If I Only Had Springtime

 
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Hey, y’all! It’s hard to believe the first day of spring is just two days away! Who’s ready? I certainly am!

I recently re-watched The Wizard of Oz, one of my favorite movies, for the first time in a long while and it was like re-living my childhood again! To this day, that movie still brings me so much joy (despite how much the Wicked Witch of the West and flying monkeys used to scare me as a kid lol). My favorite part is when it starts off in black and white, but then changes to Technicolor as soon as Dorothy and Toto arrive in Oz. In the 1930’s, seeing color in motion pictures was a pretty big deal, especially for a big movie like that! I can just imagine during that time when it first came out and seeing everybody’s reaction to the vibrant tones on the screen. That’s something I would’ve loved to been a part of and experience myself! The scene honestly reminds me of how it feels when springtime finally comes along. After a long, dreary and gloomy winter, there’s nothing more beautiful than seeing green leaves grow from trees, vibrant flowers spruce up from the ground and sunshine beaming down on the Earth. It truly feels like walking into a land somewhere over the rainbow! The movie also gave me the inspiration to call this post “If I Only Had Springtime”, just like the songs that the Scarecrow, Tin Man, and Cowardly Lion sing about the things they long for, and I’m longing for spring to finally come!

I will say, the weather we’ve been getting here in Ohio lately has been AMAZING. Since the end of February, we’ve been getting a lot of days full of sunshine and above 40 degrees in temperature. I actually just saw some little purple crocuses blooming in my parents’ backyard during a recent visit, and it absolutely filled me with so much joy and gratitude! Although I still feel like we haven’t seen the last of winter just yet (the beauty of living in the Midwest lol), I’m definitely not complaining with what were getting right now!

I got this cobalt blue floral dress from Francesca’s towards the end of February, and I think it’s the absolute perfect dress for springtime. When it first arrived in shipment, it honestly reminded me of Dorothy Gale! If The Wizard of Oz took place in 2021, I think she would totally wear this dress and rock it! Unfortunately, unlike Dorothy, I don’t have the money to afford a pair of ruby slippers nor the help from Glinda to gain them 🤣However, I do have these white croc heeled mules I bought last summer from Nasty Gal, and they match perfectly with the dress! And since it’s only March and still a tad bit cold here in Ohio (and I’m sure it is in Kansas as well!), I have this ivory knitted cardigan from Anthropologie to go with the outfit and keep me warm!

As far as jewelry goes, I like to keep it pretty simple with this particular outfit. I’ve had these double hoop earrings from Altar’d State for almost a whole year now and I love them. They’re very simple yet chic and make it look like I have a double piercing! I’m also wearing this bar pendant necklace from Francesca’s (unfortunately no longer in stock, but here’s a similar one!), a Kendra Scott gold cuff bracelet, and an adjustable crystal bar bracelet from Grit & Grace Studio.

I actually wore this exact look for my younger cousin’s confirmation, which I attended as her sponsor. It’s such a delicate and comfy outfit. I will certainly be wearing it a lot for work, Easter, spring, and summer occasions coming up!

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Any fans of The Wizard of Oz out there? Comment below and let me know what your favorite scenes and characters are!

My sweet roomie and bestie Katie Sullivan took these pictures during a beautiful day at John Brown Tannery Brown (one of my favorite places in all of Kent), and it was an absolute blast to bring this springtime vision to life! Her photography skills are amazing, y’all. Be sure to check out her Instagram account for more of her photography and business inquires!

 
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Shop The Look

Wine and Dine

Stop your "wining" and pour yourself a glass!  

I said it once and I'll say it again, I love Napa. It's not even just because of all the kinds of wine that are made there, it was the scenery that absolutely blew me away. My favorite day during my time there was when we took a wine trolley tour through the valley for exploring and wine tastings. I wanted to look nice for the tour, but at the same time I wanted to be comfortable for six hours straight. So as a fashion maven, I thought this coral off the shoulder dress from Anthropologie was a perfect choice. 

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Like red, the color coral brings out the bold in me. It's also a beachy kind of color, which goes very well with my summer/California style. Although this makes me feel more sweet and classy rather than sexy, I still have so much confidence when wearing it, especially with the off the shoulder portion of the dress. A little wine also adds some confidence as well! 

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If you know me well, you know that I can't resist a dress with pockets, and thankfully this dress has them! One of the ladies we became friends with on the tour gave me the nickname "Pockets", which I don't even mind one bit. I hope it catches on! 

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I'm obsessed with my cat eye sunglasses from The LOFT. I love the shape and the fact that you can wear them with anything. They make me feel like a movie star! 

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Cheers to a wonderful time in Napa Valley and to Anthropologie for always bringing summer in style! 

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Dress: Anthropologie

Sunglasses: The LOFTsimilar glasses

Shoes: Sperry - similar shoes

California Girl

The more I see or hear the word "California", the more I wish I was back in paradise. My mom and I are already talking about what we want to do the next time we visit the Golden State (hint: Disneyland is in the top ranks!) I am very thankful to have had the opportunity to visit one of my favorite places for our summer vacation, and I am already looking forward to the next adventure.

California is known to have over 87,000 jobs in the fashion industry, even surpassing New York's fashion district workforce. Los Angeles is one of the biggest cities that has inspired "California-cool" fashion trends throughout the world. When packing for the trip, my first thoughts were what outfits would be perfect to share on the blog. So here are two of my best outfits from the trip!

California Dreamin' 

Mid-length maxi dresses and the beachy atmosphere make a perfect combo. California is the perfect place to wear a maxi dress all year round. Luckily I bought this flounce lace dress from Anthropologie at the beginning of June, just in time for the trip. I love the elegance of this dress, it almost looks more cocktail-like but still great for casual occasions. It has a confident statement for the girl in the outfit and leaves onlookers in wonder. It's also perfect for both summer and winter, you can easily get a lot of use out of it.

Since the outfit is a simple black, you can go all out with accessories. I picked my feather-like chandelier earrings from Francesca's, Alex and Ani bracelets, Lokai bracelets, and a turquoise stretch bead bracelet (similar to a Lokai).

Finally, what is a sunny vacation without sandals?! Here is a pair of my two-year old jeweled snake sandals from Dillard's. Thankfully I had nail polish to match the jewels and cover up my toe nails!

The best part, palm trees make a perfect background!

Dress: Anthropologie - similar dress 

Shoes: Dillard's - similar shoes

Earrings: Francesca's similar earrings

Bracelets: Alex and Ani 

Bracelet (Pink): Lokai 

Bracelet: Bling Jewelry

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Sun's Out, Shorts Out

I don't really like adding too much detail to my fashion blogs, so I'll try to keep this one as "short" as possible.

Shorts, tanks, and flip flops are an obvious must for an eighty-degree adventure. These white sailor shorts and black pocket shell tank top, both from the LOFT, together form a sophisticated summer gal look. Add some accessories including Ray Ban half-frames, a bar necklace, watch, bracelets, an Italian handbag, and easy-to-walk-in flip flops and you'll be fashionably ready to explore!

Still in search for some clothing items for your summer essential list? There is still plenty of time! Check out some links below from my outfit picks to find your own pair of summer fun outfits!

Shirt: LOFT

Shorts: LOFT

Shoes: Reef

Sunglasses: Sunglass Hut

Purse: Terapeak

Necklace: Urban Outfitters 

Watch: Macy's

Bracelets: Alex and Ani