Merci Beaucoup

Merci means "thank you" in French. Ironically, Thanksgiving is around the corner. So in that case, I say "thank you very much God". Or as the French would say, "Merci beacoup Dieu!" 

I absolutely love this entire outfit. Everything but the blazer, purse, and sunglasses are all new and from Anthropologie. I'm in love with this graphic t-shirt that says merci, which in my head I hear either a French accent or Uncle Jesse when I read it to myself. Both merci and mercy have different meanings, but are both positive words and sound the exact same! 

I love this shirt because of the comfy, smooth cotton material and I also happen to have a little bit of French ancestry. Mostly Italian, but still a bit French. Both my sister and mom actually have graphic t-shirts from Anthropologie that say "Ciao", both which mean "hello" and "goodbye" in Italian! 

My medium-sized black blazer from BCBG goes hand-in-hand with the graphic tee, both for casual or fancy occasions. The shirt looks great with or without it, one of the many perks of styling! It also doesn't hurt to throw some retro shades on to look fearless and like you're on a mission 😎

Before I stop writing this post, I need to brag about these new jeans and shoes. 

I love how these skinny straight, high-rise jeans are both 70s inspired and modern at the same time. Even though they're technically skinny jeans, they're super comfortable and not tight at all. They're perfect for a casual day that involves running errands and a yummy lunch. 

And these new booties, do I even need to explain? They're adorable and fabulous! Perfect for the fall and winter as well as go with almost every outfit thanks to the plain nude color. 

I also can't forget my favorite black shoulder bag from Matt and Nat! I can't remember how long I've had this bag for, it's been a while (I'm guessing since Christmas of 2012). But it's still in great shape and looks stylish with every outfit. It also surprisingly has enough room to fit my big ass Kate Spade wallet even though it's a tight squeeze! 

SHOP THE LOOK

With Thanksgiving creeping up on us, I've been thinking a lot about all the things that I am thankful for. There's so many things to list, and I think that's what makes life beautiful. Gratitude and thankfulness are two of the most important values anyone can have. I take my gratitude and thankfulness for granted, especially when my self-esteem is low in which I need remind myself that it could be a lot worse. Oprah was on The Ellen Show not too long after the Vegas shootings when she spoke words of wisdom about "appreciating the ordinary", as in every normal day. You never really know when your last day is gonna come, so you might as well take the time you have to appreciate the great things God has blessed you with. I think this shirt is perfect not only for this time but all year round, there's so many things to be grateful and thankful for! 

What are you most grateful and thankful for? Comment down below and share :) 

Sending a big S/O to my friend Laura Rybka for walking around Downtown Hudson with me and taking these awesome pictures for me! Make sure you follow her on Instagram at @1aura.e.photography to see all of her artsy and amazing pictures :) 

It's Fall, Y'all

I'm pretty sure you're well aware that autumn has arrived. The title of this post literally says so.

And I'm pretty sure by now you're well aware of my excitement for this season, but who wouldn't be? I've been pinning on my Pinterest fall board since summer! It used to be my least favorite season, but now I love it. One big reason is because of fall fashion!

Autumn, in my opinion, is the best season for clothes. Mostly because now you have more cute options to choose from. You don't have to worry about the weather getting cold or hot because it's pretty much in between. Surprisingly right now in Ohio; however, it's still hot. It's been weirdly warm that the leaves haven't even changed colors yet, which kind of makes me sad! My heart says fall, but the weather says no :( But despite that, I found some perfect outfits that are fall ready and I'm eager to show you what I picked out!

Sweater Weather

You heard right, sweater weather is finally here! Did you here Amy Poehler and Maya Rudolph's voices in your head when you read "sweater weather"? I hope you did. 

I just bought this white turtleneck pullover sweater from Anthropologie just in time for fall. Not only is it super stylish and comfy but its easy to wear to almost any occasion like a reunion party with friends/family or a low-key date night. It's perfectly fashionable and suitable for the fall weather and is great to have just in time for winter, which you could pair with a trench coat.

For this photo session, I paired it with my brand new and adorable floppy hat from Target. I also found other perfect pieces consisting of black leggings from Zella and my always on point Steve Madden black booties. Black and white clothes never fail to look glam together!

This sweater also looks great with other different types of pants besides leggings, especially skinny jeans! I considered wearing a pair for these pictures, but the weather was too warm so I decided it would be more comfortable and less hot to wear leggings instead of tight dark denim jeans.  

SHOP THE LOOK

All Blazed Out

The temperature hasn't quite died down yet (although the leaves have due to the humidity), so it's still safe to wear shorts. However, it's getting chillier so it's a good time to add some layers. The sun is still blazing which isn't a bad thing. You know what else is blazing? Blazers! That's probably one of the dumbest puns ever created, but I'm still proud of it. Haters gonna hate ... 

Blazers are trending in fashion right now, and not just for business purposes. The looks I've seen on Pinterest look so chic which made it reasonable for me to blog about it. My mom originally bought this black one that I'm wearing for herself from BCBG, and then she gave it to me when she didn't want it anymore. I started wearing it for professional cases such as my marketing internship this past summer, and now I'm finding different casual ways to style it. It looks super cute with shorts which is why I chose to wear a denim pair from American Eagle for this photoshoot. I also used my black and white striped long sleeve from GAP because it looked adorable with the blazer. And to add a touch of fall, I used my red Hunter boots to give it a more unique look. I always love a little color that makes the outfit pop, especially a bold red!

I keep asking myself, do I look like a sailor? Kind of, but it's still fun for the this time of year! Not to mention that there's only twenty-one days left till Halloween, so it doesn't really matter anyway.

SHOP THE LOOK

S/O to my great friend Pam Schultz for taking these pics in beautiful Hunting Valley, she's such a great director and has a good eye for creativity. Now I know how to "look for the light" when modeling. She rocks, and so do these new outfits!

Have fun with this season and feel free to comment down below about how you plan to style yourself for fall!

Crisp and Chilly

I'm not even joking, "crisp" is one of my favorite words and I enjoy saying it. I especially love using it to describe fall, arguably everyone's favorite season for many reasons. Cozy scarves, pumpkin spice lattes, the fresh smells of the leaves, the list goes on. That's what we fall lovers live for! It's so great that people actually forget how cold the weather has gotten and how it's going to get much colder! We might has well embrace what's left of the summer heat. Ajahn Brahm did once quote, "When the weather is hot, keep a cool mind. When the weather is cold, keep a warm heart." That might be one of the keys to a balanced lifestyle, very interesting if I must say. 

Don't get too excited because this isn't an official "fall fever" post, but it's leading up to it! These outfits I'm about to share with you are, just like my last fashion post, a transition to chilly autumn ("chilly" is another big word to describe the season). They also might be a bit boring because I'm literally just wearing all black: shirt, leggings, and boots. That's when the fun needs to be added, it needs more color and coziness. Speaking of coziness, that's when the scarves come into play! 

All Cuddled Up  

I don't know about you, but I love oversized clothes more than the ones that fit perfectly. I just love the cuddly feeling of being wrapped up in a fluffy blanket, almost like getting hugged by a big teddy bear!

I'm going to be honest, I cannot remember at all where this scarf is from. I got it two or three years ago, probably right before I started my blog or right after. There have to be plenty of scarves that look exactly like this one out there, I would be shocked if they're weren't any. If I had to randomly guess where this is from, I would say either Ralph Lauren or Madewell. 

Does this look remind you of Little Red Riding Hood at all? That's who I feel like while wearing it. The fairytale took place during fall, right? 

No matter where you are or what you're doing, you can always stay cozied up as if you're relaxing in your comfy bed! 

SHOP THE LOOK

InVESTed

That's right, it's time to invest in a vest! They're such a key essential for fall fashion, whether short or long like the one I'm wearing in the picture below. I've actually already blogged about this gray vest last fall in my post Fall Fever from last year, and here I am again blogging about it!

I love this cardigan vest from Apple Tree (a boutique in Oxford, OH) because it looks very hip with outfits such as jeans and a t-shirt, leggings and a t-shirt like what I'm wearing in the picture, and even short simple dresses. It's also very long and cozy just like the blanket scarf! 

I've had my LC Lauren Conrad riding boots for about three years now, and they're still in great shape. One of my favorite pairs of shoes in my wardrobe, and they're super stylish for the crisp chills of fall!

It may be chilly outside, but my heart is warm thinking about the pleasures of autumn, such as sitting at a bonfire while making s'mores to be more relevant. Be patient because more fall posts are in the works, so don't go away! I mean, you don't have to stay the entire time. Just don't go away for, like, ever ... 

Comment down below and tell me what you're most excited about for fall! 

SHOP THE LOOK

Goodbye Summer, Hello Autumn

It breaks my heart to say goodbye to summer and wait until next year for the warmth and sunshine to return to Ohio. However, I now look forward to the simple pleasures of fall. For me, I find it easy to transition from summer to fall because it's not like transitioning from summer to winter. You don't have to dress in super heavy clothing to beat off the chilly weather, but you still have more options rather than just throwing on shorts, flip flops, or a maxi dress. 

I think this outfit consisting of a tank, jeans, simple heels, and a diamond choker is a good fashionable transition from summer to fall. I'm in love with this new black velvet top from Francesca's which fits well for autumn and actually kind of has Halloween witch vibes, and witches are one of my favorite things about the holiday! I'm also very happy because believe or not, this is the first clothing item made of velvet material that I own, and I've been so anxious to finally have something made of velvet to wear! 

On a side note, even though I'm not a huge fan of the Kardashian family empire, I feel a lot like Kendall Jenner with this top because it looks like something she would wear. Just throwing that out there. 

Autumn will have times in which you'll need to throw on a jacket of some sort if it gets too chilly, which is great for this outfit. The black tank goes with anything, whether that may be a knit cardigan or a leather jacket. Look how perfectly matched the tank and jacket from Cecico in the picture below look, it shows off a cool greaser vibe!

The outfit looks great with any hairstyle, as you can see how I chose to wear my hair in a braid. I'll say that for the majority of outfits I talk about, but this one especially looks killer with any hairstyle, whether the hair is down or pinned back. 

I could rave about these ripped boyfriend jeans for about half of this post even though I've blogged about them before. They're absolutely comfy, trendy, and a little voguish. Now they're only $35 at American Eagle where I originally bought them from for $50, so now's the right time to purchase them before they go out of stock! Although I'm sure you'll find plenty of other similar pairs for great deals.  

And of course, I will never get over these classic black pointed toe pumps from J. Crew which I've probably blogged about at least ten times by now. They go with everything and always look classy and stylish no matter what, especially with the black velvet tank and jeans! Although if you're going to be walking around somewhere with open wooden floors, I recommend to reconsider wearing them (coming from personal experience while taking these pictures).

Summer has been quite a treat, and I'm already anxious for the sunny season to come back. But for now, I am going to enjoy the beauty and pleasures of autumn while it lasts (hey, that rhymes!) And on a positive note, there's only 110 more sleeps till Christmas, YAY! Although I'm in no rush, 2017 is going by way too fast.

Make sure to subscribe and keep up to date with my blog because I have a bunch of fall-related fashion and lifestyle posts coming, so be on the lookout! Happy September XOXO  

Shirt: Francesca's

Jeans: American Eagle

Jacket: Cecico - similar jacket

Shoes: J. Crew

Necklace: Banana Republic - similar necklace

Glasses: The LOFT - similar glasses

Watch: Macy's

Fall Fever

Finally, it's sweater (vest) weather! 

I just had the best fall break! I didn't do a whole lot, but that sometimes is the best type of break. I slept in every morning, I ate healthier (cause you know college food), went shopping, saw Keeping Up With The Joneses (surprisingly very funny!), and of course spent a great quality time with my family and friends from my hometown. I was exhausted from midterm exams and doing homework all the time, so a four day break was very necessary. And plus, it gave me more time to write this blog post! 

When my mom and I went shopping, I bought a few new clothes and I am eager to share them, I think they are just perfect for fall. And of course, what's a fall fashion photoshoot without pumpkins and everything fall-related?! 

The first part of my outfit I want to share are my new pair of light blue ripped mom jeans from Anthropologie. They're perfectly slim and high-waisted, and they are so comfy! At first, when I tried them on, I thought they are a bit tight, but aren't all jeans like that at first? After a while, they became more easy to put on and now I can last throughout the entire day without feeling one bit uncomfortable. I also finally have a pair of jeans that are more ripped, so that makes me very happy! 

Everything at Anthropologie is twenty percent off at the moment, so it's best to buy these jeans as soon as possible! 

My shoes, actually technically my mom's shoes, are designed by Børn and can be bought from Nordstrom. They are so comfy and chic, I'm going to have a can a pair for myself that I can wear all the time. Mom jeans and shoes worn by my mom, it's definitely obvious where I get my fashion sense from. 

Of course, I have to prepare for the chilly weather with a black long sleeve shirt from Target (designed by Merona), a black choker necklace from Francesca's, Ray Bay half frames from Sunglass Hut, and my new favorite gray sweater vest from Apple Tree. The vest is probably one of my new favorite fashion pieces for fall. I love how long it is and the soft material it has. It looks great with shirts, pants and dresses. Plus, it has pockets! 

Fall is a beautiful and pleasant time of the year that must be cherished every second as the leaves continue to fall and pumpkins continue to grow. When you have the chance, go on a beautiful fall hike or go to a farm and pick some of the best pumpkins to carve or eat. Also, find that one outfit, whether dressy or comfy, that makes you feel confident, lovely, and expresses the beauty of fall and what it means to you.

Make sure to bundle up though, it's getting cold out there! 

Vest: Apple Tree - similar vest

Shirt: Target

Jeans: Anthropologie

Shoes: Nordstrom

Necklace: Francesca's

Sunglasses: Sunglass Hut

The Girl With The Black Dress

Originally I wanted the title for this blog to be "One Last Drop of Summer", but I then I thought "The Girl With The Black Dress" sounded more mysterious. Not in like a creepy or scandalous way, a fashionable and magical way! Even though the dress really is pitch black. 

I am a little gloomy that summer is fading away, especially now that I have one thousand assignments and exams due by December! I would much rather be relaxing in my inflatable donut float in the pool rather than writing a 500-word reading response ... 

But on the other hand, I really am looking forward to fall. I love when the leaves turn into beautiful red colors, pumpkins going into season, Starbucks serving their special salted caramel hot chocolate (try it, it's so delicious!), and even Halloween is kind of exciting (if it's not too scary). It's still pretty humid outside though, the sun hasn't really decided to decrease the heat quite yet. I feel like this look I'm about to present to you is a mixture of summer and fall, an outfit which you could wear for both seasons! 

I absolutely love this new black turtleneck dress from Francesca's. It's wide enough to be comfortable in and still look super chic, plus black is a color that makes me a little skinnier! It's perfect for summer with sandals, snazzy jewelry, and a sporty hairstyle like these French braided pigtails. And for the fall, the dress would look great with a nice jacket, boots, and a pair of tights with a natural, let loose hairstyle. 

Some people have a hard time trying to decide when to wear silver jewelry or gold jewelry. Why not combine them together? I love how my Fossil watch is a combination of both colors, and some small diamonds to add more glitz! A few gold Mantrabands from MantraBand, a long gold necklace, tiny gold earrings, and gold and silver silver rings bring a little glamour to this sporty look! 

I highly recommend the Mantrabands by the way, they are so elegant and sophisticated. They come into different delicate polishes and have uplifting quotes about optimism, positivity, inspiration, and mindfulness. All filled with love. 

French braided pigtails have been so popular lately, so I thought I try it out myself! I love the way they look with the dress, jewelry and shoes. It adds a sporty chic touch but still looks very sophisticated. I kind of feel like Princess Anna! 

Also winged eyeliner and rose-colored lips look great with the dark shade of the dress, as do most funky and bright beauty looks. I love my lip stainer from Smashbox, which I shared on my latest Beauty Haul  blog with my first YouTube video. I highly recommend it for anyone who is looking for a lipstick that will last for the entire day! 

"Big Splender" (rose) lip stainer from Smashbox.

It's going to be hard to say goodbye to these beautiful Egyptian-looking snake sandals from Dillard's. Well on the bright side, only nine more months till I can feel like Cleopatra again! 

They just opened a new Francesca's boutique in Hudson close to where I live, so I'm very thrilled about it. I literally bought the black dress from this one specifically, so it was a necessary requirement to pose next to it for the blog! 

This, my friend, is advertising. My marketing major is already coming into good hands! 

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And to top off a good photoshoot day, a delicious chocolate-covered Oreo from Cold Stone Creamery! 

Shout out to my awesome sister Lauren for taking these pictures in the beautiful city of Hudson and letting me buy a yummy treat! Also shout out to the new Francesca's boutique for having this dress on the racks just in time for the end of summer and beginning of fall! 

Dress: Francesca's 

Watch: Macy's

Shoes: Dillard's - similar shoes

Bracelets: MantraBand

Lip Stainer: Smashbox

Thanksgiving

Gobble gobble! 

I hope everyone had an awesome Thanksgiving and ate plenty of delicious food! I can be honest and say I ate three pieces of turkey, five crescents, and six pieces of my grandma's homemade stuffing along with dessert. At least these meals only happen once a year! Unless you live at Hogwarts and have feasts in the Great Hall everday ... 

But aside from the food, Thanksgiving is a wonderful time to be with friends and family, especially when everyone nowadays is busy at college and jobs. It's important to cherish these holiday moments with one another, so pick an outfit you'll remember being most happy in! 

On Thanksgiving, I chose a new dress I bought from Express. It's a floral-designed purple long-sleeve. It works well for both spring time or in the fall, when the weather is perfectly mild. I love this dress because floral designs are my favorite. If you like dressing in flowers, this is the dress for you! 

For my shoes, I simply chose a pair of black booties from Steve Madden. No reason needed, black goes with everything as long as it doesn't hurt your feet. 

I hope you enjoyed this new fashion post and liked my outfit for Thanksgiving. Happy Thanksgiving, and I can't hardly wait now that it's officially Christmas time!

Dress: Express 

Shirt: Apt. 9/Kohl's

Jeans: American Eagle

Boots: Kohls

Booties: Steve Madden

Preppy Chic(k)

Holla! 

Sorry I haven't posted a new fashion blog in a while, these last few weeks were a little rough. I had a nasty cold that lasted for almost more than one week! I also had three midterm exams last week and a lot of assignments due at the same time. I tell ya, college is a toughie! 

But now I'm not sick, all my midterm exams are caput, and I'm on fall break! Yay! 

It's been wonderful to be back at home with my parents and dogs for four days, but the best part so far was going back to Lawrence Upper School (where I graduated from) to visit all my friends and teachers! So in order to look like a representable and official college girl, I decided to go for a preppy and chic style, my absolute favorite type of style!

College is a very preppy place I find, my sister Lauren's college Miami University was ranked as #1 preppiest school in the country! Good style must run in the family blood. 

I once again wore my Urban Outfitters cardigan and Lauren Conrad boots from Kohl's. These are my two favorite pieces of fall clothing so far, I could wear them with anything! 

My next addition included a black tank top from J. Crew, a maroon/black cooperative Christie skirt from Urban Outfitters, and black leggings from Lululemon, the best athletic apparel store in the universe. 

To make the look even more preppy, I wore my Banana Republic glasses along with my Fossil watch and Lokai bracelet as accessories. Some people almost didn't recognize me when I went to visit my high school with my new frames! 

And of course, I treated my craving for Starbucks with an iced vanilla latte. Even more preppy (and basic). 

The weather wasn't too nippy, so I decided to take a picture of my clothes without the cardigan (and glasses). If you wore this outfit without the leggings or boots, it would be perfect for the summertime as well! 

I now know what I'm wearing to my next country music concert ... 

Fun fact, I wrote this blog while watching the new live-action version of Cinderella, and now all I wish is to write a blog about wearing a princess ballgown ... but one can dream, right? 

Hope all of you lovely followers are having a wonderful fall season so far, and make sure you stay in touch with upcoming fashion posts! Happy October! :) 

Tank Top: J. Crew - similar shirt 

Cardigan: Urban Outfitters

Skirt: Urban Outfitters

Leggings: Lululemon 

Boots: Kohls

Glasses: Banana Republic - similar frames 

Watch: Macy's

Bracelet: Lokai

Just Another Casual Sunday

I recently went home for the weekend to celebrate my dad's birthday, and my mom took me to Crocker Park for a fun shopping spree for new fall clothes! We shopped at J. Crew, Urban Outfitters, Anthropologie, Francesca's, basically all of my favorite stores! I'm super happy with my new purchases, so I decided to show off one of my newest pieces of fall fashion! 

My gray and navy sweater was purchased from Anthropologie, and I'm already in love with it. It's comfy and cute, it's even perfect to wear for the summer! 

To complete my outfit, I chose a pair of skinny jeans from American Eagle along with my favorite pair of black cowboy boots made by the fabulous Lauren Conrad. Skinny jeans aren't my absolute favorite type of clothing to wear, but I really liked how they looked with the navy color outlines of the shirt. 

For jewelry, I did'n't feel like wearing too much, so I just wore two rings and a dangly pair of golden earrings from Francesca's.

Fashion tip - when it comes to jewelry, either pick dangly earrings and a few rings and bracelets or pick a necklace with bracelets and rings but smaller earring studs.  

Lauren Conrad cowboy boots

I gotta say, as much as I'm not looking forward to the cold weather (thanks, Ohio...), I really do love bundling up in jeans and sweaters! 

Sweater: Anthropologie 

Jeans: American Eagle 

Boots: Kohls 

Earrings: Francesca's - similar earrings