Wednesday, July 30, 2014

Boyfriend Style



Sweater: Banana Republic; Shirt: Monkees of Raleigh; jeans: JCrew; shoes: Converse; sunglasses: Ray Bans 

So I took a new workout class last night at the studio where I take barre. I thought it was a different barre class, which I guess it was - in theory. But I don't think I've worked out that hard since high school water polo pre season. I mean, I woke up this morning and spent a serious amount of time wondering how I would get my body to stop hurting enough to get out of bed. No joke. So, when I stumbled out of my pjs, and realized that there was definitely a layer of fog outside, I pulled on my hands down most comfortable jeans: these JCrew boyfriend jeans. Matt always makes fun of boyfriend denim, so I have been taking full advantage of his deployment in that I have been wearing them most every day. I'm also headed to see Beyoncé later tonight (!!!), so what better day to wear my "I woke up like this" shirt than today?!

Until next time,
xo
T


Tuesday, July 29, 2014

Happy Birthday, Jackie O.!

 
Jackie Kennedy is undoubtedly the queen of simple, classic American elegance. She made popular so many things we consider preppy staples today, such as Jack Rogers and Lilly Pulitzer. Since yesterday was her birthday, I figured that what better time than today to pay my own personal style icon appropriate homage. 


Before we had Paris Hilton and the Kardashians, or even Ali MacGraw and Alley McBeal, women like Jackie O. and Audrey Hepburn ruled the American fashion scene. When Jackie's late husband, John F. Kennedy, became President of the United States in 1960, members of his cabinet worried that the American press would have a field day with all of Jackie's expensive clothing that she often bought in Paris.  They assumed that American women wouldn't be able to relate to a woman who wore Dior and Balenciaga, whose fall shopping budget would often outpace a yearly household income in America. 


So, she had a family friend, Oleg Cassini, begin making custom clothes for her.  These clothes spoke to her personality and the moment.  They were perfectly minimal and still feminine, just as clothes for an avid equestrienne and politician's wife should be in the late 1950s and early 60s.  I love that her clothes, while still being elegant and timeless, were also on trend for the time, incorporating mod elements such as the oversized covered buttons in the above photo. 


And while we might look back on her style as being the epitome of classic, since it has inspired countless American designers from Ralph Lauren to Kate Spade, it was always a fantastic expression of her own personal preferences and tastes. This gorgeous leopard coat is hardly tame, yet she makes it like a staple every woman should have in their closet. 


Speaking of her enduring influence in American design, dresses like this above and the one below seem like they were picked out of a Kate Spade Fashion Week presentation. Despite the many iterations of trends and fads, somehow bows at the waist and simple shift dresses, a-line coats and animal print, as well as boxy suit separates and oversized sunglasses, have maintained a place in the American fashion lexicon after they were made popular by Jackie Kennedy. 


Since I could ramble on for days about my love for Jackie O.'s spirit and style, I'll stop myself short and leave with just a few more images of my favorite style moments of hers.






So, Happy Birthday, Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy Onassis! The world could use some of your taste and elegance, right about now. 

Until next time, 
xo
T

Monday, July 28, 2014

Polka dots and Peplums




Top: Kate Spade; pants: JCrew; shoes: Tory Burch; bag: Kate Spade; sunglasses: Karen Walker 

Ugh. Monday. Is it just me or are Mondays during the summer even harder... Who wants to be sitting at a desk when the weather is practically begging you to head to the beach?? Not me. On another note, here's my go to church outfit these days: a peplum and printed pants! Since I have a fairly straight up and down figure, I love peplums because they give the illusion of more of a waist. Plus, this one from Kate Spade has bows on the shoulders so it's basically perfect. I paired it with my polka for jeans from JCrew (at some point I need to stop wearing these) and my light pink Kate Spade. When I got this bag, I was really nervous that it would be hard to pair with things, but it's just neutral enough to go with almost everything. Love. 

Until next time,
xo
T



Friday, July 25, 2014

My Day at Universal



Romper: Joie; shoes: Jack Rogers; backpack: Vera Bradley; earrings: Kate Spade; watch: Michael Kors; bracelets: Lilly and Laura, Alex and Ani; sunglasses: Karen Walker 

On my last day in Florida, this Harry Potter lover obviously made a trip to the new Diagon Alley park at Universal Studios. And it was amazing! I had been to the Hogsmead part of the park a few years ago when it opened (not as geeky as it sounds, my family is just always in Florida!), and I have to say that Diagon Alley surpassed all of my expectations. I wore this adorable romper from Joie, although I ended up so hot and sweaty that the liner kept sticking to my booty all day long :( but paired with Jacks, and a Vera backpack to stow my water and rain jacket (a necessity for theme park days in Florida), I could look past sweaty liner :) 

Until next time,
xo
T


Thursday, July 24, 2014

Every Day Does Feel This Good at Disneyworld!




Shirt: Vineyard Vines; shorts: JCrew; shoes: Jack Rogers; bag: Kate Spade; watch: Michael Kors; bracelets: Lilly and Laura, Alex and Ani 

Last week in Florida I obviously had to go to Disneyworld. As a Californian, I'm very familiar with Disneyland, but Disneyworld is a whole other world, pun intended! I wore this super cute Vineyard Vines button up.  I love that it's a party oxford, meaning that each panel is a different color. It's one of those preppy classics that I'm sure I'll have forever. Given that it's so many colors, I paired it with simple white chino shorts, and my favorite bag of the moment, my light pink Kate Spade Maisie bag, which matched my shirt perfectly! 

Until next time,
xo



Wednesday, July 23, 2014

Out to a Palm Beach Dinner




Top: Joie; shorts: JCrew; shoes: Jack Rogers; earrings: Kendra Scott; bag: Kate Spade 

I had been dying for these high waisted shorts from JCrew for a while, and then finally found them super marked down at my local store for $25 so obviously I snatched them up! Normally I would pair something like them with a collared button up, but I decided to switch things up with this silky Joie blouse for a more summery feel. And then of course I added my go to summer accessories: flat sandals and Kendra Scott earrings! 

Until next time,
xo
T



Tuesday, July 22, 2014

Jellies Be Jammin in Palm Beach



Dress: Lilly Pulitzer; shoes: Tory Burch; bag: Kate Spade; earrings: Kendra Scott; watch: Michael Kors 

So I am absolutely in love with this dress. I normally stay away from spaghetti straps, because I tend to be insecure about my big old swimmer shoulders and upper arms, but I couldn't resist this one with its cute print. And, what better place to break out a Lilly dress than Lilly's birthplace, Palm Beach? 

Until next time,
xo
T




Monday, July 21, 2014

Palm Beach





Shirt, shorts: JCrew; bag: Kate Spade; shoes: Tory Burch; sunglasses: Karen Walker; watch: Michael Kors 

For the record, I love Palm Beach. My family has been a Florida vacation family since I can remember, and Palm Beach is one of my favorite places in the state. This little JCrew outfit is the perfect look, I think, for a day spent strolling along the beach and window shopping down Worth Avenue. I love how basic a striped shirt and chino shorts are, but the jewled neckline on this sweatshirt and the bright color of the shorts keep a classic look current. 

Until next time,
xo
T





Friday, July 18, 2014

A Lilly Baby Shower



Dress: Lilly Pulitzer; cardigan: JCrew; Shoes: Tory Burch; earrings: Kendra Scott

This past weekend one of my best friends had her first baby shower, and of course it was Lilly themed. I took the opportunity to wear this Lilly dress that's been sitting in my closet just waiting for a fun day like this! I just love this print, and of course I had to pair hot pink with my go to navy Jackie cardigan from JCrew and these Tory Wedges that I am completely obsessed with - they are navy and have bows on the toes, what more could I ask for?!

Until next time,
xo
T

PS: me and my girls!





Wednesday, July 16, 2014

My Beach Bag Essentials


As a California girl with parents who always took me on tropical vacations (we were so not a ski trip kind of family...), I think that I have my beach bag routine down pat. 

First things first: a good bikini. 
Everyone needs a great swimsuit in their summertime arsenal. I recently bought this seersucker one from JCrew on major sale and I am in love with it. I try to stick to bandeau tops and low rise bottoms, as I have a small chest and a short torso so those cuts work for me, but it's important to find a cut that's flattering for you. I also like to buy more timeless suits that can last me season after season, and that I won't see in old family photos and cringe. 

Sunscreen: I know that everyone stresses the importance of sunscreen, but they're doing that for a reason! I grew up swimming and playing water polo, so I spent my fair share of time in the sun, and I can honestly say that using ample sunscreen leaves you with a better tan than not. Plus, you'll thank yourself down the line when you don't look like the crypt keeper at 35. 

A cute hat: I usually bring a baseball hat with me (to help keep the sun out of my eyes when I'm reading or playing volleyball or paddle boarding), but I recently bought this new monogrammed sun hat from one of my favorite companies, Swoozies, and it's a pretty fab upgrade! 

Sunglasses: I have light green eyes, so the sun can give me a gnarly headache if I don't have a massive pair of sunglasses to help. 

Sandals: I used to live in sandals, but since moving to Washington I've had to pare down my collection. These Tory Burch Miller sandals definitely made the cut. I normally stay away from flip flops, but not for the beach. And these can go from beach to dinner with no problem, so I've been living in them on this vacation! 

Reading materials: I read constantly, and on vacation I can literally spend an entire day in a beach chair reading one book after another. I love mysteries, though! I also usually being along a few magazines, although I hate how they'll stick to my sunscreened legs, so I usually stick to a book :) 

Until next time,
xo
T

PS: Greetings from Palm Beach! 

Tuesday, July 15, 2014

Benefit They're Real Mascara and Eyeliner


So all of my friends are in love with this mascara from Benefit. When I heard they were coming out with an eyeliner, I couldn't wait to try it out, since I rarely go a day without wearing it. What's really cool about it is the truly innovative tip: rather than a felt pen type tip which is typical of most liquid liners, this liner is a flexible rubber. The liner is a gel that you click up into the rubber, and then you apply it, allowing you to get super close your lash line, which I love. However, I have kind of oily skin around my eyes, especially during the summer, so I found that it tended to run a lot more than the eyeliner I've been using for the past few years, the Stila All Day Liquid liner. 

I also bought some of the Benefit They're Real mascara, which I absolutely love minus the fact that it's really hard to get off! Even with makeup remover wipes I still had some leftover, which I'm not used to. However, it does make my lashes look absolutely amazing! So, all in all, I'd say that I love this set for a night out or a date night, but it can be a little dramatic for every day, especially during the summer when my makeup tends to end up down my face :( 

Until next time,
xo
T

Down By the Docks of the Bay



Top: Joie; pants: JCrew; shoes: Tory Burch; bag: Kate Spade; sunglasses: Karen Walker; watch: Michael Kors; bracelets: Loren Hope, Alex and Ani, C Wonder 

The weather in Washington has been so amazing lately, it almost makes up for the rainy winters! As a result, I've been taking a lot of advantage of the beautiful waterfront near my house. It's so nice to just walk down and have a beer down by the water with your friends on a Friday night. Plus, earlier that day my mom and I had hit up the mall to check out the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale, and I found these jeans at JCrew on sale, and then got to take an additional 50% off the sale price! So I ended up getting them for about $35. Score :) 

Until next time,
xo
T


Thursday, July 10, 2014

Summer Chevron



Top: Kate Spade; pants: Rag and Bone; shoes: Tory Burch; necklace: Moon and Lola

I absolutely love this top. I bought it last year at Kate Spade, basically because it combined two of my favorite things: chevrons and a peplum (whatever makes me look like I have a waist!). I *love* pairing it with these cropped Rag and Bone jeans and my tan leather Reva flats for a work day or a dinner out. However, later that day when I got home I changed into white shorts and converse and added a navy cardigan for a chat session with my neighbors, and it transitioned perfectly from dressy to casual :)

Until next time,
xo
T