skirt: asos, shirt: target, shoes: nine west, jewelry: express, gifted, anna & ava, inherited from my grandma, michael kors, premier, banana republic, jcrew, sunnies: armani exchange, lips: MAC russian red.
photo credit: cassondra of sammyandmephotography.com
“we will open the book. its pages are blank. we are going to put words on them ourselves. the book is called opportunity and its first chapter is new year’s day.” -edith lovejoy pierce
happy new year to you all! i am so excited to see what 2012 has in store! 2011 has been quite a year for me. it was in september of 2011 that i launched sequined silver lining– both the blog and my styling business– and the last four months have been simply amazing. i have worked with such wonderful clients, participated in the most inspiring collaborations, and have had the joy of blogging and reading your comments on my blog and Facebook page (are you a fan?). thank you from the bottom of my heart for your support and encouragement along the way. it has really meant the world to me. please let me know if there is anything you would like to see on the blog– i love hearing from you more than anything!
for today’s outfit post, i wanted to share a festive look that i wore to my darling friend maya’s holiday brunch where we had the best time indulging in delectable treats like chocolate-filled croissants and macarons and sipping on delicious champagne drinks, like the French 75. here is an instagram photo of the gorgeous table setting. (by the way, do you follow me on instagram? i’m obsessed.) maya is such an inspiring friend to me– her infinite creativity, passion for dancing and for life, and her amazing sense of style are evident to everyone around her. and she certainly knows how to throw a “Fancy French Boozy Brunch” like it’s no one’s business (we even concluded our six-hour brunch with a Nutcracker dance party in her living room). needless to say, it was one of my favorite holiday parties ever, and i am beyond thankful to have maya in my life.
i was excited to take this opportunity to wear something festive, yet refined. i had seen this amazing skirt on one of my absolute favorite style blogs– atlantic-pacific. i love the higher waist and midi length of this skirt, but most of all the perfection of the sequins. i paired it with a very casual, yet timely red and green plaid flannel shirt. we have had uncharacteristically warm weather (i keep thinking we’re going to pay for it in january, but crossing my fingers that we don’t), so i took the opportunity to bare my legs, simply adding my suede wedges with an ankle strap. the belt is my first (and only, so far) DIY– i used a black ribbon to tie in an old gold belt buckle of my mom’s. i added gray pearls, gold jewelry with red, black, and white accents, and my all-time favorite matte red lipstick. cassondra took the most amazing photos of me before the brunch, so i just had to share more than the usual number. her talent endlessly impresses me.
my readers, i’m going to share my most important new year’s resolution with you: to listen closer to my heart and my dreams, and follow them wherever they take me this year. that’s the big one, and i know it will be easier said than done. i’m also making a smaller, easier-to-follow resolution: to make sure every outfit i wear has a silver lining. in other words, every day i want to include at least one special something to make the day a bit brighter– whether it’s a full-on sequin skirt, like this one, or just a little bracelet that i love. i’m a firm believer that every look should have at least one special touch– something that makes you smile. i hope my blog inspires you to do the same this year. the smallest of details can boost your mood, no matter the day. my lovelies, let’s dream big for 2012– i have a feeling this is going to be a wonderful year!
here’s to the new year, and sharing the journey with each of you. cheers!
xoxo natalie
sequined silver lining 