Home Improvement

1 / 2

How perfect is that today I'm headed back home to Texas for Thanksgiving Break and today is Home Improvement Thursday's here on 85 Dresses! Sometimes, all you need for a little home revamping can be something as simple as a black and white print. While trying to decorate your home or room with art pieces can seem intimidating at times,  a black and white print with either a favorite movie quote (say it with me, everyone : "uch, as if"!) or one by your favorite artist, is simple enough to be a good starting point. I love how the Warhol print above isn't even hung and instead is just balanced against the wall. There are so many options and that is one that doesn't require a lot of commitment by not putting any actual holes into your walls and sort of has a studio-like feel to it to me.

Would you decorate with a print like these? Not gonna lie, I'm really into the Clueless one.

Hope everyone gets home safely for Thanksgiving with all of the snow that we've been having over here! Can't wait to head home tonight and get a heavy dose of southernness. It's about time.

Cold Weather Wear

1 / 2 / 3 / 4

Well wow, everyone! I think that it is officially Winter here in Syracuse. Goodbye PSL's and hello to Gingerbread and Peppermint Mocha's. Aside from all of my favorite warm winter beverages, Winter is one of my favorite seasons to dress for, despite my continued dislike for the cold weather--it's the Texan in me, I guess. Anyway, we just had our first real snowfall this past weekend and I'm officially in bundle mode. Over the years of attending college in one of the snowiest cities in America, I have found that accessories really are key to keeping warm and are also a great and easy way to add extra patterns and textures to your overall look. I put together a few of my necessities for once the weather cools down:

1. A statement faux fur coat: I have learned that having a few statement coats in your closet in addition to your go-to basics really is ideal when it comes to colder weather. Since there is a good chance that you will be wearing a coat everyday for the next four-five months, having a few that feel fun instead of just warm will make getting ready to brave the cold a little more stylish. I think I'm at the point to where I have a rainbow collection of faux fur (...oops), but this Topshop daisy one sure did catch my attention. 

2. A beanie / hat: This is the area that I need to improve on. Hats make such a difference when it comes to not having the heat escape your body. I for one, don't think that beanies look the best on me, but I saw this chunky H&M style this past weekend (after my ears were freezing) and am determined to start trying to pull them off even if it's just a warmth issue.

3. Fun mittens / gloves: If you're anything like me, keeping the same pair of mittens over the course of the winter season (forget the year) is quite the struggle. Like socks, I always end up with one of them and have misplaced the mate. Because of this, I try to have a few different styles always stocked up and in different places from my book bag, my car, and my room for whenever the cold hits. Inexpensive styles like these cute Old Navy ones keep me smiling even when I'm cold. 

4. Over-the-Knee boots: Boots are one of the best winter investments in my opinion. I have quite the collection of ankle boots in my shoe closet, but have yet to add a pair of over-the-knee ones. The Stuart Weitzman 50/50 is one that is on my 'winter wish list' year after year, but these Zara ones come in pretty close, too. How fabulous is the patent cap toe part?!

What are your must-haves for the Winter season? I'm also a huge fan of infinity scarves. They make all the difference in my opinion.

Nordstrom Sale!

/ 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5 / 6 / 7 /

My family grew up around Nordstrom. Whenever someone needed something (or didn't), Nordstom was always one of the first stops on the list to check out. With so many departments and a style for each person in the family, it was hard to go wrong and leave without finding something that was perfect. So, when the Nordstrom sales roll around, it's even better. My mom and I share the same love for a great sale on quality pieces and when she e-mailed me about Nordstrom's current sale, I immediately headed to their site to do some damage. Don't worry, mom, I didn't actually purchase any of the pieces above yet, but the seven options above are the ones that I specifically was interested in. I've never thought that I could pull off the over-the-knee boot style, but those Same Edelman ones (#5) sure make me think about trying again!

Head over to Nordstrom or online to check out their sale to save up to 40% off! The sale runs until November 11th, so you got plenty of time to organize your dream wish list and maybe find those fall pieces you've been eyeing. Good luck!

Tuesday Shoesday

In this seemingly never-ending hunt for the perfect ankle boot to replace my beloved pair from Target, I have realized a few qualities that I had in the back of my mind when determining whether or not a pair would make the cut. The first importance was that I realized that my foot looks best with an elongated and pointed toe instead of a short and round one. I love the look of a long toe and I had noticed that all of my favorite boots (ex: the leopard chelsea ones) have this feature. Aside from the length of the actual shoe, I appreciate a shoe that has a good quality to it when it comes to ankle boots and not one that is delicate. I like one that looks a little rugged and sort of worker-boot like. Enter, Gap's Chelsea booties. I had gone to the store a few weeks ago and there was the black pair. Someone had returned them and as soon as I tried them on I thought that my endless hunt for these perfect ankle boots had ended. While I didn't end up leaving the store with them in hand (or on my feet...), I know now that in addition to Gap being perfect for all of my go-to items, that their boots are on point, as well.

Also, even though I had been looking for black, I am really loving the grey and brown options, too! What are your favorites? 

Fall Prep

/ GAP dress / Target tights / 9 West boots (old) / Baublebar necklace / Old Navy baseball cap (on sale!) / Michael Kors watch / 

So sorry, everyone! I had mentioned I was going to share this look last week and completely forgot! As I pulled out this dress to wear today (in a completely different way!), I thought you'd all like to see. 

I live in plaid once fall comes around and basically stay in it until the school year is over. As I mentioned in this post from a few weeks ago, this Gap shirtdress filled the void in my closet for plaid that wasn't in the form of a mens flannel--but still had the comfort of one. After my first law exam (help!), I thought that the felt baseball cap that I had been eyeing from Old Navy was deserved for at least finishing the exam. I've recently became obsessed with them and while I'm still not completely convinced that I can pull them off, I love the way that they can add a sort of sporty-prep to a look when paired with chunky rhinestones, leopard, classic riding boots--and obviously plaid.

 Hope everyone has a great start to the week. Can you believe it's already November?!