a great week!

SWOON.

Marina Koslow Photography via Style Me Pretty

• Obsessed with this Portland bride's Milly dress.
• Emmaline Bride is giving away a hair wreath.
• A pretty pink watercolor wedding from Ruffled.
• An elegant Bulgarian wedding in California.

SMILE.

• Desktops: Design Love Fest, Lime Ricki, Uppercase.
• Love Kate Spade's new initial planners and tumblers.
• 7 scientific reasons to spend on experiences, not things.
• Lots of ideas for St. Patrick's Day on my Pinterest.

FLASHBACK.

• Last year I rounded up spring style picks.
•  Sunday Social was all about Pinterest. I rounded up my fave green pieces for spring, did some snow day dog-sitting, and shared a St. Patrick's Day manicure
• Two years ago I turned my decoupage Easter eggs into a spring wreath and rounded up inspiration for a 1920's-inspired wedding and an Art Deco home office. 

Oscars 2016: Favorite Trends

This year's Oscar red carpet was a true reflection of current fashion trends, with several of Pantone's colors of the year for 2016 seen on leading ladies - and gentlemen. After SO MUCH TAUPE last year, it was refreshing to see lovely jewel tones dominating the fashion coverage. Here are some of the major color trends that went from the runway to the red carpet. For image sources, check out my Pinterest board (and pin from there rather than from this post, please!)

Best Dressed

Soft colors will always win me over (like Anna Kendrick's simple coral halter dress from last year), and this year I was infatuated with Cate Blanchett's gown in a color Pantone calls Limpet Shell. The appliques make it similar to the dress she wore to the 2014 awards, which makes sense - both are Armani Prive and make her look like a princess. The shape is so flattering on her and the color is gorgeous on her.

Blue Violet

My favorite colors made a big impact on the red carpet this year - Best Actress winner Brie Larsen wore a ruffled dress with a camisole neckline, and Mindy Kaling's black sheath dress featured a blue violet train that was really unique and lovely.

Naomi Watts and Tina Fey both rocked purple on the red carpet. I think this is the most elegant I've ever seen Tina looked and I liked how both leading ladies paired their strapless dresses with statement necklaces.

Trendy Taupe

This shade of cerulean has been dubbed Snorkel Blue and was spotted on both ladies and gentlemen at this year's Oscars. Both Sofia Vergara and Patricia Arquette chose flattering shapes in this color that looks beautiful on every complexion.

I have gone on record in totally loving dudes in blue tuxes (see Jason Sudeikis in 2014 and Eddie Redmayne last year). Among the handsome gentlemen wearing Snorkel Blue with black were Aaron Rodgers (escorting girlfriend Olivia Munn) and Best Actor nominee Mark Ruffalo. Foo Fighters' Dave Grohl and Michael Strahan also wore this color on the red carpet.

Classic Black

A black gown is always appropriate for Oscar night, and Jennifer Garner's was one of my absolute favorite looks of the night - so elegant. I also liked Julianne Moore's gown with geometric accents.

White Florals

Isla Fischer and Priyanka Chopra would both look great wearing paper bags, but look so lovely in white dresses with floral motifs. Isla's dress features romantic chiffon, while Priyanka's was figure-hugging, sheer, and J. Lo-worthy.

Marsala Shades

Variations of 2015's Pantone Color of the Year are still very popular at Hollywood events. I loved television host Zuri Hall's form-fitting gown and unique necklace, and Chrissy Teigen continues to be the most fabulous pregnant person probably ever.

Copper and champagne were the trendy metallic shades at last year's Oscars, but this year the pendulum swung back to classic silver and gold. Margot Robie clearly loves 70's-inspired dresses with plunging necklines and tassel details - her look this year hit many of the same notes as the black dress she wore last year. Star Wars: The Force Awakens' Daisy Ridley wore a silver tea-length sheath that was elegant and youthful.

What were your favorite looks at this year's Oscars?

this week's clicks: i'm never gonna be that far...

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

• My favorite new-to-me song of the week is British singer Joe Brooks' "Til My Heart Stops Beating." You can see the official video and listen to the whole song here.

SWOON.

Shawn Marie Photography via Intimate Weddings

• A quirky geode-themed Intimate Wedding in Arkansas.
• Classic Virginia romance in a vineyard wedding at SW.
• A sweet Kentucky horse farm wedding at Style Me Pretty.
• This copper and merlot shoot is winter wedding perfection.

SMILE.

• New desktops from Papier Bonbon and Amber Lotus
• The U.S. Postal Service has announced this year's love stamp.
• D*S features a gallery of cute pets (I have puppy fever, BTW).
• Funny article + cartoon about the best birthday greetings.

FLASHBACK.

• Last year I dressed up a white tee for the PMT style challenge and shared my to-be-read pile.
• Two years ago, I dished about my beauty routine, rounded up dazzling blue wardrobe updates and my favorite looks from the Grammy Awards, recapped my January in entertainment.  I also attended the sweetest blended family wedding.
• Three years ago, Sunday Social involved some deep thinking, and I listed my classic style staples, rounded up wedding dresses with beautiful full skirts, shared a review of our Blurb wedding album, and went to B's Super Bowl party (with cookie cupcakes).
• Four years ago I shared round-ups featuring inspiration for adding warm neutral coffee and nougat shades to your wardrobe, home decor, and to a wedding (with pops of pastel pink!).

clicks of note.

get your week off to a colorful start...

SWOON.

Carrie Coleman Photography via Style Me Pretty

• Love Will's travel guide inspired by The Holiday (my fave!)
• Isn't this dress gorgeous? Someone invite me to a fancy party!
• South Bound Bride rounds up lovely 1920's inspired gowns.
• At Style Me Pretty, a lovely rustic wedding in North Carolina.

SMILE.

• Digging West Elm's pretty wild poppy digital wallpapers.
• Autumn officially starts on Wednesday - for now, we pin.
• From SW, how to get the fall feeling when it's still warm.
• PopSugar rounds up 29 new books to read this autumn.

FLASHBACK.

• Last year, I rounded up movie and theater inspired save-the-dates, shared my fall blog loves, and participated in a media-centric Sunday Social.
• Two years ago, I featured mustard and greyed jade wardrobe picks for fall.
• Three years ago, I shared fall wardrobe and home decor ideas in tangerine and tomato, wedding dresses with lace bodices and rustic sunflower wedding inspiration, and featured my September blog loves.  
• Three years ago, I recapped our wedding's processional and exchange of vows, featured fall wardrobe and home decor ideas in phlox purple, and shared inspiration for a rustic phlox purple wedding.

Summer Style Trend: Palm Leaf Green

One of this summer's biggest color trends is a green shade Pantone calls Treetop. Many of our favorite designers and retailers interpreted those treetops as palm trees, and bright green hues and palm leaf prints are making everything look a little more summery - whether you're in the office, at the gym, or at the resort!

Disclaimer: ModCloth links contain an affiliate code. Thank you for supporting Beyond the Aisle!

1. Old Navy sleeveless dress  2. J. Crew Factory collector tank  3. Chico's tropical scarf   4. Kate Spade palm tree charm  5. ModCloth maxi dress   6. Essie nail polish in "Pretty Edgy" from Beauty.com       7. Wayfair table lamp       8. Kate Spade notebook 

9. Bath and Body Works Coconut Lime Breeze body spray        10. Athleta ankle pants

Which of these palm leaf green picks is your favorite?

Linking Up:

Manic Monday at More Pieces of Me and The Daily Express

Style Sessions at Style Elixir

Let It Shine at Still Being Molly
Mix it Mondays with Fizz and Frosting

Passion 4 Fashion at Rachel the Hat
Color Me Tuesday at Undergraduate Style

Retro Summer Style: Aquamarine and Gingham

In the virtual wasteland that is this summer's network television schedule, I have been really excited about The Astronaut Wives Club - I love learning more about the 1960's, and I was excited to see Yvonne Strahovski (Sarah from Chuck) and JoAnna Garcia Swisher (Ariel from Once Upon a Time) among the stars. When I found out the series is based on a book I knew I had to add it to my summer reading list. This week, I'm channeling 60's summer style - aquamarine, shirtwaist dresses, and classic feminine details like gingham prints and scalloped edges.

Disclaimer: Amazon and ModCloth links contain an affiliate code. Thank you for supporting Beyond the Aisle!

1. Vivienne Westwood dress (similar from ModCloth)  2. J. Crew bikini top and bottom  3. The Astronaut Wives Club from Amazon  4. Gingham skirt from ModCloth (similar in black)  5. Formula X nail polish in "Provocative" from Sephora 6. China Glaze nail polish in "Dashboard Dreamer" from Amazon  7. Stripe weekend shorts from GAP  8. Old Navy scallop-edge blouse  9. Cat eye sunglasses from Zero UV (similar from ModCloth)  10. Rotary telephone from Chairish (similar from Amazon)  11. Bait Footwear wedges from ModCloth

What television shoes, movies or books have inspired your style lately?

Linking Up:

Manic Monday at More Pieces of Me and The Daily Express

Style Sessions at Style Elixir

Let It Shine at Still Being Molly
Mix it Mondays with Fizz and Frosting

Passion 4 Fashion at Rachel the Hat
Style Me Wednesday at Shopping My Closet
Color Me Tuesday at Undergraduate Style