David Yurman

OOTD: Transitions

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Dress | Shoes | Necklace | Earrings | Bracelet 1 | Bracelet 2 | Work Bag

The calendar says it’s fall, but as usual, Indiana weather has its own ideas. We’ve gone from 80s to barely 60 within a few days, and we’re supposed to hit the 80s again all in the same week. As much as I’m itching to get out my plaids, flannels, and wools for fall, it’s just not practical, so I’m making it work with transitional pieces and accessories for now until the weather catches up.

I’m ecstatic that Old Navy brought back my favorite swing dress from last year – so much so that I’m debating what color(s?) I’ll be getting it next. This dress is perfect year-round; just throw on some tights once it gets cold, and you’re good to go. As a heads up, I had to size down from my normal last year, so you may have to do the same.

I finally got in on the lace-up flats trend, and my favorite part about these is that it isn’t hard to find them for less than $20 thanks to Target’s sales. (Ahem, like right now.)

This is definitely an outfit I’ve worn more than once over the past month, swapping out the flats for booties (like these or these, depending on the occasion) and rotating my ever-present Kendra Scott necklace and earring favorites. I know that as the temperature keeps falling, I’ll be reaching for this dress – and whichever color I get next – to pair with a cardigan, tights, and over-the-knee boots. It really is the best!

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How I Spent My Summer

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White Pants | Shoes | Purse | Earrings | Bracelet 1 | Bracelet 2 | Lipstick

Good news, guys, I’m still around! My Labor Day weekend has kicked off with a trip to the Minute Clinic to find out my husband has a sinus infection and bronchitis, so I thought it might be a good time to explain my absence while he hopefully sleeps those antibiotics into his system. You may notice a bit of a change of scenery there in the background there, as we’ve started redoing our bedroom this summer! I’m obsessed with the changes so far, but that’s a post for another day.

I said awhile back that I needed to press pause, and at the time, it was because I was just too overwhelmed with work, training for the half-marathon, and just general life stuff. Although my training ended, work didn’t start to slow down until very recently. I was so exhausted by late nights (the kind where your husband asks if he was dreaming or were you actually on the phone with your coworker at 1 a.m. – yikes), deadlines, and everything else we had going on this summer, that the idea of getting back on my computer and blogging was just too much. I missed it and still took lots of pics though; my phone is basically an “I should blog about this” graveyard.

I’m excited to say that things have finally slowed down enough that I think I’m finally able to make my return. I’m ready to share outfits, recipes, and all of the other stuff I’m excited about again. To make up for a complete lack of posting all summer, and in honor of the time-honored tradition of starting the school year by sharing all of the details of your summer break. I figured why not finally share some of my photos, so get ready to scroll!

Run 317 Circle

My cousin and I ran a 5k through downtown Indy less than 2 weeks after the Mini Marathon. The Run 317 series goes through Indianapolis neighborhoods, supports local charities, and comes with two beers at the end from Thr3eWiseMen! This one started and ended on Monument Circle – so fun!

Indy 500

We went to the 100th running of the Indianapolis 500. It was an awesome day with our friends and family. It was also HOT, so this one is me in all of my sweaty, unfiltered glory.

Colin-Liza Wedding

We celebrated the wedding of one of our oldest friends (Colin, my chili-adoring bestie)…and thought we were still young enough to close down the bars in Bloomington like college kids (we’re not). If you’re ever in B-town, check out The Big Cheeze! True love is your husband surprising you with a grilled cheese at 2 a.m.

Happy Camper

We spent a weekend in Chicago catching up with old friends and celebrating one of my best friend’s baby shower. The picture is a little blurry, but the look of pure joy on my face is because the Happy Camper is a bar with tire swings. Beers with friends from high school, pizza, and tire swings made it basically the best thing ever.

Run 317 Mass Ave

We did another Run 317 in the Mass Ave area of downtown Indy, and this time my sister joined us for her first ever 5k! It was the kind of ridiculously hot and humid day where you sweat just standing still, so they had to turn it into a non-timed “fun run,” which was just fine for us. We have one more Run 317 left in October, so hopefully my sister will be joining us again!

My very favorite weekend of the year every year is Dave Matthews Band weekend with my husband, brother-in-law, and our friends. Dave plays two shows in Indy, and each night is a totally different show and setlist, so we go both nights. Our first night was up-close and personal in the pit so you can really see the band, and then the second night is on the lawn and dancing barefoot on our blanket (although that part is more just me…). It was SO HOT – are you noticing a theme here for this summer in Indianapolis?

Alyssa Wedding

August kicked off with my cousin’s wedding and an after-party at our house that lasted into the wee hours of the morning. I have a lot of cousins, and I LOVE hanging out with all of them. It was so much fun, and will definitely be a night we remember for a long time.

First Anniversary

Speaking of weddings, we celebrated our first anniversary on August 15th! I cannot believe it’s been a year already, time truly does fly when you’re having fun. I honestly planned to do so many wedding-related posts about how I got ready for our big days (we had two weddings: one on 8/15 at a church with just our family, and one that was a great big party with our family and friends on 8/21), but we’ve already been over my lack of posts. Now that we’re getting ready to ramp up planning my sister’s wedding, I fully plan to share my tips, tricks, lessons, and memories from ours as we go, so stay tuned!

Speaking of our anniversary, Kendra Scott just happened to open a store in Indianapolis the weekend before. My sweet husband knew I’ve been lusting after this necklace forever, so he played detective to find out when exactly they’d be opening, and he even figured out that if we went on opening day, I’d get this (perfectly Colts blue) bracelet for free! Isn’t he the best? Did you know that if you go to Kendra Scott during your birthday month and show your ID, you get 50% off of a piece of jewelry? August just happens to be his birthday month, so it was even more of a bargain. You can guess where I’ll be heading in October!

So that was our summer in a nutshell. Can you believe it’s already September? I love summer, and it’s my favorite season, even when it gets ridiculously hot. I have to say though, I’m ready for the calm that comes with fall. Fall means calmer schedules, bonfire and chili nights with our friends, football Sundays (and the snacks that go with them!), and so many other great things. I love my sundresses, but I also love the fashion that comes with the cooler temperatures.

Thanks for bearing with me while I took some time to re-group, and I promise to be a much better blogger in the weeks and months to come.

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OOTD 3.31.2016

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Dress (white) | Necklace | Lipstick

It’s important to have some clothes for the office that make you feel like you’re ready to kick some butt that day. For me, a good sheath dress does exactly that, so I always reach for one when I have a meeting or I know it’s going to be a busier day at the office in terms of who’s there that day.

I shared my love for this particular dress from J. Crew Factory when I almost wore it for St. Patrick’s Day, and I wasn’t kidding when I said I was ready to get it out for the year. Though it seems the green isn’t available anymore, this white option is just as polished and chic – especially with little white dresses being a must-have this spring and summer. My other go-to sheath dress is this one from The Limited. I currently have it in black, navy, and gray (and now that I’m seeing it in khaki and light blue, I may need to expand my collection…). Whether you work in an office that tends to be on the dressier side or just need an alternative to a suit for big meeting days, the sheath is an always classic way to look pulled together with minimal effort. Use your jewelry to either make a statement or keep things simple, you’ll look great regardless!

This top knot has become one of my favorite styles for day-two hair, partially because I feel like I’ve finally figured out that perfectly full Lauren Conrad-esque version I’ve loved for years. Yes, I’m still doing the not washing every day thing, and no, I haven’t forgotten about still needing to post about it. In the meantime, I’ve been trying all sorts of dry shampoos, and I’ve definitely found some favorites and some I probably won’t be buying again once the can runs out. Training has added a new layer to my little experiment, but I have to tell you, I’m pretty hooked…the extra bit of sleep in the morning thanks to the shortened shower is a pretty solid selling point too!

I know I’ve been slacking on the posts lately, and I promise, I’ll work on it. As the race gets closer (just over a month away!), my mileage during the week is increasing, so long days at work plus the time to put in my miles is zapping my weeknights. Like I mentioned in the beginning, this is my fun spot, so when time is short and I have to choose between a post and time with my husband, he wins every time. I swear, I’m still around and will get better at the posting thing.

Happy weekend!

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OOTDs: Easter (Weekend) Lillies

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Dress | Clutch

Some weeks are just crazy and busy, but this week was just plain challenging for all sorts of reasons. Needless to say, we were ready for the weekend. It’s no secret I’ve been ready for spring weather and spring clothes, but there’s no better time than Easter to rock all Lilly Pulitzer, all weekend.

On Saturday, we went to a couples wedding shower for an old friend and his awesome fiancee. I knew I wanted to wear this tunic dress I snagged during the Lilly Pulitzer After Party Sale back in January – it felt like I’d ordered it forever ago and I’ve just been waiting for it to get warm enough. The day started out pretty chilly (it was a rough run that morning), so instead of the sandals I hoped for, I stuck with with booties. Note to self: I really need some closed-toe espadrilles for these in-between days…and just in general. Fun tassel earrings and my monogrammed clutch were all I needed to complete my party outfit.

Wedding Shower 2Wedding Shower 1

The shower was super fun and eventually transitioned from your pretty typical wedding shower to just hanging out with some of our oldest friends. My friend, Amanda, and I have been besties since the first day of first grade when we got lost together before the school day even started (true story). She, Colin (the groom-to-be), and I all went to elementary school together, and then my husband joined the group in middle school. Colin’s house was where we’d all hang out, and Amanda made my husband and I admit we liked each other during a 7th grade field trip, so to say we all go wayyyy back is an understatement. It’s also why we’re apparently incapable of getting through a normal photo together without laughing hysterically (though I’m sure the margaritas didn’t help much either)…this was the best of the bunch. The boys’ antics haven’t changed much since middle school either!

Easter - GroupEaster - JandJEaster - with Mom

Dress (similar) | Cardigan | Shoes | Earrings

The only downside of the Lilly After Party Sale is that you end up waiting so long to get to wear your new treats if you don’t go anywhere warm during the winter. I’ve been waiting since the August sale to wear this Bentley v-neck dress,  and it was totally worth the wait as the perfect Easter dress. (It’s no longer available, but this one is pretty similar.) My heels are favorites from J.Crew Factory – they’re amazingly comfortable and go with literally everything. And yes, my Kendra Scotts again, because they also go with everything and I have no self-control. We were staring directly into the sun for this series of pics, which is why we’re all squinting and the boys were being ridiculous.

EggHunt1EggHunt2EggHunt3

This year, my mom put together an Easter egg hunt for us to do after mass, but it was no ordinary free-for-all egg hunt. Each of our (color-coded by person) eggs was filled with pieces of a poem we had to unscramble. Once the poem was unscrambled, you had to solve your riddle to figure out where your Easter basket was hidden. You can see our intense concentration as we all tried to solve ours (I figured out mine first!), and the whole thing was pretty funny.

Hope you had a gorgeous and happy Easter weekend!

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OOTD: 3.17.2016

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green top | black pants | monogram necklace | lipstick

Can you believe I was the only person at my office to wear green on St. Patrick’s Day? I love dressing up for holidays, mostly just because I love themed anything. (I firmly believe adult life needs more theme parties, college totally spoiled me.) I also just love wearing a bright, springy green, so this holiday works out well for me.

To be completely honest, I half expected to be the only one even in the office on Thursday. Had I realized I wouldn’t be sitting alone all day, I would’ve pulled out one of my favorite spring dresses for the office. This green dress from J.Crew Factory was a favorite last year, and another dress I couldn’t wait to pull back out this year. But you know how you hate to waste a good outfit on a day you don’t really see anyone?

Instead, I went with my green, flutter-sleeve top, which has been a favorite since I ordered it last spring. Luckily J.Crew Factory is good about bringing back classics and brought it back again this year, along with my green dress (although the fabric on the dress is a little different this year). The flutter-sleeve top also pairs perfectly with jeans or tucked into a pencil skirt, and I can guarantee this won’t be the last time you see it on here.

I paired my green top with my trusty black pants and basic black peep-toe pumps. I love the floral jewelry trend this spring, so I decided to join in with these fun white flower earrings that were my Grandma’s. She’s always been ahead of the trends.

Nars’ Cruella is a matte, scarlet red has been my go-to red lip since I got it with my Sephora birthday gift in October, but I was ready to trade it in for something with a little more pop. Bite’s Pomegranate is a perfect brighter red for the warmer days, while still staying a rich, true red.

I may love a good holiday theme, but this is a spring outfit I’ll definitely be wearing again!

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OOTD 2.24.2016

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It seems that despite my best efforts to be done with winter clothes, Indiana is not yet done with winter. Womp womp. 

Today was a return to temps in the 30s and snow tonight (remember when it was 72 degrees just four days ago?), but fear not, we’re supposed to be in the 50s by Saturday and 60s by Sunday. This is Indiana, after all. Transitioning weather calls for transitional outfits, and although I posted a version of this one here, part of what I love about it is you can change the outfit up just by changing the scarf. 

Today was a black-and-white plaid blanket scarf from Old Navy last year, but it can just as easily be swapped for a lighter and brighter scarf when the days get warmer. Draping the scarf lengthwise around your neck and belting it gives a bit of a polished, faux vest look, while secretly keeping you warm and cozy at your desk all day. A basic black long-sleeved top  (like I said, I may have a slight obsession with black tops), my favorite Minnie pants from J.Crew, and some black pumps provide a sleek base for the outfit. Topped with my faithful Kendra Scott earrings, monogram necklace, and this pop of bright pink lip color I can’t get enough of, and I was ready for the day. 

Here’s hoping this is the last of the winter things for awhile! 

  

OOTD 2.11.2016

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OOTD 02122016

Do you ever have those weeks when it seems like everything is on fire? That was this week. Lots of long and crazy days, and Wednesday was an especially late night of work. Going to sleep on nights I’ve worked late is near impossible for me – it’s like my brain just can’t turn off and still needs hours to wind down again. While it gives me some solo quiet time to catch up on the day’s social media I missed, it’s not so great for waking up the next day at my normal time. On day’s like that, I like to have some easy outfits I don’t have to think about, so I can just throw them on and go.

Black and camel is one of those color combos that never fails to feel classic and polished, with minimal effort required. These wool skimmer pants are actually from last year, but I can always count on J. Crew Factory to keep the classics in stock. There’s no camel left, but it looks like the ones they do have left are marked down to half price (love the crimson or black). Add on a black top – I have so many variations of black tops, my husband thinks I’m crazy when I come home with another one – my favorite Kendra Scott earrings, black heels, red lips, and you’re out the door!

I was exhausted, and it was another crazy, long day, but I felt put together enough that I still looked ready for the invite from one of my girlfriends for a much needed impromptu sushi and beer break after work.

How do you make late nights and long days better?

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