march in instagram

april is here! i love april for many reasons. one, it's my birthday! yay! two, it finally starts to actually feel like spring. in march, there are no guarantees that winter is over for good (it snowed here on sunday!!) and three, spring cleaning! april is a great time to get organized. i plan on going through my closet and making a huge purge this month. i have a lot of clothes that need to be sorted through and either sold or donated. i'm a little scared because i'm a total hoarder when it comes to clothes. i recently graduated college and still have some clothes from high school. something tells me this might be a problem. what are some tips you have for cleaning out your closet? i think i might need some help! below you can check out some of my favorite snapshots from march. this month flew by and was full of yummy food. oops! :)

1. i love me a good PBR on a friday night. yes i know, i'm almost too classy for words.
2. quinoa stuffed sweet potatoes. omg. healthy and delicious at the same time. can't beat it.
3. three thrifted dresses that i am more than excited to style when the weather gets warmer.
4. adore me has the prettiest spring collection in all the land. so lucky to have been gifted this set!
5. we had some friends over and i whipped up a healthy alternative to my fave dessert-- cheesecake stuffed strawberries (only 60 calories each!)
6. met up with my mom and stepdad for korean bbq after a day of (successful) apartment hunting
7. sometimes when i'm home alone i make red velvet cookie sandwiches. #bakingaddict
8. probably one of my favorite drinks ever. a bloody mary. extra spicy :)
9. my newest endeavor-- sewing! i learned how to thread my machine and it only took my two hours. yay. (insert sarcasm here)

you can follow me on instagram at nikkiwilliams11 <3

xxoo,
n

denim diaries

over the weekend, anthony and i had our little sisters in town. and by "little" i mean 15 years old and (maybe) taller than me. both of them are awesome and hilarious and it was great hosting them in baltimore for a few days. we tried to jam pack as many fun things as possible in their less than 48 hour trip and i'm pretty sure that we succeeded. i've found that when having people visit for the weekend, equal parts rest and adventure is key. because as much as everyone loves a good brunch, sometimes you just need an extra hour or two of sleep on a saturday morning!

they both got here friday night, and we started off by ordering indian food and watching a movie. neither of them had ever tried indian food before (!!!!!) and there was no way we were letting that nonsense go on for another minute. indian is honestly probably my favorite kind of food ever. so we ordered a lotttt. ya know. for the sake of them trying as much as possible. not so i could eat more than half my weight in naan and curry.

saturday we woke up late and headed out to hampden-- an adorable neighborhood outside of baltimore. we browsed some antique stores, did some shopping, and ate at cafe hon for lunch. this little town is so cute and colorful i almost couldn't take it. i mean there were pastel houses on every corner; it doesn't get much better than that. it was the perfect scenery for a gorgeous spring day.

it was by pure coincidence that we all got dressed in varying forms of denim on saturday morning. whether it's chambry, skinny jeans, or a jacket-- we basically have all your denim bases covered here. and when we walked by this purple wall, i decided that it would pretty much be a sin if we didn't stop and take some outfit photos here. the blogger in me just couldn't resist this colorful backdrop and our coordinating looks. :)

the rest of the weekend was filled with duck pin bowling, yummy mexican food, and, of course, more shopping. i'm finding when it comes to hosting friends in town, its extremely difficult to find plans that don't include going to my favorite restaurants and clothing stores. i definitely need to be better about brainstorming things to do that are more creative (and better for the ol wallet). what's your favorite thing to do when a friend comes to town? i need some ideas!

i hope everyone had a great weekend. enjoy the rest of your monday!

xxoo,
n

outfit details
shirt: tj maxx
pants: buffalo exchange
jacket: avalon exchange
loafers: c/o duo
purse: h&m
jewelry: forever 21

spring is here

it's officially the first day of spring! even though the temperatures are basically the same as yesterday, it feels like a fresh start. this new season means short sleeves, cute flats, and dresses with no tights. i hope to finally put my big jackets and knit scarves away for good. and honestly this doesn't make me the least bit sad. this winter seemed like an especially long one. i mean just on monday there was a few inches of snow on the ground! it's giving me extreme cabin fever and i'm ready to start planning some fun outdoor adventures. 

there's so much to look forward to in the upcoming months. my sister and anthony's sister are coming to visit this weekend. next weekend is my niece's first birthday. in april we have some friends coming to stay with us for a few days, my birthday, and celebrating easter with my fam. it's awesome looking at my calendar and having fun plans almost every weekend! i'm someone who likes staying busy (with the occasional lazy netflix binge day every once in a while- obvs). it helps keeps my happy and motivated. are you someone who's more spontaneous or do you like thinking ahead?

it's been a while since i've worn this vest but as soon as i put it on i remember why i bought it in the first place. it's just so fun!! if you don't have a fur vest-- you are making a huge mistake. dramatic, yes. but c'mon. you probably still have a few more weeks, if not months, of wearing it before it gets too warm. and in case you need more of a push check out this one and also this one. ahh, i want both! and don't forget to pair it with a colorful tee and some cool boots (both of which were stolen from my sister's closet. oops).

i hope everyone enjoys the first day of spring! buy yourself some flowers or something :)

xxoo,

n

outfit details

shirt + boots: target

vest: urban exchange 

jeans: tj maxx

necklace: forever 21

obey yourself

the weather this week has been all over the place. warm one day and freezing the next. sunday i was out running in shorts and a tank and tonight it was 30 degrees! i'm ready for the temps to even out so i can put away the heavy coats and tights. it's so much easier to stay positive and happy when there's sunshine. i know that sounds cliche, but for me, it's true. with daylight savings this week, i get home from work and the sun is still up!!! it's amazing. i've never been more thankful to have lost an hour of sleep in my whole life.

i'm most excited for spring because it'll get me outside running more often. i'm doing a 5k in may with my sister jessica and my only goal is to not suck-- i want to have a decent time and not do any walking. it's my first real race so i'm looking mostly to just have fun! it's one of those colorful ones where you throw all that colored powder all over the place and leave looking like a rainbow farted on you. ha! i can't wait.

as you probably know by now, i'm usually a fan of dresses and skirts, but every once in a while you just wanna dress cool and comfy. one of my favorite things are guys t-shirts! they can be so much more fun than girl t shirts. buying from the guy section gives you more leeway with finding a good fit for you. i don't always want something short and fitted. actually, that's exactly what i'm not looking for in a comfy shirt. so i highly recommend hanging out on your boyfriend's side of the store next time you want a fun oversized tee!

and speaking of boyfriends, check out this hottie! he just got a haircut this week and looks extra cute, if i do say so myself :) he's heading home to pittsburgh next week (he's on spring break) and i'm soo jealous that he gets to go back to visit. it's been so long since i've been there and i miss that city. we're in the midst of planning a weekend trip next month for my birthday! only a month until i'm 22! woot woot.

i wish everyone a very happy friday. enjoy your weekend and do something fun! 

xxoo,

n

outfit details

shirt: thrifted
sweater: urban outfitters
pants: tj maxx
shoes: groupon

mix and match

it was a beautiful and sunny weekend for the first time in what feels like forever! i spent the weekend at home with my family and it was so nice to be able to actually spend some time outdoors without being all bundled up. weekends at home are always my saving grace. it's nice to escape the daily routine of waking up, going to work, coming home, working out, and going to sleep. every once in a while you've gotta indulge in some extra sleep, yummy food, and lots of blue moon. and trust me, that's just what i did! :)

this floral dress from forever 21 is a current favorite piece in my closet. i love the pattern and the fit. it's loose and comfy, but i can still dress it up with a blazer for work. as i mentioned in my last 9-5 post, a key point for me when it comes to shopping lately has been whether or not i can wear something for fun and for work. it's so much easier than i thought to find pieces that can be styled for both! especially since i love dresses so much. dresses > pants. any day/every day.

i kinda love how much is going on in this look. the patterned dress, the colored tights, a studded bag, it's all a little over the top, and i looove it. and the icing on the cake? this cardigan has elbow pads!!! there's nothing in this world that a love more than a good elbow pad (well i'm sure there is, but you catch my drift. i love these things).

this outfit really makes me think of my best friend brittany. she gave me these tights for christmas (along with a green pair, very holiday spirited haha) and we both have a love for elbow pads (we're weird). when i visited her in seattle last year she wore my favorite sweater (featured here and here) the whole time i was there. she loved it so much i knew that i had to get an elbow padded sweater of her own for christmas. i found a similar one to mine and she was so happy! yay for christmas successes. it's always nice to have little reminders of each other even though we live on separate coasts.

i'm praying for the sunshine to stick around for as long as possible. but, we'll see how this week goes! sending you all warm vibes <3

xxoo,

n

outfit details
dress: forever 21
sweater: buffalo exchange
tights: h&m
shoes: urban outfitters
bag: studio c
sunnies: doubledutch boutique 

flower power

at this point i'm sure you all have entered the Adore Me contest because duh-- free lingerie for pinning. life doesn't get much easier than that, people! and i'm finally back with an outfit post. i'm sure i'm like the millionth person to proclaim that i'm "so over this snow," but dangit, i am so over this snow!! we got another few inches on sunday night, getting me out of work on monday, and half a day tuesday (which is always appreciated), but at this point i'd rather work a 500 hour week and never, ever see fluffy white stuff fall from the sky ever again. or at least until next winter. 

i ordered this gorgeous coat from romwe a few weeks back and was so excited when it came in the mail. i was getting tired of wearing the same jacket to work everyday (#firstworldproblems) and i wanted something fun and colorful. plus, it's light enough that it will easily transition to spring. i am more than ready for some pastel action in my life. who's with me?!

speaking of spring, this floral sweater is great for shining light into the darkness of winter. it keeps me warm and cozy, but on the outside it's fun and bright and i'm pretty sure these flowers are daisies (which happen to be my favorite) and if they aren't, well i'm just pretending they are anyway cause daisies rule.

i got this gorgeous layered necklace from anthony's aunt and uncle for christmas and i just love it. i'm not sure where they got it from, but they said it looked "so nikki" and they were right. it's great! i thought it would pair perfectly with my silver studded duo loafers. throw on some quirky glasses, and you have a casual, laid back look that helps you cope with these forever-lingering winter months. 

thanks for stopping by! i'm heading to my parents this weekend and couldn't be more excited to see my fam :) happy almost friday, y'all.

xxoo,
n

outfit details
sweater: forever 21
pants: tj maxx
coat: romwe
loafers: c/o duo
necklace: christmas gift
glasses: amazon