Palm Springs Fling 🍊🍸

{Blogged with yogurt covered pretzels} Hello sweet reader! Can't you just see me in this dress, lounging around a pool in Palm Springs, with piles of gold jewelry and maybe  some fruity, slushy, umbrella topped drink! I sure can!!  I adore flowy dresses and gold. It just seems to signal the weekend, beautiful weather and fun. This color too! It is the prettiest bright shade and I just feel happier when I am wearing it. I plan to fill my closet with these happy colors come Spring!  

I am feeling so much better now that I am in my second trimester. I was so crazily nauseous and tired from sun up to sun down all the way until about a week ago.  It's so strange for me because when I was pregnant with my daughter-- I had no side effects at all. I just chugged along and grew nice and big and jolly!!  I am hoping things stay smooth but I would suffer through just about anything for a healthy baby boy!  Happy almost Friday!  Sweetly, Michelle

Dress || Shoes || Bracelets || Purse

Pondering Prints

{Written while watching--and still being confused by the purpose of-- the Iowa caucus} Hi beauties!  It's Tuesday of a week that is off to a brilliant start so far.   I wanted to share these darling printed pants with you and talk about prints more generally.  I am kind of afraid of things that are loud and flashy. I don't know- its just not me. I am way more subtle in my wardrobe choices, so my instant love for these pants was kind of an anomaly for me.  I think the key for  me to wearing prints is to choose a pattern in season appropriate colors (even though I am so dreaming of spring right now! ) and keep everything else simple.  A solid, classic color on top and for accent pieces and I am all set!   These pants are from Zara and I linked others below that are similar.  I think you can wear a print like this to the office, with either a long sleeve shirt under the sweater or maybe a blazer and be perfectly appropriate and professional. What do you think?  

And how do you feel about the election? Are you interested in politics? It absolutely fascinates me. When I was in college, I kind of thought I might get into politics someday. I am that person that watches it all and listens to it on the radio and just sort of immerses myself in it during election years.  I find myself a bit distrustful of the media at times and its hard to separate the accurate from the misinformation that is swirling everywhere.   Our country faces so many big issues that it can feel overwhelming and so polarizing. I try to remind myself that at the core- we are all people, we all have the same basic needs, the same hopes and dreams for our futures and our children's futures.  This helps me focus when these candidates seem more like monsters than real people!! 👹👺 Thank you so much for stopping by, beautiful reader! Sweetly- Michelle

Pants and here || Shoes || Sweater ||

Cape-tivating

{Written while watching RHOOC Reunion Part 3 and eating Swedish Fish. It was a good night!}  Hello sweet readers!!  How was your Halloween? I sure hope it was lovely!  Aren't holidays the best? I can't wait for this time of the year to get into full swing! Speaking of swing... Capeity cape cape! This has to be my most favorite accessory of the season.  I live in hot California where we basically just make believe we have different seasons, and it's hard to pretend I'm going to get very much use out of over the knee boots or leather. But a cape? If you buy the right kind, it can be light enough to serve as a sweater {although there are some heavy capes out there--pretty wool and plaid--that I would wear in a heartbeat if we had the weather!} There are so many things I can wear this cape with to the office... And this dress! A little flarey, twirly hemline is all I need to be happy! It's a beautiful texture too! I've been really into dresses lately- maybe because they are so easy.  One piece and voila! You are set! On a side note, I'm telling you-- Banana Republic has been killing it lately! It's one of about 3 or 4 stores that I know without a doubt will have something office appropriate for me to wear, but lately, it's just been divine. And from what we all saw at New York Fashion Week, spring is going to be even better!  Alright, my loves! Thank you for stopping by and as always, I hope your day was just terrific! I just finished a fabulous book and I think next time, I might throw a little book review in here! 😘😘 Sweetly- Michelle

Dress || Cape || Shoes || Purse (similar) ||

Photos: Wendy Kathleen Photography @wendykathleenphotography

The Classics

{Written while watching Hocus Pocus} Happy All Hallows' Eve! Today, I planned to go to my daughter's school for her costume parade and potluck, hustle off to the office and get some work done and then play hallway golf. However, last night my daughter developed a high fever (poor kiddo) and we were up and down, up and down all night.  Isn't that how life goes? Expect the unexpected! So, we roll with it!  My darling husband went to work early and I stayed with her, and then he came home so that I could head to the office for the late afternoon and early evening.  Oh, the life of a working parent! My poor girl was so so disappointed to miss the costume parade at her school but she will hopefully be better for Halloween.

I fell in love with this dress as soon as I set eyes on it. I love the color, I love anything with a preppy Oxford feel, and I love its interesting hemline. It's multiple layers and hangs longer in the back. I just love it with my sneaks but it would also be so cute with a menswear inspired pair of oxfords and a cardigan!  I'm a classic girl at heart- -simple, refined, demure and polished is what I am drawn to and I really felt that way in this little get up! Can I tell you how excited I am to see all of your Halloween pictures tomorrow? I'll try to do a little post. Hope your day is full of nothing but treats!! Sweetly- Michelle

Dress (similar, my dress isn't on line)|| Shoes || Bag || Jacket||