nautical charms for your sperrys

It is no secret that I love my Sperrys. I sadly had to say goodbye to my black Sperry rain boots in Italy last month. After two years of wearing them in the Seattle rain, around my college campus, and through the cobblestone streets of Europe, I eventually had to let them go. Luckily I still have four pairs of boat shoes, though - one of which I've had for 10 years and is still in great shape!

 While browsing the Sperry website, I noticed that there are charms for your boat shoes! You can personalize your Sperrys with your initial (great if your friends have the same pair as you - I know quite a few people with the traditional brown), or choose from other fun charms. I like the pink flamingo because, yes, it's pink, and also because it reminds me of summer. (Summer needs to be year-round, in my opinion). There are other sea-inspired charms like a little sailboat, anchor, starfish, or seahorse.

These charms would be a fun way to discreetly add some summer to your wardrobe, don't you think? I mean, I wear my Sperrys all year round, even in the winter... ;)

^similar gold Sperrys here

xo-ally

LBD in monaco

H&M dress | Chanel sunglasses | custom sandals | Forever 21 bracelets | Kate Spade ring (similar) | Swank necklace (similar)

Last weekend we went to the French Riviera and explored Nice, Monaco, Cannes, and Eze. It was my favorite trip so far! I wore this outfit in Monaco and kept referencing Blair Waldorf from Gossip Girl while we were there. If you watched GG seasons 5-6 with the Prince you know what I'm talking about ;) 

I thought a classic LBD would be great for walking around Monaco and going to the Monte Carlo Casino. I didn't have heels with me so I wore my Capri sandals instead - though I think a pair of heels would have stepped the outfit up a notch.

Short post today, gotta run! I'll post photos from the absolutely gorgeous French Riviera soon.

xo-ally

floral statement necklaces

After seeing a photo of this beautiful necklace (on a recent tumblr saturday), I've been on the hunt for the perfect floral necklace for spring. Here are a few similar ones that I'm looking at:

The red Kate Spade necklace is gorgeous! It is the most similar to the one I've found yet to the one in that photo. 

I like this one from Etsy too - there are multiple colored flowers.

I keep coming back to look at this one from J. Crew Factory! The colors compliment each other well and are pretty versatile, in my opinion.

I think this one from Ruche might be my favorite, and it's only $17! The only thing is that it is sold out. :/ Maybe they'll restock soon?

Which one is your favorite? Do you like floral statement necklaces?

xo-ally

living colorfully and logo love - jewelry from kate spade and tory burch

During my Christmas shopping lately I've come across some fun jewelry from Kate Spade and Tory Burch. (I love their accessories!) Below are some of my favorite picks from the two designers. I am just imagining all the perfect "arm party" jewelry stacks you could do with the Kate Spade bangles and the perfect, complementary, metallic accents from Tory Burch.

KATE SPADE PIECES

green polka dot idiom bangle

black& white scallop bangle

light green scallop bangle

arm candy bangle

skinny mini silver bow bangle

black drop earrings

spade colored stacked bangles

long link necklace

gem long necklaces

TORY BURCH PIECES

brown logo stud bangle

purple fox double wrap bracelet

white lucite cuff

tortoise logo cuff

silver logo stud earrings

gold stacking bangles

floral logo snap cuff

colorful multi-strand necklace

xo-ally

a light snow at night

just a tad too blurry! :/

Coat: H&M Rings: Kate Spade, Henri Bendel Shirt: Nordstrom Pants: F21 (old, similar here) Boots: Ralph Lauren

The first snow of the season came shortly after daylight savings. I wanted to do an outfit post, but there was barely any light! (And it was only 4:30pm!) It was the first time I've taken night photos with this camera, and quite a few came out blurry (like the full-length one in the middle). I'm excited I got it to work, though! I kept my aperture wide and shutter speed at 1 second. I'm excited that I know how to work light settings at night - this will come in handy during Christmas time and taking pictures of all the lights!

xo-ally

tiger striped sunglasses; nautical striped shirt

Hello, man on the bike!

Sunglasses: Marc Jacobs Shirt, earrings, belt: Nordstrom: earrings, similar tank, similar belts Pants, bracelets: Forever 21 (similar pants), (similar bracelets) Shoes: Sperry Ring: Kate Spade (similar ring) Watch: Michael Kors

This is the first day I've worn pants! (Well, since school started). Today was sunny and windy, but since I've been feeling a little under the weather I decided to dress warmer. My striped tank is new, and I thought the orange would go well with these super comfortable olive pants. I love the combination of orange and green.

xo-ally

coral cuff

On my way out from Lake Coeur d'Alene this Fourth of July week, I stopped with some friends at a boutique - which I am forgetting the name of - and found this red coral cuff! It was only $14 and matches my red Kate Spade ring well. ;)

Camera update: Half-fixed! I can usually take pictures on it (it's kind of hard to explain) but will hopefully be posting more outfits soon now that I don't always have to use my phone!

xo

what to wear on 4th of july

Due to a request to do a Fourth of July themed post, I decided to create some outfits inspired by the holiday! These would be great for many festivities surrounding the fourth!

Swimsuit, Cover-up, Hat, Sunglasses, Bracelet, Sandals

I think of a nice evening on a boat when I see this outfit! I love this bright blue swimsuit, which would look cool peeking out underneath the crochet of the cover-up. [My friend has this exact cover-up and loves it! It looks really good on too.] Metallic accessories keep it neutral but classic, and the floppy hat adds some extra glam.

Chambray shirt, Shorts, Flip flops, Swimsuit, Sunglasses

I had to use this adorable flag bikini from a previous post - it is perfect for the fourth! This outfit is more casual and layers a chambray shirt over the swimsuit with denim shorts - what material is more American than denim? The pockets on the shorts have glittery stars sticking out the bottom (I couldn't resist) and I added some blue and white flip flops and red wayfarers to complete the look. Perfect for running around at a barbecue by the lake!

Tank, Shorts, Sunglasses, Watch, Nail Polish, Flip Flops

The red, sparkly nail polish inspired this whole outfit. It's like a firework on your nails! I matched the nail polish with a bright red tank and denim shorts and added classic accessories to not go overboard. I love the pearl and bow details on the flip flops and the leather band of the watch.

Let's celebrate the Fourth of July in style!

'merica

xo-ally

bauble bar

A friend recently told me about Bauble Bar, an online jewelry boutique. I'm so glad she told me about it! I have some gorgeous pieces on my wishlist. I like how they have both trendy and classic pieces, as well as expensive and inexpensive items. There's a good mix of everything, and there is a ton of COLOR! Because I like their jewelry so much, I made a shopping guide. Enjoy!

From left to right, clockwise:

Pop Rocks Bracelet - $22

Sorbet Strands - $28

Tropical Necklace - $36

Color-Block Boho Drops - $34

Organic Stacking Rings - $22 each

Pink Punk Set Bracelets - $30

Coral Cascade Earrings - $32

Mint Teardrop Bib Necklace - $34

Tortoise Link Collar - $72

Kelly Chain Link Bracelet - $34

Champagne Cocktail Ring - $78

Moonstone Grid Ring - $105

What is your favorite? I can't decide between the tropical necklace and the green chain link bracelet.

xo

monograms

When I was little, it seemed like everything in our house was monogrammed. Everything from kitchen glasses to bedding to towels was embroidered with letters. My pink, monogrammed Vera Bradley duffle bag even had an accompanying mini size that I used to use for doll stuff. (Which was very helpful when I left it on a plane once - they identified the initials on my bag and safely returned my American Girl doll hair accessories to me! Haha).

A monogram necklace has been on my wishlist for a while. I think most monogrammed jewelry is timeless and very versatile. A few options on the wishlist...

This one is beautiful! It's my favorite one I've seen so far. $210 in Sterling Silver - Max & Chloe

I like this one too! It's in gold and a lot cheaper than the one from Max & Chloe ($84) so I'm not totally sure about the quality. From Sweet Tea Paperie

This one is acrylic rather than metal, which I think is a fun alternative. I haven't seen an acrylic one in person, however, so I don't know how it would look on. I think I'd like it, though. There are plenty of colors to choose from too! $64 - Bauble Bar

More monogram ideas!

Thinking about getting a Maybook in these colors. So hard to choose which design and colors to use!

Love this. $199 - Sweet Tea Paperie

You can design your own Ralph Lauren shirt! You choose the shirt and embroidered color, and if you want your monogram or the pony. I personally think I would choose the pony, but both are cute options! $110 - Ralph Lauren

xo - aAq ;)

spring has sprung! sparkles and shorts

Sunglasses: Marc Jacobs Shirt: H&M Shorts: Rock & Republic Belt, shoes: American Eagle Watch: Michael Kors Bracelets: F21 Ring (left hand/right side of photo): Nordstrom Ring (right hand/left side of photo): a market in Italy

The weather is warming up so I just had to wear shorts! No tights, no leggings, no scarves, coats, or gloves. Spring has sprung, and I really hope it stays this way. 

For my spring outfit, I decided to tuck in this baggy shirt into denim shorts and belt it. Since the shirt has a lot of sparkle, this tones it down a little and pulls everything together.

The Marc Jacobs sunglasses are one of my favorite pairs! I like retro-inspired-wayfarer-ish style and the rims along the top have a subtle, olive tiger print.

xo

a few kate spade spring pieces

I've always loved the vibrant colors and cute prints from Kate Spade. I'd enjoy going to the Kate Spade store on vacation and look at all the fun pieces they have. 

Anyway, I still love Kate Spade today - some things are a little out of my personal price range, but it's always fun to be inspired! Here are a few of my favorite pieces out right now:

Treasure Chest Statement Necklace

This would work with so many outfits! It can add flair to a casual outfit and complement a dressy one. So pretty!

Thin Bow Belt

A thin bow belt has been on my wishlist for quite some time! A black one would go with everything, but this also comes in a coral-orange color as well. This would be a perfect addition to a pair of bright, colored jeans this spring!

Signature Spade Quilted iPad Sleeve

I have the laptop version of this sleeve (I didn't see it online) and I love it! Mine is in black, with gold metal accents. The inside is lined with an adorable polka dot pattern. I like how it is simple yet fun, and totally functional.

[Random, but funny story: my mom had this red Kate Spade purse when I was in elementary school, and there was a point in time where I was at the exact height of the bottom of the purse when she was wearing it. So when I walked next to her and she'd stop, bam! The purse corner would hit me in the head! Haha. Just imagine that...]

xo

Spice up your space!

Last fall, I wrote an article for the pilot issue of Sweet Lemon Magazine about decorating tips on how to add color to a room without painting the walls. 

I photographed my room at home for the magazine, but since moving into an apartment at school, I've had to work with different furniture and space. Here are some photos of how I set up and organize my new dresser - I hope this provides some inspiration to those of you who want to spice up your space!

Here are three ways to add color:

1. Jewelry! I have a lot of big, trendy, colorful pieces, so I use a jewelry stand to organize it and put it on display. I got this jewelry stand from PB Teen many years ago, but they have newer versions. Urban Outfitters is usually another good place to look for jewelry storage as well. 

To the left I have necklaces hanging on thumbtacks to draw the eye up and keep them (mostly) untangled. The more necklaces you hang, the less you can see the actual thumbtacks!

2. Board of inspiration! I have a leopard-print whiteboard from Target that I learn up against the wall and place papers on with magnets. I ripped out an article that I liked from ELLE magazine, put up a clipping from The New York Times style section, and a couple other little notes from friends.

3. Stack of books! I love stacking a few small "coffee table" books on a tabletop. Depending on the type and number of books, you can play with size, color, and height. Since you don't actually need a coffee table for displaying books, this would be perfect in a dorm as well!

Here you can see the necklaces better (and part of my Fiorentina soccer scarf hanging below!)

A closer shot of the top of the dresser

Small dishes for watch, bracelets, and lip gloss

I like to keep daily essentials separate, so I put the watch/bracelets combo I often wear in this dish I got from American Eagle last summer. On the right, I have lip glosses and balms (from M.A.C. and Benefit) sitting in a dish I made at one of those paint-your-own-ceramic places. What I liked about painting my own dish was that I could choose whatever colors I wanted! I used brown, red, and purple colors to match my room.

xo

Creative cuffs & beautiful bangles - I'm loving jewelry line Evocateur

Last weekend I stopped by Nordstrom for a few minutes. I was quickly scanning the large department store with the few minutes I had (I just had to take a peek at the anniversary sale!) and stumbled upon these eye-catching bangles. I wrote down the name of the brand, Evocateur, on my Blackberry so I could look it up later.

Art Flower Bangle

Their website says, "Handcrafted in our Connecticut studios, our artisan jewelry and accessories feature 22K gold leaf and sterling silver leaf embellished with vintage jewelry, striking images and other found treasures. Our designs feature a refined eclecticism which reflects our love of the traditional and the ancient, blended with the modern and contemporary. The line, which includes cuffs, bangles, pendants, earrings and belts can be found in premier boutiques and stores throughout the US."

My favorite pieces were the cuffs and bangles. Prices range around $200-$350. It's not exactly in this college girl's budget, but there's nothing wrong with looking at them!

Titanic Blueprint Cuff

8 Ball Cuff

Chrysler Pink Cuff

I Do! Cuff

The Art Flower Bangle is my favorite. Hmm, maybe I'll put it on my birthday list.... :)

xo