remix: floral and stripes

original posts: 1 // 2 // 3 // 4 // 5 // 6 // 7

One of my top favorite outfit combos. Floral and stripes. I think it's irresistible, I constantly find myself drawn to the two patterns in stores and catalogs and fashion blogs.
Black and white stripes are the chic lady's neutral. Think Kate Spade.
Luckily for me, I just came across a whole new host of floral patterns to add to my wardrobe (the shopaholic has struck again). This will be a busy week at work, so I'm excited to have some fun with my office attire.

PS: listening like crazy to Ingrid Michaelson's CD Lights Out. I'm loving all of the duets! Have you listened to it? It's a great soundtrack to chase away the Monday blues.

sunset: outfit 13

It was such a beautiful evening on Friday, and we got the chance to shoot some photos right as the sun began to shine through the trees before it set. It has been such a great week, but Friday couldn't come soon enough! I was looking forward to the farmer's market on Saturday, and walking along downtown and showing my friend some of my favorite spots.
Introducing outfit 13:

Top: LOFT, Vest: Kohl's (shop!), Pants: Old Navy, Shoes: Zulily

This spot is one of my favorites around our neighborhood.
We've done a couple photo shoots around here (like this one), and it's beautiful all year round. Probably my favorite is at the peak of Fall, when the largest trees turn a stunning shade of yellow and every time we drive down the street we're stunned by them.
I've always been a huge fan of sunset (being an Arizona girl, and also never being enough of a morning person for sunrises), and we had just met some friends for snow cones when we were heading home and decided to stop for our daily photos while it was still light enough.
It turned out to be the perfect time of day for photos!

It's moments like this that make me realize how much I love being outside. I'd love to take the opportunity to go on some local hikes, and use these cooler mornings for some of the gorgeous trails we have downtown.
We've talked a lot about trying to go out on a lake this summer, and also trying to get some friends together to go camping. Camping used to be an annual event for our family, and I haven't been in years and years.
I've never been camping with Dusty, and I think it'd be a blast! We'd both love to try and introduce camping into our regular summer activities.

floral denim: outfit 5

Yesterday's outfit featured the comeback of my favorite new pair of pants. 

I love finding a piece of clothing that I'm tempted to reach for every single morning while I'm getting ready. While I obviously try and resist wearing the same outfit every single day, with this challenge I was excited to wear these pants again so soon...

Top: LOFT, Pants: Old Navy (similar), Shoes: Zulily, Necklace: Francesca's

What a strange burst of cold weather we had yesterday!
I came to work and it was windy and chilly, and I was suddenly glad I hadn't done much with my hair.
I was also glad I had grabbed that cardigan!

Today was the complete opposite - clear and hot and sunshiney all day long.
I suppose that's fitting, since today is supposedly the first official day of summer!

Right after we took these pictures, my husband and I joined two other couples for two hours of beach volleyball. It was so cool out, and the sky was gorgeous. I've never been good at volleyball so I was nervous, but we had so much fun, and I can't wait to keep playing throughout the summer! (I also can't wait to get accustomed to playing - I'm so sore today, every time I had to get up from my desk I felt like my body was reawakening from rigor mortis).
I'm not sure why I love summer so much, but there's something so exciting in the air when the weather starts getting hot and you start to hear the happy calls and splashes from the nearby swimming pool, and restaurants start advertising ice cream and fruity smoothie drinks...and you drive home in the darkness and fireflies light the way, and people spend the evenings barbecuing and drinking sweet tea and playing beach volleyball.
I'm pretty happy about what the next few months will look like! Happy summertime, ya'll.

15to15: outfit 1

I announced earlier that I wanted to launch a new outfit challenge - some sort of summer closet remix that would spur into the spirit of summer and help get my creative juices flowing once again.
Enter, the 15to15! Using 15 basic items from my closet and creating 15 consecutive outfits.

Introducing outfit number 1!

Featuring a simple studded beige bag, a checkered J. Crew blouse, a "cleopatra" style necklace, my new floral denim skinnies from Old Navy and some neutral pewter flats.

Top: J. Crew (similar), Pants: Old Navy (similar), Necklace: Francesca's (similar)

Speaking of Francesca's, their jewelry collection is nuts.
We finally have a little developing shopping center near Lynchburg (a LOFT coming soon!!) and walking into Francesca's is so overwhelming. It's a small boutique, but the selection is enormous, especially in the jewelry department. I could stare at the multitude of colors and shapes for hours. It's delightful.
I definitely plan on building on my Francesca's collection!

I wore this outfit all day yesterday, and while it was a surprisingly muggy day, I couldn't help but wear these pants. I've become a sucker for floral pants, but this denim version is my new love.
I really look forward to wearing them all year long!
I snatched them up on the sale rack at Old Navy (shopping for some new clothes for my husband - he was sweet enough to let me tag along and get something for myself!)

What do you think?
Stay tuned for the next 14 outfits, including today's dress!

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.)