Designer Spotlight: Jessica Jensen

By now you know that I love shopping, but I especially love shopping for clothes and accessories from up-and-coming designers.  Chanel and Tiffany & Co. are lovely, household name brands, but I often prefer the products of lesser known designers that value quality and offer unique styles.  One such designer is Toronto-based Jessica Jensen.  I discovered her gorgeous, Italian leather handbags in 2008, and I have become hooked ever since.  Her designs are minimalist yet original, and the quality of the bags are amazing.  I find it difficult to refrain from buying a new Jessica Jensen handbag {especially with her new affordable Signature line!} so I am definitely considering one of her bags as my first purchase after my year without shopping!

Jessica Jensen oversized Portfolio clutch

gorgeous pink suede interior of Jessica Jensen Portfolio clutch

Jessica Jensen envelope clutch 

Alexander Berardi for Jessica Jensen clutch {rings: Robindira Unsworth; bracelets: John Hardy, David Yurman, heirloom, & Gorjana; nail polish: Sephora by OPI's "It's All About Me"}

close-up of gorgeous details on Alexander Berardi for Jessica Jensen clutch

Jessica Jensen brown wallet

Jessica Jensen love

Jessica Jensen Thruway Tote

on a walk with my Jessica Jensen Thruway Tote

Here are some Jessica Jensen bags that are currently tempting me:

Jessica Jensen Melissa Top Handle bag {buy here}

Jessica Jensen Catherine Carryall {buy here}

Jessica Jensen Emily Hobo {buy here}

Jessica Jensen Woven Carryall {buy here}

Jessica Jensen High Street Shopper {buy here}

Jessica Jensen Cassidy Cosmetic bag - great name! {buy here}

Jessica Jensen Cynthia Shopper {buy here}

Jessica Jensen Tara Crossbody {buy here}

Jessica Jensen Savannah Satchel {buy here}

Jessica Jensen Melanie Carryall {buy here}

Happy Sunday,  & Happy Jessica Jensen shopping!


xoxo


Cassidy

Best Friends Weekend: Evening Look

After a lovely day in Cleveland with best friends, including a stop at the Italian American Festival to see our friend Angie fulfill her duties as Miss Italia of Ohio {she's a celeb!}, we relaxed and got ready for an evening out downtown.  I wore an old turquoise dress with neutral accessories and summer-appropriate jewelry.  The night was almost too much fun, but was the perfect end to our best friends weekend! 

Laundry by Shelli Segal dress {shop here}

floral ring from Saks Fifth Avenue Off Fifth outlet store

old shell earrings I bought in Hawaii + summer fruit with truffle salt {trust me, it's delish!}

my fabulous friends!

Happy Hump Day!

xoxo

Cassidy

Best Friends Weekend: Daytime Look

More than I love fashion or shopping, I LOVE my best friends.  My friends that I grew up with are the loves of my life & even with our busy schedules, we take advantage of every opportunity to have one of our "Best Friends" weekends.  We love to travel, but recently we decided to head back to our home city & experience some of the things we love about Cleveland.  We went on a tour of Great Lakes Brewery, had lunch at Bar Cento for their wonderful pizza, & walked around Ohio City.  For our daytime activities, I went for a more bohemian, summer look that consisted of a printed dress, bright scarf & purse, & comfortable sandals.  It was the best day with the best people I know! 

Best Friends Weekend Summer 2012!

mint green crossbody bag by Italian brand Claudia 

dress from Francesca's + bright scarf my mom no longer wanted

#color

Great Lakes Brewery Tour

Ohio City, Cleveland, OH

great Bloody Mary at Bar Cento 

Besties

Have a Happy Sunday! 

xoxo

Cassidy

Beauty Product Love

One way I have tried to make my old clothes/outfits appear new is by switching up and being creative with make-up and nail polish.  I love wearing an unexpected shade of nail polish or eyeliner with a bright pop of color; I think it can make an outfit look entirely different just by changing up the color of your nails or make-up.  Although beauty products are excluded from my shopping abstinence, I am going to attempt to avoid creating a shopping addiction with those items seeing as how I could easily spend my bank account at just Sephora.  Here are some favorite products I use to go for a new look with what I already have:

Nail polish from left: Essie's "Turquoise and Caicos", Sephora by OPI's "Traffic Stopper Copper", Estee Lauder's "Rosa Rosa", OPI's "Lucky Lucky Lavendar", & Sephora by OPI's "Opening Night"

Eye shadow from left: i.d. Bare Minerals' "2000", MAC's "Tilt", MAC's "Sumptuous Olive", & i.d. Bare Minerals' "Drama"; Nail polish: Sephora by OPI's "Iris I Was Thinner"

 Lipstick: MAC's "Viva Glam Cyndi", Clinique's "Soft Bloom", NARS' "Sexual Healing", Estee Lauder's "Crystal Pink", and MAC's "Saint Germain" 

Eye shadow from left: i.d. Bare Minerals' "In The Buff", MAC's "Mulch", MAC's "Blue Brown", & Estee Lauder's "11 Shells" Eye Shadows Duo; Eye liner: Sephora's "Silver Electro", MAC's "Sagegrass", & Sephora's "Electric Shark"; Lipstick: MAC's "Bombshell"

Nail polish: OPI's "Malaysian Mist" & OPI's "Glow Up Already" + Essie's "Set In Stones"; Rings: Pianegonda & Gorjana

Happy Hump Day! What are some of your favorite shades of beauty products?

xoxo

Cassidy

Yellow Springs Sunday

I recently spent a Sunday afternoon in Yellow Springs, Ohio, one of my favorite places in the world.  We got brunch, walked around the quaint downtown, and took a walk through the nearby John Bryan State Park.  I wore an old, mid-length summer skirt that I had forgot about and paired it with a gray H&M T-shirt, a fedora, and my Rebecca Minkoff M.A.C. There are truly few things better than a lazy Sunday in the summertime! 

egg white omelet + mimosa with fresh squeezed orange juice 

at Sunrise Cafe

Yellow Springs' lovely downtown

incense at Import House

live music

favorite old home with gorgeous hydrangeas 

Nine West fedora

old Gap eyelet skirt 

Rebecca Minkoff M.A.C. + Ray Ban aviators {buy here}

Have a great week!

xoxo

Cassidy

Fashion + Philanthropy

In addition to fashion, I also have a passion for philanthropy.  I've always had a desire to engage in community service in some way; I chose to study sociology in college and to work for a non-profit so I could make a career out of giving back to those in need.  So anytime fashion and philanthropy join forces, I try to help out.  And by help out, I mean shop.  


Two of my favorite brands that give back to those living in unfortunate circumstances include TOMS and FEED Projects.  TOMS shoes are adorable and can be seen everywhere {they are also INCREDIBLY comfortable} and FEED's burlap bags have truly become iconic. So when I saw that TOMS and FEED Projects collaborated to create a pair of shoes, I could not resist.  Good thing these came out before I took my no shopping vow!

TOMS ballet flats, FEED 10 clutch, FEED 12 + TOMS classic vegan shoes

with best friends for a surprise engagement brunch wearing TOMS Natalia ballet flats in rose {buy here}

FEED Projects FEED 10 clutch {buy here} + a TJ Maxx dress I wore for New Year's Eve {Guess shoes}

FEED 12 + TOMS classic vegan shoes {buy here}

Here are some TOMS and FEED Projects products that I am loving right now, and are definitely in the running for the first item I purchase after a year of no shopping:

TOMS Catino ballet flats

TOMS Silver Glitters 

TOMS Blue Beckett vegan classic

FEED + Tory Burch bags

FEED 10 Haiti clutch

FEED Alpaca scarf

What are some of your favorite brands that give back? 

xoxo

Cassidy