insta-lately

My first time ever having a donut from Dunkin Donuts...it was filled with brownie batter. So worth it. So delicious.

Airport Starbucks & my bright pink passport case

A few of you weighed in on which shade of blue I should paint my nails for my Seahawks Super Bowl pride. I chose the blue Butter shade and layered a silver Revlon sparkle topcoat to make it extra festive. 

 Obligatory Capitol Building photo when I first got to DC ;) it looked beautiful covered in a blanket of snow.

 The perfect day for my first day back: spending it on M Street, getting some Georgetown Cupcakes and doing a little shopping!

 That day's stack (Laurenly ring, Michael Kors watch, J. Crew yellow bracelet and Nordstrom gold arrow bracelet).

Hot pink nails with a glittery leopard bag! 

follow me on instagram :)

xo-ally

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

bow bracelets

There is something about adding a bow that makes an accessory so charming. Here are four bow bracelets I'm loving - the Kate Spade one is just dainty and darling with the pearl and small bow. The Vickers bow bracelets add classic patterns in versatile colors. And the simple black one works with anything! [Click the images to link back to the site.] :)

xo-ally

perfect pairs: arm candy

I love a good watch + bracelet combo, and right now arm candy is super trendy. I wear my tortoise and gold Michael Kors watch almost daily, either solo or paired with a bangle or two. Here are four trendy watches paired with bracelets:

gold watch

white and gold bangle

white watch

blue bangles set

silver watch

gold swirl bracelet

pink watch

silver bow bangle

How do you style your arm candy? Tweet me a picture of your arm candy (@allyarcher) and I'll add it to this post. :)

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

paris sweater

Sweater Wildfox Couture Pants F21 (similar here) Boots Corso Como Watch Michael Kors Bracelets F21 (similar here) Ring Henri Bendel

These olive pants are making yet another appearance this fall/winter season. One thing I like about olive is the neutrality of the color, yet olive colored pants add more interest than a regular pair of jeans or black leggings.

Enjoy the rest of your weekend!

xo-ally

fall/winter hats

Today was a day where I realized I really should've worn a hat. When did it get cold?! (A regular person would've realized that on the first snow, which happened recently. Yet I still didn't fully realize this during my weekend trip to the mountains....) Yup, today I wore jeans, flats, a tank, and a cardigan. Then ran back home to grab a coat. But I was still cold! Luckily, the coat has a hood so it acted like a makeshift hat.

I love college, but I'm moving somewhere warm and sunny when I graduate.

In the meantime, I'll wear a hat when it gets cold. Or when it acts simply as a cute accessory, like my "Blair Waldorf" hat, which you can see in this post.

Some fall and winter hats I'm loving:

This teal-green wool hat from Nordstrom would totally transform any outfit.

For super cold days, this trapper hat from J. Crew would be perfect!

Nordstrom also has this classic cloche hat in multiple colors.

Pom pom hats are so fun! I like this one from American Eagle.

I love these winter headbands! I have a older white one from Anthropologie, but this new red one subtly stands out from the crowd with the bow detail.

What hats are you wearing this season?

xo-ally

PS - one of my recent outfits is on Fash Boulevard's post on riding boots! Check it out here. I'm excited because this is one of my fave blogs. :)

throwback outfit

Yesterday I decided to recreate an outfit I wore two years ago. Two years ago, when I applied for an internship with College Fashion (and got it! Yay!) I attached photos with the application. I went outside on a beautiful fall day with a friend in the outfit I wore to class. I loved how the bright pink popped against the fall leaves.

Guess what - I still have almost all of the same pieces of clothing! Here's what I wore yesterday.....

and what I wore two years ago....

The only differences: The gold bracelet broke, so I wore a different one yesterday. The old jeans were from Forever 21 and ripped (so sad...they were my favorite), and I wore different Sperrys yesterday (but I still have the plain pink ones I wore in the old pics!)

What I liked about wearing this outfit was realizing that classic pieces of clothing can really build a wardrobe that lasts. A favorite pair of jeans, shoes, a cardigan, a scarf - the same outfit can still be worn years later!

Do you ever repeat outfits? Do you think repeating outfits (even years later) is "breaking a fashion rule??" 

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

skinny belts

When belts over the waists became big again years ago (was it 2005?) I didn't like them at first. It was ninth grade, and I was fine wearing my bootcut jeans and gold Hollister belt slung diagonally over my hips, thankyouverymuch. At that time, I had just dipped a toe in the skinny jean trend but could not even fathom wearing high-waisted jeans, nevertheless a belt higher than my hips. Later, I grew out of the Hollister-Abercrombie phase and experimented more with fashion, and even - gasp - tried out belts over my waist! What a perfect way to cinch the waist, add color, and make baggy shirts and dresses much more flattering.

Over the years, belt trends have come in and out, but the cinched waist is still going pretty strong. Lately, skinny belts have had the spotlight. They are perfect over dresses and high-waisted skirts, but I'm loving them as actual belts, too. A colored skinny belt can be the only color you need if you're wearing denim, white, or neutral-colored shorts or pants.

A few skinny belts I adore these days:

This is the green belt I wore last week. I've worn it a few different ways already!

The bow on this belt is adorable! I love the powder blue color.

This colorful, beaded belt is unique and would be a cool statement accessory on any outfit.

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

navy stripes and pastels

Dress, necklace: H&M Cardigan: J. Crew Bracelets: Nordstrom Shoes: New Look [London] 

My camera is still broken, so I've been switching between phones and my old point-and-shoot to take photos lately. This photo taken with a friend's iPhone seems to be pretty good though! The house we were at was in a gorgeous area, and would've been a prime place for photo-taking. I need to get my Nikon fixed!

Anyways. I got this dress from H&M and have already worn it twice! I like using navy as a neutral so the pastels in the rest of the outfit stand out. I have a feeling this dress was a good investment and will be worn a lot this summer!

xo-ally

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

st. patrick's day

I don't have much green clothing, and am usually at a loss for what to wear on St. Patrick's Day! (Well, with this new-ish dress, I guess I have an option...) The holiday usually sneaks up on me, so I thought I'd do a little preparation beforehand! If you want to go green head-to-toe or just add a pop of the color here and there, I have a few choices to start with if you're stumped!

CLOTHING

L to R: Tank, jeans, leggings, shirt

ACCESSORIES

L to R: Sunglasses, boat shoes, ring, earrings

LUCKY LITTLE EXTRAS

Beaded necklaces, nail polish, tutu

I love the J. Crew jeans. I'd wear them any time of the year! I think they'd be cute with a contrasting skinny belt in pink, yellow, or white. I also like the boat shoes, of course ;) - they're the perfect way to get through a rainy spring with some color. If you're going to a costume party, I think this tutu is adorable. I also like the nail polish, because you can't beat the price ($2.80)!

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