Hey y'all!So excited to be able to not only share this CUTE cold shoulder ruffle romper, but also to give y'all some fun ideas of how to keep your date nights fresh and fun!This black romper from ASOS has the cutest ruffle detail around the open shoulder. It's collared at the top and the buttons down to the waist. The shorts are kind of open and fold over on the side so it just gives great movement without showing too much skin! I'm thinking about pairing this with a gold metallic belt to dress it up even more.You'll notice if you go to the link that this is considered "tall" sizing. Well, I'm 5'7" and it's obviously not long on me! 
Romper: ASOS || Leopard pumps: J Crew || Clutch: Old Navy (similar) || Sunglasses: Ray Ban || Monogrammed Necklace: Julia Marie
Matt and I have always been pretty consistent "daters". We love hanging out so date night is one of our favorite times of the week! We put our phones down and just talk to each other and it's just what we need to get back on the same page. One thing Matt has always been great at is asking questions. It's tempting to feel like you know everything about each other after you've been together for a while. Believe me, I know! I've known Matt since middle school and we've been together since high school. That's a lotta time yet I'm still finding out things about him that I didn't know.We rarely ever ask questions like "How was your week?" because it's too open ended. We like to get specific and normally like to stick with questions that lead to responses that will make us both laugh and will help us to learn something new about each other. Here's an example of some of the questions we ask.The house is on fire, the kids are safe, but you have time to run back in and grab one more thing. What would it be?What was your favorite outfit to wear when you were in elementary school?If you could hop on a plain tomorrow and go anywhere, where would you go?Who was your favorite teacher and why?If you could change anything about our wedding, what would it be?When you were little, what did you want to be when you grew up?Have you ever broken a bone? What was it and how?What was your favorite meal to eat when you were a kid?Did you have an imaginary friend? What was their name?Did you parents have a nickname for you?What was your favorite gift I ever gave you?What was one thing you asked for for Christmas that you never got? These are just a few of the questions we have come up with in the past and amazingly enough we are always coming up with more.I think one of the best ways to rut-proof your relationship is to be a student of your spouse/significant other. Always be trying to learn about their history. What has made them who they are today? You may know a lot already but you don't know it all.Most importantly, just keep dating each other. Even if it means you just have talk time after the kids go to bed because you can't afford a babysitter. Turn off the TV. Put down the phone. And look at each other. You just never know what fun new things you can learn about each other when you start asking questions!
I totally fell in love with this rain (or shine!) jacket from Banana Republic Factory Store. The fabric is super sturdy but not too stiff. I paired it with my white jeans and added some blush because blush is everything. 
These loafers I found at Old Navy are theeeee most comfortable shoes I own right now. I literally can't stop wearing them, nor do I want to. 
Mixing patterns can be overwhelming at times. You want to pull off eclectic without achieving "hot mess". It's a total game of balance, really. 
Stripes are obviously one of my favorite patterns. Second only to the almighty leopard print. Some people don't like leopard because it feels a little too va va voom, if you know what I mean. With this look, I balanced the leopard out a bit by adding some preppy stripes. The collar of this button down also has a ruffle, which softens the whole look while adding texture and dimension. 
The real key to mixing patterns is just having the confidence to pull it off. If you feel good in what you've got on, it really shows.
My general rule when mixing patterns is not to mix more than two "busy" patterns. I'll incorporate different solids but only two actual patterns for the most part. I don't mind pulling in textures like rhinestone cuffs and a muted snake skin clutch to keep things interesting. But showing a little self restraint when mixing patterns will really help with the balance of the whole look. 
The majority of this look is from J Crew Factory. I'd recommend sizing down in this blazer. The sweater also runs a little big but I am so excited about all the different ways I can wear it this Winter and into Spring.