Better Late Than Never

 Top: Nordstroms

Cardigan: American Eagle

Pants: Roxy

Boots: BP 'Runway' - Get them HERE

Bracelet: Target

Earrings: 'Heart of Gold' via Jewelmint

 These pictures are SO old. Pre ombre and side bangs? These were taken in like October. Oops. I found these, once again, hidden in a folder within like 5 other folders. Seriously, finding pictures has become like a game. It's kind of, sort of, a little bit fun, when I stumble across pictures that I completely forgot about. Don't be surprised if I dig up more to share with you:)

The thing I love about a good pair of black pants, they make a top and cardi look instantly more chic. These Roxy's are 3 or 4 years old, fit like a dream and are very comfortable. I'm in desperate need of a new pair, and love AE black jeggings, but they fade SO fast, despite washing them in cold, with other blacks, and not drying. Any suggestions on where I can get an awesome pair of black skinnys that fit amazingly and wash well?? I would be forever grateful:)

Maxi - Hawaii Outfit 4 & Beach Vacation Essentials

 Dress: Brand & Label 'Mesh Sweetheart Maxi' via Tobi (get %50 off first order when you join!) 

Almost identical version - 'In Lace and Love' Maxi via August Wrinkle

Necklace: Jewelmint 'Flores Collar'

Shoes: DV by Dolce Vita 'Onya'

 More wonderful photos from Hawaii taken on my visit almost 2 MONTHS ago. Better late than never right?? Oh, and I still have an outfit or two left to share...oops! I purchased this amazing maxi dress for the sole purpose of taking it on vacation. The dress ended up being more than I hoped for as it was very light and airy. I love that the lace is breezy and not stiff or itchy and that I can easily go braless (one of the main reasons I embrace my tiny boobs), so as not to distract from the gorgeous back. I will definitely be wearing this dress a lot this summer! I paired it with a pretty neon necklace and my absolute favoriteeee DV by Dolce Vita flatfoms. These are my summer staple. These shoes are amazing and I promise that you will see them a lot...I mean, I practically wore them every day last summer, so I just expect it will be the same this year!

Beach Vacation Essentials

 Pardon the horrible iPhone pictures, but I thought I would snap & share my beach vacation essentials. There are some things I cannot leave without. 

 In my beach bag, I always carry a pouch of some sort, to keep all of the smaller items from rolling around in my bag. The pouch typically holds...

1. Sunscreen: I really like the Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Dry Touch. It's not greasy and is great for my face and my nose, which is ALWAYS the first thing to get sunburned. 

2. Chapstick: Chapstick with an SPF is a must for any outdoor activity, but especially on vacation where the sun is intense. My favorite is Blistex, which has a SPF of 15. I have at least 10 of these lying around, but when I need one I can NEVER find it. Don't you hate when that happens?

3. Hairbands: Just like the chapstick issue, I have a million hairbands but can never find one when I need one. Solution? I bought a handy metal ring, typically used to hold note cards together, and now I always know where they are. I always carry a million of these in my beach bag as I always need one, but hate when they get stretched out. I know...first world problems, right?

4. Giant Comb: Swimming always leaves my hair ridiculously tangled. To prevent having a giant knot all day, I pack a giant comb. I prefer brushing my hair with a comb as it hurts less and it is better on your hair! True story. 

5. Cheap Sunglasses: The beauty of cheap sunglasses? They are easily replaceable. Thats why I always grab a cute pair that cost under $12 that I can throw around and not worry about getting them scratched up or sitting on them (yes, this actually happens quite often in my life). 

 Packing makeup for a beach get away is typically pretty easy for me. I'm not a big makeup girl anyways, sticking to bare minerals and blush, and when I have a little tan on my face, I wear even less.

1. Moisturizer: Aveeno Positively Radiant Daily Moisturizer is my all time favorite. I slather this stuff on my face morning and night. I started using this stuff faithfully about 2 years ago and since then have noticed a huge difference in my face. This stuff has been a miracle worker, and it has SPF 15. Perfect for every day wear.

2. Body Butter: Strawberry Body Butter from The Body Shop is amazing. The scent is seriously the best thing everrrrrrrrr. Plus, after spending the day in sand and salt water, it's the perfect after shower treat.

3. Dry Shampoo: Dry shampoo is the perfect hair pick me up. When my hair needs a little something extra towards the end of the day or mornings when I skip the washing, this stuff is a life saver. I've tried a few brands from the local drug store, and Suave Dry Shampoo is typically what I stick with. At such a cheap price, it seems to do the trick, although I am in the process of looking for one that smells a little better...suggestions?

4. Mascara: If I decide to let the face go naked, the one thing I usually put on is a little mascara. My favorite at the moment? Covergirl Lash Blast Length, waterproof of course. I really like the brush and love that it doesn't get super smeary towards the end of the day. 

 LIPS! 

1. Smith's Rosebud Salve: All time favorite. Love the smell, love the feel, love the packaging. I'm really just obsessed.

2. Baby Lips: Baby lips are my newest love. A little pop of color is always nice, especially with a tan. For those of you, like me, who are a little nervous about going bold with your lips, this is a nice way to give your lips the tiniest hint of color and moisturize at the same time. Plus, they smell AMAZING! My two current favorites are "Coral Crush" and "Cherry Me". 

3. Blistex: You already know:)

I read a lot. It's one of my all time favorite things, ever. Yes, I'm slightly nerdy. I read just about anything, but really love young adult books. Maybe it has something to do with my profession (elementary teacher), or maybe it's just a love for all things fluffy and happily-ever-after. It's a guilty pleasure. Don't judge. Anyways, I have a Kindle, but beach reading is not very Kindle friendly, at least in my opinion. Seriously guys, sand gets everywhere. So, even though I packed my Kindle, I also lugged 4 books (3 of which I read), to read on the beach. My choices...

1. My Life Next Door - Huntley Fitzpatrick 

2. Beautiful Disaster - Jamie McGuire (NOT YA)

3. Lola and the Boy Next Door - Stephanie Perkins

These are some of my beach vacation MUST haves. What are some of yours?

Print Play

 Top: Target (it's actually a peplum!) - Other similar options HERE and HERE. I also love the idea of pairing a body suit with this skirt - HERE

Skirt: 'Into the Sunset' c/o August Wrinkle - On Sale HERE

Necklace: Forever 21

Boots: DV by Dolce Vita 'Java' - HERE

 Taking a note from my "Yeah...I Really Own That" guest blogger for April, Joyce of Joyful Outfits, I decided to play with prints and patterns. I originally had this skirt paired with a chambray top, but something about pairing it with polka dots really appealed to me. This skirt from August Wrinkle should be a summer staple. Seriously, not only does it have a cute star print, but it is super light and airy and will look perfect with a tan this summer! And for some absolutely bizarre reason, it reminds me of Jasmine and Pocahontas, two of my very favorite Disney princesses (I know, I was a weird child). Yes,  now I REALLY love this skirt. I paired it with a polka dot peplum top (I tucked the bottom in), my favorite ankle boots, and a big chain necklace for the finishing touches.

On a non-style note...guys, I'm looking for a summer job and I have no idea where to apply! I really don't want to work food, but am thinking coffee might be okay? Thoughts? Suggestions?

Spring Cleaning!

Top: Forever 21

Vest: Day Trip (Shop this item in my closet HERE) 

Leggings: Target

Necklace: Gift from Boyfriend :)

Ring: Forever 21

Boots: BP 'Runway' Boots - Get them HERE

When the lovely Linda of Trendy Teal mentioned in her last post that she was not only spring cleaning her closet, but her outfit folders, I was inspired to do the same (Thanks Linda!!!). However, my computer - photo folders are ridiculously unorganized making this task a tad complicated as I'm not sure where I have hiding photos and what I have and haven't shown. Luckily, when I wore this dress/top to work the other day, I remembered that I had snapped it a while ago, and found the photos, but not without some effort (it was hidden in file within file within file...don't you loveee that?!). Luckily, the bright top and fun floral print make it spring appropriate! 

PS I was floored to see that I reached 1,000 followers the other day! I can't tell you how exciting it is to know that there are actually people out there on the other side of the screen! I owe a huge thank you to all of you who follow, read and comment. I really enjoy reading your comments and browsing YOUR blogs (I do read them!! I'm just not always the best at commenting!). I am so thankful and lucky to have a supportive group of readers, many of which have become my blog friends:) But enough cheesiness, THANKS GUYS!!

Yeah...I Really Own That: Joyce from Joyful Outfits

When I first started really blogging (last May/June), Joyful Outfits was one of the first blogs I started following faithfully. Not only is Joyce adorable and so so so SO sweet, but her outfits are insanely cute! This girl is a print mixing master and isn't afraid of color. Her style is rich in prints, patterns and color and she seamlessly fuses girly and bold post by post. Joyce often introduces me to print and color mixing that I never even thought of. Trust me, you will want to steal her ideas:)

Besides style, Joyce is seriously talented at blog design! She is the one responsible for my recent blog revamp, and didn't she do an amazing job?!?! For me, changing things up was a little scary (I'm not so good with change...ha!). Joyce did an amazinggggg job of kindly guiding me through the process and REALLY listening to my ideas, bringing them to life here! Find out more about Joyce's blog design HERE!!! 

I am so excited to introduce you to the adorable and talented mix master of prints "Yeah...I Really Own That" guest blogger for April...

Joyce from Joyful Outfits

Hi everyone! I'm Joyce from Joyful Outfits and i'm so excited to be guest posting here today! haha I actually have a lot of "yeah...I really own that" clothes (like "witty" t shirts (I thought wearing it would make me witty...it didn't.) and a blue faux fur vest) so it took me a while to figure out which one to do the guest post on but I ended up with this dress from abercrombie. In middle school, I absolutely loved abercombie/hollister and I thought the secret to dressing stylishly was to buy everything from there. Even though I ended up donating most of my clothes from there, I still have this dress so I decided to dig it up from the back of my closet for this post! :)

dress:abercrombie//shoes:forever21//jacket:banana republic//belt:vintage

Misty Day - Hawaii Outfit 3

 Top: 'The Life We Live' Top in Olive Brown c/o August Wrinkle

Shorts: American Eagle

Sandals: Report

Hat: Forever 21

Purse: Rebecca Minkoff 'Mini MAC' in Almond - find HERE

 It's so crazy to think these pictures were taken almost a month ago!! I know I said this in my last Hawaii post, but TIME FLIES! Seriously.

While we did have a few chilly moments almost every day, where it would get cloudy and sprinkle for an hour or so and then clear off, these photos were taken on a day when the sun never even came out. I was bummed that it wasn't beach weather, but excited to spend the day exploring.

Despite the fact that it misted all day, it was still balmy and much warmer than back home. This sweater/top from August Wrinkle was absolutely perfect for this weather (remember how I layered it HERE on a chilly January day?). I know that I will be wearing this a lot for colder summer days and summer evenings as it is an airy knit that provides cover but isn't overly stuffy. I wore a simple black bandeau underneath to prevent getting too hot, and was the perfect temperature all day. I paired it with my favorite black gladiators, a pair of jean cutoffs and a fedora to prevent my hair from getting too out of control (humidity + misty rain = not very cute). This is one of those outfits that I will definitely have on repeat  in the coming months!!!

PS Want to update your spring wardrobe?! Don't forget to enter the $500 VISA Gift Card Giveaway!

How We Wore Our Chambray

 When the lovely Marsa, from The DayLee Journal  asked me if I wanted to collaborate, I got reallyyyy excited. Marsa is one of the sweetest, cutest, kindest, most stylish bloggers I have ever met. Her blog is one of my daily reads as she has a perfect way of styling everything anddd I sort of, kind of, completely want to steal her whole entire closet:) Deciding to share how we rocked our chambray's was a no-brainer, as a chambray top is every girl's BFF. While I wore my chambray on a sunny day with sneakers, Marsa donned hers for a rainy day, pairing it with the cutest yellow rain boots I have ever seen. Notice that we both added a print (mine in floral leggings, Marsa in a polkadot turban headband), for the perfect finishing touch.

Visit Marsa at The DayLee Journal to see more of how she styled her chambray!!

 Top: 'Perfect Chambray Ex-Boyfriend Shirt' Madewell - find HERE

Leggings: Forever 21

Shoes: 'Canvas Authentic Lo-Pro' Vans - find HERE

Purse: Rebecca Minkoff 'Mini MAC' in Almond - find HERE

Watch: Fossil 'Heather' - find HERE

PS Want to update your spring wardrobe?! Don't forget to enter the $500 VISA Gift Card Giveaway!

Au Natural - Hawaii Outfit 2

 Dress: Target (last season)

Sandals: Maurices - Find them HERE

Bracelet: Target (Current)

 I can't believe I was headed to Hawaii a month ago today! Time seriously flies! I promised more Hawaii pictures, but plan on staggering them. Sadly, when going through and editing them, there were a few whole outfit photos (like the one featuring the shirt I wore in the last post) that didn't turn out at all. Don't you hate when that happens? Oh well...que sera sera!!

I've had this pretty floral maxi dress since last year. The second I spotted it on the rack at Target, I was drawn to the bright, floral print and hi-lo hem line and had to snatch it up. It was the perfect dress to take to Hawaii, as what is better than a bright floral print for a tropical vacation?? I Paired it with flat sandals and a pretty, chunky bracelet, trying not to distract too much from the pretty pattern.

As for hair and makeup, I tend to go Au Natural when on vacation, opting for minimal makeup and loose hair. My routine typically consisted of a swipe of mascara, a little bronzer and lip gloss. Nothing easier than that!

PS Want to update your spring wardrobe?! Don't forget to enter the $500 VISA Gift Card Giveaway!

Easter Egg-esque

 Top: 'Be My Daisy' Tank c/o August Wrinkle

Pants: 'Jegging Ankle' in Lavender - American Eagle - Find it HERE

Sandals: Forever 21 (Old)

Bracelets: Target

Earrings: 'Daisy' by Jewelmint

 Happy April! I've already said this in my previous post, but I am SO glad April is here! The weather here has been fantastic (in the 70s) and I have been soaking up as much sun as possible. Every year we get a little of this before it goes back to freezing and windy until late May and June (last year, it was cold all the way into July!), and I'm hoping this isn't the case this year! Fingers crossed it stays warm!!

Easter Sunday was a pretty relaxing day filled with church and family and friends. I dressed for the occasion in the prettiest pastels I could find. My family told me multiple times that I reminded them of an Easter egg in my pastel hues, but hey, I was totally digging it.

This top from August Wrinkle has been hidden away in my closet for quite some time, just waiting for a warm spring day. I wore it in Hawaii, but sadly the pictures did not turn out. Luckily, Easter was the perfect occasion for this springy top. I love the minty color and sweet daisy print that definitely feeds my print obsession. It has the perfect hint of sheerness and the layers throughout the front add the perfect floaty touch that I adore. If I had to pick one piece of clothing in my closet that defines spring, this would be it! This top is a must have for any spring wardrobe!!

My color of the moment?! Lavender. I have been so drawn to it lately, that when I saw these jeggings I HAD to have them!!! These jeggings are seriously amazing and fit like a glove. Plus, the color combo of the mint top and lavender pants is perfection. Mixed with nude sandals and pretty rose gold bangles, I felt just pastel-y enough for Easter. Easter egg-esque? Yes Please!

PS Want to update your spring wardrobe?! Don't forget to enter the $500 VISA Gift Card Giveaway!