One Stop: J. Crew

J Crew's new arrivals are amazing. Really. So many giftable items, so many cute patterns, so many wearable things. Plus with 30% off right now (through 12/1!) using HOLIDAY it's easier than ever to buy things for everyone: mom, dad, sister, brother, boyfriend, nieces and nephews, Secret Santa presents...

A few things that I have my eye on, for both myself and others...

Etta Studded Pump: A fairly neutral pump, with a bit of added interest? Yes.

Tipped Silk Tee: So cute, peeking out from a blazer.

Tipped Boy Shirt: I saw a woman wearing this shirt a few weeks ago and she looked SO chic and crisp...amazing with a super-tailored pair of black pants or a pencil skirt.

Collection Velvet Sweatpants: Tailored. Velvet. Sweatpants. I feel like those three words are all you need to know. #win

Striped Pencils: Stripes? Pencils? J Crew? You know I'm all about these. Plus who doesn't love cute office supplies? Answer: everyone loves cute office supplies.

Wood Phone Stand for iPhone: This is pretty sleek and very minimal...and I am kind of in love with it. Perfect for an office or nightstand!

Caran D'Ache pen: One of my favorite pen brands...and I totally realize how pretentious that sounds, but these pens are pretty awesome.

Cocktail Shaker: A good guy gift--not overly sentimental or feminine, useful, helpful, polished.

Embroidered Henley for girls: This was Oscar's pick...but I think it's adorable too.

Tartan Satchel: So classically prep, I can't even stand it.

Sparkle Tiara: Because why not?

R2D2 iPhone case: The only Star Wars-themed item you'll ever see on this blog...but isn't it kind of awesome?

Notable Mustaches kit: I know plenty of 20-something guys who would find this amusing too...

Screen Cleansing Towelettes: A perfect stocking stuffer for pretty much everyone...and incredibly affordable!

There's about 700 more things I could have listed...happy shopping!

Thanksgiving

dreamy Thanksgiving tablescape

apple-brined turkey...uh, yum!

Happy Thanksgiving, chickies! Today I'm thankful for having the day off to rest and relax, sleeping in late, my sweet little Oscar, the sweetest man-friend in the history of ever, my very loving and supportive family, and all of YOU!

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX (Oscar jumped on my keyboard and kept his paw on the x button...obviously he sends y'all LOTS of kisses :) )

Have a happy day full of family, friends and lots of food! And if you celebrate Hanukkah, Happy Hanukkah as well!

Vest Dressed

First off, that title is insanely cheesy and I apologize, but I just couldn't pass up the opportunity! Now that it is officially freezing in Atlanta, I am so so SO cold all most of the time. I also have a huge hole in my closet for casual, warm outerwear that's also cute. I've been seeing little quilted vests all over the place for the past couple years and have previously dismissed them as something that's just not for me.

However, I was getting dressed the other night to go ice skating, and it wasn't quite cold enough for my peacoat, it wasn't warm enough for just a long-sleeve shirt, and a jacket isn't great for anything where you need to move your arms a lot...which means it was perfect vest weather! I've officially been converted into a vest person and now I just need the perfect one to add to my closet!


I have a few "must have" qualities for my ideal vest: quilted, not too puffy, a bit fitted through the waist, a highish neck/collar, nothing obnoxious on it, no shiny fabric.

A few vesties I have my eye on...

J. Crew Excursion Vest, $120: Everyone has this vest, which makes it less attractive to me, but I do like how understated it is. Plus it's super lightweight so it's warm without being bulky--perfect for layering! I just cannot get over the "fashion blogger" aspect of this one...

Elizabeth McKay Quilted Vest, $271: I love love love the periwinkle trim! The price tag is a bit steep though.

The North Face "Red Blaze" Vest, $99: A bit sportier than other vests, which makes it both more versatile (could wear it hiking or playing with the dog in the park) and less stylish. However, it's under $100 and comes in a lot of colors...

Joules Downham Gilet, $86: The pink zipper on the navy just kills me! So cute but not obnoxious or childish. Fleece-lined for warmth so it'd be extra cozy on freezing days. Plus the lining is striped and you know how I love a stripe!

Joules Milham Quilted Vest, $102: Super minimalist and extremely classic, which I love. I fear it's a bit too thin/lightweight though...

Lilly Pulitzer Kate Puffer Vest, $198: I feel like this vest just needs to be in my closet....I mean, we share a name! It's just a touch on the shiny side for my taste...

So many choices! What do you think?

All That Glitters...

The holiday season is one of my favorite times of year, mostly because of the proliferation of metallic or sparkly items available to decorate your home and yourself. I'm not much of a jewelry person, and I'm not much of a glitter girl, but I can definitely get behind a good, non-cheesy metallic accent or two (or three if you're feeling fancy/festive). There's just something about the holidays that makes me want to break out all the mercury glass, sprinkle sequins down the table, and bedeck myself in all the pretty shiny baubles I own. We decorate our trees with ornaments, why not ourselves and our homes!

Anyway. There are SO MANY good metallic objects out there, I just had to do a quick little round-up. As an added bonus, lots of these items are good for gifting, whether it's for others or for yourself! I definitely won't judge...

1//2//3

4//5//6//7

1//2//3

4//5//6

7//8//9

I feel like I need to clarify that I probably wouldn't recommend wearing any of the pieces above together...I'd pair each clothing piece or shoe with a healthy dose of neutrals/solids and make the glittery piece the focus. The sequin skirt would look amazing with a top like this, the glitter heels would be great with a skinny black pant, and either metallic top would be perfect with a pair of jeans or velvet skinnies for a party! Bring on the holidays!!

Leather Loving

The absolute last word I would use to describe my style and myself is edgy, but lately I've been really into leather. I've especially been loving pieces that are more feminine cuts or colors that just happen to be made of leather. I think they're just perfect for injecting a little modernity into a wardrobe of classics.

ASOS Leather-skirted Midi Dress: You could totally dress this up for holiday parties with sparkly heels, a beaded cardigan or a statement necklace/earrings. For daily wear, I'd probably wear leopard heels, pearl studs and a low ponytail. And the price? So good!

Ann Mashburn Leather Box Pleat Skirt: I have literally been dreaming about this skirt ever since it first popped up in my email a few weeks ago. I'm obsessed with the cut and I'd wear it with everything from tank tops to button downs to silky blouses. I also have it on good authority that this skirt is even more amazing in person...

Derek Lam Tweed/Leather Jacket: I love little tweed jackets, but sometimes they can be a bit too "ladies who lunch"...the leather trim on this one toughens it up a bit and makes it look cooler and less like something you stole from your grandma.

Loeffler Randall Ella Stacked Heel Bootie: I swear by high-quality leather boots, and these are booties that will last a long time. I love the color of these and I can think of at least a few things I have in my closet that need a nude boot...

J. Crew Leather Pixie Pant: My favorite Pixies, done in leather? Sold. Pssst: the leather-front version is also adorable as well! and about $300 cheaper

I have no intention of ever being mistaken for a biker, so I think I'd only do one leather piece in an outfit. For example, with a leather skirt, I'd do a textile-covered heel and a knit or silk top. For leather pants, a satin ballet flat or a velvet smoking slipper and a buttondown would soften up the leather.

Fall Colors

When my friend Caryl was in town last week, we just had to seize the moment and take a few outfit pictures together! Unfortunately, Friday was gray and rainy, so you're not able to see the full fall beauty of Atlanta, but I hope you enjoy my very first outfit post on the blog! I was totally unsure about how to pose myself and everything, so to my overly-critical eye, I look totally awkward...please be kind :)

gray tee: Target (similar)//green sweater: Tahari (similar)//brown sweater: J. Crew (similar)

jeans: J Brand (similar)//boots: Geox (similar)//purse: Longchamp

earrings: Francesca's

ring: Kate Spade//nail polish: 'Pat On The Black'

You might be wondering why I'm wearing two sweaters...because I'm a baby about cold and it was cold and rainy. Not pictured: my coral rain jacket and the cashmere handwarmers I wore in the car.

I alternate between thinking the brown sweater is totally amazing and totally hideous...it's definitely a comfort piece. Oversized and chunky, it's more like a sweater-coat than an actual sweater. It's J. Crew from a few years ago and I wear it far more than is probably acceptable.

I hope you've enjoyed seeing me for the first time! I'm hoping to do more outfit posts in the future so I can get a little more comfortable posing in front of the camera!

Happy Weekend!

I was chatting with a friend the other day about work, and he pointed out something that's never occurred to me: I work 7 days a week, literally. If I'm not working retail, I'm at my internship and many days I do both. While I love what I do at both jobs, it can be very tiring to constantly be in "go go go" mode.

Which is why I'm so happy I have two glorious days totally free this week. I wasn't scheduled for work today or tomorrow and my internship boss is out of town for a wedding, so I have two days to pack full of fun. It was so nice to be able to sleep in this morning and enjoy my sleepy morning snuggle time with little Oscar.

A few exciting things I have planned for the next few days: popping into the Annie Griffin Warehouse Sale later this afternoon, dinner and lunch with my friend Caryl while she's in town (and getting a few bloggie surprises done too!), playing in the park with a friend and his dog on Sunday and of course, lots of sleep.

Today feels like the start of the weekend for me, and it kinda is, so have a great end of the week/weekend peeps!

Pajama Perfection

I work at a store that's known for their Christmas pajamas, so we've been inundated with families coming in and picking out their pajamas for Christmas Eve. While I'm not sure where I'll be on Christmas, I've definitely decided that I need a new pair of pajamas for the holiday! #peerpressure

A few pairs I have my eye on...

Gap Printed Poplin PJ set, $59.95: The red polka dot is Christmasy but not too much, and just imagine these with a big monogram on the pocket! Adorable.

J. Crew Vintage Pajama set, $95: A total classic.

J. Crew Factory End-on-end Pajama set, $88: I love the red piping on the light blue...such a chic combination.

 Ann Mashburn Blue Bengal Stripe Pajamas, $195: the pajama version of my very favorite button up shirts...I need! So luxe.

Sleepy Jones Paloma Short in Navy Regimental Stripe, $74: I'm one of those people who always gets hot when I sleep, so pj shorts are a perfect option for me. These are cute but still a little boyish...great for pairing with old sorority t-shirts and just hanging out.

 J. Crew Flannel PJ Short, $36.50: I have the end-on-end version of these shorts and I love them...a flannel pair is perfect for "winter" in Texas!

Hanna Andersson Thermal Long John Top, $42: the perfect top to pair with the shorts above! These are seriously made of the softest cotton...I'm kind of obsessed.

Anthropologie Paisley Flannel PJ Pants, $49.50: I'm absolutely obsessed with the colors in these pants!!! So vibrant and happy...even more so in real life!

I think I definitely need to up my pajama game...too many cute options out there!!!

Feathered.

I found Feathered Home through Melissa's blog...and I'm pretty sure I've found my art print/decor soulmate, or at the very least, the store I'll be purchasing a lot of prints from whenever I get around to decorating my apartment.

Everything is very curated and edited, with just enough whimsy to keep things unique and fun. Karen and Kelly have done an amazing job with the shop, and I'm already adding it to my list of favorites for when decorating time rolls around!

A few little favorites...

Duck Cake Stand

Leopard-print Pillow

Small Gold Tray

Je Ne Sais Quoi print

Westside Kate print

Atlanta ABCs print

Texas ABCs print

Sales Sales Sales!

 via

A few things that I think you need to know about...

1. New items added to Tory Burch sale! Ordinarily I wouldn't really care, but my favorite boots are included...perfect time for Santa to do a little shopping, right? *please please please*

2. J. Crew is offering 25% off your purchase of $100 or more through the 16th. I popped into the store the other day to return something and walked out with another pair of my newest obsession, the Pixie pant, plus a few glittery hair ties. If you haven't tried these pants yet, you definitely need to. I'm head-over-heels in love with them...and just might wear them every.single.day this fall and winter.

3. Nordstrom's Half-Yearly sale is going on, which means major dealz. I have yet to brave the madness at the mall, but this dress is pretty, this sweater and this sweater look so cozy (and would be perfect over the Pixie...), this clutch is amaaaazing and maybe a little unrealistically priced, and one of my favorite tees with the added cuteness of a French bulldog applique? Too good.

4. This isn't a sale, but I'm newly obsessed with Bumble & bumble hair products. Every time I go get my hair cut at a B&b salon, I leave looking amazing. They seem to really "get" fine, thin hair and their products are awesome for my hair. I had prep, the thickening hairspray and the dryspun finishing spray used on my hair when I got it cut a few days ago and my thin, limp, flat, fine hair has never looked so full with so little effort. I'm seriously considering investing in all of these products, and if you know me, you know I rarely stray from my Target beauty finds...I'm that impressed.