saying goodbye to summer & looking ahead to fall

As we near the end of August (!!!), my Instagram feed and email inbox have been filling up with fall fashion, decor, and edible goodness. It's still 95 degrees in my neck of the woods, as it will remain for a few more months, so adorable chunky sweaters and pumpkin spice creamer simply feels out of context for this native Floridian. I've always envisioned moving some place where the seasons change; where I can anticipate a dip in the temperature in the evenings, slip on a cream colored cardigan and booties for a Friday date night in September. Alas, September in my neck of the woods typically means a month of active hurricanes with mysterious paths, so I guess you could say it's different.

looking back on summer 2018

These summer storms have been keeping me pensive lately. In some ways, I feel like summer is just beginning, but looking back, it's actually nuts that so much has happened over the past few months (both good and bad). Today, I'm only sharing the good.

My summer has consisted of...

Graduating with my master's. Obviously one of the biggest moments of my summer (and probably life). It's been a long three years back in school and working at a restaurant again, but this chapter of my life is finally coming to a close.

Getting engaged! It's been almost three months since Ryan proposed. Since then, we've been easing into the wedding planning, but we've still knocked a few things out! More on that to follow in a later post.

Taylor Swift's Reputation tour with my girlfriends. In case you missed it on Instagram, we all dressed up in a variation of matching "I Heart TS" shirts (like from the Look What You Made Me Do music video, of course!) with high waisted shorts (I got these from Amazon and they are strangely amazing) and danced the night away. Despite our great seats, I managed to leave my glasses at home, so I couldn't exactly see everything the way I would have liked to. I scrolled through Taylor Swift hashtags the next morning and actually felt FOMO about a concert I attended. Sigh.

Staycationing at the Sandpearl on Clearwater Beach with girlfriends (again). Following graduation, Ryan and I initially wanted to take a trip together to celebrate. However, it's been a stressful time at work for him, so I ended up doing a little "staycation" for one night at a beautiful resort on one of the local beaches. We brunched, we beached, we conquered.

Blogger/"influencer" events. While I hardly feel like a blogger anymore, I've managed to get myself invited to a few local events which always keeps my spirits high. I love connecting with other bloggers and influencers in the area, and most times we get to do some pretty cool stuff together. I got to make this future house/wedding sign at AR Workshop, and hopped around downtown St. Pete for an exclusive block party featuring some of the cutest spots in the area.

Lots of reading! Now that I'm done with school, I've had alllll the time to read. This month I finished up Little Fires Everywhere, To All the Boys I Loved Before (so I could watch the movie...duh), and Firefly Lane, and now I'm reading Vanishing Girls. Guys, I really tried to get into Girl, Wash Your Face by Rachel Hollis but I just could not. I totally get the appeal, but it simply wasn't my cup of tea. I ended up returning it after getting about 50 pages in...and then I got a new pair of shoes instead. Ohhh, Target.

My birthday at the beach! I had my heart set on a beach party to ring in my 27th birthday this year, and it did not disappoint. Neither did this one piece from Aerie. Still obsessed!

What were some of your favorite moments this summer?

Date Night Outfit Ideas for Summer.

Temperatures are certainly warming up around here, aren’t they? Or is that just in Florida? Apologies to my northern readers, but it has been a solid 86+ degrees the last couple of days and it feels like we skipped spring and hopped right into hot & humid summer time.

When it’s this toasty outside, I feel like the phrase “less is more” applies to literally everything. Less makeup, less clothing, less fuss. But when I scroll through Pinterest for summer date night outfit ideas, I see thick, stifling materials. While they make for a super cute picture, it makes me sweat just thinking about stuffing myself into a pair of tight jeans or polyester skirt in the midst of the summer heat. Bleh.

During my weeklong summer vacation, I’ve taken advantage of my extra free time by going on date nights with my girlfriends, and of course, Ryan. I’ve been all about loose and flowy materials that move with me and keep me from having to peel my clothing off later. I thought I'd share a few looks with you guys, especially after all the compliments I've gotten on these shorts! I'm just as obsessed with them as you are, my friends.

*Note: this post contains some affiliate links.

I received these Bailey Tulip Shorts from Tobi, and I love how versatile they are - I can easily dress them up with sparkly flats and a clutch for going out to dinner, or throw on a pair of sandals and an easy white tank for day at the farmer's market. And can we talk about the adorable detailing?! Loooove.

This white tank in particular I got on super sale at Target for only $6...such a steal! I don't think they have the sale going on anymore, but it's only $8 at full price. I have the same tank in navy and coral and I wear them all the time. The black tank top is from Express and it's actually open in the back, making this outfit even breezier.

Shorts, Tobi | Black tank (similar), Express | White tank, Target | Flats, TJMaxx | Purse (similar), Kate Spade

For me, nothing says "summer time and the living is easy" like a maxi dress, and this one (also from Tobi!) in particular is my new favorite...insert heart eye emojis here. I usually stick to solid colored clothing, but I'm loving this pretty navy print. If you want a more fitted feel, this can easily be cinched at the waist with a cute rope belt. I decided to pair mine with a long necklace. I wore this dress out to lunch with my mom the other day and got so many compliments on it. The exciting news? It's on sale for $11! It comes in lavender (also on sale!) and red. Similar to my outfits above, my Kate Spade (outlet, duh!) cross-body is the perfect match. Super light on my shoulder, unlike my usual tote bag. 

Check out more adorable (and affordable!) clothing from Tobi here!

Dress, TOBI | Purse (similar), Kate Spade | Necklace (similar), Lucky Brand

What are your favorite summertime date night outfits?

*Items were provided by Tobi, but all opinions are my own.

Finally...Summer 2016!

Hellloooo and happy Friday!

It's been just over 48 hours since I walked out of my neuroanatomy final and it feels so, so good to finally be done with summer classes. You better believe I knocked out my last two assignments for conceptual physics online that very night so that Thursday morning I could wake up a new woman...AKA a woman with no academic ties until the end of August.

With that said, I have no idea what to do with all this free mental space. Yesterday, I felt so overwhelmed by all of the things I "could do" now that I have time, that I fell on the couch and never got back up. I'm determined to make sure that doesn't happen every day for the rest of the summer, so I'm in the process of creating a fun little to-do list for myself before the craziness of graduate school ensues. Here's what I have so far:

Learn new makeup tips and tricks from my good old friend, Youtube. 

I don't like caking a lot of makeup on for every day wear, but I do have a lot of nice makeup that I'd like to get better at applying. Obviously I'll be all up on Jaclyn Hill's videos (what up, Tampa girl!). I also follow Casey Holmes and recently Samantha Schuerman. Any other makeup guru suggestions?

Put my library card to good use.

I just got a new library card last month, and was so excited that I took out two books right away. Bad decision. Between my birthday, 4th of July, getting a new car, and two neuro exams in the last month, I made zero time to read and ended up returning the books before I could even get halfway through one of them. Any suggestions for a new read?

Day drink by the pool...or at the beach...or wherever the hell I want.

Because what screams "I have no responsibilities for a month" like having a mimosa induced headache by 5 p.m.? Not much.

Get creative.

Finish a DIY project, bake a few new recipes, make a fancy dinner for Ryan, work on my watercolor skills, make some bracelets, color in one of my "adult" coloring books. I feel like I rarely make time for this kind of stuff anymore. I'm in desperate need of a creative outlet.

Spend some extra time with my friends and family.

Enough said. Nothing tops quality time with the people you love.

Get back into a regular workout routine.

I've been working out consistently since last November, but ever since life got a little hectic around my birthday last month, my schedule has been a little out of whack. I miss looking forward to getting a good sweat in!

Have a "sloth" day.

Spend one entire day in pajamas, bring our comforter and pillows out to the couch, order a pizza, and watch movies all day long. No work, no responsibility, no feeling guilty about being a lazy bag of bones. OOOO, I definitely need to plan this one ASAP.

Any other suggestions for indulging in my free time before starting graduate school next month?

Summer To-Do List.

It's officially June, a.k.a. my birth month. 23, here I come. Whoopdy doo, Bazzle.

More importantly, June is the official start of summer. I mean, living in Florida, it's pretty much been summer since March but I like to put a title on it. Prior to working in the corporate world, summer meant endless beach days, vacations and drinks on drinks on drinks. Now, summer means that I may get to the beach a weekend or two per month, for a day, for a couple hours. With work, it's easy to let the fun stuff fall to the wayside - whether it's an issue with timing or extra cash, excuses are inevitable.

Well, no more, I say! I'm putting together an official to-do list for the summer...and I will accomplish everything on this list by September. No excuses allowed!

1. Float down Rainbow River! This is an absolute must, hence number one on the list.
2. Visit Disney's water park, Blizzard Beach. I've gone almost every summer since I was nine years old. The best.
3. Make homemade sangria for a poolside barbecue.
4. Have a blast in New York City with Ryan. This one is a given.
5. Take a bike ride some place cool. Either along Bayshore Boulevard, or along a trail somewhere.
6. Embrace my new outdoor patio space. 
7. Make a stronger effort to make plans with friends I haven't seen in awhile. Real plans. Sleepovers. You know, fun girly stuff.

That's all I've come up with so far. Number 7 is something near and dear to me, because I feel like I've kind of lost sight of making my own plans and sticking to them. And, you know, I miss my friends. With work and a boyfriend, life gets in the way, and it shouldn't. It shouldn't get in the way of summer fun, it shouldn't get in the way of quality time with my girlfriends, and it shouldn't be an excuse. XO

Summer time, I love ya.

Post-acadamia life is crazy. One second it's 7:30 a.m. Monday morning and it feels like your feet are tied to cinderblocks getting out of bed; then you blink and it's Friday afternoon. Every. Single. Week. Time flies when you're having fun (and even when you're not).

It's impossible to make time stand still, so I think it's important to make every day count. I'm the kind of person who always needs something to look forward to - otherwise life becomes this monotonous routine of eat, sleep, work, work, sleep, eat, work, work, work...work? Okay, great, you get the picture. If I don't have something to count down the days for, I'll go nucking futs.

Thankfully it's summer, which means there's SO much to look forward to: paid days off, vacations, weekends on the beach. Here's what's going on with me the next couple of months:

• May 24th - Tampa's Margarita Festival. Um, hello? Day drinking margaritas all day in a sundress on a hot summer day in Florida? Sign. Me. Up.
• May 26th - Memorial Day, aka paid day off of the summer #1. 
• June 9th - Kaylee and I can officially move into our new apartment. Since move-in day falls on a Monday, I don't think June 9th will be "the day" but we get the keys and we get to paint! 
• June 24th - Oh heyyyyy, it's my birthday. The big 23. And no, I will not be annoying anyone with a caption that reads "Nobody likes you when you're 23." I think that was played out after the first person who wrote it.
• June 26th - 30th - NYC with Ryan to visit his sister! I haven't been to New York in almost two years, and I've never been during the summer months. We'll be staying in Brooklyn and Long Island, and then probably one night in the city. Five days and four nights, can't waiiiiitttt.
• July 4th - Hello, it falls on a Friday this year, aka I get a three day weekend. Most likely on the beach. With hot dogs.

I'm hoping to jam pack my calendar a little more, but this is a pretty good start. Can't wait to see what the summer has in store. XO