Textured: Cozy Sweater and Suede Skirt

Gap Sweater on sale!    |   old Forever 21 Skirt (similar)   |   Apri Booties via Marshalls

There was a period where every single top I picked up in stores was part of the cream, off white, beige family. I would see tops in other colors and think "this sweater in red is so pretty. But the cream, the cream goes with everything!" And as much as I like color, sometimes I just dig the good ole' neutrals more. They just make any outfit look, well, classic. They look great when worn with a rich, vibrant color like the cognac skirt I'm wearing. Check out this post to see how I last styled the same skirt.

Slouchy Knits

Although my busy schedule has me running around, I always make time to look presentable. It takes the same amount of time to put on a nice outfit as it does to put on a crummy outfit. When I'm pressed for time, I gravitate towards pieces that are easy and casual, like this slouchy top from the Gap that I'm wearing. I paired it with this a-line skirt from Loft. I had been stalking this skirt, debating whether or not to purchase it, and I'm so glad that I did. My favorite part about this skirt is the soft, stretchy knit material. It's too bad that the store ran out of my size though.

Do you have a go to piece for the days when you're in a time crunch?

Gap Top    |  Loft Skirt    |  Gap Boots  |    |   Right Arm: CWonder Cuff, Left Arm: BaubleBar    |   History + Industry Earrings

Birthday

Cheers to another year! My birthday was last week, so in honor of my birthday, it was only appropriate that I don a pretty outfit and some balloons.

BCNU Top via Marshalls (similar here and here)    |   Zara Skirt (similar)   |   Vintage Daisy Bracelet via Etsy (similar)    |   Arturo Chiang Shoes

Can you believe that this is the first time I've worn this crop top since buying it a year ago? Crop tops can be intimidating for those who don't like exposing their midriff. But they work so well when paired with a high waist bottom like the skirt I'm wearing. Make sure to choose a high waist bottom that is a little longer in length. You don't want to wear a short top and a short bottom. It's all about juxtaposition. I almost forgot to mention how I made a mad dash for the closest Zara when I saw that this skirt went on sale. It was definitely too pretty to pass up.

The groovy chick is my friend Aarong. We spent college dancing to funk music while cooking in down jackets and gloves. We went on adventures around campus at 3am in a foot of snow. There wouldn't be a single soul in sight except for deer, and our footprints. And we'd marvel at how beautiful everything looked covered in a blanket of snow, and listen to the sound of the snow crunch under our feet. And how could I forget her sense of artistic vision and shared interest in fashion? This girl has casual, effortless style down to a science. I'll never forget the day she rolled out of her room wearing a hoodie, a chiffon dress, gray tights and sneakers. I took one look at her, and was confused by her outfit, but somehow it worked. Only Aarong could pull something off like that and make it look cool.

Aarong dresses up her casual outfit with her Dannijo necklace, and DVF bag for a pop of color.

We met this sweet pitbull who was all about rolling in the grass. Look at that face!

I had a case of the butterfingers and the balloons slipped from my grasp. It was a tragic moment with lots of yelling.

Well folks, that's it for today. Thanks for stopping by and reading! I hope you enjoyed reading this post as much as I enjoyed writing it.

Photos taken by Aarong.

White Blouse and Printed Bottom

 In one of my last posts, I wore this skirt with a t-shirt as part of a casual ensemble. This time I swapped my tee for a white blouse. It's an easy way to go from casual to dressy.

Gap Blouse  |   Lucky Brand Skirt    |   Rebecca Minkoff Shoes

Printed Perfection

Some people shy away from prints because they think they're too loud or don't know how to style it. But prints are one of the easiest ways to make an outfit fun and interesting because they're eye catching. If you're wearing a printed skirt with multiple colors, pick a top that is one of the colors on your skirt. For example, my skirt is navy, orange, red, beige, and grey, so I could wear a top that is any one of those colors. Ideally, I want to pair my skirt with a burnt orange top to make my outfit look snazzy and earthy (yes, that is a possible combination!), but I don't own a top in that color. When all else fails, resort to neutral colors such as black, white, cream or grey.

You can dress up or dress down almost anything. I wore this skirt with a gray tee and converse for a casual look, and threw on one of my favorite necklaces to add extra color. Next time, I'll show you how I dress up this skirt. How do you style prints?

Jami and Hector are awesome people who got me a new camera. Thank you for the new gear and for being so supportive!

Rust -n- Plaid

 H&M Top   |   Forever 21 Skirt (similar)   |   Jessica Simpson Bag   |   Aldo Boots (similar)   |   Random Necklace (similar)

My love for plaid is confined to shades of red and green. The reason is unclear to me, but I suspect that it's because it reminds me of Christmas, my favorite holiday. I like this top not just because of its colors, but also for it's corduroy elbow patches, and blue cuffs. Instantly classic and instantly awesome. Paired with a brown skirt, boots, and bag; this outfit is definitely fall appropriate. This top would also go well with a tweed blazer.



I look intense as if I'm trying to look into your soul. Is it working? I kid!



Have you seen these pictures of the daily life of a grandmother and her odd-eyed cat? Their relationship is so sweet.

Watch this video of a banker saving twelve ducklings on a ledge.