Fall Business Casual + Things I'm Looking Forward To This Month.

     Everyone loves a good business casual look, right? I'm excited to share this outfit today- most of the pieces that I'm wearing are from the fall collection at LOFT! My friend Alicia from Alicia Tenise did a recent blog collaboration for LOFT (you can see her post here), and she invited me to be in her blog post, which was a lot of fun! I wanted to share my photos from that day with y'all. I'll also be sharing a few things that I'm looking forward to this month at the end of the post!

Photography by Tom McGovern

This post contains affiliate links. Thank you for supporting Southern Belle in Training!

Sweater // Pants // Earrings // Shoes {last season, similar here} // Lipstick // 

   So this sweater that I'm wearing... pretty sure it's my favorite sweater for 2018! It's so soft to the touch, and I felt so cozy wearing it! It's available in a few colors right now. I thought that the grey would be a practical shade for accessorizing and wearing with other things. The thing that really drew me to these dress pants was the tie-waist detail! The color is very pretty as well, in person it really is like a dark blue/grey shade that would look great with fall work outfits. My earrings are also apart of the LOFT fall collection. I've been a loyal LOFT shopper for years, so it was so fun to join Alicia for her campaign with them and put together this look.


    Now let's chat a little bit about November! In the past, this was always one of my least favorite months. I'm from New England, and usually by Halloween all of the beautiful fall colors are gone, and everything looks dead and brown. It's bitterly cold outside, and sometimes it has even snowed by Thanksgiving! Speaking of that, Thanksgiving is also one of my least favorite holidays (Not the being thankful part! Just the traditions.) Thankfully, November is a bit nicer here in the South. This past weekend was peak foliage in the Charlottesville area, and the whole city was filled with the most vibrant trees.

    Anyways, I thought I'd share a few things that I'm looking forward to this month, in the spirit of being thankful and thinking positively!

    *A baby shower for someone in my small group at church

    *A really fun blog collaboration (where I'll get to attend a fun event in Richmond)

    *My mom visiting

    *Traveling out-of-state for Thanksgiving to visit my good friend/former roommate 

    *Watching more Hallmark Christmas movies

    *Decorating my Christmas tree (I set it up each year on November 1st, but I still have to decorate it!)

    *BLACK FRIDAY!!!!

 

     I'd love to know what you're excited about this month! Let me know in the comments.

     God Bless,



     xoxo Annaliese

Lilly Pulitzer Casual Workwear Looks with Pink Colony.

     Earlier this week on the blog I announced my upcoming move and new job in Virginia! A new job means the perfect chance to update the workwear section of my closet. I've touched on this a little bit in my Radio 101 blog posts, but my industry is a bit unique in terms of attire for the office in that it's very casual. At my former station in Vermont, I wore jeans to work all winter long (ripped jeans are allowed too!), and shorts were allowed for both male and female staff members for work in the summer- both for events and in-studio. I never want to show up for work looking like I just rolled out of bed- I always try to do my hair and makeup for work. But at the same time, I don't work in an industry where wearing a suit and heels is appropriate... that would be way overdressed! I honestly dress for work very similarly now to how I did for college classes.


     It's a known fact here on the blog that my love fore Lilly Pulitzer runs deep! While the Lilly brand is often associated with their classic bright shift dresses, their clothing line carries tons of pieces- many that are work appropriate for both business casual work environments and more casual workplaces like a radio station! I had the chance to partner again Vermont's largest specialty Lilly boutique, Pink Colony, on a couple of fun posts for this month. Today's post is all about styling Lilly Pulitzer for a radio station work environment, or other types of casual office jobs. I worked with Pink Colony back in January for the most recent Lilly After Party Sale, so I was so excited to do another fun collaboration!

   

Photography by Amanda Rose Photography

Today's post is in collaboration with Pink Colony. This post contains affiliate links. Thank you for supporting Southern Belle in Training!

     *Look #1: Navy Skort + Leslie Silk Top

Leslie Silk Top  // Madison Skort in True Navy // Beachcomber Earrings // Pumps

     As I mentioned above, my workplace in Vermont allowed employees to wear shorts to work in the summer months. I tried not to wear them too often (usually just for outdoor events), but had I owned this cute Lilly Pulitzer Madison Skort this summer I definitely would have worn it to work! Since it's a skort there are built in shorts which gives it an extra modesty factor, which would make me feel comfortable wearing it in the casual radio work environment. I love it paired with the Leslie Silk Top! The Leslie is similar to Lilly's classic Elsa,  but has fun details on the back (which you can see pictured), and a slight v-neck in the front. I would probably wear this outfit with flats or sandals for work instead of pumps, but I thought it looked cute with pumps too!

     *Look #2: Cowl Neck Pullover + Black Pants

Belinda Pullover // Kelly Pant // KEP Designs Large Pom Earrings // Ski VT Clutch // Shoes {similar} 

     This outfit is literally the perfect example of something I'd wear to my job as a radio personality in the fall or spring months! This Belinda Pullover from Lilly Pulitzer is both casual yet put together, and I love how you can wear it regularly, or off-the-shoulder. I styled this look with these fun KEP Designs Large Pom Earrings- I ended up loving them so much that I took them home with me! A big fun pair of gold studs are very versatile and I know I'll be wearing these earrings a lot both for work and play. 

     *Look #3: Florin Reversible Tank for Work

Florin Tank // Luanna Cardigan // Alessia Dinner Pant // Earrings c/o // Purse {similar} // Shoes {similar} 

     I love the new Lilly Pulitzer Florin tank!! I had seen this on the Lilly website prior to my visit to Pink Colony, and it was great to try it on in person. This is such a versatile piece, and I adore the fact that it's reversible! The plain navy side would be ideal to wear to the office, for both casual and more formal workplaces. I loved pairing it here with the Bridget Cardigan. Hot pink and fuchsia are hues that Lilly does very well- and this cardigan is no exception!! 

  *Look #4: Florin Reversible Tank for Happy Hour: 

Florin Tank // Alessia Dinner Pant // Caught Up Necklace // Earrings c/o // Pumps //

     How fun and convenient is this?! The same tank that was office appropriate in the last set of photos can be turned inside out and is suddenly perfect for Happy Hour or a dinner date after work! I am loving this fun Via Amor print- while I didn't take home the Florin Tank I did end up taking home something else in the print. Just can't get enough of those cute hot pink flamingos! I also had fun styling the Caught Up Necklace for this look. I feel like this necklace is very different for Lilly's typical jewelry style- but I liked it! Side note: I wasn't too crazy about the fit of the Alessia pant, I personally prefer the Lilly Pulitzer Kelly pant. But that's the great thing about getting to try Lilly on in person, you can really see which fits you like the best! 🙂

     *Look #5: Classy Navy Dress

Brandi Dress // Pumps // 

     Is this classy number not the quintessential winter or early spring dress? It's a bit different in style and color from traditional Lilly dresses, but it's still very ladylike and gorgeous on! I love the bell sleeve detail. This dress would be great for anything ranging from a dressier workplace, a business meeting or job interview (I wish I'd had this for my interview trip to Virginia!), church, or occasions that fall in the winter months like bridal or baby showers. 

       

     Thank you so much for reading today's workwear style guide with Pink Colony!! Please stay tuned next week on the blog for a second spring collaboration with the store featuring some classic spring Lilly dresses AND a giveaway on my Instagram! 🙂If you liked any of the Lilly items in today's post, you can shop in-store at Pink Colony if you're in Vermont, or via phone or the Pink Colony website if you're out of state. Jessica and her staff would love to help you find some new Lilly for spring wherever you are!



     Have a great weekend! My weekend plans are continuing with packing and saying more goodbyes to some of the friends I've made here in Vermont.




     God Bless,



     xoxo Annaliese 

Lilly After Party Sale Style + Sizing Guide with Pink Colony.

     2018 is off to a fantastic start- the Lilly Pulitzer Winter After Party Sale came extra early this year!

All photography in today's post by Melissa Lynn Studios

Today's post is in collaboration with The Pink Colony. Today's post also contains affiliate links. Thank you for supporting the brands that support Southern Belle in Training!

     It's no secret that I'm a huge Lilly Pulitzer fan, and I look so forward to this biannual sale. Lilly's colorful prints and patterns make my closet and heart happy, but their clothing and accessories at full price don't always make my wallet happy. So the After Party Sale really is my favorite time of the year, and it's when I purchase most of my Lilly pieces!


     This year, I am so excited to be bringing you a very fun and different first blog post for this After Party Sale. I am teaming up with Pink Colony, which is Vermont's first and only Lilly Pulitzer signature store, to bring you a style and sizing guide for some APS items and also a few pieces from Lilly's newest winter collection. I'll be starting this post off with a Q&A about Pink Colony, and why it's important for Lilly lovers to shop APS from both Lilly's website AND local signature stores! Next, I'll be sharing all of the beautiful outfits that I got to play dress-up in during my recent visit to Pink Colony (and also sharing which came home with me!). Everything that I'm wearing is linked under each photo to Pink Colony's website- be sure to order quickly if you like something as things will sell out during the sale! And finally, Pink Colony's sweet owner Jessica was kind enough to run two giveaways to celebrate the After Party Sale, one on my Instagram and one in this blog post! So be sure to read through to the very end of the post so you don't miss the best part. 😊



Lilly Pulitzer Signature Store Q&A:

 
     *What is a signature store? Lilly lovers have the option to shop their favorite colorful clothing through a couple different retail options! The Lilly Pulitzer brand operates corporate owned retail stores (under the Lilly Pulitzer store name) in several states. (There was one in Charlotte at SouthPark Mall that I used to shop at.) Lilly is also sold at some high-end department stores. One of my favorite ways to shop Lilly though is through signature stores! These are locally owned boutiques which are licensed to sell Lilly Pulitzer, and their majority of what their store sells is Lilly, which gives them the official signature store designation! You can spot a signature store as it usually has "pink" in the title- hence Pink Colony in Vermont!


     *How do signature stores differ from official Lilly stores? A few ways! Since they're locally owned, the store itself is often decorated in very fun ways. I love the look of a true Lilly store, but I always love shopping at signature stores when I travel to an area with one, as I feel like you can really get a feel for how Lilly Pulitzer fits into the local area when shopping at one. Signature stores also area allowed to sell other preppy brands, which makes for a super fun shopping experience! (Think things like Jack Rogers, Kiel James Patrick, Hunter boots, etc.) And lastly- the SALES. While signature stores like Pink Colony do participate in the After Party Sale, they often have amazing clearance racks of things you'd never find on sale throughout the year on Lilly's website or in official Lilly stores! I've gotten some of my favorite Lilly purchases through the years on amazing sale at the signature store in my hometown.


     *What is Pink Colony? Pink Colony is a Lilly Pulitzer signature store that was opened by owner Jessica Cameron in July 2017, so it's still brand-new to Vermont! They're proud to carry the largest selection of Lilly Pulitzer in the Green Mountain State! Jessica is a Florida native who is excited to bring her sunny and preppy style to New England. In addition to Lilly, Pink Colony also carries 20 other preppy brands and a wide assortment of jewelry. They're located right in the mountains in the scenic ski village of Stowe, just an hour from Burlington!


     *How does Pink Colony do their APS? Pink Colony's After Party Sale is STOREWIDE- which means that not only the Lilly is on-sale, but also the other preppy brands that they sell! It runs today and tomorrow, January 3rd and 4th, just like the regular Lilly sale online. Excluding new arrivals, everything else in the store is 40-50% off!! You can shop in-store, and if you're not located in New England, you can order via phone at 802-253-PREP or shop online.



Lilly Pulitzer APS Style + Sizing Guide: 


     *Look #1: Workout Look 

     Surprise, surprise... for yet another year in a row one of my New Years' resolutions is fitness based! This year I got a head start on it though and started making the gym a priority again in November, so I'm planning to actually conquer my specific resolution this time, instead of making excuses. Cliche as it sounds, one of the best ways to get excited about going to the gym is by wearing cute athletic apparel! I already own one pair of Lilly Pulitzer Luxletic leggings, but I knew I needed a second pair. Jessica suggested that I pair the leggings with this Larina velour zip-up hoodie, and it was super comfy!! Wouldn't this be a cute outfit to hit the gym with now that it's 2018?! The leggings are one of the things that ended up coming home with me and I can't wait to wear them!!

     Sizing: I wear an XS in Lilly Luxletic leggings, so they run large. I wore a small in the jacket. 

     *Look #2: White Elsa + Bright Shorts

     Lilly Pulitzer's Elsa top is one of their staple items, and when I think of it I always associate it with bright prints. It's easy to forget that one of their essential tops also comes in essential basic colors, like this lovely white hue! I styled it casually here with printed Callahan shorts and Lilly wedges, but wouldn't this top also look great with dress pants, a blazer and heels for the office? I'm all about versatility when considering APS purchases!

      Sizing: I normally wear in S in Elsa tops but this one was an XS and it still fit! More of a "true fit" rather than a relaxed tunic feel. I'm wearing a 2 in these cute shorts (my normal size). The clutch I'm carrying is called the Bask in Clutch and it's just darling! My wedges are also Lilly and in stock at Pink Colony.

     *Look #3: PJ Day... Lilly Style

      Most of us associate Lilly Pulitzer with their colorful shift dresses, and sometimes it's easy to forget that Lilly makes so many other things in their iconic patterns! I was just delighted when Jessica showed me Pink Colony's selection of Lilly loungewear and pajamas. I was lovingly dubbed the "Bathrobe Queen" in college by many of my friends and I pride myself on having a large robe collection, so you bet that this darling and plush Lilly robe came home with me and is now in my closet! These PJ pants were oh-so soft and cozy, and I also had to snatch up these adorable Lilly coffee mugs (I definitely have a problem with mug hoarding!).

      Sizing: I'm wearing a S/M in the robe, and a S in the PJ pants. Mugs of course are one size fits all. 😉

     *Look #4: The "Champagne" Dress

      This dress is a bit different for Lilly, and also a bit different than what I'd normally go for when shopping Lilly! Jessica encouraged me to try it on, and I was pleasantly surprised by how much I loved it! Just a few days after we shot the photos for this post, I had a last minute semi-formal event  come up, and I realized how few winter cocktail dresses I own. I was so frustrated I hadn't gotten this at Pink Colony- lol! It would make the ideal winter dress for a semi-formal event or wedding! Jessica and her staff lovingly named this the "Champagne" dress, but its real name is the Mango Shift in Gold Scuba. The elegant clutch that I'm carrying here is called the Ibiza.

     Sizing: I'm wearing an S, but there was definitely some extra room so I could have also worn an XS.



     Look #5: Color Blocking with an Elsa top + Callahan shorts

     Here's another look with an Elsa top and Callahan shorts, but I feel like this is totally different that Look #2, which also featured that! I was surprised by how much I LOVED these shorts! Their color is called Berry Sangria, and I could picture myself styling them with so many different summer tops. This blue and white Elsa was also really cute! My sorority's colors is blue and white, so for any of my fellow ADPi's - this top would be perfect for us (especially if you're still in college!). I'm carrying the fun Cha-Cha straw pouch here as well.


     Sizing: I'm wearing a 2 in the shorts and my normal size, a S, in the Elsa top. I like my Elsa's to be a tad loose!



     Look #6: Winter Swing Dress

     A struggle for any Lilly lover living in New England (or any northern climate) is making your Lilly appropriate for all four seasons. You've already seen some of the outfits featured earlier in this post- and most definitely aren't suited for Vermont's harsh winters! It's always such a delight for me to find winter-appropriate Lilly pieces, especially living in New England! I'm wearing the Olive Swing dress here, it's made of velour and would look so cute for winter paired with tights and booties! It's also super soft- I kept "petting" the dress in between these photos, ha!

     Sizing: I'm wearing a S here, but this dress is supposed to fit very loosely and run large. Jessica told me that the S fit properly for the dress, and not to go down to an XS.



     Look #7: The Lilly LBD

     I saved my favorite outfit for last! The color black is probably the last thing that the Lilly Pulitzer brand is associated with, but let me just say that when Lilly does an LBD, they do it oh so well! This ended up being my very favorite look from my try-on session at Pink Colony! How elegant is this Mila shift dress? It would be perfect for any type of fall or winter event under the sun (or under the snow if you're in Vermont, lol!). I'm also carrying the gorgeous Bask in Clutch again in this look.

     Sizing: I'm wearing a size 2 here. It fit snuggly but well. I probably could have worn a 4 as well for a slightly looser fit.




     I hope you enjoyed seeing all of the fun outfits that I got to try-on and style during my Pink Colony visit! Now for the best part of the post... a giveaway! Jessica and Pink Colony are sponsoring not one, but two giveaways with me to celebrate the After Party Sale! One is happening here on the blog, and this one will run through Sunday, 1/7/18. That's after the sale ends, but the winner will have a great chance to pick up an extra Lilly gift or two for themselves (consider if the "After the After Party Giveaway")!! And over on my Instagram @miss_alk there's a second gift card giveaway with Pink Colony, but that one only runs for 24 hours! That way the winner will be able to shop in the APS. Be sure to enter both giveaways to double your chances- good luck!!


a Rafflecopter giveaway



     Stay tuned for more After Party Sale coverage and posts on social media and the blog tonight and tomorrow! I'll be sharing my picks from Lilly's official sale online as well!




     God Bless,




      xoxo Annaliese

Vermont Holiday Look + 6 Books I've Read Lately.

      Happy Day after Christmas! Hope that yesterday was a peaceful and wonderful day of celebrating for you. My holiday took an unexpected turn after I ended up staying in Vermont for the weekend instead of going home to Maine (the weather here was less than ideal), but I've tried to remain positive despite this happening! In today's post I'll be sharing one last holiday look that I wasn't able to post before Christmas, and also an updated reading list! I know it's been awhile since I shared one, but I wanted to let you guys know what I have been reading in November and December, before the new year!

Photography by Amanda Rose Photography

This post contains  affiliate links. Thank you for supporting Southern Belle in Training!

Top // Scarf {not online, similar here} // Pants {mine from The Limited, similar here} // Shoes {old from Zara, similar here} // Necklace c/o // Earrings c/o // Lipstick: LipSense in Bella // 

       This velvet peplum top was one of my Black Friday purchases this year, and I just love it! It comes in numerical sizing, but I found it fit true to size. It's a versatile winter top that you could easily pair with a cardigan for the office or school, and you can dress it up as well with a pencil skirt or skinny dress pants (like I did here!) for a holiday party look. This top also comes in a few other colors, and they're also super cute! I thought that gold accessories would be the perfect compliment to the dark red of the top, so it was the perfect chance to wear my new favorite statement earrings from Lisi Lerch! They kindly sent me these in time for my Kentucky trip, and I had fun wearing them there too! They're just gorgeous, and I know they will brighten up lots of my winter outfits.


      By the way- it was 10 degrees outside when Amanda and I took these photos!! I still can't believe I survived. She sure is a trooper! Hopefully my teeth don't look too gritted and you can't see my goose bumps in the pictures. 😊 Quite a note to start to end on for one of my last outfit posts of the year!




      Alright- let's dive into what I've been reading over the past couple months. My reading pace has slowed down a little bit from what it was this spring and summer, but I'm still trying to visit the library once or twice a month! Here's what I read in November and January:


      *Not My Daughter by Barbara Delinksy: You guys know from my past book review posts that it's rare for me not to finish a book. This was a rare one that I just couldn't get through! I think I made it about halfway. The plot of this book was about a single divorced mother who learns her high school aged daughter is not only pregnant, but is in a pregnancy pact with her best friends. The book sounded interesting... but ended up being hard to follow, and actually quite boring. I couldn't get through it! (I recently watched a Lifetime movie with a similar-ish plot to this book, and let's just say that had much more drama and excitement! Haha.)


     *Shattered by Karen Robards: This was a thriller set in a small town outside of Lexington, KY. Since I read it about a month before my Kentucky trip, it actually got me super excited to visit the Bluegrass State! Karen Robards does a great job of setting the scene of the Kentucky landscape in the book. As far as the plot itself, I loved the first half of the book, and then found the second half got a bit hard to follow and more unrealistic. This book is about an attorney named Lisa Grant who investigates an unsolved case from almost 30 years prior, which ends up hitting too close to home. There's also a romance involved in the plot as well.


      *Friendship Bread by Darien Gee: This is a feel-good read all about friendship, small town life, healing, and the power of baking. Thinking of Hallmark Movie type vibes, but in a book! It follows the lives of three women, all living in a small town in Illinois. As the women become friends and a baking obsession sweeps over their town, change is on the horizon for each of them. This was a cute read, and I thought it was so sweet that the author included recipes in the back of the book.


     *Secrets in Summer by Nancy Thayer:  This book is set on the New England island of Nantucket, and the main character is an island resident and librarian named Darcy. The book follows Darcy's life for a whole summer, through her friendships and dating relationships, and also paints a very realistic picture of what it's like to be a permanent resident on one of New England's smaller islands. Although there weren't any major plot twists in this book, I did enjoy the story, and I especially enjoyed the vivid descriptions of summer on Nantucket. I've never been to Nantucket, but some parts of it reminded me of summer in Maine. I'd be interested to read some of Nancy Thayer's other books!


      *First Comes Love by Emily Giffin: Amazingly this was the first Emily Giffin book I've ever read! I've seen her books before as they're quite popular, but I'd never picked one up for myself before. I really enjoyed this book. It explored the concept of coping in the years after a great loss, and the challenges that come with a relationship between two sisters. I'd love to read more of Emily's books now!


      *Vanished by Karen Robards: I took out another Karen Robards book on my latest library trip, and I'm actually still reading this one! It's another thriller. This book follows the story of workaholic district attorney named Sarah, whose daughter was tragically kidnapped years prior. The book begins when Sarah is a victim in a crazy convenience store robbery and shooting (which as a warning, is a very graphic scene). Sarah being on the scene of such a great crime leads there to be questions if this could be connected in any way to her daughter's kidnapping years prior. There's also a romance developing between Sarah and one of her best guy friends. I'm looking forward to finishing this book.

     


       My outfit details are all linked below. I'm excited to share my first year end recap post on the blog tomorrow! If you haven't read mine from years prior, I always share one post recapping the year in my personal life, and one recapping the year in blogging (as that's a ton to include all in one post!). Here is 2016's personal post and blogging post if you're curious in the meantime!

       God Bless,



       xoxo Annaliese