Spring Style with Shop Pink Blush

If you haven't heard of them, let me introduce you to Shop Pink Blush.  This trendy online boutique has so many great, easy styles for the everyday mama.  The clothes transition really well from maternity pieces to stylish pieces for women.  I love how they have a great assortment of clothes as well as accessories that are basic yet incorporate a lot of the current trends - all for great price points.

I went back and forth between their large assortment of boho chic floral maxi dresses that were just screaming out spring and all their pretty, feminine tops with touches of ruffles, cold shoulders, and so many fun details.  I finally chose a light blue ruffle off shoulder blouse and literally fell in love as soon as I opened up the package.  I love everything about it from the light airy fabric which is perfect for summer to all the trends it incorporates into this one piece.  It's an over the shoulder style which I consistently feel sexy in without feeling too over the top.  I love how it has a a large ruffle which is all the rage at the moment. And my favorite part of it are the bell sleeves.  I see bell sleeves all over instagram, blogs, magazines, and i love the drama it eludes.

(Click on the picture above to shop this ruffle top directly!) 

I paired it with my skinny jeans and a sexy pair of heels in a fun pop of color which I thought was a fun look for spring.  But I'm already envisioning a fun version for summer paired with white shorts and cute cognac colored wedges, with a bright color neckerchief for a Jackie O feel.  Oh, and of course, a pair of great oversized sunglasses ;)

I definitely recommend their pieces and I hope you fall in love with their comfortable yet feminine styles like I did.  Check out their website www.shoppinkblush.com or check out their instagram @shoppinkblush profile today!


Just to share my love for Shop Pink Blush, I'll be hosting a fun giveaway on my instagram account @parisandalatte.  One lucky winner will receive a $50 PinkBlush gift card giveaway! Be sure to follow me on instagram and stay tuned!

xoxo,

Karen

Spring Shades

I always love a good statement accessory.  In the past its always been statement jewelry or even a statement bag.  But lately, I've been obsessed with statement sunglasses.  They are super fun and make you look fab even when you're feeling less than 100%, 

(credit: WhenWearNow)

 I usually gravitate towards designer sunglasses because I've always stuck to basic silhouettes like the Celine mirrored aviators since I wear them on a daily basis.  But since I'm looking at more trendy styles nowadays, I don't mind getting more fashionable, value priced styles.  

Here are some of my fav's for the spring season.  These have been on rotation for the past few weeks and I'm loving them!!

 Details clockwise from top left: sold online but bet you can still find at the store. but here's a similar style black cat eye // gold trim glasses //oversized aviators // rectangle sunglasses // blush pink sunglasses  

There are so many fab styles out there.  Have fun hunting.  If you like some of the styles from Nora NYC you can use the code "NewShades" at check out to get 10% off your order! 

xoxo, Karen

California vibes

We just came back from an amazing trip to the west coast to visit my sister. She lives in the central coast in California right in the middle between San Francisco and Los Angeles.  It is so gorgeous by her I can't even explain.  Picture lush rolling hills with rows and rows of vineyards and wineries atop every hill.  It reminded me of our drives in the past through France.  The weather was a breezy 70 degrees so it was just perfect for our little vacation.

I wore this cute outfit with a 70's feel for the occasion.  I planned it around these fun sunnies that I thought were screaming out California vibes.  I thought they were different and I love the blush color. The jeans I splurged a bit from Madewell but I always love the fit and feel of Madewell denim.  The raw edge is so on trend and the button up fly is a fun detail.  My favorite part of the look though is this satin feel kimono/bomber.  The floral print is so perfect for the warmer weather and I can't wait to pair it with white shorts in the summer or to cover up over my swimsuits at the beach.

Here are the details of my look.  xoxo, Karen

Details: clockwise from top left: Jacket // Shoes // Jeans // Sunglasses //Bucket Bag

Paris and a Latte

Ok my friends - I am taking the plunge.  It's April, its a new month, and its time to move on.  I've officially changed my Instagram name to @parisandalatte.  I chose this name years ago for my blog.  I wanted something catchy but something that was ME.  I've always blogged here and there but it was a trip to Paris that inspired me to really do it.  I love traveling and instagram is always my main way of sharing my travels and experiences with all of my friends and family.  I love how the word Paris eludes glamour, fashion, and wanderlust all in one.  Lattes are my core.  I cannot live without coffee.  I am a night owl - there's something peaceful about being up by myself while the kids are asleep working, reading, relaxing by candlelight.  But that comes with the price and having a HARD time waking up when the kids wake up at the break of dawn.  So coffee and lattes it is.

Thank you again for following my blogging journey.  I love sharing my fashion, my travels, my family, and all things lifestyle with you.

xoxo,

Karen

Lace midi dress

Hi loves!!

So many of you asked me about this gorgeous dress that I wore for my hubby's birthday.  I totally get it because the lace is so girly and fun and I felt like a princess in it. I've seen so many bloggers and celebrities in it adding their own personal touch to the look. 

(Marianna Hewitt)

 (Louise Roe)

 (Miranda Kerr)

(Lace and Locks)

I found a version of this dress online at Nordstrom which I've linked here. It comes in 3 colors- white, black, and powder blue.  I'm honestly considering getting the blue because I love this dress so much. Incase you do like it in the blush, I have a brand new one size M in my poshmark closet. I've linked it here for you guys as well. 

Xoxo,  Karen

Travel Edition: Savannah

Savannah, a gem of a place in Georgia, will always have my heart. It's a charming riverside town with cobble stone streets, beautiful historic buildings, serene cemeteries, quaint antique and coffee shops, and distinct park squares around every corner with gorgeous landscape full of bougainvillea and large oak trees with Spanish moss.  It's literally a scene out of a movie. Everyone is so friendly- like genuinely friendly. 

I've been there before with my family as a day trip from Tybee Island where we love taking the kids. But it's a completely different experience going there with your loved one with no kids. There are so many neighborhoods to explore and walk around. There's so many great food options. 

We stayed at a bed and breakfast called the Dresser Palmer House on Gaston St. All of the houses on this street are what dreams are made of.  Massive homes with intrinsic details that make them unique. Ours had a long welcoming porch with rocking chairs that just called our name with an afternoon glass of wine. As soon as you enter the doorway, your eyes are drawn to the opulent gold and crystal chandelier right above the foyer. To the right is a pink room with a large marble fire place, an ornate gold mirror on top, and my favorite touch, a black baby grand piano 😍.  The bed and breakfast was the perfect starting touch to the trip.

 (A dream of a front porch)

 (living room)

(entry way)

One of the things we take for granted when we're with the kids is food. My kids are picky and so they're usually the driving force in our dining out choices. But on this trip, we actually got to eat good food- like amazing, full of flavor, mouth watering, pretty looking food. And we didn't have to rush! We were able to savor every bite and linger around at the restaurants longer. We ate good this weekend. 

My absolute favorite was Soho South Cafe- which both our Uber driver and our receptionist at our B&B recommended. Wil got the fried chicken and waffles of course, and it was topped with strips of bacon. I mean- how can you go wrong with that. I had fish tacos with fresh battered fish, coleslaw, chopped banana peppers, topped with cilantro and an aoli sauce. I had sweet tea which I always have to have when I'm in the south. It's just part of the nostalgia. The decor was right up my alley. It was an old converted warehouse with brick walls and beautiful chandeliers, and lots of greenery. The bar area where we ate had teal, tufted stools with silver studs. Amazing right? 

Our first dinner we had a seafood boil at Savannah Seafood Shack over on Broughton St. so we (meaning Wil) got down and dirty peeling our shrimp, crayfish, crab legs, and clams. It was so so good.  

Another great place for lunch was Crystal Beer Parlor.   This one involved pulled pork nachos and a fried grouper Rueben sandwich. 👍🏼. 

Our last dinner was a great bar restaurant with great ambiance and great food called Hitch. We had definitely eaten our calories worth for the month in just these 2 days but we wanted to do our last hurrah. 

One of the highlights of our trip was visiting the SCAD (Savannah College of Art and Design) Museum of Art.  This museum was a lot of fun to visit - its contemporary art by SCAD alumni and the exhibits were beautiful, thought provoking, and interactive.  

(Art by Jose Parla)

More scenes from our trip:

(Forsyth Park)

(Beautiful waterside views)

(River St.)

(The Paris Market)

(quaint cobblestone streets)

(coffee break in the square)

 (Savannah Style)

 (historic cemeteries )

(enjoying glasses of wine in the beautiful 70 degree weather)

So that's my trip in Savannah in a nutshell.  We only had a day and a half there but it was such a great trip.  My pictures don't do the place justice at all.  If you haven't been there yet I hope you put it on your bucketlist because it really is a beautiful city.  xoxo, Karen

Spring Shoes

Yay for pedicures and pretty shoes! There's something about shoes that just make you feel so sexy. They don't have to be sky high but they really make your outfit.  I definitely have way more shoes than I should, but in my defense you can get some killer shoes without breaking the bank.  So if you're looking to up your shoe game for the spring season without breaking the bank, or your ankles, check out my edit.   This is my Shoe Wish list  - if you will.  I could choose all these beautiful high heeled shoes with the glitz and the glam.  But I wanted to be realistic and choose shoes that everyday people could walk in.  If I could share any tip with you guys, it would be this - be realistic about your shoes and your lifestyle.  I've definitely had my moments of buying high heels thinking oh i can wear this for girls night out or for date night.  And yes, those outtings do happen.  But in the end i don't choose those shoes because I know I won't last in them all night.

My shoe roundup has a lot of neutrals with a few pops of color.  I chose heels that were wearable for everyday and fabrics that were luxe for an elevated look.  I'm loving the look of mules and platforms.  I included some lace up styles. And of course I included my fave purchase of the season, the thin toe strap and ankle strap silhouette that everyone needs to have in their closet.  I wore these fuchsia colored shoes around during my weekend getaway to Savannah, GA last weekend and loved them.

So, without much further ado, here is my Spring 2017 Shoe Roundup.

Product info (clockwise from top left corner) : Katie and Kelly sandals , Born mule, Matisse lace up, Nine West genie, Topshop mule, Charles by Charles David Sandal, Adrienne Vittadini mules, Linea Paola cutout

xoxo,  Karen