What I Would Wear If....

Top: Zara (HERE)

Pants: Asos

Shoes: Zara

Necklace: J Crew

If I worked at an uber chic design firm, I'd wear these types of outfits all day, everyday. I think that mixing bright pops of color with more traditional black and white elements creates a professional look that's still amazingly fun. Though I can't indulge in this outfit at my job, those who can should definitely try adding a little color into their black and white this work week. 

Best, 

Jillian

Distressed Denim Skirt + White Shirt

Shirt: Ann Taylor

Skirt: Zara (HERE)

Shoes: Steve Madden (HERE)

Clutch: Zara (recently purchased in-store, but not found online)

Watch: Rolex

Bangles: Loehmann's

Pearls: Gifted

Brooch: Vintage

On my more casual days, I love pairing white with denim. It's just one of those classic combinations that always works. Usually,my denim and white outfits involve a white tee and boyfriend jeans. But, when I saw this distressed denim skirt at Zara, I decided to take a more grown up approach to my denim and white pairings. The addition of a white button down shirt and tons of sparkly accessories resulted in a causal look that was equal parts polish and comfort. Now, I haven't retired my boyfriend jeans just yet, but they've been put on notice that there's some stiff competition in town. 

Best, 

Jillian

Sightseer

Latest Work Uniform

 

Blazer: Zara; Camisole: Banana Republic; Pants: Tahari; Shoes: Aldo; Belt: Vintage

 

As you can tell by my paltry posting schedule lately, my work responsibilities have taken a turn towards the ridiculous.  Though I’m still super swamped, I’ve finally gotten enough free time to get back to what I really love doing – posting outfits and chit-chatting with you! So here’s my latest work uniform – a solid colored pair of trousers, matching cami, and a vividly colored blazer. Nothing too out of this world fabulous about this, but I will say that it’s a super easy combination to throw together when you’re running low on time and/or inspiration. This has saved me from walking into work looking a hot mess on numerous occasions. I’m also really obsessed with belting my blazers right now. No idea why, but I’m doing it much more often nowadays.

 

Feels great to be back loves,
Jillian



My Small Patio Project

This DIY patio project ended up being a lot easier than I initially expected. Here’s what I did. First, I visited my local Sherwin-Williams store to pick up my exterior surface primer and paints. Since I had already selected my paint colors using the ColorSnap Studio™ for iPad app, picking up the “Extra White” white for the chairs and the “Center Stage” green for the table took me about 15 minutes. I also double checked that the paint I purchased was durable enough for outdoor use since Miami gets its fair share of rain during the summer months. 

 

Once I arrived back home the real fun began, I applied painters tape to protect the cushions of my patio chairs and then primed all three pieces. After letting the furniture sit for a while, I began painting and was done in a couple of hours. The primer really helped the paint go on evenly and the two colors looked amazing together. I finished up this section of my patio project by adding a stack of my favorite books and one half of my new crystal paperweight set. I think this makes a great little nook to sit with a friend and chat.

 

I also added two additional sections to my outdoor space. Since I’m a huge meditation and yoga fan, I added a yoga mat and Moroccan lanterns to a section of the patio to create a space where I could meditate and practice some of my less strenuous yoga moves. I also created a lounging nook complete with wicker chair and a comfy throw, towards the corner of the patio that leads to my bedroom. This area is perfect for watching the sun rise while sipping my morning coffee and getting ready for the day. I also added a decorative bird cage stand to this area. The stand was a copper color when I purchased it, but after looking at the space I decided to paint it “Extra White” as well to tie it into the other two spaces. I really love the look. At night, I’m planning on adding votive lights to the decorative cage and Moroccan lanterns to create a relaxing vibe.

All in all, I’m really happy with the results of my patio project. The  Sherwin Williams ColorSnap Studio for iPad app made it super easy to test out my vision and bring it into reality.

 

Loving My Hair

I would say that my hair and I had a serious love-hate relationship. But, truth is, it was more like a hate-hate relationship. I hated the fact that my hair wouldn’t do what I wanted it to, and my hair hated me for the myriad of torture tactics that I used in my attempts to make it submit to my will. After years of over-processing, over-heating and severely damaging my hair, a new stylist helped me decide that it was time to try loving my hair. So, I started a hair care regimen that involved listening to my hair instead of trying to control it.

Colored Pantsuits

NuSophisticate Travels: Key West + Japan

                                 

After researching all of your great suggestions from this post (thank you!), and coming up with a few suggestions of our own (via the uber diplomatic process of spinning the globe in our office), the husband and I have decided to jet off to Key West and Japan for our anniversary trip. We're planning on starting with Key Largo (the very first key) to tour the coral reefs, moving on to Islamorada for some sport fishing, stopping in Marathon to swim with the dolphins, and finally hopping on the 7 mile bridge to soak up the sun and fun in Key West. After that, we're heading out of the country on  a marathon flight to Japan for temple tours in Kyoto, tea ceremony's in Osaka, onsen's and shopping in Tokyo, and lounging in Okinawa. As we embark on this third year of marriage, I can't help but be thankful that I get to enjoy life's adventures (both big and small) with my very best friend in this world.

Have any of you been to Japan? I'd love some restaurant and sight-seeing recommendations.

Love,
Jillian

Pink and Green

Gold Belts Work

Image Source (HERE)

Patio Woes - Part 1 + A Sweepstake

I've been on a decorating binge recently which means that most of my living spaces are getting the not so subtle side eye. For me, the biggest problem is that I live in a high rise where indoor space is limited and outdoor space is almost non-existent. So, my goal with every room in my apartment has to be to maximize the space in a way that matches the way that I live. Though I’ve been able to do a pretty good job with the other rooms in my apartment, the patio has been my design dead zone. For a long time, I just couldn’t quite figure out how I used the space, and how to design it in a way that made sense for me. Since my husband and I work during the week, we don’t spend much time out on the patio in the daytime. And, on weekends, we’re usually off catching up on errands, which leaves no time to soak up the sun. Since we weren’t really utilizing the area, I forgot all about the space and put my design plans on hold. So far on hold, that I didn’t notice that the South Florida sun and rain were giving my outdoor furniture quite a beating. My formerly cherry-wood chairs and table were now a worn and dilapidated mess. 

Mother's Day Gift Ideas

Mother's Day by nusophisticate featuring cole haan

1. Jo Malone Fragrances
The only thing that your mom loves more than you is the opportunity to brag about you. So, give her just that with a fragrance from this British olfactory powerhouse. She'll have plenty of opportunity to talk about your great taste and benevolence while responding to the throngs of strangers asking "what perfume are you wearing?". (Both my mom and I love the Ginger-Nutmeg). Get yours HERE!