Currently: July

craving: Iced Caramel Macchiatos from Starbucks with an extra pump of raspberry syrup...especially when consumed by the pool! 

grilling: well, nothing because I don't currently have a grill.  When I do have access to such an apparatus, some fresh asparagus sounds pretty darn good!

listening: to country music (still)!  And dreaming about going to the CMAFest in Nashville next summer.  What do you think?  Should I do it?!

planning: my outfits for Create28: Lovely Summer Looks.  Are you going to join in the fun?

decorating: my new apartment!  I've decided I want a desk space in my new abode and I'm really liking the look of a simple table-like desk paired with a cart holding all of my desk accessories.

Linking-up with Anne and Jenna!

Blogging Besties: Popover Blouse

Ahhh, summer is officially here!  What have you been doing to celebrate lately?  I just returned from a relaxing vacation in Myrtle Beach (hence my slightly tanner than usual skin).

Last week Alex looked cute in her summer hues and Jack Roger (jealous!) sandals!

As I was contemplating what to pass-on from Alex's look, I found the perfect popover blouse in my most recent Le Tote (if you are curious about LT, check-out my review).

The top's colors are so fun and perfect for summer!  A pleated skirt and casual sandals completed an easy, breezy outfit for dinner with my favorite girls.

Wind + Hair = Strike a Pose!

In the name of summer vacation, Alex and I will be taking a short break from our Blogging Besties series.  We will still be blogging but won't be passing-on each other's looks until we return on August 7th.  In the meantime, please consider participating in my Create28: Lovely Summer Looks Challenge with Carrie and Casey.  Also, Alex has a really fun #poloroundup that you should check-out!

So, you can't pass anything on next week but your choices for our August 7th link-up are: a popover blouse, a (pleated) skirt, (flat) sandals, and something borrowed!  

What I'm Wearing:

Blouse: c/o Le Tote (exact)

Skirt: Land's End (similar, similar)

Necklace: Peach Jewel (exact)

Sandals: DSW (similar, similar)

Previous Editions of Blogging Besties

Featured On:

Whitney à la mode

Undergraduate Style

In the meantime, what did you pass-on from Alex's look last week?

An InLinkz Link-up

Introducing Create28: Lovely Summer Looks

Happy Monday! Well, June is just whizzing by, isn't it?? Since July is right around the corner I wanted to introduce you guys to a little style challenge that my two good blogging buddies and I are hosting in July!

It's called Create28 ~ Lovely Summer Looks. It will be a daily, fun style prompt and all of you can play along! Here's how it will work ~

~ Each day there will be a Lovely Summer Looks prompt such as "Printed Shorts," or "Maxi Dress," to inspire your daily outfits.You can see the full list below. Each day on our blogs, we will be showcasing our outfits for that particular day.

~ YOU can play along!! Each Monday, we will host a link-up where you can show us your looks! If you're not a blogger, no worries! Play along on Instagram #Create28SummerLooks--use the hashtag so we can see all of you pretty girls and cheer you on!!

~ Each Monday, we will also each choose a favorite look from the previous week, so check our blogs to see if you're featured!

That's all there is to it! Our hope is that we'll all inspire each other with our different outfits and different styles. Carrie, Casey and I each have different, unique styles and are all at different stages in our lives, which is what makes this so fun! Here's a little about us:

Carrie ~ Carrie is a fifty-something who currently works as an Administrative Assistant. She is a former teacher and still a teacher at heart. She is an avid coffee drinker and loves real food, especially when it’s cooked by her husband. She enjoys spending time with friends, Texas country music, reading and working out at the gym with her husband. She has one grown daughter and one cat who still lives at home. :) At A Lovely Little Wardrobe she writes about style especially for petites and 40+ looks. She also enjoys linking up with bloggers, highlighting interesting posts of others and sharing her faith through her blog.

Whitney ~ Whitney is a twenty-something French teacher who lives in the beautiful state of Michigan (she's pretty smitten with the Mitten).  Speaking of smitten, Whitney adores her cat, Izzo, reading Agatha Christie novels, and big slices of strawberry pie.  At Whitney à la mode she writes about her journey to become more fashionably put-together on a teacher's budget.  Did you know that "à la mode" means "in style" in French?

Casey ~ Casey is a thirty-something (ok LATE 30-something) part-time teacher and mom of three, ages 9, 6, and 3. She stays busy chasing after the kiddos, teaching, leading Sunday school and blogging. At A Little Bit of Cheer, she shares simple, down-to-earth outfits and styling tips, easy recipes and fun with family. Her goal is to bring A Little Bit of Cheer to you, every time you stop by her blog!

We can't wait to see all of your Lovely Summer Looks!!! July 1st will be the first day--show us your favorite go-to look for summer! Cheers to a Lovely Summer! 

Here is the entire month of prompts ~ 

Blogging Besties: Statement Belt

Gang, Whitney looked so cute last week in her hot pink & cobalt ensemble. Although I mixed those colors a bit in my previous outfit, she was so creative in assembling a whole outfit around those two shades! 

I chose to "pass on" the concept of a statement belt in my own outfit for this week! To get by in the sweltering heat last weekend, I paired a flowy coral popover with black shorts and gold accessories.

Top: Old Navy (similar, similar, similar)

Shorts: Old Navy (similar, similar)

Belt: JC Penney (similar, similar, similar)

Sandals: Jack Rogers (exact)

Necklace: Flirt (local boutique) (similar, similar, similar)

The elements of this outfit are: statement belt, popover blouse, pendant necklace, shorts, sandals, and coral! What did you pass on from Whitney's look last week? Link up below!

An InLinkz Link-up

Anthropologie Dress

I've mentioned before that Anthropologie is one of my favorite stores.  I love wandering into their candle-scented boutiques and exploring the beautiful, unique clothing they offer.  What I don't love, however, are their prices!  From time to time I will let myself splurge, but when I feel most satisfied with an Anthro purchase is when I find great deal!  Like this dress, for example.  A beautiful, rich color; a thick fabric; an interesting, detailed neckline; and marked down from hundreds of dollars to only fifty!  I am one happy shopper!

With a little layering, I was able to wear this dress all winter.  Now that the warmer weather is here to stay, I'm excited to let the dress shine.  Sometimes you gotta love matchy-matchy cognac accessories, am I right?  And this clutch!  I purchased it in February and then tucked it away until summer.  Now I'm finding that it goes with just about anything.  Be prepared to see more of this little beauty around these parts!

previous post

Here are a few other ways that I've worn this dress.  And while we're at it, I'm linking-up with Bri's Third Thursday Threads.  The theme this month is denim jackets.  I get tons of wear out of mine but it's already too hot in Virginia (I haven't moved yet) for layering...so you get a denim jacket throwback from February!

I'm also linking-up with Selah and Maricel for Thoughtful Third Thursday.  The prompt this month is to dress in an outfit inspired by a book-turned-movie.  I am channeling The Princess Bride.  Not only does the color and neckline of my dress remind me of Princess Buttercup's dress in the photo below, but the first time I wore this dress was to see The Princess Bride at the theater for Valentine's Day!

What I'm Wearing:

Dress: Anthropologie (similar, similar)

Belt: Anthropologie (similar, similar)

Flats: Target (exact)

Chapters

Good morning, my lovely friends!  I have quite the announcement to make today.  It's my last day.  And no, not just my last day of the school year, it's my last day working as an LHS Charger!

For the last couple of months, I've been anxiously awaiting the day that I could share with you the news of some big changes happening in my life.  I'm moving back to my beloved state of Michigan!  I've landed a wonderful position teaching French in my dream school district.  On top of that, I'll be so close to my family, close friends, and a certain handsome guy in my life.  I am so very excited to embark on this next chapter in my life!

That being said, like any big change, there is definitely some bittersweet involved.  I've grown to love living in my charming apartment in Alexandria, Virginia.  I've made such a cherished group of friends who turned into family when I felt all alone here.  I've learned so very much during the three years I've spent at my first big girl job.  At the risk of sounding cheesy, I really grew into who I am during this chapter of my life and it's an experience that I will forever hold close.

Are you crying yet?  I am.  So I'm going to mop up my tears and get on the clothing part of this post!

This is the suit that I wore to interview for my brand new position!  I have to admit that I only pull this combination out of the depths of my closet when I'm searching for a new job...so not very often (thankfully).  Since I don't wear suits very frequently, I certainly don't have any novel advice for styling them.  I know that it's important to feel comfortable and to feel like yourself!  The suit pieces are pretty basic so it's fun to pick out a blouse in a fun color or with fun detail (mine has pleating) to spice up the look!

For my latest experience, I had a traditional interview and then I had to teach a French lesson to a group of students while my interview committee observed.  I wore my full suit for the interview but I wanted to seem more approachable to the students during the lesson.  Since I didn't have time to change, I swapped my suit blazer for a brightly colored cardigan and a fun scarf.  Experimenting with wearing suit pieces as separates is a great idea of your suit is collecting dust in your closet!  I loved this outfit so much that I want to make sure to incorporate both the pants and blazer into more "everyday work" outfits next year!

I want to end this post with a sincere merci to those of you who regularly stop by my little blog.  You have been a part of this chapter of my life and I'm excited to take you with me into the next one!  It's comforting to know that, while everything else seems to be changing, you will remain a constant.  Thank you!

What I'm Wearing:

Suit: Ann Taylor (similar, similar)

Top: Ann Taylor (similar, similar)

Cardigan: Target (similar)

Scarf: Lou Lou (similar, similar)

Heels: DSW (similar, similar)

Blogging Besties: Hot Pink and Cobalt

We've once again made it to Friday!  This one in particular feels pretty darn special because it's the last Friday of the school year.  Time to pop the champagne and enjoy my first hot summer evening (one of the few perks of being a teacher)!

Last week Alex shared quite the glamorous little ensemble with us!

Isn't she gorgeous!?  In the past week I didn't have a reason to get quite as jazzed up as Alex so I chose to pass along her color scheme: hot pink and cobalt!

It feels a bit serendipitous to be posting such a perfect warm-weather work outfit on the last Friday of the school year!  If I had to work during the summer, I imagine I would wear lots of outfits like this: a comfy skirt with a light-weight, flowy top...and some cute flats, of course!

Speaking of this top, Rachelle raves so much about the Portofino tops from Express that I decided I had to try them for myself.  You guys, they are great!  Super comfy and minimal button gaping (a problem I have with most button down shirts).  Plus they come in so many cute colors and prints.  Obviously I had to pick up this one as well!

And without further ado, here are your choices for next week: hot pink + cobalt + button down + comfy skirt + belt + (patterned) flats!

What I'm Wearing:

Top: Express (exact)

Skirt: J.Crew Factory (super similar)

Flats: Land's End (exact)

Previous Editions of Blogging Besties

Featured On:

Whitney à la mode

Undergraduate Style

What did you pass on from Alex's look last week?

An InLinkz Link-up

On Birthday Coupons and Splurges

If you stop by here frequently, you know that I recently celebrated my 29th birthday.  One of my favorite things to do during the month of May is to treat myself to a few things using the assortment of birthday coupons that flood my inbox.  My biggest birthday splurge this year was this comfy, flowing maxi dress from Anthropologie!

For a busy birthday on-the-go, I paired the dress with some flat, strappy sandals.  I can't wait to dress it up with a cute pair of wedges and perhaps a statement necklace!

Gotta love a goofy face and a cat photobomb!

As much as I love birthday coupons, I do have to say that I'm growing a bit disappointed in the offerings from certain stores.  I loved my "no purchase necessary" make-up sample from Sephora and the "no strings attached" $5 coupon from DSW.  But stores like Anthropologie and Gap really let me down.  Truth be told, this dress wasn't purchased from Anthro with my 15% off birthday coupon, but rather with the 20% off Mother's Day Sale code.  Call me greedy, but I think that my birthday coupon should be special and should trump the other sales that are currently happening!  Similarly, for having a Gap card, I received 25% off a purchase for my special day.  Meanwhile, a 40% off sale was happening.  Don't you think that your birthday deal should be more of a special occasion that the typical store sales??

What I'm Wearing:

Dress: Anthropologie (similar)

Sandals: France (similar, similar)

Linking-Up:

Spy Girl- 52 Pick-Me-Up: United Nations (I think I've got a little Mexican flair going on here!)

More Happy Than Not

Have you heard of the recently released novel, More Happy Than Not?  Based on this review, it sounds like a thought-provoking, emotional, and (at times) funny read.  I learned about the book from Selah who has tagged me to list ten things that make me more happy than not.

Since there are so many things in life that make me smile, I've decided to make this the:

More Happy Than Not: Alexandria, Virginia Edition

1.  The charm of my sweet apartment, just south of Old Town.

2.  Being greeted by my favorite servers and splitting a bottle of wine at Grape and Bean.

3.  Flowering trees in the springtime against the backdrop of the old brick buildings.

4.  Happy hour nachos at Virtue Feed and Grain.

5.  Driving home down a stretch of the George Washington Parkway with a view of the river.

6.  Veggie Spring Rolls, Drunken Noodles and a Thai Iced Tea delivered to my door from Mai Thai.

7.  The smell of wood-burning fires as I walk the bricked streets of Old Town in the fall.

8.  Fun accessory shopping at She's Unique and Lou Lou.

9.  Being able to walk to the grocery store, post office, pharmacy, Starbucks and Indian restaurant.

10.  Countless happy hours and brunches with my sweet friends!  

Alright, what makes you more happy than not?

Danielle of A Little Bit of Wowe

Carrie of A Lovely Little Wardrobe

Brynn of Brynnash

Ada of Elegance and Mommyhood

Blogging Besties: Printed Dress

Hello, dear readers! Happy Friday! It's the end of another long work week for me--I am finishing up my third week of training as an Orientation Assistant, and on Tuesday, we will hold our first Orientation session for incoming students at KU! I'm so jazzed, even though it means I'll be trading in my cardigans and blouses for polos every day. 

Last week, Whitney SLAYED in a coral printed dress, denim vest, and sandals!

For this week, I "passed on" the printed dress, because I was just so excited to wear this dress I snagged at Clothes Mentor last weekend! I love the fierce printed pattern and the colors--plus it's surprisingly comfy! I paired my dress with wedge sandals and a statement necklace for church.

Dress: London Times, thrifted (similar, similar, similar)

Wedges: Versona (similar, similar, similar)

Necklace: Walmart (similar, similar, similar)

The elements of this outfit are: printed dress, statement necklace, summer wedges, florals, cobalt blue, and hot pink! 

What did you "pass on" from Whitney's look last week? Link up below:

An InLinkz Link-up

Currently: June

playing: the Sam Hunt station on Pandora.  I'm always up for a little country music, but there is something about summer that makes me want to roll my windows down and turn up the country tunes!  I can't get enough of Sam Hunt's Take Your Time.

going: to Myrtle Beach at the end of the month with my friend Deanna.  I'm leaving a few days after school ends and I think it will be the perfect way to unwind.  Let the summer commence!

wearing: this high-waisted bikini.  I ordered it in February when beach weather was just a dream...and now it's time to bare this body!  Anyone up for a round of crunches??

sipping: a Bloody Mary.  Or perhaps a few.  I just can't get enough of these lately!  In the Lansing, MI area?  Try the BM from Tavern on the Tap.  Or maybe Alexandria, VA is more your style?  Virtue Feed and Grain has my favorite!

reading: Dead Wake: The Last Crossing of the Lusitania by Erik Larson.  Typically non-fiction books don't make it onto my pleasure reading list.  But this is my second read by Erik Larson.  He writes non-fiction in a way that makes you feel like you are reading a story, not just a list of facts.  I would definitely recommend checking him out at your local library.

Linking-up with Anne and Jenna for Currently.

May Budget

Wow!  As of this post, I have been sharing my clothing purchases and budgets with you for a year!  While I'm still not a perfect budgeter (see below), I have definitely learned to be more intentional about my spending and I don't binge shop like I used to.

I seem to have been drawn towards neutrals this month with the exception of a very bright dress (which made for the perfect birthday ensemble).  I added the black counterpart to this dress to my closet because I loved the polka dot version so well.  I stepped outside my comfort zone by purchasing my very first romper.  It is so comfortable that I'm never turning back!  And finally, these elastic-waisted, printed shorts are perfect for staying cool during the summer months!

1.  Milly Dress: Original Price- $68  Price Spent- $52.20

2.  Old Navy Jersey Fit and Flare Dress: Original Price- $24.95  Price Spent- $24.94

3.  H&M Romper: Original Price- $17.95  Price Spent- $17.95

4.  Old Navy Shorts: Original Price- $24.95  Price Spent- $24

Total Remaining from First Quarter- $20.08

Total Spent May- $119.10

Total Spent this Quarter- $259.05

Total Saved this Quarter- $79.55

Total Remaining- -$9.05

So I went about ten dollars over my quarterly budget.  No big deal, right?  Well, I also splurged and bought a few things for my birthday (that I will feature in a different post).  Birthday coupons were my budget downfall last year as well.  What I'm learning is that perhaps I should set a few extra dollars aside every May to treat myself.  What do you think?

Linking-up with Fran's Budgeting Bloggers!