Working Girl Closet.

I'm obsessed with clothes, but not necessarily fashion. I haaaate high fashion magazines. I just don't understand them. Half the stuff I see on the runway, normal women like myself (well, I'm mostly normal...right?) would never, ever actually wear. No, I'm not going to pair a bold, pink-based floral blouse with some form of yellow and green patterned pants. I don't care how 'different' it is - ya look dumb.

I'm pretty simple when it comes to my fashion choices, whether it's for a work event, going out to dinner with my boyfriend or going bar hopping with my friends. Recently I've been trying to up my outfits for work, which is no small feat. Professional clothes are EXPENSIVE, so I try to mix and match a lot of what I already have to create new looks. This way, I'm [slightly] less tempted to go buck wild on a J. Crew Factory sale. 

I've needed a little more inspiration than usual lately, so I've been actively updating my Working Girl Closet Pinterest board (check it out here). Going through it, a lot of these are a variety of the same thing: full, high-waisted skirts with a simple blouse, a fun-colored blazer with a pencil skirt, etc. Having only been in the workforce for a little over six months, I can only hope my Working Girl Closet will someday be a variation of my own closet. 'Hope' being the operative word here.

These are some of my favorites:

Can you tell I like skirts or...? XO

Monday Shmonday.

Goodbye weekend in the sun...hellloooo sunburn. Florida decided to skip spring and jump straight to August heat, but I'm not complaining. 

Saturday I went to the beach for the first time in a hot minute. The Gulf was clear enough that I could see my toe nail polish while I was hip-deep...Indian Rocks Beach felt more like a tropical island. The sun was hot but the breeze was incredible. Definitely the best beach day of the year thus far. Combined with a cookout at my boyfriend's pool day, it's really no surprise the sun got the best of me. I also suck at applying sunscreen, so there's that. 

Alas, another weekend has come and gone and it's Monday once again. Womp womp. Time to "make it better." 

1. I'm starting the work week with a positive attitude. Trying out a few new tricks and a fresh perspective. Kind of excited to see where it takes me. 

2. I get paid on Wednesday, AYYO. It's funny, I'm really just excited to put more money into my savings account. The more houses I look at on Pinterest, the more money I want to save for the future. To each their own motivation, I guess?

3. This sunburn will turn into a nice tan, which I'll let myself enjoy before I turn into a wrinkled mess when I'm old. Damn you, Florida. 

Hope everyone had a splendid weekend! Only 4 days until Friday :) XO

Home Sweet Home.

So. Moving out.

Even though I did it for the first time almost five years ago now, the idea of doing it again surfaces a mix of emotions for me. Excitement, nostalgia, anxiety, a sense of freedom.

To be honest, I'm rarely ever home. Wednesday night is my weeknight sleepover night with Ryan, and then I spend the majority of the weekend at his place, which is about 45 minutes from my parents' house. When I'm not spending time with him, I make dinner dates with friends and I go to at least one after hours event for work per week. Getting home at 8 p.m., in bed by 11 and up by 7:30 a.m. doesn't really leave much time for me to spend at home. Because of that, I have less time to get annoyed by my mom and dad's antics and more time to wonder why I so desperately want to start paying rent.

Then I remember my dorm, my first apartment, my second apartment. I remember living with the best roommates, cooking my own food, retreating to my bedroom without an explanation as to why I'm being antisocial. I remember how good it feels to have my own space and then I start actively searching for the perfect 2/2 apartment, at the perfect price, in the perfect location.

Don't get me wrong - my parents are extreeeeeemely laid back. I have the kind of parents who, if I called at 3 a.m. and said 'AYYO I'm drunk and I don't want to drive,' they wouldn't ask questions, they would just come get me. I could stay at Ryan's for a week straight and they wouldn't say a word - they'd just miss me. They're super flexible and accommodating and, you know, my parents, so I don't really have much room to complain.

But anyway. The point I'm getting at is that while I'm in no rush (tentatively planning on moving out in June, but not too worried about it), I'm also getting super freaking pumped to a) be living with my best friend Kaylee and b) to decorate a new apartment.

Ahhhh. Change is coming. Good change, but change. And I'm weird with change.

XO
 

8 Things Every Happy Woman Should Have.

Okay, so I was creeping on Cupcakes and Cashmere's personal posts the other day, trying to get a little inspiration when it comes to my own blog, and I came across a post called 8 Things Every Happy Woman Should have (check out the original post here). I loved this idea so I decided to fill in the blanks for myself!

1. A go-to drink: ooooh, I have several. Vodka or tequila tonic with lime, a glass of pinot grigio, a glass of sangria (I'm particular where I order one of these), or a classic marg. Can't go wrong.
2. A go-to karaoke song: anything Taylor Swift. I'm boring. And I don't do karaoke too often...unless it's my 22nd birthday.
3. A uniform: a solid sundress with a cardigan, sandals and my long gold necklace.
4. A hair stylist they love: Marissa Moran for dayyys.
5. An exercise routine: Zumba on Mondays, Yoga on Tuesdays.
6. A hobby: I feel like I need to make more time for hobbies! But I love baking, Pinterest (I hate that this is a hobby but lately, I've been addicted), and when I'm inspired, painting.
7. A best friend: I'm lucky enough to have roughly seven or eight girlfriends I could go to for anything...and of course my boyfriend.
8. A healthy sense of self: I think this one is developing more rapidly than I realize. I used to be so quick to get angry or snarky, and now I'm learning to relax and be more understanding, more compassionate. It's a work in progress obviously, but I've got some pretty incredible people in my life to help me along the way.

Happy Monday, guys! Hope everyone had a great Easter weekend. XO

When life gives you lemons...well, you know.

If you asked me in April 2013 where I thought I would be one year later, I probably would've told you "I have no idea." Which would've been entirely accurate. I was two weeks away from graduating college, three months away from traveling to Europe, four months away from saying goodbye to my at-the-time boyfriend of almost two years as he embarked on his journey to law school. I was lost, but I wasn't unhappy. I was just accepting the fact that everything was about to change, because what choice did I have?

At the time, I didn't know that in six months, I'd accept a full-time job opportunity at the company I was interning with. I didn't know I'd come back from Europe to have my boyfriend tell me he had no interest in having a long distance relationship. I didn't know that two months after saying goodbye to him in Tennessee that I would meet the man who has ultimately changed my life for the better; someone that I truly believe I was meant to meet; someone that I would fall hopelessly in love with.

I guess I'm just trying to state the obvious: life throws you curve balls. More than half the time, you won't be expecting them, and you won't be ready for them. I think the most bold and beautiful thing you can do is not only roll with the punches, but embrace them. If, in your heart, something feels right, it probably is, and vice versa.

If you asked me in April 2013 where I thought I would be one year later, I wouldn't have had any idea that I could be this happy, this sure, this confident. I'm thrilled to be where I am, and I hope this feeling never goes away.