Afternoon Tea

Who's feeling fancy today? I am!!

     Today, Kaya and I went out for our usual Saturday morning tea. I had vanilla, she had green, and we both shared a plate of biscuits. Delicious! The café we dine at is upscale, so we always wear our best clothing and jewelry. This week, I even styled my hair, which is quite uncommon. I love how easy my short hair is to care for, but today, I wanted to change it up a bit. Taking pieces of hair from either side of my face, I twirled them to the back of my head. Then, I took my other hairs an pinned them straight up. What do you think? I love how different I look--it really helps me stand out!

Sweaters that tie, not button? Woah!

     First, let's discuss this outfit's color palette. As you can see, the dress is composed of a few different pinks and oranges, maybe some gray in the center. I love the way each color fades from one to the next; it reminds me of a sunrise. In order to find accessories to match this complexly colored dress, I kept that sunrise thought in mind. What other colors can you see in a sunrise? Purple immediately popped into my head.

Let's talk jewelry.

     Throwing on a purple cardigan, my dress looked better instantaneously, the colors so much more vibrant. Knowing which color made my dress look best, I decided to incorporate similar purple jewelry and purple(ish) shoes into the rest of the outfit. I can't even describe how much better it outfit looked! But don't worry if you can't find accessories in the exact same color. My necklace (which is actually a human necklace), gives the outfit dimension because it's not the same exact color. The pearls are black, but when light bounces off of them, they look purple. How cool is that! 

Ooo, is this detailing pretty or what?

     When styling anything, not just dresses, really think about a color theme for your accessories. Chose a color that complements your outfit, then wear accessories in different shades of that color. This will help streamline your look, and prevent accessories from overpowering other outfit pieces. Also, just a general tip: always wear accessories! I figured you all know this, but I wanted to remind you just in case. Accessories are a way to elaborate your outfit, help bring out certain aspects of a dress or a pair of pants you really like. Maybe I should do an accessories master post. How does that sound? 

It's a bit chilly for bare legs. Oops!

     Well, Kaya's calling, she needs some help with something. It's part of an extra special surprise post over the next few days. Get ready (hint hint: it has to do with yesterday's post)! Try an outfit like this at home: Throw on a dress, then a similarly colored sweater, preferably one color. Then, incorporate accessories of that color. This is the easies trick in the book for gorgeous outfits!

Stay fashionable,

--Ivy

Clothes

Necklace: Local boutique
Earring Studs: Pretty Party Earrings
Earring Dangles: Everyday Play Earrings

Cardigan: Go Anywhere Outfit 

Dress: Local boutique

Shoes: Sweet Savannah Dress

My Instagram: http://instagram.com/ivysadventures 

Lazy Day

Hey! Welcome back!

     Hey guys! Guess what? Spring is finally on the way! The flowers have begun to bloom, the temperature is warming up, and Kaya and I are very excited. I can't wait to start wearing shorts again, and she can't wait to finally walk to the library! But with all the sunny days we've been having, today was quite a disappointment. It was gray, cloudy, and all around belch. I decided to have a lazy day at home, catching up on some reading and browsing through Etsy. So many are shops releasing their spring collections, and I couldn't help but snatch up a few items. Maybe you can combine some new Etsy purchases with ideas from my blog. How cool would that be?

Gazing into the distance, deep in thought.

     When I think lazy day clothing, the first thing that comes to mind is oversized items. Big sweaters, sweatpants--stuff you can flop around in. That's what I tried to wear today. See how loose and flowy everything is? My clothing feels weightless; I could be walking on a cloud! Anyway, try mixing oversized items with slightly tighter pieces. Here, I wore a loose shirt paired with a tight mini sweater. This prevents you from drowning in your clothing. Besides sweaters, you can also wear skinny jeans to balance everything out, or add a belt.

Infinity scarfs are so much cuter than regular ones.

     Another lazy day favorite of mine is scarves, but especially the infinity kind. If you aren't aware, infinity scarves are simply one giant loop (hence the name "infinity") of fabric which you can wrap around your neck multiple times. They are so much easier to wear than regular scarves, and a whole lot cuter. 
     I associate scarves with lazy days because of their usefulness (and, well, comfort, but you know that). You can add a scarf to any, and I mean any outfit, and it will immediately look better, while same time staying comfortable. Sweatpants and a pajama top? Add a scarf an you're good to go! In a previous post, I mentioned using a patterned piece to bring your entire outfit together, like I did with this scarf. Go cheek that out to learn more!

Love this detailing!

     Let's face it. These pants are ugly, and should probably be burned. Why am I wearing them? They were a gift from my grandmother, and she wanted to see me incorporate them into an outfit. They look like men's pajama pants to me. Ew, ew, ew! But guess what? I know how to fix them! Ivy's tip of they day: don't like a clothing item? Change it! These pants fit fine, I just detest their bagginess. To fix this, I will be cutting and hemming them to make shorts. How cool is that! Try looking at local stores for cheap doll clothing, and then play around on a sewing machine to fix them up!
     The weird cardigan thing I'm wearing was actually an ugly shirt I modified. I simply snipped off the velcro, then hemmed the edges so they wouldn't fray. And don't worry if you have limited sewing experience (like me!), changing items is super, duper easy: everything is already made for you!

Hiking, anyone?

     To complete the outfit, I added these hiking shoes. With all of the clothes I'm wearing looking so light and pretty, I wanted to add some toughness. These shoes remind me of stomping through the woods with their laces and dark coloring, but still match nicely because of the red patches. Try an outfit like this at home: Mix flowy and tight clothing to create contrast, or throw on a scarf to tie your look together. Modify strange clothing items to your liking, or sprinkle a but of "toughness" into your outfit, through a motorcycle jacket or lace-up boots. You'll be surprised by the results!

Stay fashionable,

--Ivy

Clothes

Scarf: Handmade by Ivy
Cardigan: Local boutique, then modified by Ivy
Shirt: Julie's Summer Skirt Set
Pants: Local boutique
Shoes Wilderness Outfit

My Instagram: http://instagram.com/ivysadventures 

Happy Birthday, Ivy!

     Hello everyone, it's me, Kaya! This is my first post ever, and I'm beyond excited. Ivy's so generous to share her blog with me, and I can't wait to share my ideas with you all. Over the last few days, I have been planning and wrapping and baking non-stop. You see, yesterday, February 28, was Ivy's birthday! I wanted to do something extra special this year, so I planned a surprise party. You can see what happened in the photo story below. Enjoy!

     The table was set--I had wrapped Ivy's gifts, baked a cake, and put out the plates. All that was left to do was wait. Suddenly, I heard footsteps. Ivy was coming! I crouched behind the table, and then-

     "Surprise!" I popped up, waving my arms about as Ivy gasped. 

     "I can't believe it," Ivy exclaimed. "Is this all for me?"

     "Of course," I said, a smile appearing on my face. "It's your birthday!"

     "Thank you, thank you, thank you!" Ivy was beyond happy; nothing could ruin her day. "Can we have some cake? I'm starving!"

     "Sure," I responded. "I made your favorite!"

     Before we even had the chance to sing, Ivy had plucked out the candle and begun cutting the cake. Now if you're wondering why the frosting is smeared so haphazardly, well, frosting isn't exactly my cup of tea. I can bake, I'm like the queen of baking, but frosting? That's another story. Here, let me demonstrate my skills:

     See? Look at that, I filled the cake with chocolate! Ivy was so surprised, she dropped the knife. "Wow Kaya, you really put a lot of work into this cake. I mean, your frosting skills aren't the best," she said giggling. "But your baking? It's superb!"

     Soon enough, Ivy and I were gobbling down the cake like we'd never eaten before. "This is sooooo good," Ivy moaned, her mouth stuffed with cake.

     "Thanks," I replied cheerily. "But, um, Ivy?"

     "Yeah?" She asked, looking up at me.

     "You've got a little something." I couldn't contain it any more; I burst out laughing!

     "Hey, I can't help it! This cake tastes like it was rolled in the clouds of heaven!"

     Next, it was time for gifts. I handed Ivy a present, and she tore it open excitedly.

     "Wow, I can't believe it! I've been wanting these for so long!" Ivy gazed down at the small metal trinkets, light bouncing of of them. "Thank you, Kaya. I really appreciate this."

      "You're welcome," I said. "Anything for my best friend!"

     Ivy also received some of her favorite lotion and a watercolor pallet I found at the art store. She absolutely adores this lotion, but ran out recently and hadn't had a chance to buy some more. That's where I came in. Kaya to the rescue!














     I bought the paints because she had been talking about going to the art studio for a while (Note from Ivy: remember the post Art Smart?). She was very grateful and excited. Then, we were onto the large gift.

     Peeling back the gold and black patterned paper, Ivy squealed in delight. "No way! You got me something from American Girl! Their clothing is so fashionable!"

      Then at lightening speed, she ripped off the paper and pulled the box open.

     Inside she discovered a white romper, a bandana, and a pair of orange flip flops.
   "Oh my gosh, oh my gosh, oh my gosh, thank you!" By this time Ivy was hyperventilating in excitement. "I've wanted this outfit for such a long time! Thank you Kaya, thank you!" 

     "I knew you would love it," I said, a small smile appearing on my face as Ivy slipped the flip flops on to her hands.

     "I wonder how I can incorporate this outfit on to  the blog," Ivy wondered to herself. I chuckled quietly to myself, pleased with her reaction. "What?"

     "Nothing," I said. "I'm just glad you love your gift so much."

     "Oh Kaya," Ivy said running over to hug me, the flip flops still on her hands. "Thank you for the best best birthday ever."

Clothes

Ivy's Shirt: Weekend Fun Outfit

Ivy's Overalls: Local Boutique

Kaya's Vest: Wilderness Outfit

Kaya's Shirt: Forever18Inches

Kaya's Pants: Weekend Fun Outfit

Ivy's New Outfit: Ivy's Rainbow Romper 

P.S. Don't forget to check out my brand new Instagram! http://instagram.com/ivysadventures Also, comment below if you'd like to see more of Kaya. I'm so grateful for her birthday surprise.