About the author ⁄ Sherry

Sherry is an Events Planner with a passion for fashion and interior design who lives in beautiful Hawaii with her husband and two kids. She enjoys lunch dates with the girls, walking the gorgeous beach of Kailua and most of all spending quality time with her family. In her free time you will find her blogging about life, fashion, interior design and parties at The Life of the Party blog or setting trends with the Polyvore community . You can find her on Twitter: @acherishedevent and Facebook

What to Wear for Spring Family Pictures

Family Pictures What to Wear by thelifeoftheparty featuring tan patent leather pumps

Spring is in full swing, are you planning your family photos? With all the beautiful blooming colors it’s surly the perfect time and today I’ve styled the whole family. I’ve said it before, I’m not a huge fan of those family pictures where everyone is wearing the same thing. It can be fun but it’s always best to choose colors that work for everyone while still showcasing a little personality. I suggest choosing a few colors that compliment the whole family and work from there.

For the style board today the main colors I’ve chosen are navy blue, mint blue and little pops of pink and yellow – perfect to bring out all of those beautiful colors of spring.

For mom we have just a solid color navy dress worn with a neutral wedge and brought out a pop of yellow in the bubble necklace.

Daughter is wearing a cute floral dress that will bring out all of the solid colors the family is wearing. This dress is a bit on the spendy side but there are no shortage of cute floral dresses for girls that are sure to look fantastic for a family photo.

The son is wearing a basic pair of khaki pants with a stylish Gymboree pocket polo shirt in the color wave blue, finishing the look with a navy pair of shoes.

Dad is wearing a basic navy blue polo shirt with a pair of khaki pants and brown shoes.

This is a great way to create a cohesive family look that is sure to make one perfect picture.

May 10, 2013 Posted by Sherry In Style Tagged Family Looks, family photography, Family Pictures, Spring Family Looks, Spring Looks Comments 0

Sip & See Shower for Baby Boy

Sip and See Shower for Baby Boy by thelifeoftheparty featuring chinese laundry

A Sip and See party is a great alternative to a traditional baby shower and can be hosted by you or a good friends. However, if you are hosting the event yourself make sure to add “no presents but your presence” to your invitation as it shows poor etiquette to host a shower for yourself. Here are some tips to get the party started.

Etsy is a great place to find pretty much anything for parties and baby showers. If you, as the new mom are hosting the party this will be the easiest way to get a really cute theme started. I always suggest finding a package that includes your invitation, banners, cupcake toppers and water bottle wrappers like this adorable Preppy Mint and Navy set available at Libby Lane Press Etsy store. This set also includes “well wishes” for baby which is such a fun and memorable addition for baby and mom on their special day. Forget the balloons and at a few paper pom poms in your theme colors.

A few more details I like to add to parties of any kind are these straws, this simple detail really dresses up your serving table. Keep your menu simple and buy a few pre-made platters that will make set up and clean up a breeze. Put together a fun personalized onsie with a cute pair of booties for baby and don’t forget a baby blanket. If you are feeling really thematic wear an outfit that coordinates with your adorable baby. The most important thing is to enjoy showing off your new bundle of joy and not to stress out over all of the intricate details of entertaining.

To view our Girl Sip & See Party inspiration click here.

Apr 22, 2013 Posted by Sherry In Baby Tagged Baby Shower, Boy Shower, Mint and Navy Shower, Sip and See party, Sip and See Shower, Welcome home baby Comments 0

One Pair of Floral Jeans, Three Different Looks

Three ways to wear floral jeans by thelifeoftheparty featuring a canvas jacket

We are seeing an explosion of fashionable floral trends this season on jeans, skirts, tops and blazers and it doesn’t look like it’s going away anytime soon. Floral jeans can be a particularly intimidating fashion choice so today I’ve put together three ways you can incorporate this trend into your wardrobe.

I’ve used the same pair of jeans for all three looks to give you an idea of how versatile floral can be.

1. I’ve chosen a sleeveless peplum lace top with a delicate blue necklace which will compliment the blue color in the floral pattern. Throw on a pair of neutral pointed toe pumps and this will make for a fantastic evening look.

2.The second look is a little more casual with a bright pink J. Crew ballet button top and a navy blue bubble necklace. The shoes are a fun pair of GAP navy and white polka flats.

3. This year it seems none of the old fashion rules apply. I’ve mixed stripes with floral in this look and completed the look with a canvas style jacket available at Old Navy and a pair of lace up boots.

Will you be adding floral denim to your wardrobe this season?

Apr 12, 2013 Posted by Sherry In Fashion, Style Tagged Floral Denim, floral jeans, floral pants, floral prints, floral trend Comments 0

Affordable Mother Daughter Fashion

Mother and daughter days are a fun way to spend the day bonding while doing the things you love together. My daughter loves to go through my clothes and try on every single pair of shoes I own. She also love to coordinate her attire with mine on occasion so today I’ve come up with a few affordable coordinating mother/ daughter outfit inspirations for you.

Mother and Daughter Looks for Spring by thelifeoftheparty featuring racer back tank tops

This is a look that would be perfect for a casual mom and daughter spring day out. I’ve chosen a stripe tank top from Old Navy for mom worn with a basic pair of white jeans by Hollister. Nothing says casual like a pair of flip-flops from Old Navy.

I’ve chosen a cute chambray top with these adorable pink tassels and a pair of white leggings. Add a pink cardigan in the event it’s a cooler spring day. The Old Navy flip-flops have this fun floral design that will give this outfit added interest not to mention mom and daughter will be perfectly coordinated.

Mother & Daughter Looks for the Beach by thelifeoftheparty featuring a halter top swimwear

Beach days are just around the corner so I’ve come up with a mother and daughter look that will make a day at the beach a little more fashionable and a lot more affordable.

For mom I’ve chosen a Merona halter strap swimsuit in black that also has ruching detail and topped the look with a white Aerie cotton beach cover. I didn’t want mother and daughter to be too matchy so I’ve pulled a few of those bright colors into moms outfit with a pair of bright pink flip-flops from Old Navy and a lime green beach bag from Target.

I’ve chosen this floral print swimsuit for daughter that offers all of the most popular neon colors in a floral print. The chevron print in the flip flops pull from all of those bright colors in the swimsuit while also complimenting the bright colors in moms outfit. I’ve finished this look with a cute beach cover in lime with dolemans sleeves and an elastic waist.

Mother & Daughter Night Out by thelifeoftheparty featuring leather pumps

Moms dress is a simple shealth dress available at Kohl’s which would be perfect for a night out with your favorite girl. I’ve added this kelly green beaded necklace to the look because these two colors compliment each other well. I’ve completed moms look with a fun pair of black and white stripe pointed toe heels. For daughters look I’ve chosen a very simple black dress by Circo (Target brand) that has fun polka dots at the bottom with a pair of sparkly Old Navy ballet flats.

Mar 29, 2013 Posted by Sherry In Fashion, Style Tagged beach cover, beach day, chambray, coordinating mother and daughter, flip-flips, mother daughter beach day, mother daughter date, Mother daughter fashion, mother daughter night out, night out Comments 0

Easter Dress for Mom #FashionFriday

I don’t know about you but I spend an awful lot of time searching for the perfect Easter dress for my daughter and hardly any on myself. There is no reason why we as moms don’t embrace the colorful spring pastels as well. Now is your time to wear pastel colors with mint being one of this Springs most fashionable colors to wear. I’ve come up with a few pretty pastel options for you today.

Easter Dress for Mom by thelifeoftheparty featuring linear earrings

Lovely in Lace- This dress has a lovely underlay in mint with a gorgeous lace pattern over the dress. Keeping the look simple with a pair of mint suede sandals with a heel. I’ve kept the accessories minimal with a pair of drop earrings that almost mimic the pattern in the dress.

Easter Dress for Mom by thelifeoftheparty featuring dorothy perkins

Bold Floral- Bright floral color perfect for a spring garden party for Easter. This A-line strapless dress offers the seasons trends with its mint color and floral pattern. The colors in the statement necklace and the clutch will pull from all of those gorgeous colors in the floral print. Since there is already so much bright color going on I’ve finished this look with a basic pair of nude heels.

Easter Dress for Mom-Mint Trend by thelifeoftheparty featuring chandelier earrings

Mint Trend- Mint color is everywhere and so perfect for spring. This Refine mint dress offers a clean and simple look with a pair of Lily chandelier earrings and almond colored BCBG pumps.

How do you feel about the mint color trend and floral patterns?

Mar 15, 2013 Posted by Sherry In Fashion, Style Tagged Dress, Easter Dress, easter pastels, floral fashion, floral trend, Mint color trend, Pastel Dress, Pastel Fashion, spring dress, Spring Dress for Mom, Spring Fashion Comments 4

How to Wear Floral Prints #FashionFriday

How to Wear Floral Prints by thelifeoftheparty featuring boyfriend pants

Floral is trending all over the scene this spring, we’re seeing both delicate and bold patterns on blazers, skinny jeans, bags, tops and more. Today I’ve come up with a few ways that you can incorporate this pattern into your wardrobe.

1. Adding a floral blazer to any look is sure to provide a bold statement. Here we have a yellow Topshop strappy cami with a pair of white Ralph Lauren capri jeans. Top the look with this floral Forever New Alizia blazer and finish the look with a nice pair of patent pointed toe pumps which will bring out the blue hues in the blazer and pull this look together.

2. For a more professional look wear a light gray larger floral pencil skirt worn with a basic white button blouse. I’ve added a pair of suede deep purple pumps which will compliment the purple floral pattern in this chic skirt.

3. This would be a great outfit for a more casual day out. The floral jeans have pops of turquoise, peach and coral so I’ve added a turquoise tank and topped the look with a long open beige sweater worn with a pair of flats which gives this a casual feel. The clutch pulls these colors together completing the look.

4. Here is a fun yellow dress, perfect for a warm Spring day. The floral bag used in this set can easily be added to a dressy outfit or a more casual look just by changing the shoes. Option #1 is a red pair of Tory Burch sandals with a wedge heel; these shoes will pull from the red floral in the bag. Option #2 could be worn to an afternoon party or an evening out with a pair of mint green suede sandals with a heel.

How do you feel about the floral trend?

Mar 8, 2013 Posted by Sherry In Fashion, Style Tagged floral bag, Floral blazer, floral jeans, floral prints Comments 4

How to Dress Up Plain Black Leggings

How to Dress Up Plain Black Leggings by thelifeoftheparty featuring chiffon tops

Leggings are a great staple to have in our closets at all times, they can easily be transformed through all of the seasons and there are numerous ways to dress them up.

Country Chic- For the country chic look is a Little Mistress long-sleeve belted floral top worn with a great pair of brown riding boots. Keep your accessories minimal with a delicate pair of gold drop earrings.
Sporty- Let’s face it, this is a comfortable look, many times when we dress comfortably the end result is a looking a little frumpy. So just add a tank and nice color blue sweatshirt with a bright purple watch to add a pop of color to your sporty look.
Edgy Chic- This look is everywhere right now. The top is a longer sheer black t-shirt with a geometric blingy design. Given the design on the shirt alone you really don’t need to add much to this look in the way of accessories so keep with simple with a pair of silver drop earrings and add a few leather bracelets to add to the edginess and complete the look with a pair of black biker boots.
Delicate- Kimonos and tunics are also spot on trend this year and one of the popular tops to be worn with a pair of leggings since they are a bit longer than your average top. This is a beautiful teal and floral loose fitting kimono top worn with a plain pair of neutral ballet flats.
City Chic- Peplum is in! We are seeing fabulous peplum tops and jackets everywhere. It’s a nice top to wear for a night out with a fabulous pair of neutral color booties and an oxblood bag to give this neutral look a little pop of color.

What are some of your favorite trends this year?

Feb 22, 2013 Posted by Sherry In Fashion, Style Tagged Black leggings, country look, edgy trend, kimono, kimono and leggings, Peplum, sport leggings, trench coat, tunics Comments 0

How to Dress Up a Plain White Tank #FashionFriday

How to Dress Up a Plain White Tank by thelifeoftheparty featuring flat shoes

Every girl need to have at least four white tanks in their closet, they are not only inexpensive but one of the easiest pieces of clothing to work with since you can literally add any accessory or layered look to work for you. A white tank doesn’t need to be reserved just for the gym or house cleaning so I’ve come up with a few ways to give boring a little wow factor.

Hi-Lo skirts are still going to be on trend for 2013, in fact a little more popular than last year. This Bqueen asymmetrical hi-lo skirt is the perfect addition to a white tank. Add a great statement necklace in the same color palette and you’ll have one fabulous outfit. Top it off with a denim jacket.
Throw on a pair of weathered skinny jeans with some super cute booties like these Franscesco Milano ankle boots and some big statement earrings. Complete the look with a gray faux suede jacket.
Black and white is one of the color trends for 2013. Wear a pair of black leggings with this Friis and Company polka dot scarf, a great pair of boots and simple pair of earrings. Add a little edge with a faux biker jacket.
This is sort of a rustic look. Wear a darker denim with a longer fringe detailed necklace, hoop earrings, a simple set of bangle bracelets and complete the look with these Steve Pembroke western style cropped boots and tan faux leather jacket.
Colored denim is still going to be hot this season. Worn with a pair of leopard flats is very complimentary to this color. Complete the look with a light color blazer. Again adding a statement necklace will balance the look.

The options are endless when it comes to a white tank. Open up that closet and start experimenting!

How many white tanks do you own?

Feb 8, 2013 Posted by Sherry In Fashion, Style Tagged Boots, dressing up a white tank, plain tank, Scarves, statement earrings, Statement Jewelry, White tank Comments 1

Valentine’s Day Fashion

Valentine’s Day is right around the corner, whether you are planning a night out, night in or a simple lunch date we’ve put together a few outfits that scream- It’s Valentine’s Day!

Valentine’s Day Night Out! by thelifeoftheparty featuring a vintage black dress

Planning a night out for Valentine’s Day? Here is a simple and elegant little black dress that you can not only wear on a night out but it would also be a great dress for work, just throw on a blazer and it’s completely professional as well. Add a cute pair of red pumps and a little sparkle for your clutch and this would be a perfectly romantic outfit for a Valentine’s Day dinner out.

Valentine’s Day Day Out! by thelifeoftheparty featuring ballet flats

Can’t find a sitter but still want to have a nice meal with your significant other. If possible celebrate by having a lunch date! This is a fun and feminine Ann Taylor petal top, wear with a pair of black pants and flats.

Valentine’s Day Night In! by thelifeoftheparty featuring bracelets & bangles

Night in is most likely what my husband and I will have on the agenda for Valentine’s Day but that doesn’t mean you can’t celebrate the day in red. Here is a comfortable looking Karen Millen cowl neck poncho. This sweater would be perfect for cuddling on the sofa with a super sappy chick flick.

Do you prefer a night on the town or a quiet night in for Valentine’s Day?

Feb 1, 2013 Posted by Sherry In Style Tagged Date Night, little black dress, Lunch Date outfit, Red and Black Fashion, Red Poncho, Valentine's Day Fashion Comments 0

Valentine’s Day {Night In}

Since becoming parents, Valentine’s Day hasn’t been a big deal for my husband and myself. Typically we just have a simple dinner at home since neither one of us wants to battle a crowd of people to have dinner or wait in line for a good movie. Now that we’ve added kids to the equation it’s just not a possibility even if we were willing to have a romantic night out on the town but that doesn’t mean we can’t take a moment out for ourselves to enjoy the evening.

Valentine’s Day Night In! by thelifeoftheparty on Polyvore

Here is what you can do to create that little bit of time for you and the hubby in the comforts of your own home. Start by feeding the kids early, make a few homemade pizza’s together as a family. After dinner, find a good movie that will keep them entertained for the rest of the evening until bedtime. Sometimes that is easier said than done but it’s worked for us.

Then pull out that old fondue set to heat up some of your favorite cheese for dipping and make that your meal for the night that way you and your husband or significant other can camp out in front of the television and watch a sappy movie together. Your husband will love it…or not. But it’s Valentine’s Day so I’m sure he’ll cope. Prepare some chocolate covered strawberries for desert and Voila! A romantic night in and you didn’t even have to hire a sitter or slave away in the kitchen all night.

If you are still looking for something fun and inexpensive to do on Valentine’s Day check out Rachel Kempster and Meg Leder’s book The You & Me Book. It’s full of ideas and ways for a more personal Valentine’s day as opposed to going out for the night and spending a ton of money.

What do you prefer to do on Valentine’s Day? A night out on the town or a quiet night in?

Jan 30, 2013 Posted by Sherry In Family Tagged Cheese Fondue, Chocolate Covered Strawberries, Fondue, hearts, Romantic Dinner, Romantic Night, Valentine's Day Dinner, Valentine's Day Night In, Valentines Day Comments 0