sleepy says {frocktober, days 17-20}

I think both my husband and I have come to realize that we're completely at the mercy of fatigue these days. We've spent every weekend working tirelessly on getting our house ready to move in, and as a result, we feel drained at the start of every week. The week days go by in a heavy blur. I've gone back to my coffee addiction, surprise surprise! Starbucks detours have been frequent. Every evening after work, we're torn between our desire to be productive and our even weightier desire to try to catch up on the rest we've been missing out on each weekend. The sleepiness usually wins out. We're pajama-clad before dinner and in bed as soon as we can manage it.

Thus, my lack of daily blogging. Every night I make a mental note to take and edit photos so I can post them the next morning - but this week they've piled up on me once again. I can't believe it's already Friday again. I honestly feel like I didn't even live through this week. It was all a dream. Someone else went to work for me and I stayed back home inside my own head, content to exist in a haze. 

In 1 week we'll be heading to North Carolina for our Fall getaway to see our besties from law school, and having that to look forward is so delightful. I hope you all have had a much mightier week, full of energy and inspiration. Enjoy this past week of Frocktober outfits below (remix info is at the end of the post). 

Remixes:

Outfit 1: Dress | Outfit 2: Green Cardigan

Outfit 3: Purple Cardigan

Outfit 4: Dress 1, 2, 3 // Denim 1, 2

the right type society

Sweater (remixed): Francesca's | Denim (remixed): old | Cat Skirt (remixed): Ruche

One of my favorite things about blogging is connecting to other people that I would never have the chance to know otherwise. When I find a blog that resonates with me, that seems to reach me in some intricate, kindred spirit kind of way, it's a joy. I love reading the thoughts of others and am always excited to find ribbons of unique creativity in each person. This blog space is my creative outlet that allows me to write, contemplate, share, inspire, and be inspired. 

Blogging can feel incredibly lonely at times, but it doesn't have to. I think at least a part of anyone's motivation to begin a blog is to find community. There's a desire to be known, to be appreciated, to be found by those who might feel that resonating kinship with your own thoughts and creativities. It's a vulnerable but also empowering quest to develop your skills and connect with others. 

All of these thoughts and more are the inspirations behind creating a brand new Society for bloggers. My fellow blogger and friend, Cassi of Keeping Up With Mrs. Jones, had this brilliant idea to create a safe and encouraging space for bloggers to come together and support one another. We both are relatively new to blogging, and when she invited me to be a part of it I couldn't say "yes!" fast enough.

The Right Type Society is for anyone. Blogs big and small are welcome. It's free and just in its beginning stages. A work in progress. We're so excited to begin! So far there are 8 merry bloggers involved, and we hope to steadily add more. If you're a blogger and want to join, please do! Head over to our Facebook page to request membership and to see all of the details of joining. Also, feel free to check out #TheRightTypeSociety on Instagram and follow our board on Pinterest.

Our main goals for this society are to better our blogs and uplift each other. We aim to lead people to great writing and creative content. Every blog is unique, and we'd love to connect each member to new readers that will be inspired by their work.
It's all very new and very exciting! We'd love to have you. Us Right Typers must stick together.

more color, please! {frocktober, day 23}

Dress (remixed 1, 2, 3): Ruche, Sweater: LOFT outlet, Shoes (remixed): Zulily

Yesterday was my first full day in a new office. 

I'm still at the same job, but I've switched over to a new cubicle in my boss's office so she can just yell out her door whenever we need to communicate. It has actually been a rather delightful change for both of us, I think. I'm around more people (it's an office of 8 women), I'm closer to the food (this office is known for having lots of food-related celebrations), and I'm more motivated to work, ask questions, learn, etc.! 

Most of the girls are out of the office this week since it's Fall break, so it's rather quiet. But I'm excited to be a part of this environment. I'm the youngest one here, and I think this outfit packed full of polka dots and color, and my head of braids, definitely reiterated that fact. 

I'm alright with it, though. This week my husband and I have been listening to old high school music and reminiscing about the good ol' days of those oh-so-2000's whiny ballads from the likes of Good Charlotte, Yellowcard, Avril Lavigne, Michelle Branch, etc. It's so funny how music changes from generation to generation. It tends to go on a loop, though, and certain trends and music styles creep back into the mainstream every few decades. 

I'm currently loving Taylor Swift's new song Welcome to New York from her soon-to-be-released album, 1989. (I guess I'm in a Taylor Swift groove). I'm gonna go ahead and confess that I've always been semi-skeptical of her insane fame, but over the years (and after seeing her in concert in New York), I've realized that she has actually grown into a really interesting, smart, creative musician. She sounded amazing live, which wasn't always the case. I know a lot of people hate that she has deviated from her Country beginnings, but I think it's incredible that she's experimenting and this new album is a really impressive example of that. She started so young, it's no surprise to me that her sound has changed and that she's breaking into other genres. For this new album she honed in on one specific sound, inspired by the 80's (really pop, cosmic, techno), and just ran with the wind. I think it's a really promising album and I'm surprised by how excited I am to hear the entire thing in 3 days!

What's currently on your playlist? 

Happy Friday!

weekenders {frocktober, day 17+18+19}

Outfit 1: Dress (remixed 1, 2 / similar 1, 2): Ruche, Jeans (similar): Target
Outfit 2: Dress (remixed 1, 2)/Necklace: Ruche
Outfit 3: Dress (remixed): LOFT, Top (similar): Target

Friday, Saturday and Sunday dresses!

This weekend was one of fellowship and gathering around the table. There's nothing I love more than warm-bellied, smiling faces of friends around a dinner table. It's something special, for sure. Maybe my affection for it has grown for me since reading Bread & Wine, but I definitely have always loved meeting for food with family and friends.

When we still lived in Virginia one of our favorite things to do was head a mile down the road to our friends house and cook dinner together. We'd put on some music, pour some iced tea or cider, and dance around the kitchen while stirring pots and pans or chopping vegetables. We'd joke around that we were heading towards commune life, and oddly, we were all okay with it.
Even now, thinking about those memories brings a very special kind of warmth and sorrow to my heart. I miss it! But it was something so personal and wonderful to share recipes and meals and to go back and forth between each other's houses every other day. It was a little capsule of time that will always be very special to all four of us. It was outside of reality, because we were still in that extended college phase of life and meeting with friends for dinner every night was completely wonderful and normal.

This weekend we were able to call back those days with some friends from high school. We went to their house, holding a bowl of salad and a bottle of wine and we stayed late into the night sharing memories and stories and eventually digging into warm ramekins of piping hot pizzookie and vanilla ice cream. That's the good stuff right there.

I sometimes have the tendency to want to stay home all of the time. I love pajama time and TV time and reading time, and luckily my husband loves the opposite of all of those things too (dress-up time, party time, people time). This weekend was a great balance of the two, because we slept in on Saturday and I caught up on Reign and we were able to spend mealtimes with various friends and family. I call that a win.

bar of s'mores {frocktober, day 3}

This outfit is a replica of one I wore during my first Frocktober in 2012, but I was in Virginia so I also added boots, a cozy vest and a big purple coat. Now that we're in desertland my Frocktober is looking quite different!

Yesterday at work I was surprised with this fun teal happy birthday necklace, a big happy birthday banner, confetti, and of course a giant box of cupcakes. I can't contain my glee that I work in an office that loves to celebrate with food. 

Then came my birthday party, which was also all about the food and I'm still savoring the memory of it this morning. Happy sigh. 

Everybody knows that s'mores are the sweet heavenly angels of childhood desserts.
Sure, they're a pain to make because they're sticky and messy and time-consuming, but that's part of the righteous victory of making them.
They're best eaten while camping, permeated with smoke and freedom.
Last night we recreated the brilliant exhilaration of the wilderness for my birthday, but we upped the ante a bit. We added a gypsyland of twinkle lights.

We had a s'mores bar, guys. It was such a genius idea, and I'm gonna go ahead and say I came up with it, and that Pinterest had no part in it whatsoever. I'm a terrible liar, but that's the nice thing about blogging - you can't even see my lying face.

To be honest this was nothing like camping because there was an actual bathroom available, the fire was huge (which would maybe mean death in the woods), and we had a fancy s'mores bar table with recipe cards and everythang. Baron Von Bacon, anyone?

NUTTY BANANA: 

Graham Cracker + Reese's Cup + Sliced Bananas + Marshmallow

CHOCOBERRY: 

Graham Cracker + Dark Chocolate + Sliced Strawberries + Marshmallow

BLACK & WHITE: 

Graham Cracker + White Chocolate + Mashed Blackberries + Marshmallow

SAMOA, PLEASE!: 

Graham Cracker + Mounds Bar + Caramel Drizzle + Marshmallow

THE GRASSHOPPER: 

Graham Cracker + Mint Chocolate + Marshmallow

BARON VON BACON: 

Graham Cracker + Caramel-filled Chocolate + Bacon + Marshmallow

There was a perfect little group of us, friends and family alike. The backyard was home base. There were chairs spread out in the desert around a mini marshmallow roasting fire. Because trying to marshmallow roast on a bonfire is the ultimate doom. You will never succeed. If you're lucky, your armhairs will be the only burn victims.
There was also gypsyland, which was an ideal lounge area because it's close to the kitchen and feels like a close cousin to neverland.

I think my favorite s'more combinations were the Black & White and the Baron Von Bacon. They were the most unusual and the most surprisingly delicious of the bunch! You definitely can't go wrong with a traditional s'more, or the Nutty Banana. Those sliced bananas add a delightful creaminess to the whole experience.

It was such a beautiful night. I loved every second. Gathering together for creative s'more-making is my idea of a very merry un-birthday in heaven. (Because we won't age there. Huzzah!).

my style addiction

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I think it's safe to say that my style addiction is mixing prints and patterns!

I love accidentally finding bold ensembles that somehow seem meant to be. I know it's risky and it's a style choice not everyone would make -- but I love mixing things up and seeing the way stripes compliment florals, and the way polka dots love being absolutely everywhere.
There are rules, of course -- but mostly I think they're meant to be bent.
I generally like to stick with:

1. Two prints only -- unless you're feeling super crazy.
2. Treat polka dots like neutrals because they should always be invited to the party.
3. Choose prints within the same color scheme.
4. Mix big patterns with little patterns.

These are not all-inclusive, of course -- each pattern-mixing outfit I wear usually sticks to one or two of these rules, not all of them at once. I'd also say that I often treat stripes as a neutral as well, and basically any black and white pattern. I love the way a black and white striped sweater looks with a loud, colorful print.

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I think it's the experimenting that I love the most, and the way my eyes are drawn to ensembles while scrolling through my closet. It makes me wish I had a closet like Cher from Clueless. 

I think patterns were meant to be mixed, colors to be scrambled and worn and paraded.

What do you think about pattern mixing? Would you do it? And if so, what rules would you stand by?

If not -- what is your style addiction?

#mystyleaddiction