Back in the Ol' Pueblo

For my spring break I jetted off to Tucson, Arizona (where I lived during my undergrad) to see friends and journey back to the place where I spent three and a half years living. It was an absolute blast. I love that I can go a year without seeing some of my friends and we can all pick right back up from where we left off. This time away was very much needed and gave me the extra push to finish off this first year of grad school. (THAT'S INSANE!)

Now about this dress. I recently decided that just being in grad school, having a social life and being involved in my church wasn't enough so I took on a part time job at Anthropologie. I blame my sister. She convinced me to take it. ;) I probably would have laughed in her face when she offered up the suggestion but Anthro just opened up their largest store EVER in Portland and I knew I needed to be a part of it. It's been a definite whirlwind and I barely have a minute to breathe, which is why Tucson was so great. 

I saw this dress hanging in our dress shop at the store and knew I needed it. I've been really good about what I spend as far as clothing and nick-nacks but I knew I wouldn't regret this dress and necklace. I love that I can get multiple uses out of it and dress it up or down. Also, I'm convinced this color looks good on anyone. 

Tucson will always have a piece of my heart.

Fall Dress Code

coat, sweater, plaid, skirt, dress, boots, bag, glasses, sunglasses, purse, lip

Fall is happening all around me at the moment. From non stop school to the leaves changing their colors, fall is coming soon my friends! The mornings are already crisper and the sweaters and jackets are making there way to the front of my closet. I am giddy for chunky turtlenecks like the one above, cozy plaid half tucked into jeans and I'm especially excited to really have a reason to bust out all of my favorite coats.

I inherited a coat like the one above from my grandma and have yet to get it altered. I think that may be on my list of to-do's during winter break aka the next time I have a moment to do anything other than think about speech and language development/disorders.

There's something about the fall palette that is so inviting. The browns, ambers, maroons, navys and forest greens remind me of cozy evenings and candles burning nearby. How fun would that flower bag be to take to farmers markets on the weekend to get your produce for the week? I'll admit I've totally gotten hooked on walking to my farmers market every week to stock up on veggies.

What kind of clothing are you most excited to bust out soon?

Flowers & Flowers

 My friend Alicia is starting a blog (City & Simplicity!! Her first post is live!!) and so we went out and snapped some photos for her blog and I, of course, had to take some myself. We picked up these sunflowers at the farmers market on the NW side and they worked perfectly with my flowery dress.

How amazing is this castle-like place? I felt like a modern Cinderella hanging out on the steps. 

There are so many amazing places to take photos in Portland. The Alphabet District (in NW Portland) is absolutely adorable and the definition of #goals. I feel like I yell out "GOALS!" to every single apartment complex or home in the area. That's also my new favorite game. I feel like if I throw out my goals into the universe than they will eventually come true. ;)

I'm starting my third week of grad school today and I finally feeling like I'm falling into a routine. The only issue I've run into so far is how I will incorporate exercise into my Monday-Wednesday routine. Between my commute, classes back-to-back, and endless homework when I get home, there really isn't much time. If anyone has some ideas that don't involve a gym, I would be grateful!!

But for now, have a great Monday! 

Let's Talk about Fall

I think it's no secret that I am absolutely ecstatic for fall. I talk about it non stop and the idea of the leaves changing and the crisper air makes me positively giddy. I haven't experienced a real fall in 4 years so I am long overdue.  I thought I would throw together two outfits that could easily be worn in the fall. I'm on a bit of a Madewell kick so most of these items are from there. When the fall hits, the weather can go from rainy to sunny at the drop of a hat so having two kinds of outfits ready to go is key. This entire weekend consisted of off and on rain, which made me glad I had my lightweight rain jacket to throw on periodically.
What are you favorite kinds of fall clothes?

This weekend I drove down to Bend, Oregon to visit with my parents and their longtime friend and it was a blast! Bend is beautiful and, being a fan of Deschutes Brewery, it was cool to see where it all began. We then adventured around Portland and ate as much delicious food as possible. Now today is my first day of graduate school so if you're feeling like sending out any prayers, I would be more than grateful!!

Happy Monday!

Saturday Morning Farmers Market

 Portland is incredible in so many ways but one of the coolest things are the farmers market's every day of the week throughout the city. The one closet to my apartment happens to be at the Portland State campus and so we decided to explore this past weekend!

There was folk music everywhere, which made my heart very happy. These guys were awesome.

 I have to actively stop myself from eating Pinestate Biscuits constantly. I've been on a biscuit kick lately and these guys have the best ones.

Everything is currently lavender flavored in the city. From the ice cream to the coffee, it's every where. I, for one, have no problem with that because I've been on a lavender kick for a couple years now so I'm soaking it all up. I picked up some dried lavender at one of the stands and can't wait to hang it up.

I wore my favorite combo of stripes and flowers with my new Stella & Dot necklace and I felt very Portland-y. The Portland State campus has brick and trees everywhere so it was a prime spot to snap a few pics. 

I can't wait to make the farmers market a consistent event and to get all of my produce there. I was eyeing the heirloom tomatoes pretty intensely. ;) I sense a caprese salad in my future! 

Hope you had a great weekend!! What did you explore?

day dream with me

I've decided that I'm not purchasing anything until I am happily moved into Portland so I can spend more money on fun things for the new apartment, but a girl can still dream! This list is a hodge-podge of sorts filled with little things that make my heart beat a little faster.

1. If you are in need for the perfect throw-on dress that still makes you look put together, look no further. THIS blue and white beauty is calling all of our names! You could even use it as a cute cover-up!!

2. I love THIS planner from ban.do. One of my biggest pet peeves is when you're asking someone how they've been and they respond, "I've just been sooo busy!" To which I always want to respond, "Oh are you??" (in my best Kristen Wiig voice...obviously) I'm  not a fan of people assuming their busy is more busy than your busy. WE ARE ALL BUSY! ok, rant over. So use this planner for irony and laughs only please. :)

3. Moving ooooon, another blue and white ITEM. Because of course.

4. Same as 4 but this one's a PILLOW so it's different. Also this throw pillow would look great inside or out.

5. How beautiful are THOSE gem hair barrettes? I maaaaay need to pick up one of those as my hair is growing out.

6. Can I have THIS dress in my closet please? Perfect for a cute going-out dress or just a day dress. The options are endless!!

7. Putting this in another post because everyone should read THIS book pronto!

What are you day dreaming about?

The Perfect Spring Outfit

I'm sure it's because I haven't had a true spring in a couple of years but this spring has been especially wonderful. This spring has consisted of the smell of jasmine, blooming flowers, my little tomato plant sprouting fresh tomatoes, rolling green vineyards and the smell of BBQ wafting throughout the neighborhood.

We drove into the Napa valley this weekend and it is probably the last time I'll be back for a while. There is truly nothing prettier than Napa in the spring/fall. Even in the summer the vines are stunning! I probably should have rethought the white pants situation as I'm just asking to spill something on them when i wear them, but they seemed more airy for a day walking around Healdsburg. Pair them with a polka dot blouse and you're good to go!

I hope everyone had a wonderful Memorial Day weekend!!

I Wanna Be There in My City

San Francisco is awesome for many reasons, but one of my favorites are all of the fun places to photograph. Monica and I had a blast finding cool spots and it was funny watching her jump back into taking photos in public. It was nice to have not only my best friend in town, but also my previous creative director/photographer. ;)

This SKIRT is from Banana Republic and is a classic staple that every girl should have in her closet. I, for one, want all of them for grad school (still so fun to say that!!) and the future. I love how bright and happy this one is. Having a chambray shirt front-tucked into the skirt dressed it down a bit and made it perfect for exploring the city. 

The bag is Monica's and she found it in a vintage store back in Tucson. Isn't it a beaut?? And I originally didn't plan on wearing my Burks with this outfit but I like how it helped dress it down even more. 

Lastly, the necklace I'm wearing is from the for King & Country concert I went to last Monday. It's an Australian coin and a little crest that is meant to symbolize how every women deserves only the best and is priceless in the eyes of God. Beautiful right? I bought me and my sisters one as little reminders. You can buy one HERE. Also, the concert was amazing and if they are coming to your town, I definitely recommend going.

Off to the Safari

I wore my hair wild (aka natural) to really get into the safari vibe I feel when I wear this vest. 

When I first saw THIS VEST I thought it was a bit too daring for me and then my aunt persuaded me to try it on and we both loved it. I paired it with my Target white JEANS and I love how it pops the vest even more. I decided to wear it as a shirt but you could easily wear a shirt underneath for colder weather.

Is anyone else freaking out that it's almost May? I just looked at my calendar and had a mini panic attack that May is sneaking up so quickly! There is so much to do to prep for May and I'm not anywhere near ready. Yaaaaaaaaaay. ;)

Maybe it's just a mid-week thing. HAPPY WEDNESDAY!

The Easter Dress

As you can see, I recently splurged on a new Kate Spade bag. Remember how I've been obsessively talking about my first adult purchase and how I would love for it to be a Kate Spade bag? Well I saved up my pennies and received this beauty just last week. I love it's light spring color!

 

 Happy Easter from me and my sister!

Now let's talk about my Easter DRESS. I recently picked this beauty up from Nordstrom in the TopShop section. Guys. Everything in the Topshop section of Nordstrom is AMAZING. I'm not usually someone who likes exposed backs but I thought this one was so classy and subtle that I couldn't pass it up. It ended up raining on Easter (classic California, we are in the worst drought ever yet it decides to rain on Easter of all days) so I paired it with my leather jacket from Target (purchased a while back) and I loved the biker-girly looked it created. 

Last month when my family had a big family dinner, I was not in the best place and ended up feeling down the entire time. Even my little cousins noticed and were all, "What the heck is wrong with you? Is something wrong?" But yesterday I felt hopeful and was able to enjoy myself and talk with the people I love. Maybe it was the power of the dress... ;)

I hope your Easter was filled with joy and hope for the rest of the year!

(anytime I capitalize a word, that means there is a link attached if you're interested in looking up the clothing item!)