When I got these Sam Edelman Fringe booties from Shoebox last week, I knew I wanted to recreate this all-white w black shoes winter lookfrom earlier this year in New York. I have no shame in admitting that these are the same white jeans from the February get-up, as they are a staple in my wardrobe along w my trusty Louis Sully bag. So, here we have the its-almost-fall-so-I-can-wear-booties version of the white on white plus black thing.
(Side note: Yes I know, summer is coming to an end and its not quite labor day yet but for the record the no white after Labor Day rule has been thrown out the window with many other fashion faux-pas that I do not agree with).
In Cath’s last post she introduced you to Lola Pepper Boutique in Richmond and accurately described how perfect this shop was for us. And by perfect I don’t just mean the clothes, the leather cuffs and the handmade necklaces but just the whole *vibe* of the shop that Jillian has created. Like Cath said, because of how perfectly she has curated the goods, you won’t walk out empty-handed. As a matter of fact, I scooped a piece to wear on my wedding day.
When Jillian first showed me this Skemo piece, I knew it was love at first sight. It is totally designed to be a dress but as we’ve seen in my past outfits, I like to try to pull off the dress-over-jeans style and this edgy-boho number was right up my alley.
Unless this is the first post on The Crystal Press that you have seen, you know that we LOVE Free People. On any given outfit post you are guaranteed to find any range of accessories, intimates and clothes from our favorite boho-boutique. When the Richmond store approached us to be a part of this #FPSummerDays anniversary event, saying that we were excited is an understatement. We had such fun trying out different outfits and most importantly getting our hair done by the lovely stylists from 1213 Hair Studio.
Oh and how could we forget: champagne & cupcakes. It was basically our dream event and these photographs definitely show us in our element – laughing, drinking and showing off some sweet threads. Thanks to all of the free people stylists and especially the store manager, Jamie, for putting together such a fabulous event!
I have great news for my fellow shopaholic Richmond-ers: a new boutique has opened in the heart of the fan. Lola Pepper opened in May and if you are into the bohemian chic that TCP can’t get enough of, I suggest you pop in for all things dress, jewels, home & the threads I have on in this post! I can guarantee you won’t walk out of this boutique empty handed or without a ‘gram or 10 because the decor is to die for.
PS: This denim is a great price point ($60ish at Lola Pepper) with a designer fit and incredibly comfortable.
Ever since I can remember, I was an avid journal-er. Keyword: was.
Since my graduation from Virginia Tech, I have journaled consistently only when I am wading through a hard time. Other than those oh-so-wonderful-hard-times, I have allowed myself to digress into a sporadic journal-er post college graduation. I hadn’t even noticed I’d put my hobby on the back-burner until I came across the TIME article that we mentioned in our Weekly Roundup yesterday here.
Needles to say, this article has made a mark on my lazy brain because I have been carrying my journal around with me everywhere since it came into my life. There is something to be said about writing about…nothing. Maybe most of my sentences aren’t complete, I use too many abbreviations, and reference too many pop songs – but I feel saner & I know my future self will thank me for it. Plus, we all know reading old entries and getting insight or a belly laugh is the best part.
Despite my attempts to be/think like a more interesting woman, I continue to wake up loving T Swift & the latest trends in just about everything. Before your mind starts firing off thoughts of basic this, basic that – hold your horses because I have an exception up my sleeve. I originally titled this post “50 shades of blue” but felt inclined to delete the 50 because, that’s right, I have not touched a book in the Shades of Grey series or seen more than 1/4 of the preview for the movie. I may not be the most interesting women in the world, but I am pretty stoked to have some proof that I don’t do everyyyyything the masses do.
P.S I feel inclined to reveal that (to my not-so-pleasant surprise) these J Brand jeans are meant to be……….capris. Yes, they look like perfectly hemmed denim skinnies on this short-legged-lady but I’ll tell you what, Cath is not complaining. What better than being able to throw on a pair of jeans, without a care in the world aka sans alterations? If you have short legs or are in need of a pair of capris, head to Bahama Shop or find the link below.
I’ve always been confused by the concept of a summer sweater until this Bailey 44 white cage number came into my life. I can think of a million things I want to wear this sweater with and I am so thankful for Bahama Shop in Virginia Beach for allowing TCP to style looks with their amazing pieces! It was so fun getting to spend the day with them and play with all of their beautiful things!
If you make it to VB this summer, I highly suggest you pop into Bahama Shop which is just a couple of blocks from the ocean front to take a peek. What can be better than a trip to visit the ocean and a perfectly curated boutique moments away? Stay tuned for the next few looks on TCP to see what Bahama Shop is made of!
Beware: you can spend hours pining over all of the denim, flowy tops, & killer shoes at the shop. Plan your beach day accordingly.
I think its safe to say that my wardrobe has a serious black-and-white-plus-red-lip thing going on. Technically these jeans are just really really light denim, but for the purpose of this outfit, lets just say they are white. They have been my go-to for years now and give any outfit a little edge. The dazed-floral print on the tunic and the geometric pattern on the shoes are the perfect compliment to each other because of the black-and-white thing and really take this outfit to the next “matchy-matchy” level (imho). *Cue dancing in the streets & feeling like a flower child in platform mules*
When we discovered that CCH Collection’s Flagship store was right down the street from where we live, we were immediately enthralled. We spent a lovely afternoon in the store trying on basically everything, talking with the collection’s designer, Carter Johnson, and picking out a few pieces to show off on the blog. (It was so hard to choose – everything is so versatile!!) Carter designs the pieces, they are made in NYC and her sister, Alston, works in New York with the sales and production aspect. We love the modern twist on gorgeous, classic pieces and when we asked Carter a few questions, her answers sum up the Collection perfectly. (See Catherine in the Pop Top here!) The Crystal Press: What Inspires You? Carter Johnston: I’m inspired every day by what I see around me… People Walking down the street, themes I see on the runway, pictures I see on Instagram… sometimes even a color story in graffiti on a wall can spark an entire collection!
TCP: What drives you? CJ: I love to create clothing that makes women feel comfortable and stylish at the same time. I always find that when I want to look put together I often cannot find something comfortable enough to wear all day long – or – if it is comfortable, it does not look stylish and sophisticated. Many times pieces I design come from the desire to fill a void in my own wardrobe and I think I represent a lot of working women out there that have children or busy work schedules, where they need to be able to translate what they have on at work or running errands into what they wear to dinner or drinks with friends. I hope that their CCH pieces will fill that niche!!
TCP: How did you know it was time to start your own line? Fears you had to overcome? CJ: I have always collected pieces that I have come across through the years – whether it was a discontinued sample from work that needed a fit revision, vintage pieces found from all over, amazing pieces from my mother or pictures of my Grandmother – I have quietly been creating my collection since as early as I can remember. I usually have the silhouette in my mind and then try to find an amazing fabric to make it in. I have these shapes floating around in my head and once I find the fabric, they come to life!!
TCP: Out of all the cities for CCH to pop up in – why Richmond? CJ: I am from Richmond and have always thought this would be the perfect location for a CCH Store because what we offer suits the lifestyle of many of the women here. Richmond is a stylish city and the women are sophisticated. They want to look put together and effortlessly chic. They do not crave trend… they want to look timeless and elegant!!
[ we could not agree more!! well said! ]
TCP: Who is your muse? CJ: The line is named for my Grandmother as many of the first silhouettes were based on either pieces she wore or a look that she embodied. There are many “vintage” elements in the collection (high waisted pants, feminine blouses etc) but I like to make the silhouettes feel current by tweaking their fit and making them up in fabrics that are conducive to the lifestyle of busy women today.
and a few fun ones to end on —
TCP: What is your favorite song?
CJ: I love “No One’s Gonna Love You More (Than I do)” by Band of Horses
TCP: What is your favorite quote?
CJ: “Fashion must be the most intoxicating release from the banality of the world” – Diana Vreeland
Love the wall of printed instagrams!
They have a variety of pumps to try on with the clothes, in case you are like us and never come prepared!
Make sure you go stop by the Flagship Store on Grove Avenue if you’re local. It is so beautifully curated and Carter is extremely fun, knowledgeable and talented! [ shop online here if you aren’t! ]
When I got these Sam Edelman Fringe booties from Shoebox last week, I knew I wanted to recreate this all-white w black shoes winter look from earlier this year in New York. I have no shame in admitting that these are the same white jeans from the February get-up, as they are a staple in my wardrobe along w my trusty Louis Sully bag. So, here we have the its-almost-fall-so-I-can-wear-booties version of the white on white plus black thing.
The Crystal Press: What Inspires You? 
