Four Blissful Years

My husband and I are celebrating 4 blissful years of marriage today. October 30, 2010 was a gorgeous Autumn day in Northern Virginia that set the perfect backdrop for our wedding. Here is a glimpse into our day . . .

Our Story
It was the first day of 8th grade. I was sitting in the back left hand side of the classroom chatting away with my best friend. We had about 10 minutes left before the bell rang, when an unfamiliar face walked in . . .
8 years later I married him. :)

~The rest is history~  

Photographer: Milton Yang Photography

Flowers: Wegmans Florist
Cake: My Mom

Venue: The Regency at Dominion Valley
Hair: To Love Beauty and Sheer Pleasure
Dress: "Chardonnay" by Maggie Sottero. 
Shoes: Caparros

Diamond in the Rough

A few months ago I stepped into our Local Salvation Army looking for an old nightstand that I could spruce up for our guest bedroom. While waiting on an associate to answer a few questions, I thought I'd kill some time by glancing through the clothing section...I like to look at the old prom and wedding dresses :)
  In the middle of my browsing session, I came across this basically new Trina Turk blazer in a crushed copper velvet. It has a two button front closure and an optional sash that beautifully accentuates the waist. Priced at a whopping $6 (!!!), it was a no brainer. :)
I thought this blazer would be great way to dress up this simple peasant style dress I've had my eye on from Anthropologie. Or for a more casual Friday look, I thought I'd pair it with my favorite jeans and a light feminine top. 
Maybe it's the vintage feel, the copper color, or the more likely scenario, me . . . but as soon as I put this jacket on, I felt so equestrian! lol Maybe next time I'll just go with it and find a horse to take photos with me :) 
So here's the look I put together! 
P.s. In the future I'll try not to take photos when the sun is at it's peak! Shadows and squinty eyes aside, hopefully, you'll still get the idea :) 

Trina Turk Blazer (Similar), LOFT jeans (Similar wash), LOFT Blouse (Cute cotton option here), LOFT belt, Riding boots (similar option here; wide calf option here and here)

And this- because it's my husbands birthday week and I wouldn't have any photos to post without him! <3

Hello Fall ~

We've had some crazy weather here in VA, but I'm excited to say Fall has finally made it's debut. The leaves are gorgeous right now, so I'm excited I got to capture a few pics before they fade away. :)
Fall is probably my favorite season to dress for. It's chilly enough to break out your favorite sweater and boots, but temps are typically high enough that you're not hiding under a parka to stay warm!
I purchased these LOFT corduroy skinnies in cranberry last Fall and couldn't be more pleased that they've brought them back. The deep cranberry color just screams Fall! I wore them so much last year that I'm actually considering snatching up another pair. I always tell myself that if I find something I really love, I should just purchase two-- I'm pretty sure these pants qualify. :) 
I picked up this feminine tee at LOFT a few weeks ago and immediately pictured this outfit in my head. The tee is super comfy! It has a striped knit front and a drapey georgette back that gives it that little something extra. I like that the back is slightly longer than the front, offering a bit more coverage. Although this is considered a "tee" it can definitely be dressed up enough for a night out or casual Friday. For those chillier evenings out, I picked up this moto sweater in Deep Stone for a little extra warmth. My husband and I are going away for our anniversary in a few weeks and you can bet these pants will be coming along. Stay tuned-- I'm thinking a camel coat, plaid scarf, riding boots and a navy sweater! :) Happy Fall!!!

LOFT Corduroy Skinnies, LOFT Tee in Whisper White, LOFT flats, LOFT necklace, J.Crew earrings (similar)  

The Seasonal Switch

If you can answer "Yes" to either of the following questions, this post is for you :)

1) You cannot fit all of your clothes into one closet

2) Your clothes are stored separately by season

I'm one of those people who has to do the "Whole Switcharoo" when the seasons change....what's the "switcharoo" you ask? 

Its the day long process of switching out your current closet with those items you have stashed away "somewhere else" in your house. For me that "somewhere" else has progressed from storage bins, to suitcases, to the guest closet, to space saver bags and Finally to an extra wardrobe....and maybe an extra space saver bag or two :) 

Since storing all of my clothing in the master closet (also shared by the hubs) isn't really an option...well at least not with my current clothing collection {I admit, it's a bit much :)}, I get to spend a day at the beginning of Spring and another at the beginning of Fall switching out the old and bringing in the new! 

It's a bit therapeutic...really :)  

Here's how I get it done!

This year I picked up this handy little clothing rack from Ikea (found here). 

I used it to sort my Fall clothing as I pulled it out of "storage" :) 

Here's a peak inside the monstrosity that is my off season Wardrobe...but hey, it works ;)

(You can see those little storage bags just chillin' in there...)

Once I start to pull everything out, I always take some time to determine what I want to keep and what I want to donate. I ask myself questions like . . .

Do I like this? 

Did I wear this last year?

Does this fit?

Does this speak to my current style?

Is this the image I want to project?

Once I know what I want to keep, I begin to sort. 

Sorting goes something like this: 1) Determine what will go in the closet, 2) what will go in my chest of drawers, and 3) what needs to be dry cleaned. This is where the rack comes in super handy. 

When I have tops, skirts, sweaters, puffer vests, etc. organized, I'm ready to start moving these pieces into my bedroom.  

Everything Spring and Summer goes into the wardrobe. Everything Fall and Winter goes into my closet and chest of drawers. 

One of the reasons I love having an extra wardrobe is that it keeps all of my off season clothing in one place. It's no longer stashed under the bed, in the guest closet, or in storage. And bonus? It's all easily accessible.

My sister was getting rid of a few pieces of furniture and this not so little beast was on the list. :) If I wasn't able to pick up this wardrobe, I would have chosen this option or this one from Ikea.  They'd do the job just fine :)

Do you have any tips for switching out your seasonal clothing?