10th Annual Dog Days of August Sidewalk Sale

This Saturday and Sunday (Aug 1 and 2) the tenth annual Dog Days of August Sidewalk Sale will be happening along the 14th and U St. corridors. 

Read my Examiner.com article for more information.

The Fall Must Have By Carrie

Boots! They are the ultimate Fall must have. Boots can be pairs with dresses, jeans, leggings, and shorts. You don't need to spend a lot of money for a cute pair that will last all season long.

Try this pair from Forever21 for only $32!

Purple is the new black this

fall, so these peep-toe booties are a must have from Steve Madden. Only $54!

These Madden Girl slouchy boots look great with

a pair of skinny jeans. Only $69 from DSW.

Don't be afraid to wear boots! They look great with almost anything for any event. No matter what price point, there is a boot for you! Happy Shopping!

New Blog Discovery

Just discovered a new fashion blog to follow.  Cupcakes and Cashmere.  This adorable gal takes pictures of her outfits and more.  The beautiful photography makes it a very stylish blog.  She also gives style and shopping advice.  I'll be checking back in regularly!

New Arrivals!

Loving these new arrivals from Martin+Osa.  I'm definitely a summer person but I can't help but get a little excited about fall fashion when I see fabulous outerwear like this.  The trench is cuter in gray but I was having trouble saving the picture.  And prices aren't anything to jump at but are pretty reasonable for outerwear.  $170 for the trench and $140 for the safari jacket.  If you wait a couple of months, you may even be able to get them on sale.

Summer Plaid

-Dress from Target

-Thrifted belt

-Random bracelet

-Steve Madden sandals

If you're interested in seeing how I updated this dress from last year, click here.  I belted it and added bold sandals, two essential accessories this summer.

Shopping in West Hartford

A couple of weekends ago, I visited my sister and her family in West Hartford, CT and, of course, we did some shopping. The sweet boys (bf, brother-in-law and nephew) actually patiently shopped with me while my sister was working. :) If you're ever in West Hartford, here are my top picks. We mainly shopped around the Town Center and I have one essential stop-off a little outside of the city, worth the 20 minute drive.

Town Center:

1. Homeward Bound: This was probably my favorite store in the area. They have a few racks of clothes and an adorable kid section but the best part of this spot is the furniture. I loved it! It was all very unique with somewhat of a vintage feel. Great chairs, couches, desks and an adorable little vanity that I'm still dreaming about - it would make my mornings just a little more fabulous. The store even offers home design services.

2. National Jean Company: You'll also find locations of this chain in Bethesda and Reston for those of you in the DC area. They remind me a little bit of Cusp with a great selection of the denim brands you're used to seeing, familiar brands such as Ella Moss and Juicy, and then little surprises every once in a while. When I was there in Hartford, I discovered a new-to-me line called Nieves Lavi that I kept gravitating toward.

3. Kimberly Boutique: This is a tiny boutique but worth stopping into. They carry a range of prices and brands from BCBG to Tulle. I even saw a dress by Paramita, a very unique Spanish brand I haven't seen in years, although I'm starting to think I imagined it because I can't find anything about the brand online now.

4. Ten Thousand Villages: When I just looked up this store, I discovered it has tons of locations, including Austin, TX and Alexandria, VA. Who knew? I'd never heard of it before. They carry all kinds of great handmade gifts and home decor pieces representing cultures of artisans in Asia, Africa, the Middle East and Latin America. And to make it even better, they are one of the largest fair trade organizations in the world. If you shop online, you can see pictures and bios of the artisans who make the goods from countries like Peru and Haiti.

South Windsor

5. Francesca's Collections: Francesca's has been one of my and my sisters' favorite boutique chains in Texas for years. We love to browse all the jewelry and very reasonably priced clothing. I picked up this adorable navy dress for only $38! But we had no idea it was a national chain. We were thrilled to discover this one near West Hartford. It's located in an outdoor shopping area that is worth the trip with neighbor stores such as Anthropologie.

Washington Life Magazine: Men of Summer

For this month's issue of Washington Life, I got to help style these adorable men: Redskin Brian Orakpo (who just joined us in DC from the University of Texas!), Ryan Zimmerman of the Nationals, and DC United player Santino Quaranta.  The shoot was so much fun to style and the guys were easy to work with (not a diva in the group)!  I think it turned out great.