The Classy Woman

It's hard to believe that it's already been 9 years this May that my husband proposed while we were in Paris (you can read about our engagement story here ). It was a beautiful day, such a memorable trip together and I have to say he did a fantastic job of designing a custom ring that he surprised me with based upon a photo he had seen of my dream ring months prior. Having just attended a wedding this past weekend for a dear friend and learning of other loved ones who recently became engaged and of course moving into wedding season, I've been thinking about the excitement of this special time. If you're a traditional kind of woman, you probably prefer to have your husband-to-be shop for a ring on his own but if you're not, you may prefer to choose that exquisite piece of jewelry with him that will adorn your left ring finger for eternity. Either way, it's important to know what you want and like so you can provide some hints and/or suggestions to make the proces...

I believe that in life, before anyone else can truly love us unconditionally, we must first love who we are and be comfortable in our own skin. Often times, women in particular, have a habit of looking for someone to love them to fill that void in their life of the love that they don't have for themselves. Perhaps they're seeking validation because of the lack of love, respect or time they received from their father growing up, parents that displayed disappointment when certain levels of achievement were not met or perhaps after having been physically, mentally or emotionally abused by a former mate at some point in time. There are a multiplicity of reasons why we may not feel self-love which go far deeper than what I've referenced above, it's different for each individual. Without the ability to love ourselves though, we often lack confidence which in turn affects an array of areas in our life, we are also more liable to withhold the kind of love we truly want to give ...

JavaScript is currently disabled in this browser. Reactivate it to view this content. It's always so much fun to share my favorite fashion pieces for the month with you. Sometimes, before I know it, the month is nearly over and I realize that I forgot to share them! That has been the case both this month and last however all the pieces I've selected are suitable for the upcoming months. For May it's my goal to get my favorites out for this warmer weather within the next week.  I get so many requests for fashion-specific posts and posting a gallery is a great way for me to link directly to pieces that I know you'll love too. It's my hope that it makes your shopping (or at least your browsing and narrowing down process) a bit easier as you target new seasonal items for your wardrobe. I love dresses all year, they're easy breezy. I also love nude heels and the tassel trend (that I've always gravitated towards) which is clear in my accessory choices. Below are c...

Mother's Day is just around the corner and I've partnered with a wonderful company, Gift a Feast , to not only share with you some wonderful Mother's Day gift ideas (or another special women in your life) but one lucky reader will also win a package of goodies to keep or to give as a gift! The giveaway image below can be pinned directly to your Pinterest page. We'd love for you to share with friends! I love providing gifts that offer an experience and Gift a Feast does just that. Gift a Feast is a gift service featuring the best handcrafted treats from San Francisco Bay Area (one of my very favorite cities!), wrapping into gorgeous packages, and including a handwritten note card. They aspire to make the long traditions of gift-giving easy for busy people. They provide a wonderful assortment of taste experiences and they do all the hard work for you. You simply select from one of their carefully curated collections of local artisans which cater to both savory fans and ...

Kate Spade Bag   (8% cash back at Nordstrom + price matching)       Burberry Sandals  (3% back at Bloomingdales + $25 off every $100 spent) Ends: 04/26    Aviator Sunglasses   (6% back at Saks Fifth Avenue + 30% off w/ code: FRNFAM  Ends: 04/27   Gold Cuff  (3% back at J.Crew + up to 30% off full-price items & up to 50% off sale items)     iPhone Case  ( 2% cash back at Lord & Taylor + 25% off their friends & family sale)                Today I'm teaming up with ShopAtHome.com , an online coupon and cash back site that partners with thousands of online retailers and more than 60 million members to deliver savings and rewards, to share with you my 5 spring accessory must-haves that your wardrobe needs. A crossbody bag is so versatile and this Kate Spade bag above in the blush tone is a spring staple! Blush is the new neutral this season and this bag can be worn ...

One of the things I love most about spring when freshening up my wardrobe is all of the amazing sales that take place! I have a number of retailers that are my go-to for classic pieces (since that is what I build my wardrobe on) and today one of my favorite shops, Ann Taylor , is having their fabulous semi-annual spring sale offering 50% OFF of EVERYTHING and they're even providing free shipping! It ends tonight though so definitely take advantage. What's great is that they have almost every size stocked in every style still! They offer everything from regular sizes and petite to tall sizing for us taller gals! What I love most is the versatility in their pieces and that they range from polished professional pieces for the workplace to refined yet cozy weekend wear. Their style is always current and spot on, never over the top, you can truly build a great closet filled with essentials that you'll have for many years to come and yet their price point makes it an affordable...

JavaScript is currently disabled in this browser. Reactivate it to view this content. Spring has officially arrived and it's so wonderful to look forward to warmer days spent outdoors sipping lemonade on the porch, having lunch with friends at an outdoor cafe or enjoying a picnic in the park. For us Floridians we've already been enjoying this weather for months but as someone who grew up in the north, it was the time of year I always looked forward to so I could wear sandals again! As much as I love my essential staple neutral colors and classic crisp white paired with black for spring, for me, pops of color and pretty patterns such as florals are what truly defines my spring wardrobe. I recently bought this floral peplum top  (for just $30) which looks great with both skirts and denim along with my new  pale gray wedge sandals . There are so many wonderful colors on trend for spring such as poppy/tomato red, blush pink and powder blue to name a few that I'm excited to add ...