Author: thenavyleopard

Mani Monday – Heart Edition

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Heart on your sleeve? How about heart on your ring finger? My ninth wedding anniversary is this month. Mercury is in retrograde. Spring break and spring fever have brought a new energy (sass) to my seven year old. Some things make you feel the love while some things call on you to show more of the heart’s elixir , Regardless, more love and compassion are always a good thing.

The manicure and nail art are by Olive & June.  The color is “Organdi” by Chanel.

Items in the photos:

Fitbit Flex 2 in navyFitbit Flex 2 in navy

J. Crew Embroidered Tie-Neck top in Indian Voile

Theory Tweed Jacket

New Balance x J. Crew Star-print Jacket (on sale!)

New Balance x J. Crew Striped In-Transit Pullover

Happy Monday!

XO.

JAE

Happy Anniversary – Navy Leopard

Published on by thenavyleopard3 Comments

The Navy Leopard turns one today.  I have created over 200 blog posts and posted 4-5 times a week.  This past year I have learned a lot and even figured out some basic HTML code.  I am so grateful to my followers and I appreciate all the encouragement I have received.

My top posts are always the ones in which I am little more vulnerable either in sharing something personal like (Eight Years and Reunions, Memories and Milestones) or where I step outside of my comfort zone (Pattern Mix Hits the Gym).  Who would have thought I would do a post on active wear and that it would be my most viewed post?  (not me, when I started!).

I managed to gain weight while posting photos of myself regularly which in some ways was liberating.  Thankfully,  I managed to lose it again thanks to Bulletproof Coffee (more on that in Cocktails?).

To celebrate my year of blogging, I treated myself to a navy animal print Equipment silk blouse that I saw in @wearemidlife ‘s Instagram feed.  Jessica pointed out that she did not have that one button struggle with this style.  I had always loved Equipment’s prints but that one button (we all know the one I am talking about) never worked on me.  This is a different style and it fit! Thank you, Jessica.

I styled the blouse with my favorite AG White Jeans, J. Crew Velvet Heels, J. Crew Piper Sunglasses and my favorite new pink bag.  This was another fun (rainy) photo shoot with Amy @howtojcrew

equipment-jcrew-flatlay-navyleopard

Equipment Adalyn Blouse (on sale!) also available here and here

J. Crew Signet Bag in Fuchsia Blossom

J. Crew Pom (similar here)

J. Crew Velvet Heels (similar here)

J. Crew Piper Sunglasses

AG Prima Jeans

Chanel Rouge Double Intensite Ultra Wear Lip Color in Sensual Rose

Thank you.

XO,

JAE

jcrew-berries-stripes

Berries, Stripes and Connections

Published on by thenavyleopardLeave a comment

I am counting down the days to my one year anniversary of blogging.  In fact, LinkedIn is already serving up congratulations.  There are times that blogging feels isolating.  I am at the computer editing photos, holding myself to tough deadlines, spending (too much) time on social media.  Then there are moments where a comment or an email from a reader comes through and I feel a sense of connection.  I am so grateful for the community of bloggers, instagrammers and J. Crew fans.

Amy of @howtojcrew fame and I kept missing each other at J. Crew.  We had been following each other on Instagram for a while.  It seemed every time I was shopping she had just been there or was coming later.  Finally one day, we both reached out on Instagram and we met for coffee to “talk shop”.  Then one day we actually did bump into each other in the J. Crew dressing room at the Grove.  Both of us were trying on looks from this berry collection.

jcrew-thegrove-howtojcrew

 

So we decided to meet and swap photographer duty.  My “Instagram” husband was thrilled to be relieved of his duties for a few outfits.  We have taken photos twice together now and both times it rained, but we managed anyway.

We shot these berry looks in the mist.  I love that social media which can be isolating at times actually had a connecting power in real life (IRL).

jcrew berries stripes flatlay

My look:

J. Crew Berries Popover

J. Crew Piper Sunglasses

J. Crew Striped Clutch (similar here)

J. Crew Striped Gemma Flats (similar here)

AG Prima Jeans

Chanel Rouge Double Intensite Ultra Wear Lip Color in Sensual Rose

Amy’s look:

J. Crew Berries Sweater

J. Crew Matchstick Denim

J. Crew Flats (similar here)

Here’s to connecting and friendships.

Happy Shopping!

XO,

JAE

jcrew-leopard

Thank You Jenna

Published on by thenavyleopardLeave a comment

When I started my blog almost a year ago I featured a lot of J. Crew because it was what was in my closet.  The initial inspiration for even making my Instagram public six months before was the shinyponies contest.  I feature other brands here and there, but it was the J. Crew fan community and Jenna Lyons herself that kept me going.

Thank you Jenna

Thank you for validating my obsession with leopard print.  I have always loved it.  You made it more accessible.   I have been calling it a neutral since I can remember.

Thank you for making the high/low mix so cool.

Thank you for living your life on your own terms (in the public eye).

Thank you for teaching us how to cuff a sleeve (even if I don’t quite have it).

Thank you for embracing the imperfect and making things interesting.

Thank you for the pattern mix.

Thank you for being a role model for young women, young men, boys and girls.

Thank you for showing us that any look can be pulled off with the right amount of confidence.

I look forward to your next act.  Please keep sharing your style and inspiring us all.

XO,

JAE

Mani Monday – (Negative) Space Needle Edition

Published on by thenavyleopard5 Comments

Spring Break in Seattle!  Spring Break in Seattle!  We decided to mix it up and head north instead of south for the vacation.  My son and I had a few days to explore the city and see family.  We had a great time and a variety of weather.  It was good for my Southern California born and bred seven year old to experience something different.

This week’s mani is a Space Needle set against negative space.

The color is “Liquid Mirror” by Chanel.  The manicure and nail art are by Olive & June.

Happy Monday!

XO,

JAE

Ring the Bell

Published on by thenavyleopard2 Comments

Happy National Stripes Day!  Those of us with a stripes addiction can rejoice today.   Thank you J. Crew!  If you are like me, you had a lot of to choose from.  I selected this bell-sleeved top and styled it with a liberty print blazer, lookout jeans, New Balance kicks and my Piper sunglasses.  The look was perfect for walking around Venice in off and on rain.  I love that the top is a new silhouette for me (I featured it recently in pink, here), but it still has my favorite stripes.

jcrew striped bell sleeve liberty flatlay

J. Crew Bell Sleeve Striped Top

J. Crew Liberty Blazer (on sale!)

J. Crew Piper Sunglasses

J. Crew Lookout High-rise jeans

New Balance for J. Crew Shoes

Chanel Rouge Double Intensite Ultra Wear Lip Color in Sensual Rose

Happy National Stripes Day!

XO,

JAE

 

Stripes- Greatest Hits

Published on by thenavyleopard1 Comment

I am coming up on a year of blogging and I have lost count of the number of posts that included stripes.  As it says in my Instagram profile, I am a lover of stripes.  There always seems to be one more striped shirt that is a need rather than a want.  I use stripes as a neutral often with other patterns.  Here are twenty-four of my favorite looks with stripes. For a look back at these posts see the links below.  The items are linked in the posts.

One more day until J. Crew’s new holiday, National Stripes Day. This may be my favorite new holiday. 

XO,

JAE

Full Image and Info
Full Image and Info

Painting Outside the Lines, For Whom the Bell Tolls, Vintage Rainbow, In the Trenches, Jumping into Memories ,All of the Stripes, Pattern Mix Hits the Gym, Broad Stripes, Blue Velvet, New York State of Mind, Easy Elegance, Pink Stories, Doggie Stripes at Georgie, Dinner and Sunset in Montecito, Stripes at the San Diego Auto Museum, May Liberty Flowers, Pink Lady, Black Watch, Stripes, Sequins and Lace, Shoes Tell the Story and Stripes and Liberty

Heels, Fire and Love

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This statement tee is not joking around.  I love the pop of red. It works perfectly with the Love Wall in Venice, CA.   I styled it with a neon pink featherweight cashmere sweater, watermelon pouch, Lookout high rise jeans, New Balance kicks and Ryan Sunglasses – all from J.Crew.

jcrew-watermelons-heelsonfire-newbalancejcrew newalance heels on fire lovewalljcrew newalance heels on fire lovewall1jcrew newalance heels on fire lovewall 3jcrew newalance heels on fire flatlay

J. Crew Heels on Fire T-Shirt

J. Crew Ryan Sunglasses

J. Crew Italian Featherweight Cashmere Sweater

J. Crew Watermelon Pouch

J. Crew Lookout High-Rise Jeans

New Balance for J. Crew Kicks

Chanel Rouge Double Intensite Ultra Wear Lip Color in Sensual Rose

Happy Shopping!

XO,

JAE

stripes-nailart-jcrew-nationalstripesday

Mani Monday – National Stripes Day Edition

Published on by thenavyleopard2 Comments

J.Crew has started a holiday, National Stripes Day, that is this Friday, March 31st.  I am ready to celebrate with a striped mani in one of my favorite pinks with navy stripes (of course).

The  manicure and nail art are by Olive & June.  The color is Kiss Me I’m Brazilian by OPI.

Items in the photos:

J. Crew Bell Sleeve Top in Blue

J. Crew Flower Guy Striped Shirt with Painted Flowers (on sale!)

J. Crew Girls Max the Monster Striped Tee

J. Crew Striped Tunic

J. Crew Striped Bell Sleeve Top in Pink

Jonathan Adler Bath Rug

J. Crew Jane Sunglasses

Rebecca Minkoff Denim Clutch

Have a stripey week!

XO,

JAE

jcrew-lemon-jackrogers

Lemonade

Published on by thenavyleopard2 Comments

This has been one of my toughest weeks in a while. On the plus side, it was rewarding.

I had braced myself for my husband’s recovery from minor surgery. Turns out the procedure was not as minor as we’d anticipated.  I am proud of how, in the face of our unexpected challenge that we made more lemonade than we have made in a while.  I am more appreciative of all that he does on a daily basis.  We also took the opportunity to revisit what our seven year-old can for himself.  We discovered that he is more capable when we are not rushing to get things done and we just let him do things on his own.  My family feels stronger than ever even though one of us can’t walk without assistance right now.

I am making lemonade with this beaded lemon t-shirt from J. Crew.  I styled it with a jean jacket, white jeans and my yellow jellies.

jcrew lemon jack rogers flatlay

J. Crew Denim Jacket

J. Crew Beaded Lemons T-Shirt

AG Prima Jeans

Jack Rogers “Georgica”  (similar here and here)

Here is to making lemondade.

Happy Shopping!

XO,

JAE