Tara Colleen: January 2015

plaid-ITUDE

hard to believe, but I am approaching week 30 in this pregnancy!! as I enter this final trimester, my style has transformed from dressing for my mood to dressing for my bump and dresses are definitely my easiest option! thank goodness i purchased this little number earlier this fall in anticipation of the growing belly, because it has been putting in the miles! it has a belt to match, but who knows where my waist is these days, so I removed it and threw on yet another of my many toppers. I don't usually dress up my plaids, and instead opt for a more grungy/rocker look when i'm pairing the print, but these shoes haven't seen much play and I love the way they pop with this red jacket, so dressy won, for today at least! this dress also pairs perfect with a fur vest and boots or a leather jacket and booties (both of which I've done) and as the buttons continue to strain, I'm thinking it'll make a cute tunic jacket with some leather leggings. not surprisingly, gold were my accessories of choice, but today's dainty details are extra special because they came from my first month's Rocksbox!! with so many monthly box offers popping up, it can be hard to choose which ones fit your needs, but if you're bauble-obsessed like myself, this is a subscription not to be missed!! the price is on the money at $19 a month, and designer jewelry at my doorstop?? hello!! I couldn't sign up fast enough!!

if you're still not tempted, Rocksbox is giving my readers their first month FREE!!

just use the code: taraxoxo2 and enjoy!!

"the greatest art in the world is the art of story telling"

ALL IMAGES MARIE RODRIGUEZ

dress Blue Poppy // jacket GAP // heels Charlotte Russe // clutch styleXchange //

necklace Moon & Lola /

story teller cuff Vanessa Mooney c/o Rocksbox // tori ring set Gorjana c/o Rocksbox

USE CODE: TARAXOXO2 TO RECIEVE YOUR FIRST MONTH FREE!!

Chase After a Cure

where you find charity, you will always find fashion. as a general rule, giving back makes you feel good, and if you have the opportunity to look good while you're doing good, its a win win!! this is the draw of such black tie events like the Chase After a Cure Gala. its a great excuse to get dressed up, have a date with your man and enjoy the evening. trust me, I am all about a fab night out and with this years theme being "A Night in Paris" the options are truly endless. glitz and glamour are definitely my speed, but if your not a glitter girl, metallics are a great option. strappy sandals and a statement clutch are sure to have you on the best dressed list and best of all, none of these items are going to break the bank!

more importantly than the fashions, is the great cause that this event supports.

Chase After a Cure raises awareness and funds for childhood cancer, with their main focus being on Neuroblastoma. if you've never heard of this, trust me, you're not the first. I myself would never have a clue about this disease if it wasn't for my own son being diagnosed this past April. and I definitely would not have known about the need for funding for childhood cancer research, but this is most definitely the case!! and thanks to fundraisers such as the Chase After a Cure Gala, new developments are being made every day in the pursuit of a cure.

if you are local, we would love to see you this Saturday at the Memminger Auditorium!!

tickets can be purchased HERE.

if you are unable to attend, you can find other ways to get involved by heading to the site HERE

"every kid is one caring adult away from being a success story"

1. embellished gown Virgos 2. silver/nude sandals French Connection 3. pink fur clutch ASOS

4. silver dress Lulus 5. jeweled clutch DSW 6. gia skater dress Virgos

7. metallic sandal Nordstrom Rack 8. pleated gown Alice + Olivia

9. domino clutch Nasty Gal

special thanks to the doctors and nurses at MUSC who cared for our Lincoln and fought along side him as he beat this disease.

leopard & lipstick

no matter what im wearing or where im going, one thing I never leave the house without is lipstick!

on most days i have like 5 minutes to get ready, so its bedhead, fresh face, big sunnies, and a bold lip, and I promise you, no one is any the wiser!! a lipstick can take any look to new heights and generally the bigger and bolder the better, so obvi, I was stoked to get some sick new shades from

Kismet Cosmetics. every color is more fierce than the next, but my current crushes are this Vino and Vivianna, which I promise, you will see me wearing in many posts to come! the color lasts all day (and until the morning if you forget to wash your face like I do way to often) and the finish is the most perfect semi-matte that you don't even need liner or gloss to set it in, which totally frees up room in my bag!! so with my bold lip in place, I layered on my other favorite staple, Leopard!! I have had this coat forever, and you've seen it on the blog before, but it will always be a fave of mine! i linked up some pretty similar styles below. toppers are always key for me, but even more with a growing bump. options are slimming as I enter into these last few months, so being able to dress up a baggy tee is a major win! I paired them both with these leather joggers, that im pretty obsessed with. really anything leather gets me excited, but after seeing them all over the mags and blogs, I was pretty surprised to find them at an affordable price and the stretchy waistband isn't so bad either! scroll down to my feet, and yes honey . . . the newest addition to my "faux-stud" collection has me squealing with buyers delight!!! i am so in love with this shoe right now, so be prepared to see me wearing them like everyday! a few finishing touches with this fab fedora and gold clutch and lots of vintage jewels. off to the supermarket to make it my runway!! happy hump day ladies!!

"pour yourself a drink, put on some lipstick, and pull yourself together"

ALL IMAGES MARIE RODRIGUEZ

faux fur Target (old) Splurge - Steal // shirt H&M // leather joggers H&M // heels GoJane //
clutch BCBGeneration // fedora The Minted Exchange // necklace Vintage //
lipstick "vino" c/o Kismet Cosmetics

take me out tonight

today's post is inspired by true life, because for the first time in I can't even tell you how long, the hubs and I are actually going out on a kids free/adults only date night!!! words cannot describe my enthusiasm! pre-children we made it a weekly ritual to "keep the love alive" and it was always nice to decompress from our busy lives and just enjoy some QT with each other. nowadays, it seems like the only adult conversations we have is if they both happen to fall asleep on a long car ride. trust me, i'm not complaining. I wouldn't trade this crazy hectic life of mine for anything, but I am so looking forward to sitting in the pitch black silence that is the movie theater! I know i know, its not exactly the hottest date night, but lets be honest, i'm 7 months pregnant and all i want is to be snuggled up to a jumbo popcorn and large slushie . . . . . i mean all i want is to be snuggled up to my honey ;) while I chow down on a jumbo popcorn and a large slushie, and probably an assortment of candies! for me, the theatre is all about looking cute while feeling comfy. as much as i'd love to go in total bum mode, you always run the risk of bumping in to someone you know and "hot mess" isn't exactly chic on a Friday night. bf jeans and a sweatshirt are perfect for accomplishing the comfy and attention to detail like this metallic sleeve and rolled hem polish it out. fun flats and a bright bag top off the look and leave you plenty of room to pack some extra snacks (which im totally guilty of doing) and a blanket scarf incase you get chilly.

if the movies are a snooze and you'd rather hit the town, this look is sure to get your party girl juices flowing! color and layers are my 2 necessities for any dressy occasion. you want your man looking at you and for all the right reasons!! so pick a feature you love, and show it off! for me, its usually all about a lil leg action. i chose this floral mini and added some edge with a studded denim jacket. pretty/tough is always a great Friday night combo! to add an extra pop of color and really elongate the legs, i chose these single strap stilettos. and no look would be complete without the perfect pout, this shade is incredibly kissable and with a name like "jungle red" you really can't go wrong!!

for the homebody who just wants to snuggle up with her man, why not light the fire (literally and figuratively) and keep each other warm with some hot cocoa and good conversation. personally this is my kinda night, every night! date or no date, all i want is an oversized sweater and a comfy blanket paired with a hot bev and a good book. this knit cardi is great for staying in and even though your sweats may be calling your name, throw your man a bone and pair it over something with a little appeal. (sweatpants don't exactly scream "come to momma") keep up the cozy factor with a chunky sock or slipper and a large throw to share, you're sure to be in couple heaven!

whatever your plans may be for this evening, i hope you enjoy!! and have a wonderful weekend lovies!!

raglan sweatshirt GAP // perfect tote Old Navy // slip-on sneaks DV by Dolce Vita // bf jean Blank
tough topper GAP // flirty florals BB Dakota // sexy stilettos Shoe Cult // red lip Nars
lace teddy Eberjey // slipper socks Urban // pom throws Furbish // chunky cardi Free People

all about that lace

I am so in love with this top, so it just had to make it back on the blog again!! I originally wore it with my signature skinnies and red patent pumps (SEEN HERE), so I switched it up a bit and played into the whole leather + lace trend. I was feeling some bright pops of color and paired it with this cobalt clutch and my neon rockstuds. speaking of which, have y'all seen these knockoffs popping up everywhere lately?? from the flats to mid heel to the 4 inch stiletto, I kind of think I need to add a few more pairs to my collection. you can't tell by these photos, but the bump is getting a bit out of control and since its socially unacceptable to show up without your pants on, i've resorted to mainly leggings, or the ever popular "hair-tie button hole" trick. i totally cannot wait for warmer days so I can ride out the rest of this pregnancy in oversized mumus.

"ATTRACT what you expect, REFLECT what you desire, BECOME what you respect, MIRROR what you desire"

ALL IMAGES MARIE RODRIGUEZ

top c/o House of Sage // leggings Forever 21 // heels GoJane //

clutch styleXchange // sunnies RayBan

call me cowboy

Happy 2015!!!

did this past year not fly by?? im kicking off the new year (pun intended) and embracing my city with a little southern style, cowgirl inspired look. western wear and boho chic kind of ride on similar wave lengths, so I wouldn't say this is totally out of my ordinary style, but perhaps a bit more country than usual. I have been on a bit of a sweater shawl kick lately, because they're so easy to layer and they subdue the bump. paired with skinnies and as much fringe as possible, I think I've officially gone country, and I kinda like it!