zipped + printed

There's just nothing better than an handmade item. I love receiving an item that was designed and made just for me. It just makes it so much more special and valuable. 

Zipped and Printed is an Etsy shop that creates gorgeous clutches from African wax print material and vegan leather. The material the owner of the shop uses is simply gorgeous and she has a variety of patterns available to create your perfect clutch. And of course I chose the pattern with the gorgeous pops of pink and I love this cute little tassel!

SHOP THIS OUTFIT:

Clutch

let's collaborate

My calendar is open for 2016 + I am looking for businesses to collaborate with! I love sharing clothing, jewelry, shoes, beauty products, and accessories. I would love to feature some new brands on my blog + all of my social media accounts. If you're interested in working together, send me an e-mail at emily.soto@live.com so we can discuss details. I am also open to collaborating on projects with other style bloggers. I'm so thankful for all of the amazing businesses that I have worked with this past year and I am so excited for what's to come this year! 

| sunglasses {similar} | phone case | sunglass strap | planner |

classic. chic. comfortable.

I've teamed up with Shabby Apple + PB Sands to style and share this gorgeous dress with you! I had SO much fun styling + photographing this dress... hence all of the big smiles and silly faces you'll see below.

This is the Dana Striped Dress and I couldn't love it more. It's knee length {mom appropriate}, half sleeved, with a unique hidden kangaroo pocket and funnel neck. I absolutely loved the kangaroo pocket because well... pockets in a dress {or skirt} are just the best. Am I right?!

I decided to pair this dress with my favorite ankle boots and a cozy black watch plaid blanket scarf. I love to mix patterns and stripes are always a great pattern to mix with.

And I absolutely adore any garment of clothing that I can wear all year. This dress is perfect for winter, spring, summer, and fall. Just change up your accessories and you are good to go. It's also ah-maaaazing quality and I mean that + it's on sale. Go buy this dress! It will be a staple in your closet for years to come. 

So classic, so chic, so comfortable.

holiday plaid

When I think of dressing for the holidays, I always think of plaid. Especially any plaid with red in the pattern. It just screams festive to me! PureHearts Boutique has so many adorable items that can be dressed up or down perfectly for the holiday season. I absolutely LOVE this Flair of Flannel cardigan from their shop! It's less than $30 + you can snag it for 20% off with my code STYLEANDGRACE!

I paired my cardigan with skinny jeans, a bold necklace, strappy flats, and leopard, of course. This was such a comfy but fancy outfit. My favorite kind.

My scarf is also from PureHearts Boutique. This particular pattern is sold out but will be back up on the site this week for sale. It's my absolute favorite blanket scarf! 

I also love PureHearts because they donate 10% of their profits to different charities monthly. I love everything this boutique is about. Fashion for good!

retro housewife

Since I was a little girl, I have always loved dresses and polka dots. I've been a girly girl from the start. One of my favorite time periods in fashion is the 1940s and 1950s. I grew up watching "I Love Lucy" with my mom on Nick at Nite. It was our late night routine to stay up watching Lucy's crazy shenanigans while we worked on crafts. I always adored the fashion in this show. I love the feminine dresses with flattering waistlines, the hats, the shoes, and of course, the polka dots. Lucille Ball has always been one of my style icons and I love retro inspired pieces.

Karina Dresses sent me this gorgeous Megan dress to style and I couldn't love it more. The dresses from this company are extremely flattering and they cater to every body, literally. Each dress tells you the best body shapes for the dress design. I chose the Megan because of the flattering waistline and a skirt that I can twirl in. 

I gave the Megan dress a more modern look by pairing it with an oversized plaid scarf, a gold cuff, and my favorite ankle boots. This dress could easily be worn year round and that is my favorite kind of piece.

I feel like a true retro housewife in this beautiful dress. I think Lucy would approve!

lularoe

I am so excited to share a clothing company that I have recently disovered called Lularoe.  Lularoe is an exclusive clothing line designed to fit women of all ages, sizes, and shapes. The clothing is sold by independent business owners; at home clothing parties, pop-up boutiques, and other events. Lularoe exists to provide a real opportunity for women to own their own retail business (without all the overhead, risk, and cost), and to actually make good money doing it. It is the perfect “mom job” or side job that enables women to make a full-time time income while having the flexibility of being their own boss.

 One of my favorite aspects of this company is that all fabric prints are designed exclusively for Lularoe, which results in an immense variety! Sadi Thompson, an independent Lularoe business owner, sent me two pieces to style and share. Below I have styled the Irma tunic and the Julia dress. First is the Irma, an oversized, high low style tunic that is so incredibly comfortable. It's perfect for wearing with shorts in the summer or layering with a scarf in the winter. 

Next is the Julia dress. When my oldest daughter saw me in this dress, she said, "Wow, mommy! are you going on a date with daddy because you look so pretty!" This dress could definitely be worn for date night because it's so flattering and form fitting but it could also be dressed down with sandals for running errands around town. Again, this piece is so comfortable and soft. I am a huge fan of the pattern and the quality is amazing. 

You can shop these styles directly from www.lularoe.com and be sure to use the coupon code SADITHOMPSON for free shipping.

Lularoe is still a ground floor opportunity. With just over 1,000 consultants there will still be exponential growth. This is the time to be a part of this growing company. There is also an opportunity to help other be successful in their business and receive bonuses for training, sharing the opportunity, and for growth and success across the company. 

Are you interested in learning more about how you can become an independent Lularoe business owner? To receive more information about owning your own Lularoe business contact Sadi Thompson at sadi.lularoe@gmail.com. Also be sure to follow her on Instagram at @lulagirlsblog. You can also shop directly with her on Facebook.

collaboration: glamour farms

My latest collaboration is with Glamour Farms. "Our unique online store offers chic and contemporary styles, with a little bit of sass, to complement every woman's natural beauty!" I definitely felt so beautiful wearing their clothes. I was thrilled with the selection of color and patterns! So many gorgeous items for spring and summer. It was so hard to choose only three items so I will definitely be back to shop for more goodies soon. 

{disclosure: I received these products free from Glamour Farms. all of the opinions are mine unless otherwise stated.}

The quality of everything I received was excellent and exactly as it was described. Check out how I styled my Glamour Farms pieces:

shorts

tunic

dress

tunic

shorts

dress

collaboration: Beads and Burlap

Beads and Burlap, an Instagram based shop, sent me these gorgeous, handmade bangles to style. I love the look of wire bangles but I have never owned any so I was very excited to wear these.

{disclosure: I received these products free from Beads and Burlap. all of the opinions are mine unless otherwise stated.}

I have worn all three bangles multiple times so far. I usually wear at least two of them together and add in another fun bracelet sometimes as well. I love how lightweight they are so that I can wear several bracelets at one time without being super weighed down.

My favorite is definitely the pearl bracelet. I can't wait to add more of these cute Beads and Burlap wire bangles to my arm parties.

If you're interested in getting your own wire bangles from Beads and Burlap, check out her Instagram page or send her an e-mail at beadsandburlap1@gmail.com for more information.

fashion: Shop Eleanor Rae

I was thrilled when a new online boutique contacted me to collaborate with them. The boutique is Shop Eleanor Rae and they just opened within the last month. The style is new vintage on a budget: new items with a vintage vibe for affordable prices. I love the concept of this shop because I am drawn to vintage patterns but I prefer the clothing to be in a modern style. 

It's no secret that I adore polka dots. So I was thrilled to receive this gorgeous polka dot top in the mail. The style is called Rachel Sees Dots. It's a flowy, chiffon top and it's perfect for all seasons. I could wear this top during the summer with shorts or layered in the winter with a vest. Versatility is my favorite! I also love how classic this top is. It has a classic pattern that will never go out of style. This top will be a staple piece in my wardrobe for years to come.

I paired my Rachel Sees Dots top with comfy, distressed denim for a more casual look. I added in some sparkly statement jewels, glittery flats, and my go-to purse. This look was so comfortable and so me. 

Be sure to visit Shop Eleanor Rae to find your own new vintage piece on a budget.
I plan to add another piece to my closet very soon!