Valentines Gift Guide For Her: Dresses

I had so much fun selecting soft and cozy pajamas and slippers for my first Valentines Guide Gift Guide that I started working on this one shortly after!  If you didn't get a chance to read my first post, you can check it out here!  It's the perfect time to start thinking about gifts for your loved one!  Today, I'm sharing my favorite gifts for her in the dress department! These are ideas for the women in your life...your spouse, your mom, your sister, or your bestie!  For those of you that have been following me here on the blog, you know how much I adore the sweet, feminine, and sometimes sassy style of dresses.

Featured:

Dress: this Tahari red bow fit and flare dress (similar here, here, and here) 

Shoes: Halogen red bow ankle strap flats (sold out) (similar here, here, and here)

First things first, you will need to find out what size to purchase and this can be difficult if you are not intimately close!  If you want to keep it a surprise, you'll need to check dress labels in her closet and make sure it's a dress she has worn recently!  If you don't have access to her closet, you can follow general US women's sizing guidelines here.  If you're still unsure, it's best to be conservative and get a gift receipt.  When in doubt, go with a medium.  If the size is wrong, she can take it back and exchange it for her correct size and she won't feel insulted!  

The second important thing to understand is knowing her style.  There are different categories of dresses and knowing her preferences will really make her gift more personalized.  For purposes of this blog post, I've broken it down into three style categories: 1) Casual Classy; 2) Feminine and Flirty; and 3) Hot Mama! :)   

1.  Casual Classy style is for the active and fit woman on the go.  This lady prefers casual comfort and style with not a lot of fussiness and frills! She is the type of woman who throws her hair in a pony tail, feels her best in sneakers and denim, and takes care of business exuding confidence and natural beauty.  Here are a few dress ideas if this is who you are shopping for:

  

2.  Feminine and Flirty style is for the woman who loves the fun and frilly details - bows, scallops, ruffles, sprinkles, lace, glitter, bubbles, confetti, etc!  This lady has a sparking personality and intoxicating smile!  She loves to dream big and play hostess for parties taking care of all the pinterest inspired details!  She is the type of woman who takes time getting ready in the morning, styling her hair, playing with makeup, and accessorizing her outfits!  Here are a few dress ideas if this is who you are shopping for:

3.  Hot Mama: let's face it, what's hot is what you feel confident and sexy in and that includes all three style categories.  Hot mama is for the woman who has the curves in all the right places.  She feels her best in high heels and body hugging silhouettes that show off all her best assets!  This lady loves to stand out in a crowd and has a sassy but sweet personality!  She is the type of woman who exudes class, keeping her style very simple, graceful, and elegant.  Here are a few Valentines Day dress ideas if this is who you are shopping for:

No matter what style, all of these dresses would make for a very nice and personalized gift for her on  Valentines Day.  The dresses I selected as part of my gift guide can really be worn any time of the year but it's always fun to wear red and/or pink on this romantic holiday.  

Do you have any special plans for Valentines Day this year?  I love hearing all about the fun "Galentine" parties many ladies participate in!  My plans generally consist of helping my boys with creating their Valentines for their classmates.  My husband and I usually don't go out on Valentines Day...it's hard to get reservations at our preferred restaurants and wait times and crowds make me very cranky.  Usually we stay home, prepare a nice family dinner together with our kids,  make some ice cream sundaes, and watch a good Netflix movie.  That's all it takes to make this mom feel special and loved.  

Stay tuned for more Valentines Gift Guides coming soon!  If you haven't had a chance to sign up for my newsletter you can subscribe here!  It's a great way to connect with all of you about new posts, great sales you don't want to miss, Q&A on various fashion, beauty, home decor, and travel topics, and so much more!  Don't worry, I won't overcrowd your inbox!  Also, don't forget you can shop all of the looks from my blog on my shop page!

Thanks for Visiting! 

With Love,

Hayley 

Related Posts:

The Restless Sea

Living in the San Francisco Bay Area offers so many reasons to get out and travel to visit the most beautiful destinations.  From the mountains, to the beaches, to the vineyards, and all the historic towns in between, there is so much to see within a short drive.  This past August I attended my niece's wedding in Carmel.  My husband and I decided to spend a few extra days there with the kids soaking up all the sun, doing a little shopping, and catching the most beautiful sunsets.  

What I'm Wearing:

1. Lilly Pulitzer Dress (similar here, here, and here)

2.  Summer straw hat (similar here, here, and here)

3. Sandals (other options here, here, and here)

Lilly Pulitzer is my go-to brand whenever I'm packing for a weekend beach trip!  I purchased this tunic dress last year but found a few similar options below in updated colors and prints for this year!  

Carmel by the Sea is a small and quaint beach town which is located in the Monterey peninsula on the central coast of California.  It's about 120 miles north of San Francisco and approximately a 2 hour drive.  There are many fun and family friendly activities to do when you visit Carmel and the Monterey peninsula including hiking, wine tasting, bird watching, scuba diving, shopping, museums, beaches, missions, etc.  

One of my most fondest memories as a child is the 17 Mile Drive.  Packed in the back of my parents Cadillac with my brother and sister, we took the scenic drive and visited all the iconic landmarks including the Lone Cypress, Ghost Tree, Pebble Beach, and Restless Sea (featured here) to name a few.  As you pass through any of the entry gates on the17-Mile Drive, you will also be given a brochure with extensive information and a map.  Just follow the dashed red line on the roadway and posted signs along the route.    

   

The best time to see the 17 mile drive is in the Spring or Fall season.  The summer can be foggy especially in the morning making it really hard to see the beauty of the expansive sea views.  If you go in the summer like we did, I would suggest waiting until the late afternoon/early evening to give the fog time to burn off.   Plus you'll get some amazing sunset pictures! 

Admission to 17-Mile Drive is $10.25 per vehicle, cash only (as of Aug 2017). The gate fee is reimbursed with a purchase of $35 or more at all Pebble Beach Resorts restaurants, excluding Pebble Beach Market. Admission is complimentary for overnight guests of The Lodge at Pebble Beach, The Inn at Spanish Bay and Casa Palmero.  However, please keep in mind that gates are open to the public from sunrise to sunset and motorcycles are prohibited.

One of my favorite landmarks along the 17 mile drive is the Restless Sea (featured here). This area lies between Spanish Bay and Point Joe. The sea currents here are anything but calm and the waves seem to crash against each other causing a bit of a chaotic restlessness!  It's a beautiful point to snap pictures and take in the gorgeous views or the rocky bluffs and Pacific Ocean.      

If you're looking for lodging/accommodations near the 17 mile drive, there are many options to choose from including the luxurious resorts of Pebble Beach, quaint bed and breakfast inns, and family friendly budget conscious options.  For more information on lodging at Carmel by The Sea visit here!  

If you haven't had a chance to sign up for my newsletter you can subscribe here!  It's a great way to connect with all of you about new posts, great sales you don't want to miss, Q&A on various fashion, beauty, home decor, and travel topics, and so much more!  Don't worry, I won't overcrowd your inbox!  Also, don't forget you can shop all of the looks from my blog on my shop page!

Thanks for visiting!

xoxoxo,

Hayley

Pink Palm Print Maxi Dress

I am so obsessed with all the beautiful pink palm print clothing and accessories that have emerged this spring!  I have always loved tropical prints as it reminds me of a summer vacation at the beach!  In fact, my bedroom is decorated with palm print artwork and bedding!  Therefore, when I saw this gorgeous pink palm print maxi dress, I knew I needed it for two reasons: 1) I adore the pink palm print which screams Palm Beach!  2) It’s a perfect maxi dress to bring on our Caribbean cruise and Florida vacation this summer!  I’m literally counting down the days until our bon voyage!

The spring weather here in the San Francisco Bay Area has just been splendid!  I’m so glad we are finally into warmer temperatures and longer days!  This past weekend, we visited the Golden Gate Overlook which is one of the many fabulous spots around the city that offers great viewpoints of the historic and majestic Golden Gate Bridge.  The Golden Gate Overlook is located above the historic batteries at the Southwest side of the Golden Gate Bridge and is a great spot for photos of the bridge, the expansive coastal bluffs, the Pacific Ocean, and native flowers on the winding footpaths below.  If you plan to visit San Francisco and would like a list of all the great viewpoints of the Golden Gate Bridge within the city, check out the Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy website here!

  

As I mentioned, I fell in love with this dress the first time I saw it.  I am 5'10 and normally wear a medium or women's size 6-8 and the fit is TTS.   The dress has a small cut out in front to show a little skin, a twisted sweetheart neckline, and spaghetti straps that tie in the back for versatility and comfort.  There are two slits on either side of the dress so you can show off some legs!  I decided to keep the look very casual by wearing my favorite straw hat (similar here & here), some flip flops or sandals (similar found here and here), and  my favorite straw bag (not pictured - found here).  If you prefer a shorter mini sun dress version of this dress in the same print check out this one here.  There is also a petites version here.  

  

   

The Golden Gate Overlook is a great spot if you want to get fantastic pictures of the bridge (sunset pictures are the best just before dark so you can see the twinkling headlights of the cars passing over! It's also a great place to bike, walk, and run with many trails connecting in. If you love taking pictures of the ocean and coastal bluffs, this is a perfect spot and you may catch a glimpse of sailboats passing by or large cargo ships coming in from the Pacific Ocean.  Lastly, if you just love to meditate, be one with nature, find a bench and read, this spot offers so much peace and tranquility to do all of those things!
        

By the way, I started a blog newsletter recently and would love for you to subscribe!  It's a great way to connect with all of you about new posts, great sales you don't want to miss, Q&A on various fashion, beauty, home decor, and travel topics, and so much more!  You can subscribe here...don't worry, I won't overcrowd your inbox!  Also, don't forget you can shop all of the looks from my blog on my shop page!   

Adventure is out there!  Opt outside and enjoy it!  Thanks for visiting!

xoxoxoxo,

Hayley

 SHOP:

Nordstrom Black Friday Sale Favorites

There's still time to shop the Nordstrom Black Friday sale!  From now until Sunday at 11:59 PST  receive an extra 20% off selected sale items!  Pick up some favorites from your holiday wish list or check a few items off your giving list!  But hurry, these great deals end tonight!  I've rounded up some of my favorites below! 

Coats, coats, and more coats!  This double breasted envelope collar collared coat by Guess is now on sale for $127.91, regularly $240.  It comes in this wine color shown above or black and is perfect for the colder months ahead!  I wore it in this post here in case you would like to see it in more detail! This light pink double breasted boucle cutaway coat I wore in this post here is also now on sale for $143.91 - such a steal!  I just picked up this wool blend Trina Turk military coat in black and this warm and cozy faux fur trimmed parka in red!  Check out all the fabulous coats on sale by following the link here! 

There's a ton of Kendra Scott jewelry on sale!  I picked up the Elton station black drusy cuff bracelet, the Phara tassel lariat necklace in gunmetal, and the Rayne stone tassel necklace in rose quartz/gold.  A few other Kendra Scott items on sale include the Elle drop earrings, Decklyn pendant necklace, Addie drop earrings, Devalyn long station necklace, Elissa pendant necklace and the Pierce bolo wrap necklace to name just a few.  Find all the Kendra Scott jewelry on sale by clicking this link here! 

Hats!! They are the perfect accessory to your fall and winter outfits!  This black suede trim floppy hat is $27.83, marked down from $50!  This Eric Javitz Kim wool fedora is gorgeous!  This Hinge feather trimmed floppy hat comes in burgundy and grey and is only $23.51!  This Halogen slouchy cashmere beanie is super soft and comes in several beautiful colors for your winter needs!  I also love this Kate Spade New York bow beanie!  You can shop all hats and hair accessories on sale by clicking here!

Hunter rain boots!!!  I'm in boot heaven with this sale!  I mean how many Hunter rain boot colors can one person have?  As many as you like I say!!  I got these original Tall Hunter rain boots in green, You may also like the Hunter original high gloss rain boots here and here or the Hunter Norris field boots here - I love the Loganberry color!

Kate Spade!  There's 437 Kate Spade items on sale to be exact including jewelry, handbags, pajamas, and dresses to name a few!  Have you seen the Kate Spade Make Magic collection?  It's totally adorable!  I couldn't resist picking up this cute little bunny clutch here!  I also love this black glitter cross body bag which is perfect for the holidays and this Cameron Street Havana leather tote in mahogany!

There's so many other great items on sale that you don't want to miss!  Here are a few of my favorite shops as well as many more listed below!

Beauty Deals! - Shop them all here!

Women's Shoes - boots, booties, heels, sandals - they are all on sale here!

Women's Clothing - coats, dresses, sweaters, jeans, tops, etc. - find your favorite pieces here!

Designer Clearance up to 40% off - woot woot!

and finally...don't forget about the men on your holiday list!  There are a ton of great deals for men found here!

Happy Shopping!

xoxoxoxo,

Hayley

Favorite Fall Dresses

Fall is my favorite time of year! I love the bright warm colors of the changing leaves, the smell of fresh apple pie in the oven, and the cool crisp air which calls for cozy sweaters and blanket scarfs!  If you have been following my blog for a while then you know that I am a dress lover!  In the fall, I love to shop for dresses!  I usually will wear them with tights and a cardigan or wool coat for extra layers!

I've gathered up some of my favorite finds on fall dresses below!  Now I just need to decide which ones will move from my shopping cart to my closet!

I hope you all are having a wonderful week so far!

Happy Shopping!

Hayley 

SHOP:

OTS Style

Off The Shoulder (OTS) fashion is one of the hottest trends in 2016!  I definitely have my fair share of this look in tops, dresses, and rompers in my closet and have shared a few on my blog including this post here!  Today I am sharing some of my favorite OTS looks that are currently in my shopping cart below!  I have a sneaky suspicion this trend will continue through fall and may be around for a while!

 I also wanted to let you know that I have teamed up with Witlee Official to create a store on my blog!  Now you can shop all my looks from SF Bay Style by visiting my Witlee store right here on the blog!

Here is a little video made by Witlee featuring a few of my favorite fashion bloggers showing off their OTS style!  Did you see me?  What are some of your favorite fashion trends?  I would love to hear your feedback for future content on SF Bay Style!  

press play

A little off-the-shoulder action now on Witlee! Go to shop.witlee.com #witlee #offshoulder

A video posted by Witlee (@witleeofficial) on Jun 22, 2016 at 3:04pm PDT

Wishing you all a fantastic weekend ahead! 

xoxoxo,

Hayley

Old Town San Diego

I'm finally getting around to posting more of our summer vacation memories - this time... from Old Town San Diego State Park,  We recently took a vacation to San Diego in early July and I knew this was one place I didn't want to miss! We arrived a little earlier in the day to avoid the crowds and the heat!



Featured Piece: this Old Navy linen striped shift dress found here

There are a ton of cute shops that sell handmade items such as clothing, pottery, garden decor, jewelry, blankets, etc.  You can also find a ton of touristy shops if your looking for postcards, tee shirts, key chains, and San Diego swag!  I especially loved all the colorful handmade pottery and tiles made in Mexico!

I knew it was going to be a hot day and I needed something that would keep me cool as we strolled through town.  I packed this red, white, and blue linen striped shift dress in my luggage.  It was a perfect choice for this particularly hot summer day!  It's made of 55% linen and 45% rayon, so it's a very soft medium weight blend that kept me cool for most of the day!  I love the cinched tied waist which gives this dress more of a fitted look.  It comes in two other color options that are perfect for summer!

My Family!  My boys are getting so big!  They will be 10 years old this fall!

I brought along this Old Navy red, white and blue striped bag which is currently sold out.  I used it as a carry on tote for our plane trip but it also came in handy to hold miscellaneous purchases we made during our visit.  I stashed our sunscreen, water, and snacks for the family when we went out exploring.  It was super convenient!  You can also see how I styled it in this recent post here!  Here are a few other similar options here and here that create the same look!

I love cactuses and succulents and Old Town has many of them!  This is one of my favorite photos from the trip which I took with my iPhone! 

Did you know that Old Town is the birthplace of California?  It's where the first European's settled back in 1825.  There are over 17 historic points of interest and the finest in professional theatre,  museums, artisans, galleries and shops all within easy walking distance.  During our visit, we also enjoyed free live entertainment including mariachis, dancers, and period attire docents providing tours of the historic sites.

I brought along my denim jacket because I wasn't sure how late we would stay and it always cools off in the evenings at the coast.  This denim jacket goes with just about any summer dress.  It's one of my go to pieces, especially when I need to think about layers!  I also brought along these cute white sunnies and have worn them non-stop since!  Here are a few other cute sunnies I have had my eyes on here and here!  

We ended our visit to Old Town with some much deserved ice cream!  It was the perfect way to chill out, relax, and decide what to do next!

I would highly recommend if you plan to visit Old Town in the summer that you plan accordingly for the weather and type of activities you want to do.  I have heard that the Mexican food and margaritas are the best at the local restaurants!  If you are looking for more night life entertainment, food, and drinks, then plan to go later in the afternoon when the weather cools down a bit so you can still get some shopping done and then enjoy a great meal and cocktails!  I think we will go back for that during our next visit!

I hope you all are having a great summer so far!

Travel Colorfully!

Hayley