Summer Soirée

 

On Sunday my family got together for a Summer Soirée to celebrate my 25th birthday a week early. We set up a blue and white taplescape at the park and indulged in chilled strawberry soup, berry-mandarin salad, smoked salmon and an array of tea sandwiches. Following our lunch, we played a game of croquet and bocce ball. It was such a wonderful day celebrating with family!

You can watch a short video about the party here!

My dress is old from J Crew Factory.

How to Get Lilly for Less.

I am a long time lover of Lilly Pulitzer. The only thing stopping me from having a wardrobe full of Lilly's beautiful printed resort wear and colorful dresses are the price tags *sigh.* Over the years I have treated myself to a few Lilly dresses but let's be honest, I can't always spend $200+ on a new dress whenever my heart desires. But luckily I have found a solution to fix my Lilly cravings! The answer is: Poshmark. If you are not familiar with the app, it's basically a place where you can buy and sell new and used clothing. I used to use the app just to sell my gently used clothes but recently I discovered that there is a whole world of Lilly clothes just waiting for a new home! Buying second hand is great for any gal on a budget who craves that luxe Lilly lifestyle. I have already purchased two Lilly dresses off the Poshmark app this spring and I am already eyeing up a few more!

Here are some of my tips for buying Lilly on Poshmark:

1.) Make sure its authentic! Ask to see a photo of the tag inside the dress before purchasing.

2.) Ask about wear and tear. Most sellers on Poshmark will be honest and say if anything is wrong with the dress in the description but I always like to ask if nothing is stated.

3.) Check everyday for new listings! When searching, I use the key words " Lilly Pulitzer dress" and new listings will automatically pop up. You can also change the algorithm from "just shared" to "prices low to high" by clicking the sort button. You may have to scroll a little ways to get to the good stuff but its worth checking out to see what deals you can find.

4.) Make sure the seller posts real photos of the dress, not just online photos from the site. Ask to see photos of the actual dress they are selling to make sure it's legit.

5.) Make an offer! But don't lowball. I always like to make a reasonable offer and most of the time the seller will accept or make a new offer. Remember that it is still a Lilly item so don't lowball sellers unless there is something wrong with the piece.  Most gently worn Lilly items I have seen sell for $50-$100. NWT (new with tag) pieces will sell for more.

How To Make Raspberry Macarons.

A few days ago my bestie Kayleigh and I had ourselves a gals day and we made raspberry macarons with cream cheese filling! They turned out absolutely perfect- sweet, chewy, and oh so instagrammable ;) This was my fourth or so time making macarons and each time I made them I used this same shell recipe and its never failed me, so of course I wanted to share it with you! The recipe I have below is for raspberry macaron shells, but you can substitute the flavored extract for just about anything your heart desires- mint, lemon, vanilla, etc. and you can also change colors for the food coloring to match whatever flavor you choose. For these raspberry macarons, Kayleigh and I simply used this cream cheese frosting recipe to fill our shells, but you could use anything from chocolate ganache to lemon buttercream to fill them. The possibilities are endless! If you make these macarons make sure to tag me in your photos on Instagram so I can see your creations! XOXO.

Things To Do During Autumn.

Visit a pumpkin patch and have a photoshoot.

Bake pumpkin bread. (Recipe)

Find a place that makes apple cider donuts (and eat half a dozen by yourself ;)

Get lost in a corn maze with your friends.

Have a cozy day inside and watch Hocus Pocus and Halloweentown with a cup of coffee in hand.

Pick your own apples at a local orchard.

Bake pumpkin chocolate chip cookies. (Recipe)

Go to Bath & Body Works and buy a fall scented candle. 

6 Shoes You Need For Autumn.

Cognac Knee Boots | Nude Loafers | Black Ankle Booties | Mary Jane Pumps | Hunter Boots |

  Leopard D'Orsay Flats

1.) Cognac Knee Boots- knee high boots are a classic for fall. Pair them with jeans and a button down or with a dress and tights for a timeless autumn look.

2.) Nude Loafers- these beauties are easy to slip on and pair well with just about everything in your wardrobe from corduroys to patterned cigarette pants. Wear them to the office or to brunch with the gals... the options are endless.

3.) Black Ankle Booties- for those days when you want to feel like a bad ass.

4.) Mary Jane Pumps- an uber feminine style that will turn heads. This burgundy pump will add the perfect pop of seasonal color to your outfit.

5.) Hunter Boots- for rainy autumn days where you want to look chic while jumping in puddles. Pair with dark skinny jeans, a sweater and a chunky knit scarf.

6.) Leopard D'Orsay Flats- the purrrrfect way to subtly add a pop of print to your outfit.

Changing Up My Morning Routine.

Mornings aren't really my thing. I usually wake up at 10, lay around for another hour or so in bed before getting up and eating a S'mores Pop Tart or Lucky Charms for breakfast. To say I need to make some changes in my morning routine is an understatement. So for todays post I wanted to create and share a list of goals for changing up my morning routine. If you have any tips on how to become a morning person I'd love to hear them in the comments!

• Go to bed before midnight and set an alarm for 9 a.m. (baby steps haha)
• Read the Bible, a book or magazine first thing in the morning instead of looking at phone.
• Wash and cleanse face promptly after getting out of bed and use the Puristry Flower Water Toner and Seaberry Moisturizer to feel fresh and ready for the day.
• Take time to make a somewhat healthy breakfast such as eggs, oatmeal etc.
• Make a cup of coffee and write a to-do list for the day ahead.

Now let's see if I can stick to these goals! Wish me luck ;)

Puristry products c/o and are available at Anthropologie.

A Trip to the Zoo.

Earlier this week my sister Alicia and I decided to go on a little day trip down to Jacksonville to visit the zoo. This was our first time at the Jax Zoo and we absolutely loved it! The grounds were so lush and beautiful and the animal exhibits were some of the best I've seen (and they had two of my favorite animals there, penguins & flamingos!!).

For my outfit that day I wore this blush pink sweater vest from Romwe paired with nude shorts, a neck scarf and my straw hat. Not gonna lie I was feeling major safari vibes in this look haha, totally not mad about it though ;)

Top (sold out) c/o | Neck Scarf c/o | Shorts (old Forever 21) | Similar Hat | Similar Sandals

Back To School Outfits Under $100

Getting to pick out some fresh pieces to add to my wardrobe before heading back to school was always a favorite tradition of mine. I loved going shopping with my mom and buying new dresses, sweaters, jeans and shoes (and even school supplies!), it definitely helped make going back to school a little less dreadful.

*Before you do your back to school shopping this year, it is important to make a mental note of how much money you want to spend and what pieces you want/need to buy that way you don't go overboard. Look for pieces that are on sale and classic items that can be mixed and matched for more outfit options.

For today's post, I wanted to share some budget friendly outfits that you can use as inspiration for your back to school shopping! Let me know which outfit is your favorite!

Sweater ($29.99 + extra % off) | Necklace ($14.99 + extra % off) | Skirt ($44.99 + extra % off)

Cardigan ($39.99 + extra % off) | Dress ($49.50)

Striped Tee ($22.50) | Bandana ($19.99) | Linen Pants ($39.99 + extra % off)

Dress ($54.99 + extra % off) | Hat ($14.50) | Sandals ($39.99 + extra % off)

Blouse ($34.50) | Jeans ($49.99 + extra % off) | Bandana ($9.99)

Nordstrom Sale Picks.

I know I am a little late to the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale game, but better late than never, right?! For those of you who don't know what the #NSale is, basically it's a huge sale on designer goodies for fall and the sale only runs until August 6th, and then the items become full price starting August 7th. So now is the time to stock up on some goodies for fall! (Personally I cannot wait for fall- bring on all the sweaters and pumpkin spice lattes, please!) Anyways, the sale can be a bit overwhelming so I picked out just a few of my favorite pieces that I would love to add to my wardrobe! You can shop my picks by clicking on the links below :)

one | two | three | four | five | six

Summer Bucket List.

With a full summer ahead, I want to make sure that I make the most out of each and every day and make this summer one that I will always remember. With that being said, I put together a small bucket list of things that I would like to accomplish over the next few months; take a look down below for details! 

(Outfit details from above: this little gingham romper is from SheIn and will be perfect for all my summer activities!)

1.)  Go to a drive-in movie theater.
2.) Have a picnic in the park.
3.) Visit a farmers market.
4.) Create fun summer drinks from my Pinterest board. (I turn 21 next week!!!) 
5.) Read a book, or two.
6.) Watch the sunrise on the beach.
7.) Have a campfire with s'mores, of course.
8.) Visit an orchard and then bake something yummy with the fruit I picked.
9.) Take more road trips. 
10.) Work on my green thumb and possibly start an herb garden.

Romper c/o SheIn

What's In My Beach Bag?

It still hasn't fully sunk in yet that I live just a few miles away from the beach- it's so crazy because when I lived in PA I had to drive over three hours to see the ocean! With lots and lots of trips to the beach lately, I have become an expert at what it is I really need to pack in my beach bag... so I thought I would share the details with you all!

One:  A cute coverup such as this blush pink romper from Tobi. (I love this because it slips easily over swimsuits to wear to the beach and is also appropriate to wear if you want to stop in somewhere for lunch while out and about.)

Two:  A sun hat such as this one, this one or this one.

Three:  Huge sunnies. This pair I have pictured is from Romwe and they are super affordable!!

Four:  Cute beach shoes. Espadrilles from Soludos are my go-to for the beach.

Five:  Earbuds and a book for entertainment.

Six:  A tumbler for water and a snack such as a granola bar, animal crackers etc. (nothing that will melt!)

Seven:  Lip balm and sunscreen are a must! I am obsessed with Glossier's The Balm Dotcom right now.

Eight:  Beach towel. I have a round one like this one and love it for laying out.

Nine:  Swimsuit, of course! There are so many cute swimsuits out there right now such as this light pink one, this striped one or this floral one from SheIn. (the one I have pictured here is an oldie but goodie from Abercrombie.)

How To Get The Best Beauty Sleep.

I am a firm believer in beauty sleep and getting lots of it. It is so important to pamper your skin and take some time to relax during the evening that way you wake up feeling refreshed and ready to take on the day. In today's post I am going to share a few things that help me achieve my best beauty sleep. 

First things first, I like to wash my sheets at least once a week to keep things feeling fresh. (Nothing feels better than showering and shaving your legs and then slipping into clean sheets at night, am I right, ladies?) The next thing that helps me sleep better at night is wearing a matching pajama set. I know this might sound silly, but wearing a matching set really does make me feel like I have my life together. This peachy-pink set that I am wearing is from Target and is under $20! I also love this floral set, this striped set and this polka dot set.

The next step to achieving maximum beauty sleep is by giving your skin a little TLC before you tuck into bed for the night. I like to start off by removing my makeup from the day with some cleansing towelettes and then I apply a few pumps of serum and moisturizer to keep my skin hydrated while I sleep. My go-to skincare combo lately has been the Restoring Night Serum by Skin Laundry and the Confidence in a Cream by IT Cosmetics.

After I finish my skincare regimen, I like to drink a tall glass of lemon water to hydrate my body and then I really start to unwind for the evening. I find that unplugging from my phone and social media at least 30 minutes before bedtime helps my brain to relax. So instead of staring at a screen, I like to put on some piano music and write in my journal or read the bible. After that, it's time for bed. I like to get at least 8-10 hours of sleep every single night that way I wake up feeling refreshed and ready to take on the day (after coffee, of course ;)

Side note: please excuse the lack of headboard/decor in our bedroom. Joseph and I are working one room at a time to get this apartment feeling like a home and our bedroom seems to be the last thing on our list ha!

20 Random Facts About Me.

1.) I am twenty years old.
2.) I got married on September 25, 2016 to the love of my life, Joseph. We dated for 4 years and 3 and a half of those years were spent long distance.
3.) My hair is naturally (very) curly.
4.) My parents and siblings are my best friends. (I am the youngest child and have an older sister and brother.)
5.) I have a fluffy cat named Grayson.
6.) I grew up right outside of Hershey, PA but currently live in southern GA.
7.) My go-to Starbucks drink is an iced caramel macchiato.
8.) My favorite movie is Cinderella (the one Disney made in 2015.) I actually walked down the aisle to the song "Who is She?" from the movie.
9.) I miss playing sports. In high school I played field hockey, some basketball and ran long distance in track. I used to be able to run a mile in 5 and a half minutes!! LOL those days are long gone.
10.) My biggest style crush is Julia from Gal Meets Glam.
11.) I am a Christian and am saved by Grace.
12.) My favorite flowers are peonies.
13.) Gray is my middle name.
14.) I could eat cereal for all three meals of the day and be perfectly content.
15.) I am 5 foot 7 inches tall.
16.) I have an obsession with candles, mugs and fluffy blankets.
17.) My dream is to travel the world with my sister and go to a bunch of cute coffee shops. (she is one of the few people who understands my love of coffee and doesn't mind all the obnoxious things I do just to get the perfect shot of a latte for Instagram.)
18.) I was voted best dressed in high school! (both my mom and dad also won this award when they were in high school haha!)
19.) My favorite ice cream flavor is Phish Food from Ben & Jerry's.
20.) My very first job was being a server assistant (aka bus girl) lol.

Shirt c/o Romwe

What's In My Bag?

You can tell a lot about a woman by the contents of her purse... so that is why I thought it would be fun to share what goodies I have in my new gorgeous cross body bag from She In. 

I am not going to bore you with a detailed description of every single item (most are self explanatory) so take a look below to see whats inside.

Contents: hair ties, bobbi pins, portable charger for my phone (such a lifesaver!), wallet (I just picked this up at TJ Maxx for under $15), mini mascara, hand cream, sunglasses, lip gloss, lip crayon, Mac lipstick, Fiber One brownie (these are delish and are the perfect on-the-go snack), note pad and pencil, earbuds

Purse c/o She In