Hello lovelies,

With fall in full swing and winter quickly approaching it is officially time to trade in easy breezy outfits for thick knits. Sweater weather is here! But that doesn't mean you have to ditch your summer faves. Here are some fun ways to transform your summer threads into cozy cold weather outfits.

The first is one of favorite summer items: the wide-leg pant. Soft and roomy to start these pants made for an easy pull on outfit from everything to running errands to date night. Paired with a breezy tank, flats, and your favorite sunnies, this outfit is super stylish. Although stylish, I must admit this is my go to on those.."I'd rather be in pajamas" type of days, so it is no wonder why I'm not willing to drop them from my wardrobe. To warm this outfit for fall, I swapped the flats for some Sam Edelman booties, a chunky zip up sweater, and a leather and gold leaf motif necklace for a woodsy touch. Sticking with monotone shades is a nice alternative to the bold reds, blues, mustards, and army greens that are totally in this season.

Next is a big summer staple in many wardrobes, the go-to summer maxi dress. Paired with some sandals and a panama hat, I was ready for brunch or the beach. However, not so comfortable as the sun falls behind clouds and chilly winds hit your back. To cozy this outfit up I tossed a hooded cropped sweater on top, finished with some booties (from Target!) and was on my merry way. The cropped sweater provides unexpected lines to this outfit, elongating the flow of the dress from the waist. I am a sucker for anything with a hood, but any thick cropped sweater would achieve the same look. If you are lacking the right sweater length for this look, you can also tie a little knot to shorten it up, and you'll be good to go.

The one bodycon dress I was not willing to part with this season, was this super mod gem. So I piled on the layers to achieve a fall appropriate look. Flannels, military jackets, or in this case both will help fight off the chill this fall. Add a beanie, pair your combat boots with some chucky socks and you this flirty dress just got a little more edgy and a little less sweet. Keep in mind, the "chill" in southern California is probably mild compared to most, so skip the bare legs and grab some leggings, or tights and knee highs to complete this look.

xo. Kristen

New to the Neighborhood

Although I am new here..and the title applies..what I have to share today is not about this new blog. What I have come it share are few recent incidents that will restore your faith in the goodness of people and have given me warm fuzzies about the new neighborhood in which we moved. Moving can be a scary thing, and previous experiences may have you jaded..but building good relationships with the people who surround you can be very rewarding.

My hubby ((Noah)), seven year old son ((Landen)), and I recently moved into a little loop of perfect little town-homes. I will get into my obsession with our new home in the future..but all I can say for now is our neighbors are FANTASTIC. We are not the quietest in the bunch, and after a week of demo, late night construction projects, and about 10 different trucks (from the carpenter to Cox Communication) blocking the drive...I was sure we weren't making many friends and cookies would definitely be in order once we got settled in.

But this was not the case...the first couple we met across from across the street we as welcoming as can be, the husband called Landen over opened up a big box of Hot Wheels and let him have his pick.

Later in the week, as we worked diligently on pulling out baseboards, our next door neighbor and her son came knocking on the door, in hand was a big pitcher of lemonade and some cups to drink from. If you have ever experienced the lack of food or drinks while moving in, you can understand my excitement. Needless to say this was the only item in our fridge for the next couple days. I was in shock at the thoughtfulness and gesture.

When it was time to start moving our items in, we packed our cars to the brim...making trips from our previous house to our new home. We pulled up. Unloaded. Got back in the car for the next run, and with no advance warning my car battery decided it would be the perfect time to die. Like a scene from a movie my sweet little car was stuck in the middle of the road. Luckily I have learned to laugh at my (somewhat often reoccurring) misfortune, however calling a tow truck for a jump was not part of my "master move plan". While I searched for the closest tow yard, another neighbor (who we had not yet met) arrived home, introduced themselves, the ran inside only to return with jumper cables in hand. "Here hold on to these for a few days, and let us know if you ever need anything else!"

We met many neighbors over the past couple weeks, from candy giving on Halloween to friendly dog owners walking by..and I am just overwhelmed by the welcoming spirit and community I feel. Minus the one couple who yelled "its 7pm! too late for ringing the doorbell" on Halloween and the mystery nastygram note left on my girlfriend's car that was "poorly parked" I would say we hit the jackpot in friendly neighbors. And am optimistic that we can win the others over with cookies..because who doesnt like cookies.

xo. Kristen