Music Monday: Current obsessions

Here are the top five albums/artists I can't quit listening to at the moment.


Artist: Carolina Story
Album: Home (listen here)

Why I love it: Their lyrics are beautifully honest. Plus there's a lovely mix of foot stomping, hand clapping, good time songs and sweet, slow love songs. 

Favorite song: Eek! It's a toss up between "Feet Keep Movin Still" & "53 Days"
For fans of: The Civil Wars, Elenowen

Artist: Lucy Michelle and the Velvet Lapelles

Album: HEAT (listen here)

Why I love it:  Simply can't get enough of Lucy Michelle's quirky, vintage-tinted voice.

Favorite song: Oh Home

For fans of: April Smith & The Great Picture Show, Luella & the Sun

Artist: John Fullbright

Album: From the Ground Up (listen to a sample here)

Why I love it: It's just nitty gritty good stuff. 

Favorite song: Satan and St. Paul

For fans of: Shovels & Rope, Leo Kottke

Artist: Kestone Cobblers Club 

Album: One, for Words (listen here)

Why I love it:  Any band that can pull off blending a tuba, an accordian, keys & more (plus folksy vocals!) in the lineup is more than a-ok in my book. 

Favorite song: You-Go & The Curve

For fans of:  Toote Toote, Evening Chorus, The Head & The Heart

Artist: The Lighthouse and the Whaler

Album: This is an Adventure (listen on Spotify)

Why I love it: To me it sounds like a blend of Ra Ra Riot and Phoenix. Who knew that could be such an amazing combination?

Favorite song: Pioneers

For fans of: Ra Ra Riot, Phoenix

My "go-to" fall/winter outfit

So a lonnnnggg time ago I wrote a post about my "go-to" summer outfit. As with all my other good intentions, I had meant to follow up that fall season with another seasonal "go-to" outfit post.  Fast forward a year and a half later and here we finally are!

If you're in my immediate circle of friends if you work with me on a Friday you ever run into me at all, chances are you'll see me in a plaid button down shirt, leggings and boots. Thankfully since the new colored jeans trend is here, I can now provide a teensy bit of variance in this wardrobe by exchanging the leggings for a pair of red or turquoise jeans here and there. I know, I'm wild.

Anyhow, I love this outfit because I feel comfortable, cute, stylish and it's so nice to have that one type of outfit that you can always return to if you're in a hurry or if you have a fashion stylist block.

So I encourage everyone to discover what their "go-to" type of outfit is and then find similar items that you can rotate in and out so you're not wearing the exact same thing all the time. You can also mix things up with different accessories like sunglasses, hats, scarves, bags and shoes.

One final note: Many thanks to my amazing friend Natasha for coming to visit me and shooting me with her iPhone one afternoon at Railroad Park during her stay. She had wanted to shoot me with film, but her old school camera battery died while here in the Ham, and there was no time to look for a replacement. So we decided plan B was to do my first ever instagram photoshoot. From the looks of things, there might be more of these in my future!

Here's the cheapskate outfit breakdown:

1. Plaid shirt, "borrowed" (sorry Brooks, you were out of town!)
2. Red jeggings, Necessary Clothing ($24.99)
3. Guess boots, Macy's ($54.53)
4. Scarf, gifted (thanks mom!)
5. Beanie, on the streets of NYC ($7.00)
6. Wayfarer sunglasses, Urban Outfitters ($10.00)
7. Bag, Designer Details in L.A. ($40.00)
8. Leaf ring, gifted (thanks Em!)
9. Loop necklace, Brooklyn Flea ($20.00)

Total: Under $175.00

 

 

Photos: Natasha Richardson O'Neill

What to wear: Bridal Tea

I had hoped to get this posted last week before I went to a bridal tea for Ashley on Sunday, but forgive me
as I was at Disney World with the fam last week and it was non stop adventure—no time for blogging!

Regardless, I think this is a timely post no matter what time of year since bridal teas seem to always be going
on year round. Since a tea is a bit of a dressy occasion, I tend to wear my "Sunday best." But really, any
nice dress or pants will do.

In this post, I've thrown in a flowy godessy look from Giuliana to illustrate how you can still be occasion
appropriate even if you aren't into more structured types of clothing. And there's also a fun blazer/silver pant
combo from Naomi Watts in case you are feeling a bit more trendy and adventurous. (However, you might
want to save the cream/white/silver combo for the bride-to-be to wear!) Otherwise, you can never go wrong
with black and white combos or anything bright, colorful, or patterned and in tailored options.

Just remember to keep it all balanced...and classy.