Valentine’s Day is quickly approaching, and even if you’re not in a relationship or planning to get gushy-mushy this year, it’s still fun to bring some red and pink into your outfit to celebrate the holiday (although if you would have asked me 10 years ago when I was a rebellious teen, I would have said “No way am I wearing pink on Valentine’s day!”… well, I guess times have changed).  What are you girls planning to do to celebrate Valentine’s Day?  Dinner with girlfriends?  Dinner with your special someone?  Whether you’re spending the day/night at the office or planning to head out to a fancy dinner to celebrate, I’ve got you covered with these two fun looks below!

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P.S. I am linking up with Friday’s Fancies for this week’s edition, so make sure to head over to Long Distance Loving to check out what the other ladies put together!

Not surprisingly, on yesterday’s post I noticed that a lot of you commented how you also prefer to wear flats when running errands.  Since I live in flats on the weekend, I tend to wear them down pretty quickly, so I often check the web for affordable options to keep my stock going.  Most recently when was browsing for some fun flats for spring, I found this super fun and affordable pair of snakeskin + mint flats.  I built the outfit below around how I’d style these flats for an easy girl on the run type of look.  What makes up your ideal girl on the run look?

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I had a lot of running around to do over the past weekend, and I definitely prefer to run errands in flats, so I slipped on my old cream-colored Zara wing-tipped oxfords and some ponte leggings for running around town in comfort {and style}.  I don’t feel comfortable with “leggings-butt”, (unless of course I am wearing my favorite Lululemon Wunder Unders!!) so I also threw on my favorite trench-coat to top off the look (how awesome is the neutral leopard lining?).  This is a super neutral outfit, but I felt really pulled together and classic, which is a winning combo in my books!

Trench Coat – Banana Republic / Chambray Shirt – J. Crew / Oxfords – Zara (Spring ’10) {Similar} / Leggings – Target / Clutch – K.Slademade / Watch – DKNY / Necklace – Lili & Mae

I am at the ripe old age of 26, and a lot of my friends are starting to get engaged and married.  Based on what I know about my readers and the blogging community in general, I bet a lot of you are in the same boat.  I am super happy about all of these upcoming weddings, as this gives me an excuse to get dressed up and party the night away with friends.  I have a few weddings coming up in the next few months, so I’ve started to scout some dresses so that it doesn’t sneak up on me (because usually the events do sneak up on me then I am left in a frenzy exclaiming, “WHAT AM I GOING TO WEAR?” and Joe just rolls his eyes and looks at the 20 dresses already hanging in the closet…..{sigh} men, they just don’t get it).  Nordstrom always has a great selection of dresses, and what I noticed most recently when I was perusing the site was the volume of printed and bold colored dresses.  They’ve got an amazing stock of really fun dresses that would be suitable for the day-to-evening weddings that we’ll all be attending over the next few months.   Which is your favorite?

All dresses available via www.nordstrom.com

Just like (most of) the rest of you, we’ve been experiencing an unseasonably warm Winter here in Cincinnati.  The weather was absolutely miserable on Saturday (rain all day and temps in the low 40′s) so we spent the day deep-cleaning our house (which was far overdue).  On Sunday it was a beautiful, sun-filled, blue sky day – it made my whole heart happy.  We headed a few blocks east of our house, soaked up a little Vitamin D and snapped these photos.  And my feet were fine because these are the most comfortable shoes I have ever owned – thank you Lord for Nike Air for Cole Haan – THANK YOU! So, tell me, how was your weekend?  What did you guys do?

Jeans – H&M / Striped Tee – Old Navy / Sweater – J. Crew Factory / Vest – Old Navy / Scarf – Old Navy (thanks Kel!) / Sunglasses – Cole Haan / Shoes – Cole Haan

Bag – Louis Vuitton Speedy / Watch – DKNY / Vaida Necklace worn as Bracelet – Lili & Mae / Belt – H&M

You guys, I slept for 9 hours last night, on a WEEK NIGHT.  That never happens to me, and it was so necessary because I feel like I am in a constant state of half-awakeness lately and I feel FANTASTIC!  Anyway, due to the fact that I chose to make dinner, watch 30 Rock and Parks and Rec (so hilarious), then go to sleep last night instead of blogging, today you are stuck with my random thoughts:

- I had 15 minutes to kill before my Lasik follow up this morning (I hate to be late!), so I thought I’d jump in the Starbucks drive thru line right by the dr. office to grab my free birthday drink before my appointment.  Unbeknownst to me, this line wraps around 3 side of a large building, is encapsulated by a fence (there’s no way out!!).  Anyway, it took 25 minutes, and I was 10 minutes late for my appointment.  I took this as a sign that I needed to practice patience and deep-breathing….so that’s what I did instead of freaking out! Woooo-saaaaaa.

- I am considering buying these flats.  They are so cute, and a fraction of the price of the  J.Crew version.  What do you think?

- I need some skincare routine advice.  Embarrassing to admit, but I have a bad whitehead problem on my chin.  I’ve tried dermalogica and Cetaphil and neither help.  Anyone have any tried and true products?  (I can’t get into the dermatologist until MARCH 29TH!)

- I got two new kitchen appliances this week for my birthday.  A yonanas machine (makes ice cream out of bananas: what-the-what?) and the Nespresso D120.  I am freaking obsessed with this thing!  It is THE BEST kitchen appliance I own and if you’re engaged – put this thing on your registry.  Starbucks be gone (aside from when you get a free birthday drink… ahem).  Little espresso pods and a milk steamer – you can control everything and are no longer at the mercy of the green-apron-wearing Baristas!

{image via Brookstone}

- I make a BOMB roast chicken.  I think you should all try it, it is SO easy.  Here are the steps:

1. Purchase a whole, fresh, organic chicken from Whole Foods (a good size chicken will run about $12) and make sure you have the following on hand:  Dried Rosemary, Lemon, Grassfed butter, salt n peppa, sauce brush, and a microplane (for zest)
2. Remove chicken from plastic, take out giblet bag (if included) and rinse chicken inside and out.  Place in roasting pan (or in my case, I use a 9×9 Pyrex glass baking dish).
3. In a small dish, melt about 1 tbsp of butter and 1 tsp of dried rosemary in microwave.
4. Loosen chicken skin from breast and using a sauce brush, brush the breasts underneath the skin with butter/rosemary mixture.  With whatever butter you have left, brush the outside of the chicken
5. Grate lemon zest to cover top of chicken.  Cut lemon into quarters and place inside chicken cavity.
6. Pop in the oven to bake for 1.5 hours at 375 degrees.  Remove from oven every 15 min to baste the juice back onto the chicken – this creates juicy meat and crispy, beautifully browned chicken skin. YUM!

So now tell me, what are you up to this weekend?  Anything fun going on?  Any shopping on the agenda?  Making my bomb roast chicken?  Do tell!

It’s been so nice and warm outside lately, and that has me thinking about all the lovely bright colors I can look forward to wearing in the upcoming spring and summer (and I was also inspired by this awesomely awesome post from Tobe of Because it’s Awesome that was posted on Look Linger Love on Monday!  I am coveting all of her pieces, as well!) Of course I don’t plan on (nor could I afford) to purchase all of these lovely things below, but I sure don’t mind looking at them and creating imaginary outfits in my head!  Which one is your favorite?  Do you have your eye on something else brightly colored that didn’t make my list?

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P.S.  In the spirit of full disclosure, when I post links to products, occasionally the links contain tracking codes so that I get some credit if you purchase something you find on my site.  I hope that’s okay with you, my lovely readers! It’s just a little incentive to help bloggers to bring you great new items so often!  If you do plan on purchasing something you see on Stylized Existence, I’d love it if you’d click through the link I provide.  XOXOXO!

]]> http://www.stylizedexistence.com/2012/02/02/can-i-have-that/feed/ 11 http://www.stylizedexistence.com/2012/02/02/can-i-have-that/ http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/StylizedExistence/~3/gAG3dOkA91U/ http://www.stylizedexistence.com/2012/02/01/my-favorite-combo/#comments Wed, 01 Feb 2012 13:00:32 +0000 Lauren {Stylized Existence} http://www.stylizedexistence.com/?p=1300

I love love love stripes and blazers together.  For some reason, when I am wearing the stripe and blazer combo, I feel instantly pulled-together, it is my favorite combination.  For this look, I went a little preppy (again!) with the blue + red combination, but similar to what I did in my post last week, I changed it up a bit from the classic and expected look, and went with brighter hues, both in the red blazer and the stripes of the tee.  Let’s just talk about these flats for one second.  I posted them on Friday in Meg’s date night look because I already purchased them and loved them so much that I had to share them with you guys, too.  Well here they are making their real-photo-blog-life debut!  They are super comfortable and the gold adds just the right amount of fun to the outfit.

Jeans – Gap / Top – StyleMint (sign up for Stylemint here) / Blazer – H&M / Shoes – H&M  {Similar}/ Necklace – Forever 21

Watch – DKNY {Similar} / Bracelets – J Crew and Forever 21 {Similar} / Sunnies – Forever 21 / Bag – Louis Vuitton Speedy

P.S. Please head on over to Carly’s blog {a simple affair} where I am guest blogging with Katie of Miss Dixie about all of our favorite things that start with the letter “K”!

Spring is definitely the time for BRIGHT colors – I mentioned how much I love them on yesterday’s post – so I am pretty ecstatic that everyone is going to be wearing tons of color over the next few months!  I have never been a huge fan of purple, but after seeing the skirt below on Ruche’s website, I knew I had to create a look featuring the skirt.  It’s a bold purple, so to offset the full-length stunner, I paired it with a soft lavender-colored silk blouse from Madewell.  As far as styling is concerned, I would roll the sleeves up just above the elbows and tie the shirt in a knot just above the waist.  That way, you have an easy relaxed look, instead of a covered up and homely look! (and no one wants to look homely!)

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I would do something simple with my hair, either a simple bun or some beachy waves and I’d paint my nails a shade of bubblegum pink.  I’d add a few sparkly accessories and call it a day, because this skirt really steals the show.

I am a fair skinned broad – it’s true.  I used to be quite unhappy with my porcelain skin, especially when I was younger and being tan was “in”.  These days, I’ve gotten more and more comfortable with my fair skin because it’s what makes me, me.  However, with this skin comes the inability to wear a lot of equally pale colors because they completely wash me out.  Lately I have been making a concerted effort to look on the bright side (both in life and in closet), so instead of being bummed about the pretty soft tones that I can’t wear, I choose to focus on the bold, bright colors that offset this nearly-clear skin of mine and any bad moods on the horizon.

Dress (work as skirt): J. Crew Factory / Peplum top: Forever 21 / Shoes:  Steve Madden via TJ Maxx / Blazer:  Forever 21 / Belt: J. Crew

Lipstick: Maybelline Red Revival / Nails: NARS Senryou

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