red lips, won't quit

{Fall wishlist no. 2} Fall Floral Dresses

2014-11-06T10:01:00.002-08:00

Top Row

Oasis Rose Print skater dress // Piperlime silk shirt dress // Reformation Chamomile Dress // Reformation Rosaline Dress

Middle Row

French Connection Crepe Dress // Free People Maxi Dress // Modcloth dress // Aritzia Wilfred Dress

Bottom Row

H&M Pattern Dress // H&M Circle Dress // Eliza J Illusion Dress // Aritzia Wilfred Dress

Hurry up and get 'em!

2014-10-15T07:34:00.002-07:00

These duck boots from Sperry Topsider are 25% off at the ShopBop Friends and Family Sale with code "FAMILY25"-- that makes them only $75, which is a hell of a bargain for waterproof & fleece-lined boots for Fall/Winter. I think these guys are just as cute (if not cuter!) as the more famous L.L.Bean bean boots, and with a smaller price tag! I've been stalking the bean boots for a while now, but I think I may scoop up these boots (the green ones) while they're on sale instead!

Splurge. Spend. Save.

2014-10-01T05:54:00.000-07:00

Splurge // Spend // Save

::Black:: Rag & Bone {$195} // Club Monaco {$98.50} // Urban Outfitters {$39}

::Camel:: Janessa Leone {$187} // J.Crew {$65} // Sole Society {$49.95}

::Olive:: Rag & Bone {$195} // Bailey x J.Crew {$98} // Urban Outfitters {$39}

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{Fall wishlist no. 1}

2014-09-29T08:34:00.000-07:00

I put together a little Fall wishlist of pieces that I've been eyeing a lot lately: berries, navy, & grey with touches of gold and black leather accessories. So far, sticking to my Fall color palette is pretty easy! Stay tuned for some khaki colored pieces I'm coveting and lots of outerwear options ...

black envelope clutch // grey cashmere sweater // gold bracelet // leaf earrings // suede loafers // berry moto skirt // navy gingham top // grey cardigan // long sleeve dress // navy cropped trousers // black booties // navy shirttail sweater

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Olivia Wilde in The Longest Week {Style Icon}

2014-09-26T07:59:00.001-07:00

Have you guys seen The Longest Week? It's a quirky romantic dra-medy starring Jason Bateman and {the gorgeous} Olivia Wilde. I'm by nooo means a movie critic, but I will say that if you don't like Wes Anderson films, you will NOT like this film {imitation is the highest form of flattery?}. While I couldn't really fall completely in love with this movie because of the bad taste that Wes Anderson always leaves in my mouth -- I would still watch this movie again. Why? Oivia Wilde's style in this movie .... tailored, slightly playful, minimalist, monochromatic (mostly taupes, blacks, and creams), with a nod to the 60's. And the cherry on top of her perfect wardrobe ... I've never seen a a cat eye executed so perfectly. I also love that she doesn't have an expansive wardrobe in this movie -- her character must wear the same classic black chelsea boots everyday, she rewears the black cape in almost every scene, and she's never in a shot without her eyeliner done. Rewearing the same stuff over and over is more truthful to what women actually do, but it never comes off boring or blah.

I'm officially growing out my hair to copy her hairstyle in this movie. Best bangs ever.

Feast your eyes & do yourself a favor and rent this movie!

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Olive and Leather for Fall {Copy Cat}

2014-09-24T08:23:00.002-07:00

I'm in love with this look from the Sartorialist for Fall! Bonus points cause it follows my Fall color palette! See how I would recreate this look ...

The Sartorialist

:: Olive & Leather ::

1// J.Crew olive work shirt {$60 on sale}

2// Piperlime Collection leather skirt {$119}

3// Madewell hepcat shades {$55}

4// Madewell Berliner satchel {$218}

5// Halogen booties {$120}

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Olive Leopard Print

2014-09-23T15:04:00.000-07:00

Match made in heaven...

Fossil Vivvian Dress $138

Boden Ankle Wellies $58

Olive color is perfect for Fall. Throw on some tights and a trench coat and you're good to go! What do you think of shoes matching your dress?

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Fall Color Palette

2014-09-22T13:10:00.002-07:00

Happy first day of FALL! Guess what? I didn't drop off the face of the planet! After a 2 month hiatus, I'm back! I guess I was just feeling really uninspired in the second half of summer and I just could not find the motivation to post anything. Does that ever happen to you?

Anyway ... I could not be more excited for F-A-L-L {my absolute favorite season, weather, fashion}. I think this change in weather and a whole new wardrobe inspiration is just the ticket I needed to get re-inspired.

Speaking of inspiration -- I've really loved following Caroline of Un-Fancy and Kate of Small Things Blog as they build their wardrobe capsule collections for each season. Basically the gist is that you plan out your color palette and most needed pieces {all within your budget} for the upcoming season and then shop until you've created your capsule wardrobe for that season {building off of what you already own in your closet}. While I don't think my budget would allow me to go out and buy every single piece I need for the season up front, I do really agree with creating a color palette and then sticking to it for the season. I can already tell you that having a palette in mind makes shopping so much easier, like when I'm debating between a camel or a grey colored coat, I just remember what my color palette is and scoop up the grey one!

I picked 6 colors for Fall {and probably the same 6 colors for Winter too}. Three neutral colors that will be great for basics I'm buying/using from my closet {black, cream, and grey}. And then three pops of color {navy, khaki, and berry}. I tend to veer towards cool colors to begin with, which explains why I nixed any warm toned colors like camel, mustard, or burnt orange/reds, which are great colors for Fall, just not me. I'm so excited to start shopping for Fall within this color palette! Hopefully these colors will really complement each other and I can do some real mix and matching with pieces I buy.

What does your Fall Color Palette look like? :)

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Grey Sweatshirt {Two Ways}

2014-07-21T06:00:00.003-07:00

I'm in love with both brands take on styling a grey sweatshirt. Naturally, Madewell goes for the more pulled together casual look and J.Crew nails sophisticated and modern! Which look do you like more?

Laid Back Chic {Madewell}

Surfbreeze sweatshirt {Madewell, $49 on sale}

Vans slip ons {Madewell, $60}

White sunglasses {Madewell, $55}

American Apparel denim skirt {ASOS, $91}

Sophisticated Modern {JCrew}

Fit and flare white skirt {J.Crew, $88 on sale}

Everly silver pumps {J.Crew, $179 on sale}

Gemma sweatshirt {J.Crew, $128}

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Top Ten Trends of Summer {No. 5 Off Shoulder}

2014-07-07T07:37:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone! Hope everyone had a memorable and relaxing Fourth of July weekend and that you were all able to recharge over the long weekend! I had a packed weekend mostly spent outdoors enjoying the beautiful weather and festivities! Today I thought I'd pick up where we left off in our Summer Trends series {see the other trends here}. This is No. 5 of my favorite Summer Trends -- off the shoulder!

Unlike crop tops {which I steer clear of} or super tight body-conscious tops or dresses that are very on trend right now-- the off the shoulder trend is one that suits almost everyone. Showing a bit of shoulder is universally sexy without giving too much away.

Below you'll find some inspiration and shopping options!

Off the shoulder dresses

Free People

Other Options

I like these black off shoulder dress options (here, here, here, here, here, and here) to dress up for a night out. These white dress options (here, here, here, here, and here) have more of a bohemian feel and I'd pair any of them with these lace up gladiator sandals. Then there's this really cute little navy dress, this sexy red dress, and my absolute favorite-- blue floral midi dress from ASOS-- would somebody please invite me to a wedding so I can wear this baby?!

Off the shoulder tops

Free People

Other options::

This gorgeous navy blue top or another navy option, this mauve option is interesting, or this black crochet top would go great with this skirt, and then there's lots of white options (here, here, here, and here).

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Weekend Recap & June Shopping Breakdown

2014-06-30T07:47:00.000-07:00

I cannot believe June is over already! Summer is flying by much too fast-- there's still so much I want to do this summer! One thing I did accomplish this weekend was running my first half marathon in over 7 years!! It was a doozy and I by no means qualified for anything at my lightning speed of 11:45 a mile, but hey-- I finished it at least! Due to a last minute medical snafu of my long time running buddy and half marathon tackler, I ended up having to run it all by myself (insert sad face), but in a way this may have been even better, because it gave me such confidence that I can accomplish something this huge all by myself {well, not entirely by myself-- she still came up to support me- such a good friend!!} I can't wait to do it again next year!!

And it was pretty cool that I got to cross the finish line at the 50 yard line of the Buffalo Bills home stadium! Needless to say I laid pretty low for the rest of the weekend with my legs elevated, drinking gallons of water, and hiding out in the A/C...

How was everybody else's weekend?? Did anyone tackle a major goal or accomplish something they've always wanted to do? Would love to hear from you!

Now on to this month's shopping ......

One of the goals of writing this blog is to document my pursuit for a more tailored, professional, and versatile wardrobe and to stay away from the trendy or cheap pieces that filled my closet in my early 20's. I've set a budget of $250 for clothes, shoes, and makeup every month, but not a limit to the number of pieces I can buy. By sharing what I buy every month, I'm hoping I hold myself accountable to the pieces I buy and how much I spend ...

June 2014 Shopping Breakdown

Banana Republic Gemma wrap dress {$98, 40%- $59}
Joie Shoal sandals from BlueFly {$135, on major sale- $60.75}
J.Crew chino navy shorts {$39.50, 30% off- $27.65}
J.Crew Malta gold sandals {$78, 30% off- $54.60}
Zero UV pink heart sunglasses {$9.99}
Old Navy black maxi dress {$37, on sale- $30}

Total Spent: $241.99
Total Saved: $155.80

Bam! Just under budget and I got a few things I've been eyeing for a while on major sale, like my two new pairs of sandals that I absolutely love and pretty much rotate between every other day. I would highly recommend these J.Crew chino shorts for anyone looking for staple shorts for their closet- they come in a array of colors and longer inseams too. I especially like the thickness of the fabric, which makes them look more expensive than they really are and these shorts are tailored enough to dress up or down and they don't ride up {ladies you know what I'm talking about}. And lastly I loooove this wrap dress from Banana Republic- and would definitely buy the other colors in berry or aqua {if it ever goes on sale again}.

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High or Low?

2014-06-26T08:18:00.000-07:00

I've been lusting after this Helmut Lang asymmetric skirt for a while now and couldn't believe the uncanny resemblance of the Zara skirt to it -- and for so much less! Naturally I decided to create one super chic outfit around both skirts ... one on a designer budget and one ... well ... on my budget! Best part is -- these black and white basics can be re-worn countless ways to maximize their usefulness in your closet {whichever outfit you choose}!

::High::

Helmut Lang Skirt {$195}

Isa Tapia sandals {$550}

T by Alexander Wang T-shirt {$80}

Theory blazer {$375}
{Total Cost $1200}

::Low::

Zara skirt {$39.99}

Obsession Rules sandals {$99.99}

J.Crew tank top {$17.50, on sale}

TopShop blazer {$90}
{Total Cost $247.50}

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Patriotic Day at the Beach

2014-06-24T06:21:00.000-07:00

Red White & Blue for the Fourth of July!

I'm not even sure what our plans for Fourth of July are yet, but I'm hoping it involves the water in some way! There's no better way to spend a hot summer day than in the water- beach, pool, ocean, whatever! And with the 4th only two weeks away (why is summer going by so fast already?!) -- this would be my ideal beach outfit for the occasion. And if you plan on heading out to a party afterwards why not throw on this matching red beach dress also by Scandale {on sale}!

What are your plans for the Fourth? :)

::A Patriotic Day at the Beach::

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A Weekend Outfit & Sales!

2014-06-20T09:50:00.000-07:00

::Outfit details::

Old Navy maxi dress {was $36, on sale for $29}

J.Crew Panama hat {$58}

Westward Leaning sunglasses {$210}

Zara city bag {$79}

J.Crew Malta sandals {was $78, now 30% off}

Anthropologie necklace {$64}

Anthropologie clutch {$48}

I plan on recreating this look this weekend as I just bought the ON dress and J.Crew sandals! This black maxi dress actually looks like it cost much more than $29-- it's fully lined, fits loose and flowy and has a sexy racerback. The dress is true to size and it may look short on the model, but I'm 5'2" and I will have to wear a low wedge if I don't want the bottom of the dress to drag on the floor. This outfit is perfect for a day at the farmer's market or brunch or if you're planning a vacation anytime soon I would definitely pack this LBD! If it's still a little chilly in your neck of the woods like it is up here in Buffalo then I would throw on this denim jacket from J.Crew Factory {$58, but now extra 30% off}! And to spice the dress up for a night out I would just switch out the sandals for these wedges from Mango {on sale}, ditch the hat and sunglasses, and keep the clutch and necklace!

Hope everyone has a great weekend and that you enjoy the sunshine. If you have a moment to sit down at your computer-- there are some great sales going on right now that you guys should check out!!

::Weekend sales::

{Zara} It's finally here-- Zara has put all their S/S clothes on sale to make way for the A/W stocks. Go crazy!

{Anthropologie} The semi-annual sale at Anthro is going on- up to 50% off at the summer tag sale.

{J.Crew Factory} Extra 30% everything with code BIGSALE until 6/23

{J.Crew} Extra 30% sale items, with 50% off some final sale items with code HISUMMER until 6/27

{Sole Society} 50% off all flats until Sunday (some sandals too!)

{Mango} Mango isn't having any special sale, but they have some seriously great stuff on major discount-- especially the summer dresses!!

{Old Navy} Extra 20% off your purchase online with code SAVE until 6/25-- you could get this maxi dress for even less than $29!

Happy weekend!

Austin Recap {Part 2} Things to Do

2014-06-18T06:08:00.000-07:00

::Things to do in Austin::

::Walking SoCo Ave:: There are tons of shops, restaurants, food trucks, and plenty of people watching to do on South Congress Ave. SoCo Ave is the most popular stretch of road south of downtown and it's a pretty popular place for tourists. If you're looking for souvenirs for loved ones, vintage clothes, antiques, or just something uniquely Austin-- then definitely give SoCo Ave a try.

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One of my favorite shops was Uncommon Objects -- a huge store/warehouse filled from floor to ceiling with antiques and vintage gems or as they say an "emporium of transcendent junk". Yup, that's it. I could have spent all afternoon in that store looking at every single piece. Everything from vintage tools to full size anatomy charts from the early 1900's to animal skulls ... yeah it's weird, but fascinating!

Next on SoCo Ave. was Big Top Candy Shop! After scouring through antiques at Uncommon Objects for a couple hours we needed a sugar boost! They have so many bulk candies to choose from and an old fashioned fountain bar ...

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Another favorite shop on SoCo was Feather's Vintage Boutique. It's a favorite vintage shop of Kelly Framel from the Glamourai -- so you know it's good!

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::Spend the day in Zilker Park:: We knew we wanted to spend a whole day in Austin's "most loved park" because there is just so much to do there.

First thing in the AM we went to the Botanical Gardens in Zilker Park -- so so beautiful {but bring bug spray} and a great place to just hang out and take lots of pictures!

Next we drove to another area of Zilker Park to visit the UMLAUF Sculpture Garden.

The Kiss Sculpture

Riding the Zilker Park Train -- the Zilker Zephyr -- was just a tiny awkward since we were the only two riding sans petite enfants, but hey you only live once- and it was pretty funny. It went around a lot of the park so we could see what everybody was up to on their day in the park-- and we were serenaded by this dude ...

Enjoying a GoodPop on the Zilker Zephyr

Saving the best for last -- we cooled off after a hot day of walking around at Barton Springs! It's a natural spring-fed pool in Zilker Park. After some swimming {or wading in waist deep for me} we laid on the grassy hills watching other people in the water.

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One of the best parts of spending the day in Zilker Park was it only cost us $15 each for all the admission fees and we packed a picnic lunch! If there were more hours in the day we would have loved to rent bikes and ride along the biking/hiking trail around Lake Austin in Zilker Park...

Austin was so much fun and we did as much as we could cram into 4 days-- so stay tune tomorrow for Part 3 of my Austin recap of even more things to do in Austin!! See Part 1 {Where to eat} here!

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Austin Recap {Part 1} Where to Eat & Drink

2014-06-16T05:52:00.000-07:00

Neil and I traveled to Austin, TX last month for his cousin's wedding. We decided to book a couple extra days to make it a long weekend and to have time to do a little exploring. I'm so glad we did, because we fell in love with the city. We'll definitely be planning another trip there in the future-- there's just so much to do and see and we definitely didn't get to do everything we wanted in just 4 days! If you're looking to stay in the city I would suggest staying south of Lake Austin, which is not quite downtown, but still in the heart of Austin and a little cheaper. We booked an apartment from AirBnB and the complex we stayed at was on South First St. in a great location (a 5 minute drive to downtown), had a POOL, and was reasonably priced.

Part 1 of our Austin Recap is where we ate and drank. The best part about eating out in Austin is that almost every single restaurant has great outdoor seating AND you can bring your dog to a lot of these places. So cool!!

We certainly tried as many places as our time in Austin allowed, but this is by no means a comprehensive list ... just the places we went to and liked! Enjoy ...

::Where to Eat::

image source
Hula Hut:: We had the best Tiki-Mex {Mexican food with a Polynesian twist} here, and the best part of dinner was being right over the water and the beautiful view of Lake Austin. I spent most of dinner counting how many turtles would swim by the dock in the water ... ;)

Jo's Coffee:: Right on SoCo Ave across the street from Amy's Ice Cream. The "i love you so much" graffiti is on the side of jo's coffee so we snapped a pic there after enjoying vegetarian BBQ sandwiches and Arnold Palmer iced teas on the covered patio! Yum!

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SnackBar:: This place serves locally-grown and organic fare. We had a great brunch with lots of veg options and perfect bloody mary's -- can't complain about this place! And the best part was that people could bring their dogs on the patio with them!

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Elizabeth St. Cafe:: Such a cute little cafe just down the road from where we were staying. This place is a Vietnamese cafe and French boulangerie all in one and so so cute. We enjoyed our summer rolls and grilled tofu vermicelli bowls at a bistro table on the patio. This restaurant was one of Bon Appetit's 50 Best New Restaurants of 2012 and I could tell why! Also, all the waitresses were wearing the cutest keds with hand sewn floral dresses in different patterns as their uniforms. Adorable.

Hopdoddy Burger Bar:: Get here EARLY {as in as soon as the doors open} or don't bother coming at all. An hour after opening the line was out the door and around the building {which you can see in the photo}. Luckily I do my research when traveling and we got here right around opening time {and still had to wait 20 minutes in line to order}. Cannot recommend the truffle fries to go with your burger enough!! Soooo good and well worth the wait!

South First St. Trailer Park & Eatery//Torchy's Tacos:: Food trucks {or trailer parks if there's more than one truck} were eeeeeverywhere in Austin and we ate at a few of them, but my all time fave was definitely Torchy's Tacos. They've opened my eyes to the world of tacos and I could eat there everyday-- if only I lived in Austin.

Amy's Ice cream & SnoBeach:: Two of the best places to get dessert in Austin. Amy's is the place to go for ice cream in Austin and with a location on SoCo Ave. near all the shops this was a nice treat on a hot afternoon after walking up and down SoCo Ave in the brutal sun. SnoBeach is this great SnoCone truck near Zilker Park with over 50 flavors that you can mix and match into one SnoCone, which actually comes in a huge cup. Brainfreeze!

::Where to go for a Drink::

Broken Spoke:: We went to this honky-tonk bar one night for beers and two-step lessons. It was kind of expensive for what it was {$20 for a lesson plus the cost of drinks}, but it was all about the experience! And now we can two-step {well, kind of...}!

Hula Hut:: Even if you're just looking for drinks and not food, I would still recommend Hula Hut. You can't beat the ambiance of sitting at a tiki bar as the sun is setting on Lake Austin. Plus ... their margaritas come in FISH BOWLS.

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Rainey Street Bars:: Saving the best for last ... one of my favorite nights in Austin was when we crossed Lake Austin to go into downtown to Rainey St. It's a quieter and more indie alternative to the downtown 6th Sreet bar strip. Container Bar was my absolute favorite. It's constructed from 7 stacked shipping containers each of which is decorated differently and in the center of all the containers is an open-air bar. The drinks were actually reasonable priced and it was just such a cool atmosphere. There are like ten bars on this street, but we just went to one more-- Lucille Patio Lounge, which had a completely different feel to it than Container Bar-- more of a sophisticated, southern-charm, speakeasy vibe. Outdoor patio drinking {dogs allowed!!} and hammocks!

I had a Deep Eddy Sweet Tea Vodka at Lucille's and fell in love. Deep Eddy is a local vodka distillery right in Austin and is pretty famous for it's sweet tea vodka. If you like vodka I would definitely suggest you check out Deep Eddy Vodka!

Stay tuned for Part 2 tomorrow - Things to do and see in Austin!

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{Recipe} Black-Eyed Pea Summer Salad

2014-06-06T14:42:00.001-07:00

Just in time for what's shaping up to be a very nice weekend I thought I'd share a recipe that would go perfectly with any BBQ you guys might be headed to. This is a black-eyed pea salad recipe that's super easy to make and very healthy!

::Recipe::

2 cans black-eyed peas, drained and rinsed

1 jalapeno, finely chopped

1 tomato, finely chopped

1 bunch green onion, finely chopped

1/2 medium sweet onion, finely chopped

1-2 orange (or yellow) bell pepper, finely chopped

1/4 cup rice vinegar

S&P to taste

Garnish with your choice of fresh herb or my personal favorite (not really but I force myself to eat as much avocado as possible, but hey if it's your jam then load it up!) -- avocado!

I usually pack a half cup of this salad with a 1/4 cup of cooked (and cooled) quinoa mixed together as my lunch for work. It definitely keeps me full until dinner time!

Hope everyone enjoys their weekend! My plans include stuffing my face with veggie dogs from Louie's and seeing the new X-men movie. What plans do you guys have? :)

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May Shopping Breakdown

2014-06-04T06:12:00.000-07:00

I'm back! A few days late ... but here's my Monthly Shopping Breakdown for May 2014.

One of the goals of writing this blog is to document my pursuit for a more tailored, professional, and versatile wardrobe and to stay away from the trendy or cheap pieces that filled my closet in my early 20's. I've set a budget of $250 for clothes, shoes, and makeup every month, but not a limit to the number of pieces I can buy. By sharing what I buy every month, I'm hoping I hold myself accountable to the pieces I buy and how much I spend ...

J.Crew Perfect Linen Shirt {$79, 25% off- $59.62}

J.Crew tunic {$50, 50% off- $25}

Anthropologie midi tee {$68, clearance- $19.95}

J.Crew Factory pink sweater {$62, sale- $34.65}

J.Crew Factory boyfriend sweater {$59.50, sale- $27.65}

Gap shorts {$50, 30% off- $35}

Ray-ban clubmasters {$150, Birthday gift- FREE}

New Balance sneakers {$114, Birthday gift- FREE}

Total Spent: $201.87

Total Saved: $430.63

Well I definitely bought a lot of tops this month-- and surprisingly mostly long sleeved ones? Hmm ... I guess I wasn't quite feeling summer yet. I will say that if you're looking for a breathable linen shirt for summer then I would highly recommend the J.Crew Perfect Linen Shirt-- I've worn it several times this month including in Texas heat {more on that later} and wasn't too hot at all. I paired it with my new Gap cut offs and it was a perfect laid back summer look. P.S. if you're in the market for denim shorts at a great price Gap has some amazing options this season!

Clearly- the best part about May is that it's my birthday ;) which is how I scored the new balance sneakers and the Ray-bans as gifts last month!! I wear the sneakers for walks around the neighborhood with the pup or for walks to get frozen yogurt, which I suspect will be happening a lot this summer. They're super comfortable and look great with jeans or cut offs-- perfect for weekend running around! And my new Ray-bans are the pair I grab on the way out the door almost everyday now. :)

I guess we should talk about budget too-- I'll just pat myself on the back right now for not only coming in well under budget this month, but also getting so many great pieces for well under budget! Go me! I definitely saved more than I spent this month, and part of the reason for this is because I knew I was going on vacation to Austin in May so I would have to keep my shopping budget to a minimum. I think it's well worth the trade off -- I would choose travel over clothes shopping any day. Who's with me?

So, what did you guys buy last month? Did you stick to your budgets?? :)

Happing shopping!

Top Ten Trends of Summer {No. 4 Mules}

2014-05-15T07:44:00.004-07:00

The mule sandal is my pick for Summer Trend No. 4 {see No. 1-3 here}. I was a bit turned off by this one in the beginning cause it brought back bad memories of those big black clunky slip on sandals from my high school days-- you know the ones. But then I was at DSW at the mall the other weekend and tried on these Charles David ones and actually liked them quite a bit. Thinking about ordering them actually.

Anyway ... below you'll find the works - inspo pics, a roundup of my picks, and a few outfits I put together ...

Try pairing mules with another Summer trend -- the overall!!

Lots of Options :: Zara, Zara, Zara, Alexander Wang, Joe's Jeans, L'Agence wedge, Marais USA, Victoria Secret, Victoria Secret, Charles by Charles David, Nine West, LAMB, French Connection, Gianvito Rossi, Aldo, Altuzarra, Pierre Hardy

Outfit No. 1 {Retro vibe}

Charles David Mules // ASOS skirt // Topshop crop sweater // Daniel Wellington // J.Crew clutch

Outfit No. 2 {Head to Toe Pink}

Victoria Secret mules // Zara leather jacket // J.Crew shirt // ASOS shorts // Essie polish // NARS Schiap lipstick

Outfit No. 3 {Black and blue}

Modcloth dress // L'Agence mules // J.Crew clutch // Bite lip cream

Outfit No. 4 {All black or all white}

Topshop jumpsuit // Warehouse jumpsuit // J.Crew clutch // Alexander Wang mules // Zara mules

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Craving :: Black & White

2014-05-13T09:37:00.001-07:00

Mango blouse // Theory striped tank // ASOS swing dress // ASOS shorts // Aritzia black tank // J.Crew flats

Topshop jumpsuit // Mango blazer // Zara heels // Steve Madden heels // J.Crew sandals // J.Crew Factory sandals // ASOS pencil skirt

I'm currently craving black and white basics that I can mix and match together to create endless outfits {I'm imagining that jumpsuit with that white blazer and those zara heels together!} or use one piece as a base for an outfit and then add color and texture in with other pieces in my wardrobe! Whatever your style- you have to admit these items would be great staples in anyone's wardrobe!

Happy shopping!

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Top Ten Summer Trends to Try {No. 3 Yellow}

2014-05-12T06:47:00.000-07:00

Happy Monday y'all! Hope everyone had a great weekend and a fabulous Mother's Day! Today we're diving back into the Summer Trend series with a new trend to try this summer -- Yellow! This hue seems to be popping up everywhere this Spring and it's going to stick around this Summer too. Seen on celebs (if Emma Stone is doing it then you should probably be doing it too!), bloggers, and fashionistas everywhere. I love this trend because you can go balls deep if you'd like (a la Mira Duma in head to toe yellow pant suit) or if you just want to dip your toes in the trend so to speak-- just add one yellow accessory, shoe, or bag to your outfit! This is a trend anyone can try!

Keep reading for inspiration, pieces to buy, and outfits ....

Try adding one of these yellow items to your wardrobe this Summer ::

Tops & Bottoms :: Boden Tunic, Boden sleeveless gingham, Alice & Olivia shorts, Joie striped top, Zara sweater, Zara sweater, Zara Blazer, Zara trousers, Zara high wasted shorts, Zara jacket, ASOS sheer pencil skirt, ASOS skater skirt, ASOS linen midi skirt, Karen Millen mini skirt, ASOS midi skirt, ASOS linen pencil skirt

Dresses & Rompers :: Dolce Vita romper, Zara dress, Zara shift dress, Zara romper, Topshop lemon print dress, Kate Moss one shoulder dress, Topshop dress, River Island maxi dress

Shoes :: Manolo heels, LuLus sandals, Rebecca Minkoff espadrilles, Hunter rainboots, Swedish Hasbeens, Nine West heels, Zara heels, Topshop espadrilles

Accessories :: Anthropologie sunnies, COACH Tote, Kate Spade necklace, Zara necklace, Rebecca Minkoff crossbody

Outfit No. 1 {Yellow Accessories}

J.Crew Factory dress // Gap denim jacket // Zara necklace // LuLu sandals // COACH bag

Outfit No. 2 {Casual Weekend}

Asos shorts // Zara sweater // Joie sandals // J.Crew hat // Anthro sunnies

Outfit No. 3 {Wear to Work}

Zara blazer // Zara pants // J.Crew blouse // Zara bag // Steve Madden wedges

Outfit No. 4 {Nautical Inspired}

Joie sweater // alice & olivia shorts // J.Crew flats // Zara bag // Anthropologie sunnies

Outfit No. 5 {Wedding Guest Attire}

J.Crew dress // Bauble Bar earrings // Tory Burch purse // Nine West heels

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Happy Mother's Day

2014-05-11T14:09:00.000-07:00

image via Design Sponge

Happy Mother's Day to my mom! She was my first subscriber to my blog and always supports everything I do. Thanks for everything mom! Hope you're having a great day!

Love,

Jill

Splurge. Spend. Save.

2014-05-06T07:09:00.002-07:00

The Double Pearl Necklace. Simple yet funky (in a good way)-- would make the perfect accessory this summer ...

:: Top to Bottom ::

Splurge // Anthropologie Double Pearl Necklace {$48}

Spend // Front Row Shop Pearl Collar {$34}

Save // Pixie Market Pearl Collar {$16}

Top Ten Summer Trends to Try {No 2. Tropical Prints}

2014-05-02T11:06:00.000-07:00

Summer 2014 Trend #2: Tropcial Prints! My favorite way to pair this trend is with crisp white and bright jewelry/accessories. It just screams summer! Here's some inspiration ...

{Tropical Prints for your wardrobe}

C Wonder slip on sneakers $78

Ted Baker Jungle Orchid Dress $340

Pixie Market Tropical Maxi Dress $79

Zara wide leg leaf print trousers $60

Gap Palm Print Denim Dress $35 on sale

Sincerely Jules Palm Tee $36

Cameo Palm Print Dress $170

Palm Printed Heels $26

Mother of Pearl Palm Shift Dress $775

Just Cavalli Palm Shift Dress $555

TopShop Palm Print Romper $64

Alice and Olivia Floral Print Pants $396

Equipment Palm Print Blouse $278

Anthropologie Dahlia Peplum Top $178

Anthropologie Palm Tassel Scarf $68

Samudra Palm Print Pouch $65

River Island Palm Pencil Skirt $47

ASOS Palm Tree Crop Top $41

ASOS Palm Tree Pencil Skirt $53

ASOS Blazer in Tropical Print $103

ASOS Shorts in Tropical Print $56

Zoe Karssen Sweatshirt $197

Dune Kozzie Tropical Print Shoe $90

Lotus Tunic Dress $220

Outfit #1 // Beach Day

Tuckernuck tunic // J.Crew Espadrilles // J.Crew Hat // Madewell tote //

Bauble Bar earrings // Ray Ban aviators

Outfit #2: Casual but put together

ASOS shorts // J.Crew linen shirt // Dolce Vita wedges // Madewell cuff //

Bauble Bar ear cuff // Marc Jacobs sunglasses

Outfit #3 // Wedding Guest

Cameo dress // Bauble Bar earrings // Clare Vivier clutch // Shoe Republic LA heels

How would you guys style this trend? Have any of you tried it out already?

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April Shopping Breakdown

2014-05-01T07:22:00.000-07:00

Happy first day of May y'all!! I can't believe April is already over and we're one step closer to SUMMER! Stay tuned tomorrow for our continuing Summer Trends series, but today is all about what I bought in April ... here's the breakdown ...

One of the goals of writing this blog is to document my pursuit for a more tailored, professional, and versatile wardrobe and to stay away from the trendy or cheap pieces that filled my closet in my early 20's. I've set a budget of $250 for clothes, shoes, and makeup every month, but not a limit to the number of pieces I can buy. By sharing what I buy every month, I'm hoping I hold myself accountable to the pieces I buy and how much I spend ...

Here's what I bought for the month of April {2014}

J.Crew Pixie Pant with Tuxedo Stripe {$90, 50% off- $45}

AE Denim Overalls {$80, on sale- $60}

J.Crew Panama Hat {$58, 25% off- $43.50}

Forever21 Crochet Skirt {$28, sold out}

Old Navy Denim Jacket {$35, 30% off- $24.46}

St. Tropez Bronzing Mousse {$42, 15% off- $35.70}

Total Spent: $236.65

Total Saved: $95.80

This month I had to restrain myself in terms of shopping- there were so many great things (and so many great sales) I wanted to just add to my shopping bag and hit BUY NOW! Something about Spring and the warmer weather just makes me want to refresh my wardrobe, but I knew I had to stick to my budget this month because of some upcoming traveling me and Neil are doing. Anyway- I really love all the pieces I bought this month, but haven't tried out the self tanner yet .. I'm kinda scared to try it! I plan on wearing the skirt from Forever21 to my birthday dinner tomorrow night- the quality is actually really great for the price!

For May I plan on stocking up on some basics for spring/summer (t-shirts, tank tops, shorts, and sandals). Stay tuned for another shopping breakdown at the end of May!

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