{currently coveting} rose gold. rocco.

My latest obsession: rose gold.  It's so soft & glowy.  And there's nothing that I love more than a purse with a classic square shape.  Enter the Alexander Wang Rocco with its simple lines, luscious leather and gorgeous stud details on the bottom.  The perfect combination of my loves. 

But I must say, I just cannot bring myself to spend $900 for a purse!  I love a gorgeous designer bag as much as the next girl, and admittedly I even own a few of the genuine articles.  I'm just at a point now that I'm trying to be a responsible adult balance my love for style with frugality and practicality.  Plus, I absolutely believe that you can look beautiful, stylish and chic without spending a small fortune.  Seriously, that's almost half of a mortgage payment! 

So it looks like I'll have to find one that's close enough at T.J. Maxx for $99 or else I'll wait for Alexander's collaboration with Target.  It's bound to happen.

{lookbook} weekend in Paris...deuxième partie

Happy Friday my dear ones!  It's the final day of Paris week!  Hope you've been loving the posts and that you've had some fun!  I wanted to close out the week by sharing the second part of my outfits that I wore on the trip.  Here we go!

{street style} Paris, France

There's no denying the French are a glamorous group, it was clearly evident as we strolled the streets of the city.  And they're trendy too!  I saw some of the seasons hottest trends all over.  I must admit, I felt a bit like the stalkarazzi taking these photos, but it was fun!  Here are some of my favorite looks straight from the streets of Paris:

{Colored Pants & Oversized Ponchos were everywhere!}



{shopping haul} what I bought in Paris

Hi darlings!  I really wanted to share my Paris purchases with you all but when I took the photos, I realized they weren't really doing the items any favors.  So this weekend, I filmed my very first vlog!  It was a bit stressful, but actually really fun!  (I secretly always wanted to be a QVC host, so this was good practice!) 

I wasn't crazy about the video but my girlfriends convinced that I didn't really have a double-chin so I decided to just go with it.  But alas I think the double-chin angels were watching out for me, because I've been trying to upload the video to YouTube for the past few days and it won't work!  So, I'm back to my not-so-great photos.  They don't really capture the essence of these gorgeous French pieces like the video did, but it'll have to do for now.  Oh and remember when I created a shopping list of just 4 items that I wanted to buy?  Well...as you can see things worked out a little differently ;)

{lookbook} weekend in Paris...première partie

To say that I am the world's worst packer would be the world's biggest understatement.  To say that I was completely unprepared for my trip to Paris would be the world's second.  It was so. cold.  I was a Chicago girl for 6 years, so I know cold but I think living on the shores of the Mediterranean has done something to my blood!  Also, throw in the mix that I'm now a style blogger visiting one of the most stylishly glamorous cities...that's a lot of packing pressure!  Regardless, I had an incredible trip.  So here's a peak at what I wore.  This is a two part series (hence, the première partie...part one) and I'll feature the rest of my looks later on in the week. 

{girls guide to...} PARIS

Happy Monday my dears!  Did you see yesterday's surprise OOTD post? I hope so!  It was such an amazing opportunity to work with Daily Buzz Style...I loved it! 

I'm so glad you're joining me today because it's the official start of PARIS WEEK!  I have so many things I want to share with you from my recent trip so I'm dedicating all the posts this week to the City of Lights! YAY! 

Today I'm featuring an insider guide to the city in addition to my photos.  I took so many pictures!  And if I do say so myself, some of them turned out pretty well!  These are my favorites that I wanted to show you.  Plus while I was there I learned more about the city, so I put them both together into this little guide.  I travel a lot so I'll try to put together a girls guide post for every city I visit.  Enjoy the pictures & I hope the suggestions are useful for your next trip to Paris!

{lookbook} DailyBuzz Style 9x9 Challenge: Colored Pants

Hello lovies! I told y'all I would have another exciting announcement and this is it!  I was selected by DailyBuzz Style as 1 of 9 bloggers to participate in a style challenge centered around one of Fall's hottest trends: colored pants.  DailyBuzz Style gave us just 9 hours to shop, put together the outfit, and photograph the look.  It was a blast!  I've been so inspired by the colored pants trend, and although I'm more of a pencil skirt kind of gal, I was really excited to try something new!  I also wear a lot of black so this really was a challenge for me, but I had picked out so many options...it was hard to choose just one!  In the end, I decided to go with a daytime outfit inspired by the warm hues of the season.  This look incorporates my favorite color orange, two patterns I love: houndstooth and paisley, and even an unexpected pop of leopard in my shoes.  Here's what I came up with:

{currently coveting} think pink

The Skinny Jeans  / The Perfume / The Bag

Friday's Fancies this week is featuring pink
in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month.
I'm so happy to be participating with {av} & other fabulous bloggers
because as the granddaughter of a breast cancer survivor,
this is a cause very dear to my heart. 

So here you have it, my top three pink wants at the moment

What items are you currently coveting?

here's to hope & all things pink,

xx

{ps}:
Wednesday I announced our very first GIVEAWAY!
including beautiful French items from my weekend trip to Paris!
Be sure to enter!

{pps}:
Get ready for our *second* exciting announcement!
I'm teaming up with DailyBuzz Style for a super fun post on SUNDAY!
So come back and visit me then!

Ok,  just two  more things before you go:
Today's post was supposed to be a mixed prints OOTD. 
But I got a bit too excited and with my recent trip
and a pending cold/cough, I just couldn't make it happen.
I promise to post soon & include links to
all the other stylish bloggers who are mixing prints!

And finally:
The Paris posts are coming next week!
lots of fun in store for y'all!
stay tuned...

Have a fantastic weekend lovies!

CLOSED: {GIVEAWAY!} French goodies from my weekend in Paris!

Bonjour loves!  I'm so so excited to share this GIVEAWAY with you all!  I had such a wonderful time in Paris, but I missed this little blog of mine and all you dears!  I was thinking of you all while I was in the City of Lights and I wanted to bring a little piece of Paris back so that one lucky winner could feel just a bit like she was there with me!  Check out this loot!

Isn't it all amazing?!

As I shopped in the French markets & the Champs Elysees,

I picked up all these gorgeous pieces!

I chose items to represent the quintessential Parisian experience!
French beauty products, a magazine, home decor, a scarf...everything a glamorous French woman needs!

Here's what's included:

• Vintage Jean Patou scarf from a market
• Paris print
• Glamour magazine in French
• Beauty products in travel size (Eucerin anti-wrinkle, Avene gels, Caudalie body butter)
• Comodynes self-tanning wipes (4)
• Roger & Gallet perfumed soaps (1 Rose, 1 Orange)

So how can you win all these fabulous French goodies?

You must be a public follower of Lili & Mae through Google Friend Connect to participate

Leave me a comment to let me know you're following

Extra entries: (please leave a separate comment for each one)

• Like Lili & Mae on Facebook
• Follow Lili & Mae on Twitter
• Tweet about this giveaway (include @liliandmae)
• Post about this giveaway on your Facebook or blog & link back to this post
• Follow me on Instagram (liliandmae)

The drawing will take place once we hit

100 Google Friend Connect and 100 Facebook followers

Or on Friday October 28

Whichever is later

So tell your friends!

YAY!

I'm so excited for this giveaway!

Hope you all love it as much as I do!

Good luck lovies,

xx

{ps}:
I *wish* I could have brought back
macaroons from Laduree for you...
so delicious!

*please note the pillows & silver tray are not included in the giveaway

beauty sleep {and travel} essentials

Hello my dears!
I'm back & promise the Paris posts are coming soon.
I have some fantastic things planned for ya'll 
Paris was amazing! Obviously! 
But, the one thing that makes me so happy to be back: my own bed.
Planes, trains & hotel rooms are not very conducive to restful sleep
And we all know, every girl needs her beauty sleep!

These are my top picks to ensure you catch some zzz in pure luxury

I'm just loving those sheets! So cute.
And the rest of these items are perfect to pop in your luggage for your next trip!
Oh, and I totally recommend taking your own pillowcase with you when you travel

1) Bobbi Brown Hydrating Intense Night Cream

2) Leopard Sleep Mask
3) Anthropologie Love Letter Sheet Set

4) Fresh Sugar Lychee Sugar Candle

5) Philosophy Eye Hope Anti-Aging Eye Cream

And just in case you had any doubt as to how important sleep truly is...

check out this fascinating New York Times article on sleep & creativity!

What's included in your nighttime beauty ritual?
Any other travel beauty essentials we must know about?

Sleep tight,

xx

{ps}:
If you're following me on Twitter,
you know that I have *TWO* exciting announcements this week!
The first one is *tomorrow*
It starts with G and ends with AWAY!
YAY! ;)

Look out for the second fun announcement at the end of this week!

{street style} the power couple

Happy Monday dolls!  How was your weekend?  I'm most likely en route back from Paris as you read this, but I just wanted to say a quick hello & share this fun little bit with you all.  As I was researching style in Paris last week to prepare for my trip, I came across this stunning couple: Garance Dore + Scott Schuman!  OMG!  I'm probably the last person on the face of this earth to find out that they are together.  Did you all know?? This has to be one of the most stylish couples ever.  WOW!  That's a whole lot of gorgeous talent.  Bless them!  I love Garance Dore's illustrations and her aesthetic is impeccable.  And, The Sartorialist...well, that's just street style genius that doesn't really need an explanation. I'm loving that they are such the power couple!

I'll be back tomorrow!

And I'll share all the goodies from the trip later this week

Hope you had an amazing weekend!

wishing you a lovely & powerful day,

xx

{Photos via here, here, here, & here}

I heart Chicago

{Print available on Etsy}

Happy Friday my dears!  As you read this, I'm jetsetting on over to Paris!  And while I am so excited & grateful to spend a weekend away in the City of Lights, really the only place I want to travel to is  home.  You all know by now that I'm moving back to the US at the end of this year, and I am beyond thrilled. 

After {an extended} holiday, the plan is to return to Chicago!  I miss that city everyday...it's the perfect combination of big city glamour, calming beaches, and sweet Midwestern people.  I lived in the South Loop for 6 years before moving here to the Middle East and I can't wait to live there again! 

{stylish spaces} NYC loft

I love the culture section of Vogue ...it's full of beautiful houses and beautiful people.  Have you seen their feature on the stunning home of Devon Radziwill? What a gorgeous NYC loft! Oh my goodness!  My condo in Chicago is really just another downtown apartment with some loftlike tendencies...high ceilings, partially exposed ductwork and semi-open spaces.  So I'm always intrigued by how others decorate their lofts.  As I prepare to head back to the US, I'm slowly collecting pieces of design inspiration.  This is pure perfection.

color love {marvelous marigold}

Corduroy Jeans/Turtleneck/Bow Blouse/Crepe Dress/Utilitarian Skirt/Cardigan

Last week, my OOTD post featured an unexpected combination: yellow and leopard
So many of you loved the skirt so I rounded-up more beautiful pieces in this marvelous color, marigold

What do you all think?

Do you have any yellow pieces in your fall wardrobe?
What are you pairing it with?

hope you have a wonderful day,

xx

{ps}:
SO EXCITING!
I'm guest posting over at [small shop] today!
Erika's blog & design work is amazing so I was ecstatic when
she asked me to do a guest post...my first one!
Stop by and visit me there as I share my wear that room feature!

a life of glamour and glitter

I've been thinking about Paris lately...obviously.  But also more specifically glamorous French women, their love for life, and their attraction to all things beautiful.  And the first thing I think of when I think of glamour:  sparkle.  Ok, I know I'm not a teenager but I love glitter!  I fully believe that no matter how old we are, every girl needs some glitz in her endowed-with-meaning life.  Glitter is sophisticated! (Did I sound convincing?)  Really though, a little shimmer never hurt anybody!  Roxy knows what I'm talking about, it's her way of life!  And, Taylor has done a splendid job of describing a glitter girl!

So I perused Pinterest and found a wide range of fun & unexpected ways to incorporate just a little dose of glittery goodness into your day.  I hope you'll pick one of these (or your own) to try this week!  And then let me know how it goes!

{shopping list} Paris

Happy Monday my dears!  Are you ready for the week?  The most exciting part for me:  I'm going to Paris!  This weekend!  It's my friend's 30th birthday and we're jetsetting off to celebrate in style. I'm beyond thrilled!  Now, here's the problem:  I've been trying to keep my shopping to a minimum because I'm moving back to the US and I must think practically about getting all this stuff home!  But, I'm going to PARIS!  Of course, I'm going to shop!  So I decided to make a list of my must-haves and only purchase these things.  I'm going to try my very best...

{fashion files} the denim shirt

I must admit, when I first saw denim shirts popping up on fashion blogs and style sites everywhere, all I could think of was Junior High.  Remember when they were popular back in the day?  Well, they're back.  At first, I resisted...but lately I've found myself drawn more and more to a tailored denim shirt.  I'm kinda loving it!  It brings a playful vibe to structured pencil skirts and pairs nicely with fun-colored trousers.  Check out these street style denim shirt looks I found on Pinterest. 





{dream home} chandeliers



{lookbook} leopard + mustard

First things first, I really want to thank you my dears.  I've received lots of comments/emails about the OOTD posts, I'm so glad you like them!  I'm going to try my best to do a few per month.  I hope they're helpful in some way.  I didn't intend to do another leopard-themed post but then Kristina announced the next BDIB and wouldn't ya know...it's all about animal prints.  Works for me!  So here we go, my third OOTD post!

{fashion files} mixed prints

So tell me, what do you think about mixing prints?

Love it or leave it?  I'm really not sure either way.


There seems to be a fine line between a mix that's done right and is quite chic (see below) and just plain chaos.

{Atlantic - Pacific}

Happy October! {pumpkin recipes}

Happy Monday darlings!

I was going to post about something

entirely different today but it's October!

And it's Fall!  And I love this time of year 

So I thought what better way to celebrate than with pumpkins...

 

Here are 3 deliciously unexpected pumpkin recipes