J. Crew

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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M.I.A…

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At this point, it’s no secret that I’ve not only failed at posting more, I’ve gone longer than I have without a post since I started this blogging adventure. I’m still alive and have not abandoned my little corner of the internet, I promise! 

I’m not here to make excuses. I don’t think there’s any glory in being sooo busy all of the time, and “I don’t have time” is one of my least favorite statements ever. But sometimes there’s so much happening at one time, you have to choose to press pause on some things to focus on others. It’s not because you want to, but for the sake of maintaining sanity, it’s gotta happen. 

There are only so many hours in one day, and right now, mine are pretty much dominated by some things that are outside of my control. In the remaining hours I can eke out, I’m squeezing in my final weeks of training runs (16 days to go!) and pretty much just thanking my lucky stars for an amazing husband who’s keeping me going. 

In the meantime, I’m focusing on the little things that get me through the day. I put on this Lilly Pulitzer for Target dress for work yesterday because I couldn’t think of a better cure for being sleep-deprived than a bright yellow dress with flamingos on it. (You know, other than that giant cup of coffee I’m holding. There have been a lot of those too.)   

Does the flower crown Snapchat filter make anyone else feel like they at least look like a serene goddess who has their life totally under control? The warm weather and pretty Lilly Pulitzer patterns don’t hurt either. (And check out that sweet running tanline…time for sunscreen and dreams of evening it back out poolside.) Like I said, it’s the little things that get you through. 

I promise, I’ll be back to the regularly scheduled programming as soon as I possibly can. Until then, deep breaths, happy thoughts, and lots of room for grace.
  

OOTD: 3.17.2016

~ reallifesparkle ~ 1 Comment

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 2.5.2016: Travel Days

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It’s been a crazy busy week, but what else is new. I realized I hadn’t done any OOTD posts this week, so I thought I’d share a travel day look from Friday. My job requires a decent amount of travel to our other offices in the state, so I’ve gotten used to figuring out what travels well and is comfortable for the long days.

The key factors for travel day outfits are how comfortable I’ll be in the car for two (or more) hours there and back, and how well what I’m wearing will hold up through the drive. There are few things worse on travel days than leaving the house looking your best, then arriving looking like a wrinkled mess after sitting in the car for so long. My pink skirt is a thick wool find from a few years ago in the J.Crew sale room, but they have a pretty consistent variation of it from year-to-year. This year’s is on sale with an extra 30% off, and I love how they come in classic colors that go with everything and hold up over the years.

I’m a big fan of stripes (just look in my closet), and I love how spring time seems to mean stripes are everywhere every year. My shirt is an oldie from Ann Taylor Loft, and you can’t see it very well, but it has the cutest bow on the neck to jazz things up a bit. This version doesn’t have the bow, but is still just as cute and versatile.

Another thing I’ve learned over the years is that driving in my heels will tear them up. I wore my go-to black booties for this pic, but one of my comfort and shoe-preservation secrets is that I always drive in Uggs, flats, or sandals depending on the weather. This is a lesson learned from experience, because these little booties were in need of some desperate repair after the backs of the heels were DESTROYED from driving too much in them, plus walking around on the salty/snowy sidewalks when our office was downtown. Tip: Find a good cobbler near you to revive your shoe investments. I have my father-in-law to thank for introducing me to the guy who SAVED these favorites from the trash and my wallet from a new bootie investment. I’ve also learned to wear boots when I’m commuting, then change into my heels or booties once I get to my office – live and learn.

Add on some sparkly crystal drop earrings (mine no longer available from J. Crew Factory, but look how pretty these are!), and I felt comfortable and polished for the long day!

Do you travel for work? What are your travel day style tips?

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Girls Weekend and Indy’s Bacon Fest!

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There’s nothing better than a weekend with your besties, am I right? The weekend kicked off at my house on Friday night with wine, cheese, masks, nail painting, and all sorts of other girly fun together.

GirlsNight-Cheese

I love a good spread of meats, cheeses, hummus, fruits, and veggies. They’re easy to pull together, and they never fail to look fancy without too much effort (you know, when you actually bother to put the hummus and salsa in bowls instead of leaving them in their plastic Trader Joe’s containers – whoops). This ended up being our dinner for the evening, paired with a few bottles of wine, of course. Then came face masks, painting our nails, and a Hulu marathon while my husband hid out at let us do our thing.

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We knew Saturday would be full of food at Indy’s Bacon Fest, but that didn’t stop us from starting it off with a breakfast of toasted bagels, avocado, and a lesson in poaching eggs from my friend Erin. I can’t wait to see how many eggs I ruin trying to recreate this little bit of heaven, but I’m obsessed with a good runny yolk and anything avocado, so it’ll be worth the effort.

The main event for the day was Indy’s Bacon Fest, an event featuring bacon and “pork inspired” products from 20 local restaurants, beer from a local brewery, and so much deliciousness. It was the second year of the event, and I’m SO PROUD of my sister’s best friend, who has organized the whole thing both years. Baconfest-SarahKristiBaconfest-shirtBaconfest-MeSarah2Baconfest-girlsfood

Have I ever mentioned that one of my husband’s favorite things is a photobomb? All. The. Time. The day included samples like BBQ Sorghum Glazed Bacon from Bent Rail Brewery, Bacon Glaze Donuts from Jack’s Donuts, a Potato Bacon Terrine from Union 50 (my favorite of the day), and so many other amazing things. We were absolutely stuffed trying everything, but luckily it was a perfect 60 degree day that allowed us to go sit outside on the patio and enjoy an afternoon in the sun – so rare for Indianapolis in January!

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Don’t worry, that Indiana Pork tattoo on my sister is temporary…even though we may have tried to tell our mom it wasn’t. Our beers for the day were from Tow Yard Brewing Company, and I was a big fan of the Goldie Hops Golden Ale.

My striped shirt is on sale for less than $15 at Gap, my blanket scarf is probably one of my most-worn accessories, and of course, I think I’ve made my feelings about my Pixie pants pretty clear by now. Kaitlin’s buffalo plaid vest is also on markdown right now at J.Crew with an extra 40% off, and I love it so much I may need one of my own.

After Indy’s Bacon Fest, we took a nice (long) walk in the gorgeous weather to Hotel Tango, a craft distillery that’s one of our favorite places to grab a cocktail. Although we intended to go out to dinner and out on the town Saturday night, we ended up ordering in Thai food and keeping things pretty low key. We did learn that the whole use white wine to get out spilled red wine thing really does work though. Life lessons.

Our weekends together are my favorite, and it felt like forever since our last visit after the summer full of wedding festivities meant lots of play dates. Weekends with your college girlfriends are like food for your soul. Can’t wait for the next one!

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Girly Saturday: Brunch & Antiquing

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I had a girly day yesterday while my amazing husband and father-in-law were at our house fixing our water heater. It’s been rough for the past few weeks – you had to choose between lukewarm-to-scalding hot water with zero water pressure, or lots of pressure with ICE COLD water. Luckily, my father-in-law is super handy, and he was able to show my husband how to fix the blocked valves and save us from spending a ton of money on a new water heater. The difference today was incredible, so thank goodness for parents who are constantly helping us figure out this whole homeownership thing.

Now, doesn’t that brunch look amazing? One of my best friends moved to Indy a few months ago, so she’s definitely helping me stay cool and try fun new restaurants. Yesterday we went to Milktooth, and what you’re seeing is the most incredible grilled raclette, cranberry, and walnut grilled cheese, drizzled with black truffle honey and topped with a local duck egg. The other girls had a spaghetti squash pad thai pancake (so good!) and the “Milktooth Double,” which was a double burger that our friend said was amazing. Of course, it’s not brunch without cocktails, so I had a French 75, and the other girls had a michelada and beer mimosa. If you’re ever looking for great brunch in the Indy area, Milktooth is absolutely worth the trip and the wait (it’ll be packed, expect a wait).

After brunch, Kaitlin and I went antiquing to find fun things for our house and her apartment. It was my first time really going antiquing, and it was crazy seeing all of the different things in the stalls. I picked up the wrought iron part of an old clock face (shout out to Kaitlin for seeing it tucked in the back corner of a booth and letting me snag it) and this fun old vase. I think the clock piece will be an awesome edition to the gallery wall we’re trying to put together.

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We had actually planned to go to a different antique mall, but ended up missing the turn, so we decided to try out a place my father-in-law recommended instead. We followed up antiquing with her coming over for an evening at our house of takeout, wine, and standup comedy on Netflix, so it was a pretty fantastic day.

Because I knew we’d be walking around a lot and be outside, I tried to layer up and dress for the unexpected.

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It was a day for a plaid tunic, comfy cardigan, my favorite charcoal Pixie pants, and pink Hunter boots just for fun. My monogram is probably my most worn piece of jewelry – not counting my wedding rings, of course. I actually got my pink Hunters about five years ago in the shoe sale room at our local Von Maur, so I was pleasantly surprised when I saw other bloggers talking about how Hunter had a “new” pink color last fall that was exactly the same as my old ones. My plaid tunic and cardigan aren’t exact matches, but are still super cute steals from Old Navy. The Pixie pants are marked down to $50 with an extra 40% off right now, making them an amazing deal at $30, so go, go, go get some!

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Today I stocked up on supplies for upcoming craft projects and we’ve got another cold weather favorite planned for dinner, so look for projects and recipes coming soon!

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OOTD 1.21.2016

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A bit delayed, but I meant when I said I could not wait to wear these new Kendra Scott beauties – I wore them the very next day! I kept it basic with black pants, a black long-sleeve, and a black and white blanket scarf so that the pink really popped. Cold days in January need more hot pink.

My black pants are a J.Crew winter favorite I’ve had for a few years. Mine are a wool dress pant, although the link is a new version in a cotton twill, but either way they’re a great slim-fitting dress pant for the office. You can’t go wrong with basic long-sleeve tees that can be dressed up, dressed down, and worn a million different ways. Old Navy is a favorite for picking them up in a rainbow of colors for super cheap. Blanket scarves are by far one of my favorite “trends” that’s lasted a couple years now. They instantly make you feel pulled together, while keeping you cozy whether it’s just starting to get cold or when it’s well into winter’s freezing days. What are your winter fashion go-tos?

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Slow Cooker Sunday and A Day Off

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I mentioned yesterday (That’s right, yesterday. Two days in a row, look at me go!) that my sister and her fiancé were coming over for dinner. The temps outside were single digit with an even colder wind chill, so I was determined to not leave the house and make something that would feel warm and cozy. I’m a HUGE fan of the slow cooker. It’s a great way to make a stress-free meal that’s cost-effective and delicious, and the leftovers are great to freeze so you don’t have to worry about dinner some night in the future. There’s nothing better than coming home to your house smelling like someone’s been cooking all day, and the only real effort expended was dumping in the ingredients before you leave for work that morning. Easy, right?

A big batch of red beans and smoked sausage sounded like the perfect meal for the bitter cold day. I like this recipe courtesy of Plain Chicken, and you’ll probably have most of the ingredients around already. I know, I said we ate red beans and rice last Sunday at our friend’s restaurant, it’s just that great for when it’s cold out.

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You may notice the bell pepper from the recipe is missing. We didn’t have one, but as I mentioned, I was determined to not leave the house, so we did without. It still tasted amazing, even though I realize this was probably a cardinal sin of cajun cooking. Also not pictured is the hot sauce I added. We like the extra heat, so how much you add is up to you. Instead of dicing the onion, I threw it in the food processor with a clove of garlic (not required, but garlic is never a bad addition), so it would all just kind of melt together. The recipe says andouille sausage, but we had smoked sausage and that’s what we used.

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There’s no pre-soaking needed for the beans, so it’s just everything in for 8 – 10 hours on low. If you’re around, give it an occasional stir, but if not, it’ll be just fine until you get home. Much to my Texan husband’s delight, I also took this opportunity to make my first ever round of cornbread in a cast iron skillet. Seasoning the cast iron was an adventure of a story for a different day, but we survived, the oven survived, and the cornbread turned out pretty great too.

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Throw a pot of rice on the stove, and you’re good to go. My husband even made a pitcher of  sweet tea for good, extra-Southern measure.

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Amazing. We still added extra hot sauce on top, because like I said, we like the heat. So stick-to-your-ribs perfect. Normally we have lots of leftovers to eat on and freeze, but sharing cut down on the extras a bit this time. Don’t worry, the company was worth it!

Today, I went to lunch and shopping with my mom and sister since we all had the day off, and it was another COLD day. A freezing-doesn’t-even-begin-to-cover-it day.

It was a day of layers upon layers, and then a vest and a scarf on top for good measure. My jeans (look – no leggings!), flannel, and sweater are all J.Crew Factory. The flannel and sweater aren’t exact links, but are pretty close, and the pearls are now at J.Crew Factory and on sale. My vest is the ever-popular herringbone vest from J.Crew Factory (mine is gray, but it looks like black is all that’s left), and my scarf was a steal from Forever 21. It’s no longer available in the cream, but it’s so cozy, I’d definitely recommend the gray. My earrings are a fun monogrammed favorite from Marley Lilly.

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Today’s post was written to the sounds of the Eagles in memory of Glenn Frey. Our house was always full of music as a kid, and the Eagles were a staple. I’ve known the words to almost every Eagles song for pretty much my whole life. My husband loves music, although he isn’t much for knowing the words to any song, and comes from a similar background in terms of a childhood full of classic rock and the Eagles. Their music is a constant in our own house, we introduced our parents at a summer performance of Eagles music by the Indianapolis Symphony at Symphony on the Prairie, and we incorporated Eagles music into the seating playlist at our wedding. My husband was lucky enough to sit front row at an Eagles concert in high school, but unfortunately, I’ll never get my bucket list experience of seeing them live now. A true loss to the music world. Take it easy.

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One of those weeks…

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You know those weeks when you have big plans laid out, then life kicks your butt, and you’re just happy if you can pick out clothes that sort of match? Yeah, it was one of those.

Working late every night meant blogging took a serious backseat, but then again, that’s part of why this one has “real life” in the title…it’s going to happen. On weeks like this, my priority is to actually find time to have real conversations with my husband, preserve my sanity, and get some sleep. During these weeks, I try to remind myself that I’m lucky to have a job that has allowed me to pay off my car and for us to by a house, and just give myself a lot of room for grace.

I had every intention of doing a post or two this week, took pictures and everything…they just never made it up on the blog. I never really intended for OOTDs to all be on one giant post, but since I haven’t had time, this will unfortunately be another week of grouped pics.

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I was nervous about the over-the-knee boot trend at first, but when I found a pair at H&M for $60 this fall, I decided to give them a whirl. Short answer: I’m obsessed. Seriously, some OTK boots and red lipstick, and you’ll feel like you can rule the world. Pairing them with black tights, a tweed skirt, a “sweater set,” and my favorite pearls from J.Crew (they’re at J.Crew Factory now, on sale!) helps tone them down enough for the office without being too over-the-top.

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Polka dot pants are a good way to add fun to your work wear, and Old Navy’s Pixie pants are a favorite. I know, I know, another pixie pant…it must be the name! I have a few pairs from Old Navy in solid colors and these polka dot gems, but the price can’t be beat and they’re so versatile.

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The Friday of a long week meant I was ready for a comfy swing dress, faux fur vest (not sure this is my exact one from H&M, but its a steal nonetheless), my OTK boots, and another Kendra Scott favorite. My swing dress was from Old Navy this past fall and doesn’t seem to be around anymore, but I’ve seen them around from other brands/stores for pretty cheap. My outfit was intended to be a day-to-night date night outfit…but then we both worked too late and ended up at Five Guys instead. It happens.

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Our only Saturday plans were to pick up patio furniture my aunt and uncle were getting rid of (high five for free furniture!), so leggings, a boyfriend tee, comfy cable sweater, and boots were all I needed. I’m still working on not washing my hair every day, and let’s be honest, who hasn’t hid their day-two hair with a headband? This one was beaded, so it makes me feel like it at least looks like I tried. Flowers in the background courtesy of my sweet husband who knew I was having a rough week…working on actually decorating our room is a project on the agenda for this year.

Today is a slow cooker Sunday, and my sister and her fiancé are coming over for dinner, recipe to come. I’m off tomorrow thanks to a girl’s weekend that’s since been rescheduled, so here’s hoping this week benefits from a slower start thanks to a long, relaxing, and snowy weekend.

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