Winter Wonderland and Wonderings

It's day three of captivity thanks to Snowmageddon 2014. Snowmageddon is actually a misleading term. Mostly we have sheets upon sheets of ice. My beau and I made an attempt to go to the grocery store and it was a slick, slippery 1/8 of a mile yesterday. No thank you.

Necessary- L.L. Bean Boots + Zella Leggings + Wool Socks (similar)

I've had lots of time to think about spring and wanted to share some perky picks to brighten up this wintry mix. We never want to wish a day away but with all this time off work, it sure would be nice if I could make it down to Pure Barre! 

Suzani Lamp (20% off at right now with code SHINEBRIGHT!!)/ Sachin + Babi Look/ Coffee Cup/ Soludos Lace- Up Espadrilles/ Paule Marrot Pillow/ J.Crew Jeans (on sale plus an extra 40% off with code HAPPYSALE)/ Joie Tunic

Hoping you are safe and sound where you are. Has this blast of winter air gotten you more anxious for spring too??

Red Carpet Round-Up: 56th Annual Grammy Awards

"Just give me a reason/ Just a little bit's enough/ Just a second we're not broken just bent/ And we can learn to love again."

Oh sorry. You caught me singing. All of last night's Grammys songs are stuck in my head today! Did anyone else catch the Grammys last night? Of course, I plopped down early to watch all the red carpet action. Fashion at the Grammys is always hit or miss. Some artists use their limelight exposure to look completely ridiculous or turn their style into a joke while others relish the opportunity and bring down the house with more than just their musical talent. 

While this year's carpet wasn't overwhelmingly amazing, a few ladies' looks did stand out to me. 

Is that Beyonce or Sasha Fierce? The lady's body is SMOKIN HOT. Here she wears a Michael Costello gown fit for the queen of the music scene and it is tailored to her body like a glove. She looks so elegant but also appeared to have tons of fun during the show. Her opening performance with hubby Jay-Z showed off that amazing figure of hers. Sign me up for the Beyonce booty workout!!!

Rita Ora's gold iridescent Lanvin dress was a perfect choice for the night. She was one of the only stars who went for a shorter dress and I loved that. Rita proved that short hemlines don't necessarily equal less formal- this look is the perfect way to look festive and fun at the Grammys.

Two other ladies who went for the gold were Taylor Swift and Ciara. Taylor Swift's Gucci chain link dress looked beautiful on her. She really does have the figure of a supermodel...beyatch. ;) She would have been my best dressed pick except that we have seen her in gilded gowns at every other appearance. Nevertheless, this dress was perfection on her. Ciara also stunned in Emilio Pucci. She celebrated her pregnancy on the carpet while still appearing completely comfortable in a long sequin gown. Props to her! 

 Yes, there were some colorful dresses on the red carpet last night but none of them stood out to me. All in all, it was a very tame evening...a nice departure from shows in previous years. 

What did you think of the Grammys last night? Did anyone else have a look you loved?

Safari Chic

via Pinterest

Safari chic: at this point, it's not even trendy anymore. It's classic. Every year, especially during the transitional months, I am drawn toward olive greens, khakis, crisp whites, leopard prints, raffia and calf hair. What is it about these combinations that is so flawless? Perhaps it's the daydream of heading to a faraway land and becoming one with nature all while looking effortless and glam. In the meantime, navigate your own wild life in these key pieces.

Spring's Sporty Chic

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This latest polar vortex snap has got me dreaming of spring. I'm loving the sporty chic vibe this year. It's so practical and comfortable yet interesting and a bit glam. We could take Palm Beach with the glimpse of a patterned pair of shorts but also own the carpool lane with a practical pair of shoes.

A.L.C. Look

Alice + Trixie shorts

If you're ready to start transitioning now, layer a new tank with last year's slouchy black pants. You can up the sporty vibe with slip-on sneakers (another key trend for spring) and layer up with your favorite jacket or cardigan. A punchy clutch keeps the look playful so that people don't question if you really are headed to the gym later.

Joie pants/ A.L.C. tank/ Kate Spade Saturday studs/ Lizzie Fortunato clutch/ Vans sneakers

When warmer weather (finally) does arrive, you'll be pleased as punch to have a comfy pair of sneakers to tool around in and a chic tank to wear with shorts for those scorching hot days. 

Will you try any of spring's sporty pieces this year? 

Winter's Weekend

Thought I'd share some snaps from the long weekend to get us through the rest of the week!

The Coop was open again on Friday and everything was 20% off! I'm still dreaming about this rug. How do we feel about over dyed vintage rugs? (And, more importantly, how do we clean them??)

Wouldn't it be just splendid in my guest bedroom...maybe with these (Photoshopped) pillows? Maybe not? 

Penny photobomb

After a tough barre class Saturday morning, a fresh manicure and kicking back with my favorite fashion mag were just what the doctor ordered...My beau and I continued the insanity with back-to-back-to-back episodes of "Breaking Bad." We're a little late to that party but enjoying it nonetheless.

A surprise visit from old friends, bright sunshine and a little salt air made for a great Sunday.

And these oldies but goodies sold! The winter cleanse continues. 

Follow me on Instagram @l_suggs for more pieces for sale from my closet!

Aren't you glad we don't have to hibernate like bears in the winter? Look at all the fun we'd be missing!

Did you have a good long weekend? 

Red Carpet Round-Up: 20th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards

Happy Monday, ladies and gents! Did you catch the SAG Awards on Saturday night? If you did, you know the awards show itself was a snooooooze fest. 

zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

And if you didn't watch the Red Carpet, don't worry- I have all you need to see right here! So let's get to it!

Of course, best dressed of the night goes to the one and only Lupita Nyong'o who also WON an Actor! How can you not love this girl? She looked stunning once again but this time in Gucci. (See her best dressed Golden Globe look here.) I can't wait to see what she will bring to the Oscars this year!

The only other women who rocked gorgeous jewel tones were Jennifer Lawrence in Dior and Sandra Bullock in Lanvin. Does J Law's dress even count as a jewel tone? I'm not sure but she looked lovely. It was a much needed improvement from her duct taped down comforter white Dior gown at the Golden Globes. I also love Sandra Bullock's dress. Does anyone else get a bit of an 80s vibe from it but in a good way? Her shoes maybe weren't the best choice- the ankle strap sort of cuts off her leg- but we can restyle that and pretend it never happened. Call me, Sandy!

A few pinks and one white gown also stood out to me. I'm slightly obsessed with Gretchen Mol's J. Mendel gown. Mesh panel on a black tie dress? Sold! And do you see her shoe? It also echoes the mesh vibe. But again with the ankle strap?? They just aren't flattering and send her shoe into granny territory. Proceed with caution, friends.

Cate Blanchett brought the heat in Givenchy. She looks so young and fresh and seems to be having fun with her look. However, I wish Kerry Washington had worn this dress and Cate had worn Katrina Bowden's Badgley Mischka. (See below.) Still, snaps for this risky look. And speaking of risky looks, how do you feel about Kerry Washington's cropped Prada top and ballroom skirt? I love it and I hate it at the same time but it's worth putting it on my best dressed list still. (Also makes me want this sequined cropped top crazy bad.) Fashion is all about taking risks after all! Finally in the pink party, Sarah Hyland looked like a pretty pretty princess in Pamela Roland. Just like with Michelle Dockery's ODLR last weekend, if this hem wasn't high-lo, this dress would have been a total bore. However, the interesting hemline and perfect jeweled pumps brought this look to perfection.

Finally, I have to recognize the three women who brought home the gold...and black. Katrina Bowden looked like a high fashion gladiator goddess in Badgley Mischka. (Cate, could have been you!!) My goodness, this gown is fabulous. A sleek ponytail would have been better than her stick straight hairstyle but that's being nit-picky. Winner Helen Mirren also looked regal in Escada. She popped on that flamenco inspired gown, slicked back that hair and WERKED the whole entire night. That's how you do it! Finally, the studded leather jacket of Lifetime Achievement Award honoree Rita Moreno (aka Anita from "Westside Story!!") deserves its own recognition. The studded leather jacket and dress, both by Herve Leger, were so unexpected for a woman of 80+. She's yet another risk-taker! What else do you do when you're over 80? From the waist up, I'm really digging it. Don't look at the skirt of that dress though...

Who are you loving from the SAG Awards? Did I miss any of your favorites? It was great to see so many actresses having fun with their looks and taking risks. They didn't all pay off but there's always time to remake mistakes at the Academy Awards...

Have a great week!

Red Carpet Round-Up: The 71st Annual Golden Globes

Welcome back to award season! It's my favorite time of year. So. Much. Eye Candy. Some years I watch and feel so disappointed but this year did not let me down. (Way to go, stylists!!)

My Red Carpet gold medal goes to award show newcomer and nominee Lupita Nyong'o in her red caped Ralph Lauren gown. The dress was fairly simple yet she looked chic and sophisticated. It goes to show you how important tailoring really is. And if you take a peek at her Instagram account, you'll see that she's no stranger to high style. In fact, she's one of the faces of Miu Miu's spring campaign. I can't wait to see more of her style in the future!

In a close second, Cate Blanchett invoked old Hollywood glamour in a black lace Armani Prive number. I wish you could see the back of this stunner- open and cut way down without being too revealing. Ms. Blanchett always knows how to walk that line between regal yet alluring. Gorgeous! 

Another award season newcomer, Margot Robbie STUNNED in Gucci. The embellishments on her ivory crepe gown added the perfect touch of sparkle. Thank the lawwwd she didn't overdo it by piling on accessories- stud earrings and one simple pinky ring kept her look in balance. Let this be a lesson: editing is key!!

Nominee Julianna Margulies wowed in her black and gold Andrew Gn. Like Nyong'o's Ralph Lauren, Margulies' dress was not overly complicated and I love its ease. It had just the right amount of embellishment and her black and gold Art Deco drop earrings were the perfect accent. Michelle Dockery also looked effortless in her gilded Oscar de la Renta gown. The high-low hem gave it just enough interest to keep it from looking too predictable and she too let her dress do all the talking while accessories took a backseat. Fashion (and styling) at its finest!

My favorite risk taker award is a tie. Emma Watson's Dior red gown layered over black pants are the perfect risk for a young lady of her age. She looks entirely appropriate but gives us a flash of a fun surprise when she turns. Genius! Zooey Deschanel's cropped Oscar de la Renta top was also an unexpected surprise. Sometimes her quirky style turns me off but this night I was on board with her. Maybe it was the studded pumps?! 

Speaking of studded pumps, did anyone else notice that there was hardly a platform sandal in sight?? What goes around comes around I suppose! 

Who wore your favorite Red Carpet looks last night?! I'm dying to hear what everyone thought. Did I miss anyone that you just loved? It's always fun to see who you thought were hits and misses. 

Detox Download

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If you have never done a detox cleanse before, I do not recommend you start with Dr. Oz's. Here's the deal: I started off strong on Saturday, drinking the Morning Detox Tea, drinking the breakfast smoothie, taking my vitamins and then drinking the lunch smoothie. Yes, I had a headache and a bad taste in my mouth but it was nothing I didn't expect or couldn't handle. Then my body began digesting the lunch smoothie. O...M...G. I felt SICK SICK SICK! I thought if I did the Detox Ultra Bath I would feel better but that only made me feel worse. I made the dinner smoothie despite the waves of nausea but there was NO way that thing was going down. It only calls for a 1/4 of a teaspoon of cayenne pepper but that was all I could smell. It just wasn't going to happen. So after 12 hours of officially detoxing I fell off the wagon and ate some Saltines. I slowly began to feel better...so I ate some plain bland pasta and the next morning I was back to normal. I did feel really good still but I can only hope I would have felt even better if I hadn't fallen off the wagon so early. 

Am I disappointed I couldn't hang in there for even a full day? Absolutely. But I did maintain the parts I could handle and intend to keep doing so. The green tea with lemon in the morning is great. I still crave coffee but the benefits of green tea- metabolic boost, antioxidants- outweigh those of coffee, even though I still crave it! The breakfast smoothie was great and I loved the addition of flaxseed. Apparently, flaxseed can be used in baking as a substitute for flour and breadcrumbs. Such a healthy alternative! I ate a salad with the ingredients from the lunch smoothie Sunday and Monday in an attempt to keep cleansing in my own way but dinner was back to the veggie lasagna or fish. Chewing food is now something I appreciate!

Breakfast smoothie- highly recommend!

Lunch smoothie- traitor! 

Dinner smoothie- never got it down.

At the end of the cleanse, I lost 2.4 pounds but my measurements all increased a tiny bit. Interesting, isn't it? My conclusions are that women's bodies are crazy complicated and that you can't go wrong with nature's whole foods. I am inspired to eat more fresh vegetables, fruits, lean proteins and nuts and eat fewer carbs, sugary treats and sweet drinks. Please send me any tips or favorite "detox" foods you have. At the end of the day, to be really healthy, clean eating has to be a way of life and not just a 3-day test drive...but hitting the reset button does help! 

Passing Notes

In this 21st century, handwritten letters have been replaced by emails and notes have turned into texts. But with a little zhushing in the desk department, personal notes are making a comeback! If you had pretty little desk accessories like these, wouldn't you be compelled to leave a clever little adage on someone's desk?

Chevron Notepad (similar)/ Kate Spade Idiom Pencils/ Jonathan Adler Nifty Gifties Pen (similar)/ Kate Spade Expletive Paper Clips/ Kate Spade Short List Notepad

Something about school supplies still makes my heart go pitter patter. We may never write another letter to our pen pal again but we will certainly never stop jotting down notes. Just don't let your teacher catch you passing notes or you might have your ampersand paperclip taken away! 

Brrrrr!

While we Southerners aren't getting the real Arctic blast today (feel for you, New England!), it is REAAALLLLYYY cold! It is currently 33 degrees but the feels like temp is 21. SERIOUSLY?! There's only one thing a good ol' gal can do- bundle up!

Faux Fur Vest/ Ray Ban Sunglasses/ Hyla Dewitt Necklace/ T by Alexander Wang Sweater/ JBrand Jeans

Stay warm today. Or better yet, stay inside!

A New Year

Happy New Year, everyone! Can you believe it's time to start a new year already? Where did the time go?! Next thing you know, it will be spring! 

Ciate Nail Polish/ Confetti Fountain/ Vintage Earrings (similar)/ Bobbi Brown Lip Gloss

Speaking of spring, it's time to shake off those winter excuses to be cozy and lazy and get my life in shape. Do you make resolutions every year? The term generally makes me cringe but this year I'm putting myself on a full-fledged cleanse. This cleanse won't be some trendy fad diet for 21 days. My self-imposed cleanse applies to my body, my house, my spending habits, stress level, free time and anything else I can think of! 

To start my 2014 Cleanse on the right foot, I'm kicking it off Saturday with Dr. Oz's Three Day Detox. Three days is not that long but anything much longer than that will probably not last with this cleanse rookie. Here's hoping that the excitement of my new NutriBullet keeps me on task. 

Have you done any sort of cleanse before? Please let me know if you have any tips! Monday will be the last day of the Dr. Oz cleanse so I'll let you know how it goes...wish me luck and good luck to you with your resolutions! 

Here's to 2014!!