Staying warm & staying cool..

Well…last week was a doozy. No exclamation point needed. All Californians had, and are possibly still having, a rough time. I’m so very lucky to not be directly in the path of the wildfires but just enduring the Santa Ana winds has been an experience that is not for the faint of heart.

Its now…NOVEMBER! Halloween was overshadowed by the dust cloud that we lived under during the worst of the wind storms, so I concentrated on leaving Halloween to the little ones and re-purposed a flapper outfit from a few years past (cause of course, everyone should have a flapper costume in their closet…just in case).

Now that the threat of a quick and dusty trip to Oz is hopefully over…I actually flipped my closet today. I’m still hanging onto some summer items because our weather is pulling the ole “winter in the morning and summer in the evening” game ….this is a game I’m quite familiar with as it is also played in Georgia…sometimes until after Christmas!

So this look is a win either way! I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE this cardigan from H&M….it’s extremely versatile and the color can go either brown or grey. It is super warm and comfy too. I’m wearing a size Large although I usually wear a small. I wanted a super slouchy look and sized up!

The trick to this look is the body-con dress that hides underneath (check it out HERE). It’s from Target and I bought it a few months ago and thought – ugh…so Kim K…but it works perfectly with several of my statement jackets. I have a hard time buying neutrals and shell pieces; I have to remind myself some things need to blend in to tie everything together!

The star of the outfit…my Tory Burch Fleming Convertible Shoulder Bag! Its my baby right now and is a nice blend of functional AND extremely fashionable.

I also had the pleasure of pulling out a pair of beautiful JCrew heels I snagged a couple of years ago! JCrew does footwear very well. (Similar HERE!) They’re Italian made and, for the price point and fit, well worth the price tag. I like shoes that not only look good (of course) but ones that I can actually WEAR….to WORK…ALL DAY. There are lots of cute, expensive and unwearable shoes out there….and I have no use for them!

Well, here’s hoping for clear skies and smoke-free days ahead! I just got in a shipment from Zara and I’ve done some other shopping here and there so…check out my Instagram page Cortneybreblog to keep up with my day to day looks!! xoxo

November 3, 2019

CortneybreLeave a comment

Transitioning Summer to Fall…

First things first:

Isaac Mizrahi Dress for Target XXO Collection

JCrew Blazer

It doesn’t matter which coast you’re on right now…it seems everyone is suffering through the “chilly in the mornin’ and hot enough to make you sweat afternoon” blues.

I find that the “transitional” periods of the year are challenging when it comes to choosing my daily wardrobe. However, I’m slowly realizing that although it’s challenging, it is actually pretty exciting!

I tasked myself with taking some of my favorite summer pieces and working them into my transition wardrobe. This unexpectedly resulted into some of my best looks recently!

This look was born out of trying desperately to wear this Isaac Mizrahi Target XXO dress as long as – weather permitting – possible. I LOVE, LOVE this dress. The pattern is just so bright and the dress is made of a beautiful silk fabric that looks far more riche than a Target find.

I’ll be honest…I’ve tagged the heck out of my Isaac Mizrahi Target XXO pieces on Instagram. I have dreams of being recognized as that Tiffany diamond in the rough, meeting the iconic Isaac and being welcomed into the fashion fold. Moving to NYC…pushing racks of beautifully designed, tailored pieces, lovingly stitched and artfully cut clothing..carefully covered in plastic across a busy SOHO street…

maybe this will be that post!

So….as far as this dress…I really examined the colors in the dress and it struck me that the colors were very fall….imagine a kaleidoscope of changing leaves as you take a leisurely drive through the mountains (especially North Georgia or Tennessee!)

So with Fall in mind, I grabbed a fantastic two-tone JCrew blazer (because let’s face it, JCrew makes a great blazer) ; grabbed a pair of brown leather Franco Sarto boots and a matching GAP belt…and it just worked!

I went from Summer party pretty to Fall business forum fellow!

XoXo!!

October 24, 2019October 23, 2019

Cortneybre2 Comments

The power of a pin…on Cortneybre…

Sometimes something so small can make or break an outfit.

A well placed pin can make the difference between flop or flawless!

I find fashion inspiration in the oddest places. Hobby Lobby was the perfect place to find this most important finishing flourish!

The outfit, pulled perfectly together, with the placement of a pin! (This posh Olivia Miller clutch helped too!)

Have a great Friday and holiday weekend!

May 22, 2015May 22, 2015

Cortneybre5 Comments

Trending Now: Palm Print on Cortneybre…

As summer quickly approaches, bright prints and colors abound!

Jacket: Joie Blouse: Banana Republic Skirt: JCREW Shoes: Kenneth Cole Reaction Sunnies: Guess Bag: Lily Pulitzer — **Jacket: Joie** **Blouse: Banana Republic** **Skirt: JCREW** **Shoes: Kenneth Cole Reaction**
**Sunnies: Guess** **Bag: Lily Pulitzer**

One of the hottest prints trending this summer is the

It hit big last summer and has become a fave of bloggers and fashionistas.

I was lucky to stumble upon this lovely Joie palm print blazer late last summer. It pairs well with bright or neon yellows and could easily work with blue, pink or red.

Offset the print with a complimentary color – try red, yellow, or blue!
Don’t wear too much green – or you’ll risk the over the top “safari” look
Try the print with stripes – especially navy blue!
Don’t wear too many prints – palm print head to toe can be too busy and distracting
Go simple sometimes– wear only white with the print
Bring on the metal! Gold and silver both look great with the print so don’t forget the jewelry!