Personal Resolutions for 2012

At Starbucks...thinking super hard about the year ahead!

Wow.  
Am I the only one who felt 2011 flew by like a penguin in water?*


This is a special time of year for me as I am sure it is for many of you.  I love this time of reflection as I look back at an incredible year in 2011 and think dream ahead to 2012.  


Because I am a list-maker, I have a short list of goals for the coming year:


1)   Organize My World: I know this seems like such a cop-out of a goal (cause let's face it...it's on 99% of our to-do lists!)  But I really REALLY need to organize my life.  My make-up drawer is an embarrassing mess, my closet is not organize by season or color, and don't even get me started on my office at work (it's a good thing I work with little kids...they don't judge as much! Lol!)


2)   Keep my Facial Expressions In-Check: I have been told by an incredible number of people that they want to play poker with me because you can tell my every thought just by watching my face.  I try hard...but if I see a lady sportin' a camel toe, you would know it just by my facial reaction.  I need to remedy this simply because it can sometimes come across as...well...just rude.  Which is not okay and not "me."  I don't want to hurt anyone's feelings, thus I need to change this (I usually blame this on the fact that I'm a scorpio...but my husband doesn't buy that excuse anymore!)  


3)   Plan More Vacations/Excursions with the Hubby: Traveling is the one thing you'll never regret.  We need more this year!


4)   Redesign Marionberry Style: Now that I'm a few months deep, I want to fine-tune and filter my focus + re-design my blog.  It's time for this baby to enter its terrible-twos! :-)


5)   Connect With More Bloggers: One of the main reasons I started this blog was so that I could meet other women who loved the same things I love and share a similar outlook on life.  I want to meet more of you and get to know you better!  Game plan to do so TBD :-)


6)   Go Christmas Shopping Early: This is obviously a late-addition to the list.  But necessary for this procrastinator! :-) 


What are your goals for 2012?!  Do they look anything similar to mine?!


XO - Marion


* I can't personally attest to the agility and speed of a penguin in water.  But in my imagination they are incredibly zippy!

OOTD: Layering with Faux Fur

I have the whole week off from work.  I know...I am very lucky!  

I've spent the days in cozy layers, boots and jackets.  This morning, I was in a faux-fur vest kinda mood.

 A favorite go-to color combo for winter: blue, brown and gold

 You can tell my genuine smile from a fake one when you see my tongue against my teeth.  I've always done that and have just accepted it. LOL! :-)

 STYLE TIP: 

To avoid looking bulky when layering, add a belt to emphasize the waist!

Faux Fur Vest - B.B. Dakota (similar HERE)

Cable-Knit Sweater Vest - Forever 21

Skinny Jeans - Forever 21

Long Sleeve T-Shirt - Love on a Hanger

Belt - Nordstrom

Bag - BCBG

Watch - Michael Kors (purchase HERE)

Bracelets - Nordstrom

Ring - Vintage

Boots - Frye

Sunglasses - Gucci (purchase HERE)

Having this time away from work has provided me with time to really think about my New Years Resolutions.  Yes...Plural.:-)  A special post detailing my plans for 2012 to come!

Are you still layering where you live?  

XO - Marion

OOTD: Cozy

 Black socks lengthen the look of my black boots.

 I have been relishing in hats this holiday break!

Hat - August (purchase here)

Jacket - Mossimo 

Sweater - BCBG

Scarf - gift

Bag - Marc by Marc Jacobs

Jeans - Paige (purchase here)

Boot Socks - Jessica Simpson

Boots - Steve Madden "Ashleey" (on sale here)

This was my first Christmas away from family.  The husband and I slept in, had breakfast at Starbucks, went to the movie theater to watch The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, played dominoes, ordered sushi and watched football.  Not exactly a traditional holiday and I miss my family and friends...but we had fun nonetheless! 


Those of you who follow me on Twitter already know what I got for Christmas:

Name: Palmer (as in Arnold)

Accessories - Petsmart

He is a sweet, 9-week old beagle rescue.  He and his siblings were abandoned in the middle of no-where Southern Colorado.  Only he and his brother survived (his brother found a good home a week earlier).  I don't understand how humans can sometimes be so incredibly cruel...


I hope everyone had a wonderful and memorable holiday weekend!
So tell me - what did you get (or give!) for the holidays?!


XO - Marion
 

Holiday Card 2011

Wishing you all a joyous and memorable holiday weekend!  I'll be spending a little quality time with the hubby...but will be back next Monday!


Big holiday hug,
Marion

My $8 White T-Shirt

Does this happen to you?


You have an idea of a fabulous outfit to wear tomorrow.  You go to bed...smiling because you already know what you are going to wear and you don't need to spend 15 minutes standing in your closet pulling things and standing in front of the mirror (or is that just me?) You get up in the morning, yawn as you walk into your closet, and start sorting through the racks.  Then you GASP!  Why?  Because you realize the article of clothing you NEED is in the dirty clothes hamper.  


It's a big fat bummer of a way to start the day!


Which is why I keep tons of inexpensive white t-shirts on hand...both short and long-sleeve. They go with everything + are super comfortable + and seem classic no matter how they are styled.  In a pinch, they are easy to mix and match.  Bottom line: I heart them. 

 I have no idea what face I'm making here.  

I think I was distracted by a pretty leaf...no kidding!

 Now I'm focused! :-)

 I love a rich blue and deep mustard together.  

These colors add interest to an otherwise basic color scheme.

Every skirt should have pockets!!

Skirt - BCBG

T-Shirt - Love on a Hanger (similar here)

Heels - Enzo Angiolini (similar here)

Clutch - Fossil

So tell me...do you love the class white T as much as I do?!


XO - Marion

Beauty Tip Tuesday: Smelling Good on the Go

Do you wear the same clothes everyday?  (Please say no). 

So why should you wear the same scent everyday?  Sure, we all have our "signature scent," but this incredible sweet collection of rollerballs from Marc Jacobs is one super easy way to keep things interesting.

Usually $20 each, this collection is currently available for $38.  I'm no math major, but that is three for less then the price of two!  Break them up into stocking stuffers or add one as part of a beauty gift box for your favorite girlfriend.  No one will even know that you kept one for yourself :-)

Two more reasons to love this product:

- Rollerballs are sent from heaven.  Throw one in your purse and one in your car to always smell yummy when you're on the go. 

- Not sure what to do with the adorable tin?  I use mine to store all the fun samples I receive from Sephora and ULTA.  

So I'm just curious...what is your signature scent?  Any I absolutely need to try?

XO - Marion

 

OOTD: Inspired by Pinterest!

Step 1: Visit Pinterest.com
Step 2: Pick up a pen/paper and begin furiously writing down a shopping list as well as must-try styles
Step 3: Look at the clock and realize 4 hours have passed and you forgot to walk the dog!

I firmly believe that it is impossible to jump on Pinterest and NOT be inspired!  
(If this is you, please talk to your physician.  There might be a pill you can take for your condition :-)). 

Inspiration Photo:

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My Take:

Red skinny jeans - Jolt (similar here)

Striped shirt - Banana Republic (great options here and here)

Blazer - Gibson (purchase here)

Shoes - Guess (similar here)

Bag - BCBG

Scarf - Target

Earrings - Anthropologie

Style Tip:

If you have an article of clothing that:

a) you want to learn to style in a new way OR

b) are aren't sure how to wear it

Just enter the clothing type/color in the Pinterest search field and you'll get plenty of visual ideas!

So...Do you Pinterest?

XO - Marion

(Soon To Be) Color of the Moment: Tangerine

I know, I know.  It's still winter and we have a plethora of gorgeous style and color trends happening in the NOW.  But I can't help myself from looking ahead at trends for Spring/Summer 2012. 

Spring/Summer 2012 Color I'm Loving: Tangerine

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This simple shift dress look from Loft also showcases another upcoming trend:

minimalist styling

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Tangerine was overflowing the runways at NY Fashion Week: Jenny Packham, Charlotte Ronson, BCBG Max Azaria, Derek Lam, and Jil Stuart. 

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Play with an all-over monochromatic look...

Purchase here

or just feature this gorgeous shade in a great heel

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or a fabulous clutch!

How do you feel about injecting a little more citrus-love into your look?

XO - Marion

Five Blog Posts I Love

Hey girl...did you hear what happened to Bogey?

What is the first thing you want to do when a girlfriend tells you a super-juicy piece of gossip?  Naturally, you are bursting at the seams to tell someone else!*  


Well, that is how I feel when I find an incredible blog post!  I am sure my husband is tired of me pointing at the computer and sighing with "Oh...look at her!" or "Wow honey...this is such a brilliant idea!"  So in the spirit of sharing gossip-worthy news with women who care, I am going to gush all about the top 5 blog posts I fell in love with from the past week (psst...feel free to spread the word!):


Mix and Match Fashion - Tara looks uh-mazing in this Cobalt and Blue style...perfection head to toe!  Her blog provides wonderful eye candy for work appropriate styles.   


Fash Boulevard - Anna is gorgeous, talented and full of inspiration.  If you haven't checked out Fash Boulevard, you're missing out!  In this post, she celebrates animal print along with socks + heels!  If you may recall, I covered both trends here and here.  Great minds think alike (she just looks a lot better pulling it off! :-) )


Petite Early Morning Style - Callandra is always inspiring in her mix of styles/fabrics/colors...this week's post is no exception.  She's like a model + stylist all-in-one!


I am Style-ish & Red Soles and Red Wine - A fun and beautiful collection of entries for Tiffany and Jen's t+j Designs Jewelry contest.  So cool to see how bloggers respond to the challenge to style their favorite statement piece.   


vmac + cheese - Victoria is quite simply amazing.  Her blog is bursting with style and personality and her post Going Green will have you racing to your closet and pulling out pieces to pull together your own kermit-approved look. 


On another note, the hubby and I are hoping to adopt one of these this weekend:

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We are on a list at a rescue shelter for a doggie we fell in love with and think will make a great lil' brother for Bogey.  Wish us luck! :-)

XO - Marion

*That "someone else" is often your husband/boyfriend...because he doesn't really care to begin with so you know he'll listen, feign interest and then keep it to himself!  Perfect. :-)

And now for the winner of the $30 Sephora Giftcard:

Congratulations JEN!  I'll be emailing you to make arrangements. :-)


And thank you to everyone who joined!!  You make blogging fun and I appreciate you so much.

Beauty Tip Tuesday: How to look pretty in under five minutes

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IMAGINE...It's a Wednesday morning. You're laying in bed, nuzzling your pillow and enjoying the fact that you are so super cozy right now. A small voice in the back of your mind whispers, "Gosh...seems like the alarm should have gone off a while ago...". You choose to ignore this voice, because it obviously stems from a party-pooper-of-a-place in your brain. Alas, the reasonable side of your brain eventually reaches for your alarm just in case. One glance and you SHOOT out of bed because you literally need to be out the door in five minutes!


Does this story sound at all familiar? Well, this was my last Wednesday.


This time of year may be the most magical, but it's also the most hectic! Sleep is at a premium as we balance family, shopping, baking, decorating, and work. Keep these easy lil tips in mind in case you "pull a Marion" and wake up late:


HAIR
No Time to Shower? 
Just spray hair lighty with water. This activates the product already in your hair. AVOID using more product as it will just make hair heavy and greasy.

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TIP: a headband is the secret weapon for many a woman in a rush.

FACE
Stick to the 4 basics:
Tinted moisturizer (use concealer where needed)
Mascara
Blush (a quick swipy-poo on each cheek will add much needed color)
Pink lipgloss (foolproof)

TIP: Less is more...natural make-up can be gorgeous and fresh.  

Caking on too-much make-up can often make you look tired and older.

BODY
Quickly rub scented body lotion all over and top off with a matching body spray/perfume. This double layer creates the longest lasting scent without being overpowering.  Come 5pm, you'll still smell yummy.


AND FOR GOLLY SAKES:
Don't leave without deodorant. Please.
Brush your teeth


So please tell me I'm not alone in this five-minute morning scramble game! Do you find yourself running a little shorter on free-time this time of year?


XO - Marion

Color of the Moment: Winter White

Forget about all the rules... White is a color to celebrate year-round!

- P. Diddy has a party centered completely on its beauty and simplicity.  
- Rachel Zoe's best selling tuxedo suit is a crisp all-white stunner.  
- You can't open a style magazine right now without seeing an A-lister rocking this "no-catsup-on-my-fries-babies-stay-away-and-white-wine-only-please" color of the moment! 

STYLE TIP: If you don't want to go all-white, try grounding with a subtle gray.

 

 Gray knit tank: BCBG

White blazer: Caslon (similar HERE for 40% off!)

White pants: BCBG

Bag: BGBG

Heels: Kelly & Katie (purchase HERE)

Necklace: Ann Taylor Loft

Watch: Michael by Michael Kors (purchase HERE)

Although I used gray, a current trend is to add touches of black:



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Are you rocking white this season?

XO - Marion

PS - TODAY IS THE LAST DAY to enter the $30 Sephora Giftcard Giveaway!!  Just click HERE!  :-)  Thanks to everyone who has already entered! XOXO

Challenge of the Month: Mixing Textures

December's Challenge: Mix two completely different fabric textures 

My Thought Process: I had purchased a lace top from Forever 21 a couple months ago and thought, "Geez Marion...why not pair it up with something that is a complete opposite texture?"  So I reached for a pleated navy blue skirt.  

This outfit breaks my body up into two different textures - and I kinda like it!

Skirt - WallpapHer (purchase HERE for 40% off!!)

Lace Top - Forever21 

Heels - BCBG (similar HERE)

Clutch - Nordstrom

Watch - Michael by Michael Kors (purchase HERE)

Earrings - Nordstrom

I love how these two textures both add a prim + proper feel.  Perfect for a classy/fun work look, Sunday church or a fun brunch with the girls.

So...what do you think?  Do these two textures work together?

XO - Marion

PS - Please leave any ideas for future challenges in the comments below!  I'd love to hear your thoughts and you'll be credited in the post :-)

PPS - Only 2 days left to enter the $30 Sephora Giveaway!!  Just click HERE to enter! XO