4x4: spring bags on sale

bright red: clutch | cross body | bucket bag 

cognac: clutch | cross body | bucket bag

blush: clutch | cross body [dream bag] | bucket bag

striped: clutch [so cute] | cross body | bucket bag

Today is the start of the Shopbop Friends + Family event, where everything is 25% off with code SPRING25 (some exclusions apply). Shopbop only has a few sales a year, and I think this is the best one of all because there is no minimum like some of their other sales. Their bag selection is really wonderful, and I had such a hard time narrowing down some of my picks, so I figured a little chart would help :)

I've been eyeing up their crossbody options lately because I still don't have a cognac one, and it's really the leather color I wear the most. I've decided to finally order this one as it's a classic shape and only has a small logo on it, which is what I prefer. I also added this pair of flattering jeans to my order as I've heard great things about their "sculpting" powers - I'll let you know if they are magical as they promise!

Please note that Shopbop is a sponsor of Franish and while I was asked to share this sale with you, all opinions of those beautiful bags above are my own. Happy shopping!

top three [04.05.2015]

a pencil skirt for all seasons [that's currently on sale] : one | two | three

medicine

• MRSA is a very real and feared problem in medicine, and researchers are constantly looking for ways to battle antibiotic resistance. It may turn out that we already discovered the secret...hundreds of years ago, and it mostly involves ingredients we keep in our houses. Seriously watch this video - I think this is so interesting! My boyfriend actually earned his masters degree by studying how essential oils can combat antibiotic resistance, and I wrote my German thesis in undergrad on 19th century medicine, so this has been an interesting topic for us!
• Porphyria is a group of diseases related to defective enzymes in the porphyrin and heme pathways. There are various forms that cause different types of problems - one particular form results in photosensitivity where too much light causes the skin to burn, and then grow fine hair on it - some say this is where the legends of werewolves comes from! The fact that always stands out to me is that the person's urine will turn dark after sitting in the sun - I'd like to know how they figured that one out!
• About 15 years ago, my little brother accidentally lowered a (non operating) tractor mower onto my dad's shoulder. He ended up with what is known as "Saturday Nigh Palsy" - injury to his radial nerve in his arm meant he had a limp wrist for a while. The term Saturday Night Palsy comes from the fact that this presentation often happens to people who fall asleep in chairs after a bit too much drinking! Here's a clinical presentation of "wrist drop". 

on the internet

• The second half of the final season of Mad Men starts tonight! If you are a fan, I highly suggest reading the mad style recaps on TLo - I love how much planning and thought goes into the costume and set design. I plan on rewatching the series from the beginning this summer! 
• How freaking cute is Kaity? We have ankle pants, a mild obsession with Loft, and medicine in common, so of course I love her.
• Tips on using pinterest more thoughtfully and specifically

spotted

• I've been looking for an olive pair of pants for YEARS and finally ordered this pair last week - I can't wait to see if they are the ones. 
• I need a life where I have a place to wear this skirt to - do you think I can pull it off at the library? Please say yes.
• Drop everything, and run to your closest Old Navy to buy the perfect summer dress (promise it's cuter IRL than online). While you're there, please try this one on for me and tell me it's not as cute in person so I don't buy it too.

on franish

• on the blog: things I've learned about blogging and a few tips on growing yours!
• on the instagram: taking my new jacket out for a library spin 
• on the twitter: Target tweeted my instagram of my latest shoe purchase! #famous

notable sales

• Banana Republic: 40% off everything with code BRGOOD 
• How fun are these sassy flats? want.
• Loft: 50% off everything + free shipping on any order (yessssss!)
• I think this top is SO pretty - it would look great alone or under a blazer.
• A romper I could actually see myself wearing - right? Love that the inseam is just a little bit longer. 
• Madewell: 30% off sale items
• The shoe selection is particularly good - either get this summer's sandal or your boots for next winter for a steal!

personal

• I recently found MisterWives through a Pandora station and am completely and utterly obsessed with them. Listen to this song and this song, and tell me you don't love them. 
• The house hunt is officially starting this week! We move in 7 weeks, so we can officially start looking. I'm so excited to finally have one home together instead of the "living together in two houses" that we currently have. Eek!
• and On, Wisconsin! So happy for our boys :)

determined

This was one of those outfits I really liked in real life, but doesn't really translate well into pictures. These pictures were actually the third time I tried to document the dang outfit - the first time my camera died, the second time it started to rain, and on this day it was super windy (you can't tell because I cropped it, but I have major alfalfa hair going on above). Not that it's anything special, I just really liked wearing it, so here we are! 

Hope you guys all have a great weekend! We're coming in at just under 7 weeks until Step 1, so we aren't able to go up to CR's parents for Easter, but my girlfriends and I are all having our own Easter dinner on Sunday. I'm making my mom's tiramisu and I can hardly wait to spend a few hours with my friends away from the library. 

Blouse: J.Crew [really cute similar]

Cardigan: J.Crew Factory

Pants: The Limited [exact]

Shoes: Tory Burch [save | exact]

Watch: c/o Daniel Wellington [exact]

Bag: Kate Spade [love this version]

blogging tips and tricks

I'm coming up on my three year blogging anniversary, and so I have a few things lined up for this month! First up is a post I've been working on for months - blogging tips. I'm emailed quite often about what tips I have for blogging, so I'm laying it all out here. I'm obviously not the world's biggest blogger, but I do alright for myself :) So! Below are my little tips and tricks I've learned throughout the years - what has worked for me, what hasn't, and why. I'd love to hear your tips, what you've learned from blogging, and what you've done that has helped your blog grow.

participation
This is #1. You have to get out there and mingle. People aren't just going to come to you out of thin air - you have to put yourself out there. Join link ups (a few I've done for years include Bri's Third Thursday Link up, What I Wore Wednesdays, and What I Wore to Work) and visit the other bloggers. Leave real comments (not a copy and paste comment) and if you enjoy their post, follow along and keep visiting. That is how I have found SO many of my favorite blogs, and if we had just left "cute blog!" comments on each others blogs, we would still be where we started. Joining link-ups is a great way to drive traffic to your blog from bloggers who are interested in the same things as you!

Another way to get involved is participate in a challenge. I did a few back when I was able to blog every day, and they were so much fun! Sarah is currently starting a new one, so if you are looking for a place to start, this style challenge is super easy and something any blogger can do. Visit the other bloggers participating and say hi!

(and don't forget to link back to the original link up - it's the polite thing to do!)

You can also always start your own link-ups or ways to get others involved in your blog. Every month at least 50 women link-up to my budget post. I love that more and more people are sharing their budgets, and that we have our little group that comes together monthly to share. If you're doing something unique to your blog, but think it's something others would enjoy doing, try hosting a link-up. Just don't be pushy about it - people will come if they want to! And if doesn't work out, that's okay too.

make friends

spring denim inspiration

I thought spring had sprung here, but I woke up to three inches of snow on the ground today! That's not going to stop me from dreaming about warmer weather though. I feel denim always has a resurgence in the spring because you don't have to stuff them into boots anymore, so more colors (or lack of color!) and styles come out. Here are a few of my current spring insprirations, plus pieces that will get you the same look for under $100 at Nordstrom!

one | two | three | four

White jeans are obviously huge every spring, and I'm so excited to start wearing mine (I have number three that I found at Nordstrom Rack a few summers ago). Not only do they go with every color in you closet, I think they look so chic with the neutrals (chambray is a neutral, right?)

one | two | three | four

While skinny jeans are currently the denim that everyone wears, bootcut and slightly flared jeans are universally flattering. I love how they instantly elevate any look, and are a great way to still wear your booties in the spring, or break out your wedges when it's finally warm enough for open toed shoes.

one | two | three | four

My personal favorite type of denim is black denim - it's so easy to dress up or down, and it always looks good. I've owned several different pairs over the years, and they are always my most worn pair of pants. I keep mine dark by only washing them with the Woolite Dark laundry detergent - I haven't had a pair fade since I started using it. Wear them to work with a blazer, or out for brunch with a black top and cognac accessories. 

Picture Inspiration

White Jeans (clockwise from top left): one | two | three | four

Bootcut Jeans (clockwise from top left): one | two | three | four

Black Jeans (clockwise from top  left): one | two | three | four

thank you to ShopStyle for sponsoring this post!

a boy's life

For the men at my school, the dress code is very straightforward - you have to wear a shirt and tie. For the ladies, the rules are a little easier to play with - you just can't wear jeans, and you're supposed to look "professional". This leaves a ton up to interpretation, so you'll see anything from yoga pants to sundresses to the more conservative pants suit.

I felt this outfit was like the female equivalent to the mens rule - button up, black bottom, shoes and a belt that match. The feminine shape of the skirt and the gold jewelry make it all girl though ;)

Blouse: J.Crew [cute similar]

Skirt: J.Crew [exact on sale]

Belt: Gap [very similar]

Shoes: Frye [exact on sale]

Earrings: eBay [exact]

Watch: Michael Kors [save | exact]

Bracelet: c/o Rocksbox [use code franishxoxo for 1st month free]

P.S. If you are reading this before 10 AM, check out the current Loft flash sale - 70% off sale items means my favorite pocket blouse is less than $14!

top three [03.29.2015]

leopard flats [save | exact] for all occasions: one | two | three

medicine

• A chronic lack of niacin in one's diet can lead to a condition called pellagra. The med school mnemonic way of remembering it is that it causes the 3 D's - diarrhea, dementia, and dermatitis. The dermatitis, specifically, can be something called a casal necklace - it's a skin condition that does kind of look like a large (statement?) necklace. 
• I'm sure we've all heard the great things that biotin supplements can do for our hair and nails (I used to take these all the time until I was sick of having to do my nails twice a week because they grew so fast).  Biotin deficiency is actually pretty rare because you don't need a ton of it, and it's in a lot of different foods, but an interesting way of having a biotin deficiency is by eating too many raw egg whites. I hope someone lets Gaston know. 
• Smoking is probably one of the worst things you can do for your body - every system we have learned about (which at this point is all of them) talks about how horrible it is, and what awful disease your body will get if you smoke...except if you have ulcerative colitis. Smokers are much less likely to develop ulcerative colitis, and those who have UC have less severe forms when they are smoking. Still not a good reason to take up smoking, but it is interesting!

on the internet

• I am not really a Lilly girl, but even I'm excited for the new Lilly x Target collection to come out. There are some real gems in there, including cute eyelet shorts and home goods. Many true Lilly girls are claiming this is watering down the brand - thoughts? 
• Fran Lebowitz and I share the same name and the same amount of sass (kidding, she's much sassier than I ever could be). Her recent interview with Elle was hilarious - what I wouldn't give to hear her say all this in real life!
• How precious are these pictures of Nicole? She's just so darn cute, and I love how her outfit matches the background!
• P.S. Thank you to Jen for including me in her list of 9 bloggers she loves -we go way back to the when both of our blogs were just started :)

spotted

• Have you seen these bejeweled sandals yet? They are almost identical to this pair from J.Crew, but for more than 1/6 the price! I'm picking up a pair the next time I'm in Target!
• I love how fun and flirty this dress is - it's simple enough that there are endless ways to accessorize it. 
• Looking for the perfect spring trench? This one looks verrrrrrry similar to the 17x as expensive Burberry trench, and it's truly a classic. 

on franish

• on the blog: march's budget + a ton of other budgeting bloggers
• on the instagram: an #ootd for a fun little double date
• on the twitter: my favorite snapchat so far (find me @ fhasselhof)

notable sales

• Ann Taylor: $50 off full price dresses (floral + eyelet = beautiful)
• Banana Republic: 50% select full price items (like my beloved cognac flats)
• Loft: 40% off (don't forget to sign up for their emails to get an additional 25% off!)

personal

• I purchased a pack of emoji stickers earlier this week, and they have been the best thing about board studying. I've been entertaining myself by finding appropriate places for them in First Aid ("the bible" for board studying). 
• I'm a very visual learner, and it's something that I wish I sometimes could turn off at night. Whenever I'm doing something that's hard for me, and something where I spend a lot of time staring at notes, I start to dream about it. All. Night. Long. So in college during organic chemistry, I used to dream about synthesizing new chemical structures. During anatomy last year, I used to dream about muscle attachments. I'm now officially in the practice question part of board studying, so every night after doing hours and hours of questions while conscious, my brain doesn't turn it off while unconscious, and I still do "practice questions" while I sleep. It's horrible. Any tips for turning your brain off at night? 
• Not horrible? A sushi date with Caitlin where drinks, so much sushi, and many laughs were had. So thankful for that girl!