Wednesday, June 29, 2016

Classic Hot Pink Dress

Elizabeth McKay THE COCO DRESS

tuckernuck tortoise clutch

elizabeth mckay coco dress

david yurman cable bracelet and signet pinky ring


The other day I was walking in the grocery store parking lot when I saw a little girl skipping by in a shirt that read 'class of 2023'. When I saw that, it made me feel really old. Another thing that made me feel old? My cousin, Michael, just graduated from high school! I feel like it was just yesterday he was a baby. I was 8 when he was born, so I can vividly remember him as a baby/toddler. It's crazy how the time flies and it really does move even faster as you get older. 

I wore this pretty pink dress to my cousin's graduation party. It was a pretty casual party, so I paired the dress with Jack Rogers instead of heeled sandals. I love that this dress is easy to move in, but still looks very structured and put together. You could easily wear this to a more casual wedding or cocktail party with a fancier clutch/shoes/jewelry combo. 

For sizing, it runs pretty true to size. I am wearing a size 2 for reference. Also, did you know that the updated Jack Rogers now offer a sandal with a rubber sole for added comfort, improved traction, and longevity? It really does make a major difference!

Tuesday, June 28, 2016

Going Out Outfit: Lace Romper Under $100

MISSGUIDED Ladder Stitch Lace Romper

Steve Madden 'Carrson' Sandal (Women)

affordable white lace romper

white lace romper and steve madden carrson sandals

white lace romper and steve madden carrson sandals

white lace romper and steve madden carrson sandals
Lace Romper (under $100!)// Nude Heeled Sandals (under $100)

The other night I went to a concert at Pittsburgh's Stage AE, a concert venue on the North Shore. I've been to many concerts at this venue, but I had yet to go to one outside! We saw The Clarks, which is a band from Pittsburgh. I have long been a fan of The Clarks and have been to several of their concerts in the past! 

Not only do they have great music, but they put on a great show. I love that Scott Blasey, the lead singer of The Clarks, has such a love for Pittsburgh and his family! At this concert, he brought out his young daughters and they sang a song with the band. It was seriously the cutest thing ever. 

It was pretty darn hot during the day. We had spent the earlier half of the day lounging by the pool and it was so hot, that I went in the water a lot, which is somewhat rare... you can usually find me with a good book laying on a lounge chair! 

I was planning on wearing white jeans to dinner and then the concert, but remembered I had just gotten this white lace romper in the mail. It was the perfect thing to throw on to beat the heat! I always say this, but rompers are very hit or miss for me. I find most to be awkward fitting, or the shorts are just way too short for my liking.

I was glad to find that this romper had a nice length to the shorts. I also liked that it had sleeves to balance out the fact that the top half has a plunging neckline. It's definitely something I will reach for when going out at night this summer.

As far as sizing, the sizing is really weird/off. I am wearing a US 6, so I would suggest sizing up at least one size if not, 2 sizes. While it's meant to fit your body in a more fitted way, rather than flowy/loose, you definitely want to make sure you order it 'large enough' so that the shorts aren't super short! 

If you're on the hunt for another white lace romper, all sizes are still left in this romper from this post! I also found some other great summertime wicker clutches that I am loving, scroll through the widget above to view my favorites!

Monday, June 27, 2016

Yellow Cocktail Dress for a Summer Wedding

ML Monique Lhuillier Sunshine Day Gown

rent the runway ML Monique Lhuillier Sunshine Day Gown

rent the runway review

ML Monique Lhuillier Sunshine Day Gown from rent the runway

 Nude Heeled Sandals (under $100, now available in 5 colors)

One of my best friends from high school got married a few weekends ago and I had a dress on hand, but at the last minute decided against it. That was because I saw this gorgeous yellow dress and knew I had to have it! See instagram posts here and here.

I would never describe myself as someone who gravitates towards yellow. If you step into my closet, you'll see shades of blue, whites, black, gray, camel, and shades of pink; but there is barely any yellow. However, in the past 6 months, I have been eyeing yellow dresses! Remember this dress? I also just got this gorgeous drop waist dress which is a wonderful yellow hue, too. I think it's such a happy color and I really love it during the summer months. 

The dress I am wearing is definitely elegant and formal. In fact, you could easily dress this up for a formal black tie event. Since the wedding that I went to was cocktail attire, I went very minimal with jewelry and wore casual shoes to dress it down. If it was a more formal event, I would have worn dressier shoes and definitely done a statement earring and bold clutch. The fabric itself is absolutely stunning. It's textured and what really makes the dress a show stopper is the high/low hem. 

As for sizing, it runs true to size. I am wearing a size 4. The boning in the top half of the dress is great and there is no need for a bra with the extra support and clasp in the back. However, the boning is constricting, so I'd suggest sizing up if you want to be able to be much more comfortable. 

If you are not in need of a super formal dress like the one above, I found several more amazing yellow dresses! Do you wear a lot of yellow? 

Saturday, June 25, 2016

Saturday Shopping: 4th of July



Today's Saturday shopping, I am sharing some red, white, and blue picks that would be perfect for the 4th of July! I can't believe it's just a little over a week away! It's definitely one of my favorite holidays. Who doesn't love spending the day at the pool or the beach, BBQ-ing with family and friends?! I'm so excited! You can see more of my favorite patriotic picks, here, too

And, as always, some of my favorites of the week are featured in the widget above! Have a great weekend! 

Friday, June 24, 2016

Nautical Navy + White Striped Outfit



Banana Republic Closet VIP

Banana Republic Your Life Styled

banana republic sailor short

banana republic sailor short and ferragamo vara

Banana Republic Closet VIP campaign

Banana Republic closet VIP Your LIfe Styled

Banana Republic VIP



I.Love. This. Outfit. I think if I could wear one thing all summer, this would be it. I love navy blue during the warmer months and that's no secret. And stripes? Even better. I love that both Banana Republic pieces have gold buttons which totally ups the Nautical vibe. I've been loving Banana Republic for a few years now. Each season Banana Republic comes out with quality pieces at affordable prices and I love that they have a nice balance between trendy styles and timeless classics. Every time I walk into the store, I always end up walking out with a great purchase, whether it's for work or play, they have everything. 

I wore this outfit to dinner one night a few weeks ago. My sister, Callie, and I were headed to Gaucho, a popular, somewhat new (in the past year or two) restaurant in the Strip District area of Pittsburgh. It's a super casual place only a few blocks from me, so we wandered down one evening. When we got there, the line was out the door! We were so bummed and there was no way we were getting in before it closed, but we will be back! It's known for the Argentinian salads and wood-fired meats and the line is notoriously always very long. We've gone a few times before and had to leave because of the line, but hopefully one day we will get in there! 

Instead, we headed to Bill's Burgers, which was delicious! It was only a few blocks away from where we were, and on our way to Bill's we caught the most beautiful sunset and stopped to snap some of these photos! 

The shorts and top are both really affordable and great quality. The fit on both run slightly big. I always go between a 2 and 4 in most brands/clothing. However, in shorts, I'm often a size 4 rather than a size 2. But in these, I am in a size 2. They're cut in more of a dressy/suiting style, so you really want to make sure that you get a size that fits perfectly. I actually can't wait to pair the shorts with a white button-down and ballet flats or cream cable cashmere sweater and sneakers, too! As for the top, I typically wear a small, but I'm in an XS. The small was fine, but had some extra fabric at the hem, which looked cute with white pants, but made for too much fabric to tuck into the shorts; so the XS was the way to go. 

Thursday, June 23, 2016

Lately 6/23/16


Wearing: You may have seen this dress on my instagram, but I just love this little yellow ruffled dress. It's under $50 and for the price, the quality is outstanding. A full outfit post is coming soon!

Wearing II: This is not really 'wearing' per say, but the curling iron I have loved and used for years is AVAILABLE! For the longest time, I thought it had been discontinued, however, I found the exact one online. It's under $33, but it says there are only about 20 in stock as I am writing this, so act quickly if you want one. It's truly the best curling iron I've ever used. I bought two, because, after about 4 years, they wear out! So it looks like I am set for the next 8ish years, ha!

Reading: I just added a 'Beach Reads' section to the right sidebar. You can see my picks above, but after this post gets pushed down, it will always be on the right sidebar and I will update it frequently! 

Watching: This 12-year-old girl, Grace, was on America's Got Talent and her voice is incredible. I don't even watch the show, but I am totally rooting for her! Simon called her 'the next Taylor Swift'! Then I ended up going down the rabbit hole that is YouTube and clicked on another America's Got Talent contestant who is 13, and OMG. Absolutely incredible! You need to watch around 6:30 when they press the golden button (not sure what that means, but it's definitely really good), the little girl's excitement almost brought me to tears, it's so cute. 



Listening: So many songs in June's playlist... I think it's about time I start on July.

Listening II: My friend Chris's band, Mace Ballard, just released their first song on their new album! You can pre-order the album, here


Loving: This cloud cream from Skyn Iceland. It's amazing... so lightweight, it's the absolute perfect moisturizer for summer! I am very hesitant to use new products on my skin because it is so sensitive but this is great and doesn't make me break out! 

Wanting: Soooo many cute things. I feel like every site I stumble upon, I find at least 5 things I am loving!

Decorating: Last week, I finally got this dresser! I'm almost completely done with furniture. Phew! I really love the dresser. I've had my eye on it forever, and it really fits in well with the room. I actually got it as a TV stand, rather than a traditional dresser. It's perfect becuase it's currently storing all of my winter sweaters that aren't being used right now! I also love it because most of my furniture is antique and a very traditional style, but this campaign style dresser gives the room a little bit of a mid-century kick to the otherwise very classic room! 

Traveling: I'm headed to Martha's Vineyard in a few weeks! I would love for you to recommend places to eat/things to do! I have never been to MV before, so I am excited!


Sale-ing: Extra 40% off sale at Banana Republic, Extra 25% off sale at Shopbop, Extra 30% off sale at Club Monaco, Extra 30% off Tory Burch! I highlighted some of my favorites from each sale in last night's post and you can see my Tory Burch picks above! 

Quoting: 'You do not need to know precisely what is happening, or exactly where it is all going. What you need is to recognize the possibilities and challenges offered by the present moment, and embrace them with courage, faith, and hope.' - Thomas Merton 

Wednesday, June 22, 2016

So Many Sales!


Extra 30% off sale at Tory Burch, use code EXTRA30


Extra 40% off sale at Banana Republic (no code, applied at checkout) 

Extra 25% off sale at Shopbop, use code 25EXTRA

Extra 30% off sale at Club Monaco, use code KEEPCOOL


Extra 30% off sale at Kate Spade, use code SUNSHINE

So many really great sales happening right now! Scroll through to see some of my favorite picks from each! Happy shopping! 

Weekend Mornings at Home

weekend breakfast ideas

new nespresso breakfast blend coffee

nespresso vertuoline review and coffee

nespresso machine

diptyque baies candle and garden roses and monogrammed hand towel

the after party by anton disclafani

nespresso vertuoline deluxe review

blue and white lamp, mint julep cup as vase for roses, chesterfield couch

breakfast food ideas
Where to buy Nespresso Machine: 


Where to Buy Accessories:
Crystal Wine Coaster (used to hold Nespresso pods)



Blue and White Lamp Similar Options:


There are few things better than lazy weekend mornings, am I right? One thing I have been loving is all of the guests I have had coming and going from my new place! I just love hosting people. Whether it's a few minutes or a few days, friends and family are always welcome!

My sister, Callie, often comes over on the weekends and will usually sleep over after a night of going out! The next morning we are usually pretty lazy and lounge around in our PJ's, watch Netflix, and make a big breakfast (our favorite is Friends!)


We took some photos last time and even made a quick video! Oh, and if you are wondering about my hair, it's almost always curled when I wake up! Usually, I curl my hair at night, so my 'ringlet' curls soften and become waves as I sleep! I actually prefer doing my hair this way because I think that's when it turns out looking the best rather than just blow-drying and curling right away. It's a great trick for those of you who have hair that holds a curl really well.

Callie and I both love coffee and we both drink our coffee/espresso black. I always have and Callie's just started to do so (it's so much healthier without cream/sugar!). The Nespresso is my favorite because Callie and I have different tastes in coffee. I like a super strong, bold blend, and Callie usually sticks to something a little milder. This way, we can both brew our own pods and make our coffee just as we like it.

I had a Nespresso at home, but the VertuoLine is what I just got and I love it even more because it brews both espresso and coffee! Nespresso just launched two new coffee blends: giornio and solelio and I was sent the new blends to try out! They're perfect for weekend mornings when you don't need a major jolt because they're soft and easy to drink.

I also love my Nespresso because I really love to brew a cup of decaf at night-- it's cozy, delicious, and especially great after a big meal! On the weekends, I like to add foamed milk to the top! It's a nice little treat and is especially cozy during the colder months (foamed milk with hot chocolate and a shot of espresso is amazing, too!).

Instead of our usual Netflix, we opted for books because I got Callie hooked on Me Before You and I can't put down The After Party! I am almost finished and definitely recommend it. It's a great, quick beach read! After we finished up our coffee and breakfast, we were off to lay by the pool... needless to say, it was a rough Saturday ;). Is it the weekend yet?!

Cute mugs:

 

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