Nudes & Neutrals

by Jessica Sturdy on May 8, 2013

I’m back with my latest fabulous finds from Marshalls! This week, we’re talking nudes and neutrals.

We all know that neutrals are versatile. White, you can wear it with anything. Gray and beige, too. And yes, black goes with just about every color you can imagine these days. (No more brown and blue stigmas!) What I absolutely love about neutrals, though, is the ability to just pile them on! Neutrals kind of function like bracelets to me… Stack and layer them on, and then add a few more until you’ve got one heck of a finished look! What may appear as one big neutral hodgepodge actually functions as a pretty chic outfit. I’m wearing black, gray, white, and beige. Mixed together. And it definitely works without looking blah or bland!

When I was putting this outfit together, I kept thinking it was a bit “Good Girl Gone Bad.” In a great way, of course! Floral pants can be very feminine, but the black and gray printed blooms make them a bit more edgy. I took a delicate scalloped silk blouse and paired it with a leather sleeved blazer to play up the “grunge meets girly” thing, too. And don’t even get me started on the shoes. They are show stoppers!

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The Home T

by Jessica Sturdy on May 7, 2013

I’ve been wanting to get my hands on The Home T for quite some time! Not only does this tee shirt remind me of the place where I grew up, but a portion of the proceeds benefit MS Research. (For more on why that hits close to home (no pun intended), refer back to this post.) This insanely soft tee was the perfect base for a layered look for traveling back to Chicago last weekend!

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Gift Guide: Mother’s Day

by Jessica Sturdy on May 7, 2013

Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Nordstrom. The company provided me with a giftcard. As always, all opinions are my own.

Is it just me, or did Mother’s Day really creep up on us this year? I mean, I still can’t even grasp the fact that it’s already May! Time sure knows how to fly. Since this Sunday marks May 12th, I’ll be traveling back home to celebrate Mother’s Day with my family. Seeing as it’s already Tuesday and I head to the airport straight from work on Friday, I guess I better start getting a move on with those Mother’s Day gifts… (Sorry, Mom! It’s nothing personal. You know I work best when under pressure!)


This year, I’ve partnered with Nordstrom Rack to let YOU have a little say in my gift shopping! Throughout the week, I’ll be shopping at the Nordstrom Rack here in New York City to snatch up those Mother’s Day gifts I need. I’ll be posting pictures and asking for your input on my Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest pages! Make sure you’re following along. Since I kind of waited until the last minute, I’m going to need all of the help I can get! :)

Come Saturday, I’ll be posting the final gifts that I got for my mom. Stay tuned! And thank you in advance for all of your gift guidance!


PS – How fab are these E-Cards?! I love that they’re almost as sassy as my momma. ;)  #justkiddingmom

Find and Follow Nordstrom Rack: Facebook / Twitter / Instagram / Pinterest / Store Locator

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Colorful Casual Friday

by Jessica Sturdy on May 7, 2013

My apologies for the radio silence over here! This past week has been a busy one, to say the least. I was back with my besties in Chicago last weekend, which was an absolute blast. Lots of laughs, catching up with friends, and birthday celebrations. Now, I’m back in New York and trying to tackle one hundred and one different projects this week… Bear with me!

I wore this casual, colorful outfit to the office a few Fridays ago. A perfectly punchy ensemble that made spring feel just a tad bit brighter!

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Chambray in a New Way

by Jessica Sturdy on May 1, 2013

When it comes to tops, my wardrobe is full of woven button-front shirts. You may hear them called “button downs,” but a true button down is when the collar is actually buttoned down to the shirt. Fun Fact! Any who, my tiny little closed is packed to the brim with those shirts that have collars and buttons on the front of them. I tend to always opt for gingham and chambray so I’ve been working to incorporate more silk blouses (ya know, the basics) into my collection. And by “working,” I mean shopping. At Marshalls. Obviously.

I saw this pretty muted mint blouse and immediately added it to my cart. My real shopping cart, not those online ones that are filled to capacity with no way of ever purchasing it all without winning the lottery. I knew this sleeveless blouse would quickly become a spring and summer staple in my wardrobe.

As for this lovely polka dotted chambray shirt, I may or may not have an addiction. Yes, I do already own 5+ chambray shirts (different washes, people!), but I did not own a polka dot variation. But hey, it’s Marshalls and it’s a bit easier to justify your purchases when everything is way under full price! It’s a shopaholics dream come true. :)

I’ve worn my chambray shirts in just about every way imaginable… Tied up over a sequin skirt, under a sweater (and here, and here, and here), on it’s own, as a canadian tuxedo, under a sequin tee (and here), with leggings and a fur vest, tucked into a pencil skirt without tights (and with tights here), tied up over a maxi skirt, tucked in to an a-line skirt, under a blazer, buttoned over a tee, open over a graphic tee, open over a sequin tank, with a leopard hat, with a glitter belt… YOU NAME IT, I’ve worn it.

I decided to do a little experimenting! Yes, I have worn a chambray shirt open over many of tops, but I’ve never tied up the ends to make my chambray into a lighter-weight denim jacket/cardigan of sorts. So here you have it… A new way to wear chambray!

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Linen and Leather

by Jessica Sturdy on April 30, 2013

How gorgeous are these tulips in Bryant Park?! It’s totally fine if you want to just ignore my outfit and focus on the pretty flowers. Rose and I were so mesmerized by them when we met for lunch last week! Blame it on that pesky monster we call ‘Winter’ that overstayed his welcome. This past winter resembled the last guest to leave your party. You know who I mean… The guy that just.keeps.talking. You may have the entire place cleaned up already, music off, and constant yawns, but they’re still there and not getting the hint. Yep, that was this winter.

Hopefully spring is here to STAY! And I mean spring. I’m not ready to start sweating to my death on my way to work each morning. Seasons, people!

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Pamper Party

by Jessica Sturdy on April 30, 2013

The pesky weather and my hectic schedule have had me all but drooling over vacation spots on Pinterest. I need a beach vacation… I think I’m past the point of just wanting one. But seeing as my vacation days and vacation budget are both limited, I took matters into my own hands and had a little spa day at my apartment. While there wasn’t a steam room (I’m sure I could have rigged something up with my Rowenta..) or a personal masseuse on hand, it was still quite relaxing and rejuvenating!

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Pops of Pink

by Jessica Sturdy on April 29, 2013

My favorite color combination as of late? Pink and purple! I blame these pumps. (Last worn here!) Although they are two-tone pink, the satin cap toe almost looks like a soft shade of lavender.

I paired my punchy pink pumps with a printed purple skirt, chambray shirt, and pops of pink baubles. A recipe for a fun, dressy-meets-casual weekend look. I’m ready to grab the girls and head to brunch!

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Snooze Separates

by Jessica Sturdy on April 25, 2013

Mixing it up from the florals today! This would be one of my go-to “Oops, snoozed a few too many times” outfits. Black and white is just so easy! Printed pants, a blazer, and a fun shoe will have everyone fooled. Multiple co-workers commented, “Oooh, cute outfit!” “Thanks,” I said, while I was thinking, “No, I literally rolled out of bed.” Sssh, it will be our little secret! ;)

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Feminine Florals

by Jessica Sturdy on April 24, 2013

Confession: I don’t think I’ve ever shopped at New York & Company before. But when I take the subway to work, I walk by the NY&Co windows between the subway stop and my office. When I saw this dress on the mannequin a few weeks ago, I stopped dead in my tracks. I instantly started reminiscing about this Red Valentino trench from last Spring that I was OBSESSED with. The amount of times that I tried that jacket on at Nordstrom on Michigan Ave. was a bit ridic. I OBVI couldn’t (and can’t) afford to spend $1200 on a trench, but I was head over heels for that drifting floral print. So spotting this dress in an almost identical print, yeah, I just about died!

The store wasn’t open yet, so naturally, I got on my phone to see if the dress was available online. Negative. I had to wait until after work and it was basically meant to be… one dress left, in my size (Well, it was a size bigger, but I made it work!), and everything in the store was 50% off. So yes, I got this beauty for a mere $35. I could hardly contain my excitement!

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