a year in review

JANUARY


 

FEBRUARY


MARCH


APRIL



MAY


JUNE


JULY



AUGUST


SEPTEMBER


OCTOBER


NOVEMBER


DECEMBER


another year come & gone! can you believe it? sorry to disappear on you all for the best few months. i've been living in spain teaching english and haven't been able to keep up with the blogging. thought i'd catch you up a little bit and look back on the year.

wishing you all the happiest of new years!

xo,
A.

casual cool

Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. At least that's what my momma told me when I was upset about everyone in 9th grade copying me. Yup, that's right. I was rocking flats BEFORE they were cool. Oh the hardships of a trendsetter. You know what's also casually cool? Standing where it says no standing.

I've been crushing on Naomi & Sydney's perfectly chic casual outfits. Especially these two (1 & 2), perfect for running about, chasing after kids (not that I have any, but I have two dogs- close enough?) & doing errands. Also, has anyone else noticed that all Mormons are super adorable and quirky? Pretty convinced it's a conspiracy.

When I saw the StyleMint skirt (Sydney wears in look 2) on sale, I snapped it up in a hurry. StyleMint, you never disappoint me. It's like wearing a blanket wrapped around you all day, but it's far more socially acceptable. Oh and new specs! So happy to have ones that match my current prescription.

xo,
A.

tee: American Eagle (old)
skirt: StyleMint
flats: Madewell

PS. Don't forget to check out my threadflip for some cute buys!

not too shabby

*please note dog in the background. always has to be in the know



Received this beautiful peachy cotton dream from Polly and Shabby Apple! What a combo. I have been wearing it all the time. It is so comfortable and effortless but yet still looks put together. I love how versatile it is, so I thought I'd show you two wears I would wear it. It would also look great with a blazer and pumps for work.

Been super busy lately with work. Retail is exhausting! I'm sure alot of you already know this. But I'm still loving it. It's a great job for someone who really believes in the power of clothes.

Catch you on the flip!

xo,
A.

dress c/o the littlest polly & shabby apple

outfit one
belt & bangles: the limited
lipstick: revlon, orange flip
hair pin: ban.do
heels: nine west
clutch: j.crew

outfit two
belt: momma's & shoes: keds

fingers & toes

 
 
 
 
 
 

Life since acquiring an iPhone as seen through my extremities! These are two of my favorite things to instagram, #fromwhereistand and #notd (nails of the day). Little snip-its of life that seem pretty insignificant but they can tell you so much. I absolutely remember what I was doing when each of these were taken. A fun little conglomerate of the past 6 months or so.

xo,
A.

old town alexandria

Always a blast when I meet up with this little lady. She's super cool even in the 90+ heat. Strangers think so too. She picked out this really cute British cafe where we eat brunch since we both woke up around noon cough cough. Delicious hash brown! And an authentic British man who took our order wearing an Olympic shirt.

Wandered around the waterfront, picked out some future realty. In my dreams that is. And grabbed some cold drinks since that's the only way to survive this DC summer.











Finished our day visiting Pretty People vintage, a treasure trove of new, consigned and vintage wears. Then called it a day. Hope to see you soon Lisa!





xo,
A.

Blouse: LOFT
Skirt: Aerie
Bangles: The Limited (1, 2, 3)
Belt: momma's
Sandals: JS by Jessica Simpson (similar)
Shades: borrowed from Lisa, thanks girl!
Crossbody: J.Crew

beauty picks

Lately I've been really getting into makeup especially in light of my dad getting married (they tied the knot Saturday!). Because nothing really brings out skin imperfections like a professional flash. These are a few of my favorites, new & old.

1 Nars Blush in Orgasm: this has been the #1 best selling blush in the US for ages now. it is the perfect subtle shade of pink with a touch of shimmer but not so much that it looks like you rolled in glitter. incredibly flattering for all skin tones

2 Anastasia Brow Wiz: my new favorite thing ever. a two sided little stick, one end has a brow brush and the other has a brow pencil. I use the brow brush to comb everything into place and then the pencil to fill in and add definition. I have very light brows so I find that it's really important to define them if I'm going to wear any sort of eye makeup. Otherwise it looks very unbalanced.

3 Urban Decay Primer Potion: pretty sure most of you already know about this magical stuff. I swear by it! For some reason my eye lid flat out refuses to keep eye shadow in place, within minutes it will be creased and smudged. Using primer potion first ensures that everything stays put.

4 MAC Studio Moisture Tint: a tinted moisturizer girl through and through, just enough coverage to subtly even things out but not so much that you feel like your pores are suffocated. this brand is really creamy and smooth (I use it in Medium)

5 Cetaphil lotion: super cheap stuff that you can buy in any drugstore, I've been using this as a facial moisturizer for eons. It may not be top of the line with anti aging antioxidants and tea tree oil or whatever new crazy thing, but it's dependable.

6 Kat Von D Eyeshadow Palette in Ludwig: debated forever between this one and the Urban Decay Naked palette which I know everyone loves, but in the end I decided that I would never use all 12 colors or however many there are in the UD one. Kat's is perfect for what I need- the neutrals are lovely for day or for a smoky eye and I really love how green looks with brown eyes.

7 Benefit Hoola Bronzer: must buy! just bought this for the wedding and I already can't live without it. it is a nice brown shade with no yellow or orange undertones. it's perfect for achieving that summer glow 

8 Smith's Rosebud Salve: almost down to the bottom with this stuff. a pretty shade of pink, I use this little guy in lieu of chapstick. it feels super moisturizing and has a slight rose scent