Weekly Inspiration: Ali McGraw in "Love Story"

All photos courtesy of Pinterest

Every fall I seem to come back to the same source of inspiration: the 70s.  I don't mean in a disco pants and perm kind of way, I mean in the classic, East Coast collegiate sort of way: chunky crew knit sweaters, wool mini skirts, tweed, and pea coats. I think that I've been obsessed with this look since I read about the movie "Love Story" in Teen Vogue when I was about 14.  I immediately took to the classic looks worn by the movie's protagonist, Ali McGraw.  Everything she wore just screamed classic fall. Here, I've posted a few of my favorite looks from the movie, which you can bet will serve as outfit ideas throughout this autumn for me, as they do pretty much every autumn :)

Until next time,
xo
T

My Favorite Maxi

Jacket: AG Jeans; dress: Alice and Trixie; necklace: Kendra Scott; bag: Rebecca Minkoff; sunglasses: Ray Ban 

This maxi dress is seriously one of my favorite pieces for summer. I bought it somewhat on a whim (which is incredibly unusual for me!) last summer in North Carolina at my favorite boitique, Monkees. And honestly, it's my go to for a night out during the warmer months of the year. I've worn it to tour the Budweiser factory, out to dinner with my mom, and for lunch at my grandfather's club. But that's the great thing about maxi dresses, they can so easily be dressed up or down. Here I had just come home from horseback riding (hence the awkward wave in my hair from my braid!) and was just heading out for pizza and beer on the water front near my house, so I just slipped on a Kendra Scott necklace to accessorize and my jean jacket to keep the wind from the sound from getting me cold and I was good to go! 

Until next time,

xo

T

Weekly Obsession: Tiffany T Collection

I am a little bit biased in favor of Tiffany's. The Please Return to Tiffany's charm bracelet and necklace were my first pieces of nice jewelry, and given that my initials are two T's, anything with a T on it generally gets my thumbs on (Tory Burch Reva Flats? They were basically monogrammed especially for me, in my opinion). As a result, it only stands to reason that the new Tiffany T jewelry collection has jumped right to the top of my wish list. I love how subtle the Tiffany reference is in this collection, with two T's coming to meet in the middle. The bangles and rings all strike the perfect balance between masculine and feminine, and would be such a great addition to everyday jewelry collections, or as a simple statement piece for evening. 

Until next time, 

xo 

T

Labor Day

Sweater: Target; shirt: JCrew; pants: JBrand; necklace: JCrew; shoes: Tory Burch; bag: Rebecca Minkoff 

Is it really Labor Day already? I can't believe that the unofficial end of summer is already here, and my last day to wear white pants! Even though I don't really abide by that rule (winter white is perfection, after all!) it is already starting to feel like fall in the Pacific Northwest. So soon I'll be trading my white JBrand skinnies for my cream JCrew cords. In other words, I'll be squeezing every last bit of summer out of them until I can't anymore! 

Have a safe holiday,

xo

T 

When to Invest: Traditional vs Trend

VS

Both boots from Tory Burch

When I'm working on my seasonal budget, I'm often torn between whether I should spend my money on traditional pieces that will last me for years to come, or whether I should buy something trendy and fun. Since I do try to work within my budget, I figure out what amounts to about 20% of my income for about three months (ie the fall shopping season) and I figure out what I will buy that works within that budget. Obviously I try to find things that already match what I own, or outfits that will incorporate themselves nicely into my existing wardrobe. However, I always try to invest in a few key pieces such as a new pair of boots and a new jacket or coat every fall. And this is where the problem arises.

Because my mother made me start using a clothing budget when I was in the 4th grade, I have learned that the investment piece is usual a better buy. When I'm trying to figure out the cost per wear of the piece.  So, in the instance of booties, I realized that I had been looking for the perfect pair of high heeled winter booties pretty much since college (which was so long ago it seems!).  Chelsea booties, such as the trend pair, have only been on my radar for about a year or so, thus making them a less reasonable purchase in terms of cost per wear. I might wear them all winter long, but when they fall out of fashion's favor, I'll still wish I had bought the high heeled pair. If only they weren't so darn cute, though! 

Until next time,

xo

T

I ❤️🐘

Top: Lilly Pulitzer; jeans: Rag and Bone; shoes: Tory Burch; bag: LL Bean; watch: Michael Kors; sunglasses: Karen Walker

I spent the past weekend in Santa Cruz with my college friends for our yearly end of summer reunion. The thing about dressing for California beach weather, though, is that layering is essential because fog will be inevitable. So jeans plus a cute tank and a sweater you can just throw into your tote bag once the sun comes out is the perfect combo. Also, I am completely in love with this Lilly top of mine - it's hot pink (!! ) and it is covered in elephants, my favorite animals! Win win. 

Until next time,

xo

T

Short Party

Jacket: LL Bean; jacket: JCrew; shirt: Equipment; shorts: Cover via Monkees; necklace: Loren Hope; shoes: Tory Burch 

I wore this the other day when I was about to jump on a plane. I was leaving foggy Seattle (hence the jacket) for sunny San Jose to visit my granddad and then to Santa Cruz for my annual college reunion, so I wore high waisted shorts with a button up tucked in. I always like to try to still look put together when I'm at the airport- you never know when you might get upgraded for a first class seat! 

Until next time, 

xo

T