lime sherbet

All these bright greens and yellows remind me of lime sherbet... YUM! I'm loving all the bright neon colors that are popular this summer. They are so fun! We all need a little color in our lives, right? This scarf was a perfect addition to my casual summer look. We headed up to my parents mountain cabin, where it can get a bit chilly in the evening. The scarf kept me warm, while adding a bright pop of color.

What are your favorite colors this summer?

Oh, and I am very proud of this striped green tank... guess how much it cost me? It was on clearance at Old Navy for $2.50!!! What a score!

Forever 21 scarf and jeans

Old Navy striped tank

Target white under tank

Ross sandals

Claires earrings

finally summer!

I live in Portland, OR. I state known for it's rain! Although I appreciate the lush year-round greenery, I need some sun it my life. June was a dreary, cold month for us... but we finally are getting some summer weather. Actually, the forecast for the rest of the week is in the mid to upper 80s! I foresee a lake outing in my future.

This outfit is simple, but exciting because I can finally start wearing all those shorts I bought for summer. I'm loving these bright coral shorts from target. They have some fun colors right now. And bright shorts are one of my favorite styles for this summer!

What are some of your favorite summer fashion trends?

Target tank and shorts

Charlotte Russe sandals

Forever 21 necklace

Leather bracelets from my trip to Cozumel, Mexico

back to basics

I recently had a friend ask me what basics/staples I have in my wardrobe. This is a bit of tough question, because basics can be defined in so many ways. So for this post I'm going to focus on the items that I currently wear over and over again and can't seem to get enough of. This doesn't mean that these items will forever be in style.. unfortunately, I can't predict the future (although that would be pretty awesome). These items aren't really statement pieces either, but more items that I can easily layer, wear all year long and feel super comfortable wearing. These are also items that work best for my body. They may not necessarily be the best options for your body... consider this post as more of a loose guide. 

My essential tops include basic v-neck tees, plain under tanks in neutral colors, and striped tees and tanks. I also wear a ton of button-up shirts including chambray and animal print. Flowy tops are one of my favs because they are flattering on anyone. A cardigan, jean jacket or blazer are great finishing touches.

My basic bottoms are pretty simple... skinny jeans in denim and black. I love jeans I can roll up that have a distressed look. Bright shorts, pencil/mini-skirts and leggings are all favorites! 

My shoes include black or brown boots, tan/nude wedges and black heels. I'm all for comfort, so I also love flats. Fun sparkly ballet flats are great! Also, bright colored sandals and keds are a few of my favorites.

Accessories are an easy way to dress up your wardrobe. A silver and gold chain necklace are essentials! I love stud earrings. Add some fun bangles, a skinny belt or a scarf and you've got a great outfit!

 Remember, basics don't have to be expensive, although they are, essentially, items you're going to wear over and over again, so make sure they are quality pieces that aren't going to fall apart after one use. Some people also think basics have to be neutral colors... not true! If pink is your favorite color and is flattering on you, then why not make it one of your basics? I love animal print, sparkles, stripes and yellow. So I make sure I have a few of these things included in my basics.

What items are staples in your wardrobe?

happy fifth of july

 I hope everyone had a fabulous Fourth Of July! I know I did! We went to a friends for a BBQ, enjoyed great food, a keg, fireworks and of course got to hang out with a lot of awesome people. Do you like my Fourth of July outfit? I tried my best to create a red, white and blue ensemble without going overboard. I think just the pop of red in my shoes, nails & lipstick worked perfectly.

On another note, isn't it weird how we call it "The Fourth of July" even though it's really Independence Day? I think that's kind of weird...

Pacific Sunwear tank and shorts

Fred Meyers necklace

Forever 21 earrings

Ross wedges

salmon chevrons

I went shopping this last weekend and got a ton of cute stuff, including this salmon chevron top, these jeans and the bright pink ballet flats. SUCCESS! 

You know what I've learned? You really do have to be in the mood for shopping in order to find good deals. I went to the mall on Saturday with my boyfriend (he needed new jeans). Of course I had to look around at the women's clothing at Forever 21 and H&M. I was disappointed that I didn't really find anything... but I was tired and not really into looking that hard. I literally went to the same mall the next day with my friend Whitney who was in town from California. We went to the exact same stores and some how I ended up with a bunch of clothes and accessories. I guess I was more in the mood that day? We went earlier in the morning, so I had lots of rest. It was a nice sunny day. I love seeing/hanging out with friends who I haven't seen in a while. And I had more time to look around. All these factors led to a great shopping trip.

What puts you in the mood for shopping?

Forever 21 top, undertank, jeans, necklace and earrings

Gifted sweater

Trend Shoes ballet flats

H&M bracelets

mint skinnies... finally

About 2 or 3 months ago, I mentioned that mint skinnies were on my shopping list. Well, I finally got some! I've actually had these for a couple weeks now, but I'm just now posting some pics... sorry for the delay. These are from Target. They were a great price, I wanna say around $25. The fit is a little weird on me... a bit loose in the thigh and ankle area. And honestly, they look kind of funny on me when they aren't rolled up. But other than that, I really like them. The color is perfect! I'm excited to see what else I can pair with them.

Target mint skinnies

Forever 21 animal print button up & necklace

Ross belt

Payless kitten heels

Stella & Dot bracelet

Gifted earrings

tank top obsession

I might I have a slight tank top obsession! I love them! I got this fun striped tank last weekend at Target and I'm loving it. I bought it a bit over-sized and I really like that I can wear it with a pair of leggings and its long enough to cover my butt. My favorite thing about tank tops... that you can honestly wear them all year long! During the warmer months, wear them by themselves with shorts. In the colder months, pair with a sweater or blazer. So easy and versatile!

Forever 21 blazer & necklaces

Target tank, sandals & pink bracelet

Charlotte Russe black skinnies

Claires earrings

H&M bracelets

TJ Maxx purse

vintage jean jacket

My mom was going through one of the closets at her house and said she had found a jean jacket and wanted to know if it was mine and if she should donate it. I took a look at it, and realized this jean jacket was from my high school days (I'm now a college graduate, so that was a long time ago). I don't really remember ever wearing this jean jacket, or thinking it was stylish or cool back in high school. I wanna say my mom bought it for me for Christmas one year. But now, I think it's super cute, and it still fits! It's crazy how fashion trends change and how also our own personal style develops.

I now have two jean jackets and they are honestly my go-to items. It's so easy to throw one on and they go with everything! I've been wearing mine with jeans, leggings, colored denim, skirts and dresses. Here are a few past looks:

With A Skirt

With Stripes

With Purple Skinnies: Here & Here

With A T-Shirt

Gap jean jacket

Forever 21 teal tank and jewelry

Old Navy leggings

Cathy Jean boots

summer to-do list

I saw a great idea on another blog I follow, to make a summer to-do list of fun activities, and places I want to try. So I'm making my own. Check it out! Maybe you'll be inspired to make your own!

• Go camping
• Make my own ice cream
• Use the grill more
• Go to an outdoor concert
• Go wine tasting
• Visit at least 4 breweries
• Take outdoor blog photos
• Plan a winter trip
• Make sun tea
• Go on a hike

Pretty sure everything I'm wearing here is from Forever 21.

XXI FTW!

business attire

I had a friend recently message me asking how to style some work appropriate outfits. From what she told me, it sounds like the dress-code where she works is pretty strict business professional. I'm lucky that I work in an environment with basically no dress-code. So, I'm not by any means, an expert on this. But I went ahead and searched Pinterest and created 3 outfit collages that I feel are appropriate for a business setting.

I would start any work wardrobe with classic black trousers and a matching black blazer. You can never go wrong with this. My friend mentioned that she has a hard time creating outfits that aren't boring. Always remember that color, accessories, and shoes can make any outfit exciting! Even though the foundation of this outfit is black and somewhat simple, it's not boring at all. 

Floral prints are a great, work appropriate pattern! Mix them with fun colors and simple cropped pants. I also love stripes, polka-dots and animal prints. Just because you're in a work environment, doesn't mean you can't have fun with patterns. I chose simple gold jewelry to go with this outfit and fun, red shoes.

Make a statement at work with bright neon colors and fun prints! I love the idea of a neutral pencil skirt paired with a neon sweater. Layer a collared shirt underneath for a classic look. Remember leopard print can be worn as a neutral. So I threw an animal print purse and belt into the mix. Bright jewelry finishes off this fun look.

I hope this post was somewhat helpful. Remember, work attire doesn't have to be boring. Have fun with your wardrobe!

All of these collages were created on Polyvore. Check them out here.