Temperatures are starting to drop, which means having a great coat or jacket is essential to your fall/winter wardrobe. Living in Texas, it’s hard to know what kind of weather to expect. Sometimes in really cold and other times it’s 75 degrees in December. No complaints here though! I do not like to be cold!
I did a Q&A recently on Instagram, and one of the topics that was requested was great jackets for the upcoming season. I took some time to round up my favorites – no matter what climate you are in.
Best Jackets For Women:
Every woman should have at least one of the these jackets in their closet.
The Puffer/Parka
The Bomber
The Biker
The Pullover
The Peacoat/Trench
The Blazer
And just for fun … The Faux Fur
Best Jackets for Women: The Puffer/Parka
We can start right at the top! I love a great puffer jacket, especially if it’s down. Talk about warm and cozy. Add a furry hood for the win. I have one from H&M but I’m due for a new one. These jackets can be bought long or short. Depending on where you live, you’ll want to take that in consideration.
Best Jackets for Women: The Bomber
The bomber is the perfect streetstyle chic closet piece. Dress it up or dress it down, they are just so cool in my opinion. I have a soft place in my heart for puffy bombers too. Haha!
Best Jackets for Women: The Pullover
Pullovers are great for everyday wear. I love wearing them to basketball games, hanging out on the weekends, etc. These are great for fickle Texas weather!
Best Jackets for Women: The Moto
Moto jackets are super edgy but honestly so chic with a dress too. I love a great moto jacket. I need to explore getting one in other colors, like the ones shown below. I only have a moto jacket in black.
Best Jackets for Women: The Peacoat/Trench
I love a good peacoat or trench! This is definitely a closet essential for fall/winter seasons. I tend to gravitate towards plaid, however, if that’s not your style, just use the looks below for inspiration!
Best Jackets for Women: The Blazer
Women’s suiting has been one of the biggest trends this year. It has been really fun to see how it evolves through each season. Blazers are a great way to add a bit of structure to your look. I love anything oversized, but I know that’s not the look for everyone. I linked several ideas below for inspo!
I hope you’ve loved this little round-up! Remember, the goal is to inspire, so even if you don’t love the exact items that I linked, use it as a starting point to match your personal style! As promised, here are few faux furs … just for fun! Because, let’s be honest, when the temps drop, these are so fun to wear!
We are diving into the world of luxury today! Handbags have always been my thing. From when I worked at Forever 21 in high school and bought every $30 purse I could afford, to now. My taste has upgraded just a bit, but I still enjoy a fabulous handbag. I own a few luxury handbags so I wanted to share some tips that I’ve learned along the way for anyone looking to make their first luxury handbag purchase.
Tips For Buying Your First Luxury Handbag
Do your research!
Spending $2K-3K on a handbag (OR MORE) is not something everyone can do without blinking. It’s an investment and a commitment. Read the reviews online. Go to the store and try the bag on in person. Try every size, if applicable, to make sure you fully understand your options. Are there previous seasons, colors, collections that may not be represented on the selling floor or online? This is your first luxury handbag, so take your time and make sure that you love your purchase!
For example, I considered several sizes in the Gucci Dionysus shoulder bag before deciding to get the medium. Even though reviews said it was heavy, when I tried it on, it wasn’t too heavy for me and I loved the larger silhouette.
Classic vs. Trendy?
It is important to determine what is important to you. Are you looking for a timeless classic or something more trendy? I was extremely hesitant when the Gucci Marmont bag came out. I could not determine immediately if this bag was just the trend for the season, or if it was a true classic. Time definitely proved me wrong and this “it” bag continues to shine. I got the black classic leather in size small. The same can be said for the LV Neverfull. At this point it’s a classic, but it’s also a bag that literally EVERYONE has. And I mean everyone! I’m not one to want to have the same bag as everyone else, but I know how popular it is too.
The Chanel boy bag or classic flap bag are more great examples of classics. Dior’s recent reprise of the saddle bag is another one! There are so many amazing options out there. First determine what you are looking for. Classic or trendy … or a little bit of both!
Budget For Your Purchase
This was a question on a Q&A I did awhile back. How to budget for your first luxury handbag purchase. Everyone’s budget looks different, so it is important to have a solid understanding of how much money you make vs. how much you spend every month. In doing so, you’ll be able to know how much you can realistically set aside in order to buy something. If you have a job that provides lucrative bonuses, then this is another way to treat yourself! But a personal rule of thumb that I’ve learned over the years is if I can’t pay cash for it, I don’t need it. Don’t go into debt trying to buy the latest handbag. It just isn’t worth it.
Resale Websites Are Your Friend
I know that there is a lot of joy that comes from walking into a luxury store and buying the item you’ve been saving your money for. Trust me, I get it. But there are also SO many great options when it comes to buying items second hand. You also save A LOT of money when you go this route. I should note that this is in most cases. Sometimes buying new is a better choice but if you follow my first step “do research” you’ll be fine. A few site that I like to browse:
Where else do you guys like to shop? I know there are a lot of options out there. Thank you for reading! I hope you found this helpful. Let me know in the comments or via email what additional topics you would like to see on the blog! I added this post to #STJHOLIDAY as well because I know many of you like to treat yourselves during the holiday season!
We all have at least one person that we know who loves all things BEAUTY! Today on the blog, I am rounding up the perfect gifts for beauty lovers. When I think about my person, I think of my niece. I can’t wait to shop for her this holiday season. I recently shared all of my Sephora Must Haves, but I wanted to take it a step further to show you how to buy the perfect beauty gift.
As I was scrolling and shopping for the perfect sets to include in this year’s gifts for beauty lovers guide, I was pleasantly surprised to see items that I’ve used in the past! Including the L’Occitane Advent Calendar! I gifted one to my mom and one to myself one year, and it was so much fun trying all of the products.
Click through and get inspired for the beauty lovers in your life. And remember, you don’t have to just shop for makeup! Tools and new skincare are also GREAT gifts. A true beauty lover would definitely appreciate it.
Remember, you have until November 11 to shop and save a little $$ at Sephora! However, if you come across this post after the fact, don’t worry! These are still excellent gifting options. Let me know what you love.
We just bought a new house, so what better way to kick off the holiday gift guide series for #STJHOLIDAY than with ideas for the new homeowner in your life! Aside from fashion, home decor is easily my next favorite category to shop. There’s something very satisfying about finishing a room and creating beautiful spaces. I rounded up some easy yet thoughtful gifts that will be sure winners for your friends and family.
When shopping for someone else’s home, think about their personal stye and special details that would be meaningful to them. I try to steer clear of furniture or art, as these are more personal and require really knowing the design focus of the home. However, I do love blankets, kitchen knick-knacks, candles, versatile decor and anything thoughtful!
The above shop widget will continue to update as I find more home items! I can’t wait to share more of what I find.
Who else are you shopping for this holiday season? Sound off in the comments or let me know on Instagram, and I’ll include them in my upcoming holiday content!
It’s that time of year again! The Sephora Beauty Insider Event is here so I wanted to highlight a few of my favorite items in my makeup bag. I am admittedly someone who loves to shop for beauty products. I could walk aimlessly around Sephora just like I do at any other fashion retailer. If you’re new to the sale, here’s the breakdown!
Rouge – 20% Off
VIB – 15% Off
Insider – 10% Off
If you are shopping online (like me) the code is HOLIDAYSAVE. Be sure to use this to have your discount applied at checkout. Now let’s dive into my favorite Sephora must haves!
Sephora Must Haves
My Sephora must haves are a mixture of most loved favorites that I’ve used regularly + newbies that I have fallen in love with. You guys know I love my Too Faced Born This Way foundation. It is seriously one of my favorite foundations. The Kat Von D Lock-it Concealor is something that I loved for so long, moved away from and then now I’m back to using it. I love how that happens. If you’re looking for something that has good coverage, and won’t crease throughout the day, then I’d say give this one a try.
A newbie on my list is the Tarte mascara. I did a collaboration with them a couple months ago and received a mini mascara in the mail. After using it, I saw how well it worked on my lashes and kept coming back for more. I like when that happens! That’s part of the beauty of what I do, getting to try new products and then sharing what I love with you! A veteran on my list is the Erborian cleansers. The oil cleanser and the charcoal cleanser are both so, so good.
It is so important to try new things when it comes to beauty. I say this because of how many amazing brands and products are out there. Don’t get me wrong, I have my products that I am loyal to, but I do enjoy experimenting! Especially when I can get some good stuff on sale!
Be sure to check out the Sephora Beauty Insider Event. You have until November 11 to shop and save! If you need a good starting point, use my Sephora must haves as a guide!
Did you hear the exciting news? I am going to be a part of an exciting collaboration with the popular clothing brand Gibson! I have shared so many pieces that you all love both on Instagram and my SHOP pages. Gibson is a women’s clothing brand sold at Nordstrom. They are known for comfortable and versatile pieces that you can dress up or dress down and fit easily into your wardrobe.
The collection is called Gibson X Glam and will be launch at Nordstrom on November 14! The gorgeous sequins and party wear will arrive just in time for the holidays. Many of you saw my trip to Park City, UT a few weeks ago, so I wanted to dive a little deeper and share all about the trip, where we stayed, ate, etc! If you caught my Instagram stories, then you already got a sneak peek at how GORGEOUS the house was that we stayed in. I mean wow! I already told my family, we need to get back there ASAP.
My trip to Park City was short and sweet but we packed in a LOT in my short 24 hours. As you know, I work a full-time job, so I could only stay in town Monday (it was a corporate holiday for my office). I landed around 9AM and went straight to the house to meet everyone! This was my first time to Utah. We stayed HERE (breathtaking, right?) I’ll introduce you to the girls after … I show you my travel attire!
My travel look was by Gibson, of course! I actually wore it the day before too while watching football with the family. This set is super cozy. It’s a top and bottom that you can style multiple different ways. Check out my look below:
After getting settled, I hopped right into the makeup chair to get ready to shoot all of my looks for this fun collaboration. This is the 2nd annual Gibson X Glam launch with Nordstrom and I feel so incredibly blessed to get to be a part of it. The best part? The sweet ladies that are a part of this collaboration with me. I’ll drop their IG handles below so that you can get to know them a little better too!
After a full day of shooting, the Gibson team took out to dinner at Riverhorse on Main. The food was delish, but the company was even better. The photos above are just a couple snaps from dinner. The gorgeous lady all smiles below is Suzie, the founder of Gibson! I had such an incredible time with the team and I CANNOT WAIT for you all to see the collection. There are so many must have pieces, including the blouse that I styled.
I will share more details as we get closer to launch day! Stay tuned and GET EXCITED!!
This sweater outfits post is written in partnership with Ann Taylor.
I am so excited to bring you 3 sweaters, styled 3 ways to inspire your looks this season!
We had our first few cold snaps in Dallas and the sweaters are out in full force! I’ll be honest I have mixed feelings about this time of year. I love the summer, but there’s something about layering for fall/winter that is just so chic. Today on blog I put together 3 sweater outfits to keep you cozy and fabulous through the season. Every clothing piece I am wearing is from Ann Taylor, I like to shop here for work looks, especially when they have a great sale going.
I want to take you through each look and also provide some other styling options that might come in handy. It’s always great to get multiple wears out of your pieces!
Sweater Outfits: Look #1
I styled this cashmere sweater with a faux suede skirt and over the knee boots. I love this look because it can take you from work to dinner effortlessly. I’ve also worn this sweater with jeans and dress pants. It is really versatile.
Sweater Outfits: Look #2
Look two is the turtleneck. This chunky knit came in handy today when temps dropped below 40. This Texas girl was not interested in feeling the cold! So turtleneck style it is. For work I styled this top with a great pair of skinny pants, but a skirt or layered over a flowing midi dress would also be so stylish.
Sweater Outfits: Look #3
I love a great sleeve detail. If you’ve been around the blog for awhile then you probably know this! When I saw this sweater, I knew I needed it from the brand. I paired it with a leopard print skirt for a really feminine, chic look. I’ve also worn this sweater with jeans! Dressing it up or down is my favorite.
Which look is your favorite? I’m leaning towards the balloon sleeves with the leopard skirt, but honestly all 3 are so perfect for work and every day! Thank you so much for reading.
Weddings are easily my favorite celebration. There is something about LOVE that brings so much joy. But after the invitation is received, my first thought is usually always … what am I going to wear?
We recently had the pleasure of attending the most gorgeous wedding for close friends. My husband was in the wedding so we were present at the rehearsal and dinner. When shopping for events such as a rehearsal dinner, an important thing to understand is what the dress code is. The wedding we attended was a black tie event, therefore, each look I styled had that fact in mind.
You want to also make sure that you remember, while you should always look fabulous, the bride should be the focus. So it goes without saying, avoid wearing white, unless of course the bride requests otherwise.
There are so many amazing online shops that you can find great pieces at these days. I found my dress at ASOS, however, I am rounding up selections from a range of places and price points.
What to Wear: Rehearsal Dinner
Black tie weddings are my personal favorite. Who doesn’t love to get dressed up and go to a great party? However, whether your event is dressed up glam or low key casual, dressing the part is so important. Here are my top picks ranging from $15 to $150.
After the the rehearsal, we went to Terrelli’s in Dallas. My husband told me that in college they used to go here all the time. The wedding was for my husband’s fraternity brother which was so special, because we’ve known them for nearly 13+ years and have so much love him and his new wife.
Next up on the blog … what to wear to a black tie wedding! Do you have any occasions coming up that you are unsure of what to wear? Shoot me an email or DM on Instagram and you just might see it covered on the blog soon.
Thank you so much for reading. I am so glad you are here!
We’ve partnered with Nordstrom Beauty to share my latest fall beauty haul! All thought and views are my own.
I stopped by Nordstrom last week and picked up a few beauty essentials to carry me through the new season.
I have been out of a few things in my beauty bag for awhile. Foundation, lipsticks, makeup removers … you name it, I’m out! So it was definitely time to make a trip to one of my favorite beauty destinations, Nordstrom.
I am SO excited to show you what’s in my beauty bag this fall, plus because I love you guys … I rounded up a few things that are on my wishlist too.
Let’s dive in! Below I’m wearing the Lancome foundation that is linked for you! I also found a gorgeous dupe to this hot pink lipstick. Keep scrolling!
It’s no secret that I tend to use the same foundations every day. You know how it is when you find something you love, then you just stick with it! Well I restocked 3 of my favorites for fall and plan to keep them in heavy rotation.
The line up is Lancome, Too Faced and Bareminerals. Now, I use a LOT of different brands, so this is not an exclusive list, but these are the 3 that needed to restocked in order to make it through these next few months!
Nordstrom Fall Beauty Haul: Skincare
The older I get, the more I have started to appreciate the importance of a great skincare routine. This includes removing my makeup every night before bed. A once dreaded task has now become a nightly ritual that I actually look forward to (usually). To be honest, I still hate the “task” but having clear skin is SO worth it. I picked up a few items that help me almost daily.
Nordstrom Fall Beauty Haul: Lipstick
Last up in my fall beauty haul … I got a few new lipstick shades! I’m not one to wear dark tones very often, so I bought a few new tubes in my favorite shades: pink and red!
These few items are small but mighty additions to my beauty bag. What are your fall beauty essentials? I linked everything I bought from Nordstrom throughout this post. Check them out, who knows, they may become your favorites as well!
I am so excited to be teaming up with WALMART again to share the best fall fashion finds for any budget! Of course, while this post is sponsored, all thoughts and views are my own! 🙂
Now, let’s dive in! Unless you’ve been living under a rock, then you probably know that Walmart has seriously upped their game when it comes to fashion. I have loved shopping for easy fall fashion essentials here. I shared the sweater dress/cardigan on Instagram the other day and you all loved it! So I thought I’d round up a few more favorites that are sure to be favorites in your closets this season as well.
I think everything I selected is under $30 also! Not bad for a wardrobe refresh for the fall season. I personally am loving the animal prints and booties. Fall is such a fun time for fashion. Bring on the layers, the rich color tones and sweaters galore. If you are in a warm climate like myself, you’ll appreciate the fact that everything I chose can be worn now! Nothing beats being fashionable while staying cool in 100 degree temps!
Thank you so much for reading and be sure to stop by Walmart to check out their latest collections. I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised with the selection. I know I have been!
It’s finally here! My long over do “How To Install Peel and Stick Wallpaper” post is about to go dowwwwn.
If you followed our journey on Instagram at all, then you know that this was quite the process for my husband and I. I was heavily relying on Youtube and every DIY blogger that has done it before me for help.
I wanted my wall to be PERFECT, so I put a lot of pressure on myself to get it right. Needless to say, nothing ever goes as planned, nor is anything every really perfect. BUT … we got the peel and stick wallpaper up with only a few tears and curse words.
I went back and forth on what wallpaper I wanted for my office. I wanted something really bold and modern, but also not too feminine. The office is a shared space for my husband and I.
It is a little pricey, compared to other peel and stick wallpaper options out there, but worth every penny in my opinion.
Cut Your Wallpaper Panels
I used several references online to help me figure out how to cut my wallpaper panels. You’ll want to make sure you know how tall your wall is and cut your panels a few inches longer so that you have some cushion to trim if needed. Something else that is very important when trimming your panels is to make sure you line up your design/pattern. This of course only applies if you’re dealing with an obvious pattern.
Once you get your panels cut and in order, be sure to number them so that they don’t get out of order. I would also label the top and bottom so you don’t get that mixed up either. I had 7 panels total and having them numbered helped me out a lot.
Time to get your wall ready!
Have Textured Walls? Read This First … No Texture? Keep Scrolling
We have textured walls in our home and to be honest, this is what slowed down the process of installing the peel and stick wallpaper the most. I came across mixed reviews online as to whether or not a wallpaper liner would truly cover the texture.
Of course, I did not want to risk it or do the work of getting the paper up, only to find a few months down the road that the texture was starting to show through.
As a result, I decided to board our walls with hardboard panels to cover the texture. There are other methods called skim coating that you can try, but I was worried that the peel and stick wallpaper would not adhere to this method.
For the boards, I saw a DIY blogger that I follow do this and she made it look SO EASY in her blog post! Um … I want to be the first to tell you .. it’s not! Ha! Thank goodness my loving husband helped me along the way and we got it done. If your walls are 8ft tall, you’ll be fine, ours are not, so we had to get several pieces cut to cover the whole wall. The boards are also very heavy. Silly me for believing the pictures I saw online of a single woman smiling with her nail gun! 🙂 I needed help! We made more trips to Lowe’s than I want to count. After going through this process, wallpaper liner is definitely A LOT easier than putting boards up on the wall to cover texture LOL! You know what they say …. hindsight is 20/20.
We used these boards from Lowe’s to achieve the smooth wall look (linked). We then caulked the seams to ensure nothing would show through under the wallpaper.
Smooth Walls? Start Reading Here:
After that, we put up a wallpaper liner over the boards. If you have smooth walls, you can apply your wallpaper liner directly to the wall. I found a really good option on Amazon that was both affordable and had really good reviews. We ended up using 2 rolls on a 9ft X 12ft wall.
Don’t be afraid of pre-pasted wall paper. I actually liked it over peel and stick! It was really easy to get it up on the wall and made a HUGE difference in applying the wallpaper. I love how you can move it around to the right spot while it’s wet. I used THIS website as a guide to help me because the instructions provided in the package assume you’re a pro and know exactly what you’re doing (I sure did not!)
Once your liner is up, it will take about 24 – 48 hours for it to dry. Don’t take any shortcuts, let it dry fully and you’ll be able to get your peel and stick wallpaper up in no time.
Take your pre-cut panels and grab the first one. I used tape to affix it to the wall and make sure I had it lined up correctly/perfectly level before starting to peel the backing off. Once I had it straight, I started to peel off the back and used my smoothing tool to adhere to the wall.
Using the right tool makes a difference! I had a smoother that you use for caulking at first because it’s what we had around the house. When I went and bought the correct tool, it was a GAME CHANGER! My husband always tell me I make things harder than I have to sometimes, but hey, at least I made all the mistakes for you. You all will be pros at installing peel and stick wallpaper!
Tip: When using your smoother to install your wallpaper, work from the middle of the wall and smooth OUTWARD. It will help to ensure you push any bubbles out of the wall and get everything really smooth.
I used my XACTO knife to trim the ceiling pieces and baseboard pieces once I was finished. I also used it to cut my panel strips. I highly recommend having one for all of your DIY crafts.
Admire your work! You did it!
If you’ve made it this far, you’re probably well on your way to installing your peel and stick wallpaper. It can feel like a daunting task, but once it’s done, it is the BEST feeling! I love looking at my wall every day when I am working in my office. It’s a daily reminder that I can do anything I put my mind to!
If you’re thinking about tackling peel and stick wallpaper in your home, I say GO FOR IT! It’s the best way to really make a room pop.
When you finish, shoot me a message. I’d love to see your finished product. 🙂
Thank you so much for reading. I hope you find this just a tad bit helpful! Even if it’s just a guide on what NOT to do haha.
What Are The Best High Waist Leggings? Let’s Find Out!
Well, it’s official … I have become one of those moms that wears leggings everywhere and very rarely make it to the gym! LOL 🙂 No really, in all seriousness, I LOVE leggings. Especially a good power hold high waist legging. There’s something about being completely held together by a great pair of leggings, that makes me happy!
The good news with loving leggings, is that I’ve become pretty savvy on the best high waist leggings out there. Because of this, I wanted to share a few of my favorites that I truly believe every girl should have in their closet.
Fact: If it’s not high waist + tight and right … I don’t want it. I’ve had two kids, so you know I love a good control top. So let’s break down my top 6 picks for the best high waist leggings.
In today’s post I’m wearing Fabletics, and I have to say, these are probably my favorite affordable leggings that are also very good quality. There are so many other great brands out there too, so let’s get right to it!
The Best HIgh Waist Leggings (in no particular order)
Have you tried any of these brands? I love that they are all under $100. I definitely think if you wear leggings a lot, it is good to invest in a great pair. On the off chance I do decide to go to the gym, I have plenty of the best high waist leggings ready and waiting for me!
You can shop all of my favorites by clicking on the links/images above OR by heading over to my SHOP page! Everything that I wear or link to Like To Know It is there.
Thank you so much for reading, loves! I am so excited to be sharing more and more content with you all! Finally getting into a good routine since starting my new job. Have a fabulous evening!
Welcome to stephtaylorjackson.com, your ultimate lifestyle destination for fashion, beauty, travel and #momlife. I am a Dallas girl, now living in Florida and every week on the blog I share content that inspires and educates women across the world. My mission is to give all readers a weekly guide on how to live your best life, IN STYLE.
Take a look around, we're so glad you are here!
We had our first few cold snaps in Dallas and the sweaters are out in full force! I’ll be honest I have mixed feelings about this time of year. I love the summer, but there’s something about layering for fall/winter that is just so chic. Today on blog I put together 3 sweater outfits to keep you cozy and fabulous through the season. Every clothing piece I am wearing is from Ann Taylor, I like to shop here for work looks, especially when they have a great sale going.
