Spring Style

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: Spontaneous Garth Brooks Concert!

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Top | Jeans | Earrings | Booties (similar)

I may not have done better about finding time to post this week, but I did at least do something exciting! While watching the ACMs on Sunday, we decided to see if there were any shows left on the Garth Brooks tour. To our surprise, there were shows in Louisville on Friday night, so we decided to be spontaneous and snag some tickets. (Special thank you to my husband for indulging my whim. He likes the old-school Garth Brooks stuff, but I’m definitely the country fan in our relationship.)

Because everyone likes something new and fun to wear for a night out like a concert, I took the opportunity to finally pick up a new pair of jeans. I’m no stranger to the distressed jean – I worked at Abercrombie all through college. The thing about working there, is that I ended up with a ton of jeans. I have a tough time buying something new when I know I have the same thing that still works, so replacing all those jeans has been an embarrassingly slow process. While I’ve seen rave reviews for the the AG Legging Jean, my bank account can only handle so much spontaneity. I decided to go for the very reasonably priced and equally stylish dark distressed legging jean from Express, and let me tell you, they’re amazing. Perfect fit, super soft, and comfortable enough for the two-hour car ride down to Louisville. I’ll definitely be going back for another pair.

I also picked up this super cute off-the-shoulder top from H&M. It’s part of their Coachella collaboration, so I figured what better way to get in on the off-the-shoulder trend than a collection inspired by music and concerts. It was also an absolute steal at under $15.

Have you ever shopped for a shirt specifically to go with a pair of earrings? Because that’s exactly what I did when looking for a top to wear, I knew they had to go with these squash blossom Baja Drops from BaubleBar. They’re gorgeous and so fun, but I will warn you, they are heavy, so make sure you pair them with these.

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(Please excuse my chipped nail polish.) The concert was a 10:30 show, so we stopped by Down One Bourbon Bar in Louisville for a quick drink before attempting the crazy crowds waiting to get into the second show of the evening. They have over 160 bourbons, so I decided to fully embrace our Kentucky night out with a Kentucky Mule – basically a Moscow Mule made with bourbon instead. I love a Moscow Mule, but I’ll definitely be recreating this one at home sometime; it was the perfect combination of bourbon and ginger.

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I actually ended up losing an earring back, but luckily I heard my earring go crashing to the floor before the show, so I was able to rescue them to have for future wears. I would’ve been absolutely devastated otherwise. Hence, the no earrings pic.

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The show was AMAAAAAZING! We both grew up on Garth Brooks’ music, and he played literally everything we could’ve wanted to hear and then some. Unfortunately, Trisha Yearwood was sick and unable to perform, but he made up for her absence with a solid two-hours of fun and great music. We had such a good time, it was the perfect mini-getaway to take a break from the craziness!

P.S. At least I can tell you some fun new stuff is coming. No trip down I-65 is complete without a stop at the outlet mall, and ours included a crazy sale day at J.Crew Factory. Here’s a sneak peak at skirt and necklace I picked up and cannot wait to wear this week!

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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.

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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!

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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.

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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 2.18.2016: OTK Boots & The Office

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We’ve officially reached the point in February when I am so over winter and winter clothes, I can’t stand it. When the temperatures first dropped in the fall, I was excited to pull out the wools, tweeds, darker colors, and tights. Now? Over it. Soooo over it!

Today wasn’t nearly as warm as tomorrow is supposed to be (62 degrees! A heatwave for Indiana in February!), but I decided to ditch the tights and go for bright colors, despite the temps in the 40s. That’s where my beloved OTK boots came in.

The key to OTK boots at the office ensuring you’re not showing much – if any – skin. OTK boots can pack a whole lot of va-va-voom, which is the opposite of what you want for your standard 9-to-5 office environment. I never wear mine to work without opaque black tights and/or as much coverage as possible to tone them down, usually in the form of a knee-grazing skirt. Since I was boycotting my tights today, coverage was extra important.

My fit and flare dress is a few years old from Old Navy, but a good fit and flare is always a comfy classic. This one also comes to my knees, so only a centimeter or so of skin would show when I was walking, meeting the coverage requirement. Not satisfied with the bright dress alone, I had to add in my Lilly Pulitzer Murfee scarf (a birthday gift from a sweet friend a few years ago), and my hot pink Kendra Scott earrings. I topped it all off with some bright lipstick. For being described as a balm, the color of this bareMinerals “Lip-Oil Balm” sticks around all day.

Bring on spring!

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