Natalie Merrillyn

Weekend Snaps

2013-05-20T04:30:00.000-07:00

I think it's safe to say we're pretty in love with our new city. This weekend we explored Regent's Park and Notting Hill, and finished with a bike ride around the city. We also spent some time at Farrow & Ball picking out paint for our flat - we move in the weekend after next!

How was your weekend?

Happy Weekend!

2013-05-17T04:00:00.000-07:00

Happy weekend! This was such a busy and exciting week for us.

We found a flat! After a long and slightly frustrating day of touring places we finally found a gem that we just fell in love with. It's in a great area, has gorgeous views, hardwood floors, can't wait to share more!

I'm also excited to be joining a top digital marketing firm here in London! More details to come.

This weekend we'll be celebrating and relaxing, and finally seeing this.

Hope you have a fabulous weekend!

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Wednesday Loves

2013-05-15T04:00:00.000-07:00

That Tibi tank is gorgeous, right? Luckily Tibi is having their Friends & Family sale {25% off everything!} with code FRIENDS25 {now through Friday}. I wouldn't mind adding this and this in my cart along with the tank. :)

Happy Wednesday!

Investments

2013-05-14T04:30:00.000-07:00

Shop them:

Miu Miu sunglasses | Rick Owens leather jackets | 3.1 Phillip Lim bags | Rag & Bone shoes

There have been a few pieces that have stuck out to me for the last little while - pieces that are classics but also something I never pulled the trigger on. I've decided to start saving my pennies to finally purchase a few of these closet classics.

+ A good leather jacket is one of those timeless classics that's definitely worth the investment. I love the shape and quality of the Rick Owens jackets, but AllSaints and Zara have good options for a little less.

+ These Miu Miu's are just the best. Miranda Kerr sports them quite often. Sold.

+ Every time I see someone wearing a pair of Rag & Bone booties I'm instantly drawn to them. I've heard they're comfy and hold up really well. Perfect with denim in the winter and a breezy dresses in the spring.

+ The Pashli Satchel is just gorgeous. I love the edgy hardware and the large size, the perfect every day bag!

What are your must-have splurge-worthy items?

Update!

2013-05-13T04:33:00.000-07:00

{Gorgeous stems in front of Liberty London}

I'm back! I wasn't planning on taking a blogging break but it's been a very crazy and exciting week. Last weekend Matt graduated with his MBA. I am so incredibly proud of him and all of the hard work he's put into his career. We also celebrated my 25th birthday on the same day - it was such a perfect day with family and friends. We landed in London on Sunday and jet lag and getting settled took up a large portion of our time. We're finally adjusting and excited to call this amazing city home for the next few years. I'm excited to get back into the routine of blogging! I'll continue to post more of our London adventures as well as some fashion and inspiration in between. Thanks so much for reading!

Lately

2013-04-30T05:00:00.000-07:00

A few insta-snaps of life lately. Follow along: @natalie_merrillyn.

Rodin hair oil {love!} / Zinke swimsuit

My blog posting schedule may be a little sporadic lately since this week will be super crazy. Our movers are coming on Thursday and all of our family will be coming to town to celebrate Matt graduating with his MBA {woohoo!} and my birthday. We fly out to London on Sunday. Needless to say the week will be a little hectic until we land and get settled in our temp housing in London.

Thanks so much for following along!

Weekend

2013-04-26T05:00:00.000-07:00

{Packing up some of my favorites: Nate Berkus pineapple | Target metal urchin | Leigh Viner print | Restoration Hardware throw}

We're busy prepping for our movers to come as we'll be moving to London in one short week! I still can't believe it's so soon but we are beyond excited.

Have a great weekend!

Wednesday Loves

2013-04-24T05:00:00.000-07:00

On my wishlist: the perfect floral shorts and a gorgeous lace top {that's only $19!}

Happy Wednesday!

Beachy

2013-04-23T05:00:00.000-07:00

Lately I've been on the hunt for a beach photograph to put in our new home once we move. I've saved these images as inspiration -- such a chic look, no? I love the large-scale prints. I think Christian Chaize {top and bottom picture} and Massimo Vitali {middle images} are the kings of beach photography. Also loving this super affordable option.

images 1 | 2 | 3 | 4

Insta-Outfits IIII

2013-04-22T05:00:00.000-07:00

H&M blazer | Madewell tee | J Brand jeans | Michael Kors watch | Ray-Ban sunglasses | Mango purse {from JCPenney years ago -- so random}

Rory Beca dress | Karen Walker sunglasses | Mango purse

Helmut Lang jacket | James Perse tee | TEXTILE Elizabeth & James jeans | Elizabeth & James sunglasses | Rebecca Minkoff purse

Club Monaco jumpsuit | Elizabeth & James sunglasses | J.Crew bracelet | Michael Kors watch

Rag & Bone hat | James Perse tee | Michael Kors watch

As I've mentioned before I'm not the least fashion blogger-y fashion blogger -- outfit posts are not my thing. I've found that Insta-Outfits are a good way to take a quick snap of an outfit without worrying about doing tons of poses. My goal is to make Insta-Outfits more of a normal occurrence here on NM. :)

Thanks so much for reading!

{More outfits here.}

Happy Weekend

2013-04-19T05:00:00.000-07:00

Hope your weekend is as bright + sunny as this picture!

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Wednesday Loves

2013-04-17T05:30:00.000-07:00

How great are those pants? I've had my eye on them and these similar ones -- the perfect amount of edgy. I just bought those bar stud earrings and am loving them, the perfect, easy accessory that goes with everything.

Happy Wednesday!

Jumpsuits

2013-04-16T05:00:00.000-07:00

Would you wear a jumpsuit? I'm sort of loving the look for summer. Shop my favorite wearable options below {I'm obsessed with the Club Monaco one!}

images 1 | 2 | 3

Pinterest Dreams

2013-04-15T05:30:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago I pinned this image:

Super gorgeous shoes, but a little out of my price range. Over the weekend I stopped in at the Saks outlet and lo and behold, the same shoes were sitting on the bottom shelf, the last one left and in my size {marked massively down plus another 30% off. Too good to be true.}

Love a good sale! How was your weekend?

Happy Weekend

2013-04-12T05:00:00.000-07:00

Happy weekend! What are you up to? We are counting down our last few weekends in the States before our London move. So excited!

A few things:

+ Have you seen this short documentary on street style and fashion photographers? Totally fascinating.

+ Remember how I want a pet pig? This is the cutest thing ever.

+ Lastly, I'm determined to document more Insta-Outfits and make it a regular thing here on NM. Something to look forward to in the coming weeks!

Have a great weekend!

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Kubus

2013-04-11T05:00:00.000-07:00

I think this is my favorite fabric pattern ever. I first spotted it in one of my favorite issues of Lonny ever, then spotted it in Lauren Santo Domingo's Paris apartment. I'm pretty sure the fabric costs an arm and a leg, but if you're wanting to add a little bit of it to your home at a fraction of the cost, here's a pillow version.

Wednesday Loves

2013-04-10T05:00:00.000-07:00

Coral and palms for Spring -- perfect combo to me. I'm sort of obsessing over the Phillip Lim bag and those sandals {can you believe they're Target? They remind me of the J.Crew sandals that sold out a while back.}

Happy Wednesday!

Style Guide

2013-04-09T05:00:00.000-07:00

I wanted to share a few of my go-to brands for Spring. Though many of them are my year-round brands as well, some of their new items for Spring deserved some special attention. :)

+ Tibi is my go-to for pretty patterns and colors. Every print they come out with is such a piece of art, everyone should have a piece of Tibi in their closet!

+ Not only does Rag & Bone have fabulous denim and clothing, their accessories and shoes are amazing as well.

+ Nars is a year-round favorite. Heat Wave is perfect for the warmer months!

+ I love Joie for their super feminine tops and dresses.

+ I love Madewell for their cute skimmers. I wear mine non-stop!

+ J Brand is another year-round favorite. Pretty much the only denim I wear.

+ Of course J.Crew has to be on the list! Their selection of colorful jewelry is perfect for Spring.

+ I'm loving KORS Michael Kors selection of warm-weather shoes and sandals.

I'll be doing a quarterly style guide here on NM-- a new one for each season of some of my current brands and favorites.

Who are your favorite brands this Spring? I'd love to hear!

Five Things

2013-04-08T05:00:00.000-07:00

A lot of bloggers have been doing a Five Things post and after I was tagged by the lovely Tiffany I thought it might be fun to participate. I've used my blog primarily as a source of inspiration and less about me, but I love getting to know other bloggers -- hope this allows you to get to know me better as well!

1. I'm one of seven kids.

I am the second oldest of seven kids, four girls and three boys. The age gap from the oldest to youngest is only twelve years {can you imagine birthing seven children in twelve years? Shoutout to my Mom!} so we all grew up pretty close. Every time we get together it's like no time ever passed. Though growing up with lots of siblings was fun, I think our family will end up being a little smaller. ;)

2. I've always wanted a pet pig.

After my mom sewed me my very own pig {Twinkie} when I was seven, pigs became my favorite animal. I had a million stuffed pigs when I was little and have always wanted a mini pig as a pet. I look on Craigslist sometimes, but since we've always lived in cities and pigs need to be outdoors and able to run around, it has never quite worked out. I totally imagine buying it little shoes and walking it around the city, but I'm not sure how practical it really is. I mean just look at these cute little things!

3. My freshman year of college I got an insane form of mono.

It was the sickest I've ever been. It started out as your basic mono and escalated into a form of hepatitis, where my liver and spleen became enlarged ten times the normal size. I was in bed and wheelchairs for a few months because doctors were afraid they may rupture. I made a full recovery, but being on bedrest and in hospitals made me incredibly thankful for good health -- I try to never take it for granted.

4. I play the violin.

I started in fourth grade and became hooked. I played violin in two youth orchestras during high school and we got to go to England, France, Estonia, Finland, Russia, and Spain to perform. It was such an incredible experience. I played for weddings, etc. in college. I still play a little bit and I still love it, I'd love to start taking lessons again. I secretly want to just tour around the world playing my violin -- maybe someday.

5. Me and two girlfriends camper-vanned around the island of Tasmania in five days.

This is still one of my favorite memories. When I was studying abroad in Australia, me and two of my girlfriends decided to rent a 20-foot campervan and camp around the entire island of Tasmania {just off the coast of Australia}. My parents and Matt, who I was dating at the time, were super worried and and were strongly advising me against the trip {we had no cell service in Tasmania}. I did it anyway and it is still one of the coolest things I've done. We kayaked, hiked, explored, got stranded, got rescued, and drove that camper van around the entire island in five days. #YOLO, right?

Have you done a Five Things post? Link to it below so we can read your facts!

Thanks for reading!

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Wednesday Loves

2013-04-03T05:00:00.000-07:00

ONE Rory Beca Petrus Wrap Romper | TWO Karen Walker Super Duper Strength Sunglasses | THREE Tom Ford Black Orchid Eau de Parfum | FOUR Gorjana Knox Necklace | FIVE BaubleBar Giles & Brother Silver Pave Cortina Ring | SIX Chloé Alice Leather Tote | SEVEN Barney's New York Criss-Cross Ankle Strap Sandal | EIGHT Nars Velvet Gloss Lip Pencil in Buenos Aires

Happy Wednesday!

Weekend Snaps

2013-04-02T05:00:00.001-07:00

{Special delivery from Arianna Belle -- love!}

{Cousin time in Santa Barbara.}

{A fun and hilarious tandem bike ride on the beach.}

{A view that never gets old.}

How was your weekend?

Sponsor Welcome: Island Company

2013-04-02T05:00:00.000-07:00

Shop | Island Company Swimwear

Shop | Island Company Dresses

Shop | Island Company Accessories

Today I'd love to introduce you to my newest sponsor: Island Company. Island Company is the creator of the popular mantra, "Quit Your Job, Buy a Ticket, Get a Tan, Fall in Love, Never Return" and naturally I'm thrilled to have them here on the blog! Everything in their shop is gorgeous. I've been looking for a new suit for summertime and I personally love this one piece. And how pretty are the colors in that scarf? Be sure to check them out for all of your warm weather essentials.

The LWD

2013-03-30T05:00:00.000-07:00

01. Rebecca Taylor All Lace Dress | 02. Marc by Marc Jacobs Scallop Tier Lace Dress | 03. Generation Love Monica Lace Mini Dress | 04. Dolce Vita Valentina Lace Dress | 05. Sea Shirred Tile Sheath Dress

It finally feels like spring has arrived and to me that means it's time to pull out some all-white ensembles. Do you have a little white dress? I bought a cute little white shirt dress not too long ago that I can't wait to wear all spring and summer but I'm loving these options!

Agate Platters

2013-03-29T05:00:00.000-07:00

This detail shot from Amanda Dawbarn's home tour on The Glitter Guide caught my eye right away. That tray! It's the perfect piece to hold pretty bottles of perfume and lotions. After a little research, I'm pretty sure it's a Rablabs Kiva Platter.

Gorgeous, right? Here are two options that are a little more budget friendly:

Leif | High Street Market

Have a very happy Easter weekend!

A Hair Story

2013-03-28T05:00:00.000-07:00

Lately I've been getting some really nice comments and emails from readers about my hair. I always have to read twice when I see these comments because I've never really liked my hair -- let's talk about this.

This picture was taken sometime in the early 90's. It was a particularly bad hair day -- my hair is naturally curly and was normally in cute ringlets, I promise. But on this day I got tired of curls, so I decided to brush it out, hoping it would become straight. Instead I got what my siblings have affectionately named, "The Natfro." And my hair sometimes still looks like this. The Natfro is never far off.

It wasn't until high school that I finally embraced my huge volume and curls. As curly haired girls know, brushing it out when it's dry is one of the worst things you can do.

Here is my current hair routine. And it probably will be until 80's hair comes back.

***

Shampoo | A hairdresser got me hooked on ColorProof CrazySmooth. I love it! It definitely helps smooth down the frizz that my super curly hair likes to create.

Conditioner | I've been using drugstore stuff lately -- anything sulfate free like this or this.

Product | Just a little Kerastase Oleo Relax when it's wet and a bit of Rodin hair oil when it's dry.

Tools | I swear by my Hot Tools curling iron.

Cut | I ask for long, seamless, face-framing layers.

Color | I recently had Balayage done. The stylist used brown bleach for the highlights.

To see my hair currently, click here or here.

Anyone else out there have a Natfro equivalent? Would love to hear your tips!