Everyday Luxury

Thanks AUrate for sponsoring this post!

When it came to pierced ears, I was a bit of a late adopter. My mother never had good luck with pierced ears, prone to sensitivity and infection, my sister, eight years my junior jumped at the chance to get her ears pierced as soon as my mom let her, and that was promptly followed by an infection. So you can see why I wasn't super eager to try it out for myself.

Eventually, at the tender age of 20, feeling let down by the complete discomfort of clip on earrings, I took the plunge, headed into a Claire's, and got my ears pierced. A whole new world of accessories had opened to me, and I celebrated with a stop at So Good Jewelry - a mecca of glitzy and inexpensive earrings. I'm pretty sure they are no longer in business, and I'm even more certain that if they were I would no longer shop there. The decor was an explosion of bright pink with animal print carpeting, and I've since developed a sensitivity with my ears which keeps me from buying anything other than sterling silver, gold, or gold vermeil.

Thankfully my love of jewelry has never once faded, but has, gratefully, evolved. Now I try to fill my collection with high quality pieces,  and I'm always delighted to discover and share companies like AUrate, which focuses on making fine jewelry without concessions, crafted from high quality durable materials, 14 and 18 karat gold, pearls sourced from Japan and the South Sea, and the use of only S1-clarity diamonds on every piece, which are all handmade in New York.

AUrate's pieces are simple, timeless, and completely wearable. Since my gold circle earrings have arrived, I've put them on nearly everyday.  They are small enough that I can wear them comfortably, and of course have no reaction to the metal.

Because AUrate sells directly to the customer, they are focused on honest pricing, which means that  earrings in 14 karat gold would cost $550, instead of something like $1,200. The icing on the cake (aside from free shipping and returns) is that AUrate wants to give back, and are currently working to help develop the literacy of students in New York. For every purchase made, AUrate donates a book to a child in need.

When it comes to pieces I'm confident I'll want to wear forever, I don't mind investing in quality, and I know there are more pieces from AUrate I want to add to my collection.

       

The Rundown
Side Tie Knit Top J.Crew Factory
White Wide Leg Jeans Gap similar

Huarache Mules "Camila" Rebecca Minkoff
Vintage Macrame Tote Etsy
Straw Boater Hat Hinge similar
Circle Earrings c/o AUrate New York

Chevron Cuff "Vista" Gorjana similar

Gold Ring Thrifted
Crystal Bar Ring Upper Metal Class

Linking up with Pink Sole's How I Spring

and

Oh To Be A Muse's Lookbook Linkup
and
By Lauren M's Mix it Monday

Peaks of the Week

I'm just going to say it, it has not been a very good week. The weather for the first week of June has been less than stellar; Apple didn't announce any new hardware, so I'll have to wait until September; work has been painfully slow and I've mostly been alone, so the days have really dragged; Kate Spade died, and it makes me sad to learn how unhappy she must have been; and I've wasted far too many hours searching for a hat I don't need.

It's just another quest in an endless pursuit of 'the magical item that is going to change everything'. I know hat is a hat and wearing it will not make my photos come out better, nor will it make my blog more popular, find me a new friend, boyfriend, or job. It will keep the sun off my face, because it's a hat.

Yet I search, during all the in-between time on my phone. The late hours when I should be sleeping, the early ones before I'm ready to face the day. Trying to find the perfect hat, at the best price, and with free shipping. If only I could channel that energy into a more constructive activity. One that will actually elicit the changes I want, rather than just becoming another thing in an overstuffed closet.


❖ Cee published her second book, Before the World Opened, and I can't wait to read it!

❖ How social media is changing the way we adopt dogs.

❖ The makeup we love comes with a 90% markup.

❖ I'm just as guilty of ogling over the tiny houses as the next person, but one thing they are always devoid of is daily living, which might not be all it's cracked up to be.

❖ Everything really is click bait, and it's nuts.

❖ We really are truly distracted.

❖ Alissa's call to action for bloggers to give more consideration to their content.

❖ Who wears the pants.

❖ Influencers work seven days a week, with no paid vacation, and the constant pressure to be creating new content and stay relevant, or risk losing it all. Are we surprised they are getting burnt out?

❖ Kimberly talks about finding balance with her blog.

❖ A history of yearbook trends. I guarantee there are plenty of 'wuz ^'s in my middle school yearbook.

❖ Potential 'magic' hat.

❖ Alternate potential 'magic' hat.

Tall Tall Grass

For my second outfit at Lyman Orchards I wanted to wear something a bit more casual, so I grabbed light wash jeans, flats, and naturally another hat (as my hair was about four days unwashed).

Courtney encouraged me to sit in the grass, probably not something I've ever done in my blog photos before. I might even go so far as to say I've got a little grass phobia (or at least paranoia over grass stains). However the seated photos are by far my favorites of this bunch, which proves that sometimes it's nice to have someone else behind the camera with a different view.

Photos by Courtney of Live Lovely Photography

         

The Rundown
Floral Swing Blouse Gap similar
Boyfriend Jeans Old Navy similar
Katrine Mule Crown Vintage via DSW
Vintage Macrame Tote Etsy
 Panama Hat J.Crew
Gold Circle Bracelet St. Thomas c/o TJMaxx similar
Chevron Ring Etsy via Silver Canyon Jewelry
 Thin Gold Ring Etsy via Ellyn Blue Jewelry

Linking up with Thursday Fashion Files

and

Elegance & Mommyhood's Thursday Moda
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Linking up with Jeans and a Teacup's Flashback Friday (one year ago today)