Fall Fashion Wishlist

By the time August rolls around, summer fashion is already in my rearview mirror and I'm fully focused on selecting what pieces I need to add to my wardrobe for fall. By Labor Day, I'm craving the rich textures of leather and velvet and deep jewel tones and black (if you saw my wardrobe, you'd get it.) I could spend hours flipping through look books and selecting my new seasonal staples, but I always try to be mindful when creating my wish list. My goal is to only select items that are currently missing or need replacing, are timeless and can be worn year over year, and versatile enough to wear with nearly everything in my closet. This year my fall fashion wishlist includes:

A structured statement handbag (Pictured: Givenchy); the perfect pair of lived-in denim (Pictured: GRLFRND); a day-to-night leather mini (Pictured: BB Dakota); timeless velvet pumps to elevate any outfit (Pictured: Gianvito Rossi); Bordeaux kissed lips (Pictured: Charlotte Tilbury); and fishnet hosiery for layering under ripped jeans and transitioning your seasonal mini skirts (Pictured: Vero Monte).

What are some of the items on your fall fashion wish list?

Why I Keep Failing at Blogging

I will always wine, but never whine about being busy.

A quick scroll through the recent posts of W&W will show a very sporadic posting schedule, with large gaps between updates. Each time my blog efforts lapsed, I'd try and bounce back with a personal post explaining why I’ve been MIA or how I planned to get back into the blogging groove.

Despite my most organized efforts and flawless content calendar, each time of getting back on the wagon it would only be a few months before I’d fall off again.

I’d beat myself up mentally, being frustrated with the fact that I couldn’t stick to a schedule. I’d read so many blogging resources, like the WWW e-book blogging guide (which is fabulous BTW), yet couldn’t master my own content schedule.

It wasn’t until recently reading this blog post from Zanita Studio that it hit me as to why I constantly failed:

I was trying to do too much.

I had an amazing content calendar with themes and ideas for posts for 6 days of the week. No wonder I couldn’t keep up! What was I thinking?

As the Zanita Studio post brilliantly points out:

“Now, if you’re just starting out, that’s a lot of content. I don’t even post 5 days a week and I’ve been blogging for 7 years now. You probably don’t want to start out with guns blazing until you have a solid, loyal following who actually care what you have to say, otherwise you’ll be creating all this content for no one.”

As someone who works a full-time job, recently took on a second job on the weekends, and trying to make a blog work (like so many bloggers!); trying to do too much is kind of the theme of my life.

With that said, I love this blog and have so much fun working on it and I’m not willing to give it up. What I am willing to do is less. I commit to posting regularly, but less frequently (i.e. starting out with just once a week instead of almost daily), and will not mentally beat myself up if/when I don’t get to them. My new focus is trying to take on less in life and only give energy to the things that really, truly make me happy.

My new mantra: get shit done by doing less.

I'll drink to that! Celebrating my new life mantra.

Time & Change

Change. It’s something that we are told to embrace, yet feared by many. Why do so many people dread change? Is it that our minds automatically assume the worse and that any change, will result in a lesser situation? Or is it that we are afraid of how hard the process of change will be? Or is it the discomfort that lies with the unknown? Whatever the reasoning, there is truth in the saying that "people are creatures of habit," and when pushed from our routine, things can get uncomfortable. 

So as time changes, seasons begin to change, and we all inevitably begin to change, I’ve put a lot of thinking lately into how to best deal. I definitely don't have the answers on this, but I just keep going back to a quote from a favorite #girlboss of mine, Jillian Michaels. In her epic Yoga Meltdown video she forcefully reminds us to get comfortable with being uncomfortable. With my marching orders from Jillian, I'm seeking to thrive in the discomfort.

Have an inspiring advice to share on coping with change? Let me know in the comments.

xx

ASK THESE 3 QUESTIONS BEFORE YOU BUY ANYTHING

Everyone deals with their emotions differently. I, however,  buy them. I’ll admit it, shopping is my emotional safety net. Get a promotion? Time to shop! In a mood? Better go shop to clear your mind. While there are certainly worse habits to have, you have to be careful that you don’t drive yourself into debt by buying your emotions. So, to help combat the impulse purchase, I’ve started asking myself these three questions before I buy ANYTHING.

Do I have someplace to wear this?

I get it. Sometimes you see something on the hanger that looks so beautiful you just have to have it. But before you whip out your card to pay for it, ask yourself, do you realistically have someplace to wear this to, and ways to repurpose it with other outfits? I know sometimes you really want to buy something new (think birthdays, attending a wedding, etc.), but if you don’t think you’ll wear the item past that ONE event, ask yourself if you really need it. Or, consider a more affordable route, like renting something similar.

Do I own something similar?

This is an easy habit to fall into. You have an item in your closet that you love so much that you unintentionally are drawn to other items similar. I tend to do this most with accessories. But then, before you know it you have a whole closet of basically the same item and you’re left feeling like you have “nothing to wear.” I’m all for creating a curated wardrobe, but every piece should be a little unique and special from the other.

Can I wear this with something I already own?

This is the most important question that I ask and is key to building out a functional wardrobe. I try to never buy something that doesn’t already fit into my existing pieces, because if you have to buy multiple other pieces to make that one piece work, it gets expensive quickly.

So, there you have it. These are my three questions I ask myself before I buy anything to keep my spending in check.

How do you keep from overspending on impulse purchases? Let me know in the comments!

Tuesday Shoesday 4.5.16

Guys, how gorgeous and feminine are these Giambattista Valli floral pumps? Between the cherry blossoms blooming in D.C. and the onset of spring weather, I'm totally swooning over these delicate shoes.

Winter [Reds, Whites] Blues

Have you ever left your home and realized you were wearing almost entirely all one brand? I had that moment where my shirt, sweater, necklace and bag were all J.Crew, so I figured why not document it? Also, despite the fact that it is freezing on the East coast, I love that this traditional summer palate of colors [red, white & blue] is working in the winter too.

Keep scrolling for a cozy winter look, that's unintentionally patriotic and brought to you [mostly] by J. Crew.

Coat: Forever 21 (old but similar here) // Shirt, Sweater, Necklace (old but similar here), Bag (old but similar here): J. Crew // Denim: Lucky Brand Jeans // Shoes: Converse // Scarf: Nordstrom

Lost in Thought

I am a strong believer in goal and intention setting. For as long as I can remember I've made new year resolutions. I loved the idea that everyone, everywhere took the new year as an opportunity to refocus on themselves, set goals and prioritze their needs; even if it only lasted a few weeks. Every year my resolutions always focus on self improvement and the idea that you can always do more to be better. 

With that theme always in mind, one of my (many) 2016 resolutions is to be more mindful; mindful of myself, those around me, my emotions, habits, relationships, etc. I can easily get swept up in the day-to-day hustle and bustle of life and the needs of others. So, I'm consciously making an effort to be more mindful. 

I've been on the hunt for some good meditation and mindfulness apps to help me with this goal and found UCLA's free guided meditations. UCLA has an entire research center dedicated to mindfulness, which produced the free series linked above. Lately, I've been loving their body scan for sleep meditation and their mediation for loving kindness. If you have additional apps or tips for being more mindful in 2016, I'm all ears!

Black and Tan

Coat: Forever 21 (older but similar here) // Turtleneck: American Apparel // Denim: Gap // Bag: H&M // Shoes: Zara

Wearing White AFTER Labor Day

I'll admit it. I slacked on this post. Clearly these pictures were taken well before Labor Day and I was worried I had missed my opportunity to use them in a timely fashion. We've all heard the old adage "don't wear white after Labor Day," and Bustle can tell you why that's bunk and how it all started.

Even though fashion rules are meant to be broken, I kind of had it in my head that I would maybe need to tuck away these pants until May until I saw some of the NYFW street style (Exhibit A, B, C) and knew that these pants could take me year round. This top, while definitely much more of a spring summer look, can transition great with a navy trousers or a cropped leather moto and some skinnies.

But let's be real, you've seen these pants before here and here, all within a summer setting, and I wasn't kidding when I declared them part of my warm weather uniform. I'm just expanding my apparel into multiple seasons, and breaking some fashion rules along the way.

Tell me: what pieces are you transitioning into the fall in?

Top: Anthropologie // Pants: Zara // Watch: Fossil // Sunnies: Cole Haan // Necklace: Nasty Gal

A Guide to Living Elegantly by Christian Dior

One of my favorite coffee table reads is The Little Dictionary of Fashion by Christian Dior. It’s an adorable tiny mauve book with simple black type face that takes you through the ABCs of fashion as told by Dior. It’s sweet and short and packed with sage advice for the modern woman. It’s message? Haute Couture is not just for the wealthy - it’s about elegance and the rules of fashion. So read on for my top five favorite pieces of advice for living elegantly from Christian Dior.

O N E: Good Planning is Very Necessary to Good Dressing.

I’ve mentioned before how I plan my outfits out about a week ahead of time and how it saves me hours in the morning when getting ready. My planning comes from not being a morning person, but I think there is something to be said about someone who puts careful consideration into their outfits. The whole idea of a power suit or “power look” isn’t just a myth. You feel better in certain outfits. Now just imagine if we all took that mindful approach to dressing every day.

T W O: A Good Dress is First of All, a Well Fitted Dress.

I cannot speak enough to the power of good tailoring. Let’s face it, we aren’t all Kate Middleton who can have clothes made just for us. But what else does Kate have? An amazing tailor. So even when she wears a $50 ASOS dress, it still looks amazing because it fits her so well. 

T H R E E: Elegance Must be the Right Combination of Distinction, Naturalness, Care and Simplicity.

Dior’s message is powerful - the key to elegance lies within the person not within their pocketbooks. His point most emphasized? Care. Care for your clothes, care in choosing them, care for your appearance, care for yourself.

F O U R: Individuality Will Always Be One of the Conditions of Real Elegance.

I love the emphasis Dior puts on truly knowing yourself as a key to obtaining elegance. The book discusses at length the importance of studying yourself and knowing what colors, lines and looks emphasize your best features. He also cautions avoiding trends, especially if they are not flattering for your appearance. Only wear what suits you and your personality.

F I V E: You Can Dress to Suit Yourself - and Therefore Your Age - But This Does Not Mean You have to Wear Clothes that Make You Look Old.

This is one of my favorite pieces of Dior’s advice. We live in a culture obsessed with youth and youthful appearances; however I think nothing is more elegant that a person who can successfully act and dress their age. Alternatively, a personal gripe of mine is someone who ages themselves in their demeanor, act, and dress. Can’t we all just agree to embrace our age [[and ourselves]]?

Thursday Inspo 8.6.15

Photo courtesy of Glyn Lowe

Sport Your Stripes

Ever since I was a child, I knew I wanted to live in a city big enough that I would never need a car. Flash forward many years later, and the first thing I did after graduating college and before moving to a new big city was sell my car and I haven't looked back since. While I love the freedom of not having one, sometimes getting around town without it can be a hassle. On weekends when I do most of my "running around town," my outfits usually reflect this lifestyle. On days when I know I'll be out all day, I dress based on functionality and choose pieces that are able to withstand public transit and/or able to walk multiple city blocks. In my city living experience these pieces tend to be durable cottons, lighter-weight fabrics, and if you are like me and can't part with your heels for even daytime errands, opt for a wedge.

 

 Shirt: J. Crew // Shorts: Gap // Sunnies: Cole Haan // Shoes: Sole Society old but similar here

Crop Tops & Trousers

Recently I went to a rave brunch with a couple of girlfriends in downtown D.C., which if you are in the area, I cannot recommend enough. La Boum is brunch meets rave meets dance party meets night club all in one setting. What better reason do you need to break out your hot pink accessories and crop tops than a boozy summer brunch?

Top: H&M // Pants: Zara // Bag: Kate Spade old but similar here // Sunnies: AJ Morgan // Lips: Nyx // Necklace: Nasty Gal