Endlessly grateful.

This week is typically one of my favorites of the entire year.

It's a whirlwind of, travel, faces I love and unbelievably good food. It also marks the celebration of our photography year and chatter of styling projects coming next.

This has been the most challenging - yet rewarding year yet. The most obvious blessing has been brutally honest people. The kind that are willing to challenge you to the next level and then stick with you as you struggle along. I'm endlessly grateful.

The excitement of holiday deliveries to my clients (whenever I get to do this in person) is THE BEST. I love seeing reactions to the canvas and albums arriving for their homes.

Dozens of long phone chats, late night texting over which blazer and with what shoes is justified in this moment. We all have a good laugh about how intense we became on these subjects.

This year felt a bit different. Monday began with a funeral for my great aunt who was an amazing role model and ended with the arrival of my third nephew, Daniel James.

In between we laughed, cried, told stories, ate, kicked around starting a food truck, drank mugs of coffee and celebrated the 36 years my parents have been married. 

It was mostly sweet. At times exhausting but reminded me (yet again) to forever live in the moment. I hope your Thanksgiving was honest and sweet as well. Much love - Laura Rose Davis

P.S. I'm not wanting to be bothered with many clothes when traveling so these comfy Gap jeans are on high rotation (customized by TNL). A mohair thin H&M sweater, Zara wool duster and Zara moto leather jacket are easy transitional pieces. Also, Dolce Vita clogs, suede heels and floral clutch add a touch of personality.

A little black (wedding) dress.

I wish I had something profound to say. Perhaps a long list of reasons why I think you should stray from a traditional wedding attire, but not this time. I only want to say no matter the occasion I think you should always dress true to yourself.

So, that's it. I'm here cheering you on. Whether that means you choose to wear black or red instead of white, or get married in a tiny chapel or (a COURTHOUSE, yay!).

It's not that I encourage you to be different for the sake of being different. Instead listen to your heart and be honest with where it takes you. Style is only the most obvious place it could take you. I hope you have the courage to be that fresh breath of air we all are hoping to catch. 

Behind the scenes... Clint snapped these shots when I decided to pick up some purple tulips and style them on the street before we snapped these pics.

One thing I've learned, if you choose to lead you should lead by example. So here we are, Clint and I, popping out after work to show you just one way you could style a non-traditional wedding dress. Hope you enjoy! For more elopement love head over to Charming in Love, our wedding site.

See you next Sunday at 7pm! xo - Laura

Dress : ML Monique Lhuillier / Shoes : Valentino / Clutch: Marie Turnor / Make up : Asia Johnson

I'm picking up the tab on your outfit.

What if I told you, you could choose clothes that made you feel ten pounds lighter?

On the scale this morning it said, 145.3 but I already knew that was coming when I finished Clint's pasta at dinner last night. Hey, what's life without a few simple joys?

But I'm not here to tell you to make healthier choices. Nope, I want you to enjoy life, live it to the fullest and be thankful for the body you have.

Now let's get dressed!

If you've been following this little space, it's probably not news to you that we do A LOT of personal shopping for our photography clients. While this is a really nice option, you're still footing the bill and let's be honest, not all of us can afford our good taste.

Ready for a game changer? All of our Charming brands now have access to thousands of new outfits (3,746 items from 306 designers to be exact).

Welcome to your new extended wardrobe! Now you can now check out 3 items (from casual to bridal) for your photo shoot at no extra cost.

In my opinion, flattering outfits elevate your photos SO much that I'm willing to foot the bill.

So, that's what I'm doing here. Hanging out at the Cook County Courthouse on a Friday afternoon wearing a Halston Heritage Gown and carrying a Loeffler Randall cheetah print clutch.

My hubby is ace at shooting at the most flattering angles and I can't seem to shut up about elevating your look and learning to love (and dress) the body you have.

So next week's post… I can't even tell you how excited I am! There's something for everyone, fresh floral, a BLACK wedding dress, gold studs, even donuts!

Styled elopements give you the feels? Head over to Charming in Love, for the bride who adores classic beauty. No frills, just more of our favorite romantic photos, posh gowns… and YES, you can check them out for your big day too!

Side note, as many of you know, this spring Clint and I eloped. It was one of the most romantic days. It was simple, had that classic old Hollywood feel, but without so many pressures.

Honestly, I didn't realize it would feel so special. I didn't have a clue what to expect. But now that I know first hand I can't wait to share more styled elopements so you can get caught up with me too.

Sending you a big hug for sticking around as this little space changes, evolves and grows with me.  Until next Sunday at 7pm. - Laura

Falling for Dark florals

Ted Baker's fall line has been catching my eye. Each time I've been dashing around shopping for clients Ted's are the items to make me stop and play with outfit ideas.

The fabric is slightly thicker and not only keeps you warm but does a good job disguising figure imperfections. Please and thank you, Ted Baker!

OUTFITS

Laura: Ted Baker dress / Ann Taylor Loft blazer / Stella and Dot necklace /  Jeffery Campbell suede pumps

Mitzi: Ted Baker dress / Forever21 moto jacket / similar Ivana Trump suede pumps / Club Monaco coat

Here are just two of his lovely dark floral pieces. Mitzi's dress can be found here. My dress is on sale right now until 11/6 at Bloomingdales!

If you love the dark florals but dresses aren't your thing. Check out these separates in similar prints also from Ted.

Plus, below are a few other ways to introduce dark floral patterns into your casual style... Catch you next Sunday at 7pm. xo - Laura

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Is she wearing designer or budget? 7 tips to blur the lines.

How to make inexpensive clothes look expensive? Often people think I’m wearing designer when in reality I've just carefully selected budget items. Styling is key.

These simple tricks will save your wallet and keep your friends guessing!

1. Only Wear Clothes That Fit

Just because you paid a hefty price for your clothes doesn't mean they will look good. If the fit is poor your items will look cheap.

Pants and they’re too long, have them hemmed. Many stores offer this complementary. If you have a sweater with short arms, roll up the sleeves. A dress isn’t perfect around your waist, add a belt.

There are plenty of tricks to make sure your clothes fit you, or at least appear to. Avoid wearing anything too small, it's the shortcut to looking cheap!

2. Stay fresh

Your hair and nails can easily elevate your look. I don't like wasting time at the salon (but when I go I always bring work along for while I wait).

Carving out a bit of time to have your hair touched up can be the polish on your style. I recently invested in a home gel nail kit so I can fit in a no-chip manicure while I respond to e-mails. Win!

3. Accessories that Shine

Your accessories don’t have to be designer, although occasionally it's worth it. A few select pieces can make your budget items shine.

I carefully planned to splurge a while back on a pair of Valentino studded flats (for my wedding) and Miu Miu handbag (as a gift to myself once I reached a personal goal). I swear they could even make my pajamas look like couture.

If you’re on a tight budget, just wait for sales or pour over secondhand designer websites.

4. Steam or press inexpensive items to look luxe

Wrinkles make expensive pieces appear cheap. And, having cheap clothing pressed instantly looks way more luxurious.

A steamer is a investment that will change your style forever. If it doesn’t cost you a fortune to have your things pressed, do it!

If you find a wrinkled item in the store, leave it there. It's never going to look nice once you get it home.

5. Take Care Of Your Things

I would rather send my boots and pumps to a reputable shoe maker than buy new. Worn out heels don’t look attractive. It takes little investment to clean and repair your shoes.

I take a basket full to be repaired at least once a year and am so happy with the results. Many of my shoes have been resoled 2 or even 3 times.

You’ll be surprised about how new they seem. Best part? No sore feet!

6. Timeless Pieces

You can't go wrong investing in a trench coat, blazer, little black dress or nude pumps. These classics will look sophisticated no matter the price tag if you pay attention to the fit and details.

7. Stash Lint Rollers Everywhere

Lint rollers are just as important as lip balm. I have one hidden almost anywhere. My hall closet, my camera bag, my car and I even carry a mini version in my handbag.

As temps drop and static rises - everything sticks to your clothes and can ruin your look.

This bit of style advice is from Zanita.com as well as a few additions and thoughts of my own. Hope you can find it helpful. Until next Sunday at 7pm. xo- Laura

(Behind the scenes : My outfit : designer or budget? Clint and I were on our way to Restoration Hardware in the new jaw-dropping Gold Coast location. Totally going back for a glass of wine in the atrium for our next (non-working) date night, here's a video of what it looks like!

I was hoping to pick up a deep navy paint color (more decorating in process for our living room, which has become my vice!) when we stopped to snap these shots. (Feeling proud, I only used the 15 minute minimum on my parking app! I have been admonished that my parking budget is too high so I'm trying to do better! I even walked 2 miles downtown to make a return instead of driving this week, which to be fair, was a gorgeous day. You saw that effort, right husband?!)

Looking put together is my goal if I'm meeting with clients or doing more the a grocery run. If you saw me before noon, my apologies. I have no shame in comfy dress when I need to get things done and 6-11am is my productive zone. For occasions that call for more polish here's a few ideas from today's outfit. Zara Body curve denim (similar) $39 I will live and die by these jeans - I own 4 pair - more colors available in store, Custom distressing from TNL $25, Zara long vest $189, Forever21 sweater (similar) $19, A'gaci fringe booties $29, Nars satin lip pencil in Palais Royal $29)