mint and humidity: outfit 11

Dress: Ruche, Top: LOFT, Shoes: Zulily

Outfit 11 was perfect for a rainy day and a night out on the town. 

And by "out on the town" I mean a great dinner at our favorite sushi place, for half-off Wednesdays!

I love how wearing this top beneath this dress adds just a subtle new layer, with some ruffles peeking out the top. The almost-cap sleeves of the blouse made it work-appropriate and comfortable.

Will the real summertime please stand up?

It has been so confusing having this whole week be so mild and sunshine-less. Cloudy days with April-esque showers and pretty breezes. I'm not really sure whether to beg for real summer or thank the Lord for the blessing of cool summer weather. The only real problem with all of this is that the humidity is crazy (hence my sad, limp hair that flips out at odd ends in desperate rebellion). But I'd rather have cool humidity than bright humid sunshine. 

double digits: outfit 10

Outfit 10 has really brought it home that my coworkers probably think I've gone crazy.
Or that I just really like this shirt.
Either way, there are just 3 days left of this mix and match challenge (I'm currently wearing outfit 12) and I'm starting to really itch to wear some of my ignored clothes!
As Holly says in P.S. I Love You, 

"I should get my [clothes]. They're all over the place. They're gonna think I don't love them."

Outfit 10 featured my cream top and cardigan, and my lovely purple lace skirt from LOFT. 

This week is overcast and rainy, and it's rather beautiful out. We've had a few storms come and go, but overall it has been mild and enjoyable.

I have a friend visiting this week, which has been so fun! There's nothing better than always having fun plans, and a tiny apartment full of laughter and good food and friends. 

Top/Skirt: LOFT, Shoes: Zulily

I wore this outfit on Tuesday, and that night we made pasta and had a grisly marathon of Hansel and Gretel, and Warm Bodies. It was an evening spent all bundled up on the couch and it was delightful.

Hansel and Gretel is just a typical kitschy horror flick, but it was enjoyable.

Warm Bodies, on the other hand, was definitely one I'd watch (and even buy) again. 

Having the inner dialogue of a zombie, and seeing life through his perspective, was definitely a refreshing twist on the classic horror trend. And that love was at the center of it all? Adorable.
Another bonus is that the soundtrack is awesome. 

I'd definitely recommend it to even the most squeamish of people, because while it is a movie in the midst of a zombie apocalypse, it's really a light-hearted story about how "love is what makes us human". Love is what unites us.

And keeps us from eating brains.

day of rest: outfit 8

I love Sundays.

Sleeping in, going to church, having a relaxed large lunch and skipping dinner in favor of relaxation and last minute weekend chores. 

We love our church - we're involved in the nursery and I absolutely love when we have the chance once a month to spend our morning with adorable munchkins. Our church is full of young families and it's so amazing to watch them grow. 

We almost always go out to eat on Sundays for lunch, and then the rest of the day is spent in leisure. 

Outfit 8 of my 15 day challenge was perfect for Sunday morning and transitioned well into our lunch with friends, although I honestly changed into my pajamas for the rest of the afternoon. This blog should be an honest blog.

Top: LOFT, Shoes: Zulily

More honest talk: real women iron their clothes.
I'm coming to this conclusion and I have to say, I don't like it.
While I cannot deny that this past week of posts has really hit home that I never iron my clothes and would look much better if I did, it's such a commitment! I think all clothes should be wrinkle free.
I hate grabbing something from my closet that I want to wear, and seeing it all wrinkled. Confession? I just put it back and reach for something slightly less wrinkled. I'm that lazy.
But at the age of 24, I think it's time to stop pretending like I can look like a hobo on a daily basis.
I need to iron my clothes, for the love of Pete.

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.

invest in a vest: outfit 3

Introducing outfit 3 from my 15to15 challenge!

So far I haven't needed to re-wear any items, other than the shoes. I've started with all the separate outfits, and in a few days I'll start creatively re-wearing items from the first few days!

Yesterday was a very misty day. It lightly sprinkled throughout the morning and afternoon, never culminating into a full "rain" but definitely attempting it. 

Through having to park far away from work in the morning and having to walk back to my car that afternoon, by the time I got home and took a few outfit photos my hair was definitely a little worse for wear. 

Exhibit A:

Other than a rather fabulous fur vest, I don't think I've ever worn a casual vest in my teen or adult life. 

I've seen a couple vest outfits that I've really liked, from Melina at The Caffeinated Closet (outfit 1 and 2, I love!) She does the denim vest trend very well. 

Then there's the slightly dressier version, over at M Loves M. 

As you can see, I finally made the plunge and purchased a great white denim-y vest. 

I'm still completely unsure about wearing it sleeveless, even though this is the first time I've worn it and I just went for it. I tend to like vests a lot more when they're layered over a 3-quarter/long sleeve top or dress. 

I think my only real reason is that I tend to avoid sleeveless altogether. (Is it a female condition to think our arms are fat and unseemly?)

Top/Skirt: LOFT, Vest: Kohl's (shop!), Necklace: Francesca's, Shoes: Zulily

Today I have been jotting down my To Do list, which expires Sunday night. I must get everything done by then. I even included dinner dates and mediocre daily activities at work so that I can feel really accomplished when I cross off multiple things every day. Sometimes you need to give yourself a boost of confidence - make the success of your day a sure thing.
"Get dressed? Check! Go to work? Check! Drink coffee? Check! I am on a roll!"

It's Wednesday and I get to leave work a little bit early, so the weekend is looming and I'm ready to conquer my To Do list. How about you?

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!!