Bright Blue Pants a Make Her Dance

Okay, so maybe these pants don't make me "dance" but they definitely make me feel great. And that's what clothes are supposed to be about right? Right! 

I came across these gems at a vintage designer store down the street from my apartment. As you might know I'm living in Milan, Italy this summer so quality fashion picks are not hard to find but... finding them at a reasonable price is the kicker. The little store is tucked in the Brera District, traditionally known for great boutiques, and is called Il Cameo. The mother-daughter duo who own it have an eye for some of the best vintage Chanel, Gucci, Prada and YSL I've ever seen. For weeks I was lusting after a Chanel sweater shell from the 60's but had to talk myself off the ledge. Fortunately, the Il Cameo duo has taken a liking to me and my constant drop-ins and kindly knocked down the price of these pants to a steal! Go me and my decent Italian language skills!

To keep the focus on the star of the show, I like to pair these palazzos with a simple black top. The halter cut of this Banana Republic top {similar here, here, here} balances a little skin with the weight of the pants to keep this outfit cool both in temperature and in style. While these pants might not pair with everything, a simple black halter looks great on everyone and is super versatile. It's a great staple to have in your closet and if you don't own one already click the links above and invest!

Even with a big print, small details are everything. I'm carrying my Kate Spade color blocked crossbody that's the perfect size to fit everything I need for a day of traveling, dainty jewelry including one of my favorite Kate Spade Saturday necklaces (RIP) and simple black wedges. Would you believe me if I said these were Dr. Scholls? I couldn't believe it either! They're simple, stylish, match with everything and I've survived miles of Italian cobblestone streets in them. I've been super impressed. Go Dr. Scholls! 

{Top // Banana Republic (similar, similar), Pants // (similar), Wedges // Dr. Scholls (similar, similar), 

Purse // Kate Spade (similar, similar), Necklace // Kate Spade (similar)}

Do you have any prized finds from a local vintage store? And how about these palazzos? Are you a fan of the wide legs and bold prints? 

Emily 

What's on the Agenda?

It's that time of year again. You're starting to scour through the heaven that is the Target school supplies aisles, searching for your first day of school dress and most importantly looking for the new year's agenda. Cherry. On. Top. Despite how silly it may sound it really is a big decision!

I'm a big list person. Everything I do has to be written down. I always have a handful of random journals on me to keep track of homework, errands, things to remember and important dates however my agenda is where it all comes together. I combine all of these little scribbles in my other notepads onto a much cleaner and much easier to visualize layout. I carry my agenda with me everywhere and it's one of the first things I look at when I wake up and one of the last things I put down when I go to bed. To say that my agenda is this important in my life sounds utterly pathetic but it's really always around. And that, is why this silly-sounding difficult agenda decision is, well, not so silly. 

For the past few years I was a tried and true Lilly agenda owner. I loved the doodles and quotes on the inside but I decided to change it up this year. I went for the {Large Kate Spade Bella Bookcase} Agenda. I did this for a few reasons. For one, my Lilly agenda seemed almost too-preppy for my taste (as hard as that is to believe). I wanted something a little more toned down and a little more grown up. The bookcase cover is so cute with some of my favorite books actually drawn on the shelves! I also liked the fact that this hard cover encased the pages providing a little more protection against a year of toting's wear and tear. This time I also opted for the Large size as opposed to the Medium. I originally ordered the smaller size and upon arrival I decided to trade up. The Kate Spade Medium pages are slightly smaller than that of the Lilly and I like a lot of room to write. The several inches larger do not make the planner any less convenient to carry around and the extra space was worth the few extra dollars. All in all, I'm super excited on my decision and I'm already shocked that the August calendar is already filled. Yikes!

To help some of you all out on your quest for the oh-so-perfect-agenda I provided a few links {click on the image above} to some adorable designs with great page layouts. A cute agendas is a little way to spice up a boring stack of books in your backpack as well as keep everything super organized!

What agendas are you liking for this school year?

Emily

            

Spring has sprung!

Finally! Spring is here. The weather is slowly warming up and I am happy to say that I am in shorts today! Spring is definitely my favorite season. A cool breeze, blooming flowers and a glass of sweet tea is an absolutely perfect day. Blogging outside is another plus!

Apart from the great weather, and generally more upbeat days, brighter clothes are right up my alley. Dust off those hot pink shorts that have been tucked away in your closet and drag out those lime green flats. Spring is the perfect excuse to mix some bold colors and prints!

These are some of the items I'm lusting over from J.Crew, Madewell and Gap. Some solid staple pieces can really go a long way and I truly consider stripes to be a neutral. Spring is here to stay and I'm loving it.

Feelin springy,

Emily

What to Wear on Saint Patrick's Day!

It's always tricky dressing for holidays. Saint Patrick's Day falls into the category of days like Valentines Day and July 4th, all the holidays where people are expected to wear festive colors. When trying to stay in the spirit and dress for these days of celebration it's often hard to find the balance between dressing festively without being, well, tacky.

St. Patty's Day separates the ladies from the girls.

There's a difference between that girl at the office who has saved her green dress for today or the girl that got her green crops dry cleaned for the occasion and the girl that's got that subtle piece of green worked into her outfit. There's something chic and whimsical about a pop of holiday color in a belt or some rockin' shoes. Dressing for these holidays is all about picking your accessories. If anything I think these are the days when you choose not to wear that green dress or that heart patterned shirt or that red, white and blue striped skirt that you just bought. We try not to blend in every other day so why should today be the same? I'm not about being pinched but I'm still about looking chic.

I put together some green accessories to keep you looking festive and fashionable! Slide some Hunters on for a rainy day or grab your trusty Kate Spade bag before you head out the door! St. Patty's Day is a time to show your inner style master and how creative you can really get with your outfits!

Make me proud ladies!

Emily

Spring Break State of Mind

As I mentioned before I'm currently on Spring Break. And also as I mentioned before I'm home, in Kentucky, where it's snowing. Brrrr. Now don't get me wrong, this was exactly where I wanted to be. I needed a place to come relax and crash on the couch for a few days and it has been absolutely great. However, I am still a little jealous of all my friends lounging on the beach. I'm currently living vicariously through their Facebook and Instagram posts while I'm all bundled up. Some tanning oil, a good book and a margarita sound like a dream.

In the meantime I can handle my warm chai and J.Crew scarves but I could also handle this J.Crew striped bikini and these adorable Jacks. Fortunately for me, summer is coming soon and by April Memphis is already scalding. The pool on campus is going to be seeing me as soon as possible so I guess I can wait until then. 

*sigh,

Emily

Spring Forward

So today we set the clocks forward an hour. This really isn't a surprise, it does happen every year but still. I'm particularly at a loss because I already lost an hour yesterday moving from Central to Eastern time. Waking up this morning at 12:00 really threw me off. I felt like I lost an entire day! Tomorrow I'm definitely setting an alarm. However, despite feeling like I'm waking up two hours earlier I really can't wait to have longer days.

The days getting longer means we're getting closer to summer. And that, is something that I can't wait for. The sun setting at 6:00 just ain't my thing. Not only is it making me tired earlier but I feel like I'm eating dinner at midnight!

Due to this sudden change in time I've been searching all day for a new watch. For me I go in cycles of wearing watches. In high school I wore a different color plastic watch everyday. Don't judge me but they each had different smells - and this was precisely the reason I bought them. Otherwise, I've had a few colorful Swatch watches but I have never been consistent in wearing one. I'm currently looking for a more professional but still whimsical watch. I do think that a good watch is a necessary investment as I'm starting to look towards more work oriented experiences. I think it's that one accessory that's always can be professional but also show a little individuality.

Check out my digs below and maybe you'll see one on my wrist soon!


Still wide awake at 8,
Emily

...

Ice Ice Baby

So as I'm typing this there is sleet coming down outside. The sidewalk is already covered and all I can think of is the fact that we have pin attire tomorrow.

So what does that mean?
Business attire, in the sleet. That's always a fun combination.

These are the days that I truly have nothing to wear. 


Dressing in the cold is an impossible task. There are four possibilities of winter dressing:

Option A. You look great. Red lips, houndsooth dress, tights and riding boots. Compliments all day but by the time you get back home your knees are bright red and shaking and your hair just might have frozen off.

Option B. You're so bundled up you look like the little boy from A Christmas Story in your floor length puffer coat. Eskimo can be trendy I guess…?

Option C. You throw on the lulu lemon fleece tights, tall uggs, your boyfriend's worn in sweatshirt, a patagonia and call it a day. You're sacrificing a little bit of heat for a lotta bit of style but you're out of the house on this snowy day so that's got to count for something right?!

Either way, it's a task.
I'm determined tomorrow to look like a million bucks. Okay maybe not a million bucks but lets at least good enough that I could instagram the outfit and possibly get a few likes.

Here's some of the inspiration I've been looking at for tomorrow.

Hope it can spark some ideas for your chilly days too!

I'm a sucker for bean boots and tights. Not only are they practical but they give a formal outfit a more whimsical 2nd grade going-to-school feel. And honestly, I'm all for that. 

That dress. Those shoes. I mean those legs. This girl's got it.

I'm not typically a fan of the Over-the-knee boots but with that coat it really takes the edge off. She's less Pretty Woman and more Serena Van der Woodson and I can really dig it.

This would be a stretch for me but I really am dying to try a beany. Hopefully soon I'll whip out the curling iron and give it a go. I'll keep you posted...

I think I just fell in love with these pants. Fitted to perfection and they look festively warm. Plus, this girl's got guts.

I think this is what I'm going for. The mixture of textures with an overall cozy feel. I could go through a whole day of classes in that sweater, not to mention that skirt. Oh, and I'm definitely thinkin bean boots. 

Stay warm!

~ Always, Emily