Routine

I thought I'd strayed away from the feminine-lace look but something about this dress caught my eye. Aside from it being the comfiest "fancy" dress in my closet, its fit and cut made it feel more sophisticated than some of my other lace pieces. Even though I've been gravitating more towards simple shift dresses and solid colors lately, I'll always have a thing for girly dresses like this.

In other news, I've taken up a new hobby—reading. Good old fashioned literacy. I've started with this gem and I'm loving every second of it. I've got a new Saturday morning routine that I'm becoming very attached to: wake up embarrassingly late, make eggs and coffee regardless of the time of morning (or usually, afternoon) and read. This may not sound life-changing or even blog-worthy, but I've always found a sense of contentment in routine.

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Outfit Details:

Lace Dress—Anthropologie

Denim Jacket—Anthropologie

Leather Belt—Vintage

Gold Watch—GUESS

Nude Flats—J. Crew

Grain Of Salt

Okay, don't get annoyed but I'm trying out the "blogger" style of wearing my jacket over my shoulders. IRL, I would never actually do this...mainly because it literally falls off if I try to walk anywhere and also because it doesn't actually keep me warm. But, I mean, practicality isn't what blogging is all about...is it?

These days it seems more about the illusion captured in a single picture or carefully crafted Instagram. I guess I've just been seeing some shifts in the blogging world that make me miss the days of following grassroots bloggers completely uninfluenced by advertisers. This isn't to say that I don't monetize my own blog in some way, but I suppose my reminiscing is just a reminder that I always want to keep my blog as organic as possible. Maybe I'll take that statement back in a few years (although, I don't plan to), but no matter what I'd like to avoid taking myself too seriously. Everything with a grain of salt...

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Outfit Details:

Tee—Madewell (shop)

Denim Jacket—Anthropologie (similar)

Earrings—Nordstrom (similar)

Sunglasses—Ray-Ban (shop)

Watch—GUESS (shop)

Printed Pants—Vintage (similar)

Bag—Gifted (similar)

Flats—J. Crew (similar)

Rustic Living

Honestly, it probably wouldn't be that unbelievable if I told you I wore this on a "rustic" hike in the Palisades. However, I didn't actually hike in this outfit (don't worry, I'm saving it for the Saturday-scene at Runyon). Rather than hiking, I wore it for a "street style" project for work that we shot at this gorgeous state park. I'm pretty excited about this project, and it's been a fun way for me to get out of the office once in a while and get my creative juices flowing. If you're interested, you can see a few of our first denim-focused street style photos here.

Anyway, I pulled out my new gingham jeans for a casual, comfy look that worked for a day of shooting. I decided to pair it with my eyelet tank to mix print + texture but keep the overall color story the same. I always find that unique textured details and subtle prints keep outfits feeling fresh and exciting, even if the outfit itself is pretty simple.

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Outfit Details:

Denim Jacket—Anthropologie (similar)

Cardigan—H&M (similar)

Top—Madewell (similar)

Gingham Jeans—GUESS (shop)

Sunglasses—Ray-Ban (shop)

Bag—Anthropologie (similar)

Sneakers—Converse (shop)

Regular Friday

Get the look:

Waking up today was weird, because it was the first Black Friday in three years that I wasn't working retail. If I really wanted to, I could have woken up at the crack of dawn to score some "amazing deals," but I figured my time would be better spent sleeping and taking advantage of my day off. Instead of being a crazed sleepless shopper, I enjoyed a relaxing brunch with one of my close friends from home. I did venture to the mall later in the afternoon to pick up a few things, but by that point the crowds had died down. I also made sure to be extra (extra) nice to everyone helping me, because I have been in their shoes one too many times and, well, working retail on Black Friday is enough to make even the nicest, most patient salesperson go a little mad.

Anyway, I wore this outfit last week on a very regular Friday. I felt like dressing up a little and figured a velvety dress would do the trick. Initially, I bought this dress as a costume for a Great Gatsby themed date party that I never actually attended. But, I liked it so much that I kept it anyways. I just have this thing for shift dresses...mainly because they are essentially nightgowns that you can get away with wearing in public.

Happy Black Friday!

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Outfit Details:

Denim Jacket—Anthropologie (similar)

Cardigan—H&M (similar)

Dress—Ruche (similar)

Scarf—Nordstrom BP (similar)

Watch—GUESS (shop)

Tights—Anthropologie (similar)

Ankle Boots—Target (similar)

Flower Girl

Get the look:

Last week, my coworker and I needed fresh flowers for a video we were filming, so we made a quick lunchtime flower run to the LA Flower District. Sometimes it's nice to get away from the office for a bit (especially on Fridays) and explore new parts of the city—definitely a perk to working in Downtown! I absolutely loved the rich purple color of the bouquet we picked up, so I made a point to take them home with me...and, of course, snapped a few photos with them before I left the office :) You'll be happy to know, they survived the photo shoot and now have a nice spot on my coffee table.

For some reason, the skyline in these photos reminds me of Seattle and it looks like I'm dressed for Pacific Northwest weather as well. However, in reality, it was a weird and smoggy LA day. On the plus side, I loved the evening lighting and the smog made for an absolutely gorgeous sunset—we're talking like a crazy hot pink and orange sky—on my drive home from work :)

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Outfit Details:

Paisley Dress—ASOS (shop)

Denim Jacket—Anthropologie (similar)

Scarf—Nordstrom (similar)

Belt—Target (similar)

Watch—GUESS (shop)

Tights—Anthropologie (similar)

Boots—Madewell (shop)

American Girl

Get the look:

I spent my Fourth of July back home with Andrew and his family. Since I insist on documenting every major holiday (pssst...here's my Fourth of July post from last year), I made him take cheesy patriotic pictures with me before we left for fireworks. Don't let that kiss deceive you...he wasn't too happy :)

Hope you all had a great holiday!

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Outfit Details:

Dress—Anthropologie (similar)

Pilcro Denim Jacket—Anthropologie (shop)

Watch—GUESS (shop)

Sandals—Target (similar)

A Much-Needed Adventure

These past few weeks have been crazy and after finally finishing all my midterm exams and projects, Andrew and I went on a (much-needed) Saturday adventure. I honestly couldn't tell you the last time we were able to spend the entire day together, but it was so nice! We started the day by taking a drive up PCH and had brunch at Marmalade Cafe. Then, we randomly decided to visit Pepperdine since we had both heard the campus was supposed to be amazing...and it certainly lived up to its reputation! I seriously don't know what it would be like to go to a school with that kind of ocean view, but I can definitely tell you I wouldn't get much studying done.

I decided to wear my tried and true Night-and-Day anthro dress because it always seems like the perfect dress for a Saturday adventure :) I paired it with my new acid wash denim jacket that I haven't taken off all week since I picked it up from work. I love how it still has a classic cut, but gives a little edge to anything I pair it with. I also wore my vintage Dooney that I found at a thrift shop near my apartment for $30! I was actually in shock when I found it since recently Dooney & Bourke has been reproducing their All-Weather Leather pieces for like $300+!

Anywaaaays, here is the point of this post in 10 words: I had a great weekend and wore things I like ♥

The. End.

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Outfit Details:

Dress—Anthropologie "Night-and-Day Dress" (remixed)

Pilcro Denim Jacket—Anthropologie (shop)

Handbag—Vintage Dooney & Bourke

Heeled Clogs—Target