ann taylor – Page 2 – The Sol Compass

2016

Welcome back! After a much needed holiday break traveling to visit both sides of my family, I decided to take another week away from blogging, for the first time since August of 2014, to take a step away from the total internet immersion and decide which direction I want to take The Sol Compass in the upcoming year. Fashion will still be the primary category, but I would like to start bringing in more topics that I experience in my daily life that I’m sure you all do as well. For now, I’ve added some more pages and tabs on the top menu that you can explore while you’re here, with hopes of making them more technologically advanced and visually appealing in the upcoming months! Any and all comments and feedback about what you’d like to see more of are greatly appreciated!

Thanks for stopping by! Hope your new year is off to a happy and successful start!

xo, C

Blush x Burgundy

With temperatures in the 50s this week, it hardly feels like mid December! Not that I’m complaining, because it’s quite enjoyable to be able to take a walk outside without putting a hat and parka on. My leather jackets are some of my favorite third pieces, and I’ll wear them long into the depths of winter, just underneath my winter coats. This burgundy one I got last year at Ann Taylor has always been a favorite, so I like mix it up with one of my new favorite color combos of blush and burgundy!

Thanks for stopping by! Have a wonderful day!

xo, C

Brushed Plaid

My sister recently called me out when I described myself as a ‘coat person’, retaliating with ‘you’re an everything person’ (she’s not mistaken). However I definitely am a coat person. During the harsh New England winter, basically everyone sees me in my coat, so why not wear a statement making one that I adore? This plaid wool topper from Ann Taylor fits the bill perfectly- makes a statement, keeps me warm, and dresses up office wear perfectly and effortlessly.

Thanks so much for reading! Have a great weekend!

xo, C

Burgundy Skirt: Round Two

This burgundy skirt has been on repeat with this warm weather lately! The color absolutely screams ‘fall’, but I get to hold onto precious skirt days for a little while longer! I love this vibrant blue top paired with the dark hued skirt, especially while colors in New England are out in full force! It was actually a bright blue sky situated next to some turning leaves that inspired me to pair these two colors together. I don’t know how anyone can spend time in New England during the fall and not feel inspired and in love with the beauty of nature!

Thanks for reading, hope you all have a marvelous week!

xo, C

Fall In Love

One of my favorite color combinations for fall is blush and burgundy. I love the romantic vibe they give off together and the way the blush can lighten up a dark and bold autumn color like burgundy and give it a fresh feminine twist. I try to avoid matching my shoes and my bag too frequently, since it seems safe and predictable, but I love the way the brown in my accessories anchors the whole outfit in the current season.

Thanks for reading, have a great week!

xo, C

Beat the Heat

Blue and yellow have always seemed like an easy color combination to me. Together they grace the Massachusetts’ State Flag and make up my hometown’s colors. This lightweight skirt and sleeveless chambray are perfect for hot August afternoons, with their breezy fabrics and light colors.

Have a great weekend!
xo, C

Geometric

As we’ve established, I am such a sucker for bright colors and bold patterns. Luckily, I know that every season (especially summer) I can count on J.Crew Factory to deliver on both. Almost all of my weekend outfits consist of patterned shorts in fun colors from there that are a perfect length and incredibly comfortable. So it should come as no surprise that I should find a perfect work appropriate skirt with the same enchanting qualities! This fun multicolored pencil skirt is really similar to this one I wore here in Newburyport. I went back and forth trying to decide which one I should buy, but ultimately I decided to go for both since they are both so perfect for completely different occasions (#noregrets). Even better news: they’re both currently over 50% off! This white top from Ann Taylor is sold out in most sizes, but I love their constant effort to keep work appropriate tops different and beautiful. The simple eyelet pattern is not too obvious but still adds an element of surprise from the traditional collared white shirt I would normally pair with this skirt.

Thanks for reading!
xo, Caitlin

Sunshine Skirt

Here’s the weird thing about today’s post: I don’t even like the color yellow. Yeah, I know. Blame it on my inner cynical Bostonian, but the color yellow is usually way too aggressively happy and obnoxiously bright for my liking. Yet, despite this strong opinion I’ve held onto for years, I love this skirt. This shade of yellow is soft and buttery enough to brighten up any outfit just the right amount. I’m also partial to pale yellow paired with olive green, so just add in some delicate gold accents and preppy loafers and this outfit is an all-star in my book.

Thanks for stopping by! Have a great weekend!

xo, C

Comfortably Confident

Happy Spring Equinox, World! I think Bostonians deserve a medal of valor for surviving the snowiest winter on record. Also, so does everyone who had to listen to us whine all winter! Instead of celebrating by bombarding you with colors and florals (don’t worry, there will be plenty of that too come!) I wanted to share what I’ve learned this winter, as Mother Nature fits in one more snow squall (it’s snowing outside as I type this!)

Ann Taylor and LOFT make some of my absolute favorite sweaters. They’re soft and comfortable, wicked cute, and super low maintenance. This one in particular may be one of my all time favorites, because I can wrap myself in it on a lazy Sunday and still feel put together, which is a major factor in my working from home productivity. I had around half a dozen “working from home” days this winter, and I’ve found that the feeling great in the right sweater can really help me buckle down and get to work, even when my couch and ten seasons of FRIENDS are calling my name ten feet away. I have wanted to head out to the Natick Mall (about 20 miles outside of Boston) to check out the new Lou & Grey store since it opened a few months ago, and I think this weekend I may finally pull the trigger! In case you haven’t yet heard of it, Lou & Grey is Ann Inc’s newest addition to the family which perfectly embodies the “comfortably confident” look and feel that I have in this particular Ann Taylor sweater. I’ve been perusing their website for ages now, and think I now is the perfect time to go and see the pieces and store for myself! With some of the snow melting and the weather hovering above freezing, I can finally venture out into the world to check out this wardrobe gap I have apparently had in my closet! Lou & Grey’s new spring arrivals are lightweight and perfect for the upcoming warmer weather, too! Though winter may be officially over, I have a feeling wearing sweaters at home is definitely not!

I listed some of my favorite pieces below, and if any of you have any experience with a Lou & Grey store I would love to hear about it!

xo, C

Favorite New Arrivals: Beachcomber Hoodie, Bomber Jacket, Meshline Sweater.

Favorite Sale Sweaters: Fadeout Open Cardigan, Marlmix Sweater Jacket, Tipoff Open Cardigan

Have a great weekend, and Happy Spring!

xo, Caitlin

Americana

I can’t get enough of anything American (Fourth of July is my favorite holiday, and I come from a pretty patriotic family) and fashion trends are no exception. Red and blue is one of my favorite color combinations to wear, and I love when I find winter-approved ways to incorporate it into my wardrobe. Plus, what’s more American than stripes and denim?!

Confession: I had been on the hunt for a red leather jacket since season one of Once Upon A Time (aka over three years ago!) when Emma debuted her signature look. I was beyond ecstatic when I found this one at Ann Taylor- the moto and burgundy combination was the perfect fit for what I didn’t even know I was looking for!

xo, C