sweet sweet summertime

After a whirlwind summer of traveling all over the country, I'm excited to spend the last two weeks at home before school starts again. I have a few projects I want to finish around the house (I started making this pinboard today for our kitchen), bike rides to go on (after receiving a bike as a surprise present!), and hopefully finishing Breaking Bad (only two seasons to go). After a day of sleeping in, going for a swim, and making a delicious dinner, we capped off the night with a Starbucks date. The cooler temperatures meant I got to wear both jeans AND a long-sleeved shirt....so while I'm not excited for school to start, I am excited for FALL.

Please don't hate me for bringing up fall in the middle of July ;)

Top: ASOS [exact on sale w/ popback sizes!]

Jeans: Uniqlo [exact]

Necklace: c/o BaubleBar [exact]

Shoes: thrifted Tory Burch [current version]

Bag: Madewell [save - read Audrey's review here | exact]

Watch: Michael Kors [save | exact]

P.S. It seems that J.Crew is becoming the new Gap with their constant sales...and I'm not complaining. With their 40% off sale items, I picked up these adorable pants after seeing them on Kendi. I can't wait to wear them with all the red and cognac accessories ;)

lists on lists

 

A list!

1. I need a new black cardigan. This one from Old Navy was originally like...$15, and while it's held up fine over the last two years, it is starting to pill and fall apart. I don't really like the way it sits anyway, so I think it's time to maybe buy up just a little bit. Anyone have a go-to for cardigans? I don't really like the J.Crew versions (they look too short and I want a v-neck) but this one from Banana Republic is actually really cute and has just enough going on to not be boring, but would be really versatile.  

2. I still need to find a winter jacket. I kinda donated most of my old coats before I moved, so all I really have is my trench coat or my giant North Face. I need something as an in between that I can use for most normal school days. I ordered this one from Zara but it's just a little bit too much. This one from Target looks like a toned down version for a third of the price so I may order a few just to test out.

3. Only two days of biochem left! Want to know what cramming 800 pages of biochem into your head in two weeks feels like? Awful. It feels like awful.

4. Shout-out to Percy's sister! Her brother, a kid in my class, came up to me the other day after school to tell me that his sister reads my blog. Did I want to die a little bit inside? Yes. But it was also very sweet :)

5. The Jeweler's Wife sent me these beautiful Swarovski earrings to test out. Aren't they beautiful? They are currently running a giveaway over on Jess's blog so make sure you enter!

Shirt: Francesca's

Cardigan: Old Navy

Pants: The Limited [exact]

Earrings: Swarovski c/o The Jeweler's Wife [exact]

Shoes: Tory Burch [exact]

one

 

I'm done! Yesterday was my last day of work and now I'm frrrrrreeeeeeeeeeeee. Alright, so I'm only exaggerating a little - I was very lucky to have the job I did for two years. It taught me a lot about the pharmaceutical development world, how to get the job done, and how to be an adult. There are parts I will miss a lot - the stable hours, the ladies I worked with, the insight to developing crazy new drugs, having my evenings for my hobbies - but there are also certain things I won't miss, such as never seeing the sunlight, having to wear pants all the time, and being around hazardous materials eight hours a day. 

This is what I wore on my last day. The shirt is the shirt I wore on my first day of work two years ago - I don't have a full length picture but you can see it peeking out on my work badge. I bought it when I was a sophomore in college when I worked at the Gap (man do I miss that employee discount!), and while it mostly fits, it's now too tight in the bust so I've only been keeping it specifically to wear on my last day at work. What can I say, I live for that kind of sentimental stuff ;)  The skirt also has a story behind it. As I was looking through the skirt section of Goodwill last week, I found this amazing tweed skirt. The tag looked interesting, so I googled it to see what came up -turns out it's a brand from Anthropologie. Unfortunately for my closet, it was a size two, but I figured I could sell it on eBay for a little extra spending money. As I was looking for the general prices on eBay for the skirt, I found the skirt in my size! Like the exact same one. So I bid on it, and ended up winning it for $20...and then I sold the one from Goodwill for $35. So...win win! 

I also didn't wear tights because what are they going to do, fire me? REBEL.

So now I have six free weeks and I'm cramming as much in as possible. I'm doing a bit of shadowing on Monday, then I'm off to Chicago for two days, then on Friday I leave for Germany for ten days. Then I have a fun little appointment with immigration services before I hop onto another plane for Seattle for another six days. Then I have a week left and then I move! I'm proud of myself for completing another one of my 30 before 30 - saving enough money to not work for a bit. It wasn't always easy to put as much money, including my work bonus and tax refund, away but I'm now happy I did. Let the festivities begin!

Shirt: Gap [similar on sale with code GAP35]

Skirt: Anthropologie via eBay  [similar]

Necklace: Forever 21 [very similar]

Belt: Gap [similar]

Watch: Kate Spade [exact]

Shoes: Tory Burch via Goodwill [similar]

Nails: Essie Spagetti Strap

ok, no more countdowns! ;)

and the last time I beg for votes (even if you voted before) - thank you!!

cold spell + J.Crew Button Front Dress Review

Remember how about three days ago I was bitching how it was so hot and I have no clothes to wear for that weather? Luckily for me, the temps have dropped about 30 degrees so we're right back into perfect weather territory - just enough to layer a little bit but not not cold enough to need a jacket. All you need is a fun scarf ;)

Unfortunately this weather won't last long until it gets hot again. After hearing about Everlane for over a year, I finally caved and ordered two of the v-neck tees (I was boring and just got white and black). Both Jess and Lauren rave about their quality and longevity so I'm excited to test them out. I'll be sure to report back once I receive them. I also stumbled upon this tee from Express (as seen here) and I think it'll be a fun casual shirt to have for the summer. I'm hoping to do a bit of Memorial Day shopping (mostly to get those last few pieces for school) but I'm also going to keep my eyes out for shorts. Ick. Budgetting Bloggers goes up on Tuesday so at least consider trying to stick to your budgets while all of the sales are temping us!

Cardigan: thrifted

Tee: Hanes

Scarf: Target [exact]

Jeans: American Eagle [exact]

Shoes: Tory Burch, thrifted by my mom

Bag: Madewell [save | exact]

Watch: Kate Spade [exact]

In other news, yesterday I went to J.Crew to try on this dress. I saw it in stores when we were in Minneapolis, and then I also saw it on Lauren and thought it was just gorgeous. I've set some money aside recently to buy a dress specifically for my work going away party / summer weddings / possible white coat ceremony that isn't a part of my normal budget. I wanted something versatile and appropriate for all of those occasions, and I was hoping this dress would be it. I even had a dream about it, so needless to say, I had high hopes for it. 

In the catalog it looks like it was knee length, but online it looks a bit shorter. I think this picture is a little bit misleading as well because it is on the shorter side of "knee length", at least on 5'9'' me. The fabric is thick, and the lining would prevent having to wear a slip, and of course the pockets are fun. I felt that the dress runs small, as I wear a 10 in both blazers and tops at J.Crew, and this dress is a 12. It's too tight in the chest as you can see by the buttons pulling on the chest, and leaves too much of the armpit area exposed. 

I think my problem with the dress is more on me than on the dress. I really really dislike my arms, and therefore a sleeveless dress obviously is only going to show those suckers off. I'm disappointed because I kind of hoped that wouldn't be the case in this situation (why, I'm not sure, it's the allure of the skinny models wearing the pretty dress!). It's definitely a beautiful dress in real life, and I'm envious of those who own it, but it just isn't going to be the one for me :(

blog worthy?

Well I since I've been feeling chatty lately, I figured I might as well continue with that. 

In the past 5 days I've taken pictures of 3 different outfits and have not been happy enough with any of them to post them. They're all fine outfits, but really nothing that I feel deserves to be blogged. And that's how I feel now - that everything I wear now should be worthy of standing in the cold, taking pictures, editing, uploading, writing a post, tagging, and pushing publish. Truth is, sometimes pictures don't turn out the way I want (oh hey puppy butts in all of these pictures) or it's snowing too much, or I'm not really feeling the outfit, and so then I feel that I shouldn't put them on the internet for all of you to read since...it is not blog worthy.

But...that defeats what I want my blog to be. The outfits I wear on my blog are actual outfits I wear. I don't have someone to take my pictures during "the magic hour" - I take them myself with a tripod set up in the trunk of my car before I have to be at work by 7:30, and I don't have an endless supply of money to buy new things (or buy things, wear for the blog, and return). That's fine that that's how some people run their blogs/lives, but that sounds exhausting. Not everything (anything?) I wear is pinterest-worthy, but it is what a real girl wears in the real world and if nothing else, I learn something about myself and my closet every day, and that's what matters in the end.

So here are three of the outfits I felt weren't blog-worthy but will blog about anyway because like I've said, this is real life and not just dress up.

Outfit 1: 

Shirt: J. Crew Factory  [save | exact]

Sweater: Gap  [save]

Scarf: H&M

Jeans: Urban Outfitters  [exact]

Shoes: Tory Burch  [exact]

Watch: Fossil  [similar]

Bracelets: Tiffany & Co. [exact], J. Crew

Outfit 2:
Shirt: H&M  [save | splurge but on sale!]
Cardigan: Ann Taylor Outlet
Jeans: American Eagle  [exact]
Belt: Gap
Shoes: Tory Burch, thrifted by my mom!
Watch: Kate Spade  [exact]
Glasses: c/o Firmoo

Outfit 3:
Blazer: Christian Dior, thrifted  [save | splurge]
Jeans: Urban Outfitters  [exact]
Boots: Nicole via DSW  [exact]
Scarf: H&M
Watch: Target

Linking up with Mix and Match fashion!