New Year's Eve Options

New Years Eve Options by Devon Watkins featuring Anthropologie earrings

Ah New Year's Eve, the biggest holiday of expectations, where to go....who to go with..what to wear...so many options! Most New Year's I have this high expectations of going to some fabulous chic party with a fabulous dress and yet that has still never happened. Probably because I would rather sit at home in my sweats and ring in the New Year with friends doing karaoke! And that is exactly what I am going to do this year, all though there will be no sweats because we are going to Bill's Place, a dive karaoke bar. We will sing our way into 2010! I couldn't help but put together this fun collage of pictures of a great New Year's party with these fun clock earrings to make sure you find someone at 12 to kiss! What are you doing New Year's?

Happy New Year!!!!!!

* postings will be short this week due to New Years and my birthday! Normal posting will resume on Monday.

Christmas Morning

Christmas Morning by Devon Watkins featuring Aerie
As a child waking up Christmas morning was filled with excitement and anticipation, there is still a little bit of that in me, but I especially enjoy waking up with my whole family enjoying the fire and each other. It has been a while since we have all lived under the same roof, and I love staying in my pajamas all day with my family as we catch up and laugh and eat together. Say goodbye to fashion for a couple of days because I plan on living in my plaid pajamas and slippers as I enjoy family, lots of food and Christmas! Have a Merry Christmas!

The Art Of Entertaining

The Art Of Entertaining by Devon Watkins featuring Anthropologie

Last weekend I went home to spend some much needed time with the family. On Friday my mom had a lovely work Christmas party at our house. I helped out with some of the details but was so blown away by the creativity of my mother. Not that I ever doubted it but she pulled off quite a classy work party. Here are some of her tips, she served butternut squash soup in vintage glasses, and mini pulled pork sandwiches and rosemary champagne spritzers. Of course the best part of hosting the party is decorating the house. A guest brought a gift (shown above) that spelled out Merry Christmas that she handmade! I love the gesture of a homemade gift as a hosting present! The evening was filled with laughs and great food and wine but I couldn't help but realize halfway through that in my generation we have somewhat lost the art of entertaining. I hope to bring it back, because nothing makes me heart full like a house full of people and good food. Hope you took away some great entertaining tips and I put the dress in there for good measure because every hostess needs to be the mostest!

Evergreens and Metallics

Holiday inspiration by Devon Watkins on Polyvore.com

I love the freshness of evergreens in the house for the holidays! The home is filled with the most wonderful Christmas smell and I especially love mercury glass mixed in with the evergreens. Not to mention one can always sparkle in metallic for the holidays!

Home for the Holidays

Home for the Holidays by Devon Watkins on Polyvore.com

I am leaving to go home for a long weekend, and I can't wait! There will be lots of baking and Christmas decorating! Have a lovely weekend! Keep checking back to see who the winner will be for the Christmas ornament.

A Vintage Christmas

One of my favorite things about Christmas is getting the tree and decorating it. I love how the house feels warm and inviting. The house is filled with the smell of pine and sparkles in lights! This year we have gotten some pretty vintage ornaments at Anthropologie and since it is the season of giving I am going to give one away this week.
Leave a comment below to share your favorite holiday memory, and the best holiday memory will win this ornament!

* Contest ends Saturday, make sure you are a follower to know about upcoming giveaways.
Click on the follow button on the right hand corner.

**** I loved hearing everybody's favorite Christmas memory they were all so good! I picked my favorite 2 and then had to draw out of a hat, and the winner is Julia Huttle! Congrats Julia, love the proposal story and love that it was around Christmas!

Feeling Blue

Feeling Blue by Devon Watkins featuring Anthropologie

I have been drawn to the color blue lately. I don't have much in my closet, but I am hoping to add a few items to my wardrobe perhaps this lovely dress would make the perfect addition. I love the dusty blue mixed with cream for winter and navy mixed with a crisp white for summer! What is your favorite shade of blue?

Chasing Trolleys and Holiday lights

Holiday lights by Devon Watkins featuring Anthropologie

What are you lovelies doing this weekend? baking....holiday parties.....getting cozy by the fire? Well Tim and I have decided that we are carrying on our tradition of seeing Christmas lights by following the Christmas trolley. Let me explain..there is about 9 trolleys that go around all of Santa Barbara showing people the Christmas lights and spreading Christmas cheer. It is a lovely idea but it costs $20 per person and you sit in a freezing cold trolley for an hour and a half. Realistically we would rather take that $40 and go to a nice dinner and that is exactly what we did. We found out where all the trolleys gathered and followed them throughout Santa Barbara in the comfort of Tim's car with heated seats and hot coco. It is quite festive all the houses are lit up and the owners come out and play music or simply wish everyone a Merry Christmas as the trolley goes by. Quite a few people were thrown off as they saw the BMW follow the trolley wherever it went and I hung out the window yelling Merry Christmas. After wards we decided to go back to our first date restaurant, Via Maestra 42 a quaint Italian restaurant. We enjoyed wine and pasta and soaked in the holiday cheer and chuckled to ourselves for we outsmarted the people on the trolley!

* Don't you wish you had a house like this covered in snow and pretty lights, and I thought this outfit was the perfect cozy evening out on the town!

Looks Like Rain...where are my wellies?

wellies by Devon Watkins featuring Chooka boots

The rain came pouring down this morning and in a mad rush to get to work I was desperately wishing I had a pair of rain boots! On a hunt to find inspiration I came across this image from Emersonmade. She looks adorable in her dress and rain boots! She completed the look with one of her own handmade cloth flowers, love the creativity. Luckily in California I can get away with rain boots and a dress, not very practical but very fun, who says fashion has to be practical? I pulled some different looks for rain boots, which ones are your favorite?

The Color of Warmth

The Color of Warmth by Devon Watkins featuring Anthropologie

Something about the color of this buttery yellow makes me happy! The unexpected pastels in winter is refreshing and I am in the market for something in the warmer color palette. What about you, what is a color you can't get enough of right now?

Thankful for Thanksgiving

Hope everyone had a lovely Thanksgiving...mine was exceptional. I loved having my family here with me and the Reinauers! Tim and me hosted thanksgiving which was intimidating at first but it turned out wonderfully. I loved having our families together and sitting by the fire and laughing at silly card games! We kicked off Thanksgiving with our 2nd annual turkey bowl then ate til we couldn't eat any more. Then we ended the night with a classic game of spoons and Good day Queen.


( posing after a classic game of spoons)








(Wayne about to bowl his first turkey)





(My super sweet boyfriend out did himself and made pumpkin souffles with a bourbon whiskey sauce from Gourmet magazine!)




(My Thanksgiving table set complete with a cornucopia made out of bread)

Happy Thanksgiving!

Postings will be short this week because I have family in town and there is lots of eating and game playing and laughing to be done! But my question to you is this...what are you going to wear this Thanksgiving? You don't want to be too dressed up because you want to be comfortable but at the same time don't want to throw on jeans and a t-shirt. Here is an idea I came up with..

thanksgiving outfit by Devon Watkins featuring Anthropologie

Items in this set:
Anthropologie sweater, $118
Amazon.com earrings
Denim & Pants - New Arrivals ..., $150
New Arrivals - Clothes -...

One can never have enough tights....

I have decided one can never have enough tights, in every color for every occasion. I love the unexpected pop color of tights under a dress! I have a wedding to go to in a couple of weeks and it is outside, so I am looking for the perfect pair of tights. When wearing tights you have to pick the right shoe and color, or else they come off "young" looking. I love tights with booties or a great ballet flight or boots if its cold!

Image (Plumo)

Neutrals for Winter

Neutrals for fall by Devon Watkins featuring Anthropologie

Items in this set:
Anthropologie blouse, $148
Rocha.John Rocha hat, 8 GBP
Forever21, $4.80
Laura Mercier, $55
Anthropologie sofa, $1,298

There is nothing like playing with the textures of different shades of neutrals. I love the richness of whites and off-whites for winter. It is weird to be talking about winter when it is still 70 in Santa Barbara! My favorite neutral that I own is a thick hand knitted sweater I bought last year with a big cowl neck, I can't wait to pull it out once the rain hits!

Easy Dressing

Easy Dressing by Devon Watkins featuring Splendid

Items in this set:
Anthropologie sweater, $118
Splendid t shirt, 62 GBP
Seven For All Mankind jeans, $225
GAP flats, $40
New Products : ShopRuche.com,..., $27

I love throwing on an outfit that is cozy and comfortable yet casual. Little do people know how long it takes to perfect this look. I love the thickenss and vibrant colors of this sweater and the perfectly worn denuim. The little pattern clutch makes for a great statement and the unexpected color of the rose earrings adds a pop of color. What is your "go to" comfortable yet pulled together look?

Paper white Perfection

One of my favorite things about the holidays is the anticipation of it all. My mom would start decorating the day after Thanksgiving and would pull out all the bulbs of paper whites and start planting them so they would be full bloom for Christmas. I always remember how pretty they looked and filled the house with the lovely fragrance. I found this lovely chemise (Anthropologie) called Paper whites and couldn't help but fall in love with the lace detailing and vibrant color!

Have A Wonderful Weekend

Sorry about the small amount of posts this week, I have been down and out with a head cold all week, luckily I am feeling better for the weekend! I think I am going to cozy up in my slippers and settle in with a good movie...any recommendations?

(image from Plumo)

Fabulous, Fashionable and Fifty

I went to my mom's antique show, Remnants of the Past and couldn't help but be inspired by some of the fabulous women. These ladies knew how to rock out the fashion and they are over 50...I hope I look this good when I am 50! Starting off with Judi, pairing an ever so delicate cardigan with strands of pearls looking very pulled together and comfortable, very casual chic! Next Sidney incorporating this years biggest trend plaid with a classic trench, don't you love her hair?! Not to be bias but had to put my mama in here. She looks great with a classic tee with a twist of a ruffle neckline and a couple of pearls layered for an easy chic look. Way to go mama! Kriste is wearing another great look of a no closure cardigan and making it fancy with a couple of key statement layering necklaces. Who says you can't be 50 and fashionable! Hats off to you ladies for finding classic looks and not giving into Talbot's!

Off to the Flea Market

Do you think this bag will be big enough to store all my treasures from the flea market? My friend Abigail and I are setting off to the Rose Bowl Flea Market in search of silver trays and glass bottles for her wedding, and I am in search of anything fabulous that can fit in my bag and can't live without!

p.s. I am totally turning into my mother! It was inevitable...

Baby It's Cold Outside...in Lithuania

Here is a fashion question from my dearest friend Kristin....

Devon,
I am having a fashion hang up. Since I am living practically at the north pole the weather is freezing. And I have to walk everywhere. This creates a problem because I always end up trying to layer up, but I am having a hard time finding really really warm cute options that I can still walk long distances in. Any ideas for me?
thanks
kbaby
ps. i love LOVE love your blog.

I can't leave my friend fashion less and frozen in Lithuania so here are some options I came up with.

Baby it's Cold Outside... by Devon Watkins on Polyvore.com

Items in this set:
Shopruche.com sweater, $49
Toast.co.uk, 275 GBP
Toast.co.uk, 145 GBP
UGG - Broome (Espresso Suede)...
Helena Overcoat -..., $198

Let's start with the boots, they are lined with sheepskin on the inside to keep your feet nice and toasty, and are very comfortable to walk in because they are made by Ugg! The cream sweaterdress can be layered with a long sleeve shirt underneath paired with tights and boots gives you a cozy outfit, layered with a scarf to accessorize. The grey sweater coat is a cute option to wear with jeans and for $49 who can pass it by! The plaid is a must-have this season and with this overcoat you can have it all!

Hope this helps Kristin...I miss you, stay warm and fashionable!

What Is Inspiration?

Webster dictionary defines in⋅spi⋅ra⋅tion as

1. an inspiring or animating action or influence
2. something inspired, as an idea.
3. a result of inspired activity.
4. a thing or person that inspires.
5. Theology.
a. a divine influence directly and immediately exerted upon the mind or soul.
b. the divine quality of the writings or words of a person so influenced.
6. the drawing of air into the lungs; inhalation.
7. the act of inspiring; quality or state of being inspired.

I only have one defintion for inspiration-Anthropologie. Working for Anthropologie is simply a place to be inspired. Before I worked there I came to be inspired and soak in the experience of every sense being stimulated. Now that I work on the visual team there I get to be a part of that magic and find out what it means to see art and things in life and bring inspiration out of it. Anthropologie launched a new blog called "the anthropologist" which is a blog that shares what inspires Anthropologie.

check it out...http://www.theanthropologist.net/



"The Anthropologist is an online space for inspiring works and inspiring individuals.
It is a testament to the idea that revealing the passions of one person can result in the progress of many. "-creators of "the anthropologist"

Feeling Gray

The fog has been thick in the mornings in Santa Barbara and it has left me craving more gray in my life! Gray looks wonderful with a pop of red and can be dressed up or down. How much do you love these velvet gray clutches and mittens from Plumo? The checkered jacket is the right amount of sophistication and playfulness (Anthropologie) and the shoes scream holiday parties (Plumo).

The Bee and Her Flower

Well the morning of Halloween we decided to change Tim's costume at the last minute. I found this fabulous multi-colored hat at a garage sale and instantly thought that Tim could be a flower instead of the bee keeper! We cut out the middle of the hat and put a bungee cord through it. We painted his face yellow, and bought a bright kelly green shirt and had quite the laugh over his costume! The party was a blast, complete with Tortilla soup which I made from scratch and a costume walk off! It was fun to see how many people got creative with their costumes! What did you do?

Winner of the Contest

Congrats to Rebecca for winning the holiday Anthropologie candle! Hope you enjoy it!Thanks for following Wardrobe Chic!

* Rebecca please email me your address so I can send it to you! Thanks
devon@wardrobechic.com

What are you going to BEE for Halloween?

Tim and I have decided to throw our own Halloween party. It is kind of last minute because we kept waiting for someone else to throw a party, but it never happened, so we decided to throw one! Hot tortilla soup, a costume walk off and carmel apples, can't wait! I am going to be a bee and Tim is going to be a bee keeper! Hahaha how funny are we!

Red-The Must Have Color

Red- The Must Have Color by Devon Watkins featuring Old Navy

Every fashion season there is always one color that sticks out to me, this season it is red! I love the richness of this color, whether it is decorating my home or pulling together an outfit, I love the depth of this color.

Things I love that are red....

old barns
red roses
cranberries
red doors
peppermint candies
red wine
red lipstick

Craving Sparkle

Everyone needs a little more sparkle in their life right? I am dying over these silver beaded bangles, they look great stacked or worn individually. (Plumo) The silver siquined bolero is also from Plumo, the perfect winter accessory to go over a holiday simple dress. And of course a beautiful ring with a ginormous diamond always makes a girl smile!(Image from Martha Stewart)

Question from a Reader

My dear friend Patrica wrote in with a fashion question, she is trying to find the perfect pair of distressed/worn-in boots for the fall. I have had the same dilemma trying to find the perfect pair that achieves this look and are comfortable. Here are a variety of boots I put together ranging from $189- $498. Hope this helps Patricia, let me know what you find!

left to right (Jessica Simpson,J,crew,Steve Madden,Steve Madden,Anthropologie,Frye)

Distressed Boots by Devon Watkins featuring J Crew shoes

First Date Jitters- Fashion Dilemma

We have all been there, standing in front of the mirror with nothing to wear, trying on a million different outfits, your room looks like a bomb went off as you frantically try to sift through your wardrobe, hoping that the perfect date outfit will appear out of thin air. My friend has a big first date tomorrow, and she is really excited but needed some ideas on what to wear. They are going to dinner and a movie, usually I would say go with jeans and a great top but my friend loves skirts and dresses so here are a few options, that are feminine yet casual. But remember the best fashion accessory is confidence!

Have a great time let me know how the date goes!

Fashion 911 by Devon Watkins featuring Anthropologie

Win a Free Gift

Hello you lovely readers!! I am going to give away one of my favorite things next week, a holiday candle from Anthropologie. I always buy one of these each year to burn during the winter season, I love the scent, it reminds me of being home. In order to win you have to push the follow button located on the right hand side of my blog. I will randomly pick a winner next Friday the 30th! Good Luck, thanks for following my blog!

The Well Dressed Home

I am kind of obsessed with this new book called The Well dressed Home, by Annette Tatum. Annette picks inspiration from the fashion world or your own closet and designs one of a kind rooms based on your wardrobe tastes! I couldn't be more in love with the concept. So I took the challenge and pulled out a pair of my favorite boots and found a picture of a room that I love. My fashion taste could be described as classic, romantic and sometimes rugged hence the boots. But I always love pairing a dress with my boots to make it more feminine. I believe this room has a little bit of it all!
Please share inspiration...what would your room look like inspired after your wardrobe?

Have a Lovely Weekend

I am off to start a very busy weekend, first off jazz cruise, then helping my mom at her antique show, then making "poofs" for Anthro's winter window displays! What are you up to?

Image from Toast magazine