all dressed up

well hello there! happy summer! i can't believe how fast june is flying by. summer is most definitely the greatest season of all and this summer is no doubt going to be a good one. we are 90% settled into our new apartment. pictures have been hung, furniture has been placed, bookshelves have been painted. i have had so much fun making our little one bedroom apartment feel like home. the next step is to get some pretty plants and flowers to bring some green to our balcony and spice the place up. we are having a "we just moved in so let's drink" party this weekend and i am really looking forward to showing the place off. i will be sharing photos soon!

this dress is officially the most beautifully crafted piece of clothing i own. i was lucky enough to win a giftcard to mata traders from the lovely rebecca of the clothes horse. after browsing their site i realized i was in for a challenge because i was in love with every. single. dress. or almost all of them, anyway. this one was my runner up. and this one was the runner up to the runner up. yes, i was having a huge inner dilemma here people! in the end, the colors and the subtle pattern of this blue beauty won me over. the quality of this dress is unreal. and bonus-- it's a fair trade company that works with organizations that educate, employ, and empower women. i couldn't help but to fall in love with this brand. i will definitely be going back for more purchases. 

it would probably be very un-style-blogger of me to admit how much i wear these sandals. but considering i don't take my title that seriously i will admit it-- pretty much every day. and by pretty much every day i mean i practically sleep in them. they are even ripping a little bit and that still won't stop me for reaching for them every morning! they are comfy, match everything, and are really, really comfy. i am just not a shoe person. yes, i have a decent shoe collection, but i still tend to wear the same pair over and over until they disintegrate. but shoes will never get me like a dress does! (i'm weird i know)

i hope you all are having a lovely tuesday!
xxoo,
n

outfit details
dress: mata traders
sandals: old navy

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

denim days

it's friiidaayy! i'm so excited for this weekend for two reasons. one: i run my first 5k tomorrow! i've been stepping up my running game for the past month or so in preparation. completing this 3.1 miles without walking is one of my personal goals for this year and i know that i am totally ready for this. i'm heading to visit my sister at school tonight and me, her, and her roomies are running the race tomorrow morning! after the race, i'm heading back to baltimore for the number two reason i'm excited-- anthony and i are going to the sweetlife festival! and lana del rey is performing. so. I'M SEEING LANA DEL REY TOMORROW! i could not be more excited because she is my absolute favorite. be prepared for lots of instagram photos and videos documenting the concert because it's going to be amazing. cause i mean duh. it's lana.

i took these photos while in pittsburgh last weekend and holy cow, it felt so wonderful to be back in that city. spending three and a half years living downtown while going to college was one of the best experiences of my entire life. it was so good to see some friends and catch up before heading back to maryland. i miss those people!! it's sad having friends you're used to seeing everyday and then everyone grows up, gets jobs, and moves their separate ways. but that's life. and it's awesome to see everyone graduating and going on to do awesome things. :)

i wore my new all time number one favorite pair of jeans ever on saturday. and i'm wearing them again today. i am officially obsessed. i got them at old navy last week. it was pretty much a miracle because they were on the clearance rack-- someone bought them online and returned them. they were exactly my size and 50% off! i mean it just doesn't get better than that. total, they cost me like 20 bucks. i snatched them up so fast and almost wore them out of the store. haa! they are just the perfect spring jeans. light wash and comfy fit. is it possible to be in love with denim? 

well, i hope everyone has fun plans this weekend! TGIF <3

xxoo,

n

outfit details
jeans + sandals: old navy
top: urban outfitters
purse: vintage

cheetah girl

i officially had my last college final yesterday night. it's so hard to believe that i'm done. after three and half long, hard, and challenging years i am completely done with my undergraduate career. i truly can't believe it. tomorrow is my last day at work, then anthony is driving up to move me out. we're planning on going out with some friends on thursday to celebrate before i leave the city. i don't know what it's going to feel like not to live in pittsburgh anymore because i've grown and accomplished so much since moving to this city as a silly little 18 year old high school graduate. 

when i was in high school all i wanted was to go to college in new york city. i wanted to move away from my small little hometown and go to a college some place fun and exciting and study writing. but in case you weren't aware, new york city is a verrrry expensive place (who knew?) and pittsburgh is a tad bit (a lot) more affordable. i applied to my school here because the application fee was free and i thought, what the heck? a few months later, i was touring the campus, exploring downtown, and falling in love with my university and pittsburgh. i moved in that fall and never looked back.

i have learned so much in the past three and a half years, not just about school and what i'm studying, but about life i've learned that some friendships are meant to last forever, while some are more temporary because people change and move on and there is nothing wrong with that. i've learned about living with roommates and how it can be crazy, annoying, and fun all at the same time. i've learned that everyone makes mistakes, but it's best not to dwell on the past. i've learned that if you love someone enough, it doesn't matter how far away they are or how often you see them, you will make it work, because they're worth it.

there's so much that can be said about your college experience and i wouldn't change a thing about mine. i've worked at gold's gym and starbucks, i've taken classes i've loved and classes that made me want to drop out, i've had internships all over the city that taught me more than i ever could have expected. i learned about my love for graphic design, social media, and web development and couldn't be more ecstatic to have actually gotten a job in my desired field. as i move on to the next stage in my life, i will close this chapter with nothing but kind words and satisfaction for the last three and a half years of my life.

i'm happy and sad to be moving away from this amazing city, but am excited to live and experience washington, dc and have the opportunity to fall in love with a new city all over again. sorry to get all sappy and personal on you, it's just been a whirlwind lately and i'm so happy that i have this little corner of the internet where i can share all of my thoughts with you guys. as always, thanks for reading (and i hope you like my outfit).

xxoo,

n

outfit details

sweater: old navy

chambray + pants: tj maxx

necklace: c/o chicnova

sneakers: target

bracelet: culture shop

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

going green

happy hump day, folks! (insert the commercial with the camel screaming "what day is it?! here) the weekend is in sight and i hope everyone has fun and exciting plans! i know i do. anthony gets into town tomorrow night and we're heading to his hometown to celebrate some good friends of ours. their wedding is next weekend, but this weekend is the bachelor/bachelorette parties! i'm so excited to have been invited, and am really looking forward to a fun night with some awesome ladies.

i feel so lucky that anthony has such awesome friends. he has a great group of guys from high school and i always enjoy hanging out with them. plus, it doesn't hurt that they are all dating/engaged/(almost) married to super cool girls, so i've got some awesome girlfriends out of it as well. the wedding next week is going to be so fun! weddings are pretty much always great, but in the past, all of the weddings i've gone to were for my parents friends, or friends of the family, never my friends. it should be even more exciting that they are my age and making this awesome commitment. okay, and dancing and alcohol won't be bad either ;)

alright, so can we just talk about these shoes. they are beige patent leather with gold studs on the heel. i'm pretty sure you already can tell that i am obsessed with them. i got them on sale at target a few months ago and they are just so cute. i'm all about the neutral shoes. i'm not the kind of person that has a million pairs of shoes, so i like shoes i can wear with a lot of different outfits. in the summer, i gravitate between a few sandals. and in the winter, i mix it up with a few different boots. but these flats are great for all year round!

this pretty green, lacy dress is from old navy.  i don't know about you, but when i was younger i loved old navy. i always got giftcards there for christmas and it was awesome. but then as a teenager, i didn't really shop there much. now, as an adult, i honestly can't get enough of old navy. they have such a good collection of staple pieces and fun accessories (i love their shoes!). this dress got plenty of use this summer season and it will be a great transition piece into the colder months with scarves and sweaters.

i hope the weather stays breezy and sunny for the next couple weekends because i just can't get enough. i'm not quite ready to bust out the tights yet. everything in pittsburgh is still green and beautiful, but soon the colors of fall with be upon us. i have a few more summery dresses i want to break out of my closet before the cold weather hits, so cross your fingers for me that the sunshine lasts!

i hope everyone is having a fabulous week. i know mine has been super busy, but very productive. lots of homework and working and going to the gym lately. i love the fact that for my last semester, i gave myself fridays off, so my weekend technically starts tomorrow at 5:40. yay! having a 3 day weekend is amazing. 

do something fun today, folks. and thanks for stopping by.

xxoo,
n

outfit details
dress: old navy
shoes: target
necklace: forever 21

totally thrifted

our first week at the beach is officially over, but... we have another week left! yay! this place just keeps getting better and better. today was our last day at the brigadune, our cute little beach house on the sound (the side of the island that on the bay). when my mom and chuck were looking for rentals, they couldn't find one house that was available for 2 weeks in a row. so today we moved to another house! ha, it was kinda funny moving all our stuff a few miles down the road but i have no complaints when it comes to having more beach/family time this upcoming week.

our house had this gorgeous little pier that leads out to the bay. it was perfect for fishing, crabbing, and even kayaking! but we found out later it is not for swimming. we caught multiple baby sharks and sting rays! talk about scary! i like viewing scary ocean animals from a distance, not up close lol. but we had so much fun on this pier. i've never had so many crabs to eat in one week! crab is my all time favorite food.

the weather has continued to be spot on the entire trip. we've had little patches of rain here and there, but not enough to really keep up from doing fun stuff. which is good news for my tan! woot woot. i'm such a beach bum. plop me down with a book and a baseball cap and i am one happy gal. i swear i've been barefoot for the past 7 days so excuse the lack of shoes in my posts. but who needs shoes at the beach?! not meee.

i love this little green tank (from this post) so much. the perfect beach tank. i like that it's cropped and simple, but has a little bit of detail under the bust area. the blue on the top made me want to pair it with this awesome, lovely, pretty, etc. chambray skirt that i thrifted (yes, thrifted!!) a few weeks ago. it's so airy and light and the cute little buttons down the front are adorable.

this simple look could easily be recreated at one of my favorite places, old navy for only 30 bucks! totally reasonable. old navy has great prices and fun trends. i remember shopping there when i was younger, and then as i got to be a teen, i didn't like it all that much (not sure why). but now as an adult on a budget, i really find myself loving to shop there!

tank//skirt

house for week #1 was awesome, but week #2 house has a pool and a hot tub (yipeeee) so i'm super excited.  i hope we are just as lucky with weather this week, too. i can't get enough sunshine this trip! this tan has to last me when i move back to pittsburgh in a couple weeks. and we all know that city has pretty much no sun. ha ha!

hope everyone had a great weekend! thanks for stopping by.

xxoo,

n

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

flower power

i am so so so into floral patterns right now! it's starting to get very hard to keep myself from buying floral everything and having a closet that looks like a garden. i have skirts, tops, tanks, even shoes (yes i have some floral sneakers and they are amazing)! i instantly feel more summer appropriate when wearing flowery, flowy patterns. 

another summer tradition for anthony and i is frozen yogurt. it's safe to say that i have a slight obsession. and by slight, i mean i make anthony go with me at least twice a week. ha! it's delicious and awesome. so last night we had a little date night and ran some errands, got vietnamese food for dinner, did some thrifting (woot woot!) and topped the night off with good ol fro yo.

 

i decided to embrace my girlyness and go all out with flowers. in the spirit of summer, i put on this light sleeveless blouse and paired it with my fave high waisted shorts that have the most beautiful floral embroidery. i love the idea of mixing patterns.  in this outfit, i tried to stay with the pastel theme and i love the way these two pieces look together.

   

    

these nude sandals are from old navy and they're great because they go with virtually anything. they're so simple and the perfect shoes to just throw on before you head out the door. plus, they're super comfy so it was great for a night of running around town.

what's your favorite floral item in your closet? can't wait to hear.

thanks for reading, folks.

xxoo,

n

outfit details

shirt: some random store in a random mall (find similar here)

shorts: thrifted

sandals: old navy