Oh, the Holidays.

It's finally to that point… when you must set aside time to take down the freaking Christmas decorations. Now that the next holiday is on our tail end, I need to get the silver garland off of the stairway railing and attempt to break down my Christmas tree. (It's shoved in the coat closet, currently.) But, hey…at least I got the decorations up within pretty good time, right? (Just say, 'right')

Maybe a better idea, would be to string some hearts on top of the christmas garland and wa-lah! I'm ready for Valentines day! How well do you all get those decorations down for the new year?

Valentine's day is a really fun holiday… mainly because it gives us ladies an excuse to buy a new dress and curl our hair. Do any of you decorate for Valentine's day? I will at least use it as an excuse to keep a huge bouquet of flowers on the table all month long.

Winter Wears / Barista Style

       On days like today, Mother Nature is trying to fool us into thinking it's late fall… when in reality it could just be Winter blooming into early Spring, or it might be Missouri's weather giving us a break from it's frigid temperatures (or teasing us, rather). In winter I like to revert to a simpler color palate. Moseying around in variations of the same outfit all season. This is my typical work-style. I work a part-time job as a barista at a Local coffee roaster & tasting room. 

I absolutely love my camel coat and black booties. 

 There is rarely a day when I leave my house with out my Daniel Wellington watch strung tightly around my wrist. 

Coat - Forever 21 / Top - Forever 21 / Jeans - Levi's / Boots - Target / Watch - Daniel Wellington

Warmly, 

Sarah Stracke

Thanks for the photos Sharon! 

Side Project / Bygone Bridal

           My gorgeously talented friend Sharon Luecke recently kicked off her new business, Bygone Bridal. She has such an inspiring vision for this new creation. I am one-hundred percent behind it, and cheering her on. I love her passion for girls to reflect their true selves on the day of their wedding and to not just find their value in how expensive or name brand their dress might be. Choosing a dress that reflects your current personality and taste will help you feel so comfortable and organically beautiful on your wedding day. Sharon wants to help create an amazing authentic bridal experience that creates originality, while helping the bride find a dress that highlights who they are. 

         Sharon and I had a blast collaborating on lookbook ideas for the Bygone Bridal kickoff. We wanted to create looks that embodied two totally different personalities; both that are completely acceptable for your wedding day. Here we styled a couple dresses form Sharon's current collection. 

If you would like to see the rest of Sharon's gorgeous pieces, they are found at Frolic Vintage in Downtown Springfield, Missouri. (409 N. Booneville Ave.)

The enchanting 'Willow the Dreamer' dress, modeled by the lovely Lily Boyd. 

This stunning 'Luna The Sworn Lover' dress, modeled by the dear Mallory Brown.