white hot

i honestly don't think this weekend could have been any more eventful. thursday night, anthony had his last final for grad school!! so he's officially done with his master's degree. i couldn't be more proud. i threw him a little mini grad party with dollar store decorations and a crumbs cupcake. it was fun and i am so happy for him! now we have the whole summer to enjoy not being students before i start grad school in the fall, ha!

the weather here has been magical lately. sunny, warm, and perfect. i love bringing out all of my summer skirts and dresses. this skirt is one of my favorites because the fit and length are just right. it's thrifted (as is this shirt) and i thought it made a great outfit for work. so this look is half totally thrifted and half 9-5. i couldn't decide which to pick, so we will say it's both. :)

with this simple look, i continued the trend with some simple accessories. i usually prefer gold over silver, but this vintage silver bracelet is too pretty not to wear. and my two biggest spring staples so far this season have been my nude old navy sandals and my trusty h&m bag. you can catch me wearing at least one of these two items 99% of the time. you can never go wrong with the basics. what is your spring staple right now? 

in other news, anthony and i officially signed the lease for our new apartment (!!!!!!) and i couldn't be more excited. we are moving in on may 31st and i can't even put it into words how wonderful our little apartment community is. great location, nice neighborhood, and a pool! i can't wait to do some swimmin' and sunnin' this summer. it's going to be amaazinnggg. we've already started furniture shopping and scored an awesome couch at an antique store on saturday. things are really falling into place! 

i hope every had a fabulous monday. thanks for stopping by!
xxoo,
n

outfit details
shirt + skirt: thrifted
bag: h&m
shoes: old navy
bracelet: vintage

nine to five

so i realize i haven't done a nine to five post in forever. this feature focuses on what to wear in more professional setting. whether it's a full time job, an internship, or job interview, my goal is to show you that you can still showcase your personal style while dressing to impress. now that i'm graduated college, and working my first "real" job, i wear professional clothes more than i wear my regular clothes. i originally thought that i wouldn't be a big fan of this. but once i focused on incorporating pieces i already had in my wardrobe, with a few new items, i started having a lot of fun getting dressed in the mornings!

 if i wore black slacks and a button down everyday, it's safe to say i would be both bored and depressed. yes, it would meet the office dress code, but there are ways to be much more creative with your wardrobe. both target and tj maxx make it extremely easy and affordable to find fun pieces that can be styled for both work and outside of work. it definitely helps you stick to your budget when you can find items that are versatile. a fun skirt can spice up a simple sweater for work, but can also be paired with a plain tee for a night out with the girls. 

a key item that is more than 100% necessary for a working girl is a good bag. not a little clutch or a small purse, but more like a female version of a briefcase. i got this gray beauty from target and have literally carried it to work every single day. i can fit my lunch, my ipad, and all of my key necessities in it no problem. i can throw a binder in it if i'm heading to a meeting or fit my laptop in it if i'm working on something away from home. it has been such a staple since i started my job! i love the color because it's goes with anything, and the straps allow me to hold it in the crook of my arm or on my shoulder. you can find a very similar one here if you're interested.

you definitely don't want to over-accessorize, but don't be afraid to wear a statement necklace or fun earrings. it's these little things that can make you feel more like yourself and can spice up a simpler look. and, of course, you can never, ever go wrong with a pair of basic, and most importantly comfy, black pumps. they can give your outfit the necessary edge, as long as they aren't stilettos. because ow. nobody got time for that.  

i hope some of these tips can help keep you inspired when getting dressed for work in the morning. looking and feeling good can help keep you empowered and ready to conquer anything! happy wednesday!

xxoo,

n

outfit details

skirt + bag + watch: target

sweater: belk

pumps: payless

earrings: forever 21

nine to five

another week of this glorious summer is over, and this time, i'm a little sad. i've been at my internship with givecorps for the past 8 weeks and it has been an amazing experience. it's such a fun company and a great work atmosphere. my coworkers and awesome and the other interns were so cool! i truly feel lucky to have met such nice people and to have gotten the chance to grow as a graphic designer.

internships are tricky because by the time you get comfortable with the people and the company, they're over! it really sucks because it can be hard to get into the groove and make friends. since this internship was over the summer (and not during the school year) i felt like i got to spend more time in the office and can honestly say i felt as though i made friends and got to learn more than i ever could have expected. and the great news is, they hired me part time for the fall semester (when i'm back at school in pittsburgh) and i couldn't be more thrilled! *insert one million smiley faces here*

you can never go wrong wearing a pencil skirt and a blouse to work. in the summer it was my go-to outfit of choice. it's simple and professional, and easy to add pizazz with a statement necklace. this color combination is my favorite. salmon is the perfect color, i swear. 

anthony and i celebrated last night by picking up some crabs and shrimp from the grocery store and having a delicious seafood feast. he sure knows how to make a girl happy. (well me at least; i loooooove food lol) it was great! life is so good right now i have absolutely no complaints.

since it was my last week at givecorps, my wonderful coworkers planned a drinks/appetizers outing to this amazing restaurant in hampden called the food market. i got a delicious girly cocktail and we tried pretty much all of the appetizers on the menu. i was so glad everyone took the time to go and hang out outside of the office before i left! it was so great getting to know everyone and i am excited to continue working with them in the fall.

now that i'm done working for the summer, and i have a few weeks before i go back to school, i am so so so excited to be going on vacation with my family to emerald isle, nc!!! two weeks on the beach with my mom and stepdad, all of my siblings, and my newest little niece. i truly couldn't be more excited! we leave on sunday and i'm already all packed for probably the best vacay of all time.

does anyone else have any fun vacation plans this summer? i'd love to hear! and stay tuned for more posts coming up while i'm at the beach. thanks for stopping by.

xxoo,

n

outfit details

skirt: buffalo exchange

blouse: thrifted

sandals: old navy

necklace: forever 21

nine to five

okay so, i'm 21 and still in school and i don't have a full time job. it might appear as though i can wear whatever i want all the time cause it's a free country, people! but this is not the case. this summer i have an internship at givecorps. its an amazing company that helps nonprofits raise money. i do a lot of graphic design and its safe to say i love my job. though the dress code is not super strict, i still try to look professional while working my lovely 30 hours a week.

unlike boys, girls can't wake up 5 minutes before we head out the door and throw on a button down shirt and slacks. well i guess we could, but yawwwn. boring. i like color! and patterns! and cute shoes! i am so not a pencil skirt/pants suit/blazer every day type girl. and if you are, no offense, i'm sure it works for you! but if you're like me, it can be hard to find a balance between showcasing your personal style while maintaining a professional persona in your work (or internship) atmosphere.

this dress is calvin klein found at tjmaxx and it cost me $19.99. no that is not a typo, it's real life! tj maxx is probably the best place to go for business wear. they have timeless, name brand pieces for half the price of department stores. you can find almost anything you would want to wear to the office in this place. a solid dress and fun/quirky shoes (these were on sale for 12 bucks at payless!) are a great way to amp up your work attire. 

the necklace, earrings, and bracelets are some things i scored at forever 21. you will quickly discover that 99.9% of my accessories are from forever 21. i mean they have things for under 5 bucks. it's a dream come true. whether it's a pair of earrings for $1.80 or a necklace for $4.80, i have such a hard time saying no to these things! i mean, you can't have too many accessories, right?

                                         

i'm going to be posting outfits that i wear to work from time to time. just to help give a few hints on how you can spruce up your 9-5 work week and have fun when getting dressed in the morning. it may not be as exciting as picking out what you are going to wear to that mumford and sons concert next week or for a girls night out with the gals this weekend, but i promise you 9-5 doesn't have to be all pinstripes and pantyhose.

how do you add your personal style to outfits for the office? comment below and share your secrets!

thanks for reading.

xxoo,
n

outfit details
dress: calvin klein via tj maxx
wedges: payless
jewelry: forever 21