{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 (similar, similar) // Ray-Ban Sunglasses // Gold Bracelet //

David Yurman Bracelet // BITE Lipstick in "pastille"

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,

{little red dress}

One of my favorite colors to wear no matter the season… red!

Photography by Rachel Brennan

Lulu*s Red Dress, old (similar - 40% off) // Steve Madden Heels  // J.Crew Purse

Sophie Harper Double Necklace, SLATE Ring, and Sophie Harper Pave Ring all via Rocksbox 

There's nothing more jaw dropping than a red dress in my mind. The color makes a statement in itself and all you need are some simple accessories to top off the look. The big sleeves make it breezy enough for summer but cover enough to make it appropriate for fall weather. I love these gold jewels that I received in my Rocksbox (get your first month free with code JENNIFERXOXO1) recently and I know I'm not going to be able to live without this necklace! I love being able to try new jewelry every month and take it on a test drive! I feel like I talk about Rocksbox all the time… but I really wouldn't recommend it so often if I really didn't love it so much. I've been a loyal member for almost a year now and have purchased around 10 pieces that I've received (all for 20% off)!

Love Always,

{lace white romper}

This was outside our hotel in Charleston - the Belmond Charleston Place Hotel! I loved that the fountain had horses just like all of the carriages that took people on tours around the city.

Photography by Alicia Tenise

Target Romper // Lulu*s Pink heels, similar with all sizes // Love's Affect Necklace and Bracelets ℅ // Gold Stud Earrings // Rebecca Minkoff Clutch (pink option) // BITE Lipstick in "Palomino"

This is my last look from the Southern Blog Society Conference in Charleston!! I've dragged these outfit posts out so that I felt like I was still there… I truly had that much fun :)

I say this about a lot of outfits but I seriously loved this look. When I woke up Sunday morning I was beyond grateful to have something comfy to put on to enjoy a farewell breakfast with all the bloggers! I decided to spice up the look with hot pink heels and colorful accessories in pretty colored stones. I've worn these Love's Affect bracelets on multiple occasions because they're so much fun to stack up and mix with other bracelets. I love how soft the colors are and that they each have a unique element to the design. Paired with my mint clutch it was a match made in heaven!

Now my hair (because I know I'm going to get questions haha) I basically did two twist braids on either side and then pinned them on top of my head to form a crown. I decided to twist them instead of your typical braid to try and be a bit different - braids were definitely a thing amongst the girls in the Charleston humidity. If you want to see a tutorial let me know and I can try to put one together :) It's really easy and is my go-to on days when my hair isn't listening or I'm trying to extend a blow-out!

Love Always,

{make a statement}

This was my first look for the Southern Blog Society Conference! I wore it to the cocktail and ohhh my goodness am I happy that I wore a swing dress.

Photography by Alicia Tenise

Lulu*s Dress // BaubleBar Courtney Bib Necklace // Clare Vivier Clutch // Cole Haan Heels, old (similar) // Bite Lipstick in "Palomino"

Friday night was so humid I could barely breath - even though there was a slight breeze (as you can see in the pictures) it was borderline miserable! Luckily, meeting so many new people distracted me… paired with the dance party Katie and I had randomly ;)

I decided to keep things simple with my dress but then make a bold statement with jewelry and my clutch. I figured two of my favorite accessories paired with a bold lip was a very typical Southern Anchors look to showcase my personality!

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On another note… The Nordstrom Anniversary Sale is HERE!!! All you lucky card holders can shop, shop, shop, away because the good stuff goes pretty quickly. Everyone else has to wait until the 17th so cross your fingers if you don't have a card! This is a great time to get some essentials for Fall (yes, I know it currently feels like 100 degrees outside and you're still breaking out the crop tops but planning is key y'all). You can shop some of my favorites below! I'm seeing lots of classic boots and chic clothing with fun accent pieces like fringe heels and (you guessed it) more faux fur and leather! I had to include some of my favorite jewelry, candles I can't live without, and a makeup palette to swoon over. Plus, this purse. I die. I need. (It's been in my "Shop" tab for awhile now!) Anything you've got your eye on?

Love Always,