Color Me Courtney - New York City Fashion Blog

So I know I declared this the summer of all white, but that doesn't mean I'm giving up my go-to black and white stripes for the season! So when the opportunity presented itself to combine color with my favorite pattern, I simply could resist.

I saw this skirt at Asos and knew I immediately fell in love with the combination of color and pattern play, but was hesitant about the silhouette. I am usually a fit and flare or full skirt kind of gal and rarely ever slip into a tight, pencil-like skirt, but made an exception for this striped beaut.

The skirt ended up being surprisingly comfy and versatile, and I wasn't as awkward in it as I thought -- I guess sometimes it pays off to step outside of your comfort zone. The fabric was super soft and the curved hem made this shape more flattering. As a kind-of-curvy-girl I was hesitant about wearing a tight horizontal striped skirt since this pattern is usually so unforgiving, but the high-low-curved-hem helps create the illusion of leg length while keeping you covered, and more importantly, comfortable. I've worn this skirt to the office with a bright chiffon top or even a playful peplum and can tone it down with a graphic tee, or a cropped tank and flat sandals! I also love the way Brighton Keller wore the same skirt with an off the shoulder black crop and coordinating bright bag for that extra pop!

I paired it with a striped crop top (of course) to keep the pattern play going and added bold b&w accessories, including my new favorite Nila Anthony Lego Clutch! I have had a life-long love for Legos, I'm not exactly sure why. My mom, who is an out-of-the-box interior designer, always dreamed of doing a Lego back splash in a kitchen, so I think they kind of remind me of her! So when Chanel came out with their Lego collection a few season back, I immediately feel in love with their child-inspired creations! Since Chanel is a wee bit out of my price range, I decided to admire from afar - until this Clutch came into my life and rocked my world. Like Chanel, it plays on the Lego-like aspects to create a cool, statement clutch, but doesn't include the logo so you know it's not a wannabe, just it's own fun fashion moment.

Asos Multi Striped Pencil Skirt, now on sale

H&M Crop top (similar here) || Nila Anthony Clutch c/o
Toulouse CZ earcuff c/o Gina Cueco || Gold Statement ring c/o Nikibi

Ksena Shoe Dazzle Heels

P.S. What are you guys thoughts about Shoe Dazzle? I know I am really late to the party but was hesitent to sign up for something that charged me every month. These shoes convinced me to take the plunge but I got a little turned off when I realized they don't offer free returns, just free exchanges and they actually charge you a $5 restocking fee -- on a $40 pair of shoes, come on! Anyways, cancelled my membership and thinking of switching to Just Fab. Sound off - what have your experiences been like?

Today I'm giving away yellow diamonds! Okay, okay, that's kind of mean -- not real yellow diamonds, but something else pretty sweet :]

Let's talk summer scents! Do you switch up your smell for spring/summer? Most do but I usually stick to pink sugar, my go to for the past few years and my year around scent...well until now. I recently tried Yellow Diamond by Versace and have now found my summer scent!

I'm not going to lie, I was attracted to this perfume by the name and bottle, I love yellow diamonds, but ended up falling in love with the actual scent. It's light, and vividly floral -- perfect for Spring or Summer plus has notes of citron, pear, orange blossom and of course, mimosa!

"The color yellow recalls the brightness, sensuality, and great energy of this fragrance, able to depict and emphasize the charm and femininity of a woman"—Donatella Versace

Since we should all smell this good, I am excited to give away a free bottle of Versace Yellow Diamond to one fabulous follower.

Interested? stop by my instagram @colormecourtney and check out my latest post and get started!

TO ENTER:

Follow @ColorMeCourtney on Instagram (if you already follow, thanks!!)

Repost this image with the hastag #cmcgiveaway and tag @colormecourtney

Increase your chances:

You'll get an extra entry if you tag a friend on the repost or the original post

You'll get another extra entry if you follow on bloglovin'

Oh and if you don't win (sad face) or want to pick up a different scent....

here's a 15% off coupon for FragranceNet

(just follow the link) -- mwah!

Today's look was accidentally Audrey-Esque. I donned black and white stripes (per usual) and a red lip (of course) and spent a good 30 minutes on my hair (unheard of for this bun-loving-bedhead) before walking my thirty minute morning commute through the sauna that is currently New York City. Upon arriving to my office, I glanced in the mirror to see that my well orchestrated locks had somehow been magically replaced with a wild, frizzy fro -- thanks New York. I didn't panic, but quickly tossed up my mess of a mane into a undone bun with bird's-nest inspired tendencies. After using up my to "emergency" bobbies, I resulted to a few paperclips that hopefully no one will notice, or miss from the office viola ... Accidentally Audrey.

The big shades and bow ring were the final touches, plus my low block heel sandals (that I simply wore because they are one of the few pairs I can do a whole twelve hour day in) were subtle nods to the film princess ... I hope Miss Hepburn would approve

This look is actually surprisingly simple for me and I honestly wasn't planning on posting it (I usually like to try and teach something in my outfits posts like "if you have a serious stripe obsession [hands up] here's how to wear a striped skirt with a striped top" or "are you afraid of pencil skirts? me too but let's conquer our fear together with this flattering piece"). But I had some time to kill between work and this amazing Capwell & Co event I attended last night, so naturally we had to fill it with a highline photoshoot, because what else could Paris and I possibly do with a free hour in NYC.

After meeting up with blogger babe Daisy O (who had borrowed these babies for the 4th) I switched into some Capwell & Co bracelets for the event. Oh, this event (sigh).... it was one of the most beautiful blogger gatherings I have ever been honored to attend! Our hostesses with the mostess, Jessica planned a brilliant rooftop soiree held at the Maritime Hotel. I shortly met up with more blogger gal pals Elana and Melanie. Mel somehow convinced me to sip an Amaretto Cran with her, although I am strictly a "i'll have half of a martini" kind of gal ... so if I sound a bit off in this post or make some dramatic grammar error, blame Mel & the Amaretto (Just kidding ... well kind of).

photos by Daisy O

Anyways, we had a ball, stuffed our faces and left blinged out in capwell & co .. you know usual blogger business. Check out more of the fun on instagram by searching #capwellatsunset & shop my Capwell favorites here:

P.S I'm Wearing...

Asos Striped Scuba Dress || Kate Spade Bow Ring

Black Sandals via Nordies (similar here, here & love these bow ones)

Karen Walker Sunnies || Mac Ruby Woo Lipstick

Forget the LBD today (and this summer) it's all about the little white dress and just the color white in general. I have never seen so much of this hue before but I've already declared this the Summer of White so the color craze is all ~~right~~, I mean white with me!

A LWD is perfect for the summer time. As things heat up you don't want to be caught something black (we need all the help we can get to keep cool) plus nothing says summer like a crisp, white look. Dress up the LWD with floral sandals and a bright bag and use a bold lip for that extra punch of color, or dress things down with flat espadrilles, a denim jacket and some statement shades!

Wan't to know something crazy? I don't own a plain white or plain black skater dress … I know, what's wrong with me! I never noticed until this Spring / Summer when I wanted to wear my fit & flare dresses with my sporty slides, so I set off to find the perfect casual LBD & LWD, but ended up with this bowed number instead. whoops!

I really wanted my LWD to wear to work on those roll out of bed days when I'm running late, so a backless-bowed dress doesn't fit the bill - but who could resist this darling little dress?

Speaking of little white dresses, I have a theory about the LWD - men prefer it, well at least in the Summer Time. I know, I know, the LBD is everyone's go to dress for any occasion and a must have for every wardrobe, but have noticed that when things heats up, most men are drawn to the white! I've tested this theory out of a few times when helping friends dress for summer soirees and even on myself and 90% of the time, a little white dress will land you in the spotlight this season!

What are your thoughts on my LWD theory? Have you ever had any successes in the little white dress? Do tell and don't you dare leave out any of the juicy details!!!

Asos White Bow Back Dress ( similar here for 50% off )

Sam Edelman Shoes (similar/cuter here) || Coach Small Christie Bag

J'adore Gems Daisy Petals Bracelet c/o || NARS Dragon Girl matte lip pencil

Who's ready for Winter? Not me, but last week's Club Monaco Holiday Press Preview had me wanting to fast forward to the Most Wonderful Time of the Year. But until then, we can melt away in this Summer heat while looking forward to this killer collection.

I quickly fell in love with the fringe accents and mix of materials that the collection had to offer and was instantly obsessed with the feather skirt & satin bomber combo shown above. I have to have that skirt come Holiday!

One of the most interesting parts of the preview was chatting with the accessories team about the revamp of their jewelry, shoes and bags come Holiday. The team has spent the past year scouring the globe for the best Jewelry finds, taking them from New York to Italy and evenPortland by way of Paris (I know, I know, Best. Job. Ever.). This search left them with a perfectly curated collection of unique Jewelry and Bag designs, some of which you won't find anywhere besides Club Monaco.

All this Holiday product has be craving some seriously cute dress Summer-esque styles that I can wear right now

/// BRB - Cute dress break ///

////

Great, you're back! I also went to the Club Monaco fall press preview and fell in love with this Davie bow dress which is now available for sale in both black & white! It's actually really similar to the dress I wore in Monday's LWD dress post, only I love that this Club Monaco ersion comes in black too! This bow back dress is just too darling for words and sure to be a summer showstopper! But that's not all, it could even transition to fall with black tights, booties and a leather jacket … there is no end to it's cuteness or versatility!

I also fell for this amazing little black Tara Cut out dress with the sweetest scalloped strap detail - talk about the perfect LBD! I can hardly resist I will have to add this one to my wardrobe! Until then I'll be style-dreaming and am overwhelmed with the potential outfit options ... all black & white with a red lip, with sporty slides or contrasting espadrilles, with a colored blazer for the office, with leopard booties come Fall, with a cobalt pump for cocktail hour, and a stripy pink sandal and turquoise earring for a summer wedding … shall I go on? Don't tempt me because I totally can! Needless to say the Tara Cute Out dress is a must have. Well if that wasn't enough for you, here are two more ways to wear this piece of perfection

Fringe or Feathers? What are looking forward to most for fall / holiday fashion? I love how so many brands (Club Monaco included) are mixing pastels into the holiday hues and can't wait to get my hands on that white feathered skirt!

If you have been following along you know the CMC forecast calls for white on white looks that are expected to last all summer long. Until no I have been mostly all talk, a white, colored & patterned look in Lulus, a LWD there, not to mention getting all goggly-eyed over a club monaco white feathered skirt, but today I'm putting my style where my mouth is with a white on white ensemble … Oh and Waffles is blog crashing, so he'll be pretty offended (and grumpy… well grumpier) if you don't read on!

Let's take a second to talk about this tassel necklace, sign… I know I over-use the word obsessed so it tends to loose it's impact but I have honestly been obsessing over a tassel necklace for quite sometime now, so finding this Armed & Readi Tassel necklace was such a pleasant surpize!

I first met Armed & Readi when they sponsored my Macarons & Mimosas event (see it here) but that is certainly not the last you will see of my love for their product! Okay back to this tassel necklace and how it changed my life -- it's the perfect way to dress up a basic white tee, but would also look amazing over a solid shift dress or with a v-neck blouse and jeans! Try to pair it with something looser or flowy and stick to solids or large patterns to really let this necklace shine! I have one dress with a high neck and a low back that I can't wait to wear this necklace backwards with.

This is not the first (and won't be the last) I dusted off my Zara skort for a all white look, see how I wore it last year here (Waffles was in that post as well, he's such a blog-hog… literally, he snorts!)

Nordies White Side Split Tee (similar) || Zara Skort (similar here or here)

Asos Black & White Leather Espadrilles || Armed & Readi Gold Tassel Necklace

Shoe Dazzle X Cuff (similar) || Vintage Bowler (try the panama hat)

Kate Spade Summer House Robbie Bag (similar)

It's no secret that I am a big fan of the fruity fashion trend (I wear my lemon keds almost everyday) so it was only a matter of time before I doubled, no tripled up on the trend! Oh, and I hope you don't mind but I am going to toot my own horn for a second here (toot toot) because I boarded the fruity trend train last year (remember my season search for the perfect lemon dress?), first with a lemon obsession resulting in a dress, shoes and shorts but it happened once again when I stumbled into J.crew only to find the cutest orange dress in CrewCuts… yes, that's Jcrew Kids -- don't judge me.

I wore this dress to work a few weeks ago (and again this week … oops) and someone asked me where my dress was from. When I replied crew cuts, they asked "what's that" - I somehow fought the temptation to say "it's a hip, new line out of Europe" and confessed to my child-wearing ways despite the judgy looks to follow. But hey, I'm happy I can wear crewcuts - how else would I have landed this Orangy dress or one of my favorite red skirts?! If you too are a shorty like me (I'm about five one) and have freakishly short legs & and disproportionate body you too can shop where the kiddies do … I'm not sure if that's something to celebrate or not but I will!

One fruity fashion statement is never enough, so I double up with my lemon printed kate spade keds & my pointless banana phone case. I say pointless because it is just that, the worlds most useless iPhone case! Not only does it prevent you from charging your phone or inserting ear buds (no plugs for either of this) but you can't even really hear on it! I end up taking the case off to charge, listen to music and talk on the phone...But Hey, It's a banana phone, so I guess it's a sacrifice I'm willing to make!? But keep in mind it's fun for decor, texting or gramming, but otherwise, not very functional!

Okay one more fun story about this toddler outfit of mine -- I was wearing the dress in the middle of Spring, walking home from work when I walked by little girl, maybe age 5 wearing the same dress! The best part was she gave me the dirtiest of looks, she was obviously really offended that I stop her look -- sorry little fashionista in training, I just couldn't resist! #shortgirlproblems

Before you go here's some fruit-inspired fashion that won't have you twinning with toddlers…

In the world of fruit fashion, Pineapple prints are having the most major moment (I'm kind of obsessed with this pineapple purse!) And although I have yet to really try this trend (I'm still looking for my perfect pineapple dress) I did dabble a bit with my pineapple bucket feet shoes! Shop them here & get 10% off with the code COLORME10

&& My cherry Dress, last seen here, is still for
sale -- shop it here

P.S. I'm Wearing …
Crew Cuts Orange Dress (similar) || Kate Spade x Keds Lemon Keds
H&M denim jacket (recently upgraded) || Karen Walker Super Duper Sunglasses
Style this Life Bracelet c/o || (the worlds least functional) Banana iPhone 5 case

Green vintage clutch (similar) || hexagon ring c/o Nikibi

I've been wearing black & white stripes non-stop lately, seriously, non-stop. There are all these rules about black & white stripes: horizontal ones make you look chubs, don't wear them with orange or yellow, blah, blah blah -- well today I'm breaking those rules, because life is so much better when you dress outside the lines.

Instead of fearing the color combo, I'm embracing it and going full on bumble bee! Picking up this Topshop midi skirt from Nordies was a no-brainer, but when I had to find something to pair it with I was stumped. Everything I own is black & white or another crazy bright color, two choices to generally avoid when pairing with another bold piece… typical. But since two statements are always better than one, and rules are meant to be broken (I live for white after labor day, it's my favorite rule to break) I decided to pair the two for a double-whammy of an outfit ... Boo yah!!

Can the Midi trend never end? pretty puh-lease! I thought I would loathe this length on me because of my legs, or lack there of (short girl problems) but have completely fallen in love! A midi is so flattering, classic and fun - plus it looks killer with a crop top. Let's be honest people, I look exactly like Betty Draper (ha!). Midi's also saved me last winter, when I was determined to wear full red midi to fashion week despite the freezing temperatures... Always reasonable. Don't worry, I wore my sweat pants under the skirt and no one even noticed (who are we kidding, it's me ... all I do is twirl, literally everyone noticed.) see it here!

I gotta love a crop top + midi combo! It allows me to indulge in the cropped trend without showing too much skin or forcing me to stop eating macrons... and ice cream... and cake, and pistachios (okay that one is kind of healthy unless you eat the whole bag ... guilty) ... and more ice cream ... ice cream and ice cream... hungry yet? Anyways, It helps hide the pooch (which is making an appearance in the image above) and since I can't stop eating and my only source of cardio (shopping) has been done on line as of late, you will probably only see me in the high-waist-crop-top situation.

I've been on a bit of a yellow kick lately -- I blame it on my lemon obsession, so this skirt fit the bill (I promise it's more yellow in real life than it photographs). I have also been craving this citrus kate spade number all season long (despite already owning last year's version in blue… whoops!). Speaking of blue, I can't wait to wear my new midi with bright colors (yes I'm a rule breaker) like neon pink, kelly green and all sorts of blues: baby blue, royal and maybe even some mint!

P.S. This post is part of a two part collab with one of my favorite west village based instagrams @thejanestreet -- we had such a blast shooting & meeting up with her (she's such a sweetheart!!!). We snapped these outside The Spotted Pig, but be sure to follow along for pretty village snaps and more images from our collaboration! Also swing by my insta & follow along to join the party! See you there! XX

Oh and I'm wearing….

Yellow TopShop Midi from Nordies || H&M Stripe crop top (similar)

ILY Couture Rainbow Link Bracelet || ILY Couture Regency Pave Midi Ring Set

Nila Anthony Clutch c/o || Ksena Shoe Dazzle Heels

I have an on again off again love affair with vintage. Sometimes I want something shiny & new, but other times I find joy in teaching old clothes new tricks! Today is one of those days -- I'm wearing a look that's nearly all vintage from head to toe.

Some of my favorite pieces in my collection are vintage like this Moschino bag I wear nonstop, my ~~kelly~~ Courtney green clutch (in this post), this little black dress and my trusty cross body picnic basket. When I lived in AZ I would go treasure hunting in the Melrose district with my mom and Waffles almost every weekend. The coolest thing we ever found were giant, metal letters from an old store, we mixed & matched to make them spell "Lounge" then added a coat of paint before hanging them in our living room -- I wish I had a picture to show you (what's wrong with me) because I'm still really proud of it!

This straw bowler was another vintage win from AZ. I can't really pull off hats, especially really round ones like this guy, but I loved it so much that I made an exception. Side note -- If you too have a crazy round face and chubby hamster-esuqe cheeks (sexy) like me, you might generally fear round hats like this one. My trick? it's all in the hair! Swoop your locks into a side bun with loose pieces or try two messy buns like mine, which was inspired by Kaley Cuoco in the Big Bang Theory (also love her hair here) it will distract from the general round-ness going on in the facial region. Anyways with the Panama Hat having such a big moment this year, I have been dusting off this straw bowler more and more, I love touching upon a trend but making it my own, and vintage gems like this hat help me do that!

This romper is also Vintage (surprise, surprise) from an awesome new online find, Thriftwares !! All the fun of vintage shopping right from your computer … yay! Sometimes I like to make a day of vintage shopping, but there are those days when I want to shop from the comfort of my couch with Waffles nesting his way into my nook (currently happening) and thriftwares is the answer. I also snagged a super cute poppy skirt (don't worry, I'll share it soon) and love this floral pencil skirt!

Speaking of rompers, aren't they the perfect summer piece?! But I bet you didn't know they can even work for fall (I know guys, it's right around the corner … ba-nanas!). You can pair some romps with tights, booties & a boyfriend cardie or turn it into a top by wearing a full skirt over the shorts! However you rock it, here are some of my hand picked favorites:

Thanks to thriftwares, and Keiko Lynn (I got lost in her archives over the weekend, she's just so stinking cool) my love of vintage / thrifted pieces have been revived! I'm now inspired to pick up some more treasured items…. nothing makes a girl feel special like having something that none else really does.

AZ thrifting spots:

My Sisters Closet - When I'm in AZ I shop the melrose district for vintage finds and my sisters closet for resale goodies and designer finds (like my Moschino and the Saks 5th avenue black belt in today's post). They have a few locations in AZ (the chandler one is the best for frugal finds, but go to Scottsdale for designer pieces) and can also shop online here
Merchant Square - If you have a few hours to kill, spend it getting lost in merchant square, full of little "boutiques" each with their own theme and flair!
Modern Manor - We snagged a few letters for the Lounge wall from Modern Manor and waffles made a new best friend, their shop frenchie, Remy! They also have some of the most amazing furniture finds.
Sweet Salvage - every 3rd Thursday of the month this warehouse space turns into a boutique filled paradise all in theme! My favorite was the Alice in Wonderland theme, full of tea cups, playing cards and red roses. It reminded me of this birthday bash

NYC treasure hunting:

I strongly recommend a little after-brunch treasure hunting to clear the mind and clutter the closet, it's something you can easily work into your Sunday routine. There are SO MANY amazing vintage destinations in the city, but I like to keep it in the village so I can walk off my brunch before indulging:

Starstruck village - Your classic, little vintage shop! I did some Christmas shopping damaging here last weekend (it's dangerously close to my apt). The haul included a Burberry scarf for $30 and a cashmere Lascoste sweater for $15!

Metropolis Vintage - great prices & great finds! I love this gem of a shop!

Liza Sherman - usually out of my price range but still fun to look, I treat it like a free museum.

Club Monaco - random, I know, but Club Monaco on 5th ave has a cabinet full of perfectly curated vintage finds including Channel, Hermes and more drool-worthy designers. I always have to check out their little vintage sections because it's forever changing and always drool-worthy. Plus they plan on continuing the hand-picked boutique feel come fall when they introduce their line of accessories from small designers around the world. I chat more about it here.

Thriftwares Romper c/o (obsessed with this one + similar on sale here)

Top Shop Koala Leopard Espadrille (+ solid colors here) || ILY Couture Ring Set c/o

Green Vintage Clutch (similar) || Black Saks belt via My Sisters Closet
Yoko Sunnies c/o Fantas-Eyes also love these pretties

I know I have been over dosing on stripes lately, and that you are probably so sick of it! I went to an event earlier this week and met a PR pro that I had been corresponding with for a few weeks now via email ... the first thing she said to me was "you're not wearing stripes?!". Then I knew the obsession had maybe gotten a wee bit out of control. I promise I'll try and scale back the stripes, especially this striped crop top, but I can't say goodbye to them entirely since they are quickly become one of my signatures (in addition to my red lip of course).

Anyways before I start switching out my stripes for other patterns, I'm determined to get you all abroad the striped crop top train by sharing
10 ways to wear a striped crop top!

The obsession started with my long sleeve cropped top, but I shortly switched to a more summer-friendly version as the season changed… either where way you slice it there's a whole lot of stripes going on.

1) With a floral skirt

Full look here >> Stripes & Stuff

2) With some color blocking

Full post here >> Stripey

3) With a pencil skirt

see the full post >> Bright Striped

4) With a mini skirt & a moto

See the full look >> Strawberry Bubblegum

5) With a time traveling twist (90's style)

Full look here >> That 90's Chick

6) Under Overalls

Complete post here >> The Conductor

7) The Carrie Bradshaw way, with a Tulle Midi

Full post here >> A Carrie Moment

8) With contrasting colors

Full look here >> NYFW // Michael Kors

9) With more stripes (duh) and Waffles on the side

Full look here >> Stripey Stroll

10) With a bright midi

See the full post >> Bumble Bee

I am all about wardrobe versatility and love remixing my pieces to create new looks. Remember this post? I share how to make 100 outfits by investing in 10 pieces (including this striped crop top). Pop by for some wardrobe inspiration & 10 more ways to wear the striped crop top. Don't worry I will be bringing back this post for Fall + a special back to school style guide!

Until then, stay stripey ;) …. & cue toddler smile

This post is jam-packed so let me apologize in advance.

TGIF right?! Last weekend blew by, and some how this week was one of the slowest ones ever? I woke up on Tuesday thinking it was Thursday, even told a co worker "hang in there tomorrow's Friday, and they gave me the craziest look.. oops! Then woke up again on Wednesday convinced it was Thursday. Anyways back to last weekend, Saturday was busy busy but started with a Zoo day with one of my favorite people (and her awesome husband) Taylor Morgan!

So Incase you didn't know, Taylor and I go way back. I grew up dancing at her Mom's studio but we really became close when I moved to NYC. Moving across the country can be a scary thing, I moved with a roommate who only stayed 2 weeks before moving back home and only knew a handful of people in the city. I am SO THANKFUL I had her and her amazing husband James to lean on when I moved here and am still so lucky to have such great city friends. It's even better now that Paris is here, because he and James get along swimmingly, #besties.

Taylor designs for Tommy Hilfiger and always gets great deals through her company, so her and James got free passes to the Queens Zoo Paris and I tagged along for the day! I had been to the Bronx Zoo but never the Queens one so we were excited to see what it had to offer. Naturally, I wore a zebra peplum top, leopard espadrilles and a snake purse; and Paris wore a bucket hat…. no comment.

Top Shop Koala Leopard Espadrille (+ solid colors here)

Kate Spade (old) Peplum (similar) || Wet Seal Black high-waist Shorts

Poppy Clips c/o gold studs - these snap onto to any shorts or pants

Capwell & Co bracelet || Style this life Bracelet c/o || ILY Couture Rings c/o
Karen Walker Super Duper Sunglasses

Honestly, the Zoo itself was just okay. The biggest highlight was the Sea Lions (I seriously love Sea Lions so I was really excited about seeing them), but the lack of elephants and monkeys kind of got me down. But I always have such a blast with Taylor & James that they make even a monkey-free zoo such a blast. On the plus side, the Queens Zoo is small enough for a quick 2 hour trip or good for little kids because it's a short walk & there's a petting zoo.

And hey guess what, Taylor is positing about her Zoo day too (I don't know why we don't blog collab more, we really need to get our acts together) so swing by her blog & check. it. out.

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Weekend Highlights

Before I let you go I wanted to share what I was reading this week. Last Sunday I made a list of all my favorite weekly reads and assigned days to check in on them, some have to be checked daily, and others twice a week but no matter the frequency, my type-A side made a schedule for it and I am planning on sticking to it! Thanks to my daily reading list I was able to keep up on all of my favorite blogs/sites this week (this never happens) so I had to share the highlights.

// Mackenzie Horan shares the sweetest class in NYC in her recap of a Macaron Workshop // I'm obsessed with how Blaire Edie rocked all white (my summer uniform) in this self portrait pretty // My good friend Melanie shares three things that make life easier - she's one of the sweetest gals around with an infectiously positive personality so I have to try some of her tricks // Kelly in the City rocked this Jonathan Adler hat & now I'm jonesing for a beach day // A Lacey perspective is giving away a super cute summer outfit & her darling pug makes an appearance in the post //

What are your weekend plans?

Although there will be no parrots or alligators filling my days, it should still be a wild one! I'll be turning another year older (and probably none the wiser) on Saturday so I will be celebrating with a polka dot picnic in the park. Be sure to follow along via instagram!

Today we're getting a little graphic ... in graphic tees of course! Oh and I say we because Waffles is blog crashing yet again ... but he's not the only furry friend making an appearance!

Graphic tee's are totally having a moment right now (But I mean, when are they not). I have long been a fan of these wordy wearables but sometimes find it hard to incorporate them into my wardrobe without looking too casual, especially come summer! For any of the other seasons, a bold blazer can be the perfect way to dress up a graphic. Finish the look up with some layered necklaces and viola instant glam, but in the Summer, a blazer is the last thing I want to wear (although the weather has been surprisingly nice lately ... knock on wood) - my summer solution to adding some edge to a graphic tee? a sleeveless tuxedo vest!

I fell in love with this graphic tank from Dentz Denim via etsy (she has super cute sweatshirts & harry potter inspired tees in her shop too - jackpot). When I first put it on Paris shook his head and said, "you know that's not a compliment right?" ... right.

This isn't my first (and won't be my last) dabble with a vogue-inspired tee. Remember this post that waffles also crashed? Speaking of Waffles, the cutest thing EVER happened during this shoot with The Jane Street (instagram account), he met a horse right outside of the classic Jane Street Hotel ... Waffles met a horse.

So about this giddy-up meet & greet that you are witnessing. First of all Waffles was obsessed, he literally loved this horse! I guess it helps that Waffles thinks he himself is about the size of the horse and is too fearless for his own good. Anyways, him & his larger four-legged-friend quickly became besties, filling Waffle's little heart with joy only to be ripped out when he had to say goodbye. Literally I have never seen something that depressing or ridiculous happen before my eyes. It was like that scene in The Fox and The Hound when Todd and Copper part ways at the end and you don't know if they are still friends or just going to forget about each other forever, if you aren't tearing up right now you have no soul. Side note, why is Disney so dang depressing? Anyways, Waffles wailed for a good eight minutes trying to run off after his new BFF. Even once the horse was out of sight, Waff continued to cry in hopes that he would return. It was down right heart wrenching. I only hope waffles and the horse will meet again someday for some epic reunion.... and who knows maybe his awesome mom will take him to Central Park in search of horse drawn carriages sometime soon - anyone care to join?!

/// Via instagram ///

P.S. I'm so impressed with Paris for capturing this moment, way to go BF! You can follow him on instagram here

Vogue Tank c/o Dentz Denim || Denim via WetSeal (older than old) Asos Black & White Leather Espadrilles || ILY Couture Ring Set c/oHalogen Black Tuxedo Vest || Nila Anthony b&w lego Clutch c/oYoko Sunnies c/o Fantas-Eyes also love these pretties

Lips Ruby Woo by Mac || Hashtag necklace c/o Style This Life

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This post is part 2 of a 2 part collab with The Jane Street swing by their instagram for sweet snaps of the West, I mean best village, and check out part one of the collab here

Today we're talking bucket bags as I team up with two other blogger beauts to share six ways to wear this trend. And since talk is cheap, we're also giving away our bucket bag fav at the bottom of this post, filled with awesome accessories!

This Summer it was all about the bucket bag. From designer to discount, everyone was creating their own version of this trend! I fell in love with Old Navy's bucket bag because of it's soft pebbled leather, oversized tassel detail and perfect proportion, and I wasn't the only one. Many of my blogger favs joined the ON bucket bag party including Marissa of Style Cusp and Ashley of SideSmile Style.

At the Beach with a Wrap Dress /// by Style Cusp

{ Full Look Here }

Travel style for a day of exploring /// by SideSmile Style

{ Full Look Here }

Weekend Wear in a tropical romper /// Color Me Courtney (oh hey, that's me)

{ Full look here }

Day to night glam /// by SideSmile Style

{ Full Post Here }

For rooftop drinks in Geometirc prints /// by Color Me Courtney

{ Full look here }

Summer Casual in stripes & chambray /// by Style Cusp

{ Full look here }

Win this bucket bag in the color of your choice filled with some surprise accessories (including a necklace, two sets of earrings, iphone 5 case, nail polish and more)

To enter:

1) Follow us on instagram:

@ColorMeCourtney @SideSmileStyle @StyleCusp

(If you already follow thank you!!!! You'll automatically earn an entry just check in on the rafflecopter below)

2) Comment & tag 3 friends in this post

3) Track your entries in the Rafflecopter below

Earn extra entries if you:

Repost this image on instagram and tag us

@ColorMeCourtney @StyleCusp @SideSmileStyle

B) Follow us on bloglovin:

Color Me Courtney /// Style Cusp /// SideSmile Style

Enter here:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Best of luck babes XX

Calling all book worms and decor-obsessed four eyes, this post is for you! Today we're talking the best coffee table books to add some pizzaz to your humble abode. Plus Waffles and I will give you a little taste of our living room (more to come soon).

Mug /// Vase

Growing up with a awesome interior designer for a mom, decor was always important to me. My mom had the coolest ways of incorporating super modern pieces (contemporary sculptures, minimalistic lamps and lots of stainless steal) with kitschy vintage touches (displaying her collection of vintage typewriters in the living room), so I quickly learned to follow her lead.

Bag /// Bracelet /// Notebook /// Lips

Clutch /// Bank

In high school I fell in love with the Hollywood regency style perfected by the goddess herself Kelly Wrestler and began to die for her designs. Soon after, whimsical nature of Jonathan Adler and Kate Spade also found a place in my heart. When I lived in Arizona I had the luxury of incorporating my vintage couch (that I scored for $75 dollars at Goodwill before repainting and kept in my closet, yes, closet) into these design styles for a glamor-meets-thrift-feel (yes, that's a thing). But now, in my tiny, tiny, train style apt the vintage pieces are few an far between because functionality has to rule above all.

Glitter // Dolls // Heart // Jewelry Tray // Calendar

When I first moved in last year, I channeled the old Kate Spade stores as my decor inspiration for a vintage vibe with pops of color and pattern see it here. Ironically, my apartment got a make over just as the Kate Spade stores did too (have you been to this one, it's ba-nanans), what was once rustic & charming is now clean, crisp and b&w (but hopefully still pretty charming) - I can't wait to share it with you! Although I was cranking up the glam factor, I still wanted to keep the over-accesorized, vintage-vibe that reminded me of so many important things of the past (Living with my mom, Kate Spade and my beloved closet couch …. tear) and I do that through coffee table books, and lots of them!

{ 10 points if you know what the Q stands for }

#FiveMoreMinutesMom

So you may be wondering, "But Courtney, you don't have a coffee table" - true, and I probably won't for a while. Everything in NYC has to be bi-functional. So my table serves as a breakfast nook, flower lined jewelry box, a procrastinators favorite desk, i-have-a-shopping-problem-but-it-counts-as-cardio-right? window displace, the place where donuts come to die, pre-party planning place and the closest thing I will ever get to a coffee table, and I'm okay with that. But that doesn't mean I have to miss out on the wonder that is coffee table books. In fact I have become a collector of sorts resulting in too many to displace, hence why they are covering every surface in my apt.

The best Coffee Table books for a B&W apartment:

I usually go treasure hunting for my coffee table books, I have seriously scored at Housing Works giving a second home to a few gems, but also like to mix it up with a few new books (plus you will never find a Chanel book at a thrift store, and if you do, go buy a lotto ticket and seriously shame on you to the delusional lunatic who threw out anything with the word "Chanel"). Pairing old with new, thrifted with books hot off the press will create an interesting arrangement!

Big Book Of Chic

by ASSOULINE /// $75

Rizzoli Kate - The Kate Moss book

edited by Fabien Baron /// $85 (also available here)

{Also love this one for $25, this one for $50& her paper doll set for $10 - so awesome}

Chanel Collections & Creations

By Daniel Bolt /// $40 (also here)

{I also have (and love) The Gospel According to Chanel for a small read & finishing touch for any book shelf}

& just for fun I love the Great American Pinup book, it's big & white perfect for the finishing touch on a B&W room plus it's crazy cheap. If you are looking to spend a bit more, I suggest the Big Book Of Chic!

Also featuring : Girl Boss, Bando Planner, Alice in Wonderland & lots of Vogue

P.S. can we talk about these Pajamas - I can't take them off, especially since it is currently 1:36AM and both Waffles and Paris are passed out (snuggling) on the rug, lucky ducks! Anyways, they are super soft & crazy cute, after wearing PJ Salvage pajamas I never want to wear another set of PJs but somehow force myself to switch off with this romper. I have even worn the shorts out of the house with a T-shirt while walking waffles, no shame here #unfabulous. Plus check out how I rocked their sleep to street wear romper in real-life. Who says you can't wear your Pajamas all day?

Would love to hear about some of your favorite coffee table books. Leave a comment below with your pick so I can follow your lead and continue to hoard, I mean add to the collection XO

via instagram

I have been waking up a little early every morning to schedule time to read my favorite blogs (yes, schedule, that is what things have come too). Anyways, my early morning dedication will not go unnoticed, because I'll be sharing some of my favorite finds every Friday in my Friday Favs post. I shared my first must-see links last week, so be sure to check those out if you haven't yet. Go ahead, I'll wait ....

Great you're back now on to this week's must sees:

// Closet Envy via Harpers Bazzar //

When doing research for yesterday's coffee table post I stumbled across this Harpers Bazzar article feature the The Biggest Closet in America. I have yet to sweep my jaw off the floor for the amazement that followed, but did learn that self made millionaire and closet Queen, Theresa Roemer uses her clothing collecting powers for good, not evil, and opens up the doors of her three story closet mecca to host charity events - Now, what do I have to do for an invite?

// Swimwear madness via Nanys Klozet //
I'm kind of obsessed with the Latina goddess that is Nany and have been yearning for a pool (or beach) day all summer long so it's no surprise that I was obsessed with her recap of Miami Swimwear Fashion week! Plus I'm crazy obsessed with the outfit she is wearing in the first image -- Girl Crush!

// Statement Earrings by Poor Little It Girl //
Can we talk about how much I love the blog poor little it girl? it's amaze and one of my favorites. If I don't read any blogs one week I still always make time for Poor Little It Girl& Corals & Cognacs (speaking of which her outfit post for today is killer and her backyard bliss staycation had me jonesin' for weekend get away in NYC). Sorry, tangent. Cathy shared a post on statement earrings today that has inspired me to dabble in the art of earrings (I am usually more a ring / arm party girl) so stay tuned to see that improvement on my wardrobe

More mouse action:

Sincerely Jules made me miss the southwest with her super cute Oaxaca (mexico) outfit that I couldn't ever pull off // I love how Living In Color Print combined cobalt & yellow in this look // also was crazy about LACB's post on finding inspiration, getting outside (especially in NYC) can be a quick fix, where do you go to get inspired?

P.S. Happy August (errr kinda)

Dear August, no offense but I have never really been a fan of yours. You are that awkward month that is kind of in between seasons and always fickle with the weather. The stores start selling fall but I am still sweating off more foundation than I can keep on while becoming besties with my AC. Someday you decide to rain on my parade and other days it's just all humidity all the time (hence why I tamed the fro with a keratin treatment - thanks mom). Plus you official signal the end of my Birthday month and bring nothing in return except back to school for the kiddos and the end of Summer Fridays - boo! But August, this year you are not as awful as I have made you seem because of one polka dot piece of organized perfection - my shop bando planner of course! It's sadly sold out online but you can pick it up at any of the retailers listed here, so don't pout!

Hope everyone has a killer weekend !!!

P.P.S. don't forget to enter my give away to win this suh-weet bucket bag!

I try not to play favorites with my clothes, but sometimes a few pieces carve a special place in my heart … and closet. I first fest for this Ted Baker skirt back in January, but our love affair really started in February when I purchased the beaut for NYFW. Last Feb was my first real NY Fashion week (eek) so I had to show up in style, but didn't want to splurge on something I wouldn't wear again - I tend to stick to pretty affordable pieces (shopping at asos, modcloth& lulus on the reg + bauble bar both online & via nordies for killer jewels). For this splurge I had to pick up my first Ted Baker skirt, something I knew I could wear countless ways.

So back to the versatility of this skirt - I've dressed it down with a graphic tee & flats or a tank & a denim jacket. It also looks cute with a moto jacket or a simple blouse & heels. Today I played on the petals by adding a old top to the mix & classic louboutins, but have also worn it with a black crop top & colorful pumps. I love this skirt with black tights & booties for fall or winter, or with a sequin tee or sparkly pumps for a holiday party! But my favorite look had to be dressing outside the lines with a little pattern mixing when I paired it with (you guessed it) a striped crop top -- see it here!

Wearing…

Ted Baker skirt || Vintage Silk Blouse
Erickson Beamon Rocks Ring c/o || Shoe Dazzle X Cuff (similar)

Christian Louboutin Pumps (similar) ( or for only $375 here & here)

Coach Mini Christie Purse || Karen Walker Sunnies || Style This Life chain bracelet

Sadly this skirt is sold out, but the good news is Ted Baker is a creature of habit, producing killer floral skirts every season. Plus you could wear most of them in all the ways I chatted about earlier! Here are some of my favs:

P.S. I don't know if you noticed but I got a keratin (thanks mom)

and now my hair is super straight! What do you think?

And P.P.S Thanks to one of my blogger besties for crashing this post, miss Daisy O (yeah, that's her real last name, how cool is that!!!). She has a killer intsagram feed so check that ish out!

Pop quiz, what is of the most plain and basic piece in your closet? What's the most versatile? Every considered combining these two must haves into one? Am I totally blowing your mind right now?

Although I have been known to splurge on the occasional floral skirt, I also talk a lot about investment pieces, and about working with the basics. (Remember these posts? Don't worry a new one is coming for Fall, which is right around the corner by the way... Bananas!). Anyways, some quality basics are crucial to building a killer wardrobe - for both men and women. Today Paris & I teamed up for our second His & Hers post in our twinning tops, although technically this is a his, his & hers post since Waffles, the other man in my life, is crashing.

What's mine is yo-- whoa there, just kidding we're not at that stage yet! But Paris and I do occasionally share clothes (It pays to have a slender boyfriend, even if it does make you feel a bit self conscious that he can wear your clothes, but not self conscious enough to put down the Mint Chocolate Chip. Awesome, now I'm hungry). The sharing usually benefits me, I steal his sweaters in the winter or wrap his cardigans around my waist in the Spring, and sometimes completely borrow from the boys with total menswear inspired looks, but sometimes P gets something from it too. Today we're wearing the same .BK shirt (mines a size small, his a medium, but he can wear mine too) but in two different ways. While Paris took a pattern play by pairing with Camo Pants (according to him "Camo pants go with everything I wanna wear"), I kept things classic by pairing with other closet basics: denim and nude pumps!

His: .BK shirt || Old Navy Camo Pants || Timberland Boots

Hers: .BK shirt || Dolce Vita Heels || Wet Seal Jeans || Kate Spade Bag

/////

(insert corny one liner here -- Paris, lives for these and thinks he's so dang witty… and he kind of is… kind of)

Be sure to check out our first His & Hers here and tell me what you think of this new segment -- I can't wait to here from you! XX

Let's play with colors, because, why the heck not? For today's color combo I'll mix a little yellow with florescent pink for a neon on neon look that is sure to get noticed, or at the very least blind the people passing by, hayyy!

I have always been surprised by my love for neon pink.
If you asked me to name my favorite colors it probably wouldn't crack the top 15 (there's ~~kelly~~, I mean Courtney Green, Banana Yellow, Ruby Woo Red and even my current obsession with powder blue to name a few) but that hasn't stopped me from wearing it in all sorts of ways (even to work). You guys seem to love it too, I remember being overwhelmed by your response to this post last year.

I am also kind of crazy about this yellow midi skirt and have been wearing it non-stop (it's like the striped crop top all over again). But midi skirts are my new obsession, so of course I am wearing it in more ways than one: with cropped tops, color blocked with brights (like today) and with baby blues. I can't wait to dust this baby off for fall by pairing it with booties & a leather jacket, or having a cozy winter moment with a cashmere sweater - long story short, this skirt is here to stay!

Top Shop Midi Skirt || Nordies Top (similar) ||

Capwell & Co Necklace (similar here, here and just flat out obsessed with this turquoise one)

Sam Edleman Heels (similar... and cuter here) || Kate Spade Bag || Fantas Eyes Aviators

&& please don't make me tell you that the belt is from the children's section at target. Oh wait, I just did (where the monkey covering his eyes emoji when you need it!?)

A graphic tee is a closet must have (Even Waffles agrees, remember this post?). It has limitless potential when it comes styling and is pretty much seasonless! Although my style (and perhaps my personality?) totally changes as the seasons do, a graphic tee almost always makes an appearence. This summer, my statement tees met my ripped denim, full skirts, sporty styles and even a mini skirt or two.

Me and Miss Daisy O both love our Vogue Made Me Do It tee (almost as much as we love taking selfies #dontjudgeus) but wear them in very different ways. I pair mine with a bright mini and a little heel, while she mixed things up with a boyfriend blazer and destroyed denim.

Shop the tee

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Ready to join the TeeParty (okay, that was pretty awful, I apologize) … here's six ways to wear a neutral graphic tee. The best part? You can create these looks with any graphic tee, from something you have in your closet, a fun DIY or even a cheap (there are some awesome ones currently at old navy)

So last weekend, I went roller skating … down Park Avenue! The fact that I was able to do so without breaking a bone or (more impressively) without hurting my pride was pretty astonishing, and to top things off, Paris was able to capture the whole thing on camera... well this is going to be entertaining...

Sorry I have been a bit MIA lately, things have been a bit crazy … but in a good way! I have so many exciting things in the work and I can't wait to share with you, so be sure to stay tuned and follow along on instagram (where a lot of the magic will be happening). Anyways, I promise I will be back to cluing you in to my every move from here on out :]

This past weekend was jam packed, on Sunday we went boating in central park and on Saturday we went to summer street - where they close down Park Avenue from down town all the way up to 77nd street. People choose to bike, run and jog through the city - and since I don't do either (Shopping is my Only Cardio and I don't know how to ride a bike … whoops) I opted to roller skate - how retro of me, right?

So what does one wear to a day of roller skating through the city? A full red midi skirt of course. I've been fully obsessed with Midi Skirts lately (this yellow one is was my summer fav, and I wore a different red one throughout last winter). I tied a basic white tee at the waist for a fun twist on the skirt - it was an easy way to update an otherwise dressy skirt to wear for the weekend.