january in instagram

so the month of january honestly couldn't have been a better way to kick off 2014. if you remember, i posted some of my new years resolutions a few posts ago (here). i'm happy to report that i was able to really break some ground with these goals the past few weeks. aside from what you might see here (i.e. cupcakes and candy) i really kicked it into gear in terms of getting healthy. i've been doing some at home work outs by watching fitness blender videos on my ipad. also, i've been tracking what i eat everyday with my fitness pal, an awesome app that allows you to count calories and track your weight. and good news-- i've lost 7 pounds so far! woot woot. i feel great and am pumped to keep going next month. 

another thing i wanted to work on was to try and focus less on social media and other online distractions and get back into reading. i have a huge passion for reading and writing, but didn't do much of it in 2013. i want this year to be different. between lounging on the beach during vacation and my crazy long commute, i have read a lot this month. and by a lot i mean 9 books. yes i turned into a total bookworm this month, but it has been awesome. you can never have enough cheesy, romance novels in your life, right?

how are you all doing with your new years resolutions? good i hope! january is always the easiest time to stick to them, and february is when things usually start falling through the cracks. well, let's not let it happen! it's a new month so let's keep motivated. 

here are some of my favorite snapshots from this month. enjoy!

1. shopping with my little sister. how cute is she?!?
2. my first time leaving the country didn't disappoint-- vacation in cancun was amazing!
3. my welcome sign on the first day at my new job at american university!!!
4. yummy red velvet cupcakes i made one night just because.
5. one of my favorite looks of the month (and it's totally thrifted!)
6. january was definitely the month of snow.
7. i repeat. so. much. snow.
8. found my new fave at home workout videos. be sure to check out fitness blender on youtube!
9. a lovely friend send me a package full to the brim with my favorite treats. (thanks, sarah!)

you can follow me on instagram at nikkiwilliams11 <3

xxoo,
n

blue skies

alright people. i'm officially done with winter. no more of this "but the snow is so pretty!" or "layering is fun!" talk. i can't do it anymore!! lets just all take a vote and choose to skip ahead a few months to blue skies and sunshine. i'm not talking full blown summer, but just temperatures above the teens and no more frozen precipitation falling from the sky. who's in!? 

these photos weren't from that long ago, but it was a much happier time. the ground wasn't white and a chunky sweater was enough to keep me warm. this post is me looking back and reminiscing on the better days. the days when i could wear only one pair of tights (now i need to double up) and i could leave the house without a sweatshirt/jacket/hat/gloves/ski mask combo. okay the ski mask is a joke but i do hope february is when we say bye-bye to weekly snow dustings and wind chills of below zero (i know it's unlikely, but hey a girl can dream).

this is one of my most frequently worn sweaters and you've probably seen it before. the maroon and stripes are just my absolute favorite. you can see me style it with pants here but i decided to try something new and pair it with this great skirt i scored for $9.99 at tj maxx. the shape is perfect and i obviously bought it in a different color as well. i mean have you met me? how could i resist.

i know it's only wednesday but i'm already looking forward to the weekend. i see a lot of staying inside in my future. on friday, anthony and i are having a little get together in our apartment with some friends and i can't wait! i'm gonna make some fun snacks and drinks and it'll be a great way to kick off the weekend. saturday, we are heading downtown to try this new mexican restaurant that anthony's aunt and uncle got us a giftcard to for christmas! we've only heard good things and i love trying out new places to eat. are you already planning out your weekend or is it just me?

happy hump day to all. and stay warm!

xxoo,

n

outfit details

skirt: tj maxx

sweater: forever 21

tights/boots: target

let it snow

this snow is getting a little out of control. there's still snow everywhere from last week's snow storm and yesterday it decided to snow even more! it was a little annoying because we had to drive about an hour to my grandparents house, but we made it safe and sound. my whole family got together to celebrate my sister and my grandpa's birthday because they are monday + tuesday this week. it was a great day just sitting around talking, eating, and drinking wine. i'm very thankful that i live so close to my family. it's nice just to get together and catch up.

after leaving my grandparents, we had to head back to baltimore for another birthday celebration! one of anthony's coworkers had a fabulous little get together downtown. we had dim sum at this awesome little hole in the wall chinese restaurant and grabbed a few drinks after. it was nice to see everyone and eat yummy food. it was definitely a great day for birthdays. 

the key to staying warm in this crazy polar vortex is layering layering layering. i'm always wearing at least two or three shirts and/or sweaters at all time. i do not handle the cold very well, but am trying my best to survive in these single digit temps. one of my favorite layering techniques is pairing an old thrifted plaid under a fun sweater. it's warm and cute at the same time, which we all know is very, very difficult to come by.

the only other thing you need is a bold statement necklace. this gold plate necklace is the perfect length to complement the collar on the plaid shirt.  throw in some matching red nails and fun socks andyou have a complete winter ready look. what layering tips do you have to keep warm in the colder months?

i hope everyone is enjoying their lovely sunday afternoon. thanks for stopping by!

xxoo,

n

outfit details

plaid: thrifted

sweater: forever 21

jeans: tj maxx

booties: target

necklace: charlotte russe

winter wonderland

i can't believe it's already thursday! my three day weekend turned into a four day weekend because of a pretty big snow storm that hit maryland on monday night! so i ended up having tuesday off, and then a 2 hour delay wednesday and basically by the time i made it into my office yesterday afternoon i had totally forgotten what it looked like. one of the many joys of working for a university. snow days are just plain old fun. it's something to look forward to that makes the single digit temps a bit more bearable. it always reminds me of the good ol days of sledding and hot chocolate when you were a kid. except now they are more along the lines of sleeping in and drinking wine. yay for being a grown up!

this snow was the fluffy, pretty, perfect kind of snow, so obviously i made anthony come outside with me so i could run and jump around like a 5 year old and he could snap some pics. there's something about falling snow that is just magical. waking up and peeking out the window and seeing the ground covered in all white and pretty flakes coming down from the sky definitely makes for a perfect morning. i spent the day bundled up inside with hot tea, anthony, and gilmore girls. we had soup cooking in the crock pot and it made our apartment smell amazing all day long.

i kept warm outside in my new favorite coat and some fun accessories. i found this coat at marshalls a couple weeks ago. it's gorgeous and i love how the color will match literally every scarf and hat in my wardrobe. the length is perfect for chilly mornings commuting to work and the cinched waist keeps me from looking overly frumpy. it was a lot more than i usually spend on one item, but it's great quality and will last a while, so i think it's a good investment piece.

since every part of my outfit was a tad bit on the monochromatic side, i went with this fun pink patterned pants to stand out in the snow. they are one of my fave thrifted pieces in my wardrobe. there's just something fabulous about finding a kick ass pair of pants in your size for less than 10 bucks. you just can't beat it! and of course a beanie. i'm allll about beanies right now. i have quite the collection going. ones with little puff balls on the top are my favorite. obviously.

hope everyone getting hit by these snow storms is staying safe! happy almost weekend!

xxoo,
n

outfit details
coat: cole haan via marshalls
scarf/beanie: forever 21
rain boots: payless
pants: thrifted

totally thrifted

this three day weekend has been everything i've wanted it to be so far. i've gotten the chance to relax, catch up on blogging, sleep in as late as i want, and spend time with anthony. never in my life have i appreciated a weekend more than i have this weekend. commuting into the city every morning and coming back every evening makes for little free time and not a lot of sleep. my weekends are going to be more precious than ever, now! full of a mixture fun stuff and a whole lot of nothing.

on saturday, anthony and i spent our day at the mall. we hit up the food court for lunch (moe's-- yum), saw a movie (august: osage county--amazing), and, of course, shopped til we dropped (tons of work clothes for the both of us--yay). it was a great way to spend a saturday. we ended it by making some pasta, baking cupcakes, and watching gilmore girls. we've been sort of on a binge since i picked up the whole series on dvd at a thrift store. talk about a miracle. it's one of the best shows. ever. right?!

i realized it's been forever since i've done a totally thrifted post and when i put on this outfit i couldn't believe it was all thrifted items. i didn't even plan it that way! it worked out great because posting more totally thrifted outfits is definitely something i want to focus more on this coming year. thrifting is such a great way to expand your wardrobe while saving money at the time. and since one of my new years resolutions is to manage my money better, it seems like killing two birds with one stone.

i felt awesome in this outfit. the leopard pants, the slouchy beanie, the bright colored clutch-- it might be one of my fave outfits to date. and of course it was just icing on the cake to find this beautiful turquoise wall to be the back drop for these photos. it's moments like this when i'm so glad i have this blog. it's such a great hobby and a fun way to express myself. :)

beanie//blouse//pants//clutch

this fun outfit can be recreated at forever 21. obvi. they are the perfect place for fun patterns and bright accessories. plus, the prices! i mean a pair of denim skinnies for 22 bucks. you just can't beat it. 

well i hope everyone is enjoying their long weekend just as much as me! enjoy the monday off (if you have it) and happy MLK day! 

xxoo,

n

fur for days

so i haven't had time to really sit down and think about my new year's resolutions but i wanted to take a second and write them down for you guys. so... ya know, i have someone to keep me accountable! every year i feel like it's the same old, same old. but this year, i feel like it's different. i'm graduated college, living with anthony, working a full-time job, etc. it seems like a lot of "grown up" stuff-- and grown ups stick to their goals.

here are some things i want to work on in 2014:

1. focus on getting healthy. for real. not just losing weight but changing my lifestyle and being more active. i'm talking running, cooking instead of going out, and less candy!
2. creating a budget and sticking to it. i am really bad with money and spend too much on clothes and other somewhat unnecessary items. i want to put more into my savings and less into my closet.
3. read more. i spend a lot of time on social media and i want to cut back a little and read books and write in a journal more often. reading and writing are so important to me and i don't want to lose that.

did you make resolutions? i'd love to hear! the new year is a great time to re-focus and set goals. wish me luck!

xxoo,

n

outfit details

blouse/jeans: tj maxx

vest: urban exchange 

loafers: c/o duo

necklace: juicy dealz via delightfully tacky giveaway

snow day

thursday night we got hit with the biggest snow so far this winter! we got a few good inches and it was beautiful. my little sister samantha made it to visit just in time to beat the storm. she is still on winter break and i brought her up to my apartment to have some quality hang out time with her before i start work and she goes back to school. she gets more grown up (and more stylish) every time i see her. a fact which makes not stealing all of her clothes an extremely difficult task. ha!

while she was in town, we managed to squeeze a lot of fun stuff in a short amount of time. chipotle, shopping, popcorn, and a new movie all on thursday night! then yesterday we slept in and grabbed brunch at a little diner nearby. it seemed appropriate to wear my new turquoise vest i got for christmas. it's so bright and fun-- plus it kept me pretty warm! 

i love all the colors in this outfit-- and so much of it was thrifted finds! the top, bag, and boots all came from thrift stores over the years. this bag is one of my favorites. the floral fabric is just beautiful and i love how it fits perfectly on my hip. as for the boots, all the credit goes to my mom. she found these for me a couple weeks ago and they're perfect for the snow! they're timberlands and i couldn't have been more excited when she showed them to me. plus she got them for $8! what a deal.

tonight is all about packing. i am the worst procrastinator when it comes to packing so of course i waited until the last minute. i have to dig out all my swim suits and sun dresses because there will be no snow in sight in mexico. i can't believe it's finally here! our flight leaves bright and early tomorrow so wish us safe travels. i still have some fun posts scheduled while we're gone so stay tuned!

have a great week, y'all! adios amigos!

xxoo,

n

outfit details

shirt/shoes/bag: thrifted
jeans: american eagle
vest: belk