Wednesday, May 31, 2017

{blue gingham off the shoulder shirt}
















Gingham Top // White Jeans // Gold Earrings // Yellow Clutch // Bow Heels, old from Nordstrom (similar) // Rose Gold Bracelet // David Yurman Bracelet // Gold Cuff


It's officially time to pair every top you know and love with your white pants! I picked up this gingham top from Abercrombie (I know - of all places) because I loved the buttons down the front and poplin sleeves. It comes in adorable stripes and plaids too and is under $35. Top it off with some chunky gold earrings and a yellow clutch to brighten up the look!

Did everyone have a great long weekend? I'm already missing the long days in the sun, beach walks, and bike rides. We were lucky to have three gorgeous days of sunshine in the OBX

Love Always,

Thursday, May 25, 2017

{nordstrom half yearly sale}

It's that time of year! No, for once I'm not specifically referring to Memorial Day Weekend ;) It's time for Nordstrom's Half Yearly Sale!! That's right - the best store is back with one of the best sales. We're talking up to 40% off designer items, y'all.

The greatest thing about this sale is that a lot of these items are currently in season so you can order at an amazing price and then enjoy it all summer! There are so many gorgeous pieces to choose from... I sifted through them for 2 hours last night... yeah... there's a little bit of something for everyone but I narrowed it down to the best of the best (in my humble opinion).

I always like to use these sales to stock up on items that I will wear constantly (ex: in the Fall I always grab a cashmere scarf that I know I'll wear all winter and then for years to come). This summer I'm going to grab a new pair of sandals - I gave away over 20 pairs of shoes at the end of last summer! I know a new pair of sandals will serve me well this season and next year as well. Plus, it's always fun to get a new pair of shoes :)

But, this is also a great time to splurge on something you've been lusting over. Like that Milly top or a new purse that you've been saving for! Prices like these just don't happen every day!


What do you have your eye on? Happy Shopping!
I've made shopping really easy - just click on the photo!


As things sell out I'll try to remove them from this list and keep adding if I see more things that I like.  Sales at Nordstrom commonly tend to sell out quickly - so if there's something you can't live without order it right away. Place multiple orders if you need to!

Love Always,

Tuesday, May 23, 2017

{preakness 2017 with the stronach group}


This past weekend I had the honor of being invited to attend the Preakness, the second leg of the Triple Crown, with The Stronach Group in Baltimore, MD. It was a day full of friends, gorgeous outfits, horse racing, celebrity sightings, tasty food, and delicious drinks. The night ended with a crazy dance party! I took a ton of pictures during the day to try and capture the excitement of everything (from the Bloody Mary and Bellini bar to the trophies being brought in to the Winner's Circle). I'm also sharing the details of what I wore below - maybe next year I'll have the courage to find a really fun hat/fascinator to pair with my dress!
























Lulu's Dress (wearing a M) // Baublebar Earrings c/o // Elaine Turner Heels, old (Cork Version, Similar) // J.Crew Purse, old (similarsimilar) // Ray-Ban Sunglasses // Gold Bracelet //




If last weekend was a glimpse as to how great this summer is going to be we're off to a phenomenal start! I've been to the Preakness before but only to the Mug Club (a verrrryyy different experience haha) which is a massive field party full of kegs and live performances in the Infield. The experience this year was so amazing I feel like it was still a dream. Being that close to the action was a rush like no other - you could feel the horses run past you right next to the finish line! Of course there's no adrenaline rush like cheering for your horse to win ;) The Stronach Group's tent was right next to the Winner's Circle and in front of the finish line - we were able to stand right next to the trophies and see the final seconds of the race. I didn't win any money gambling on some of the races but it was sure fun to try. Maybe next year I'll do some more research beforehand - but nobody could have predicted the Always Dreaming upset!! I thought it was pretty neat that Cloud Computing's owner was from Baltimore though!

I'd say one highlight of the day was meeting Kevin Spacey. I mean WOW! Wasn't anticipating seeing that face on Saturday! We also saw Sam Hunt, Carson Kressley, the Mayor, and a couple of Baltimore Ravens players - Pimlico Race Track was the place to be y'all!! I can't wait to go back next year and relive the action all over again :) A huge thank you to BrandLink DC and The Stronach Group for inviting Kyle and me. It was a day for the books!

Love Always,

Wednesday, May 17, 2017

{SCOUT bags giveaway}

Last weekend, Monica and I got together in Georgetown to shoot our trio of new SCOUT bags! Did you know that they were founded in DC in 2004? We had way too much fun walking along the gorgeous houses - Monica photographed every cute door for her cool insta series! - and carrying our bags (mine are actually filled with the things I had packed for a weekend haha). We loved all of the different patterns that you can choose from. It's fun to mix and match the prints to create your own aesthetic! We each have a little clutch with our monogram on it that we use on the weekends too :)

My first SCOUT bag was given to me in college. It was a small gift sized bag that a friend wrapped a bottle of wine in for my birthday. I'll never forget how clever I thought she was taking a nice bag that I could reuse for books or groceries and using it to put a present in. My next SCOUT bag was used as a pencil case and the third was used as a gift bag again carrying lots of goodies for a bachelorette party (it was so cute seeing them all lined up from the bride in our hotel room - it's still my primary grocery bag). You could say my addiction has been around for awhile now... 9 years to be exact, ha! The same tried and true, classic fabric bags (it's an all-weather woven fabric) now come in true wine bottle sizes - I always keep at least 4-5 in my coat closet to grab before I head to a house warming party, celebration, or need a quick thank you present - they're only $7.50! Putting a nice bottle of red or white in a cute cheery bag instantly ups the cool factor (I'm bringing one to my boyfriend's mom for MDW)!





A lot of the new SCOUT bags are made with coated cotton (hellooooo waterproof material, yes!) or coated polyester (for an insulated item) but they're still the same bright, vibrant bags you know and love. Knowing that you have a soft, colorful bag to take with you over the weekend and having it be waterproof is a total game changer y'all... I got caught in sideways rain leaving work for the train station a couple weekends ago and was so relieved that my clothes and shoes in the bag were dry... Even though I wasn't! If you use any of these bags at the beach it will keep sand and water away from your valuables.
















Photography by Ashlee

When deciding what bags would be perfect for a weekend away we knew we needed a tote bag that could carry a lot of clothes but not be too overwhelming. The Weekender tote bag was an easy choice! It's super roomy, zips closed, has a little zipper side pocket for keeping things at hand, and the strap fit over our shoulders. What does every weekend bag need? A cosmetics case! There are lots of small pouches that SCOUT offers but the Packin' Heat makeup bag was just big enough without encouraging you to bring every hair product you own... weekends away are meant for spontaneity not pounds of products ;) And lastly... a cooler! We were dreaming of picnics at a winery or ice cold drinks and sandwiches on the beach! The Stiff One cooler is the perfect size for food AND drinks. It collapses really easily so you could pack it in your Weekender tote when it's not needed as well.

Now for the FUN PART!! A GIVEAWAY!! One winner will receive our trio of SCOUT bags in a pattern(s) of their choice so they can travel in style: 1 "Stiff One" cooler, 1 "Weekender" tote bag, and 1 "Packin' Heat" makeup bag! Basically the necessities for a lake, beach, road trip, etc. Hop on over to instagram to enter and fill out the widget below for more entries! Be sure to also check out Monica's post!

Thank you to everyone who entered below and on Instagram! The giveaway is now closed, and we've contacted the winner, Brianna R.


a Rafflecopter giveaway


If you won where would you take your new SCOUT bags?







Love Always,
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