holiday ready with Ann Taylor

for the love of tweed.

gearing up for the holidays with @AnnTaylor today! but letā€™s start this post off with a little gratitude, shall we? i have wanted to work with Ann Taylor for as long as iā€™ve been blogging. iā€™ve tried to knock on this door for so long it feels like. BUT life works in mysterious ways sometimes. i always live by the notion that if itā€™s not a hell yes, itā€™s a hell no. itā€™s kinda an extreme way to live life actually but iā€™ve come to learn that the best decisions both in business and in life where i applied this thought process yielded the best results that i was most proud of. when Ann Taylor reached out to me to host the re-grand opening of the @anntaylor_arboretummarket in my own cityā€¦ it was an immediate #HELLYES. even though i knew i was going out of my comfort zone ā€” but hey, itā€™s all about pushing boundaries amirite?! in the end, it was a fantastic event and an experience i will never forget. i feel so grateful to be able to get to do something like this and know that this is just the beginning. i donā€™t do this enough but i gotta give myself credit for the hard work iā€™ve put into this business. anyways, a sappy start but THANK YOU for following along this journey, itā€™s because you of that i get to do these things so i cannot thank you enough!

i digress. letā€™s talk tweed. i LOVE tweed. itā€™s one of those fabrics that scream FALL and uber CLASSY. right up there with brooches and pearls (and you know i love me some brooches. yep, iā€™m an old lady!). whatā€™s great about tweed is the fabric also adds texture to any outfit. here iā€™m wearing a one piece dress, but when you pair a tweed skirt or jacket with a blouse or sweater the tweed always becomes the ā€œcenterpieceā€ (if you will). what i love about this dress is the metallic-ness of the tweed in a blue, magenta, and gold color. itā€™s actually a very unique tweed piece that is going right into my closet for a holiday party! you cannot complete a holiday outfit with some BLING/SPARKLE so i went with a crystal statement necklace and even a pearl statement necklace will work too! here iā€™m wearing my usual size 2 in the dress, but i think their sizes have gotten larger and i could easily size down and wear a 0 (never happens). in these photos i actually have it binder clipped in the back to make it look more fitted. i didnā€™t have time to get it alteredā€¦ so when it came time for the eventā€¦ at the 13th hour i found a glittery waist belt in my closet to cinch it and voila! love how it always works out! but do size down in all their pieces. i canā€™t wait to share the rest of the dresses that were sent to me including the: speckled ponte flounce sheath dress and the seamed ponte flare dress (super effortless). i also walked away with more Ann Taylor goodies from the re-grand opening and canā€™t wait to style them (after i go to costco and buy more hangers.. haha not kidding though LOL #fashionbloggerproblems).

side ramblings: LIFE is CRAZY. in such a good way. i was talking to a friend of mine about daily happenings in my life and my friend turned to me and said, ā€œthere are peaks and valleys of life and girl, youā€™re standing on a mountain top!ā€ i blurted out laughing and nodded my head in agreement. anyways, i just needed to take a moment to document how grateful i feel and how iā€™m overwhelmed with happiness & joy. quite frankly, i deserve it. and with Thanksgiving around the corner, the timing couldnā€™t be better. hope yā€™all enjoy your Thanksgiving with family and friends and iā€™ll see yā€™all next time! xx

currently on my playlist: fallinā€™ all in you by Shawn Mendes

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dress c/o | Ann Taylor tweed sheath dress in blue multi (recommend sizing down, iā€™m wearing size 2 and itā€™s a little large, i had to binder clip it for photos. for the event i belted it with a glitter waist belt!) ā€” similar jacket and skirt set //
shoes | Jimmy Choo abel pumps in black patent (the shoes didnā€™t arrive in time for the photo, but Ann Taylor sent me the leanna bow pumps in black suede that i wore to the event, also comes in red and gold! i love the mid-bow detail, so holiday!) ā€” similar and debated the myra suede bow pumps // marley quilted bow pumps // lorretta pealized suede pumps
jacket | Banana Republic ā€” similar // not similar but LOVE this one // also love this one
bag | DVF lytton clutch in black quilted leather (old) ā€” similar and a good Bottega dupe // similar and in a fun shape
sunglasses | Celine caty sunglases in black (old) ā€” similar by DIFF eyewear // similar by QUAY
necklace c/o | Ann Taylor crystal necklace in gold ā€” matching earrings // love this pearl one
earrings | Kendra Scott aston statement earrings in ivory mother of pearl (old) -- similar but smaller // similar
rings | Gorjana amara ring set // Amanda Deer c/o CZ solitaire ring // Amanda Deer c/o CZ accents midi ring
bracelet | Vita Fede mini titan crystal bracelet in gold
watch | Michael Kors darci watch in gold

#cantstopwontstop,
JD

photo credit: Katie J Photography
a post done in collaboration with 
Ann Taylor.
dress & necklace provided by Ann Taylor, all opinions are my own.


@anntaylor_arboreutummarket re-grand opening on 11/17/18

special thanks to @polkadotsandgin // @wanderlustanita // @tristan.dav // @atatsteofkoko // @hanonet (not pictured) // Sonceria W. who took time out of their day to drop in, shop, and say hi! i appreciate your support so much!!!

the tweed skirt & over the knee boots

#fortheloveoftweed

i am such a fan of tweed. the texture, softness, and classy factor it brings to any wardrobe. the miniskirt is not my go-to but they are good to have on hand for an outfit with over the knee (OTK) boots! glad i snatched this one up in a heartbeat, i love the color, quality of the tweed and the front pockets that really stand out without being over the top. sticking to the classy-ness of tweed i opted for a roll neck long sleeve top and decided to layer more with my sleeveless trench coach complete with.... the ultimate classy accessories: brooch, pearl earrings, and a Chanel bag. i LOVE how it turned out! 

i also attended the Texas Conference for Women last week. i look forward to it every year, great speakers and sessions! here are my short and sweet take-aways:

  • show up. suit up. speak up.
  • fear is the doorway to opportunity. 
  • you know you're on the right track when everything seem
  • courage comes from taking baby steps.
  • beauty is the energy we put into the world.
  • call your shots.
  • be intentional. 
  • it ain't bragging if you can back it up.
  • how you face disappointment is far more important than how you face winning. 
  • there is no place in your life that you cannot lift from.
  • confidence is believing in what you deserve.
  • fear is not an option. 
  • make sure you are your own consistent cheerleader. 

i cannot believe we are at the last two months of the year! MY FAVE! hoping y'all have a wonderful thanksgiving -- eat lots, enjoy time with your loved ones, unplug, and be present! #qualitytimeisthebesttime

side happenings: sorry been MIA the past two weeks! they have been crazy fun with events, i was running from one thing to the next, it was so awesome! i'm trying to capture them in instastories #newbie (@jannadoan). from new restaurant previews -- Flower Child and Culinary Drop Out to fashion/crafty shows -- Flea Style in Dallas (my friend described it as Etsy in real life!) to the Nordstrom whowhatwear fall trunk show and heir fall beauty show to the Texas Conference from Women to other minglings including the Austin Blogger Mixer, PopSugar x Shop Style Collective (i'll just leave out the part where the hotel valet lost my car keys for a good hour....!), Kelly Wynne, and LUSH. i was thrilled to meet these beautiful and inspiring boss babes in person: @bagsnob // @hillarykerr // @brandypham // @shopkellywynne. also, appeared on the Camille Styles website, pictures from the Diptyque event last month! whoo hoo! 

currently on my playlist: better in time by Leona Lewis (totally throwin' it back)

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top | ASOS New Look ruche roll neck in black (i've worn this way too many times! it goes so well w all skirts for fall!) -- similar but ribbed // similar but cold shoulder 
duster | Shein sleeveless asymmetric trench coat in black (old) -- similar // similar but blazer style // similar with sleeves // 
skirt | ASOS Lost Ink tweed mini skirt with front pockets in gray (goes in and out of stock so always check back!) -- similar // similar with some fringe
bagCHANEL 2.55 classic double flap bag in black lambskin -- similar (avail in six colors) // similar // similar
shoesUnisa saranaa over the knee boot in black suede (avail in five colors!) -- similar from Target // similar with stiletto heel // similar but flat (just bought these and love them)
sunglassesKaren Walker number one sunglasses in black (rent them via ditto.com and use code "JANNADOANXOXO" to receive your first month for free on a designer sunglasses rental subscription!) -- similar
brooch | BaubleBar crystal donati brooch (old) -- similar but a bow // similar
earrings | Baublebar 360 pearl studs (old) -- similar // similar with pave // similar
watch c/oDaniel Wellington classic black cornwall 40mm watch (this is the NEW DW watch with a black face with ROSE GOLD details, a great statement piece for fall. use code "DOAN" for 15% off your purchase)
ringsBaubleBar ice chevron midi ring (sold out) -- similar // Gorjana candice CZ ring // Etsy stacking & midi rings
lipsMAC amplified creme lipstick in brick-o-la
nails | Smith & Cult polish in dark like me

rock the tweed,
JD