parisian rooftops

Top/Scarf: Primark in London, Sweater: Banana Republic,
Pants: Ruche (shop!), Boots: Urbanog, Sunglasses: Ruche

Mornings in Paris were my favorite.
Our apartment was warm, cozy, and happily situated on the 7th floor with a darling balcony.
It was full of natural light, and something about waking up in that atmosphere was even more than perfect. It was like a dream.

Before the cold could hit us, before the day officially began, I would spend a few minutes out on the balcony, listening to the noises of life below and straining my eyes to see as far as I could into the city.
It was surreal and beautiful, completely invigorating and personal.
I think moments like that are the ones that often stay with us the longest, after traveling.
The intimate moments, the ones no one else will ever see or feel.

floral pants are made to dance

Pants: Ruche (shop!), Boots: Urbanog, Purse: Target
Scarf/Coat/Hat: Gifted/Bought long ago

By our third day in London, dressing in the morning had become more about comfort and how many layers you could fit on your body than it did about cuteness.
Although I have to say, having these floral pants along sure did help the process.
While I spent most of the day burying my face in my scarf to block the wind, every time that bright floral came into view I could at least imagine some sunshine.

It also somehow seemed extremely appropriate to be wearing such brightly patterned pants while walking in the footsteps of the Beatles at Abbey Road.
Definitely a highlight for me, having been raised listening to the Beatles with my brothers.
I can't quite describe how amazing it was to stand there imagining what it must have been like in the days when the Beatles recorded at Abbey Road Studios - and writing my own little note on the wall, along with thousands of others.

We also visited The Tower of London, and the Tower Bridge. It was another really great day for us.
We finished the day by seeing Wicked at the Apollo Victoria Theatre, and then heading back to our apartment to get ready to leave for Paris in the morning!

(To see more of our trip, feel free to visit my personal blog.)

a foggy day in london town

There's so much to say about the one and only London, England.

The first day of our trip was spent sightseeing, keeping warm, oohing and aawing and exploring the city.
While this is just a taste of our first day (feel free to visit my personal blog for more), it was truly a magical experience!

Dress: Ruche, Jacket: Gifted, 
Pants: Kohl's, Vera Wang (shop!), Purse: Target, 
Booties: Urbanog (shop!), Earrings: A Child of Whimsy on Etsy

How could I not wear my amazing leather coat on our jaunty trek through London?
Right before we left, I was thrilled to find the perfect little lavender shoulder bag at Target on clearance for $7!
Target is such a great place to look for wardrobe staples and little things to bolster up your closet. Their clearance sections are always a win for me!

It was so cold and dreary (it actually snowed that weekend!) so I was extra glad I had brought some extras for layering!

I've always been pretty hesitant about turtle necks, but this one was my lifesaver. 

I have now vowed to bridge any gap between me and the high-neck blouses, and purchase a few more for such winter weather fashion emergencies.

I've also fallen in love with this pair of asymmetrical earrings that I purchased from a friend of mine on Etsy. Her shop is called A Child of Whimsy and she always has sweet items for sale!

One of the highlights for us was going up in the Eye of London.

The views of the city were incredible. Such a magical moment!

Buckingham Palace, Westminster Abbey, Big Ben, the Eye of London...
We definitely had an amazing first day!

Hopefully you won't tire of trip outfit posts, as those will be dominating the blog for a little while! :)
The weather was freezing, layering was a challenge, and my trusty old black coat became my daily staple.
But it was still a grand adventure!

Until next time!

leaving on a jet plane

Four days from now, I will be on a plane for London, England.

Dustin and I are taking a grand adventure to London and Paris, for a romantic getaway that will include shopping, snacking on crepes and baguettes, sight-seeing, fine cuisine and lots and lots of pictures!
I honestly can't wait to do an outfit photo shoot in front of the Eiffel Tower.

In planning for this trip, I'm realizing how much there is to see around Europe. It's absolutely daunting.
I have four days to pull myself together, finish packing, and figure out all the must-sees of our adventure!

Dress: Gifted, Top: J. Crew, Jacket: Gifted, 
Necklace: Cookie Lee (teal), Lia Sophia (gold), 
Shoes: Bought in Ireland

Testing myself for the overcast days overseas, I tried out some layering with my amazing leather jacket last week.
Unfortunately, I almost froze to death on this photo shoot, and quickly realized that my Arizona blood is still very much attuned to warm weather. I'm going to need much warmer clothing for the 40 and 50 degree rainy weather we'll be having!

I've been closely following (and getting advice from!) Melina from The Caffeinated Closet.
She took some very similar trips (check out her travel section on her blog), and even has a "creative layering" section that I've been using to take some notes for my suitcase. :)

If any of you have any further tips or outfit ideas, please feel free to comment!

And in the mean time, keep up with my Instagram for photo updates on our trip.
We'll be posting at least one photo per day of our experience, and I look forward to posting some outfit photos when we return!

Wish me luck with my packing endeavors!!