Vacation Photo Diary

We went on a cruise through Royal Caribbean on the Grandeur of the Seas to Bermuda out of Baltimore for 7 days. It was such an amazing experience and I am so thankful that Steve's parents took us along for their 35th wedding anniversary trip! Below is a photo diary of my favorite parts of the trip along with a couple outfits with links to purchase. Enjoy!

Room service on the balcony in our room.

First day off the ship to explore!

Everly Dress/Steve Madden Sandals

Couples massage with hot stones.

 Our cruise ship.

Beach bonfire.

Playing with the GoPro while snorkeling at a shipwreck and the coral reef about 4 miles from land on a Catamaran. 

Victoria's Secret Bathing Suit

 The town of Hamilton

 Crystal Caves in St. George

St. Catherine's beach in St. George

Fedora/Similar Leopard Bikini/Michael Kors Sunglasses/Similar Lilly Pulitzer Beach Bag

St. Catherine's beach in St. George

 St. Catherine's beach in St. George...breathtakingly beautiful. 

 The beach on King's Wharf where our ship was docked. 

The beach on King's Wharf where our ship was docked.

Frenchi Top/Articles of Society 'Sarah' Skinnies

Rock climbing on the back of the ship!

This romper is my own design that came to life! :)

XOXO

Purses with Pursonality

I have not talked much about accessories yet so I think it is about time. So, today is all about purses, specifically Kate Spade purses! I will admit I have a slight obsession with her bags, I love the colors, silhouettes and sizes she offers. When I am buying designer bags I am very careful about it because they are not cheap. I like to make sure that I don't already have a bag in that similar color, size or silhouette and it is something that will add to my collection not duplicate or replicate something I already have. Below are my three favorite Kate Spade bags!

This cross body bag is the first one I bought and it was a great purchase! It is the perfect size and with the long strap I can carry it around on my body with ease. The navy and white combo is great because it matches so many outfits. The construction and materials of the cross body bag is so high quality that I will get many years use out of it and definitely get my moneys worth! I love that I can use it all year round and it is something that will never go out of style! 

This black bag is the second Kate Spade that I purchased and it was during black friday last year. That is a great time to make purchases that you have been thinking about because you are getting great deals. This bag is the ultimate everyday bag, it is black quilted and has two big compartments divided by a zippered compartment in the middle with pockets on the sides. I have been told that the bag is way to heavy for comfort, which is true, but I can fit everything that I need in there! The chained straps add a unique detail that makes this bag so amazing. This was another great purchase and it is a bag that I know I will have for years to come! 

My most recent purchase was this beauty, I could not resist it because I got a great deal and it is the perfect pop color for spring. It brightens up my collection and adds another size which is a great way to build a solid collection of designer bags. It has two zippers on the sides of the bag then the center is open with pockets. The compartments in this purse help you to stay really organized with all of your stuff while not being so big that it is manageable. The straps are long enough to fit nicely under your arm the gold details with this shade of pink is just perfect! 

Purses are the purfect finishing touch to an outfit and making a purchase is so exciting! Each season I love to add another one to the collection to refresh and update my looks. Remember, when you are buying a bag, make sure you are in love with it and KNOW that you are going to be able to use it often. Make sure it is constructed nicely, makes sense for your lifestyle and is different then the rest of your collection. I usually make my purse purchases when there is a sale going on just because I am saving some money and it is better then nothing so keep an eye on the purse you adore and make the purchase when you feel comfortable! Now that I am working at Nordstrom I am always downstairs checking out the new purses that they have because they all are so fabulous! Come see me and we will find you the perfect purse for the spring/summer....email me at holly.m.batton@nordstrom.com to come shop with me!!

XO

Hair Tutorial: How I Curl My Hair

I am so excited for my first ever video tutorial! I wanted to show you guys how I do my hair, step by step, so you can do the same thing yourself. This is my personal go to hair style, I can do it so quickly now and it holds all day long, which is great! I especially like my hair curly with it ombre because the gradation of dark to light through the curls looks great! But with any hair color this look is sure to wow everyone. You can keep it casual or dress it up to look amazing no matter what! Watch below and try it yourself!

Send me photos of your finished product to invisiblecrowne@gmail.com and I will post them! Also, let me know how I did with explaining the process or if you have any questions by posting below!

XO

Closet Crash at Emily's!

This was such an amazing closet crash, my friend Emily and I finally found a time to go through her stuff and really organize its all! We were having way to much fun and what you don't see is Katie, Samantha and Erin in the background goofing around with us while we conquered Emily's closet! They all got to take home a couple things that Em did not want anymore and it was a great way to exchange clothing to refresh everyones wardrobe! Emily's closet had so many great shelves and hooks in it that it just needed some adjustments to really utilize the space for its full potential! She has such great style and by the end she was so excited to be able to see her whole wardrobe to maximize outfits and to know the pieces she needs to complete her looks for the spring time!! 

Click here to view the video on youtube!

xo

Mini Skirts, More Options

As much as I would like it to be Spring already...I have a feeling we have a couple more weeks of cold before that happens. This transitioning weather is driving me crazy, one day it is getting warmer and getting my hopes up then the next it is snowing again! Because the weather is so unsure about what it is doing I wanted to talk about some more transitioning looks that you can rock to stay stylish though the ups and downs in the temperature. Two weeks ago I talked about the LSM dress, as being a great go to for this type of weather because of the coverage while still showing some skin. This week I want to talk about mini skirts! 

This first skirt is from Madewell, it is plaid and has a school girl feel keeping it youthful but the scalloped side seams and mid-mini length makes it mature and modern. This front tie chambray shirt from Velvet Heart updates the everyday button down and hits at the perfect spot on the torso to compliment this skirt beautifully! If it is colder out you could add leggings or stocking for more coverage but as it gets warmer loose the layers and shorten the sleeves to wear it in different ways over and over again! I chose to pair it with my Michael Kors boots to keep it casual but you could pair it with whatever you have in your closet! 

This next skirt is from Banana Republic, and on sale! Tweed is typically a winter fabrication because it is usually wool so it is very warm but I can make an exception with this skirt and wear it most of the year because it is cotton and a lovely white/ivory blend with black slub. It can be used as a transitional piece from winter to spring  as well as in the fall and in the winter. I paired it with this peplum top from Modcloth that I love, Click here for a similar style, it has the most beautiful details throughout and really compliments the skirt. The cinched waist and overlay of the skirt slims the body creating a great dressed up and classic look. 

Lastly, I am rocking a mini flared leather skirt, it is made by Arc and Co. and I got it from the online store LuLu's . This is such a fun skirt to add to your wardrobe because it is another piece that I will wear all year round, it just needs to be wardrobed differently depending on the time of year. The skirt is high waisted and has welt zippers to add some detail. I paired it with a grey long sleeve jersey top that I tucked in to create an hourglass silhouette that I have had for a while now. It has leather patches with studs on the shoulder that brings the whole look together! 

Click here for a tutorial on how to create this easy and adorable braided crowne that I did for this photoshoot!!

Having a variety of mini skirts with different patterns, fabrications, colors and styles you can expand your wardrobe massively. The pairings with these skirts are countless making your bank account happy while satisfying your craving for everything fashionable! Click on the links to purchase these skirts or use this as a guide when you are shopping to pick up the pieces that will work for you!! Which mini skirts in your closet are your favorite? Send me photos to invisiblecrowne@gmail.com or let me know in the comments section below!

xo

Mixing&Matching

Every woman has an Invisible Crowne and my mission is for you to find it, polish it and rock it. If you are looking to step up your fashion game this is the perfect post to help jump start that! Dare I say it...mixing and matching prints and stripes. It can be scary but if you do it right you will feel good, look good and be able to rock your own unique Invisible Crowne!

THE #1 RULE:

*Choose one color that is in both the print and the stripe*

It is so easy to wear these leopard pants with a black top or wear this striped top with a pair of blue jeans, those looks match perfectly fine and no one would question it. But what about pushing the boundaries and mixing prints and stripes and making it work?

This first look works because of the common denominator which is the color black. The black in the stripe, the leopard and the booties create a common theme that draw your eye in. 

This is a more daring mix&match look that I created but it still works! This J.Crew skirt has a lot going on so it seems weird to add more prints to it but it actually enhances the look. By adding a monochromatic printed crop top the blues from the skirt are pulled out and bring the whole look together. 

This last look is my favorite! I mixed two prints and stripes to create such a fun and unique look! This Lilly Pulitzer top is so cute with the vibrant florals and adding this Target Scarf is so much fun! Both of the prints are so preppy that it really works. The blue from the top and the blue from the scarf match which helps make this look work. Adding in the Coach flats makes the look more dynamic!

Mixing & Matching your clothing helps not only to create more outfits in your closet but more creative outfits! Your individuality will shine and you will stand out in a good way! Taking fashion risks are scary but when you do it you will open up a whole new world of possibilities! Have fun!

CLICK HERE to see similar looks to the ones above that you can buy online right now! 

XO