The Sun

It's been a grey and wet July, and I'm feeling robbed of my long summer days. I haven't had a beach day (or beach three hours) yet, nor have I gotten ice cream at 9 p.m. while enjoying the last glimmers of sunset while it's still warm out, or had a picnic at a winery, so I hope the sun returns soon. I hate feeling like I'm missing out on summer.

The Rundown
Navy Off The Shoulder Top Banana Republic similar
Cream Button Fly Jeans Banana Republic
Woven Slide Sandals Marc Fisher
Bag Kamilah Willacy via ThredUP
Gold Hoops Vintage via Shopgoodwill.com
Coin Pendant Necklace Julie Vos
Thin Gold Ring Etsy
Sunglasses "Meteor" Ray-Ban c/o TJMaxx
Nail Color Couture Curator Essie

Spring to Fall

When it comes to seasonal color pallets, there may have been a time when pastels were for the spring and jewel tones only came out once temperatures dipped, but colors are no longer treated with such simplistic biases. Instead the same colors will trend season after season, morphing from cozy knits to sundresses, and offering a closet that feels a bit more seasonless. 

Therefore, when I found I'd never posted these photos after I took them in the spring, I decided to just hold on to them until denim started to creep back into regular rotation and share them for fall. I'm pretty sure your only clue these were taken six months ago is my far more pale winter complexion. 

 

       

The Rundown
Floral Blouse Joie via ThredUP
Cropped Jeans Gap
Rust Suede Mules Madewell similar
Vintage Purse Anna Pearl's Curiosities similar
Loop Earrings Mejuri
Necklace Taken for Granite
Sunglasses Ray-Ban via TJMaxx

In a City Night

Last weekend I attended an event hosted by the New England Blogger Babes, and it was the first time I got to go to a blogging event with my sister Anna, now that she has officially launched her blog, In a City Night! It's still a work in progress, but in a way, I suppose all our blogs are. We always love to tweak, change, and improve them; after helping her get set up I was starting to feel like things have gotten a bit dusty around here!

It's certainly been great to have someone to shoot with, and I hope we can plan even more adventurous shoots in the future. She wants travel to be a big part of her blog, so naturally I'd more than happy to join her, where ever that may lead.

I hope you will visit her blog and say hi, and don't be surprised if a lot of her clothes look familiar ;)

       

The Rundown
Off the Shoulder Top Express similar
Rust Midi Skirt Abercrombie & Fitch
Black Leather Jacket c/o The Jacket Maker
Asymmetrical Strap Mules Zara
Skyline Crossbody Bag Whiting and Davis via ThredUP similar
Loop Earrings Mejuri
Curve Necklace c/o Grand Avenue Jewelry
Diamond Chip Ring c/o Crown Jewelry
Cat Eye Sunglasses H&M

Wine Tasting at Stonington Vineyards

This weekend I joined the New England Blogger Babes for a wine tasting at Stonington Vineyards in Stonington Connecticut. The space is gorgeous, a large indoor tasting room, plenty of outdoor seating, along with a large lawn set up with games and places to spread out a picnic blanket and lounge. We even had our own private tasting room that can be reserved for parties and events. Our wonderful bartender Josh kept our glasses full and gave us a little information about each wine we tasted. There wasn't a single one I disliked (though I stuck to whites and rosé) and I had such a wonderful afternoon with a great group of women. We closed the place down!

The vineyard also has events all summer, the Friday night concert series, Saturday movie nights, and a food and wine festival the weekend of September 21st!

Of course as a fashion blogger I would feel remiss to not mention my new slide sandals. I know it might be questionable as to whether I needed another pair of white sandals, but I really did want a pair that was flat, and the siren song of this style was calling to me. Plus they were on a great sale for $28. I did have to go down half a size, and lucked out that my local store had them so I could exchange! I would say they took about half a day to break in and are as comfortable as a flat sandal with zero padding can be.

Thank you for hosting us, Stonington Vineyards!

           

The Rundown
Floral Tunic Dress Joie via ThredUP similar 
White Slide Sandals Banana Republic 
Raffia Half Moon Bag Mango
Floppy Straw Hat Nine West via Swap similar
Tear Earrings Etsy custom design via Bonanza Studio
Layered Charm Necklace c/o Grand Avenue Jewelry
Gold Bracelet The Cavernous Jewelry Box  
Thin Gold Ring Etsy via Ellyn Blue Jewelry

Nail Color "Zip Me Up" Essie

An Everyday Diamond Ring

Last Friday I celebrated my 33rd birthday, and as I enter my mid-thirties, it seems like I can't make it through the month without hearing about an engagement, wedding, or pregnancy announcement. I had always thought that I would be more settled by the time I reached my thirties, and I spent a good part of my last relationship dreaming about the diamond ring I'd hoped I'd receive. Even as trends are moving towards non-traditional stones for engagement rings, I'm an April baby, the diamond is my birthstone, and so help me, I want to wear a diamond ring.

So I started of this new year with a little gift from AUrate, my very own (albeit tiny) real diamond ring. AUrate is the company that is going to help me expand my jewelry collection into higher quality, solid gold pieces that actually fit into my budget. Because of AUrate's direct to customer business model, they can offer pieces for less than half of what the traditional retail price would be.

My new ring is 14k solid gold with a conflict free 0.07 carat diamond, the gold has been ethically sourced, and it comes with a lifetime warranty. Since it's small, it's also perfect for stacking, and I truly hope that I can add to the collection soon - how pretty would it look nestled with this stunning chevron ring?

I think being able to build my fine jewelry collection, all on my own can be a very meaningful thing. I can curate the exact pieces I want, and feel pride in my ownership. I've gotten over the idea that the first diamond ring I would own would be an engagement ring. I can wear a diamond everyday and all it has to mean is that I love myself.

Would you buy yourself your own diamond ring?

      

The Rundown
 Turtleneck Sweater Banana Republic similar
 White Pleated Skirt TJMaxx similar
Nude Pumps "Natalie" Naturalizer
Skyline Crossbody Bag Whiting and Davis via ThredUP
Bling Earrings c/o JoJo Loves You
Midi Stackable Diamond Ring c/o AUrate New York
Thin Gold Ring Etsy via Ellyn Blue Jewelry
Bracelet The Cavernous Jewelry Box

Nail Color "Zip Me Up" Essie

 

Linking up with Walking in Memphis in High Heels

and

I Do deClaire's Confident Twosday

Thanks to Nakturnal for partnering with me on this post!

Casual Friday

It's my last weekend in Los Angeles. It doesn't seem that the weather wants to send me off on a high note, with more grey and rain in the forecast, but I do hope that could still change, as my brother flew out for a little sibling trip and were were really hoping for a gorgeous day to drive down the coast. Regardless of weather, I'm sure we'll find something fun to do.

I have so many mixed feelings about my time here. It's been a crazy two months, I feel like there was so much I didn't do, like venturing out on my own and exploring, but driving here has been tough for me. I'm not the most confident driver, and it took me a very long time to get to a place where I felt comfortable driving somewhere new in Connecticut. Here, where an average road could have four lanes of traffic going in both directions is pretty much my nightmare. My brother on the other hand loves to drive, and rented a Mustang convertible for the weekend, so I'm very much looking forward to not having to drive.

These photos were the result of my attempt to find another piece of wall art for photos and then being less than thrilled with the results. Perhaps it was the wrong time of day, or I needed to bring a wider lens, or maybe I'm just not a wall art kind of gal? I know plenty of bloggers and people alike who go crazy over the wall art, there was even that piece which popped up in West Hollywood last year which required you to have 20,000 followers to take a photo there. Clearly people are obsessed with them, and I am evidently not one of those people. Flowering trees however, are very much me.

I hope you have some fun weekend plans, and to my Connecticut friends, I'll see you soon!

      

The Rundown
Grey Leopard Top Joie via ThredUP similar
Black Jeans Old Navy similar
Grey Cashmere Cardigan TJMaxx similar

Grey Trainers Puma

Camera Bag "Palma" ONA
Gold Hoop Earrings Amazon
Chevron Ring Etsy via Silver Canyon Jewelry
Gold Circle Ring Thrifted

 Sunglasses "Caravan" Ray-Ban
Nail Color "Caviar Bar" Essie

Linking up with

Jeans and a Teacup's Flashback Friday (one year ago today)