late night

I mentioned a few weeks back that one of my best friends was moving closer to me. Well this is what I wore when we were able to catch up for the first time since this past April/May. She and her mom had spent the majority of the day unloading, unpacking, and cleaning. I showed up after work, and the 3 of us were enjoying some chilled white wine not long after. Her mom headed back home, so my friend and I went out for dinner. 

Cut to me not leaving her place til well after midnight. And having to work at 7 the next morning. That was rough…

maxi dress: Old Navy

vest: thrifted (Levi’s)

sandals: Target

white & gray

Gray and white (with blue stripes) for work and a sushi dinner after.

Gosh, it was hot wearing pants. I won't say I'm excited for fall or winter (ever), but I am having a hard time keeping cool...

shirt: thrifted (Hollister)

pants: Aéropostale

sandals: Target

Mr. Picks Mondays: White Bulldog

Nothing super special here. Just a white graphic tee featuring a wrinkled sweetie that the Mr. picked out, and some jeans. I knew I'd be on-site this day, so pants were a must. As were close-toed shoes, which I ditched in favor of sandals as soon as I could :)

shirt: J. CREW Factory

jeans: Old Navy (thrifted)

sandals: WalMart

AERO NOW and more America

Obviously the 4^th of July has come and gone, but that doesn’t mean being patriotic is no longer cool. I’ve worn this flag-print scarf twice since the 4^th – once here, and once with an outfit that was unintentionally patriotic (happy coincidence, though). I needed a little something to dress up this plain white tee and dark bermudas (both from Aéropostale), and this new scarf from Aéro was calling my name. I work in an office, and sometimes it can get chilly in there with the A/C, so I can get away with a scarf for at least a little bit of the day. However, I did eventually have to head a hot construction site, so off came the scarf, and on went jeans and close-toed shoes and my hard hat.

Womp womp.

Be sure to check out Aéro’s new collection, AERO NOW, which launched just a few days ago, on Monday, the 28th.

shirt: Slub V-Neck Pocket Tee (similar)

shorts: Cuffed Dark Wash Denim Bermuda Shorts

similar: Curvy Dark Wash Denim Bermuda Shorts

scarf: sold out :(

sandals: DSW

Painting Pups

If you've ever wanted to know what my dogs would look like as a painting, here they are:

We went to a local painting place, Pinot's Palette, and painted pictures of our sweetymcsweeties. We sent in pictures of the pups beforehand, and the studio converted them to a black & white gradient, then glued them to the canvas. With some beer and wine and lots of instruction, we slowly but surely painted our pets. I really enjoy doing this type of thing, but lack any artistic skill, so about twenty minutes in, when I've botched up my painting more than a few times, and lost all patience, I'm donnnnnne. And start creeping on everyone else's projects. And drinking more wine. 

And questioning my purpose on this earth if I can't paint a decent picture of my really sweet and handsome Turbo...

But anyways, here are our finished projects. We hung them up in our living room. While they DO resemble our sweeties, I prefer the real live ones to love on :)

Oh, and here's what I wore to paint. Of course I wore an apron over this ensemble. I also wore this to have breakfast with a friend that morning, which was splendid.

And then I ran a 10k that evening

and

LIVED TO TELL THE TALE!!!

We'll call that a success. Who cares about time or pace? I didn't stop and I didn't die, and I didn't feel like dying right after, or the day after. #winning

chambray: Kohl's

shorts: Old Navy

sandals: Target

Dressing for America's Birthday, Part I

Since this Friday is the 4^th of July / America’s Birthday / Independence Day / one of the best days of the year, I thought I’d share at least TWO patriotic / festive outfit ideas with y’all (one today, and anothertomorrow). And I thought I’d share them early for two reasons:

1) So you have time to go shopping for your festive gear if you are lacking in that department.

2) I plan to be on a boat or on the beach (or both!) for the 4^th in a festive bikini with one of my best friends and family, so, there won’t really be much of an outfit to share…Of course, I’ll be Instagramming & Tweeting pics of boating, day drinking, floating, beaching, frolicking, celebrating, and general debauchery.

Up first, a layered look. White pants, a festive burnout tank with stars (so. much. glitter. everywhere), and a chambray thrown over the top. I went with metallic sandals to tie in the stars in my shirt, but I was this close to wearing red wedges. Obviously, comfort won out – as it typically does for me...

Check out last year’s festive 4^th of July get-ups: here and here

star tank: WalMart

chambray: thrifted

pants: Old Navy

Cleopatra sandals: Target

1 Pink Blouse. 2 Ways.

  

  

 

  

 

Here are two ways I’ve recently worn this floral sleeveless button-up. I really like how the olive pants worked with this top and denim jacket - never would have thought to pair them together before I started taking pictures of my outfit and posting them on the internet...

Next time you can’t think of what bottoms to pair with a floral top, why not give your olive green skinnies/shorts/capris/skirt a go? I like the white skinnies, as well, but the green bottoms are a little less expected ;)

I picked up this top back in March while shopping with my cousins. Funny enough, I have a phone case with the same print on it (got that back on Black Friday). Didn’t think to swap out my phone case when I wore this top, and received some teasing about how I matched my phone to my shirt. 

Not true, buttttt, it DID look like I’d done it on purpose...

sleeveless button up: J. CREW Factory

on the left:

denim jacket: from a friend (Old Navy Outlet)

olive pants: Aéropostale

sandals: (one of my friends has started calling them "Cleopatra sandals") Target

on the right:

white pants: Old Navy

Cleopatra sandals: Target

Celebrations

Last week, I turned the big TWO FIVE. I'm 25. Solidly in my mid-twenties. Inching closer and closer to 30 (!!!). When I was in college, my friends and I would groan about getting older, and the younger girls in my sorority would tease us for "being old" and staying in for an evening, instead of heading "out."

While that used to be my view, I've recently adopted a more mature outlook on my yearly anniversary of being born - I'm going to enjoy it.

And relish it.

And look forward to everything this 25th year of life offers. 

I recently came across this quote:

"Do not regret growing old. It is a privilege denied to many."

- Unknown

And it struck a chord with me. How powerful.

So, I plan to be thankful for being 25. After all, good things came out of my 24th year - we bought a home, I started a new job that I enjoy, we bought a new-to-us (fast!) car, I got better at skiing, I ran a half-marathon, the Mr. did the Tough Mudder, we made new friends, and strengthened old friendships, celebrated our marriage, loved on our pups, and, oh, I started this little blog exactly 1 year ago today :)

a new Lilly Pulitzer dress - this has become a birthday tradition. My Mr. picks one out for me, (all on his own!) and surprises me with it on my birthday. He's got good taste, no?

I love Lilly dresses because they're typically so bright and colorful (except the 2 white ones from my Mr.), and they're classy dresses - I love to wear mine to showers, parties, and I wore one to our wedding rehearsal dinner. I know they're all over at the Carolina Cup, the Kentucky Derby, and tea parties :)

As I mentioned above, I started this blog one year ago today, with this little post right here. I like to think I've grown leaps and bounds in terms of blogging and style. S

o, if you've stuck around since Day 1, or just got here, thanks for sticking with me, and here's to another year!

I got fancy schmancy cupcakes at a local cupcake place in celebration of Sweet Bananie's "blogiversary", Buttercream Cupcakery - check them out if you're in Northern Colorado!

SIMILAR LILLY DRESSES
(without the sleeves)