spring neutrals

 Nordstrom jacket (similar) | Marc by Marc Jacobs sunglasses | Nordstrom belt | Gap jeans | Michael Kors watch | J. Crew bracelet (similar) | Victoria's Secret nail polish in "String Bikini"

It's officially the first day of spring! While I wish it were warmer, it felt nice to wear a light jacket and not a coat or sweater. I kept the outfit pretty neutral, but with bubble gum pink nails and some heeled booties.

xo-ally

insta-lately...

Last day of work - wearing a pink Kiel James Patrick bracelet and Nordstrom arrow bracelet. OH and Nordstrom liked my photo!!!! I was beyond excited.

 Floral statement necklace + windowpane (J. Crew top, Lou Lou necklace)

I got a little excited when I went to The Lucky Knot in Alexandria. It easily became my new favorite boutique! As you can tell, I got quite a few adorable items.

 July 2014 of the Jonathan Adler agenda is so patriotic and happy. :)

 A #TBT to Vegas 2013 last year! I can't believe my senior spring break was a whole year ago!

 Another throwback to sophomore year of college with one of my besties/roomies, Lauren!

I loved going to the gorgeous (and warm!) botanical gardens in DC.

 The beautiful view from the hotel...

 Wearing my spirit jersey near one of the most 'merican buildings I could find... ;)

Between my boots, my passport case, my phone case, and my bracelet, I had a LOT of pink going on. Sometimes I forget how many random things I have that are pink and happen to use them all at the same time, haha.

xo-ally

navy blue sparkles :) #ootd

J. Crew top | J. Crew skirt (similar here and here) | French Connection bag | DSW heels (similar) | Michael Kors watch

The day before I left for DC, I was going to take photos of this outfit...and then I realized I had left my DSLR camera at a friend's house. I took to the phone camera mirror selfies instead...so here they are! This is a fun way to wear sparkles-on-sparkles at night. For work, I wear the same top-skirt combo but with navy tights and flats instead.

xo-ally

casual blues

Vineyard Vines hat | J. Crew tee (similar) | GUESS coat (similar from Patagonia) | Hudson jeans | C. Wonder necklace (similar here and here) | Diva Shoes boots (from Italy)

Went to the Botanic Gardens the other day as part of a casual outing in DC. The gardens were gorgeous and it was nice to get out of the cold and into warm, jungle-inspired rooms. Seeing palm trees and smelling the flowers and greenery made it feel like spring despite the chilly winter air outside.

xo-ally

bring on spring

Outfit #1: J. Crew shirt | Tory Burch bag | Kate Spade bracelet | C. Wonder jeans | C. Wonder shoes

Outfit #2: Juicy Couture dress | Juicy Couture bag | C. Wonder sandals | Ray-Ban sunglasses | J. Crew pearl cluster bracelet | J. Crew gem bracelet

I am so ready for warmer weather. I would wear the above two outfits in a heartbeat if I could!

xo-ally

windowpane

J. Crew top (on sale!) | Marc Jacobs sunglasses (similar) | Italian leather jacket (similar) | Nordstrom arrow bracelet | J. Crew enamel link bracelet (similar) | GJG jeans | Tory Burch flats | Laurenly ring | Longchamp bag

Anything checkered/gingham/windowpane/whatever has always been my favorite pattern (stripes are a very close second). Bold, graphic windowpane patterns have caught my eye for a while and when I saw this black and white top from J. Crew, I knew I had to add it to my wardrobe. I added shiny and sleek accessories (leather jacket, Longchamp, and Tory Burch patent Revas) with a couple pops of pink to complete the look.

xo-ally

friday's fancies - sparkle & shine

This week's Friday's Fancies theme with Long Distance Loving is sparkle & shine. For the outfit, I went for a somewhat Americana look with the color scheme. The red dress acts as the focal point which is accented by navy sparkle heels and a sapphire necklace. The neutral bag (so obsessed with this Tory Burch mini crossbody) and gray coat finish off the outfit. This look is a sure stunner at any holiday gathering this year!

dress, bag, heels, coat, necklace

xo-ally

PS - I just realized this post went up a day late! Oops! Haha :) Happy Saturday!

cyber monday favorites: j. crew, vineyard vines, and red dress boutique!

Since I'm currently in Europe and can't do Black Friday shopping in person, I've been waiting for Cyber Monday to roll around. Pretty much every store/brand out there will be having amazing sales, so browse around online to make sure you're getting the best deal! I rounded up some items from three of my favorite stores - J. Crew, Vineyard Vines, and Red Dress Boutique - these would be perfect for any ladies in your life (or gifts to yourself)!

J. Crew: 30% off with code "MONDAY" and free shipping until Dec. 2!

jeweled stripe top, pattern mix scarf, monogram baseball cap, asymmetrical stone necklace, glitter etta pumps, minnie pants

Vineyard Vines: 20% off $200+ with code "CYBER13" until Dec. 2! (Excludes shep shirts and cashmere).

lobster crewneck sweater, neon whale hat, block print whale tee, tartan bow skirt, shep shirt

Red Dress Boutique: tons of great deals, including Christmas leggings for only $18, items marked down to $10-$15, and a free bib necklace with the first 100 orders!

leggings, sale items

Have any other sales you want to share? Comment below!

xo-ally

friday's fancies - pretty in plaid

This week's Friday's Fancies theme with Long Distance Loving is pretty in plaid. I found this amazing (and inexpensive!) blanket scarf in fall's favorite print. I love how the traditional red color combo and also how the size of the scarf can double as a blanket - when it's not making a statement. ;)

scarf, sweater, skirt, booties, bag

For the rest of the outfit, I chose not-so-simple basics: a neutral-colored sweater with side buttons and elbow patches from J. Crew, a faux leather mini (been seeing these everywhere!), and black ankle booties. The blue snakeskin bag has a fun shape and print to add a little something "extra" to the outfit.

xo-ally

denim on denim

H&M shirt | Nordstrom tank | H&M jeans | Nike shoes | Chanel sunglasses | Michael Kors watch | J. Crew bracelet | Longchamp bag

Quick outfit post today, just wanted to share my casual outfit. It was in the high 60s so I was quite warm wearing this, but since it's the first day of November I would've felt a little silly wearing shorts! (Even though I really wanted to...) I like mixing the dark wash denim with lighter colored chambray. These H&M skinnies were only 10 euros - such a steal - and are really comfortable. I needed another pair of skinnies so I was happy to find a super inexpensive pair that doesn't look cheap or sloppy.

Thanks for stopping by :)

xo-ally

navy & grey

 Ray-Ban sunglasses | J. Crew shirt (similar) | J. Crew skirt (similar from Factory) | Report flats | Nordstrom belt (similar) | Louis Vuitton bag

Loving navy today, as usual, with my striped tee and military-inspired jacket. My hair looks two colors in the top photo haha, got to love taking photos outside. :)

xo-ally

chambray in firenze

 H&M top | Nordstrom skirt (similar longer designer version) | J. Crew bracelets (similar here and here) | Tory Burch sandals | Swank necklace | Chanel sunglasses

I have a new camera! It turns out that my main lens was okay and just my camera body was broken. I upgraded from the Nikon D3100 to the D3200 (the new version of the same camera) and kept my lens. Now I'm back in business and hope to be doing more outfit posts! This one comes from Florence on the Arno River. It was a gorgeous day and even more beautiful at dusk, when we shot these photos. I love the way a casual chambray top goes with this black cupcake skirt, which I wore from day, then out to dinner, and then out at night.

Thanks for stopping by!

xo-ally

friday's fancies: work wear

I haven't had a chance to partake in Friday's Fancies with Long Distance Loving for a couple weeks, but am excited to be back this week! The theme is work wear. While I currently wear whatever for my current job, over the summer the dress code for my job in DC/NYC was business casual.

dress, blazer, bag, necklace, watch, shoes

I am lusting over that bright pink Milly dress! Anything bright pink catches my eye. A watch is a necessary component to any work outfit, and this Kate Spade one is simple but still pretty.

xo-ally

farmer's market

Harding Lane hat | J. Crew t-shirt (similar) | Rock & Republic shorts | Sperry boat shoes | Michael Kors watch | Swank bracelets | Nordstrom earrings

I went to the Farmer's Market with my dad yesterday and picked up this lovely bouquet of flowers for only $5! We also got some local veggies and chocolate, so it was a win all around. This casual ensemble was a great, comfortable outfit to wear walking around outside. My happy shark hat - that's what I call it :) - also shaded my eyes so I didn't even need sunglasses.

I also saw We're The Millers, did some work for my new job, and a lot of relaxing these past two days. What did you do this weekend?

xo-ally

friday's fancies - summer treat

This week's Friday's Fancies theme with Long Distance Loving is summer treat. I can't wait to get to Italy in just a little over a week and get some gelato! I can taste the delicious-ness by thinking of it. Here is my outfit inspired by strawberry and raspberry flavored gelato:

photo credits: one, two

jacket, dress, pumps, watch, clutch

I like how the dress and suede pumps make the outfit dressy, but the moto jacket adds a hint of edge. Since the jacket is white, it makes the outfit summery and works better with the girliness of the rest of the outfit. I adore the cork and gold clutch, which goes well with the gold Juicy watch!

xo-ally

subtle floral

J. Crew top | Swank shorts (similar) | Nordstrom sunglasses (similar) | Kate Spade bag (similar) | Michael Kors watch |  Nordstrom orange bangle | Henri Bendel yellow bracelet | Tory Burch sandals (close-toed flats) | Max & Chloe necklace

Today's outfit subtly mixes floral on the lace shorts, gold bag, and bangle. With the similar tones of gold and orange, it all works and makes the different sized florals go together. I love my J. Crew peplum top because it really can pull any outfit together (it is also SO comfortable). And I was excited to add my new neon sailor knot bracelet from Bendels! I got the bracelet at the Bendels summer sale in New York a couple weeks ago. Even though it's both neon and nautical, I have a feeling this bracelet will carry through to fall.

More ways to wear it....
The Nordstrom Anniversary Sale has only a few days left, and there are some great floral pieces on sale to choose from. First, I adore this hot pink floral pencil skirt from Kate Spade. It's $198, a hundred dollars less than the original price, but still a little spendy (for me at least!)
Floral tights add coverage to basic dresses and skirts in the cooler seasons, but still make the outfit interesting. This pair comes in black and a reddish-purple. There is also plus size available as well.
I couldn't resist adding this pair of bright, floral jeans to the list. I know, I know, they're very summer-y (and Kate Spade, again), but...they're wearable into September and you can save them for spring? Think of it as a future investment in next year's spring break wardrobe! :)

xo-ally

whales!

J. Crew sweater (similar sweater, solid) (similar print, tee) | Nordstrom sunglasses | Sanctuary jeans | Tory Burch sandals (similar, great year-round option) | Michael Kors watch | J. Crew yellow bracelet (similar) | Swank silver bracelets | Color Club "Disco Dress" nail polish

How adorable are these little whales?! It was a chilly Seattle morning, so I threw on my new critter sweater I've been wanting to wear :) Pairing it with white skinnies and metallic sandals made it still feel like summer despite the cool breeze. The sweater is a little sheer due to its lightweight feel, so I'd recommend a navy cami (like this one from Nordstrom) if you wouldn't want a different color to show through (I wore a white cami underneath).

To bring this look into fall I'd swap the bright white denim for a pair of off-white cords or tuck the sweater into distressed skinny jeans with a classic, brown leather belt.

xo-ally