Sundays in San Antonio

I’ve been here in San Antonio, Texas for the last week and have enjoyed every minute. The people are wonderful and the Mexican food is on point! I absolutely love this state for so many reasons but one the most important is the culture. There’s so much going on here in terms of food, people, languages, music, and even shopping. Oh the shopping! It’s wonderful! I spent some time in the high-end shopping district of La Centara! My sweet boyfriend took these pictures of me in this lovely place. He puts up with so much!

I drug him around from store to store and he pretended to enjoy it. We went into Tory Burch and were offered mimosas, I guess they thought I looked rich enough to buy something there. Wrong! I came across a beautiful fur jacket hanging on a rack and was stupid enough to ask what animal it was. Rabbit and fox fur. I just smiled and thanked the lady but felt a little sick. I love animals! I’m not a vegetarian or anything but furs just upset me a little.

Before the stores opened my boyfriend took a few pretty shots of me and my shopping-approved outfit. I can’t believe how hot it gets here! I find myself wearing tanks and shorts only with nothing else in the foreseeable future. My top is a black lace baby-doll style tank from Ann Taylor (fabulous find from the Ann Taylor store in Charleston on King Street- only $4.99!) My shorts I actually rolled up for a more flattering length. I found them at Marshall’s for $15. I think the designer name is Per Se.

Growing up when we’d be walking long distances for awhile, my mom would always make me wear sneakers or something comfortable. Well take this, mom! I wore sandals all day and they were quite wonderful! I found them on sale a few weeks ago at Target for $9!

To add a little more bling to my outfit, I added a few bracelets I found at Ann Taylor Loft. Unfortunately, one of them kept getting stuck on the lace in my top. First world problems!

The final piece to my outfit was my prized Kate Spade bag! Another great find at the San Marcos outlets here in San Antonio!

I’m enjoying every minute of my time here in the great state of Texas! I go home in a week and am going to miss it so much. It’s absolutely beautiful here in ways I didn’t know were possible. Who knew cactus plants could look so good? If any of you have have been to this part of Texas, let me know if there’s anything fun I should do while I’m here!

 

#PSL Inspiration

Even though it’s about 90 degrees outside I’m dreaming of fall! I was looking through my Instagram feed and everyone seems to be gearing up for #PSL season. Frankly, I’ve been ready for it since last month but I think I can wait just a little longer.

Since I live in the Mid-Atlantic region I’m accustomed to wearing summery things well into the middle of October. As a kid, I would go back to school shopping and wear everything my mom got me within a week even if it was 80 degrees out and the pants were corduroy. I didn’t care, I was just so excited to wear new clothes. The same holds true now.

This season, I’m loving white jeans and chambray! The jeans are a perfect transition piece to wear because they give off that warm weather vibe while still being warmer than shorts. I found a great pair at Ann Taylor last summer for $15. Start searching the stores for their summer clearance items and see if you can score any.

I’m also loving mules and felt floppy hats for the season. I’ve seen quite a few of both at places like J Crew but you can find it cheaper at Target. One thing I’m learning very quickly is not to skimp on shoes. I bought mules at Target a few weeks ago on clearance and they hurt like crazy! No padding in the heel at all so you can really only wear them for a short amount of time. I realize we all can’t afford Jimmy Choo so my alternative is Aldo. They have well-made shoes and decent prices especially if you’re willing to wait an extra month or two for their seasonal merchandise to go down in price.

Enjoy shopping for autumn and let me know if find anything good!

Channeling Our Inner Audrey

I’ve always been an Audrey Hepburn fan, and apparently so has Kim Kardashian, or so it appears. In a new ad for Hype energy drinks, Kim channels her inner Audrey Hepburn while riding a bicycle similar to the famous photos of Audrey on the set of “Sabrina”.

Quite honestly, I’m not a fan of this ad. Audrey is famous for her movies and Kim is famous for… “home” movies and her rather large bum. It was a good try on Kim’s part, but she has her own brand and it makes no sense for her to attempt a look that doesn’t line up with it. Maybe she should try for Madonna next time. It’s a little closer to her brand.

For those of us who aren’t know for our bums or anything else, we can try to recreate the adorable outfits Hepburn has been famously photographed in. Better yet, create your own classics. To do this, I’m buying black, white, and red. I’ve always believed that classic clothing is the best, most economical choice a woman can make. Having the basics in your closet is the one thing I recommend you spend a little extra on because they’ll last for many seasons. Plus, you don’t have to worry about the latest trends because you’re always in style anyway. I truly believe that “trendy is one step away from tacky.” Why do people recreate Audrey’s outfits? Because they’re still stylish and classy!

Red lipstick, fitted trousers, pearls, little black dresses, and so many other signature Audrey items are still up for grabs even now as staples for every woman’s wardrobe. Embrace them, just not in the way Kim did.

Fourth of July Style

Fourth of July is this weekend and I couldn’t be more excited! I love this holiday for many reasons and one of them is sporting red, white, and blue in style! I love the way Americans celebrate their freedom. It’s a beautiful expression of who we are and that there are some traditions that won’t change.

I still haven’t decided what I’m wearing or even what my official plans are. I have many ideas floating around in my head but they all have one thing in common: bug spray! I get eaten alive every year. I also might attempt to make strawberry shortcake with some blueberries for added color, but don’t count on it.

I’ll take a selfie to share with you on my Instagram when I figure out what my Fourth of July style will include. For now, enjoy my inspiration!

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Keeping ‘Casual Friday’ Professional

Good morning lovelies. I hope today goes well for all of you and something wonderful happens. I have a coffee mug that says “Always believe something wonderful is about to happen.” I’ve been trying to live by that quote lately. If you read my previous post, you’ll know that philosophy just stabbed me in the back. Nevertheless, I’m still keeping the faith!

Since it’s Friday and so many people live for ‘casual Fridays’, I thought it would be appropriate to design an outfit that might be considered casual but still gives the impression that you’re in charge.

As you can see, I’ve opted for color! I love a blazer any day of the week, but something this bright might be best saved for Fridays. Plus, it’s perfect for after work happy hours and nights out!

I wanted most of the outfit to be focused up top, so I found a great statement necklace in a neutral color. Another great color combo I found was this shade of hot pink with an aqua blue necklace. However, it might be a bit much for the office.

Finally, to maintain an office appropriate outfit I opted for black ankle pants and ankle-strap heels. Normally, I don’t like to splurge on expensive clothing but in this case, I think the shoes are worth it. In my experience, if you buy a cheap heel, then you’ll feel it the next day! On the flip side, I rarely spend tons of money on pants and these Tory Burch trousers are upwards of $200. I chose these because they were the only ones that kept the shape of actual pants without a model wearing them in the picture I needed for this post. There are many other brands, such as Banana Republic, that sell similar pants for 1/4 of the price.

A few tips for casual Friday:

• No Ugg Boots in the office regardless of the day
• Ripped jeans are still not appropriate
• Hoodies are cute but slouchy cardigans are better
• Save the sports jerseys for after 5pm
• Halter tops or tank tops, no matter how fancy, are better saved for the company clam bake on the beach