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.

The Thrill of the Hunt

The way I see it is this: Old Navy is sort of like a vintage store, in that I really have to dig and oftentimes I come up empty-handed, but when I do score, I strike gold.

This skirt here is undeniable gold, in color and in price. Early last month, I found it for five bucks and went back for three other colors. Lightweight with a banded waist, they're the perfect layering skirt for shirts that are too short to be dresses and dresses that are too short to be shirts. Oh, and for kid's size dresses, which this happens to be.

This skirt isn't online, Old Navy has 30 percent off everything in the store all weekend, so go -- and scavenge around a little bit.

dress, Gap Kids. skirt and necklace, Old Navy. sandals, Coach.

Happy Father's Day, Dad!

Although I did end up wearing stripes again yesterday like a wannabe Francophile, the only place I wanted to be today was at my parent's house, with my family, for a Father's Day barbecue. Because I couldn't be there, I opted for a pattern that brought me a little closer to home—madras.

My mom and I share an affinity for madras, and there's nothing like a little patchwork plaid to brighten my day... although my family's "miss you" text messages are hard to beat, too.

vneck t, Gap. madras mini, J. Crew. sandals, Cynthia Vincent for Target. necklace, Old Navy.

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."

A T-Shirt Kind of Day

I have never been a jeans and T-shirt kind of girl. Even in elementary school I preferred dresses. But t-shirt dresses are something I wholeheartedly support, especially on those mornings when making a cup of coffee (Who am I kidding? A pot of coffee.) seems exhausting.

Clearly I had two of those mornings... two days in a row. This weekend, my trusty striped T-shirt dresses saved me both Saturday and Sunday (and so did those pots of coffee).

Top outfit: gray striped dress, Old Navy. denim jacket, Gap. sandals, Cynthia Vincent for Target. coffee, Target s'mores flavor. Bottom outfit: navy striped dress and pendant necklace, Old Navy. sandals and coffee, same.

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.

Florals & Stripes

I'm a week into the job, and my favorite part is far and away having a real reason to dress up every morning. It's the simple things in life. As much as I love my cutoffs, pulling on a dress every day is just so nice.

Going from the two-class-a-day life of a college student to a 40-hour-work week of a working girl is going to take some adjusting, but wearing florals and stripes to work sure will make it easier.
dress and cardigan, Gap. belt, Old Navy. sandals, Coach.

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!

San Francisco, Part One

Birthday cake donuts, the perfect accompaniment to my morning iced latte from the corner Starbucks, also known as my wake up call every morning.
Day one at Coit Tower, an art deco landmark and one of the prettiest views in all of San Francisco. From here we explored Chinatown, Fisherman's Wharf, and the Golden Gate Bridge. I'm wearing a striped tunic (Gap Kids), navy leggings (Old Navy), a cream double-breasted sweater (Gap), and coral Chuck Taylors.
Day two, in front of Ben and Jerry's on the intersection of Haight and Ashbury. This area was the number one place I wanted to visit, because I have a longtime fascination with the 1960s Summer of Love culture. There were no Jerry Garcias roaming the streets, but our taxi driver claimed to have known him, so that was enough for me. I'm wearing a plaid ruffled dress (Gap), denim motorcycle jacket (Gap), navy leggings (Old Navy), and gold gladiator sandals (Coach).The best chocolate chip cookie in the world from Ghirardelli Square. It was the size of a scone, so I shared it with my parents, but the oozing chocolate chips had me fighting for every last crumb (even though lunch, a dungenee crab grilled cheese sandwich for me, was just minutes earlier). In front of Owl Tree, the bar of my dreams. Not only were there adorable owls everywhere, but also every delicious beer in America on tap. From here, we searched the streets for San Francisco sushi and ended up at an Italian restaurant with the tastiest fresh calamari imaginable.

Graduation Dress... Ta Da!

After searching high and low, I ended up finding my graduation dress closer to home. I was releasing some pent up energy after an exhausting exam at — where else? — the mall and came across the dress of my dreams. Or, at least, a very, very cute dress that fit like a dream and cost far less than many of my other favorites.

Yes, it's white, and yes, I clearly graduated before Memorial Day. But I decided that since it was my last day before entering the real world, it was my last day for good ol' college rebellion. So wearing white before Memorial Day it was.

dress, Kensie. heels, Gianni Bini. clutch, Liberty of London for Target.

How The West Was Fun

I couldn't wait to wear my new cowboy boots out, and even though I've been not-so-patiently biding my time since Tuesday to break them in, I still wasn't quite sure how I wanted to style them. I'm typically against mixing black and brown, but I really loved the way the sweet lace tights looked with the tough pointed-toe boots so I threw on my favorite corset belt to continue the brown-and-black combination.

What are your thoughts about mixing neutral tones like brown, black, or navy? I have to admit that lately, as my brown boot collection has expanded, I have really warmed up to occasionally mixing instead of always matching.

dress, Old Navy. lace tights, Betsey Johnson. belt, Loft. Durango boots, vintage. necklace, Free People.

The Longest Winter

I love winter. I love winter. I love winter. Despite how thrilling the sight of snow in the forecast is (and it's in there for tomorrow!), I could not bring myself to put a pair of boots on this morning. As much as I tirelessly love winter, I don't have the same warm feelings towards winter boots.

Instead, I slipped on my designated rain shoes, trusty topsiders that have never failed me through Missouri's occasionally miserable weather. It's been far too long since I've worn my boat shoes, so I decided to play up the preppiness. I fell for this sweater as soon as I saw it, and snagged it on sale last weekend (although it still isn't on sale online... score!).

jeans, I Heart Ronson. blue and gray striped sweater, Gap. gray and white striped camisole, Gap. boat shoes, Sperry.

Ahoy?

The first time I wore this dress out, a boy told me that all I was missing to look the part of a sailor was a pair of boat shoes instead of ballet flats. Apparently my attempt to look French didn't fare so well.

This past weekend, I cinched the waist with a vintage bohemian braided belt and slouchy brown boots in an effort to look little less nautical and a little more "night out." Whether I achieved that is up for debate, but at least I loved my outfit.

striped dress, Old Navy. navy tights, Hue. boots, Coach. belt, vintage.

Matching From Top to Toe

jeans, J Brand. cardigan, Old Navy. socks, Gap. boots, Frye.

As I mentioned, my parents and puppy came to visit me for the weekend. On Friday, I needed to find something to wear for all-day shopping and dinner in the freezing cold temps, so I resorted to layers. I cinched the waist of a thick T and a cozy oversized cardigan with my favorite belt ever. The bright pink adds a punch to any outfit, and the rustic leather closure is a perfect match to my beloved Frye boots. The best part? I found it on clearance at Old Navy for three bucks.

I got great satisfaction that my socks matched my belt, even though they weren't visible. Is anyone else like this? I love when my layers--even the invisible ones--match. Compulsive, much?

Hippie Hippie Shake

After getting so dressed up the night before, I kept things a little more low key on Saturday and wore the hippiest dress in my closet, an adorable Free People number that has been in constant rotation since my freshman year. Unfortunately the flash on my camera ruined the flattery of these opaque navy tights, but they were much darker than this photo gives them credit for.

Click the picture to see details on the dress: gold thread, grosgrain ribbon, and the sweetest floral embroidery all make an appearance.

dress, Free People (this one sort of reminds me of mine, except it has tulle, making it a million times cooler.) camisole, Old Navy. tights, Target. boots, Kors.

Play Us A Song, Mr. Piano Man

Leopard print sequins aren't my usual uniform for a night of college bar hopping, but when my roommates and I decided to go to a dueling piano lounge on Friday, I knew it was the perfect outing to wear my beloved Rodarte. I would never think that I could wear a mini dress that was covered in sequins and patterned with animal print, but there's something so cool about the unexpected scoop neck and slouchy silhouette that I love.

We walked in from a late meeting at 11 o'clock and were out the door twenty minutes later. Because I had to think fast, I went for my three favorite foolproof accessories: super high heels, solid black tights, and my "All The Single Ladies"-inspired leotard.

dress, Rodarte for Target. leotard, Danskin Kids. heels, Target. bow shoe clips, vintage. face, pre-makeup.

Three Levels of Layering

beaded white T, Madewell. jeans, J Brand. tights and socks, Betsey Johnson. ski sweater, J. Crew. striped thermal, Gap. side buckle boots, Frye.

I woke up this morning to frost on my window, flurries in the air, and a nearly below-freezing wind chill. I knew this would call for more than a simple coat and scarf, so I bundled up for the blustery walk across campus with more levels of layers than I can even count.

I started with knit dotted fuchsia stockings, added my favorite boot-friendly flood jeans, and kept it simple on top with a white camisole and white polka dot beaded T. Next came a gray striped thermal and a cute pair of candy-print socks. Finally, I tossed on a hooded sweater appropriately embroidered with a tiny ski bunny and my trusty brown leather boots. A twill charcoal-colored coat and gray cable knit scarf didn't make it into the picture, but rest assured, they were not forgotten.

No class tomorrow, so I'll be back to leggings and moccasins, which couldn't possibly sound more blissful since there's snow in the forecast.

Nightgown or Dress? Part II

This is another potential nightgown-turned-dress that I found at Anthropologie. I would never, ever spend fifty bucks for sleepwear, but the ruffles, the floral, and the colors of this chemise were just too pretty to pass up.

This might be my favorite thing in my closet at the moment, and I'm dying to wear it out topped with a cardigan and worn with tights.

P.S. How CUTE does Tiger look in the background? I've only been away from my sweet lab for a few days, and I already miss him more than I can possibly say.

Nightgown or Dress? Part I

Meet my newest dress. It's ruffled and striped and adorable. The only problem? It's actually a nightgown from J. Crew uncovered from the depths of a sale rack for only fifteen bucks. Would you wear something that's intended as underwear out and about?

I'm thinking a cute pair of shoes, a little jewelry, and a lot of ironing would make this acceptable beyond bedtime. Besides, isn't it too pretty to wear only for slumber?