ADD TO CART: SPRING FASHION

There is something about Spring fashion that is just so much better than the other seasons. Fall is fun because you get to wear sweaters and feel cozy, but Spring fashion brings you back to life! No more layering, no more coats, no more boots that ruin an outfit and look super clunky that you’re so tired of…

Need I say more?

I’ve been linking a ton of neutral staples lately that I have worn year after year, and to be honest they are still some of my favorites. And one things about having a great neutral line up of classics is that you can easily interchange for countless new looks and layering options. I also recently did a huge closet purge of those items that I kept keeping year after year thinking “I haven’t worn them yet, but I will”. So now my closet has nothing that I haven’t worn at least a few times.

A FEW OF MY NEUTRAL FAVORITES

I think this is also a season where denim really starts to make a comeback: lighter wash jeans, jean jackets, denim shorts, etc. There are so many more options this time of year to style with your outfit. I even got a new pair of light wash jeans and I am only mildly obsessed. They are ultra high rise (duh) and just soft enough to be super comfortable. I’ve had a hard time with length lately because I don’t think the 90’s cut + length is super flattering on me, but I haven’t been able to find an ankle length pair that actually hit at my ankle. They’re always too short leaving a super unflattering fit. So I actually got these same jeans just in the short length and they’re kinda perfect! About two inches longer than the ankle cut and about two inches shorter than the regular length.

I also refuse to even look at a pair of jeans that isn’t ultra high rise, or a pair of jean shorts that doesn’t have extra length. That’s what getting old and not working out gets you :-/ But I’ve found this pair from Agolde that is both! Here are a few other new denim styles that I’ve found lately.

SPRING DENIM FINDS

Now, we can’t forget the most fun part! Spring dresses!! I have been dreaming of this day when I get to put on my favorite maxi dresses and layer with sweaters. It is so refreshing after Winter to be able to wear these styles again. I’ve posted a ton about needing a staple white maxi dress, but let’s be real, you need several colors. I got this one from Amazon at least three years ago and have loved it so much that I got it in one new color last year, then another this year! It’s the perfect length to wear with sneakers or sandals, and so fun to pair with sweaters. Plus, you can’t beat the price. It’s an amazing alternative to this Jenni Kayne style.

Casual travel look? Pair with white sneakers and a white sweater draped over your shoulders. Patio brunch? Sandals and a denim jacket! I mean, you can’t beat it. But if you aren’t convinced here are more styles to check out that would be great additions to your wardrobe.

MAXI DRESSES

Now for my personal favorite, sweaters. No, not those heavy ones you’ve been wearing since the Fall, but light and airy sweaters. Ones that you can throw on with jean shorts when it gets warm out during the day. Or a sweater that you throw over your shoulders for that chic, mature look and to keep yourself just a bit warmer than without it. A sweater you can pair with a summer hat and feel like you are immediately transported to the Hamptons. Okay, I need a vacation…

LIGHT + LAYERING SWEATERS

Don’t miss tons of outfit ideas and looks on my LTK page. I’ve been much better about documenting my outfits lately, and now that it’s nice out and I can’t hide my ugly outfit under a winter coat, I’m actually getting dressed 😀

ADD TO CART: LUXURY OUTDOOR

Nashville has had touches of Spring (and even Summer) the last month and it has me so excited for patio season. That time of year when you want to open the windows and doors and let the smell of fresh air into your house, when you get to sit outside and bask in the sun after hibernating for months. It’s the best!

And ever since we moved into our home here in Nashville I have come to appreciate the important of a well styled porch or patio. And not just that it looks good, which is obviously of utmost importance, but that it is also functional and can withstand the elements. For us, those elements tend to be heat and sun, as our porch and patio get direct sunlight until about 3-4:00 in the afternoon. So I knew we needed something that wouldn’t get hot to the touch, that it came with covers, and a dining table that had an umbrella spot. My husband wasn’t as keen on that last part but, shocker, it’s been the most essential part to that dining area.

So before you pull the trigger on any furniture, make sure you think about the elements, the use and the flow you want for your porch or patio.

CHAIR | SECTIONAL | COFFEE TABLE | PILLOWS | VASE

If you have a fireplace, centering the furniture around that area is a good place to start. Whether it’s a fire pit or a built-in fireplace, you can find a great seating arrangement to enjoy your company and the fire on a chilly Spring evening. But I’ve included some great fire pits below if you’re not of a mind to build a structure and want to be able to move it in and out as well. That’s what we did at our home in Minneapolis where we had a small 10 x 10 sitting area but wanted to enjoy a fire occasionally.

But the one thing that I will always preach when it comes to making your porch and patio feel like an extension of your home is to focus on the finishing touches. I’m talking the color of the cushions, the pillows, and even adding a side table with planters or lanterns for an added touch. You put so much work and money into the interior of your home, you don’t want the style to go downhill the second you step outside! So let that style flow out to your patio with some of the great finds below.

A SPRING BRUNCH

I told my mom and my sister last Fall that I wanted them to come visit in the Spring around Mother’s Day. I had this vision of a brunch in our new outdoor space to celebrate them that was full of flowers and food and made for a beautiful and fun morning. I wasn’t able to get everyone in town for the holiday but decided to put together a brunch anyway, just to show off our patio!

The biggest requirement I had in our outdoor dining table was that it had a space for an umbrella. This space can get blasted by the sun until the early afternoon and I didn’t want to limit the number of meals that we could have out here just because we couldn’t have an umbrella. Thank goodness we found one because then we are able to host events like this and sit outside at this table all day long if we’d like!

I’m not gonna lie, I had a huge inspiration board for this brunch because I wanted it to look beautiful and feel so special for my mom and my sister. I knew hydrangeas were going to be the centerpieces and I knew I wanted a tablecloth that felt festive for the season. From there I worked on the side table, which (spoiler alert), is just a folding table with a cloth on it. But I saw this set up from Josh Young and thought this would be a perfect way to set up the food and also add a hint of Springy decor.

Getting a cheap folding table to use as a buffet table is the perfect way to show a little more style as well as hold all of the food + drink. I covered mine with a printed tablecloth and used planters and flowers as accents. I loved this set up so much that when I took it down the whole wall and space felt empty. Now I’m tempted to get an outdoor bar cart to have out here all the time.

When it came to the table setting I wanted to get pieces that would accentuate my outdoor staples but also items I would be able to use all the time out here. I didn’t want to get anything special just for this one meal but instead get items that I could add to throughout the years that also go well together. I didn’t have any outdoor tableware so this brunch was a great place to start. Brainstorming over how you’re going to use a space now and in the future is a great way to make sure that when you’re purchasing something, even as small as plates, are going to continue to fit the form and function of the area.