Feeling Fab-BOO-lous

Happy happy WEEKEND! I’m super happy this weekend because I’m on fall break! Even though it’s only four days and pretty much a tease before Thanksgiving and winter break, it’s still a nice treat to take (somewhat) of a break from my busy class schedule. While most people go out of town for a quick weekend getaway over the break, I decided to go back home and visit my parents and dogs. This year has been insanely busy with my sister’s wedding, spending a month in Italy and juggling both my class and work schedule, so going back home to relax was exactly what I’ve been needing. And besides, nothing is better than cuddling with your dogs and having home-cooked meals!

As you all obviously know, it’s almost been a full month of autumn. I’m going to be honest, fall was not my favorite season while growing up because I just thought it was kind of boring, too cold and I also was not a big fan of Halloween (it actually scared me when I was a kid, and sometimes it still does at the age of 23!). But now as an adult, it’s the season I look forward to the most and I’ve come to enjoy the simple seasonal pleasures, such as the colorful leaves, crisp atmosphere, pumpkins (hence every single photo in this post) and fashion. Basic much? I guess, but whatevs. Speaking of fashion, I have the PERFECT fall outfit that I want to share with y’all! It’s pretty fab-BOO-lous! See what I did there? 👻🎃

This lightweight rust cowl neck sweater and green corduroy skirt, both from Anthropologie, are two pieces that absolutely speak out autumn. The sweater is made for this time of year, as it’s light enough for the warmer days of fall but heavy enough for the chillier days of fall. The material is incredibly soft as it’s 100% wool (FYI: this sweater must be dry cleaned, NOT hand washed!), and I absolutely love the rust color. As for the skirt, I love the color, length and corduroy fabric. Some people think that kind of material is too old fashioned or “grandma style” (no offense to all you awesome grandmas out there!), but I think it’s super chic, especially in this color and style of skirt. It’s not only perfect for fall, but also with Christmas coming up!

I’ll no doubt be wearing this sweater and skirt on repeat this fall and winter. I’m already planning on wearing this outfit for Thanksgiving!

Fun fact: the makeup I’m wearing is actually my mom’s makeup because I left all mine at my apartment, so thank you Mom! 😂

What do you love most about fall? Comment below and share!

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Outfit Inspo for a Job in Retail

Hey, y’all! I hope everybody is having a fabulous week so far!

I don’t think that I mentioned it on my blog before, but I now have a part-time job as a stylist at the Francesca’s boutique! I’ve been working there for over a month now and I absolutely love it. I love the team, the setup of the store, the location, the fashion (obviously), the flexible schedule, pretty much everything. It was my top choice for when I applied for part-time retail jobs, and I’m so blessed that I was given it! It works out perfectly with my busy class schedule, and I love being a stylist overall. It’s a wonderful opportunity!

When it comes to dress code for a retail job, it’s pretty simple. There’s not really professional business attire that’s necessary, but it just really depends on the store. It’s a pretty flexible dress code at Francesca’s, but there are still certain restrictions on what to wear such as shorts, crop tops, open-back shoes, spaghetti straps, face piercings, etc. etc. etc. When I’m working a shift, I usually wear something that’s comfortable and appropriate but still fun and chic. If you’re in a retail position but need some inspiration on what to wear, here’s one of my favorite go-to looks!

Francesca’s is known for having an array of feminine, trendy, and vibrant style of clothes and accessories. It’s somewhat like a boutique that you would find in the South. The seasonal collections are all simple but still funky and fun! So my go-to outfit is my mock neck tank top (which is actually from Francesca’s), chambray crop pants from Madewell, layered cross necklace from Altar’d State, and laser cut sandal heels (also from Francesca’s!). Of course I have other outfits that I wear for different shifts, but this one definitely fits the style of the brand and is comfy enough for a three to four hour shift!

If you work in retail, what’s your go-to outfit? Comment below and share!

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The Banyan Tree Look

Hey, y’all! It’s just about mid-January and the weather outside has actually been pretty mild. I honestly don’t mind it at all. I’m much more of a warmer weather type of person, and the months leading up to March, or even April, are usually pretty brutal with the cold air. And when Christmas is over, I’m ready for spring to come. So the fact that it’s this nice and warm in the winter is a treat!

Ohio is very bipolar though, so I cannot guarantee the weather to be like this for the rest of winter. I’m pretty sure were gonna have at least a few long weeks with snow, ice, negative temperatures, and potholes (insert sad emoji 😢). On a positive note, that would mean cancelled classes and some nice days off!

I have the perfect outfit that works for both chilly and mild temperatures. It’s also great for both fancy and casual occasions. It’s basically perfect for anything!

Banyan Tree is one of my newest obsessions. It’s a local company in the Northeast Ohio area. There are three locations: one in Crocker Park, one in Legacy Village, and one in Tremont. It’s such a cute branch (ha, see what I did there?) with a variety of styles to choose from. It’s trendy, chic, and affordable. What more could you ask for? From Banyan Tree, I have a grey sweater with a criss cross back and burgundy velvet skirt. I received them both as a Christmas gift and they match perfectly. The sweater is nice because it’s light enough to wear for warmer weather but still appropriate for chilly weather (with a coat or jacket). The velvet skirt is a little more fancy, but can still be worn for plenty of fun occasions.

I decided to go with a preppy look by styling the outfit with my Steve Madden black knee high boots, my black Kate Spade satchel aka my “big girl purse”, and black pantyhose. I’m gonna be real honest for one hot second … I do not enjoy wearing pantyhose. I don’t hate them, but I find them uncomfortable, especially around the waist area. The only reason I’ll wear is because they make outfits look cute and they’re kind of an essential item for fancy outfits in the winter. It helps that they look cute with this outfit especially!

By the way, this post is NOT sponsored. I just really love Banyan Tree and I encourage you to check it out if you’re a Cleveland native! Be sure to also follow them on Instagram: @shopbanyantree to keep up with their styles and items.

I hope y’all have a wonderful rest of your week. Happy Hump Day!

Stepping Into the New Year

Happy New Year, y’all!

I can’t believe it’s already 2019 … it feels yesterday was 2009, which was ten years ago and I was still in middle school! I can’t even believe that were already in the third day of this year. Time seriously flies by!

I’m not gonna lie, I’m always nervous at the beginning of every New Year. While I’m excited about the opportunities and experiences to come, the unknown of a new year usually makes me feel a bit uneasy. I tend to overthink about the future way more than I should. I think too much about how I’m going to graduate in time, what’s going to happen to my family and friends, my future love life, my future career, accomplishing my dreams, etc. I think you get the point of what I’m saying. The future is scary!

Despite my worries; however, I’m going to work on not getting all caught up in what hasn’t happened yet. I’m going to let go of comparison, fear, self-doubt, insecurities and negative thoughts and instead put my focus on the present moment. It’s much better to have good memories to look back on rather than to worry about what’s going to happen next and not live in the present. God gives us all one life, and I want to live mine to the fullest. And I encourage you to do the same. After all, the new year is only a slight change in the calendar. There’s plenty of time to live in the moment and create new memories to forever cherish!

As far as my style goes, it ain’t changing any time soon. The picture above was actually taken before Christmas. I came down with a 24-hour flu on New Years Eve and New Years Day, so I wasn’t feeling good enough to post a cute NYE outfit. I’m just thankful that I wasn’t sick a week before! But honestly, I would still wear this outfit on NYE instead of a sparkly dress if I felt like it. It’s still chic and spunky. That’s what New Years is all about! I feel like these JustFab shoes are especially perfect to ring in the new year. I got these shoes when I collaborated with them in December for their boot season campaign. They’re so glam, and they go with every outfit. I walked into 2019 at the perfect time! Just like in the picture above … get it?

What are your goals for this year? Are you going to work on staying in the present moment like me or do you have other specific ideas in mind? Leave a comment down below and let me know!

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Jacket: styleNmotion - similar jacket

Top: Anthropologie - similar top

Jeans: American Eagle - similar jeans

Shoes: JustFab

Pumpkin Spice and Chill?

Pumpkin spice and chill … as in chilly temperature?

Happy first week of October! I’m still trying to sink in the fact that 2018 is almost over. This year literally flew by. And I feel like I still have so much accomplish before 2019, so I better get a move on it!

Earlier this year, I made growing my blog a goal for myself. I think I’ve been doing a pretty good job at that! However, lately I’ve been extremely busy with classes and I haven’t really had the time to write blog posts, post on Instagram, or work on collaborations. I’ve also been really hoping to start making more videos on my YouTube channel, but my schedule has been too overly busy to even plan a video. I’ve just been so mentally exhausted and horrendous with my time management, and I’m worried about losing engagement with my followers. However, I know that this is just a phase, college is always going to be busy no matter what and I trust that God already has it all worked out. Even when I have a lot of studying and meetings for my extracurricular groups, I’m still going to make my blog and collaborations a priority.

Fall, I feel like, is the biggest season for fashion bloggers. I consider it a big fashion season because there’s so many styles, colors, and options to choose from. So I’m very excited to share my latest autumn #OOTD inspiration with y’all!

This drape wubby jacket from Francesca’s is to die for. It’s so cozy, it’s so chic, and it’s a perfect jacket for transitioning into autumn. I also got it for $60, which isn’t that bad if it’s a cute jacket that I’ll a lot of use out of! I also like it because I can pair it with almost any kind of outfit. As you can see, I went for a more simple yet hip look by pairing the jacket with black ripped jeans from American Eagle, my red and blue flannel by Ralph Lauren, black booties by Steve Madden, and my COACH prescription glasses. And of course, I can’t forget my “Sweater Weather and Pumpkin Spice” to-go coffee mug which I found in the dollar section at Target. Could this look be anymore fall basic?!

What do y’all think about this fall look? Let me know in the comments!

Also I’m very happy to announce that I’m collaborating with CaseApp once again. You can design your own phone case or laptop skin by using my discount code “20CAROLINETULLIS” to get 20% off your first purchase. The code expires on October 19th, so use it while it lasts!

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(Almost) Sweater Weather and Pumpkins

Do you feel crisp air yet? Are pumpkin spice lattes warming up your tastebuds? Are you throwing out every single sweater of yours that you own out of your wardrobe finally? What I’m really asking is … are you ready for fall?!

I certainly am, fall is one of my absolute favorite times of the year! It also happens to be my favorite fashion season because there’s so many options with layering and styling! And the first official day of autumn is in only TWO days from now, and I couldn’t be more ready!

However, the summer heat is still going strong and it’s supposedly going to continue this way for another while. I love warm weather, but sweat and fall don’t really go hand-in-hand. What’s great about the season is that the temperature is mild and just right. I hope I can at least wear some weathers without having to worry about drenching in sweat (although I’m pretty certain that’s what sweaters are made for). That’s why I just happen to have the perfect fall sweater for the current temperature condition!

I recently bought this cutout shoulder sleeve pullover from Express (which I got for only around $40 during a huge sale) and I’m so happy with it. I love the style, the fabric material is extremely cozy, and it’s perfect for the early first days of autumn. What’s nice about the cutout sleeves that they’re wide enough to air out any armpit sweat on a warm day. It’s the absolute most perfect sweater for this time of year!

And while it’s still a little too humid for long pants and high knee boots, I like to style this sweater with my denim skirt from Target and these amazingly adorable pink mule heels from Gap, both of which I adore. It’s such a cute and preppy outfit combination!

Look at all these pumpkins!

Who’s ready for fall? Comment down below and let me know what your favorite things about the season are!

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Fashionably Late To Class

Being late to class in sweatpants after rolling out of bed is a bad excuse enough. BUT being late to class in style makes it a little less intimidating! When you show up to class in your hottest outfit, you're too cool for school! But of course, you still need to go to your classes in order to graduate with a degree on time. 

For college students, fall semester is just around the corner! I think I have a love-hate relationship with August, specifically because I'm excited for fall but I'm also not ready to say farewell to summer quite yet. While these past few months felt like a blur, I did get to enjoy some much needed sunshine and relaxation. So I'm slowly but surely preparing myself for fall. I don't know about you, but I'm very excited about going back to Kent State for this semester. I already know it's going to be the best one yet and I'm so ready for it!

 There's usually one question that pops into a college kid's mind on the first day of classes: what to wear? Let's be honest, we want to look cute but we also want to stay comfortable. Well, I have just about the most helpful style idea!

Since it's still warm outside, it should be safe to wear a casual dress. And when autumn starts creeping in, you can pair it with some cute jackets, scarves, hats, and boots. I'm absolutely adoring my newest addition to my wardrobe: my grey ruched sheath t-shirt dress from Venidress. 

I've been looking for a chic and casual summer grey dress for a while, and thankfully I managed to come across Venidress on Instagram. It was on sale for $28.88 (previously $48.86), which is an awesome deal for a pretty dress like this one. I not only love the color and comfiness of it (perfect for a lazy day!), but I love the layered bottom part. It's so sexy and fun for a neutral colored dress!

My knitted cardigan from Urban Outfitters looks extremely cute with this dress, along with my gold layered necklace from Francesca’s and All-Star Converse sneakers. I freaking love this whole outfit, perfect for a long busy day of classes. An outfit like this will surely make you the most stylish student on your campus!

Before I stop writing this post, I want to let y’all know that I’m hosting yet another GIVEAWAY just in time for going back to school! I’m giving away this black backpack from Target  (pictured in all the pictures above and the one below) and three goodies: a $15 Starbucks gift card, a notebook, and an office accessory kit. No better way to start the semester off than with some fresh and FREE essentials! 

The rules to enter the contest are simple: like this blog post or my latest Instagram picture, subscribe/follow me (if you already aren’t), tag up to three of your friends (on the Instagram post), and comment your favorite things about summertime. The contest will close on 8/18 and I’ll announce the winner on my Instagram story. Good luck!

And if you don't win or you choose not to enter the giveaway (which I hope you reconsider), you can click the link down below to purchase the same backpack for yourself!

Backpack: Target

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To clarify, this post is not sponsored by Target and please don’t make fashion as an excuse to be purposefully late to class. Education does come first. Thank you! 

Vionic by Lucky Shoes Grand Opening in Crocker Park (Flip Flop Day)

Hey, y'all! I can't believe I got to attend my first ever blogger event, I'm still pinching myself! It was a dream come true, so much better than I expected it to be. In case you weren't aware of my previous collaboration posts, I teamed up with Vionic Shoes by Lucky Shoes to celebrate Flip Flop Day in their store at Crocker Park. I wish I could relive it all over again! But I would be more than happy to share my experience with you babes.  

On Saturday June 16th, I drove up 45 minutes to Westlake for the big event. I got there about 10 AM and it was already packed! As soon as I walked in, I received a swag bag full of so many goodies, including an orange S’well bottle with the Vionic logo on it. I felt so spoiled! 

The store was all organized and full of their current collections of shoes, mostly flip flops to celebrate the big occasion. I was greeted by the very kind employees who I talked with most of the time. It was an incredible team! I also got to hang out with fellow Cleveland fashion blogger Brooke Anders (check out her blog Chic With A Side Of Champagne). 

Brooke Anders of Chic With A Side Of Champagne !

The best part of the whole event was getting to meet Liam Bourke, the on-air personality and head of the entire brand of Vionic Shoes. He was so kind and intelligent! 

In case you weren’t aware of Vionic or need a refresher, it is a shoe brand for both men and women of all ages. What makes the brand standout is that all their shoes provide comfort, from sneakers to even heels. And a bonus, they’re all stylish! One of their main taglines is “Style doesn’t have to hurt”, which fits so well. I love Vionic and I’m definitely going to shop there more in the future. I want to give Liam Bourke a S/O for creating the entire brand in the first place! 

I want to give a HUGE thank you to Vionic Shoes by Lucky Shoes, Liam Bourke, and all the employees for making this first blog event experience of mine the best one yet! This is the second in-person Vionic store in the nation right after Fairlawn, and it's planning to expand its brand with more stores in the near future. So be on the lookout to see if any pop up near where you live! And don't forget to check out Vionic's selection of shoes on their website as well as Vionic Shoes by Lucky Shoes, both online and their in-person stores!

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It's-A Me, Caroline!

If you're an early or late 90s baby like me, you probably understand the reference to the title of this post. And if you're wondering how exactly I came up with that title, it's because this new outfit from Urban Outfitters totally makes me feel like Super Mario! I mean it's pretty obvious, all you need is a red top and denim overalls (and a mustache and red baseball cap with a "M" on it, which unfortunately I have neither). I'm almost all set for Halloween now!

I really feel like I jumped back into my childhood, around the late 90s and early 2000s. Super Mario and those other Nintendo games were the shit back then!

This is definitely one of my new favorite spring/summer outfits. It's so cute, fun, and allows me to embrace the child that is still within me! Just because you grow up and become more responsible and independent doesn't mean that you lose the kid at heart, or at least if you don't want to. In fact, being a kid at heart makes life so much more positive and upbeat. It's also helps to be nostalgic for your happiness. This outfit reminds me of when I would go to my grandparents' house in Lima as kid and play Super Mario 64 nonstop (mainly because I would try to make it up the never ending stairs, if you know what I'm referring to), that was definitely one of my favorite moments from my childhood. I love being nostalgic and remembering the good times!

Don't be afraid to let out your inner child, whether through fashion, personality or both. Whatever generation you come from, embrace it and let out your energetic mini you heart! 

"Growing old is mandatory, but growing up is optional." - Walt Disney

Now if you'll excuse me, I gotta go hit the playground! Whoops, I mean gym ... the gym ...

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