Currently Loving...Blue Velvet and Emerald Taffeta

We've had quite the whirlwind few weeks here at Sorella Style!  Kacey had her adorable little baby girl 2 weeks ago today - Miss Stella Francesca made quite the entrance!  Kara has been travelling all over - out to California for the birth, back to Denver, then soon back out to Cali for my baby girl to be born!  2 weeks and counting down...

While I (patiently?) wait for that day to arrive, I've been catching up on my favorite websites, blogs, and pinterest pages...here are my current loves.

Image from The Everygirl

One day I will have a blue velvet sofa.  I'm loving this one from a Home Tour on The Everygirl.  And I'm also loving the artwork above the sofa....do we think I could recreate??  Digging all the colors, especially the pops of gold.

Image from Bel and Beau

Can we HANDLE how magical this photo is!?  I'm dying over the gorgeous ocean echoing the sunset in the clouds...and the emerald skirt!  I may have to scoop one of these up on Bel and Beau's website...a little post-pregnancy gift to myself? I could wear it this Fall when I'm back at...shall we say fighting weight!?

Cheers, dolls....happy inspiration hunting!

xo,

Kate

Spotlight: Striped Maternity Style

Oh, there's nothing like carrying around a little extra weight.  We've all been there.  What's new this time around is that extra weight is an actual human being.  Yay for maternity style (insert grimace/smile here)!

I've had to really embrace my inner Earth Mama and get on board with buying maternity clothes.  I tried to hold out and wear my old stuff (aka baggiest clothes) for as long as I could.  But reality eventually set in, and I realized I had to go buy some actual maternity clothing.

So off I trooped to Destination Maternity.  Shall I show you one of my favorite purchases? I think I shall :)

Ladies, you have to buy this 3/4 Sleeve Scoop Neck Side Ruched Top!  It fits great, is long enough to cover anything that needs covering, and is very comfortable.  I have it in every color, and I would wear it everyday if I could!  I'm pretty sure I'll continue wearing these when I'm not pregnant, too!

Striped Top from Destination Maternity / Trina Turk Italian Horn Pendant / Tank Top
Splendid Skinny Leggings / Boots / Lincoln Park After Dark Nail Polish

Pefect for work:
Selfie!

Perfect for date night:

 Sunglasses / Moscow Mule Copper Mug

See? I wear it a lot :)

xo,

Kate

Linking to:

Live Laugh Rowe

1 Dog Woof

Living Well Spending Less

Spotlight: How to Wear "Spring" Around Your Neck!

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We're all dreaming of Spring aren't we?  I know I'm longing to perk up my outdoor deck with color - bring on the flowers!  So why not bring a little "life" to your everyday jewelry?  Enter With Roots, a jewelry company based in Brooklyn that focuses on tiny terrarium jewelry.  Wha-huh? How is this possible?

Apparently the jewelry (necklaces, bracelets, and earrings) thrives off of close contact with your very own body heat and the exposure to everyday sunlight.  They contain reindeer moss, charcoal, and a small amount of soil.  Prices range from $40-$65. Not bad for a living piece of jewelry that survives because of your own personal eco-system!

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Valentine's Day gift, anyone?  Check out this darling heart necklace...feel free to let my husband know :)

xo

Kate

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Great Gatsby Inspired Photo Shoot

Are you as excited as we are to see Leonardo DiCaprio and Carey Mulligan star as Jay and Daisy in the upcoming remake of The Great Gatsby?  Then you'll love this 1920's Speakeasy shoot I designed  in Nashville last year.  There's something alluring about the Prohibition era.  Maybe it's the secrecy, the intrigue, that pull toward something you know you shouldn't be doing.  Either way, the fashion and the fun of the 1920's is what inspired this style shoot.  Imagine this couple tying the knot it an old Speakeasy somewhere - and desperately wanting to cheers each other with a great bottle of champagne!

  In fact, our signature cocktail for this event was a traditional, classic Champagne Cocktail.  See below for recipe... The Peacock Feather Headpiece is a DIY project we created, along with the wine bottle candle centerpiece, and the glitter stirring sticks.  The bride is wearing a custom 1920's inspired gown with black nylons underneath…a little surprise and mystery goes a long way.  The white dinner jacket on the groom is another lovely touch that harkens back to the jazz age.  Feathers and Fire make up the design for the shoot - with lovely handmade and personalized candles to keep this love burning from the 1920's straight through today.

Champagne Cocktail

Sugar cubes

Angostura Bitters

Chilled Champagne

Soak sugar cube with a few splashes of the Bitters.  Drop in the bottom of a champagne glass. Fill slowly with chilled sparkling wine. Garnish with a lemon twist.

Gatsby, here we come!

Vendors:

Photographer:  Mike Wootton Photography (http://woottonphotography.com/index2.php)

Event Design: Kate Coppola Leiva with Wedding 101 (http://www.wedding101.net)

Make Up: Katie Russo Make Up (http://www.katierusso.com/)

Hair: Amber Joy Martin (http://www.amberjoymartin.com/)

Cake: Silver Box Cakes (http://www.silverboxcakes.com/)

Container Candles: Flashpoint Candles (http://www.flashpointcandle.com/)

Invitations: By Heart And Hand (http://www.byheartandhand.com/index.htm)

Jewelry: Kim Wright with Stella and Dot (http://www.stelladot.com/sites/kimwright) 

Dress: Olia Zavozina (http://www.oliazavozina.com/)

Tuxedo: Street Tuxedo (http://www.streettuxedo.com/)

Venue: Durego (www.durego.net)

Fall and Winter Uniform

Sooooo I do realize Fall officially started over a month ago.  In my defense, it's been 90 degrees in LA since we moved out here in August!  I'm a little (lot) late on the fall fashion bandwagon.  But I think I've finally "pinned" down my go-to uniforms to get me through this fall and winter season.  In the spirit of trying to Spend Less/Save More (SLSM), all of these looks are mostly made up of pieces I already own....:>)

                                                   1.                                                         2.                                                        

                                                 3.                                                          4.

Look 1 - California Breezy

Components: grey skinnies, long white tank/tee, large patterned scarf, oversize gold watch

This will be perfect for those in between days we have here in Cali - cool in the morning, warm in the afternoon, back to cool at night.  SLSM: I already own grey leggings AND grey skinny jeans, a long white tee, a few patterned scarves, and a gold watch - thanks to Christmas from Billy last year!

Look 2 - Cozy Chic

Components: oversize global patterned wrap sweater, black leggings, booties

I love me a great oversized sweater - oh the christmas cookies you can hide behind that :>)  This looks comfortable but still stylish.  SLSM: leggings (obvi), oversize black and white sweater, booties.

Look 3 - Uptown, Downtown, Anytown!

Components: carmel tall boots, black or grey tights, blush skirt, blazer

I'm seriously obsessed with this one.  I LOVE that skirt.  How comfortable, yet feminine, but still tough with the boots and tights? Eeeee! SLSM: carmel boots, tights, short blush skirt.  NEED: I would love to find a longer skirt like this one, I don't have a light colored blazer...but another blazer could work, or even a chunky sweater.

Look 4 - Casual Winter Whites

Components: chunky cream knit sweater, long white tank, jeans

I love the winter white look.  Have yet to try it this year, though.  It feels so fresh and light....great for mild California seasons.  SLSM: long white tank, jeans. NEED:  Chunky, longer cream sweater. I have several sweaters in darker colors, but if I'm trying to pull off the white look, I definitely need to invest in  the above sweater.  Its Free People - but sold out.  Guess I'm on the hunt!

 

What is your fall uniform?  I'd love to hear (steal!) your ideas!!

xo,
Kate

Thoughts on Describing "Style"

Last week I mentioned this style quiz on the Homegoods website.  I thoroughly enjoyed browsing through the mini photos and picking the 5 that attracted me the most.  Hilariously (and not surprising whatsoever) each time I looked, a different set of photos would attract me.  This is a chronic problem for me - picking AND STICKING with my "style".  Whether in home decor, fashion, attitude...I've always been a fickle minx - flitting from style to style - and chameleon-like in my ability to adapt to my environment.  One thing I've always known is I like things comfortable...sofas, jeans, etc.  But Comfortable is not a style.  At least not on its own.  So now I'm on a journey to nail down the right combination of words that describe my style.

I love the categories they came up with.  I've listed them below, with my thoughts after:

Boho - whimsical, carefree, eclectic

Classic - elegant, traditional, seamless

Urban Funk - edgy, industrial, soulful

Set Sail - beachy, calm, comfortable

Socialite - high end, trendy, fashionable

Spa Life - serene, contemporary, organic, Asian influence

The Traveler - global, collective, eclectic

Vegas Baby - trendy, glitzy, over the top

New Country - comfortable, rustic, modern simplicity

Farmhouse Glam - rustic, elegant, opposites

Modern Metro - contemporary, industrial, minimalist 

Sassy - fun, feminine, colorful

What I think is missing:  

Tuscan (could be lumped with The Traveler however I believe traveler is more global than strictly Tuscan Style).  And honestly, I think Traditional needs to be its own category.  Classic and Traditional seem to be lumped together, but to me traditional means an elegant, collected style with antique accents. Classic has a modern edge to it.

CLASSIC STYLE:

source - CLASSIC

BOHO Style

source - BOHO

As I really think about these categories and what they mean to me, the ones that hit closest to home are Boho and Classic.  On first look, it seems like these are complete opposites.  But maybe that's why it fits - I am a bit opposite. I mean, my nickname when I was little was "Ms. Opposite".  The basic pieces in my house are Classic: navy wing back chairs, neutral L shaped sofa, striped floor rug, metallic mirrors.  But my accessories are all Boho: patterned pillows and throws, purple accent chair, turquoise side table, candles and books galore.

This also fits when I think about my style when it comes to fashion...

The bones of my wardrobe are classic pieces - think skinny jeans, trench coats, striped tees:

source

But I love being whimsical and fun - floppy hats, lace dresses, fringe, booties:

source

Apparently, a blend of the two is just right - classic pieces like a white tank and butter leather jacket mixed with a colorful maxi skirt, clutch, and necklace OR a simple navy dress with an outrageous necklace and snakeskin clutch:

source

Soooo, after all this, what is my style?

Classic Comfort with Boho Flair

or maybe

Classically, Comfortably Bohemian?

Classic Bohemian Comfort?

hmmm.

Either way, there we have it! Apparently I've expressed all along what my style is - I just needed to break it all down and really study it to be able to describe it concisely.  And I'm dead serious when I say I just figured this out.

Yeesh, thanks for listening :>)

xo,

Kate

PS: Let me know what your style is! What other categories are missing?  Does your home style match your fashion style?

DIY Peacock Feather Headpiece

This would be just perfect for a Flapper Girl Halloween Costume - a cast member from Boardwalk Empire maybe? Or perhaps Daisy from The Great Gatsby!

Peacock Feather Headpiece DIY

4-5 peacock feathers (mine were from Hobby Lobby)

1 plastic hair comb

scissors

hot glue and gun

brooch

bobby pins that match your hair color

1.)  With scissors, cut the feather stem about an inch and a half below the main bloom.

2.)  Arrange 4 (or as many as you deem necessary to fill it out) peacock feathers on top of hair clip evenly.

3)  Glue the stem of each feather to the top rim of the hair comb.

4.)  After the glue is fully dry, work the comb into your hair.

5.)  Using bobby pins, pin the brooch on top of the hair comb to help hide the plastic comb and to secure in place.**

**One of the benefits of only pinning the brooch to the comb is that you can then interchange the brooch depending on the style or look you are going for.

photos with model taken by Mike Wootton

xo,

Kate

Linking to:  The Dedicated House, Between Naps On The Porch

Did Someone Say Handbag?

Purses are my weakness.  Big, small, colorful or muted it does not matter.  A new bag is the key to my heart.  This fall there are so many fabulous bags out there. Some that threaten to break the budget and others that seem to fit right in to my kind of guilt free spending.

I typically throw my life into my bag, so these first two bags are perfect for my day to day life. I love the teal of the Vince Camuto, and the buttery leather of the Michael Kors.  How do you chose just one??

Vince Camuto "Alexa"

MICHAEL Michael Kors "Fulton Large"

Crossbody bags are still super trendy for fall , and I have been searching and searching for one. This might be the time to tell you that not only am I am bag addict, but it always has to be just right for me. :) My loved ones might call me picky. I think this Marc Jacobs might be the one.  If you follow the link you can see the just how perfect this bag is size-wise.

MARC by Marc Jacobs "Classic Q Natasha" Crossbody

Snakeskin prints are trending everywhere this season, and I LOVE how affordable both of these Steve Madden options are.

Steve Madden "Sugar" Tote

Steve by Steve Madden "Sugar" Snake Embossed Clutch

If you haven't gone out to purchase your new fall bag yet, get out there! There are so many beautiful bags just begging to be taken home and loved ;-)

xo,

Kara

New Workout Gear - Get Motivated!

When our days get busy, it can become difficult to find time to hit the gym.  For me it is the first thing to be cut from my to do list on an overwhelming day, and really it should be the very last thing I consider skipping.  Obviously we all know it's good for our bodies, but for me I seem to gain the most benefit in my head.  It makes stress easier to handle when I get in a good run at the beginning of the day. Problems seem easier to solve when I have taken time for myself to get those endorphins going.  And frankly, I am a happier person when I workout.

So, if you are struggling to get up early to make it to the gym before work, or class, or life begins each day, I have a little piece of advice that always seems to motivate me.  What is it you ask? GO BUY NEW WORKOUT GEAR!!  I swear to you, a new tank, or some sweet new kicks are just what the doctor ordered when lacking a little motivation. 

  I won't lie to you, I am a Lululemon-aholic. But seriously, the quality of their brand is top notch, and I believe the clothes are worth the price.  

Here are a few of my favs.

Gather and Grow Crop - $78

Cool Racer Back xlong - $48

In Stride Jacket - $108

One of my favorite things about Lululemon is that basically everything thing they make comes in an option to cover my backside. So when I hop on the treadmill I am not as worried about my bum, because it's covered! What is better than a strategically placed, LONGER tank? Not much in my humble opinion.  If you are looking for a little pick me up head to Lululemon and pick out something new.  Oh and just so you know, I always try to purchase as much as I can on sale.  They always have a cute tank on sale, and then buying the crops to run in at full price doesn't seem quite as painful.  At least that is what I tell myself. 

Go friends, shop and then work your butt off.  Pretty soon you won't need those extra long tanks to cover your bum. :-)

xo,

Kara

all running inspirationals from here

clothes from lululemon.  - not a sponsored post, we just LOVE it!

Friday Favorites

Our favorite new website this week has to be the new home decor store  Lulu and Georgia.  Amazing rugs, pillows and accessories:

This pin inspired me to paint some furniture emerald green...risky but worth it (I hope!):

source

Listening to Mumford and Sons "Below My Feet" from their new album Babel...."keep my eyes to serve, my hands to learn".

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Loving this Essie color for fall: Bobbing for Baubles. Friday afternoon manicure - check!

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Truly Rachel Zoe can do no wrong in my book. My favorite look of the week. How fabulous is this outfit?



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 My favorite inspiring quote of the week. I believe life is too short to not share our happiness.

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What we're up to this weekend:

Kate - headed back to Nashville for a friends wedding

Kara - Relaxing at home and trying out some new recipes...yum!

Kacey - On her way to Missouri for her new show Honky Tonk Angels

What fun things are you gettin' into??

xo,

Kara, Kate, & Kacey