Awkward & Awesome Thursday.

[we're the three best friends that anyone could have]

Two tangents converge. 

Tangent numero uno:  My friends always tell me that I should write a book about all the ridiculous (and ridiculously embarrassing) things that happen to me ... onlyyyyy me.  One friend has even stated that my text inbox has got to be the most interesting in the world.  I might even agree with her.

Tangent numero dos:  Do you read The Daybook?  If you don't, shame on you and get over there pronto.  Sydney is one of the most witty + authentic bloggers out there if you ask me!  She was actually one of the first blogs I began regularly reading, and because of Sydney, Thursday is one of my favorite days because it's awkward & awesome!  Pure genius.  So I thought I'd do my own little rendition of awkward & awesome today because I've got some prime material for y'all.  Just a few nuggets ... baby steps ...

Awkward:
- Waking up to a letter stuck on my windshield from Emil saying that he "lightly bumped" into my car.  Little does he know "lightly bumping" into a space is how I occasionally parallel park anyway since my car doesn't have fancy a back-up camera (kidding...most of the time) ... that and the fact that I already have deer antler dents in my back passenger door.  That's right, the deer ran into me.
- In the middle of an in depth phone convo, the effects of chugging a bottle of water kick in and nature calls.  So I do what any normal person does, let the other person keep talking, mute the phone, do your thang, and unmute.  Works like a charm ... unless you hit 'speaker' instead of mute.  holy.epic.fail.of.all.time.
- This happened a couple of weeks ago, but funny none-the-less.  At the airport getting ready to fly to New Orleans (a one hour flight from Houston.  what a joke.)  I'm in vacation mode, so I sit and have myself a margarita.  About 20 minutes til take off, I mosey over to find my gate.  It's empty.  There is no one there!  What the ... I mixed up my gate number with my seat number and then had to literally run across the airport to make my flight.  I was that girl.  

Awesome:
- Emil left his phone number on his little note.  Good, honest people really do still exist!
- Finding my birthday partay dress at Anthro.  On sale.  Bam.
- Little brother moves off to college this weekend!  Bitter sweet.  So proud.  Extremely jealous he's about to have the best four (and a half? five?) years of his life.
- Brutally cleaning out my closet, getting some pretty cash for my old clothes.  Feels so good to declutter!  And now it's time to go shopping!

Woo Thursday!  And Friday, you are so close!

Happy Thoughts.

Good thoughts + sunbeams.

Happy Wednesday, y'all!

[image]

Get In My Closet.

Are you feeling the pressure that fall + sweaters + boots are right around the corner like I am?  I'm definitely looking forward to warm layers, but the weeks leading up to Labor Day always make me want to wear head-to-toe white every day!  Savor every last moment of summertime.

I am so obsessed with these two ensembles that I am going to shamelessly copy them before summer is over ... which, since I live in Texas, gives me until January to nail these looks ...
 
[both via my girls got style board on pinterest]

Remember Me?

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You can go ahead and call off the search party.  I know y'all are relieved to know that I have not died nor fallen off the face of the earth.  I've simply been taking trips like crazy and reveling in my last month of early-twenties-dom.  Quarter-life crisis?  Maybe so.  One thing is for certain though:  I am so happy with the possibility of what twenty-five brings me.  You see, here's my theory in a nutshell:  Shiz gets real at twenty-five.  I'm going to go ahead and copyright that.  Profound, I know, and also confirmed by older wiser friends.  Like most, the majority of my early twenties was consumed by school and getting experience and becoming independent.  And now I'm here.  I've graduated (not once, but twice.  I can almost hear my parents' sigh of relief...).  I've got a whole twenty-four and some change's worth of life experience.  I've been fully supporting myself for over a year now (i-n-d-e-p-e-n-d-e-n-t, do you know what that mean, mayne?)  I'm finally here.  And by here, I mean at the beginning.  I have reached the point where the future really is my very own (and if you've had this epiphany much earlier than myself, you. go. girl.)

During my hiatus, I spent a lot of time thinking about what I want this little blog to be for/to me ... and I've come to the conclusion that I simply want it to be more personal.  More moi.  So with that, I'm backkkkkkk!

Weekend Recap.

1.  Welcome to New Orleans!  2.  Frog legs?  Check.  (and they really do taste like chicken.)  3.  Pedi-cabbing it to the French Quarter  5.  My tour guides taking me off the beaten path to local bars.  In.  Love.

1.  Impromptu dance parade + we hopped in!  2.  Lotus flower on our swamp tour.  3.  Alligator.  rawr.  4.  Abita beer is amazing and my new beer of choice.

I am convinced that I am moving to New Orleans.

I cannot remember the last time I had this much fun!

We ate, we drank, we sang, we danced in the street.

I fell in love with the jazz band on the street corner + the carefree vibe of the city.

When I was in Europe last summer, I was a total tourist.  I took so many pictures that I wasn't able to savor the moment; enjoy where I was and who I was with.   I was completely successful in being present in the moment this weekend and I kind of want to high five myself.  

New Orleans is so rich ... rich in everything from culture to food + I took in everything it had to offer - the sights, sounds, smells (at times a bit funky;), the people.  

So if you haven't been yet, you must go.  And take me back with you!

What You Know About NOLA?

 

This time next week, my best friend and I will be road trippin' it to New.Orleans.Loo-see-ana!

I'm beyond excited and mentally planning my NOLA wardrobe.  I'm forseeing breezy fabrics, maxi dresses, and, according to these pictures, I'm digging the black tube top.  If it's versatile + cool (in the most literal sense) it's going with me.

Have you been to New Orleans?  I'd love must-see + do recommendations!

PS.  Thoughts on fedoras?  Please share.  Personally, they intimidate me.  Only cool girls wear them in my mind ... but I may get brave in the Cajun state...

1, 2*, 3, 4, 5

Words for Your Wednesday.

Just a bit of perspective.

Listen Up.

A little diddy x 2 for your Tuesday.  

Hope you love them as much as I do!  

[read:  endlessly on repeat]

Le Weekend.

top left.  a much needed girls' night top right. spent saturday sitting on a tailgate, soaking up the sun and playing washers    bottom left.  operation hydration bottom right.  downtown houston on houston street.

How was your weekend?  Let me tell you, mine was lovely.  

A perfect combination of girl time, sunshine + shopping.  Summertime at its best.

 

I love weekends sans itinerary + completely playing things by ear.  One of the best ways to recharge.
So Monday, let's play nice.  Here's to a great week! 

Today is Important.

Oh, so very true.

Smells Like Summer.

Summertime is the quintessential season of less is more and there is no easier way to polish off an outfit (even if your outfit is a bikini ;) than a bright manicure + a pretty scent.  Here are a few of my current favorites.

Marc Jacobs Eu So Fresh :: More than just a pretty bottle!  I wore Marc Jacobs' Daisy for the longest time and Eu So Fresh is a lighter and more floral version.  Oh so flirty + feminine ... perfect for date night!

California Coral by Essie :: Hands down one of my favorite polish colors.  The perfect shade of coral - not too orange.

Kate Spade Twirl ::  Preppy + fresh.  I keep the bottle on my dresser and a roller ball in my purse for freshening up on-the-go.

Off the Shoulder by Essie ::  I usually gravitate toward reds + corals; however, this is one of the prettiest pinks I've come across.  Not too bright, not too pastel.

Butterfly Kiss by Sula ::  This is summer perfection.  It's an oil-based perfume that you lightly dab on your pulse points (wrist, inside the crook of your elbows, decolletage) that lasts for hours.  Sula has a variety of scents, but Butterfly Kiss is my favorite.  And how can you beat a twenty dollar roller ball that lasts forever?

Gardenia by Marc Jacobs ::  My friend has this and, without fail, I splash it all.over. myself every time I get the chance.  It's the prettiest floral ever.  Reminds me of Midsummer's Night Dream and could not be more perfect for summer evenings.

What about you?  I'm always dying to try new polish colors + perfumes.  What is your every day go-to or your seasonal favorite?

Friday, I Really Like You.

[my 'hayyyyy summer' sheer blouse]

[these have been on my lust list for a while.  i decided to go big or go home.]* 

[home depot + martha stewart living = my brand new sixty dollar mirror.  thanks, martha.]

  Just a few of my newest additions that are making me happy.

Have a lovely weekend!

*After extensive research, I can say that ones sold at Nordstrom are less heavy than those from the store...weird, i know, but true.

Mid-Week Mantra

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So true.  I mean, Oprah says when you know better, you do better.
Lucky for us, each day is a fresh start.

Classic with a Side of Funk.

Have y'all seen the unveiling of Bailey McCarthy's Austin home?  Holy smokes.  It is ah-mazing.  

It's no secret that I'm obsessed with her design aesthetic and cannot stop looking at these pictures!  The color, patterns + detail are breathtaking.  Monograms, scalloped edges, quirky colors + trimmings to die for ... and honestly, who else could make longhorn steer horns look so charming?  Check out the complete tour on Design Sponge!

On another note, I have been perusing the internet trying to decide on which direction I should go with new bedding...

All white + classic?  Pops of color?  Bailey has completely nailed it.  Classic with a side of funk.

I found the perfect Bailey-esque pillow.

Just the right amount of funk, no?

Weekend Recap.

 

Little brother's high school graduation + family + lots of music at Free Press Summerfest.

Fitz & the Tantrums. Portugal. the Man. Avett Brothers. Willie Nelson.Young the Giant. Pretty Lights.

Holy hipster.  

Best. weekend. ever.

Back to Basics.

[1, 2, 3, 4, 5]

Memorial Day weekend has me dreaming of casual summer style and a classic button-down shirt is undoubtedly the most versatile staple you can have in your closet.  Knotted at the waist, worn as a swim suit cover up, over a dress, paired with white denim... the list goes on and on!  Just a few pictures of my favorite looks. 

How did you spend your long weekend?  I think the best part of a long weekend is the short week that follows. ; )  Have a great day!

Hello Summer.

I am oh-so-happy summer is officially here!
Enjoy the sunshine + water + please wear nautical stripes.

Have a great Memorial Day weekend!

[Photo via Sarah Tucker on Pinterest]

Thinking Green.

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While I would love to have vases of fresh flowers in every room as much as the next girl, I am on a budget and lack a green thumb.  After seeing these pictures, I'm making a point to add some greenery to my life.  How cute are the neon pots? An added bonus is that they last longer than flowers + are very apartment-friendly!  I think of these as durable flora.  Perfect for moi!

Mid-Week Mantra

via

Girl Crush + Other Tangents.

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I think Felicity Jones is so darn cute; a natural beauty.  I've been smitten with her pretty face + English accent since I first saw her in Like Crazy.  Have you seen it? 

Which leads me to my next point:  I've started watching True Blood (remember I'm usually tardy for the party on the trend of the moment?) and I am big. time. crushing on Andrew Skarsgård, also known as vampire Eric Northman.  I heard the rumor that Skarsgård is one of the choices for playing the Christian Grey in Fifty Shades of Grey movie.  
 My vote is yes.

I say YES x fifty for these two as Ana + Christian.
What do you think?

My Favorite Gayle.

I thought Oprah's BFF was my favorite Gayle ... until J. Crew's Fashion Director.

Letters from Gayle are like rays of sunshine in my Gmail inbox.  Simply lovely + so inspiring.

Are you signed up for J. Crew's e-mails? If not, get on it. 

Happy Monday!