october in instagram

happy november! i hope everyone had a great halloween. i know i did. me and brittany dressed up as mario and luigi and it was a huge hit at the bar. lol. i've never really planned out a good costume before so i was pretty proud of us. it was so nice to be able to spend such a fun holiday and her birthday with my best friend. it was a great ending to such an awesome month. here's a few of my favorite snapshots from october.

1. the leaves changing colors is my ultimate favorite thing about fall

2. wine night with my roomies-- we all have different tastes!

3. a pretty candy corn inspired bouquet of flowers 

4. i made homemade flavored popcorn inspired by a recipe from a beautiful mess

5. photobooth strip with my boo thang

6. my last minute cat costume for my school's halloween dance

7. lana and miley on the covers of my fave magazines

8. downtown tacoma on a rainy day

9. brittany and mine's halloween costume!

you can follow me on instagram at nikkiwilliams11 <3

xxoo,
n

alley cat

i am currently writing this post from seattle, washington! i'm on a little vacation visiting my best best best best friend brittany for her 22nd birthday/halloween. we have so many fun plans for the weekend and i'm so happy to be spending time with one of my favorite people in the whole world. this morning, were drinking coffee and eating birthday pancakes and listening to taylor swift's "22" on repeat lol. i'm one happy camper.

i've never been to the west coast before so i was super excited to make this trip. brittany just moved here from nebraska (i've visited here there a few times before) a couple months ago. i was excited to leave pittsburgh for a bit and experience a new city. make sure you are following me on instagram to keep up with my seattle adventures!

so i probably have about a million chunky sweaters because why wouldn't i have a million chunky sweaters? most are thrifted, but this one happens to be from forever 21! i love that it's just plain white because it can dress it up or down, pair it with any color pants or skirt, plus it's just simple and pretty. whether its a cardigan or a pull over sweater, oversized knits are the perfect fall wardrobe essential.

black and white with a pop of red is a classic color combo, so i couldn't help but pull out my 90s chick roots and tie this plaid top around my waist. i feel kinda weird for being so obsessed with tying shirts/sweaters around my waist lately but it's just such a cool trend! it's an accessory, like a cool necklace or a colorful bag, and i'm a fan.

i will be back soon with some photos from my trip. brittany is the queen at planning fun outings and finding awesome things to do-- so i'm sure i will only have awesome things to report. we have been best friends since high school and only get to see each other once or twice a year, so each trip is really special. does anyone else have a long-distance friendship with a best friend? they're tough sometimes, but it's always worth it.

hope you guys have a happy halloween! me and brittany will be dressing up and heading out on the town tonight. have fun and be safe, everyone! 

xxoo,

n

outfit details

sweater/necklace: forever 21

plaid shirt: thrifted

pants: tj maxx

boots: payless

sunny days

remember when i mentioned the sunny days in pittsburgh are few and far between? well this was one of those rare days. last weekend anthony was in town and the weather was perfect. we decided to head to the south side, which is a long street full of coffee shops, boutiques, and restaurants. it was the perfect day to make the long trek across the bridge and do some shopping.

it was too warm for a jacket, so i threw on my favorite sweater and was good to go. maroon is everything in autumn. the best fall color. and, i love me some mixing prints so i paired the stripes with a floral tee i thrifted a while back. it's the perfect layering essential because it's just the right amount oversized. 

we hit up some great shops all along east carson street and i spent waaaay too much money (as usual). but oh well. #yolo ;) we grabbed some sushi for lunch and ended the afternoon at goodwill. i have a feeling i will be doing quite a few totally thrifted posts in the near future because i found some great stuff!

i got these cute sunnies from charlotte russe.  i love them because they have a great shape, but the top has a turquoise trim! such a fun little quirk. i am super into shopping there online lately. be sure to sign up for their emails because they send great deals!!  and no outfit of mine is complete without studded shoes. these are my tried and true brown combat boots. they are kind of like a reliable best friend-- always there when you need them (and in no way is that weird).

and don't forget: you still have one day to enter my chloe + isabel giveaway! it's a great online jewelry boutique and i'm giving one reader a free pair of earrings and a coupon for $25 off your next order of $75 or more. if you want to check out their site and do some shopping, check it out here.

it's a miracle i'm posting on saturday so thanks for reading! enjoy the rest of your weekend. <3

xxoo,

n

outfit details

sweater: forever 21

tee/bag: thrifted

pants: tj maxx

boots: zooshoo

sunnies/necklace: charlotte russe

a fountain for fall

howdy, folks. it's that time of year in pittsburgh where the sunny days are  few and far between, and the normal color you see in the sky everyday is grey. plus, it's raining today. womp womp. oh well, gotta make the best of it! i woke up and made some hot tea this morning and caught up on blogging. a pretty good way to start the day if i do say so myself.

in case you missed it, i'm hosting a giveaway with chloe + isabel and we will be raffling off a gorgeous pair of earrings next monday, along with a coupon for $25 off your next order of $75! how awesome is that?! their jewelry is just amazing, so be sure to check out their site. 

this outfit combination is pretty much my fall uniform. jeans, comfy tee, funky scarf, and oversized jacket. it's perfect for when i want to get ready quickly and rush to class and still look cute. i'm not one for wearing sweats or hoodies out in public. i like to look semi put together, even if in reality the outfit only took me .921 seconds to put on. and moccs are just the cherry on top to any casual fall outfit, am i right?

i recently ordered this jacket online from jolt, through amazon, and i looove it. i'd been searching for a reasonably priced military style jacket for fall and wasn't having much luck.  then i was shopping in the clothing section of amazon one day (totally normal) and came across this bad boy. how cute are the little jewels on the pockets?! and the length and fit is just perfect. 

 

speaking of amazon, that's also where i ordered this cute little mini tote bag. funny story: i didn't actually think it was going to be mini. i wanted a big ass bag to carry around all my books for school in and this one looked perfect in the photo. when it arrived in my mailbox, i pulled it out of the box and was like yaaaa--ohhh. :( but now it's growing on me. i love the color, and it can still fit one notebook or two for class. lol. #onlineshoppingprobs

well i'm off to grab lunch with the friends and then it's class time. i'll be braving the 40 degree temps and the autumn showers today so wish me luck. happy wednesday!

xxoo,

n

outfit details

tee: tj maxx

scarf: urban outfitters

bag: amazon

jeans: american eagle

jacket: jolt

mocassins: payless

sunnies: doubledutch boutique 

downtown living

it's been a slow week over here, and i'm currently sipping coffee and relaxing because wednesdays are the most low key day in my schedule. some days i work and have class 12 hours straight, and some days (like today) i have one class and then nothing else to do! while i enjoy the little moments of free time, i wish it was a little more balanced. oh well, i only have two more months (omg!) of the crazy college student life so i guess i better enjoy it while it lasts.

i'm trying to soak in all of my favorite pittsburgh hot spots while i can. whether it's hanging out at my favorite bar or getting sushi at the best restaurant in town, i feel compelled to cram all of the things i love about this city into to the next couple months while i've still got my lovely downtown apartment and easy access to all the fun stuff. and by fun stuff i mean anything that will distract me from applying to scary, full-time, big-girl jobs. eeeek!

i guarantee if you see me anytime in the next four months, there is a 86% chance i will be wearing a scarf. i just love these things! they can take a simple outfit (ie. jeans and a tee) and make it pop. for this purpose, i usually choose bright colored and patterned scarves so they can add that extra oomph to a casual look. i have an entire drawer in my room dedicated to scarves, so that just gives you an idea of what we're working with here!

these boots are becoming a fall staple in my wardrobe. i will wear them with dresses, skirts, jeans, tights, tall socks, and leggings (when i'm feeling lazy, don't deny it, you love them too!) so i think you get the message that i wear them a lot. i just can't help it! it's not my fault they match everything and are super comfy. some days you just want to be cool and casual, and this was definitely one of those days.

i hope everyone is having a lovely week. thanks for checking in!

xxoo,

n

outfit details

jeans: tj maxx

top: american eagle 

scarf: zara

boots: dwds shoes

bag: urban outfitters

sunnies: doubledutch boutique 

totally thrifted

happy monday, people! okay mondays are never that happy but it's not freezing and it's fall and i'm drinking an iced chai and i don't have any complaints this morning. i had a great weekend spent with good friends in loud bars, and even got some homework done. yay for being productive! and speaking of productivity, i also finished season 5 of mad men on netflix! if there's one thing i'm good at, it's binge watching television shows. go me.

something about autumn makes me wanna wear orange. a lot. and i usually hate orange. but when october rolls around i can't wait to wear it. i mean it's the color of pumpkins and pretty leaves and candy corn (i love candy corn). orange is everywhere this time of year. so this basic striped tee is perfect for the season.

these shorts are one of my favorite thrifted finds. i know i probably say that a lot, but this time i really mean it! i'm pretty sure turquoise will never stop being my number one favorite color and i will jump at any chance to incorporate it into an outfit. since the color of the shorts is the highlight of this look, i decided to keep it simple and go with black accessories. these little black sneakers are just so darn comfy and i have to have my handy dandy black satchel. 

i've been enjoying the transition to fall and wearing skirts or shorts with long sleeves and scarves. i don't have to fully commit to dressing to face the cold because the weather has been gorgeous, but i still like wearing fall pieces and colors. i am so not a jacket person and it's been nice not having to wear one. it's so hard to plan outfits around the one or two jackets in my wardrobe!! safe to say i'm typically cold a lot. lol.

you can hit up forever 21 to make a similar look. they had almost the exact shorts, and they even come with a black belt! how perfect. i'm totally crazy about those studded black sneakers too. remember the whole stud/shoe combo obsession thing i mentioned last week? still going strong. 

shirt//purse//shoes//shorts

hope your week is off to a great start!

xxoo,

n

we are family

last weekend i was able to go home and spend the entire weekend with my family. since there's so many of us (6 siblings) and were all doing our own thing (college, work, etc.) it's hard to have times where everyone is all together. my mom and aunt decided to throw my grandma a surprise birthday party and everyone was able to make it home for the weekend! i couldn't have asked for anything better. even some family i haven't seen in a while were able to make it! 

the older i get, the more i cherish time spent with my family. being away at school in pittsburgh, over 5 hours away, really makes me appreciate the times when i'm able to just come home and relax and hang out with my mom and my aunt and my sisters. i have such a great relationship with all of them and i'm so lucky for that.

and the party turned out great! all my grandma's friends came into town and my stepdad made so much delicious food. plus, my sister madison (a pastry chef) whipped up a yummy cake and i got to see my precious little niece savannah. she is getting so big it's crazy! she's 6 months old and cuter than ever. it was the perfect day. so much laughing and just plain ol enjoying each other's company.

okay. can we talk about these boots and how amazing and wonderful and perfect they are. i got an email from charlotte russe one day and it said they were having a happy hour sale and all boots, i repeat all boots, were $20. i instantly got on their website and found these bad boys, originally $53 (!!!) and bought them. best. purchase. ever. i got so many compliments at the party! they were a hit. i also realized that 90% of all the shoes i own have studs on them. ha! oh well. #sorrynotsorry

me and my sisters all got dressed separately, and then when we walked in to the same room we realized we were all wearing maroon! my boots, jessica's dress, and samantha's skirt all matched. it was so cute. plus we all went with black/white neutral accents. great minds think alike, i suppose! ;)



how good do my sisters look?!?! samantha (on the left) just got her braces off and she looks more beautiful than ever. i love how we each have our own individual style, but have a lot in common too. samantha's skirt and jessica's dress are both from forever 21. i swear between the three of us, we could single-handedly keep that store in business. we love it.  

the boys, of course, wanted to get in on the photoshoot action and were poking fun of the idea of "outfit photos." notice my sister's boyfriend jhullian popping his foot and my brother park with his hands on his hips. this was how they wanted to look like "fashion bloggers." haha! my brother adam even asked if i would take a picture of just his shoes. it was hilarious. we just stood out in my aunt's backyard taking a million photos and goofing around. i love having so many siblings and hanging out with everyone and their boyfriends and girlfriends. there's never a dull moment, that's for sure!

how often do you get to see your family? isn't it just the best?! :)

xxoo,

n

outfit details

dress: cotton on

boots: charlotte russe 

necklace: charlotte russe 

rings: charlotte russe 

indian summer

last week i had the awesome opportunity to team up with my amazing friend and photographer katya for a fun little photoshoot. we met up and hopped on the bus to lawrenceville, one of the coolest little neighborhoods outside of downtown pittsburgh. kat had a great location in mind and we were off to start our adventure! our first priority was a cool drink so we went to this awesome little place called 720. i'm not kidding when i say that they sell records, clothing, and coffee in this one little shop! i browsed around and drank my iced chai while kat set up her equipment. it was my first time there and definitely won't be my last!

then it was photo time! we stopped by some cool railroad tracks to snap some pics on the way to this super amazing beautiful incredible colorful mural. it's painted under an overpass and it is just so stunning. in it's entirety it depicts lawrenceville and it's just so damn cute. i think i've mentioned it before but i love street art! and this is one of the coolest pieces i've ever seen.

pittsburgh is experiencing a full-blown indian summer right now! last week/weekend, the temperature stayed in the 80s every. single. day. i've already said my goodbyes to summer and was getting in the fall spirit, so this weather was a little unexpected. i'm hoping fall will be in full swing this week. my weather app says 60s and sunny, so lets see if they got it right!

i looove me some layers and this combo was so fun. i got this blouse from forever 21 last year and it's just the perfect neutral staple in my wardrobe. you can't go wrong with simple and solid black. but there are these cute little sequins on the collar to spice it up a bit! for some reason, fall encourages me to style more mens-wear inspired pieces. i love buttoning my shirt all the way up and pairing it with cardigans or sweaters. a great pair of denim shorts are also essential for autumn. this high-waisted pair will stay front and center in my closet all season. pairing them with tights helps you beat the chilly weather and gives you a break from wearing pants everyday! i'm so excited for fall fashion and all of the fun outfits that are in store.

another staple that comes with mens-wear inspired looks is loafers. i'm so thankful for the person who decided loafers were not just for guys in suits! they are so fun and classy. these beauties were sent to me by duo.  they are a company based in the uk, but recently launched their website in the us. they have amazing boots, flats, heels, and even handbags. the pieces are incredible! i'm wearing the jagger loafers in black (with studs of course!) they are comfy and cute, and easy to dress up or down. be sure to check out their site!

i had so much fun working with kat and am so happy with how this photos turned out. girl's got skills! you can check out her kick ass website here. collaborating and supporting local artists is so much fun. it also didn't hurt that when we were done shooting, we headed over to happy hour at round corner cantina for yummy drinks and chips + salsa! what a great way to end a hard days work. ;)

thank you to everyone for reading and supporting this little blog of mine. i couldn't ask for anything more. <3

xxoo,
n

outfit details
shorts: thrifted
shirt: forever 21
cardigan: forever 21
necklace: forever 21
loafers: c/o duo boots

wedding weekend

last weekend, anthony was in town (again! i've been seeing this boy so often lately. it's like we're not even long distance. ha!) and we headed to his little hometown for a few days of friends, food and festivities. it was so much fun!! all of anthony's high school friends were in town so i got to meet a few new people, as well as hang out with the rest of his gang that i already know pretty well. but the best part was getting to dress up all weekend!! ;)

friday night we went to the rehearsal dinner. they ran through the ceremony at the church and then we headed to this cute little country dinner for yummy food and little games. i wore this maroon lace dress sans tights/sweater/jacket because it's freaking hot in pittsburgh right now. i'm finally ready for fall weather to start and it's been upper 70s all week! i don't mean to complain but i'm ready for scarves and socks, not sandals. lol. but i digress.  

i got this dress at cotton on last year and it's just so lacy and girly. i love it. i got it for $10 (no lie) and it's a constant staple in my wardrobe no matter the season. i just love me a good dress. simple and easy. you can dress it up or down. and am i the only one who would much rather wear a dress than jeans if i'm trying to be comfy? they're just great. plus, this little satchel from urban outfitters is one of my favorite items of the moment. 

at the dinner, i won a mum! (as in the flower, not the parental figure) we played this game, and the first question was who lives closest to the bride and groom. my school is literally a few miles from their new apartment in shady side so i won that round! and the second question was who's birthday was closest to the groom's and we actually share a birthday (april 11) so i won again, ha! it was just two funny. but in reality no one needs two flower pots so i let someone else have one lol.

i didn't take too many photos at the wedding cause it was such a busy day. but if you follow me on instagram you probably saw this photo of me and anthony all dressed up. he looked so handsome in his groomsmen tux! it was a great night full of dancing, drinking, and friends. cory and sara looked amazing and it was a beautiful ceremony. they are such a sweet couple and deserve all the happiness in the world. yay for weddings!

i'm heading home this weekend for another fun weekend, but this time with my fam! have a happy thursday, folks.

xxoo,

n

outfit details

dress: cotton on

purse: urban outfitters

sandals: old navy