Wednesday Wants: Rachel Zoe Fall 2016

As most of you know, I am a huge fan of Rachel Zoe. I've watched all of her reality shows and I wonder when and if Fashionably Late with Rachel Zoe will back on the air any time soon. I'm also a big fan of her apparel. I own several pieces (seen here/here/here) and would gladly add more to my closet. So when her fall 2016 presentation images were released, I immediately reviewed them and picked all of my favorites.

According to Rachel, this line is very different than anything she's done in the past. As she told InStyle, "The '60s and the '70s—it's my thing, and it's never going to change. Hopefully, people will always come to me for a great flared pant or a great jacket. But I also want to show what else I can do." This collection took inspiration from the 1930s and then traveled back to the 1990s.  "We have menswear tailoring with feminine silk slip dresses, pearl beaded sweaters, velvet pajamas, and super rich fabrics. This girl feels very expensive and glamorous without trying."

What I love about the collection is that there is definitely a nod to past designs with the faux fur, over-sized coats, and sleek blazers. What I especially love this go around is the white! I'm obsessed with all the white. I adore the dramatic look of the long top coat in a mix of black and white. It's definitely a statement making piece. I love the flirty white dress with shaggy black accents on the sleeve and hem. And the grayish metallic suit is fab! Simply put, this collection is gorg!

Now, what would I actually wear from the pieces I've chosen? I would have to say a lot of it. Sure, I'm a work from home mama who doesn't really get that dolled up anymore, but when I do, I would strut it in all of this! The long coat would be amazing with flared jeans. The shaggy black vest could be worn with pretty much anything. All of the white pieces could be mixed and matched with other pieces in my closet. And the suit? Well, I would just find a place to wear it!

One last look that really stood out to me is this.

Would I wear all the pieces together? Probably not. I mean, I'm not Rachel Zoe. But the coat is ridiculous. The cropped top would be flattering with black pants or paired over a black dress to give it a little something extra. The print is amazing. The colors are crazy. And it's signature RZ!

"I like to make clothes that people want to live in and dance in all night," she says. "I want to have fun with fashion." 

I would say everything about this fall collection is just that, fun!

All photos courtesy of Rachel Zoe. 

Not Over-the-Top

Sweater: H&M (similar); Leggings: INC at Macy's; Boots: Sole Society (c/o) similar;

Handbag: Rebecca Minkoff; Shades: Karen Walker via Gilt; Earrings: Stella & Dot

I snagged this darling sweater at H&M a couple of weeks ago, but it hasn't been nearly cool enough to wear it until now! How crazy that a Midwest December has been in the mid 50s? It hasn't felt like winter at all. And, even though I hate winter, I find it weird to not be wearing my sweaters on repeat these days!

What I love about this one is that it has tiny little silver threads running through out the print which gives it a tiny bit of sparkle. It's so subtle, yet so pretty when it catches the light. It's incredibly comfortable, the length is perfect for leggings and skinny jeans, and it's holiday appropriate without being over-the-top. 

 

    

 

I added splashes of color with a coral handbag and bright red lips! I find that sometimes a black and white look just needs something to make it pop! I can't wait to style this with things other than skinnies and leggings. I'm thinking it will look darling with my feather fringe skirt and tights. I may have to style it up for NYE!

I hope your week is going fashionably well! Can you believe Christmas is three days away? I know I'm ready for some major holiday cheer!

Sunflowers, Birds, and Early Fall

 Jacket: Susan Bristol; Top: Anthropologie; Jeans: Ann Taylor (similar); Booties: Sole Society (c/o); 

Shades: Target;Bracelets: Stella & Dot/Ralph Lauren/My Own Mix; Earrings: Gorjana

 

This past Sunday was a beautiful day and we spent it walking through the gorgeous sunflower fields at Grinter Farms. We had never been, actually we'd never experienced anything like this, and we loved it! McKinley was our leader as we wound our way through rows and rows of sunflowers and constantly asked to pick them. If we had allowed it, we would have come home with about 20 sunflowers. Instead, we came home with three in hopes of planting some seeds in our backyard. A fun family outing with the most glorious backdrop!

And with it being early fall like weather, I was more than happy to throw on a little leather jacket, jeans, and booties. The top, a sale piece I picked up from Anthropologie, is darling! You know how I love a good bird print!! And I've already styled it several different ways for fall in my head! I love a piece like that, don't you?

The Jacket: Before and After

  

  

I'm obsessed with the print of this top, but look at all the cute details! This cutout back is such a sweet statement and the bowtie at the neck is so chic!

 

 Jacket: Susan Bristol; Top: Anthropologie; Jeans: Ann Taylor (similar); Booties: Sole Society (c/o); 

Shades: Target;Bracelets: Stella & Dot/Ralph Lauren/My Own Mix; Earrings: Gorjana

How ready are you for fall? I'm definitely not ready to give up summer, but this amazing weather has me wanting to style sweaters and boots! But for now, I will take sleeveless and booties and fields of sunflowers!

In-Betweener = Layers

 Sweater: Loft (similar); Top: LC Lauren Conrad (under $20); Jeans: Loft; Sneakers: Converse;

Handbag: MbyMJ (similar); Shades: MbyMJ

It rained off and on last Friday morning so my afternoon activity with McKinley was up in the air. Turns out, the rain moved out and we hit the farmstead....again. It's literally his favorite place in KC. And we seemed to have the whole place to ourselves. However, our afternoon of play was after school, so someone was a little tired, and by someone I mean McKinley. It resulted in a somewhat short trip with a timeout thrown in. Being four is hard!!

Friday was one of those in betweener kind of days. It was kind of cool when the sun went behind the clouds and a breeze kicked up. And then the sun would come out and glare intensely at you. So, I went with layers! Jeans were fine for the entire day, but the sweater was a constant on/off situation. Thank goodness for the cute top that was a staple all day long! 

 

The Top: Before and After

   

  Sweater: Loft (similar); Top: LC Lauren Conrad (under $20); Jeans: Loft; Sneakers: Converse;

Handbag: MbyMJ (similar); Shades: MbyMJ

We had a busy but fun weekend and now it's back Monday. Hope your weekend was great and that your week has started out on a fashionable note!

A Golden Look

 Dress: H&M (similar); Sandals: Rachel Zoe (similar here/here); Belt: Banana Republic (similar);

Shades: Karen Walker via Gilt; Necklace: The Zoe Report/Stella & Dot; 

Bracelets: Kendra Scott/Kate Spade; Fitbit Bracelet: Bezel and Bytes; Lip Color: NARS Heat Wave

Last summer I took McKinley around the Plaza and the Kauffman Gardens on what I called "The Fountain Tour." It was a way to get him out of the house, shed some energy, spend time together, and not spend a lot of money. I would pack a picnic and we would find a quiet place along the way to eat lunch. It was a special time for just the two of us and I loved showing him the history of our city.

Last week, we were at it again. I have decided to make The Fountain Tour a summer tradition and McKinley agrees. He even said we needed to go before the summer was over. I love that he remembers little times like this. Be still my heart! And because we were headed to the Plaza, and it was our day date, I wanted to dress up a little. This dress was the perfect choice. It was a warm morning and this piece was super breezy. The fabric is super light weight, and even though it's black, I never felt uncomfortably warm. You can't really wear heels comfortably while pushing a stroller, so I opted for my favorite sandal this summer. With all gold accents, I would say this is a golden look!

The Dress: Before and After

    

I added a huge pop of color with my lip! This NARS Heat Wave is the perfect why to infuse a bold statement!

 

Dress: H&M (similar); Sandals: Rachel Zoe (similar here/here); Belt: Banana Republic (similar);

Shades: Karen Walker via Gilt; Necklace: The Zoe Report/Stella & Dot; 

Bracelets: Kendra Scott/Kate Spade; Fitbit Bracelet: Bezel and Bytes; Lip Color: NARS Heat Wave

What I love about this dress, other than the fact it was under $10, is that it will transition easily into fall. Cute booties, a light weight sweater (or a chunky version later in winter), and a moto jacket will really help make this cool weather ready! I can't say I'm ready for fall though. I'm totally a summer girl!

Hope you're having a fashionable Monday!

Soaring Around the World

Top: H&M (similar); Shorts: Rachel Zoe (similar/$10); Sneakers: Converse; 

Belt Bag: MICHAEL Michael Kors (fun option); Hat: Standard Style (old/similar); Shades: Target

Instead of a DIY project, I'm bringing you another outfit post. I am currently working on the Elegant Chair, but I'm not at point where I can share tons of details. We are cutting fabric, laying out pieces to figure out how they will go back together, and questioning our upholstery skills. We're a little in over our heads!

Speaking of over our heads, McKinley and I hit World's of Fun last week for a last hoorah before school starts. After this week, the amusement park will only be open on weekends, so we took advantage of some weekday fun! It was a hot one and I had second thoughts regarding the polyester top. Cotton would have breathed a little more, but it all worked out. A little breeze would blow from time to time and the rides provided a little coolness as well. All in all, my little birds were perfect for soaring around the world on a Thursday afternoon!

 The Top: Before and After

     

 

 

Top: H&M (similar); Shorts: Rachel Zoe (similar/$10); Sneakers: Converse; 

Belt Bag: MICHAEL Michael Kors (fun option); Hat: Standard Style (old/similar); Shades: Target

 I hope to share some chair updates next week. It's coming together, just not at a point to really talk. And, I've got a cool tool from my dad to try and clean up the castors on the bar cart. So many little details that will hopefully lead to beautifully completed pieces!

Have a fabulous Tuesday!!

Pretty Casual

Top: LC Lauren Conrad; Shorts: Rachel Zoe via Gilt (similar); Sandals: Tory Burch (similar);

Handbag: MbjMJ (similar); Shades: MbyMJ (similar); Bracelets: Gift/David Yurman; 

Lip Color: Revlon ColorBurst Lip Balm in Lovesick

A while ago, I mentioned to my mom that my summer wardrobe was lacking in casual pieces. Sure, I have some t-shirts and some shorts, but I didn't have a cute tops that went with shorts and jeans. I also didn't have any cotton dresses to just throw on and go. Yes, I'm a currently a stay-at-home mom that doesn't really dress up anymore, but that doesn't mean I don't want to look nice when heading to the zoo or the Deanna Rose Farmstead. At the heart of everything, I'm still a girl who likes pretty things and wants to look put together 95% of the time. Do I have days where I don't shower, yes! Are there days when put on something that isn't blog worthy, absolutely! I'm only human!

So on a trip to Kohl's to get a t-shirt for my dad, a super cool one I might add, she remembered that I mentioned my need/want for some cute summer pieces. She did a little shopping while there and boy did I luck out! Remember this dress? That's one of them. And this top is another. I love how feminine it is with the sweet neckline, bow-tie at the back, and delicate print. The perfect little top! I especially love it paired with super casual cut-offs. A pretty casual summer look!

I am not one to constantly wear my hair up, but this summer I've just been lazy! It has been super hot and it's just easy to throw up my hair straight out of the shower. One thing I like to do is add a little twist for volume. Then I just pile the rest in a ponytail and place bobby-pins to create a messy bun.

Cut-Offs Before and After:

    

 

 

Top: LC Lauren Conrad; Shorts: Rachel Zoe via Gilt (similar); Sandals: Tory Burch (similar);

Handbag: MbjMJ (similar); Shades: MbyMJ (similar); Bracelets: Gift/David Yurman; 

Lip Color: Revlon ColorBurst Lip Balm in Lovesick 

 It appears we are still in the throes of a hot summer. It's August, and in the upper 90s, which makes heading out doors a daunting task. But, now that I'm armed with some really cute pieces, I'm ready to face the heat in style! 

Here's hoping your Monday kicked off in style!