Denver {SNEAK} Peak

Happy Labor Day... I guess this means I {SS} have to put my white jeans away :( I actually brought them on my trip and started wearing them one day but had to go back to the hotel to put on shorts because it was just too hot!!

Anyways, 

I'm home and I honestly could not have had a more perfect time in {DENVER}. What a great city! I could totally see myself living there... somewhere down the line...

Though the bf and I were only there from Friday morning to this morning, we packed so much in... baseball game, some great walks, "Taste of Colorado", Museums,  good food, a GORGEOUS wedding, a dip in the hotel pool and even some good 'ol relaxin (I finished a really great book!)...

I have some super {stylish} photos and stories to share with you in the next few days...

Here's a sneak peak: 

View from our Hotel in Downtown Denver

Had to go sit in the Mile High seats at the Mile High stadium prior to the Rockies game!

{wearing: Ann Taylor shorts // J. Crew Top // Fossil watch // Keen shoes }

Lots of People at "A Taste of Colorado" 

Stay tuned for more tomorrow... getting swept away, CO style, Van-Slyke/Wright wedding, Fashion exhibit & Native American exhibit. 

And also coming this week... Back to School Style :) 

Plus, we're still looking for guest bloggers!

xo, SS

{ Denver }

{SS} here!

This week has been crazy busy, but I'm heading to Denver tomorrow with the bf for a good friends Wedding, and will surely have some great photos and blog posts to share with you from the Rockies!!

{ Source }

xo, SS

State Fair {Style}?

{SS} here!

Yesterday, the bf and I decided to take a trip to the Minnesota State Fair... it was hot, it was crowded, it was crazy, but in true fair fashion, it was a blast!

We had some good eats, saw some loud and smelly animals and even got to meet some pretty amazing people! 

Also, let me just tell you... the styles at the fair are NUTS. I'm talking: fanny packs galore, cut-off tanks on men, filthy-feet filled flip-flops, lots of hair scrunchies, odd hats, crude t-shirts, short shorts and every other crazy style you could imagine. Whewwwww! 

I was hot in my black t-shirt and jeans, but at least I was dressed pretty darn "normal". 

Here are some photos of the day's adventures:

First, we headed to the KFAN radio station booth where the bf was thrilled to get autographs from his favorite radio personalities, The Common Man and Dan Barreiro.

Next it was time for me to get a photo with some actual athletes... not just guys who talk about them on the radio... and look who we just happened to run into! None other than Joe Mauer and Justin Morneau, and they actually asked me to pose for a photograph with them (something about a calendar with beautiful women or something...) ! They were thrilled that I finally agreed!

As if that photo wasn't cool enough, I next ran into...

THE PRESIDENT of THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

who kindly agreed to pose for a photo with me (I only wish he would have uncrossed his arms)...

After our impressive photo ops it was time to EAT. On our way to find corn dogs (a fair STAPLE for me... this year we tried --and liked-- wild rice corndogs) we stopped for a quick photo in the SPAM store, where I got to sit in the Spam Throne, as Queen of the Spam!

 Because I chickened out and never actually dyed my hair blonde like I had planned (I'm kidding), I was pleased to find this Viking's helmet which allowed me to test out what I would look like as a Blonde... needless to say, I think I'll stick to red...

And last but certainly not least, I was thrilled to find this Hyena at the fair who graciously stayed still (and didn't eat or even paw at me) for a photograph with me so that I could prove to my 8th grade science teacher (who will most likely never see this blog...) that my mom was right when she told me that there are hyena's in the United States. Despite believing my science teacher when he told me that hyena's don'tt exist in the US and that my mom probably meant to say Coyote, I should have known... my mother is always right (well, I better not say always...). 

All in all I'd say it was a great day at the Fair!!

I can't wait to see what kind of adventures next year's fair will bring to us since the bf decided that next year we are going from 6a-12p... oh my...

xo, SS

Stylish Friends

Hi, {SS} here.

Last night the bf (who does not like to have his picture taken, but will be appearing on the blog sometime in the near future... ahahaha) and I got together with some friends for a casual night of grilling and celebrating one of our friends' birthdays. It was the perfect temperature and we all had a great time relaxing with good food, good friends and even a good fire! As we sat around the fire I  snapped up some photos of my stylish friends, instagram style... and promised they would be today's blog post (they weren't as excited about that as I'd hoped they would be... ha):

{KD & AS with their dogs Bella and Piper}

{BD & DL}

"After all, {style} can be as simple as a smile... "

{AS & GK}

To quote the great John Lennon, "I get by with a little help from my friends..."

xo, SS

Summer Faves

{SS} here...

Here are a few of my favorite summer must haves I'm loving the ease of Polyvore especially on a lazy Tuesday afternoon like today!! 

Summer Faves by mynewstyleblog featuring mac cosmetics

{1} J.Crew ribbed tank top / {2} J.Crew underwire swimsuit / {3} Hot shorts, $61 / {4} Birkenstock thong sandals / {5} Havaianas crystal flip flops, $54 / {6} Marc by Marc Jacobs heart earrings / {7} Hat / {8} Sally Hansen eyelash curler / {9} MAC Cosmetics eyeliner / {10} iPearl\ mCover Pink Mcover® Hard Shell Case For 13-Inch A1278 Macbook... / {11} MAC Cosmetics / {12} June Jacobs Spa Collection - ADVANCED SUN RESISTANCE SPF30™

{SS's} Thoughts 

{1} I love these J. Crew tanks... I wear them as sleep shirts, undershirts and even regular shirts when it gets really hot. They're stretchy but hold their shape and are much more flattering than a lot of A-Line tanks are. 

{2} I am turning into a one-piece junkie. I adore this suit and loved wearing it in France. It's a liberty of london print which makes it super unique and I love the ruching and neckline. 

{3} I don't have these exact shorts but check out my new ones here. From a girl who didn't used to wear shorts... I have become obsessed!

{4} These were my awesome Amsterdam purchase. I was thrilled to get them for much less than I would have paid here. They are super comfortable and I think that they are "cute" (I mean as far as Birkenstocks go...). 

{5} Mine are just Old Navy ones but I do think the Havaiaanas are cute. I don't like wearing flip flops that much but I slip mine on for quick trips, when I'm watering the yard, and when I want to wear shoes around the house.
{6} These Marc Jacobs studs sure are cute but mine are just simple Forever 21 ones :)

{7} My hat is actually from J. Crew and it's the third one I've owned... the first was left in the rain, the second was gifted to someone in France and the third is my go-to for bad hair days or to spruce up an outfit and add some fun summer style!

{8} Eyelash curlers really DO make a big difference. I also have a new mascara that I'm excited about... and believe it or not it's Maybelline. 

{9} I really can't leave home without eyeliner... I try and I try and then I always come back and swipe some on. My summer color thus far has been "Blooz". I am a big Prunella lover as well. 

{10} I don't have this cover but I do love my MacBook. I also am a fan of my Kindle Fire which I can slip in my purse. 

{11} I use this MAC Soft & Gentle finishing powder over a bit of tinted moisturizer or BB cream, to add a hint of sheen to my face without too much coverage. 

{12} This is not the June Jacobs product I use, but the only photo I could find... I am a huge fan of June Jacobs Pumpkin Scrub which I got as a sample. I use it after I've cleaned my face and it feels good, smells good and makes my face silky smooth. 

What are some of your favorite summer must-haves? 

xo, SS

{ wonderful weekend }

{SS} here!

I am loving this sunny and cool Sunday afternoon after a perfect weekend with friends :)

{ Source }

Friday night the {BF} and I had a lovely dinner on the patio at W.A. Frost's in Saint Paul... the perfect summer date night spot. It was so nice to just sit and chat and relax while we enjoyed some fine Saint Paul people watching.







Saturday morning I went to a bridal shower for a good friend who is getting married in a few weeks in CO (I just bought my tickets, and I can't wait!!) which was fun!

And last night, on Stella's rooftop in Uptown I sat with the {BF} and four of our closest friends and enjoyed good conversations, good appetizers and some 

I am so lucky to have such wonderful and STYLISH friends :)

Being stylish starts within yourself, but I know that the love and support from my friends and family help keep my smile big and my style shining!

Hope everyone had a great weekend too!

xo, SS

Go Shorts!

Hi All. 

{SS} here!

So, on Saturday {KH} and I decided to check out  Opitz, an "outlet"-like store in St. Louis Park boasting 70% off or more of designer apparel, accessories and shoes (read about it here). I managed to pick up a pair of shorts and a dress totalling less than $50.

Since it has been so hot here in Minnesota, and since I have decided to embrace the shorts thing (see post on that here) I was pleased to find another pair of shorts! I loved the detailing on these cut-offs and the length (I have a pair from last summer that I never wear because they are way too short). I plan to cut them about a half an inch so that they have a bit of a rougher hem, but for now I think they work!

For a simple Sunday afternoon of running errands and going on a walk with a friend I paired the Inc. denim shorts with a loose leopard print cotton tank (J. Crew, last summer) and a pair of easy white sandals (Target, last summer). 

(again sorry for the fuzzy photos...)

I did score a great dress too and have a cute outfit in mind for it. Stay tuned :) 

xo, SS

{KH} + {SS} = Saturday {Style} Stories

{KH} here-
I woke up Saturday morning and it was pouring rain. I was sleepy. I wanted to throw a temper tantrum. I just didn't think it was fair that I had to work on a Saturday morning when the rest of the world got to sleep in! {It's not, right?!}

Getting dressed was the last thing on my mind during my self-righteous morning. I remembered that awhile back I had seen this outfit on Pinterest:

At the time I thought to myself, "I have all of those pieces". So, I went to my closet and put that {almost} exact outfit on:

At Lynden's Soda Fountain

Top- old J.Crew but similar on sale here

 Necklace- J.Crew {gifted from a friend}

Pants- old Express but similar here

Bag- J.W.Hulme Co. {scored at a sample sale for MUCH less!}

I was too tired to battle the humidity so I threw my hair back and put on the ol' {fake} glasses so I didn't have to worry about anything other than tinted moisturizer and mascara. The outfit was a hit! Everywhere I went I received compliments about my necklace and style as a whole. It helped my rainy disposition!


Later in the day I met up with {SS} (who is taking over now...) I also had to work on Saturday.

we hit up a few favorite stores in the area without much luck... (though I did score a cute little navy & white striped blazer from Hot Mama)... but we both got some ideas and inspirations for outfits to create with things we already have!

On {SS}:

Shirt: old J. Crew but similar style here
Necklace: old J. Crew factory

Belt: old J. Crew Skirt: old J. Crew but similar style here
Purse: J. Crew, same bag in new colors here
Shoes: Jessica Simpson Gold pumps found @ DSW, same style new colors here 

Of course after some shopping it was time for a treat... and what better than Ice Cream on a hot summer day!! Off to the fabulous Lynden's Soda Fountain we went...

Stay tuned for more collaborations and even some possible PHOTOSHOOTS in the weeks to come!

Hope everyone has a great start to the week!! 

Short(ies)

{SS} here!

I still have some stylish shots from France to share with you (and I will soon!) but I thought I'd take a break from travel blogging today and talk about something that causes a bit of a style dilemma for me... SHORTS. 

{ Source }

Why I Don't (usually) Wear Shorts

(except for athletic shorts which I only wear: a) in my home, b) at the gym (ha), c) on days when I'm nannying & only staying at their house, or d) over a swimsuit en route to the pool) :

1. It's really hard to find shorts that fit me. They seem to be either too short, too long, too boxy or too pouffy! 

2. They always seem to ride up in the wrong places. 

3. I can never figure out what to wear with them/how to style them without looking frumpy or like a junior high girl. 

4. I don't love my legs. 

Why I Want to Wear Shorts

1. In the heat capris or cropped pants just don't cut it.
2. Dresses and skirts aren't always ideal. They can be poor choices when it's windy, or rainy, you have to be conscious of the way you sit when you're wearing them, and sometimes they just seem too dressy.

3. There are some really cute shorts!

4. It would be a nice change/a good way to step out of my comfort zone. 

Today, my inspirational & super stylish friend {Kt} and I were talking about shorts... I told her that I usually don't wear them but broke down and bought a pair yesterday because it was so flipping HOT! She gave me the brilliant idea to write a post about shorts.

I rushed home and slipped on the new shorts I just got at Ann Taylor yesterday (which I really like for once!) and a cute new tank top I brought home from Naf Naf in France (<3) to see if it "worked". I'm actually pretty impressed with the outcome, especially the ease of it, but my dilemma is still, "when would it be appropriate for me to wear this outfit?" I couldn't wear it to my retail job, prefer to wear gym shorts when nannying, feel it's too casual for a dinner date, yet too dressy for watching the bf's softball game (but maybe not?). Hmmmmm...


Even though summer is reaching it's halfway point (is this accurate?) I decided there was still plenty of time left for short wearing, and that maybe it would be okay good to incorporate shorts into {mynewstyle}. I headed to the world wide web for some short styling inspiration! Here are some of my favorite photos/outfits! I'm also thinking of turning a too short pair of jeans into jorts... we'll see how that goes!


1.

{ Source } 

2.

{ Source }

3.

{ Source }

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{ Source }

How do you feel about shorts? What do you think the rules are for when, where and with what shorts should be worn? What are your favorite styles? Where do you like to buy shorts?

Hope you're all staying cool!

xo, SS

Summer Blues

There are many things I like about summer. Tan lines, freckles, dresses, going to the beach, patios, etc.

There are also many things I dislike about the summer. Frizzy hair, shaving your legs every day, sweating (so much sweating!), humidity- you get the picture.

This past week has been brutal in terms of weather. There were 3 or 4 days where the heat index was over 100 and the humidity hovered around 70%. It was the kind of week where you didn't want to do anything outside or too far from air conditioning. Brutal.

Yesterday was lovely though! It was warm without being unbearable. The humidity was lower and the sun was hot. So of course I had to work all day. I got a text from my pal saying they were going to be on a patio. I jumped at the opportunity! St. Paul has some beautiful patios. Especially downtown- the views are phenomenal.

When I got there I laughed because all three of the ladies were wearing some variation of the same outfit: white and denim:

Look at JB in the background!

On {CG} (left):

Not sure where her outfit is from but look at that scarf! Made by {KK} (on my right)

On {KK} (right}:

Shirt- Gap 

Shorts- Gap 

Jacket- old J.Crew (similar here)

On {KH}:

Dress- Anthropologie (similar here)- on sale in store+additional 25% off

Shirt: J.Crew- on sale in store+additional 30% off

I hope this bearable weather continues!

Pride is Sweet

While {KH} spent yesterday participating in the Minneapolis Pride celebration, I {SS} witnessed my first Pride celebration and probably one of the largest in the nation...

{SAN FRANCISCO PRIDE} 

{SS looking quite conservative in this crowd...}

Some nice people asked me if I'd like to pose with them for a photograph and despite my embarrassingly conservative attire I took them up on it. Thanks to {BS} for snapping the photo!

{In Uniform}

{In Uniform}

{In Uniform}

{Cupcake Display Reading: Pride is Sweet}

Though we (my dad {BS} and I) missed the parade, we got to City Center with plenty of time to observe the totality of the celebration. I felt overwhelmed by love as I watched people of all ages, colors, sexual orientations and religious affiliations come together to celebrate LOVE. People wore things as varied as the colors of the RAINBOW but uniformly carried themselves with a Proud sense of Style.

After we left Pride we headed to Hayes Street to do a little boutique visiting... Blog post to come!

 xo, SS

Closets are for clothes...

{KH} here.

Happy Pride everyone! Today was the perfect day for a parade. It was warm and sunny but not unbearable. There was also a breeze.

That's LeAnn...we pretty much had the same outfit on today

This blog is all about style and, to me, nothing is more stylish than being who you are. That is what Pride is all about. It's a wonderful chance for those in and in support of the LGBT community to say "this is who we are". Of course, it's often a bit more fabulous than we are on a day to day basis but the point is the same. It's beautiful.

Minneapolis has one of the largest Pride celebrations in the nation. It's great! 

I love the variety you see at Pride. It shows how individual and unique members of the community are. It is also incredible to see how many resources are available. But it is ridiculous to me that so much of Pride still is centered around fighting for equality. To not be treated like second class citizens. To have your love not only recognized but respected and protected. I hope that one day Pride can truly be a celebration and this fight for equality will be something of the past. I don't know that that day will come but I have some hope.

Talking Shop

{KH} here!

{SS} and I met tonight to talk about the blog. We had every intention of coming up with post ideas, projections, strategies, and the liked. I headed over to blog HQ {SS's [mom's] house} to pick up my partner in crime and we went to "talk shop" over some salads.

They say the road to hell is paved with good intentions. We "talked shop" so well that we decided to go shopping. {SS} needed mascara for her trip. And it's not something that can be bought at Target. The closest place to get it is the mall!

It didn't hurt that I had been eyeing a pair of shoes online which one could only get at a certain store in the mall. I mean, we were already there! Sadly, they didn't have the shoes. I suggested to {SS} that we go to N. Rack {my text said, simply, "And NR"}. 

We were already there. So we went. And bought nothing.

 Then {SS} wanted to look into getting some powder to take on her trip. I swear by BareMinerals powder because I a) have SUPER sensitive skin and b) don't like to wash my face. My powers of persuasion are strong and off we went! {SS} got some powder which travels nicely {mine went to Mexico with no problem} and makes her skin looks even and dewey

 Awhile back we had stopped into a shop looking for some underthings. Since we were already at the mall and near, we decided to check it out. We both picked up things we were intent on buying. But then the more we thought about it, the less we wanted to buy them.

 

And so we left. Without buying anything.

We even left the mall without {SS} getting her mascara! 

I guess we can chalk tonight up to a field experiment. What big decisions did we make? Keep doing what we are going until {SS} returns from globetrotting. But at least we got one post out of it, right?!

Is less really more?

{Inner French Woman}




After enjoying a beautiful walk home from work whilst trying to figure out my blog post for the day, I {SS} came home and went to the basement to grab my suitcase and bring it up to my room, and a certain someone (she'd like to remain anonymous... evidently she thinks knows that our blog is going to go viral and she isn't ready to be 'that lady someone read about on mynewstyleblog...' okay, I made that part up) stops me midway up the stairs and asks,

"Did you ever think that your life would be simpler if you had less clothes?" 

This causes me to laugh so hard that my red suitcase full of clean laundry and potential clothes for the trip falls to the floor only adding to her point. 

Me: "But really, m**, I actually don't have as many clothes as a lot of people you know. And I have a job that requires me to dress nicely. I can't just wear the same thing everyday!"
Her: "Maybe it's a generational thing."
Me: "Well I do have a lot of things, but I like to have options. And, I'm working on buying less 'cheap' stuff and rather buying select 'quality' items, ie this lovely Ralph number (pointing to Ralph Lauren button-up)"
Her: "Okay, well I know you have to have more clothes than me, and you're into them more than me, and that's okay. But you know, in France the women, they don't dress like that."
Me: "I know. They dress so sylishly"
Her: "But they don't just have a lot of cheap stuff. They dress nicely but it's because they wear the best quality and they wear the classics."

{ though said person and I don't always see eye to eye in terms of style, we both agree that French women tend to exemplify Style }

SS in Paris, France, 2004

This all got me thinking about {my} new style and trying to channel my inner French woman. Yes, I would love to be able to walk through the south of France with a Hermes bag or Gucci shoes (neither of which I currently own) but, at this point in my life I'm okay with the fact that I'll be carrying my Coach wristlet and wearing my Tom's Ballet Flats. My {French Woman} style will come from wearing stripes, my Chanel perfume, bright floral prints, silk scarves and knowing that my name is as French as they get. 

C'est La Vie. 

 xo, SS