sandals for spring

sandals for spring by laurenmaunder featuring ankle strap sandals

Valentino ankle strap sandals / Marni open toe shoes, $530 / Loeffler Randall cheetah print shoes / Loeffler Randall ankle strap sandals / Kate Spade low heel shoes / J.Crew j crew shoes / Schutz peach shoes / Vince strap sandals / Tasseled cap / Rebecca Minkoff strappy shoes / J.Crew haircalf shoes / J.Crew slip on sandals / Steve Madden studded shoes / Decorating shoes / Old Navy pull on shoes / Old Navy vegan flat

gifting: valentine's day

nightshirt, JCREW, polish, BUTTER, necklace, BAUBLEBAR, bowl, BARNEYS, clutch, CLARE VIVIER, gloss, MARC JACOBS, ring, SHOPLATITUDE, earrings, KATE SPADE, jewlery box, TARGET, stationary, MINTED, scarf, BCBG, top, SATURDAY by ks

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what's in my bag

in just a few short days i will be headed on the trip of a lifetime.  three weeks of vacay from sf--> london --> johannesburg and throughout south africa to safari, wine taste, roam all up and down the coast and even shark cage dive. i am beyond excited to take this trip and in preparation i've cooled my packing anxiety by coming up with my must-haves for the long journey.  

1 kindle - the plan is to get a ton of my must-reads done on our insanely long travel time (don't worry i've got my mac backed up with scandal, true blood and walking dead just in case...)

2 an adorable passport holder i found on etsy (also love this kate spade one)- not only does it protect your passport, there is also a slot for cash, plus the bright color makes it easy to find in any bag

3 nike frees- i wanted a pair of simple black and white running shoes that were light enough to carry around with enough support for a long day of walking and cute enough to wear with anything!

4 noise canceling headphones- not only are these frends headphones gorgeous, the sound quality is nothing short of amazing, blocking out all of the busy airport and plane noise 

5 neck pillow- i'm not normally one to travel with a pillow, but this petite pillow is small enough to throw into my bag and worth the space in the amount of pain it will save my neck and back after all that plane time (over 25 hours of flight time!)

6 longchamp- by far my favorite travel bag of all time; the medium size tote is perfect for fitting all of my travel essentials and big enough to use for weekend trips

7 face wipes- one of the worst parts of travel time is the dive your hygiene takes... 12 hours trapped on a plane?? having these guys handy at least allows me to wipe off my makeup and feel refreshed

8 kiehl's lip care- i always love kiehl's products and lip balm is a MUST spending so many hours in the dry airplane air 

while most of the things i purchased to prep for the trip were strictly carry on essentials, i snagged a few other items i'm excited to throw in. this mikoh dress for laying out or exploring and these adorable dv 'cymbal' heels; i wanted a little something cute other than my sneakers for wine tasting and going out so they were a must, but the low heel keeps them casual enough for my surroundings and comfortable after a long day on my feet exploring. i think this is the earliest i have ever packed a bag for any trip i am that excited! less than a week until i'm posting from half way across the world!

getting back to the backpack

no longer is the backpack strictly a school accessory. along with a few chic updates, we've seen backpacks come back in a big way. retailers are keeping up with the trend by creating luxury packs in a variety of bold colors and fabrics, from creamy colored leathers to spotted calf hair, and quilted nylon.  these modern updates have created a quasi purse versatile enough to sling over your shoulders or carry all day as your favorite handbag taking you from work to weekend.

my walk to work alone is a worth trying out the trend. no more stuffing my purse to the brim or toting it all one side. finally a carry-all befitting of my office wardrobe and cute enough to take me out to lunch or happy hour with friends. enough said.

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slip into the slip-on

from high heels and wedges to casual flats and cozy sneakers, the slip-on is clearly having a moment. i'm especially loving these h&m quilted sneakers for getting around town... such a steal!

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gift ideas

1. light runners / 2. no-damage hair ties / 3.  cold-weather running gloves / 4. rose gold fuel band / 5. personal yoga mat / 6. reusable glass bottle (no more alkaline taste!) / 7. cozy fitness jacket / 8. rose gold ear buds / 9. spf protection

1. cosmetic bag / 2. luggage tag / 3. noise-cancel headphones / 4. passport case / 5. refillable tubes (squeezable so you don't waste any product!) / 6.  travel primer / 7. monogrammed camera strap / 8. makeup travel essentials /  9. mini emergency kit / 10. lip balm /11. weekender bag

1. phone cover / 2. shades / 3. cometic case / 4. drop earrings / 5. personal keychain / 6. jewel bracelet / 7. cashmere gloves / 8. lip gloss trio / 9. picnic perfect cutting board (on sale!) / 10. glass candle / 11. lipgloss / 12. polish

1. cage cuff / 2. personalized stationary / 3. party perfect tumblers / 4. monogram necklace / 5. noise-cancel headphones / 6. eye shadow palette / 7. initial mug / 8. perfume / 9. ear studs / 10. chic watch

with christmas and new years just around the corner, hopefully these picks will inspire unique gift ideas for the friends, family and party hosts alike in your life.

xo,

isabel marant for h&m

it's november and you know what that means.... THE month has finally come. the wait is almost over. 

no i'm not talking turkey time at thanksgiving and it's much better than braving the mobs for black friday... in less than ten days the isabel marant x H&M collection will be unleashed in stores and online.  and this is no target, mini curation... we are looking at nearly 130 pieces of affordable perfection from the amazing isabel marant that will easily rival the phillip lim craze that hit stores back in september. the collection stays true to maran'ts rocker bohemian vibe from sleek leather pants and studded heels to fringe sweaters, beaded jackets and suede booties. 

the entire collection is available to view online and sales start 11.14.13... i'm in love!

xo,

What i want

plaid scarf, gap; black knit beanie, topshop; black quilted glove, french connection; quilted rain boots, tommy hilfiger; long sleeve sweater coat, oasap; oxblood zipper sweater, jcrew; knit skirt, madewell, black leather & faux pony hair clutch, asos; suede booties, chinese laundry; faux leather sleeve coat, sheinside

check out these and other warm style steals under $100 here:

xo,

shopbop FF

phillip lim foldover bag // karen walker shades// alexander mcqueen hardcover // club monaco quilted gloves // alexander wang slingbacks // vince leather skirt // deepa gurnani statement necklace // reece hudson quilted pouch

i've been waiting on this one... SHOPBOP is offering their friends and family discount today through thursday; 25% off all orders with code INTHEFAMILY25. YES.

check out some of the fall picks i'm stocking up on above!

other sales to get excited about:

saks FF with FRNFAM

piperlime 30% off fall denim with FALL

tracy reese 20% off with OCTFAM

banana republic 35% off your purchase today only

Rachel FF 30% off your purchase

jcrew 30% off all sale with code fallsale

weekend wants

1. urban outfitters floppy hat 2. asos (similar) 3. freda salvador haircalf taupe oxford 4. madewell leather tote 5. theory chunky sweater 6. maya brenner state pendant 7. smashbox mocha lipstick  8. jcrew stadium coat 9. zara combined faux leather leggings

the most adorable oxfords, a leather tote, big coat, vampy lips, and chunky knits... just some of the things i'm craving for a relaxed fall weekend.

xo,

what i want: fall transition pieces

1. tibi 2. phillip lim 3. theory 4. karen walker 5. ATM 6. isabel marant 7. baublebar 8. mango 9. rebecca minkoff 10. zara

cooler colors + lots of leather... need to fill my closet with all of these!

xo,

Labor Day Pack List

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jcrew fall

jcrew bests by laurenmaunder 

september is fast approaching and the fall catalogs are starting to roll in. i was a mix of dread and excitement as i found the jcrew catalog amidst a pile of mail on the table.  i my bank account literally have anxiety after going through the lookbook, earmarking corners, filling my cart.. picking and choosing what i love most. i. need. it. all.

the preppy chic standard jcrew has upheld through the years plus jenna lyons signature styling and trend setting features hits the mark with every piece; mixed patterns, distressed skinnies, cotton t's with leather sleeves, a cashmere bomber jacket, a leopard printed baseball cap and metallic pumps make this line drool-worthy yet functional for any city girl. from now until fall, for work or play, i can't wait to get my hands on every piece!

p.s. don't miss out, now through monday jcrew is offering 25% everything and free s+h if you spend $150+ with code FALLSTYLE... definitely taking advantage of that!

jeweled baseball cap / bomber jacket / fluted skirt in double crepe / mirrored metallic oxfords / bouquet dot wool scarf / graphic tee / tall toothpick jean in distressed cone / strappy miror metallic pumps / kiss kiss tee / collection cafe capri in moroccan windowpane / collection everly calf hair pumps

shoes for now + for fall

1. madewell, the billie  2. dolce vita, hayla  3. tibi, margot  4. loeffler randall, fenton triple strap  5. jenni kayne, d'orsay  6. chinese laundry, ideal  7. alice + olivia, dina haircalf  8. freda salvador, star bracelet bootie  9. jcrew, etta calf hair

FALL SHOES by laurenmaunder

palms away

1. skirt, findersKEEPERS 2. bangle, kate spade 3. shorts, forever 21 4. sweater, joie 5. phone cases, juicy couture (here and here) 6. tote, rebecca minkoff 7. dress, motel 8. pouch, samudra maili

what i want

maybe it's the america's cup frenzy sweeping the city, maybe its listful thoughts of a sunny summer day on the water (the quote "the coldest winter I ever spent was a summer in san francisco" has never rang so true), or maybe i'm just drawn to the classic look of the navy and white stripes and gold accessories... whatever it be i'm feeling these nautical pieces right now and how perfect they are all summer long! 

1 knotted rope pillow,c. wonder // 2 nautical knots ring set, c. wonder // 3 rope anchor bracelet, urban outfitters // 4 viva striped tote, tory burch // 5 bradshaw watch, michael kors // 6 stripe scarf, east wave // 7 sailor shirt canvas pouch, jonathan adler // 8 collection gauzy maxi, jcrew // 9 'cufff' in white, steve madden // 10 viyela panama hat (similar here)  // 11 maritime lariat, gorjana & griffin

nautical by laurenmaunder

splurge or steal?

want the look without the cost? i've spent time seeking out some of the 'splurge' pieces i'm currently coveting the most, aka swooning over my pinboard wishing i could magically procure every pin into my closet... alas, i have found a more realistic option. for every expensive item, i found a less expensive alternative of equally cute nature. you get the same style without the #helpmeimpoor to follow...

oh and don't think the deals stop there... piperlime is offering 20% off sitewide with code 'everyone,' but hurry, this sale ends today!

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clockwise: chandelier earrings, biscuit home, baublebar // leather backpack, LULU, rebecca minkoff // gold cuff bracelets, jewelmint, pamela love // distressed bf jeans, asos, goldsign // sunglasses, anthropologie, emmanuelle khahn // slingback pumps, steve madden, tibi // leather dress, tinley road, theory

what i want

1. marc jacobs enamel disk studs 2. art youth society gold 'love' ring (similar from rebecca minkoff) 3. clare vivier haircalf foldover  4. pixie market python pointy wrap flats (similar here)  5. tibi silk chiffon dress (similar here) 6. marc jacobs henry skeleton watch 7. mara hoffman one-piece (here on sale) 8. dvf jansen printed silk shorts 9. karen walker northern lights (here in black) 10. essie polish in boom boom boom + rock the boat

what i want by laurenmaunder