Happy Friday! What a beautiful gig Friday got! Everyone’s favorite day!We actually got more snow last night, but nothing can dampen our weekend spirits! Winter is bidding us a little longer farewell, but that will make Spring’s welcome all the sweeter!

Well its a Fashion Friday, and I have some really fun things to share, but before I do, I want to thank Troy for taking pictures this week. Sometimes getting the photos in to our schedule can be tricky, but between him and my son Jake, they always help me make it happen and I so appreciate that!

I have a fun treat today, I met my sister Stacey and her niece Larissa who is here visiting from Germany up at the mall. Stacey’s family and Larissa have been all over the map in a few short days, having just got back from Chicago yesterday. In Chicago they did so many fun things, and that includes shopping! I had a chance to connect with them and I asked Larissa if she would let me share a picture of her on the blog, and she said yes!

Larissa follows my blog in Germany, and always gives me an encouraging thumbs up, and she is just a delight to call friend! Here she is wearing a beautiful blue and white striped top with a tie at the sleeves, v-neck and a rounded hem, and distressed jeans she purchased at H & M in Germany, and showing her brand new Tory Burch Bag she purchased in Chicago! She is so much fun, and we enjoyed a few precious hours together, she heads back home this weekend.

Earlier in the week, my sister Stacey graciously agreed to let me share a few of her newest outfits! She came over for Easter Dinner on Sunday and let me snap a few pics! I love her taste in clothing, it is always a classy casual, and she is really a great role model for me in fashion!

Stacey loves navy blue and she found some beautiful pieces this year at White House Black Market! Here she is wearing the Tie Sleeve Tee in Navy, on sale now for $29.95! The fabric is soft and comfortable, and the tie and sleeve details are just so feminine and pretty!

She has it paired up with the White House Black Market Navy Blue Ponte Pant that has a zip at the ankle.

Stacey’s bag is a buttery soft unlined feed bag in a gorgeous mustard yellow by Rebecca Minkoff. It is no longer available (and she’s only had it about a year!) Rebecca Minkoff is offering a similar shaped bag currently in black, putty, dusty green, and taupe but not in that mustard color (you can see it here). Frye is offering a nylon crossbody similar in shape and color here.

Stacey brought over a top to show me and I asked if she would let me snap a pic in it, and she said “sure” and I was so grateful! Doesn’t she look lovely? It has beautiful sleeve details! Its the Bell Sleeve Knit Top from White House Black Market, in “Sea Breeze” (doesn’t that sound lovely?)

Her shoes are a gorgeous embroidered pump, and they are on “final sale” which means a great price!

Doesn’t this look stunning on her? The neckline is so elegant and feminine and those sleeves are positively dreamy! Stacey is also wearing a beautiful necklace, the Rebel Pendant from Stella & Dot, perfect for this top!

Next, I am wearing a new jacket from Chico’s that is super functional for all sorts of occasions, The Broadway Jacket.

I actually am styling it with a black cami, but buttoned up for some reason, but it looks even cuter as an open jacket. Stacey my sister had given me a gift card to Soma maybe a year ago, which I found this week in a drawer, (Yay!), and they had a sale on cami’s at Soma buy one get one half off, so I got two, and with my gift card, my bill was 88¢!

My necklace is part of a layered necklace, the Sullivan by Stella & Dot, I included the pic below to show the entire necklace.

And here is a very different piece I thought I would try, I thought it was a kimono, but Free People calls it the “Let’s Dance Jacket“. You may not know this about me, but I can cut a pretty mean Hokey Pokey, and this would be perfect!

I wanted a necklace with sort of a 60’s 70’s feel but nothing to compete with the jacket, so I tried my Natia necklace by Stella & Dot, using just the gold layer with the hoop pendant.

Seriously, though, check out this gorgeous pattern on the back!

It is intentionally long to add drama, and I am around 5′ 5″ and wearing quite high heel boots with this, and it almost touches the ground. I ordered this in the Medium, but its actually too big on me, I could easily do with the small. Gotta love a company that lets someone wear 2 sizes below their normal size! I really think this piece is lovely. The lilac color in this is just so striking!

My bag is by TopShop, and it is already sold out! It sold out fast, as many of the circle or canteen bags are doing… they are just a fun bag! Here are a couple more options in a good price point. Here is another yellow circle bag, but a more lemony yellow, by Chelsea28. And here are a few cute yellow options by Topshop. The Osen Stud Circle CrossBody Bag, and the Seline Faux Leather Crossbody.  And here are some gorgeous yellow bags that are not in my price range but are really pretty (be still my heart!). The Frances Valentine Small June Leather Hobo, The OAD New York Prism Convertible Satchel, The Mini Amberley Leather Crossbody Bag by Mulberry, and the Vanity Leather Box Bag by Victoria Beckham.

Kasey has her doubts on this one… she is rather conservative in her fashion sense. You can’t pick your relatives, honey, you just hit the jackpot!

It really is so much fun to just get out there and try new things! It is so much better than staying locked up in a shell. You know how a flower is meant to bloom? Imagine if the flower just said, “No, I don’t want to bloom, I might fail!”, It’s almost funny to imagine a flower refusing to bloom, isn’t it?

Sometimes we just need a little encouragement! Powerful stuff! It has helped me through so many things! The thing is, there are so many wonderful things out there to discover! You could spend a million lifetimes trying new things and barely scratch the surface! Now that I am on the back stretch, there are things I don’t want to miss including in my story! So I have to get a bit intentional to be sure I pack it all in!

There are a few things I am adding to my life with some intentionality. I’m carving little times in the day to give them a spot. I’m reading again. My mom is such an avid reader, and she is sharing her books with me which is an absolute delight! (Mom, I’m reading “Beneath a Scarlet Sky” right now, and you are right! Its a page turner!)

I’m also putting a priority on getting some daily exercise back into my life. Its not disciplined enough right now, and I want to change that.  I remember a few years ago I was in a great group with my sister Susan that encouraged getting out there and exercising every single day, the goal was 100 days in a row.  Well, I am going to start with a 30 Day Challenge, and I want to invite any of you that would like to come along to join me!

I’m starting the “Thirty For Thirty” Facebook Group!  For this 30 Day Challenge, any kind of movement qualifies, walking, biking, gardening, swimming, treadmill, whatever works for you! The goal is to have fun and get some movement back in our lives!

It will start on April 14, but you can join the FaceBook Group now if you like. (This is new for me so we will be navigating new waters together!)

Each day you will be able to share your progress, cheer others on, or simply see what is up.

How to join? This is a Facebook Group, so you will need to be on Facebook.

If I’m doing this correctly, you should be able to request to join here: Thirty For Thirty

Isn’t this exciting?

Its all positive there. No judgement, keeping it all friendly, encouraging and fun! I am no health guru… I need this in my life, so we are taking steps together! I hope you will join! It will be fun!

Whatever it is you want to be a part of your story, I encourage you to start taking steps now to include it in your life. I am so excited for you and all of us to start making real progress towards our dreams!

I hope you have a fantastic weekend! I’ll be back Tuesday for another Tasty Tuesday!

Love Always,

Amy

It’s better to be at the bottom of the ladder you want to climb than at the top of the one you don’t.   ~Stephen Kellogg

 

Places I link up:

Jo Lynne Shane My Life and Style 

Northwest Mountain Living and Style 

Sharing A Journey

Fashion Should Be Fun  

Not Dressed As A Lamb