Psst – I am so excited to share that The Life Styled is undergoing a major makeover as we speak! I’m more inspired than ever and can’t wait to present you with a brand new look that’s much more… me. So please bear with my absence, it’s actually quite the opposite – I’m busy drumming up all sorts of new content and a few fun features to share with you! Change is exciting, don’t you think?

1, 2, 3, 4

From top left: Cartier watch, Roberto Cavalli belt, Lanvin hat, Roberto Cavalli blazer,  Prada iPad cover, Chloé tote, Balmain pants, Prada shoes, YSL ring

{}

Since it’s officially spring, there are just a few things I need – you know, in order to just get through the season (see Exhibit A).

{} 

 Rebecca Minkoff blazer, Hermes perfume, Wildfox tee, Incase iPhone case, Warby Parker glasses, Rebecca Minkoff shoes, Michael Kors watch, Equipment blouse, Current/Elliott jeans, Vintage Moschino belt, Cambridge Satchel

{} 

…But those things just aren’t going to happen. So sometimes a girl’s gotta reel it in and still find a way to work in a few *minor* splurges to the collection and get inspired for a season full of fresh outfits (see Exhibit B).

There’s a certain a girly/tomboy look that has captured my heart as we start to shed those heavy layers for spring. Who can forget the days of Dr. Martens which we may have wanted to forget not so long ago, but somehow in pastel tones they are making a welcomed comeback in my book. Coupled with some old favorite cutoffs, they create the perfect punk rock foundation for a look that calls for some frilly accents to girl it up – doe eyes, a breezy soft chiffon shirt, and some ruffled ankle socks. Welcome, Spring!

Acne shirt, Nars blush in Gaiety, MAC 7 lashes, Jacob Pret-a-Porter nail polish, One Teaspoon Bandit shorts, Dr. Martens shoes, Tilly’s socks

{}

Psst! This post was lovingly brought to us by our old friend Sophie! The girl really knows her way around an inspiration board (as we’ve seen here and here) and she’s got some quite followable Instagram (@sophiejaneee) and Pinterest skills as well . She’ll be dropping by to check on us periodically with some more eye candy!

 Photos: sheer button down, doc’s model, white doc’s, red lips girl, ranculus, pastel doc’s, lashes

I’m finally back from Lovetown, USA (aka, Kingsland, GA). OK I’ve been back for a week and a half but a girl needs some time to catch up. When unpacking my suitcase, I took a moment of silence to honor the things that were lifesavers on set – products I will continue to turn to whenever days are never ending and environments are taxing. Let it be known these things are true miracles.

Clockwise from top:

Estee Launder Double Wear Foundation (previously discussed here) – Some mornings the alarm went off at 5:30am and I’d be out running around until 10:30pm. This foundation is superhuman and stays looking flawless until you remove it with turpentine… or Boscia Makeup Breakup Cool Cleansing Oil.
J.Crew Pocket Umbrella - I wasn’t expecting so much rain (silly me) so I snagged this one while on a wardrobe run to J.Crew. I like it because it always matches my outfits.
Xen-Tan Deep Bronze Luxe Sunless Tan - Since my suitcase only had room for a handful of fun clothes and accessories, I had to find other ways to feel glamorous. Some mornings for a little extra confidence, I would apply this amazing self tanner (seriously, amazing) and felt like a bronzed goddess for days.
MAC Viva Glam Nicki Lipstick - When I first tried it on, I was immediately sold on the perfect pop pink unlike any other colors in my collection. It was a fun way to glam up when I would get bored with the outfit repeats towards the end.
Victoria’s Secret Essential V-neck Tee - New favorite tee alert! OK, this is a big deal. They’re nice and long (first thing I look for) and come in lots of good colors including neons. Plus you can’t beat 2 for $26.
Joe’s Skinny Jeans in Parakeet - I know I’ve beat a dead horse with these but they were the perfect tool to keep things colorful and stylish while still comfortable for all-day shoots.
Steve Madden Troopa Boots - I picked these up right before I left and I’m so glad I did. They were perfect for days when the weather wasn’t exactly 75 and sunny (aka, most days).
Oribe Dry Texture Spray - This stuff is magical. Not exactly a dry shampoo because there’s a texturizing hold producty aspect to it, but that’s how I like it. It was a great way to add some vampiness when my hair looked sad.
Garnier Anti-Puff Eye Roller - THIS THING IS AMAZING. Seriously. 5am wake-up, puffy tired eyes – POOF GONE! Fresh, awake, and ready to face the day. This along with my Dunkin Donuts don’t-look-up-the-calorie-count whole milk iced latte with vanilla and cinnamon were my two main saviors.
Sally Hansen Salon Effects Polish Strips - I kept trying to find time to paint my nails but there was never enough time for painting AND drying. These things not only last a lot longer than polish, but there’s no drying time and they made great conversation. I may have had to do one hand in the morning while steaming an outfit, and the other at 10pm while eating dinner in bed but that’s besides the point.

Story time! If you follow me on Instagram or Twitter, you may have noticed a change of scenery in the past week, not to mention radio silence on the blog (sorry!). A little over a week ago, I was going about my usual business when I got a call out of nowhere asking me to come work on a super exciting project down in Kingsland, GA – a quiet town in the south eastern tip of the state. It’s a heart warming documentary series called Lovetown, USA for OWN with BBC about what happens when you swoop into a small rural town and get everyone involved to spread love in all sorts of different ways. I had to catch a flight the very next day to be gone for three weeks. Do not pass Go, do not collect $200. Needless to say, it was an opportunity not to be missed so I packed up my colored jeans, v-neck tees, and my new “conquer anything” boots and shipped out. It’s been an amazing experience dressing the show’s love experts and doing fun makeovers,  frequent runs down to Jacksonville, FL (the closest place for wardrobe options), making tons of new friends, and drinking my daily Dunkin Donuts vanilla cinnamon medium iced latte. It’s definitely a game changer and I couldn’t be more thrilled to be a part of such an amazing show. Thanks for your patience while I’m busy styling outfits of Frye boots (might need a pair of these as a memento), rain-appropriate colorful jackets (we had tornado warnings yesterday), and as many hearts as I can gather. Instagram is where you can find me most frequently while I’m here (@thelifestyled) but I’ve got plenty to share so I’ll continue to try to steal blogging moments until we wrap in 8 days.

Georgia Love print on Etsy

 Marlies Dekkers bras at Faire Frou Frou, Alexander Wang tank, Equipment blouse, T by Alexander Wang tee

{}

I never used to obsess over bras. As much as I enjoy the beauty of a lovely underpinning, I would usually save my splurges for the pieces that are visible to the world… that is, until I learned about Marlies Dekkers bras from my friend Alison, owner of the most luscious luxury lingerie boutique in Los Angeles, Faire Frou Frou. When she told me these bras were “extra strappy” and “meant to be seen,” I was all ears because let’s face it – our bras do tend to peek out from a gappy button-up or an unintentionally sheer tee. So I can’t help but be excited at the idea of a bra that says “Yep, you’re supposed to see me. I’m a part of the outfit, thank you very much.” I’m slowly filling my lingerie drawer with these bras, and I intend for them to dominate my whole darn collection.

Orla Kiely umbrella, Liberty of London scarf, Terzakou Paris gloves, Burberry leather trench, Alexander McQueen blouse, Stella McCartney trousers, Matthew Williamson dress, House of Harlow booties, Aspinal of London key ring, Mulberry bag, Fleur of England bra, Jenny Packham robe, ALICE by Temperley faux fur gilet, vintage suitcase

As if New York doesn’t present us with enough gorgeousness at fashion week, I almost can’t handle the beauty that comes out of London immediately following. I am dying to sit in on a Burberry Prorsum show since they continuously blow my mind every time (see here and here). Unfortunately this season isn’t that season for me, but if it were, these are the things I would wear for a busy show schedule to include McQueen, Temperley, and McCartney, followed by afternoon tea at the Lanesborough and dinner at St. John. Obviously. Better start planning for September.

 Equipment blouse, F21 vest, Joe’s jeans, Steven by Steve Madden loafers, Alexander Wang Rocco bag, Michael Kors watch, HRH Collection necklace, Bracelets: J.Crew, HRH Collection, Kate Spade, Nadri, On the nails: OPI Red Lights Ahead…Where?

I’ve recently set a goal to start wearing more sparkles during the day. Even though they are traditionally destined for evening cocktails, it would be such a waste not to enjoy the combo of sequins + sunlight. So to start, I opted for my sequin trimmed vest that I actually purchased for a glam rock themed new years party a few years ago and my new favorite Steven crystal studded loafers. The Equipment starry night blouse and Joe’s jeans in the color “sunny” coincidentally kept with the day/night vibe, and of course I couldn’t wait to debut my new love – the Rocco bag, which hasn’t left my arm since I got it. I love the pretty pale gold rivets – just the right amount of glamour on something that’s otherwise so edgy.

{1, 2. DVF}

{3. Helmut Lang}

{4. J.Crew}

{5. Rachel Zoe}

{6. Jason Wu}

{7. Marchesa}

{8. Jenny Packham}

{9. Christian Siriano}

{10. Prabal Gurung}

Even though I’m a little late to the party, I thought I’d share a few of my favorite looks from NY Fashion Week for Fall 2012. There were too many stunning things to count, and some collections I loved so much that I couldn’t choose just one look (guess I’ll have to give those their own posts)… but these are 10 looks that I would really just love to have magically show up in my closet this fall. Clearly I have a thing for fur, feathers, leather, and of course – sequins. So what else is new?

Images via style.com

What a week! Coming off of a fantastic birthday (many thanks to you for your lovely birthday wishes!), I feel like the luckiest girl around and thought it would be fun to share a sprinkling of moments from the past few days. Needless to say it’s hard to jump back into the routine after a whirlwind of delicious treats, endless bubbly, sequins for days, the girliest of chatter, and of course – prezzies. Included in the the mash-up are: classic afternoon tea by my wonderful mom, glittery birthday nail art by my dear girl Jaimi, the most glorious birthday gift ever – an Alexander Wang Rocco bag, a fun futuristic peplum number from Asos, an amazing wall o’ horns at STK, my new favorite colored jeans (which I raved about here), Sex and the City penny slots (hello!), and the chandelier that swallowed a whole bar at the Cosmopolitan. I’ll have twinkling lights in my eyes for the rest of the month and I love it.