outfit of the day – The Sol Compass

Cobalt Cues

Happy Hump Day loves! Obviously I took these pictures before we had three snowstorms… Now if I tried to shoot at this location I’m pretty sure there would be nothing but snow and muddy snow behind me. Even with the snow and the cold I am just so over wearing jeans, a sweater, and boots that I’ve been veering far away from the winter norms and dressing a tad seasonally inappropriately. Spring and summer are definitely more my style seasons, since I will never get tired of wearing skirts and dresses the way I get tired of wearing jeans and boots. So what’s a girl to do? Throw on a pair of tights, of course.

Outfit Details – Dress: J.Crew (old, similar here, here, here, and here) | Tights: J.Crew Factory | Heels: Adam Lippes for Target | Earrings: Treasure&Bond (sold out, similar here) | Lips: Nars ‘Cruising’, Buxom Full-On Lip Polish ‘Brooke’

Thank you so much for stopping by! Hope you all 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

Day to Night Dress Series: Fun and Flirty Edition

Last week was absolutely crazy for me, but I’m happy to be back at it this Monday morning with a new Day to Night Dress episode. This fun fit & flare is from GAP, and just one of their many dresses that I absolutely adore. Every year when spring rolls around I always check out the selection of dresses at GAP. With their fun colors and flattering silhouettes; they make up some of my favorite wardrobe staples.

Since I don’t have to follow a strict dress code during the day, I love adding bright and bold turquoise accessories to contrast with the fiery red dress. For those of you that may need a bit more professional look, a blazer and some closed toe heels would be a great conservative touch.

Outfit Details – Dress: GAP (sold out online, similar here, here, and here) | Necklace: Francesca’s (old, similar here and here) | Bracelet: Lucky Brand (old, similar here and here) | Ring: Lucky Brand (old, similar here) | Earrings: Nordstrom | Bag: Vera Bradley | Heels: Christian Siriano for Payless (for more turquoise shoes, check out these: pumps, gladiators, oxfords, wedges, lace-up heels, satin heeled sandals) | Lipgloss: Bobbi Brown ‘Petal’ | Nail Polish: Essie ‘Buy Me A Cameo

This dress also makes for a really fun going out outfit. I added my new Bauble Bar bib and the necessary crossbody bag for a fun night out at Lolita Cocina– a must visit for anyone planning on visiting Boston this summer!

Thanks so much for reading! I hope your week kicks off to a great start this Monday!

xo, C

Day to Night Dress Series: Pleats Edition

Happy Monday, everyone! Today I am so excited to announce a new series that will be taking over The Sol Compass on Mondays during the spring and summer – the Day to Night Dress Series!

As May came and the weather (finally) started to warm up in Massachusetts, and I brought all of my beloved dresses out of storage, I was thinking about previous summers and dress seasons, and realized how much I loved styling my dresses for the current trends and seasons. One of the (many) things that I adore about warmer weather, is you don’t have to change your clothes nearly as frequently as you may during the dead of winter. For example, a dress can easily go from work to happy hour with a quick accessory swap, or from a brunch with girlfriends to a date night with a change of shoes. I know my friends and I are totally guilty of this, because everyone wants to go straight from work to the nearest rooftop bar or sidewalk cafe to maximize on the sunlight hours, that we never want to go home and change before going out. Plus, I have no qualms about going out for dinner or a date in a dress, but dress pants? Yeah not so much.

With this new series, I’m hoping to share some of my ideas on how to take a dress from day to night with all of you, and also how to style some of your old summer dresses that you just can’t bear to part with to be on point with the latest trends.

I love this outfit for a brunch date with girlfriends, or a Saturday afternoon strolling a flea market. I tend to gravitate towards brighter colors, but I do love pairing whites and neutrals with pastels for a light and airy daytime look
Outfit Details – Dress: LC Lauren Conrad | Jacket: LOFT | Hat: BP | Watch: Fossil | Necklace: Bauble Bar | Bag: Urban Outfitters (also love this one) | Heels: LC Lauren Conrad | Earrings: Kate Spade New York | Lips: Too Faced “Spice Spice Baby”

By switching out the denim jacket and sandals for a blazer and some closed-toe heels, this dress is all of a sudden ready for a nice dinner date. I added in my monogram necklace and a structured purse to really keep the look polished and sophisticated. (Though my flipped up collar doesn’t exactly scream “I have my life together”… Oh well. You can’t win ’em all).

I’m so excited about this new series, and I hope you all are too! Let me know what you think in the comments below! Have a wonderful week!

xo, C

Casual Friday

Is it just me, or do Fridays always seem busier and crazier than every other day of the work week?! On those busy and hectic days, I love embracing “casual Friday” and putting on a more comfortable outfit that is easy for running around in. Darker jeans look very put together and more formal than their lighter counterparts (as long as they are allowed in your work place!) I have always paired flannels with conventional fall-layering outfits like this one, but with the right heels and blazer I think they can add just the right amount of fun to a professional ensemble as well!

Outfit Details- Plaid Flannel: Old Navy (old, similar here, also love this one) | Blazer: GAP (old, similar here) | Jeans: Lucky Brand | Belt: Lucky Brand (old, similar here and here) | Heels: Banana Republic (old, love this similar SJP pair) | iPhone Case: Kate Spade New York | Earrings: Banana Republic (sold out, similar here) | Necklace: J.Crew (sold out online, similar here) | Rings: Lucky Brand, Nordstrom Rack | Purse: Target (also love this one and this one)

xo, Caitlin

Uniform

I love putting thought and care into my outfits, down to the very last detail. But there are certain days when the creativity just isn’t flowing for me, or I’m running late, or everything is either dirty or wrinkled. On those unfortunate days, I always reach for the same reliable outfit and makeup routine. A pair of boots, skinny jeans, a soft sweater, and a collared shirt never fail me. I love this blush, camel, and black combination; but I also do this combination with shades of blue frequently.

xo, C

A Nautical Winter

With temperatures now consistently below 40, I finally accepted the fact that winter is here for good. Luckily, I found the perfect cold weather accessories to make myself a little bit more excited for the winter (but only a little).

I am seriously in love with these Sperry Top-Sider duck boots. Not only are they great for walking through the snow and the slush, but they also bring one of my favorite summer trends (nautical stripes) into winter. I could easily wear navy and red all summer long, and I love that these boots make it possible to do so in the winter as well!

Other winter trends I can’t get enough of: toggle coats, leather gloves, and plaid blanket scarves!

Outfit details- Coat: Old Navy (also love this one and this one) | Jeans: GUESS (on MEGA sale right now!) (similar here) | Duck Boots: Sperry Top-Sider (also obsessed with these!) | Gloves: Topshop (cashmere tech gloves are another guilty pleasure of mine) | Hat: UGG Australia (old, similar style here, love this pom-pom beanie) | Scarf: Abercrombie & Fitch (it’s reversible!) (also love this one and this one) | Socks: American Eagle (colorful fair isle pattern here) | Purse: Tommy Hilfiger (old, similar style here and here)

xo, Caitlin

Black Friday Ensemble

Finding a Black Friday outfit may not seem high on your priority list this week as you scramble to get your travel accommodations or hosting preparations in order, but you will definitely appreciate thinking of it ahead of time when you need to get up and ready early the morning after Thanksgiving!

The key here is attaining that difficult balance between fashionable, functional, and comfortable. I opted for leather leggings- still chic, but more forgiving than jeans when I’ve had one too many slices of my dad’s apple pie- and a chambray as my foundation. Flats are comfortable to walk in and easy to slip in and out of when you’re trying on clothes, so I chose to wear my stylish leopard print flats. A cross body bag is key! You won’t keep hitting other shoppers in the crowd with your huge shoulder bag, and you’ll have both of your hands free for shopping! I always keep my jewelry simple when I go shopping so I don’t have to worry about constantly taking it on and off when trying on different types of clothes in the fitting rooms, so I stuck to the basics with this silver necklace and studs. I’m so obsessed with this look I will probably be wearing it much more frequently than just on Black Friday!

Chambray: American Eagle (old, love this one) | Leggings: Rock and Republic (old, but I may love these even more!) | Flats: American Eagle | Bag: Coach Factory (similar here and here) | Earrings: Banana Republic (old, similar here (and on sale!) | Necklace: Nadri

xo, Caitlin

Friendsgiving Outfit

I believe it is equally as important to spend time celebrating your valued friendships as it is being thankful for your family around the holidays. Sometimes friends wind up being your closer family than your blood relatives, and there is an amazing feeling knowing that they picked you, and weren’t just stuck with you!

My friend-family grew up in the perfect FRIENDS era, so naturally Friendsgiving is a must every year. I try to go with a casual, but put together look which fits in perfectly with our group’s ambiance. In my opinion, you can never go wrong with jeans and a blazer to try to balance that line. I love the current animal sweater craze, but adding a blazer adds just the right amount of sophistication for a sit-down dinner. I have a huge weakness for elbow patches, so I am beyond excited to wear this outfit to celebrate my amazing friendships.

Blazer: Zara (old; similar here and here, totally craving this and this one) | Sweater: Ann Taylor (also love this and this one) | Jeans: 7 For All Mankind (old, similar here) | Boots: Bandolino | Belt: Lucky Brand (old, similar here)

xo, Caitlin

Sweater Weather

During the winter months, I rarely stray from my sweater-jeans-boots uniform (primarily for warmth and comfort reasons), so I’m always looking for ways I can spice up that every day ritual.

Enter these amazing Old Navy booties. I absolutely adore burgundy in the fall and all throughout the winter, and these are comfortable enough to walk around in all day. They are also super affordable, which makes me even more in love with them if possible. The LOFT sweater is soft and comfortable, and I love how the leopard print adds an element of fun to the outfit without being too overbearing. This is the perfect ensemble for a playful Saturday afternoon of exploring.

Sweater: LOFT (sold out, different color here and sweater dress version here) | Jeans: GAP | Booties: Old Navy | Necklace: old, love this one and this one

xo, Caitlin