Fall in love with jeans again

Ok so maybe the rest of you haven't had a chance to fall out of love with your jeans, but living in the south, there's a time period of about six months or so that I don't even look at my jeans. It's just too hot. However, with the arrival of fall and cooler weather (hopefully!) just around the corner, it's time to break out the denim again!

If I'm being totally honest, I actually need to add a couple pair of jeans to my closet. So lucky for me that I stumbled across the jean collection at Simons. They have some super cute styles, denim washes and of course the best part is the price! I love all the three above, but those Seamed Knee Skinny Jeans just might have to make an appearance on me soon. The moto embellishment on them is just too good to pass up!

My Vegas style

I was pretty psyched when Vegas.com reached out to me to participate in their #MyVegasStyle challenge. I mean, what is not fun about day dreaming of spending a day at the Aria hotel and what I would wear for each occasion throughout the day?!

Duh, count me in!

So I spent some time looking around the Aria Las Vegas Resort and Casino page and their website to see what all it had to offer. Ah-mazing. Wish I was going there for real. (luckily I do have another trip that I depart for tomorrow anyhow!). Here's my account of how I would hypothetically spend my day.

MORNING
Being an early runner actually pays off in a town like Vegas. It means I can "sleep in" later than usual and hit the strip around 8 am for nice flat run and the streets will probably be pretty empty and quiet.
Post-run would have to consist of a stop by The Roasted Bean for some great coffee (and yeah, probably a pastry!) to get my day really started off right.

Running outfit:
Lululemon Swiftly Tech Racer Back Tank, $48.00
North Face Better Than Naked running shorts, $55.00
Mizuno Wave Hitogami running shoe, $99.99

MID-DAY
After I am showered and cleaned up, it's time to do some window shopping at The Shops at Crystals at Aria Las Vegas. Yes, just window shopping and browsing since it is all luxury designers like Balenciaga, Dolce & Gabbana, FENDI, Lanvin, Prada, VERSACE...and the list goes on and on. Seriously. There is no way I could resist being in the presence of greatness like that. And of course, I'd prob grab some Pinkberry while I was shopping, too. Comfortable walking shoes and classic ensemble seems to suit this activity well.

I'm sure I would work up quite the appetite after all that shopping (and restraining myself from a purchase!) which means grabbing some sushi for lunch from barMASA is a necessity. Yum!

Shopping/Lunch outfit:
Necessary Clothing Heather Crochet Top, $29.99
Joe Fresh Floral Embroidery Short, $49.00
Mossimo Supply Co. Shauna Huarache Sandal, $19.99

AFTERNOON
There's no point in coming to sunny Las Vegas if you don't spend a quality afternoon lounging by the pool and soaking up some rays. Since poolside in Vegas—especially at the Aria LIQUID pool lounge—is a bit more glamorous than your typical pool (or beach) scene, I think you'd need to spice up your swimsuit just a bit. I really like this black suit from ASOS because it's not too scandalous, but still makes a statement. And of course a fab pair of sunnies and shoes are also in order.

Poolside outfit:
ASOS Cross Front Wrap Halter Swimsuit, $53.35
Forever 21 Metal Trim Sandals, $22.80
Urban Outfitters Spitfire Protopunk Sunglasses, $39.00

EVENING
No day would be complete without an incredible dinner to wrap it all up nicely. My choice of all the options at Aria (and there are lots!) would be at Julian Serrano Tapas restaurant. I just really enjoy ordering several things and passing plates around to share. Plus, the restaurant decor looks pretty amazing. After my belly is full, I'd go see the late night Cirque du Soleil show Zarkana—something I've always wanted to see! Maybe by the time the show is over, I'll be craving a late night sweet treat from Jean Phillippe Patisserie. Pretty sure I can always make room for dessert!


Nighttime outfit:
Lulu's Air of Elegance Light Peach Dress, $65.00
Charlotte Russe Single Sole Ankle Strap Heel, $28.50
Urban Outfitters Leaf Halo Crown, $24.00
Necessary Clothing Gold Bar Clutch, $34.99

Thrifty in pink

Yep, I take a couple weeks off from blogging and I come back with a brand new hair do (did you notice?!). Sorry for the absence, but work has been pretty hectic lately. And now, I'm getting ready to go on a big trip! So there will be yet another long lull in the blog. I'm sure you'll manage though, right? :)

This has to be one of my thriftiest outfits ever. Feeling really good about the low price on it for sure! I've gotten a lot of longevity out of this pink pleated skirt, which I almost didn't purchase because it seemed kind of grandma-ish at the time. I'm really glad I bought it anyhow, otherwise I'd have to go back in time and smack past Christen for being a dummy.

Ok, clearly I have nothing more clever to say.

Instead, here's the cheapskate outfit breakdown:

1. White button down, thrifted ($6.99)
2. Pink skirt, thrifted ($2.00)
3. Gold shoes, consigned ($7.50)
4. Clutch, gifted/passed down (thanks mom!)
5. Sunnies, Forever 21 ($5.80)
6. Earrings, Collinsville Trade Day ($0.50)
7. Ampersand ring, gifted (thanks Natasha!)
8. Leaf ring, gifted (thanks Embo!)

Total: Under $25.00

 

 

 

 

Photos: Laura Menconi

Music Monday: Current obsessions

Artist: Liza Anne
Album: The Colder Months (listen here on SoundCloud)
Why I love it: It consists of heartbreakingly honest & smart lyrics, plus she has a beautiful, pure voice.
Favorite song(s): 1,000 years & Lying
For fans of: Lily & Madeleine, Savannah Smith

Artist: Jared & the Mill

Album: Western Expansion (listen here on SoundCloud)

Why I love it: It's toe-tappin Americana at its finest.

Favorite song(s): Breathe me in, Just for now

For fans of: Pigpen Theatre Co., Mumford & Sons 

Artist: Grey Reverend 

Album: A Hero's Lie (listen here on Spotify)

Why I love it: It makes my heart melt. every. single. time. 

Favorite song(s): This way, My hands 

For fans of: Amos Lee, Ruston Kelly

Artist: Seasick Mama 

Album: Tip Top Shape (listen here on SoundCloud)

Why I love it: It's fun and dancey with an occasional awesome 80s vibe. 

Favorite song(s): Tees & Jeans, Holy Smokes

For fans of: Tennis, Gwen Stefani

Artist: Lord Huron

Album: Lonesome Dreams (listen here on SoundCloud)

Why I love it: It's pretty dreamy and magical. 

Favorite song(s): Ends of the earth, The ghost on the shore

For fans of: Band of Horses, Milo Greene, Fleet Foxes

Mad about plaid (& print mixing)

So I tend to wear plaid shirts a lot in the fall/winter seasons. In fact, if I were a daily fashion blogger, you'd be like, 'yep, bored of seeing the same old plaid shirts every day.' Which is pretty much what I told myself when I looked in the closet and was reaching once again for one of my new fav plaid shirts (that I scored from a Madewell sale, thank you very much!). And that's why I tried to mix things up a bit.

This outfit is a little grunge, a little music enthusiast and a little business casual. And I think it's starting to grow on me a little bit as well. Really glad it's ok for me to push the envelope with my attire at work, btw. Not sure this would be acceptable at the majority of offices.

(also, you'll probably notice that I have a new pose I seem to keep using when I have a button down shirt wrapped around my waist - I mean, doesn't this look familiar? I'm so creative - insert sarcasm here)

Alright, enough already....here's the outfit breakdown:

1. Plaid shirt, Madewell ($24.99)
2. Charles Bradley concert tee, gifted
3. Pencil skirt, GAP outlet ($19.99)
4. Socks, ??
5. Boots, C. Wonder ($55.00)
6. BCBG bag, Zoe's ($30.00)
7. Hat, NYC street vendor ($10.00)
8. Sunglasses, c/o Sunglass Warehouse
9. Ampersand ring, gifted (thanks Natasha!)
10. Tungsten ring, c/o Modern Design
11. Triangle earrings, gifted (thanks Joy!)

Total: Under $150.00

 

 

 

photos: laura menconi

Life lately

Well, despite the yucky weather we seem to be encountering a good bit these days, we've still managed to get in a few fun activities over the past couple of weeks. Our friends Ben & Emily of Carolina Story came in town to play a show back in March and we were stoked to get to see them perform at Workplay. AND we found out they are expecting their first child! Super exciting. They opened for another Nasvhille band/friends of their, The Vespers, who were super fun and entertaining. I totally recommend checking out both of these bands.

The day after their show, J and I hit the road for a climbing camping trip to Rocktown. We eventually met up with Beth and Phil and climbed pretty hard all day Saturday. Such a good time! We will definitely be back in the fall, when hopefully the weather will be less rainy.

More recently, I was lucky enough to have my friend Casey in town from Portland. She came in for a wedding for a friend of hers and we were also able to sneak in a bridal shower for her while she was here. Her soon-to-be sister-in-law hosted the most beautiful luncheon outside in her front yard for Casey. It was positively lovely and all of the food was delicious. But most importantly I got some good ole quality time with Case and she got some good gifts! I absolutely cannot wait to go to her Portland wedding in less than two months!

Later that same weekend we also celebrated Amy's birthday with some classic bbq at Jim N' Nicks. It was just low key good food, good friends and a really good time. And sadly, the very next night we all got together to watch the How I Met Your Mother series finale. UGH. a) I'm sad it's over and b) I was SO not okay with the ending. I've had time to process it now and I am better with the ending than when I first saw it, but ultimately, I think the writers could have written the entire last season better if that's the ending they were going for. Anyone else feelin me on this? Anyhow, the cherry on top was that we FaceTimed our friend Peach in NYC to watch it with us.

Oh and as per usual, J and I are always checking out any new restaurant in town and we finally went to Post Office Pies (POPs) in Avondale, which is located in the old Post Office building. Love it. Good food, great location. If you're a B'hamian, go try it out soon. Supposedly they also have a great salads, but you know I didn't venture near anything green :) My only complaint/suggestion is that they need to have a BBQ pizza on the menu, seeing as it's the same owner as Saw's. Just sayin!

Ideal vs. steal: White pumps

It would seem as though this post is perfectly timed with the "white shoes for Easter Sunday" issue. But trust me, this is an accidental timing sort of thing because I do not play by those rules. I would wear white shoes year round instead.

In fact, I hesitated on posting this now so it wouldn't look like the Easter theme was my motive, but honestly I am just obsessed with white pumps lately and I couldn't wait to post this any longer. I think I've been wanting a pair since September, but just haven't made that leap of a purchase yet. (probably because I just spent $135 on climbing shoes instead...oh priorities.)

Anyhow, if you're like me and you're loving the look of white heels these days, here's an affordable option for you from DSW. I mean, yes, ideally we'd all love to own a pair of Manolo's like these, but for a fraction of the price, you can get another pair that looks pretty darn similar. Which you know sounds really good to me!

The army shirt saga continues

How many times have you guys seen this army shirt on me/the blog? Too many to count I am sure. I wear this piece every which possible. Man, this was a great purchase. Hopefully the army/military trend will continue and I can keep rotating this little beauty into my outfit circulation.

What about you guys? Do you have any piece that is super versatile and that you love so much that you wear it ALL the time in any way possible? Leave me a comment and let me know!

Oh! And also, I should mention that I love this new beanie I bought from Finn Apparel, which is a clothing company started by a fellow climber here in Birmingham. I'm super excited for Michael and his friends and hope to see Finn really take off in the next year or so. You should definitely check out this beanie and their other great pieces here.

Ok, here's this week's outfit breakdown:

1. Army shirt, Rugged Wearhouse ($9.99)
2. Tank, TJ Maxx ($9.99)
3. Jeans, Zara ($16.99)
4. Boots, C. Wonder ($55.00)
5. BCBG Purse, Zoe's ($30.00)
6. Slouch beanie, finn ($30.00)
7. Aviator sunglasses, c/o Sunglass Warehouse
8. Squirrel necklace, gifted (thanks Em!)
9. Tungsten ring, c/o Modern Design
10. Square ring, Brooklyn Flea ($5.00)
11. Turquiose ring, gifted (thanks mom!)
12. Love ring, gifted (thanks Em!)
13.Thumb ring, Charlotte Russe ($2.99)

Total: Under $175.00

 

  

 

photos: Laura Menconi

Still trending: Cartilage piercings

Oddly enough, when I was in high school (which was a longgggg time ago) it was super cool to pierce the top of one of your ears (now known as a "helix"). My mom was not cool with the idea, but naturally I did it anyway and, naturally, I got into some trouble for it. But eventually mom came around and ended up actually liking the piercing.

Currently I'm not wearing anything in that hole, but lately I'm starting to question that. I mean, when celebrities like Hayden Panettiere, Scarlett Johansson and Jennifer Aniston make them look so hip and cool, it's hard not to question the additional piercing.

If you're also considering adding a little embellishment to your ear lobes, check out this guide to see all the different options you have (there's a lot!). I'm kinda drawn to the tragus or the forward helix, which I never thought I would say, but it just looks so cute on Scar Jo and Rihanna.

And don't worry, if you're not sold on adding another hole to your head, you can always choose a fake/clip-on option, like this cute lightning bolt cartilage earring.