In(sta)vested

So in yesterday's post I wrote about my favorite things and I realized I haven't posted any outfit pictures featuring my beloved herringbone vest, which is seriously crazy because I wear it ALL.THE.TIME. Today is the day I correct this grave travesty! For today's post, I wanted to do a quick compilation of photos from my iPhone and instagram showing how I have style this amazing piece so far and tomorrow I will have a full outfit post featuring the vest.

As you can probably tell from these photos, I am a huge fan of layering and mixing patterns, which is why this vest is so perfect for my personal style! You can also see that I definitely re-wear my clothing and accessories, I just can't afford to buy new outfits every week, so I try to be creative and resourceful with what I have and the selective new pieces I add. Getting the most out of my wardrobe is important to me and I hope I have inspired you to combine some pieces you may have otherwise thought not to. For more details on the items in these pictures, please check them out on instagram!

What's your favorite way to style a vest this fall?
Do you pattern mix?

Thanks for stopping by and have a fabulous day!

Fall Favorites

For me, there are just certain things that make each season "feel" different from the last. Transitioning from summer to fall and from fall to winter, there are things that I reach from more in fall than in either season its between. I decided to create a post honoring those things. These are items I am seriously obsessed with during fall; some are timeless favorites I look forward to every year, others are new items that will hold a special place in my memories associated with fall for years to come. 

So, on to the "feeling" of fall... There is just something about fall that reminds me of the feeling of coming home, and definitely the picturesque Hollywood rendition of coming home: you enter your parents house where there is a hot meal on the table, a fire in the hearth, family members in matching sweater sets laughing gleefully, dogs and cats napping together peacefully, sun setting over the trees, the warm and fuzzy version that you store away in your daydreams about how life should be. You know what I mean? Well, this is the type of genuine warmth and happiness that I feel pretty much all the time during fall (absent grad school induced mental meltdowns, of course). Between the colors, the scents, and the textures, this time of year just makes me feel warm, welcome, and content. 

Of course there are things that universally ring in the season (and don't just occur in my daydreams), especially here in Michigan; the changing leaves, the glossy apples, the plump pumpkins, the chill in the air. But other items too, pumpkin flavored everything hits the market (why hello PSL, I certainly have missed you), the kick-off of the season of baking (AKA the season of stretchy yoga pants), and the return of boots (good-bye pedicures, I shall use that money for extra PSL's and yoga pants). No matter where you experience fall, I hope you have the same feelings I do for it, because they are seriously the best. So, as I bask in the glowing hangover of summer known as fall, I will be using the following items pretty much non-stop. I would highly recommend you check them out!

Foxy Mug: Seriously, how cute is this little guy? One of my sisters works at Pier 1 and I am obsessed with all of their mugs. Every season, every mug. They have the best designs, cutest concepts, and you can never have too many mugs, right? ;-) So, as the weather starts to dip, grab an adorable mug from your coffee, tea, or hot cocoa, I know I do!

Taupe Booties: Fall = boots, its pretty much a universally accepted fashion trend every year. This year the crops of amazing booties (the vertically challenged sibling of boots) has been insane! Because booties have been so popular this year, there have been so many great steals and deals, making it hard to say no to picking up a pair, or two! I love this pair from Old Navy because the heel is low and comfortable, the color is perfect, and price is right in my budget. I can't stop wearing them. For real, an intervention must be looming... 

Zara Plaid Scarf: Normally I would not spend this much money on a scarf, and I wear one everyday. Because of my attention disorder when it comes to accessories, I always hesitate to spend more than 10 to 15 bucks on one item. I am definitely a more is more type of girl when it comes to having a variety of scarves, bracelets, necklaces, shoes, etc. so low price is important to me. BUT...I couldn't help myself. I love plaid and know that if I were to invest in this piece I would use it frequently...and I have. Plus, it totally doubles as a blanket its so huge, so its ability to keep me warm in the epic cold that is Michigan's winter will be a bonus!

Colored Tights: These are the best brand. Seriously. This year Target has tights in every color (I wear black tights like they are going out of style, but these fab colored ones are giving basic black some serious competition!) and tons of sizes. I am not a skinny mini so I always get excited when on trend pieces are made in bigger sizes (read: no sausage legs). I wear tights all through the fall and into the winter, they are the cheapest way to extend your summer pieces into the cooler months so you get extra wear of out them. Plus, they keep your stems warm and add an extra punch of color and dimension to your outfit.

Pumpkin Cupcake Candle: I am obsessed with candles. I have tons in every room of my apartment. They make my apartment smell incredible AND they provide extra heat, which for a girl who is perpetually cold is a huge bonus. In the fall, I love pumpkin, caramel, and apple scents. When they are on sale I stock up on Bath and Body Works candles because they smell so, so good! Otherwise, I usually get the jar candles from Michael's craft store. 

Soft Lips in Vanilla: By far my favorite chap stick. I am a total chap stick addict and couldn't live without these, especially as it gets windier and drier indoors.

Leopard Heels: Leopard print heels, enough said right? They are fab. I have been incorporating more leopard print details into my outfits lately, I think, as I am sure you may too, that its the perfect neutral. Leopard is also great for print mixing and can seamlessly make a black, brown, or black and brown monochromatic outfit even more chic! These are cute, comfy, priced right, and a must for the fall.

Rich Hued Lipsticks: Fall is definitely the time of year I switch from nude lip glosses to richly pigmented lip sticks. As a poor grad student, I am on the hunt for lipsticks that fit the adage; champagne taste on a beer budget. This translates to drugstore brands. I have recently picked up a few Revlon brand lippies and I must say for $4.99 I am impressed. The color is long lasting, I only needed to reapply after meals, and the color was rich and pretty pigments for the price. Additionally, the formula was creamy and didn't dry out my lips which can be a problem for me. Definite win. 

Statement Necklace: I have been swooning over this necklace from JCrew Factory since it came out a few months ago. Unfortunately everyone else was too! It sold out quickly and I miss the boat. Single tear of sadness. Until....Jane.com offer a look-a-like at a fraction of the price. Sound the trumpets! So, I immediately snatched one up and upon its arrival a few weeks later, was pleasantly surprised at its quality and versatility, is absolutely goes with everything! 

Vermont Honey Apple Body Gel & Cream: One of my favorite fall scents, its fresh and clean, a very light fragrance; I often stock up as it is a seasonal scent. The body gel is thick and doesn't dry out my skin, which I tend to have an issue with in body washes. I also apply the cream twice daily to keep my skin hydrated and love the Bath and Body Works formulas in general. I have a few favorite scents and this is one of them. This year I also invested in the body mist, which is a nice touch-up mid day for the scent. They are a little pricey, but I watch for sales and think they are worth every penny!

Herringbone Puffer Vest: This has been an almost daily wear for me this fall, if you follow me on instagram you are probably tired of seeing it ;-) I am so glad I followed the IG frenzy over this vest and rushed to my nearest JCrew Factory store the day they hit the shelves to ensure I got one. It was totally worth it. I did get it on sale, however it cost a pretty penny. I have been wearing it so much, in part to get my monies worth, and also, in part, because it is awesome and goes with everything! Seriously, its the perfect print to mix with other prints, can be dressed up or down, and goes with every color under the sun. This vest also inspired me to pick up a few other more budget friendly options from Old Navy which I also love (here and here)! 

Cognac colored Satchel: Again, as if this needs an explanation. Its been all over my blog and my instagram feed. This bag is seriously everything. Best purchase by far of this season, hands down. Target truly did it again. 

Pumpkin Spice Latte Mixes: The return of the PSL to Starbucks is my favorite national holiday. Better than Christmas you say? YES! I would wholeheartedly reply =) As much as I would love to get a PSL every day, sometimes twice a day, during the fall, my wallet would not be happy if I did. That is why I love that Starbucks is selling PSL mixes that you can make at home, genius! A time and money saver wrapped up with a tasty little bow, what's not to love?

Essie in Fall Colors: I am not going to lie, I am new to Essie. I blame thank instagram for introducing me to what my pretty little finger nails have been missing. It was a quick courtship with her before falling madly in love. I was never a nail polish girl. My sisters all are, but I proudly wore naked nails, toes included, (gasp!) for years. I never really saw a point, I have always wanted to spend my limited free time doing other things, cough napping cough, and thought it was a waste of time to paint them only to have them chip and remove the polish in a week (or less). But then, I realized how pretty nail polish is, how much of an expression of the person it is. Its really an intimate thing, I think, seeing what color a girl chooses to paint her nails. So, now I try when I have time, to accessorize my tips with one of the many amazing colors from Essie. They have EVERY color ever, I am not even exaggerating. Its awesome. I am a picky girl, in addition to be a mani newbie, always looking for just the "right" color to commit to. This being said, I have accumulated quite a few "just right" colors from Essie these past few months. However, these two, After School Boy Blazer and Sole Mate are my fall faves. They are rich and dark and remind me of school uniform plaids, which I love, probably because I didn't have to wear a school uniform... Anyways, try them and see for your self!

Okay, well that completes my fall, can't live without them or I would probably die, favorites! Thanks for bearing with me and I promise I will be back with some outfit posts and even a fun collab this week =)

What can't you live without this fall?

Are you addicted to any of my favorites? 

Thanks for stopping by and have a fabulous day!

Cool Weather Cozy

This past week I have been out of commission with a nasty cold. I know what you are thinking: eew, gross, stay away from me! How do I know this? Because that was my reaction to my boyfriend when he got sick last weekend. But he did not as we had homework, and consequently I became sick. Yay. This combined with rain, dropping temps, and the return of my Saturday class has left me a little brain dead and exhausted. Think, zombie...a really attractive zombie princess to be exact...ok fine...at least the zombie princess part =)

Therefore, I don't have an outfit post for you today. BUT during the landslide of fun I experienced this past week and weekend, I finally got into the blanket mode of fall. You know, when you come home, change into non-work clothes, put you hair in a messy bun, and roll up into a blanket burrito? No? Well, you should, 'cuz its awesome. Anyways, I am personally, officially, in that mode. Along with curling up in a blanket immediately upon returning to my apartment for the night, I am also starting to pull out my cozy clothes, knits, thick socks, fleece collection, warm fuzzy scarves, etc.. And before you judge that it's only October and I am basically prepping to stay warm through a snowpocalypse, I will have you know that its dropping into the deadly 30's here in the mitten already. Le angry sigh. I dislike winter with as much passion as I love fall. But that is a rant discussion for another day ;-)

So, in my cozy, wanting to live an a blanket fort, drinking hot cocoa like its going out of style, bundling up like I'm in A Christmas Story state, I have been stalking cold weather accessories and layering pieces like a mad woman. I have to admit that I want to buy just about everything I see on Old Navy's site lately...but I won't, I promise. However, I cannot oversell how amazing their pieces for winter are. So amazing in fact, that this girl, who loathes winter more than men hate shoe shopping with their girlfriends, is actually not dreading it's impending doom quite as much (don't worry, I'm still no snow bunny). I have chosen some of my favorite cozy pieces to share with you all today. While its a little early (fingers crossed Mother Nature agrees) to pull out a parka or pea coat, these items could easily be added to fall outfits now and transition slowly (hear that Mother Nature? slowly) into winter. 

(from right to left)

greys 1 / 2 / 3 / 4

reds 1 / 2 / 3 / 4

camel 1 / 2 / 3 / 4

green blue 1 / 2 / 3 / 4

creams 1 / 2 / 3 / 4

Will you be getting any cold weather items from Old Navy?

What are you favorite winter pieces to incorporate into your fall looks?

Thanks for stopping by and have a fabulous day!

Spotlight Weekly Link-Up: Geometric Print

Happy Thursday lovelies!! I am so excited to be guest co-hosting this week's Spotlight Link-Up this week with Jacqueline and Elle. Every week these incredibly stylish ladies host a link-up for all things fashion. This week's theme is geometric patterns, which are an easy way to add a little punch to an outfit. I love, LOVE the dress that Elle is wearing, its a great print and very versatile, especially if you are going from work to play without a lot of time to do a complete wardrobe change. Jacqueline's pants are such a cute print, and although I am still a little hesitant to wear patterned pants, she is totally rocking them, especially with her pup tee and blazer, perfection! Be sure to check out each of their posts for more details. 

Cardigan - Target / Dress - Target / Tights - Target / Purse - Phillip Lim for Target

Booties - Old Navy / Tassel Necklace - Mint Sugar Boutique / Bracelets - Forever 21 & Rue 21

I decided to use this post to show one of my go-to ways to transition my summer dresses for fall wear. Its nothing ground breaking, and I bet you have seen this formula all over Pinterest and the blogosphere, but here's my take. As a huge fan of tights, especially colored tights, I obviously advocate throwing them on with your fave dress as the temps start to drop. When selecting tight colors, I opt to use neutrals or muted toned tights when my outfit is full of brighter colors, and select brighter hues when my outfit is more subdued. Leggings are also a great option for keeping your stems warm. Next, trade out your wedges for booties or boots, maybe throw on a pair of knee-high socks or leg warmers with your taller boots for another peek of color. Lastly, grab a cardigan, vest, and/or jacket - leather, jean, military, or otherwise (I personally tend to grab at least 2 of those 3), and you are good to go. Layered to perfection and warm too!

Since I tend to gravitate towards mixing patterns, I love the idea of mixing in different textures too as the weather changes. This soft knit printed cardigan with the lace shift dress is a perfect example. The lace is both a texture and pattern, so mixing with the geometric patterned cardigan feels natural to me. As the weather gets colder, I tend to add layer upon layer, I just can't help it, its a sickness I swear!

I am so excited to see how all of you style your geometric patterns this week! Even if you don't have a geometric pattern to showcase, we would love for you to share your favorite post. The inspiration I get from my two co-hosts and all you fashionable ladies is boundless! It's so fun to check out what other girls are wearing as they move fully into fall fashion too. 

Thanks for stopping by and have a fabulous day!

HOW TO LINK-UP:

1. We kindly ask that you follow the two hosts and co-host of the week: Elle from Living in Color Style, Jacqueline from Stylin' In St. Louis, and Ray from Four Season Fabulous via Bloglovin or GFC. (The first three links in the link-up.)

2. Use the button provided on Elle or Jacqueline's sidebar, or link back to the link-up on your blog.
3. Enjoy reading other blogs and make new blogger friends!

Weekend Recap...Two Days Tardy

I had EVERY intention of getting this post up Monday so that it would be fresh off the weekend, and I would feel like I was kicking off the week right! And then...life happened. Mostly grad school life. You know the story: girl meets weekend, girl falls in love, girl neglects homework to spend quality time with her new love...it's a classic tale really, one full of adventure and inevitable procrastination. The kind of story that ends in staying up too late Sunday night to finish a paper, leaving not quite enough time to write a post or sort through photos for it. Oops. So as much as I really wanted to start the week off with a Monday post, I have accepted their impossibility in exchange for keeping my love affair with the weekend. So, I offer my apologies and vote we move swiftly along from my shortcomings to talking about said love affair. 

Gingham Flannel Shirt - Old Navy / Jeans - Old Navy / Booties - Old Navy

Vest - J.Crew Factory (option) (option) / Scarf - Zara  / Purse - Phillip Lim for Target (option)

Necklace - Mint Sugar Boutique (option) / Spike Bracelet - Urban Peach Boutique

Link Bracelet - c/o Hawthorne Collection (option)

Friday night I came home from work and it was gorgeous outside. My bf and I seized the opportunity to take some outfit photos for the blog. We were able to walk down to the park at the end of my street and snap some shots in the warm glow of the setting sun. Afterwards, we settled in to our normal Friday night of frozen pizza dinner while catching up on the DVR and watching movies. I even treated us to hard cider (him) and delicious pumpkin ale (me) for surviving an incredibly intense week of school and work.

Saturday was spent at Panera studying and homeworking for a good 4 hours. Timeout. Have I mentioned that my bf and I are in grad school together? We are. If you didn't figure that out already, you are probably really confused. My bad. So yes, I met my bf while going to school, which is another long story that maybe I will tell you about sometime ;-) We are in our last year of our program, working on our Masters of Science in Engineering, Architectural Engineering to be specific. He is studying boring mechanical systems engineering as his focus, and I am focused on the superior subject of electrical systems engineering, opposites attract, right? However, we are in all of the same classes. Thank God. Seriously, I could not get through this without him (and Him) by my side. So in addition to being my best friend and significant other, Kevin (yup that's his name, such a dramatic reveal, no?) is also my incredibly smart and patient study buddy. I think that is all you need to know to understand what the heck I am talking about for now. End timeout.

Okay. So, we spent most of Saturday like we do every Saturday, holed up in the Panera by my apartment. After sufficiently depleting our brains of energy, we hit the Old Navy across from Panera so that I could exchange some items. Although their huge sale was going on, I behaved and didn't purchase anything new. It's the little victories. We headed back to my place to read a few chapters of the book we needed to write for the aforementioned paper. I read one chapter before it bored me into a nap. Best. Nap. Ever. It was warm and sunny and breezy and awesome. I love afternoon naps. Kevin was a much better student then I and continued to read during my power nap. Around 6 pm he ended my nap, reminding me we had plans to go to my sister's for dinner.

My sister recently moved into a new apartment with her long term boyfriend. Timeout. Okay more sharing time. I have three younger sisters and I love them each to pieces. We are all a year and a half to two years part in age, which means we are all in our mid to late twenties. The two middle sisters are both teachers and used to live together until recently. Christina, the younger middle child, recently moved out and it was her new apartment we were going to see. My youngest sister lives with my mother and grandmother, very close to Christina and my other sister. Yay family tree! End timeout.

So, we headed out to spend the evening with my sister and her boyfriend. It was about a 20 minute drive, which we spent singing like lunatics (a normal occurrence for us). We arrived and entered. Their apartment was so cute! Seriously, it was impressive how everything had come together in such a short time, although, given my sister is an art teacher, has an impeccable eye, and is a gifted painter, it shouldn't have been such a surprise. After the short tour we ordered Chinese and settled in to a night of comfort food, Netflix, and Scrabble. It was a perfect evening; great food and company, relaxing and fun. If you are reading, thanks so much Christina!

Sunday morning rolled around and the gorgeous weather persisted so we decided to steal away a few hours from homework and go apple picking. It was sunny and in the 60's, the trees had started to turning a kaleidoscope of fall hues. Our drive out to the orchard was breath taking. It was the type of experience you take pause and want to remember for the rest of your life. At least it was for me, which is what I did along the drive. Mental snapshots. I couldn't help but feel so grateful for...well, everything, the sceneary driving out of the city is beyond majestic. After our drive, just shy of an hour, we arrived and were ready to fill our half bushel. Kevin was kind enough to snap a few pics of my outfit as we wandered through the rows of apple trees.

We were able to fill our bag quickly; the apples were large and shiny, such pretty glossy shades of red and green in the streaming sunlight. We then moved along to pick some raspberries and to select our pumpkins. After a little debate, we finally settled a large, a small pumpkin, and a few gourds. On our way out of the orchard we also stopped along the fields of fall crops, the vegetable plants were all full of pipe goodies, cabbage, broccoli, tomatoes, squash, peppers, and more, but we settled on just a few fresh peppers which we were able to pick ourselves!

Our last stop before heading home, was the cider mill at the front of the farm and orchard. After some cider, donuts, and apple goodness (piece of apple crumble pie for me, and hot apple dumping a la mode for Kev), we decided to call it a day and head back to finally finish homework. It was a perfect day and I am so lucky and blessed to have had it. This weekend was my little miracle weekend of the semester and I relished it. We spend the remainder of Sunday cooking dinner, cleaning up, and finishing homework. It truly was one of my favorite weekends in recent memory.

I absolutely love this outfit that I wore to the apple orchard, its the perfect combination of patterns and the layers were perfect for the temperature swings throughout a fall day. I am 100% head over heels for this plaid Zara blanket scarf and although I broke my #noshoptilnovember, it was totally worth it and I know it will be on major repeat this fall and winter. This Old Navy booties are also so comfy and fab, I would highly recommend them if you are in the market for affordable taupe booties. 

So this turned out to be quite a lengthy post. Thank-you so much for listening to my excessive rambling and I am very impressed that you made it to the end. I promise I will be more brief in the future =)

Do have favorite fall pieces?

Did you do something fun this weekend?

Thanks for stopping by and have a fabulous day!