diaper bags...

babies require a lot of stuff.  unfortunately, the options for carrying said stuff are not always fashionable.  while pregnant, i was hellbent on finding a bag that i wouldn't be ashamed to carry because, let's be honest, i carry it all the time.

in addition, i didn't want to spend a ton of money because there were other important baby things to buy!  i needed to balance style, function and price.  

my choice was the oi oi baby ikat hobo in navy, but here are several of my favorite options.  i tried to include a range of prices because everyone's price point is different.  

here's to holding on to a little style, cheers!

stylish diaper bags by jnorthenor featuring nylon bags

Kate Spade nylon bag
katespade.com

Kate Spade kates spade
katespade.com

Coach striped tote bag
coach.com

Women's MARC by Marc Jacobs Eliz-A-Baby Preppy Nylon Diaper Bag, Black
neimanmarcus.com

Danzo Baby Canvas Tote Diaper Bag Kelly Green One Size
nordstrom.com

Timi & Leslie Diaper Bags Charlie
zappos.com

Oi Oi Baby Ikate Hobo Diaper Bag Chocolate
diapers.com

Skip Hop Grand Central Diaper Bag Cinnamon
target.com

green with envy

emerald has been declared the color of the year by THE fashion people (whoever they are), so here are some options for you.

green with envy by jnorthenor featuring a pattern dress

Phase Eight pattern dress
$120 - houseoffraser.co.uk

H m blouse
$12 - hm.com

GAP tall pants
gap.com

Diane von Furstenberg knee length skirt
thecorner.com

GAP petite skirt
gap.com

Pants
express.com

McQ by Alexander McQueen flat shoes
forzieri.com

Pointy toe shoes
lulus.com

Michael kors handbag
modaoperandi.com

Tory burch shoulder bag
bloomingdales.com

Banana Republic stretch bracelet
bananarepublic.gap.com

Stella Dot vintage jewelry
stelladot.com

Kate spade
piperlime.gap.com

Stella Dot bamboo bracelet
stelladot.com

Stella Dot bamboo bracelet
stelladot.com

Stella dot
stelladot.com

Ray Ban ray ban eyewear
shopbop.com

Tory burch tech accessory
shopbop.com

Tech accessory
target.com

Revlon nailpolish
target.com

back to school - classroom look

so, the baby is due very soon, and while the school year won't start as soon for me as for most, i keep thinking about cute work clothes (mostly because i live in soft clothes right now and also because i'm dreaming of a time when this weight is gone.)

last year, i officially fell in love with the j. crew no. 2 pencil skirt, so i plan to add many more of these to my wardrobe.  my goal for the 2012/2013 school year (fashionwise only) is to incorporate blazers into my wardrobe.  they just look so darned put together.  i struggle with finding a blazer that doesn't make me look like a linebacker though, so it'll be a challenge.

here's an idea of the kind of teacher look i envision.  thoughts?  suggestions?  help?

until next time, cheers!

back to school - classroom by jnorthenor featuring kate spade bangle

Tie shirt
topshop.com

Dorothy Perkins linen jacket
$61 - dorothyperkins.com

J Crew long cotton skirt
jcrew.com

Tory Burch leather tote
cusp.com

Kate Spade cream jewelry
endless.com

Kate Spade black stud earrings
nordstrom.com

Kate Spade knot jewelry
endless.com

Kate spade bangle
couture.zappos.com

a little of this, a little of that...

so, last week you only got music.  my bad.  it wasn't even a lot of music.

i will promise you'll get a bit more than that this week (just in this post), but i can't guarantee much more than that.

first - some music - i'm not going to give you several, but i will give you this.

mayer hawthorne - the walk

second - fashion (or kind of)

so, if you're my friend on facebook, you saw me post about the bustier/bralette trend on the rise.  i'm just not so sure about this.  i understand that they're trying to modernize it and fashion it up, but still this...






mostly reminds me of this...





and even a little of this...



think about it!

i'll be back with more soon--i promise!
cheers!

Maternity Looks

Maternity Looks by jnorthenor featuring isabella oliver maternity

So, as I'm getting into being more pregnant, I'm kind of exploring some looks I like in maternity clothes.  Here are my thoughts.

5 - skinny pants - 

There's nothing more flattering, especially if you're wanting to show that that's a bump and not all over weight gain.  I'm hoping they still look flattering as I keep growing!

4 - horizontal stripes -

This is the only time that horizontal stripes are celebrated because you should be growing, so why not show it off some?

3 - maxi skirts and dresses - 

They look good and feel good, what could be better?

2 - lightweight and wrap dresses - 

As the temps go up, I'm sure I'll be spending much more time in dresses bc they're lightweight.  I look for anything lightweight for day wear, but wrap dresses particularly transition well from casual to more dressy events.

1 - use what you have - 

jewelry is key to dressing up or down maternity outfits to get your wear out of them.  plus, what's better than accessorizing?  also, your old cardigans might not close now, but you can certainly keep using them with a fitted tank or maternity tank.

Do you have any more ideas about essentials for dressing with a baby on board?  Please let me know!  Until next time, cheers!

coral and leopard

coral and leopard by jnorthenor featuring a pencil skirt

Sonia by Sonia Rykiel knit cardigan
£125 - flannelsfashion.com

James Perse long black shirt
$107 - my-wardrobe.com

Reed Krakoff pencil skirt
$680 - net-a-porter.com

Rebecca Minkoff stilettos pumps
$295 - rebeccaminkoff.com

Vivienne Westwood yellow gold jewelry
$145 - viviennewestwood.co.uk

Noemi Klein butterfly stud earrings
£85 - farfetch.com



 I came up with this magical combo while looking at laundry on the ground.  My coral j crew pencil skirt (significantly cheaper than the $680 one here) was on top of my gray leopard bra.  I was really digging the combo, so I came up with this combo.  Also, when I'm wearing a bold pattern, I like to keep the jewelry pretty simple.  I loved these rock studs, and I always love a pendant necklace.  So, this is what I came up with.

Cheers!