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

a little sun after the storm

 C. Wonder top | Hunter boots | Aritzia cardigan (similar) | Max & Chloe monogram necklace | C. Wonder long necklace (similar here and here) | Michael Kors watch | Nordstrom arrow bracelet | Kiel James Patrick knot bracelet | Sanctuary jeans | Chanel sunglasses

xo-ally

m street at night

C. Wonder top (on sale!) | Longchamp bag | Martin + Osa peacoat (old, but similar here and also loving this blue one) | Trouve leggings (similar here and here) | Nordstrom sunglasses (similar) 

Just quickly posting a few photos from strolling around M Street earlier this week. M Street is definitely my favorite shopping spot in the DC area. Now it's back to work - I've been working some pretty long days but love what I do, so it's all good. I will say that I am very excited to get some sleep tonight!

Thanks for stopping by :)

xo-ally

spend vs. save: midi skirts

I've been a fan of midi skirts since they resurfaced on the runways in the past couple of years, but have yet to try one for myself. I feel like they're somewhat hard to find, but maybe it's because the kind I'm lusting for are the colorful, full midis and not the slimmer-fit calf skimmers. A big, billowy skirt and a pair of heels would be enough to make me feel like a princess for a day, and luckily not blow my budget - thanks to some budget-friendly options. Here are a couple of beautiful, higher priced midis and a few of their less-expensive counterparts (plus, how to wear them).

SPEND:

alice + olivia - $395 (on sale for $277!)

Tibi - $395

SAVE:

Topshop - $96

ASOS - $51 

Space 46 Boutique - $92

HOW TO WEAR IT:

jacket, skirt, top, clutch, sandals

I'm in love with this tulle midi skirt. The princess-y feel of the skirt calls for balancing out the look with an edgier motorcycle jacket and a mock neck crop top. A bright envelope clutch adds some much needed color and the heeled sandals (always wear heels with midi skirts) add some height and make the legs look taller despite the skirt's longer hem.

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

spend vs. save: geometric sunglasses

I've had my eyes on a pair of geometric sunglasses for a while now. Sharp, angular sunglasses take eyewear to a modern level, while traditional shades like black and tortoise keep the look from being too "out-there."

Spend:

Karen Walker - $250

Elizabeth & James - $195

Save:

Nordstrom - $24

Topshop - $32

How to wear it:

Karen Walker sunglasses, Nordstrom top, Topshop pencil skirt, Tory Burch bag

What is your take on geometric sunglasses - would you try the trend?

xo-ally

winter beach outfit in viareggio, italy

Nordstrom t-shirt (similar) | Longchamp bag | Hudson jeans | Diva Shoes Florence boots (similar) | Chanel sunglasses | Michael Kors watch | Stella & Dot bracelet | Seattle boutique bracelets | similar jacket

This is my last outfit post of 2013! Last week I went to Viareggio, a small beach town on the Italian coast. It is only about an hour and a half train ride away. (Yup, those are my pink ear buds you can see peeking out of my Longchamp...didn't realize they were showing until after the photos were taken...haha). Even though it was winter, it was only a little chilly because of the sun. It was so refreshing to be on a beach and by the water and to get away from Florence for a day.

xo-ally

rugby stripes; at the vatican

Florence boutique sweater (similar) | Trouve leggings (similar) | Longchamp bag | Ray-Ban sunglasses | Tory Burch flats | Henri Bendel earrings

Merry Christmas EVE! I haven't posted an outfit in a while but I was out and about in Rome yesterday and decided to take a quick couple photos of this outfit. I wore my cozy new sweater and leggings, perfect for the train ride, complete with flats for walking around the huge city, in addition to sunglasses because of the sunny (!) weather. The Vatican is gorgeous, and while I've seen it before, it never disappoints. It is honestly the most elaborate, most gorgeous church I have ever been in. Photos of Rome to come soon!

Have a great day, can you believe it is almost Christmas?!

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!

friday's fancies - holiday party perfect

This week's Friday's Fancies theme with Long Distance Loving is holiday party perfect. I've been admiring that black Lilly dress for some time now - the draped lace and shiny beading on the bottom are holiday-perfect, yet the black color keeps it subdued. I did add plenty of color in the jewelry though - colors are fun and perfect for parties! Simple black heels and a quirky Kate Spade clutch complete the look.

dress, necklace, red bracelet, gold bracelets, clutch, heels

xo-ally

christmas sweater and leggings

Subdued sweater | Trouve leggings (similar) | H&M sneakers (non-high-top version here)

Super casual outfit today. Last week I stopped in at a boutique in Florence and got this adorable baggy winter sweater! It is perfect for the Christmas season with the reindeer and tree. The hearts are cute too :) the whole design is printed on the back as well! It's super cozy and nice to wear while running errands around the city.

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

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

details lately...

Haven't had much of a chance to do my usual outfit posts lately, being so busy taking photos of the students on our trips! My Nikon is also currently broken...so sad! Hoping to get it fixed ASAP. In the meantime, I'll be using my phone.

Outfit details from lately:

Dixie glitter sweatershirt | Nordstrom hat (similar here and here)

My latest instagram: 

Stella & Dot scarf | Nordstrom sunglasses | Nike shoes (similar here, with a touch of pink!)

A little shopping from Croatia...  

From the market, these look like they could be inspired by J. Crew or Kate Spade, don't you think?

Loafers and sandals, also from the market.

And then I got these Nike high tops! I always said sneakers were just for the gym, until I moved to Europe...where literally everyone wears them. There is so much great style to be inspired by here, and I just had to snag a pair.

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

current favorites: printed skirts

I'm loving printed skirts these days, and there are so many on the market to choose from. With either a solid or printed top, there are plenty of mix-and-match options, making multiple outfits out of one skirt. Here are my current favorite printed skirts for both day and night:

For day, left to right: River Island Printed Flippy Skirt ($42), Sail With Me Skirt ($44), Milly 'Combo' Print Miniskirt ($195)

For night, left to right: Born to Shimmer Skirt ($46), Sequin Embellished Miniskirt ($60), Embellished Miniskirt ($59-on sale!), Printed Sequin Embellished Skirt ($50)

My top pick of all of these has to be the red, white, and blue skirt by Milly (top right). I can't resist a red and blue combination!

The tribal printed sequin mini (second from the left, bottom row) was also worn by Desiree on this season of The Bachelorette. When I was watching that episode all I could think of was how cute that skirt was!

Side note -- who can't wait for the season finale of The Bachelorette?!

As for shoe pairings for the skirts, I could see strappy sandals working well for the picks for day. I like this pair and this pair for all three of them. A pair of Jack Rogers sandals would also look lovely with the Milly skirt. For the night skirt picks, this pair of neutral, ankle strap heels would look fabulous.

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