6 OUTFITS YOU CAN DIY FOR VALENTINE'S DAY

Happy February! With Valentine's Day right around the corner, I'm rounding up six of the Valentine's Day tutorials I've made and shared on the blog. By now I'm sure you know that I love making something new for every holiday, and V-Day is no exception.  It's just always fun to have something new and pretty to wear for your date night, a party, or to church on the Sunday right around the holiday.  I'm wishing I had the waist to fit into that lace colorblock dress I made last year!

They range from super easy to semi-advanced so there's something for everyone.

LACE FIT AND FLARE DRESS

FLORAL MIDI TUTORIAL

HEART ATTACK TEE TUTORIAL

PINK SWING DRESS TUTORIAL

BODYCON FLUTTER SLEEVE DRESS TUTORIAL

GLITTER XO SWEATSHIRT TUTORIAL

So which one is your favorite??

RAIDING MY SISTER'S CLOSET: BLUSHING

Pink is huge this season, and although my 15 year old self wants to punch me in the face for it, it's quickly becoming my very favorite color. Give me all the pink! So today my sisters and I are talking pink. 

My very favorite shade is the beautiful blush color, and I'm busy filling my closet with it this year. It's just such a soft feminine color, and it goes well paired with almost any other color, although blush and gray is a current favorite, like I wore here and here (coincidentally in front of the same wall...)

OUTFIT DETAILS: j.crew dress (I sized up one size, but I let out the hem an extra inch for a little more length) | blush heels | laser cut clutch c/o lulu*s | michael kors watch | karen walker sunglasses (rented using the endless eyewear program -- click here to get your first month of designer sunglasses rental free!)

*photos by jana laurene

I picked up this gorgeous blush dress at J.Crew last month and wore it in Dallas at the conference I attended. I was trying to figure out what color of shoes to wear with it, and neither black or white looked great, but then I thought of a monochromatic look. I tried it on with my favorite blush heels, and I loved how it looked. Simple and monochromatic almost always wins. 

Now go check out my sister's, Janssen and Landen's, pink outfits!

DIY FRIDAY: PINK SCALLOPED HEM DRESS SEWING TUTORIAL

DETAILS: dress made by me (tutorial below, or purchase similar here) | floral heels | similar bag | sunglasses | gold watch | bracelets here and here

*photos by sara walk

A few weeks ago I traveled to Dallas for the rewardStyle conference. RewardStyle is an affiliate network that I work with for my blog, and every year they invite some of their publishers to a conference, and each night of the conference they threw a big party. Of course I wanted to sew a few new things to take with me, and about a week before I left, I ran across this scalloped hem dress from Urban Outfitters.  I loved it, but the hemline was too short for me. I made a quick trip to Jo-Ann's, and dug up the perfect cotton-poly blend in a pale pink. There was only a yard and a half left on the bolt, so I snagged it all and ran! The fabric is lightweight, but not see-through, and is incredibly soft, although not stretchy. Pretty much the perfect find.

The dress is super simple, and since I made the neckline big enough to fit over my head, I didn't even have to add a zipper, and since it's boxy I didn't add darts (but if you're more busty, I'd recommend adding darts!) The scallops were definitely the most time consuming part, but since the sleeves are small and the dress isn't full at all, it didn't take too long and it was really pretty easy!

This is such a perfect summer dress for church, weddings, or could even be dressed down with a ponytail, a chambray tied around your waist, and some sandals for summer BBQ's.

Click the READ MORE below to find the full tutorial!

3 SPRING CLOSET STAPLES

OUTFIT DETAILS: tahari dress via zappos, c/o (I sized up for length, and then took in the sides -- tutorial coming soon!) | guess heels via zappos, c/o | michael kors bag via zappos, c/o | karen walker sunglasses | michael kors watch | stella and dot spike bracelet | gorjana ring via zappos, c/o

photography by jana laurene

There's something so exciting and fresh about spring for me. All the blooming trees and plants, the warm sun and cool breeze -- it's just the best time of year (besides Christmas, of course). With this time of year comes spring cleaning (my favorite! I shared my process right here), and then restocking your closet with a few new spring pieces. Today I've teamed up with Zappos to share three closet staples you should add to your spring shopping list -- and the best part is that Zappos has super fast, free shipping, so you can have those new staples in your closet almost immediately (I ordered these shoes and they showed up seriously less than 36 hours later...so awesome).

1. Little white dress. The LWD is a huge staple for spring that will also take you right into summer. It acts just like a little black dress, meaning that it goes with absolutely anything and is appropriate for pretty much any occasion, but it's a much more chic and fresh option for spring and summer. Zappos is super easy to navigate, and you can easily narrow your search to find a ton of beautiful white dresses.

2. Floral pumps. Floral is huge this spring, and it's migrated from dresses and tops, to bags, and now to shoes....and gosh, I love it on shoes. I have a few pairs of floral pumps and I cannot get enough of them -- they are so feminine, and although they're bold, they go with everything. It's even a fun and easy way to pattern mix. Throw them on with a striped top, a gingham button up, or a polka dot midi skirt. You'll get a ton of use out of them!

3. Colorful Bag. Spring is when I start pulling out aaallll my colorful pieces. A bright, happy bag is such a fun way to add a pop of color to your outfit, and is definitely a staple for spring and through summer. And with a white dress, or all white outfit, it's the perfect bold statement. This pink Michael Kors bag has been pretty much glued to my shoulder since I got it! Pink is my color crush of the moment, but this bag also comes in a gorgeous watermelon color, a pale blue, and a ton of other gorgeous spring colors.

What are your spring closet staples??

this post was created in partnership with zappos

5 TIPS FOR SPRING CLEANING YOUR CLOSET

OUTFIT DETAILS: dittos denim | j.crew top (old, similar here) | target wedges | michael kors bag via zappos, c/o | urban outfitters sunglasses | guess ring via zappos c/o | shoe storage boxes

When the weather starts warming up, one of my very favorite things to do is spring clean my closet. I love pulling out all the sweaters and boots, and replacing them with sandals and sundresses that have been packed away for the last few months. And of course it's always fun to add a few new things to the mix once your closet is all emptied out! 

So I've teamed with Zappos today to share 5 tips for cleaning out your closet, and then share a few spring essentials to help refresh your wardrobe after a long winter! Zappos has free 2-day shipping, so after that closet is clean, you can have your new items in your closet in a flash!

Here we go -- 5 tips for spring cleaning your closet:

1. Pull everything out of your closet and take a mental inventory. It might seem like a daunting task, and for those of you with bigger closets than me it might be extra daunting, but it's really helpful to actually see everything you own. Cause goodness knows it's easy to forget what you have in your closet! And who knows -- you might find that top you've been searching for for the last few months ;) 

2. Be honest with yourself about what you really wear. There are always a few pieces in my closet that I just can't let go of for some reason. I think, "I'll totally wear that this summer," when in reality it's sat unworn for the last two summers. A good rule of thumb (that I sometimes still break, obviously) is that if I haven't worn it in the last nine months (unless it's seasonal), then it's time to get rid of it. 

3. Make piles. Although your room will be a complete disaster as you spring clean your closet, making piles will help organize the chaos. I make a "Throw Away" pile, a "To Sell/Donate" pile, and a "Needs Repairs/Alterations" pile, and it helps me keep everything somewhat organized and contained as I clean. You can see my piles and stacks in the pictures above. 

4. Sort your clothing as you put it back in your closet. After I clean my closet, I want it to stay clean and organized as long as possible. The best way I've found to keep it organized is to sort it by item -- skirts all hung together, then dresses, then blazers and jackets, and then regular tops, and then sort by color within each of these categories (I do it in rainbow order). Then as I put items away at the end of the day, I know just where they belong. I also store my shoes in these boxes from The Container Store, and not only does it keep them protected, it gives me more storage since I can stack them on top of each other inside my closet. 

5. Refresh your wardrobe. Once you have everything sorted and organized by item type and color, it's easy to recognize any gaps you might have in your closet. You can clearly see that you don't own anything in cobalt blue (but you want to!), or you don't have a single white sundress (and obviously that's a summer essential!) So now comes the fun part -- refreshing your wardrobe with a few new things! Zappos has an amazing selection of clothing, handbags, shoes, and accessories, so they'll help you fill in the gaps so easily. They also have free 2-day shipping, so your closet will be refreshed and ready for spring in no time at all!

As I did my closet spring cleaning this year (which you can see snippets of in the pictures above) I realized I didn't own a pink purse. And since this is the season of pink for me, that was first on my list of purchases.  I found this gorgeous crossbody Michael Kors bag from Zappos, and it's the perfect investment piece to refresh my wardrobe now, but will also last me for years, since I'm trying to be better about buying quality items that won't fall apart before next summer! 

I paired my new bag with an all-white look for summer -- white denim and a white eyelet top -- and a pair of simple espadrille wedges, all of which are spring and summer essentials in my closet too!

Now go clean out your closet, and then refresh it with some fun pieces with Zappos! Which items are top on your "to-buy-for-spring" list??

this post was created in partnership with Zappos

PINK x GREY

OUTFIT DETAILS: topshop jacket (wearing size 2) | topshop tee (wearing size 4) | old navy jeans (from a few years ago, similar on sale here!) | pink pumps | old kate spade bag, similar here and here | similar necklace

I've been super drawn to neutrals lately, and baby pink and gray is my current favorite combination. It's an unexpected pairing, but as perfect pairing that is so soft, subtle, and feminine. I already have a lot of gray in my closet, but since this baby pink is big this year, I'm slowly adding a few pieces in this color to my wardrobe. So this Topshop peplum jacket was also love at first sight. The fit is so flattering and structured, but it's made out of a super soft knit so it's the most comfortable jacket you'll ever wear. Paired with my most comfortable jeans, and basic tee (also a favorite from Topshop, and only $20!) and my new favorite light pink pumps, this outfit is a winner in my book. Perfect for date night (and you can eat as much as you want without feeling like you're busting out of your clothes...um, not that that ever happens to me...)

Shop a few more of my Topshop favorites by clicking the images in the widget below!

this post was created in partnership with Nordstrom 

BLUSHING

photos by sara walk

______________________

dress made by me (tutorial coming soon!) (similar here and here)

rock and republic heels, similar 

lulu*s bag, similar here on sale!

gemvara diana ring, c/o 

ILY couture earrings, c/o

michael kors watch

inpink bracelet, c/o

Since I was little, one of my favorite things to get for my birthday was new clothes. And now that I'm older, and a clothing designer, I think that my favorite thing is designing and making myself something new to wear for my birthday (although let's face it...I like making new clothes for all holidays and occasions). So when I celebrated my birthday a few weeks ago and my best girl friends and I decided to dress up and go downtown in LA and celebrate at Bottega Louie, of course I had to make something new. This gorgeous blush lace had been sitting around in my sewing room for a few months and I was itching to make a dress out of it. And although I cut it close and was sewing on the button for the back keyhole just moments before my friends showed up to pick me up, it all worked out and I got it done on time. I'm so thrilled with how it turned out.

Besides the color (which I adore), I think my favorite thing about this dress is its basic slight A-line shift dress shape, which lets the lace really do the talking, and lets me play around with statement jewelry -- and you know how I'm a sucker for statement pieces. I paired it with my new gorgeous blue topaz ring I ordered from Gemvara, and I love how the blush and blue compliment each other. Gemvara lets you choose from their million fantastic jewelry designs and then completely customize your piece so you can change the main stone color, the accent stone colors, or the metal color. I think statement pieces are best when they're not overdone, so I chose a simple silver band and made both of the accent stones a white sapphire, and then chose a bold blue color to really stand out. I absolutely love how it turned out. Plus, it's not so big and fancy that I can't wear it casually.

Gemvara has a ton of other amazing choices, all of which are completely customizable! Here are a few of my favorites! And in case you missed it the first time around, Gemvara is extending their 15% off offer for the next 72 hours -- it will automatically be applied at checkout!

Gemstones by the Yard Stud Earrings // Love Disc Bracelet  // Gem Letters "M" Pendant // Poseidon Band // Martini Pendant