Happy Fourth of July!

Fourth of July is my favorite holiday weekend, partially because my birthday falls on the fifth. I've spent the last two in New York City, and while they were both great, I can't wait for an old-fashioned Missouri Fourth of July complete with fireworks, fireflies, fruity drinks... and lots and lots of bottle rockets.

Watching a grand firework show off the pier of the Hudson River is pretty great, but there's something even more magical about watching them from your parent's yard.

My uniform for the weekend with be swimsuit, sunglasses, and a cherry red Essie nail polish. This nautical striped tunic will be perfect for tossing on over my bikini for sunbathing breaks, and though I did bring a striped dress to wear just in case, I really don't anticipate changing out of my swimsuit for the next 48 hours.

What are you plans?

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.

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.