From Sunlight to Twilight

While I'll never have half the attitude of Kristen Stewart, I can copy-cat her style in the past month's Vogue by buying this metallic mini for less than half the price.

Kristen and J. Crew both styled theirs tucked into a chambray buttondown, which I, luckily, already have.

What I don't have? Two hundred bucks to spend on a metallic mini.

Poolside

I'm about to head home for the first time this summer, and I'm looking forward to some quality time with my parent's pool (and my parents, too, of course!). In addition to my favorite neglected bikini, I'm mostly just be packing a big stack of magazines and books. My plan is to read Eat Pray Love before the movie comes out, but my summer reading list is expanding as fast as the summer's blinking by. (The latest on my literary wish list? Anthropology of an American Girl.)

I'll finally be able to wear this dress as it is truly intended to be worn -- a pool cover-up. What was a $12 impulse purchase has ended up being one of my favorite items of the summer, but as cute as it looks layered under cardigans and over camisoles, it will undoubtedly look cutest poolside.

Life in France

In case you couldn't tell from my roadtrip daydreams, I have had a serious case of wanderlust lately. It isn't that I want a vacation, exactly. I don't want to relax, I want to pack my bags and explore a place I've never visited before.

The first place on my imaginary itinerary would be France, as evidenced by my recent fascination with stripes. I've never been to Europe and I would love nothing more than to go wander around aimlessly wearing a striped boatneck dress, perfect ballerina flats, and a suitcase filled with scarves (the only accessory necessary in France, at least in my eyes).

Seriously, I've woken up the past five days and reached straight for stripes. They make me feel like one of the cool Parisian girls who pop up on Garance Dore, even if my daily plans are not quite so glamorous.

Only time will tell how long this phase will last, but who knows? Maybe I'll continue wearing stripes until my travel bug subsides.

striped T, Rodarte for Target. chambray skirt, J. Crew. belt, Old Navy. sandals, Cynthia Vincent for Target. pink polish, Essie "Mod Squad."

Time Management

I'm still trying to get a handle on the work-life balance of having a 40-hour job. The time management skills I learned in college seem even more valuable now:

1. Drink a lot of coffee. Often.
2. Sleep is not important.

That pretty much sums it up. After working an 8-hour day, I get home, go for a run, fix dinner, and then it's almost time to fall asleep. Luckily I've had happy thoughts swirling around in my mind before bedtime, the main thing being what will I wear tomorrow?

Top outfit: navy T and silver flats, Old Navy. skirt, Gap. Middle outfit: sweater, Gap. shorts, J. Crew. sandals, Cynthia Vincent for Target. Bottom outfit: blue T, Gap. chambray skirt, Old Navy. belt, Mayle. sandals, Bernardo.

Pool Time

I never wear nightgowns to bed, but that doesn't stop me from buying them. Instead of saving them for sleep, I wear them during the day. Under cardigans, over camisoles, or cinched with belts, nightgowns are some of my favorite daytime dresses (as evidenced here).

Another new favorite? This tiered chambray piece, which is actually a twelve dollar purchase from a swimwear department. It's just way too cute to stuff in a pool bag (although a day in the sun sounds pretty dreamy right now).

dress, Gap. cardigan and belt, Old Navy. sandals, Coach.

San Francisco, Part Two

Inside our super-glam hotel (striped walls will make an appearance in a future apartment at some point in my life), I'm wearing my didn't-expect-it-to-be-this-cold-in-California denim jacket and leggings uniform. Come to think of it, my outfit didn't change the entire trip, aside from a rotation of dresses.

Despite—or maybe because of—the dreary weather, all I wanted to buy were summery sundresses.
The last thing my closet really needs is more chambray and floral, but I couldn't resist. These two cost $30. Combined. How have I been missing out on Urban Outfitter's seasonal sales all my life? Oh. That's right. Because I don't live within two hours of one. Maybe that's a good thing?

The floral belt on the left is a Mayle find from The Wasteland on Haight Street, the single best thrift store I've ever been to. I also found...
...this dress (chambray again!) by Sunner, a label I frequently stalk on Shopbop. It's a few sizes too big, but nothing a nice wide waist-cinching belt can't fix.

I loved San Francisco, but I didn't leave my heart there. It was much too cold for that. Read about part one of my trip here!

Pierre Hardy x Gap Heaven

The Cynthia Vincent for Target wedges changed my life. All of the sudden, I'm like one of those girls you read about in magazines who say, "I like my shoes really flat or really tall, but nothing in between." I've worn them non-stop since I snagged a pair, and I've been plotting a second platform purchase ever since.
I logged onto Gap at midnight on the day the Pierre Hardy for Gap collection was supposed to be released, but alas, the floral-strap wedges were nowhere to be found. During a week when I should have been worrying about finals (my finalest finals ever!), I was refreshing the Gap browser instead of revising term papers and rereading Hemingway. After the millionth tweet of desperation, Gap came to my rescue and put a pair in the mail for me.
I was cleaning my apartment after graduation festivities the day these were delivered (explanation for the cutoffs and white T). When the mailman knocked on the door, I almost jumped into his arms I was so happy. I continued cleaning, but couldn't take these gorgeous shoes off. They sure make scrubbing floors seem a lot more glamorous.