I can't believe it is already December.  For the first time in what feels like forever, I'm sharing an outfit! This year has been so strange and I hate that I haven't been sharing many outfits. But I haven't been going many places other than the grocery store and when we do that Christian doesn't want to stop off to take photos very often. I wore this for an outside distanced visit with my parents and siblings in early November. It was nice to be around people besides Christian for a change, ha ha. 

 

P.S. How gorgeous is this tree? My parents planted it the year my sister was born so its 2 years older than me, ha ha. It always looks super pretty in Fall. 

Vest: Ella Moss 'Nico Faux Fur Vest' (Marshalls), Striped Sweater: Madewell waffle knit sweater, Jeans: FRAME 'Le Skinny de Jeanne' (Shopbop), Ankle Books: Vince Camuto 'Davilla' (Marshalls), Sunglasses: Ray Ban 'Erika' c/o Shopbop

 

Another outfit worn just for a quick trip to the grocery store for some non-perishable items. Christian and I tag team with one of us in charge of the list and one in charge of actually touching the items. We've got quite the system to make sure we're safe and efficient. Hopefully soon things won't be this way but for now we are taking all precautions. 

As we're nearing the 6 month mark of trying to stay distant from others it is more important than ever to stay connected in a safe way. A fun way to do that is sending packages or letters to friends and family to keep in touch and let them know you're thinking of them. CarePackages.com is offering a care package to one of my lucky readers!

All you have to do to enter is follow CarePackages4Everyone on Instagram and leave a comment on this blog post with your favorite care package on their website. Once you complete those 2 entries, 2 bonus entries will show up!

NOTE: Sometimes Blogger doesn't like if you comment from your phone with just a Name/URL, if you don't see your comment try on a computer or log into a Google account to comment.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

*This giveaway is a partnership with Nakturnal. Opinions are my own*

For the friend who's trying to stay healthy I'd go for the Organic Treats care package! They even have nut-free and vegan options. (I might have to get the Chocolate Passion for myself.)

Back to the outfit - I bought these sandals on our honeymoon in September and this was the first time I wore them out in public. They were a lot lighter when I bought them and the girl at the store told me to  leave them in the sun to naturally tan the leather (so it would match the pair on display.) I left them sitting in a sunny window for a few weeks and voila, instant tan on my sandals. In the past my natural colored pairs did this over time but it was fun to do it upfront. They'll keep getting darker over time too.

Floral Camisole: eight sixty, Shorts: Madewell Camp Shorts c/o Shopbop, Sandals: Ancient Greek Sandals X Gas Bijoux 'Stephanie Charms' (bought in Santorini), Necklace: Shashi Princess Leia Necklace c/o Shopbop, Sunglasses: Gucci Aviators (bought in Italy), Mask: Made by Mom

*This post was made in partnership with Nakturnal.  Thank you for supporting brands I feature*

I haven't been getting out much these past few (aka FIVE) months, because we're staying safe at home, but when I do it's with minimal jewelry due to the heat.  How adorable are these small stackable pinky rings from Aurate? You can get them in sizes ranging from 3 to 10 so they're fit for any finger. I definitely want to add more of their thin rose gold rings to my jewelry box.
If you are a long time follower of the blog you'll know that I used to wear a LOT of rings, almost one per finger. But since getting engaged and married I've worn a lot less. These thin rings are a great accompaniment to my wedding rings. I went with rose gold vs white gold to add a bit more fun. Who says you can't mix metals?!
Both rings (and my cute twist huggie earrings) are made with ethically sourced and sustainably made Rose Gold Vermeil. Similar to yellow gold, rose gold is made with a blend of color-saturated alloys with a bit more copper for a rosy hue. Vermeil is basically a fancy name for gold-plated. Aurate goes above and beyond the required amounts and uses 14-karat gold with over 2.5 microns (thickness) and finishes with a top coat to ensure durability and shine.
To make your purchase even better, Aurate has a lifetime guarantee! They'll re-plate, polish, and repair your jewelry when needed. Additionally, for every piece of gold purchased, Aurate donates a book to a child in need in your name.
Summer and hot temps are the perfect time for bold prints! You don't want to have a lot of fabric covering your body so why not make it fun and vibrant. This dress by Farm Rio is so much fun, I was looking forward to wearing it at Disney this Spring but sadly that trip didn't happen. Rather than let it sit in the closet until next year, I decided to wear it for a day of nothing.

I finished the look off with a pair of sandals - I live in my Ancient Greek Sandals all Summer. I'm up to 9 pairs so far - with another possibly on the way, wow! I didn't need a bag since we were just going on a walk but if walking is the only activity on the schedule for the foreseeable future why not make it a complete outfit. This Madewell crocodile effect bag was a pre-quarantine purchase that I never got to wear before lockdown. So glad I was finally able to use it, even if it was just holding my phone, mask and hand sanitizer! Last minute I threw on another new piece. A layered necklace that I got my Mom for Mother's Day. And no, I didn't steal it from her - I got one for my sister and I too so we could all match!

Dress: FARM Rio Amazonian Ombre Mini Wrap Dress c/o Shopbop, Sandals: Ancient Greek Sandals 'Apteros' in Crosta Wine (bought in Athens), Bag: Madewell Medium Slim Saddle Bag c/o Shopbop, Sunglasses: Ray Ban Erika c/o Shopbop, Necklace: Shashi Princess Leia Necklace c/o Shopbop, Rings c/o Aurate - Stackable Twist Ring & Mini Infinity Ring in Rose Gold, Earrings c/o Aurate - Gold Twist Huggie Earrings in Rose Gold

THE (modified) RULES

1. Be mindful of purchases 
2. Quality over quantity
3. Basics are best

MY PROGRESS 

Clothes:

1. FARM Rio Amazonian Ombre Mini Wrap Dress c/o Shopbop ($127.50, retail $170)
2. *NEW!* Burberry beaded owl sweater via eBay ($75, retail $2950 in 2012)
3. *NEW!* Stella McCartney Wild Cat Skinny Ankle Jeans via eBay ($15 after ad money, retail $735)
   

Basics:

1. J Brand 811 Mid Rise Skinny Leg Jean in Moral ($0 after $25 credit & ad money, retail $228)
2. *NEW!*  Madewell Camp Shorts in Faded Rosebud c/o Shopbop ($35, retail $50)

Shoes:

1. Ancient Greek Sandals 'Clara' Sandal c/o Shopbop ($221.25, retail $295)
2. Sperry Rio Aqua Slip-On Sneaker ($14.83 via DSW, retail $64.99)

Accessories:

1. Ray Ban 'Erika' Sunglasses in Havana c/o Shopbop (retail $163)
2. Madewell Medium Slim Saddle Bag c/o Shopbop ($118.50, retail $158)
3. *NEW!*  Shashi Princess Leia Necklace c/o Shopbop ($55)

Activewear:

1. *NEW!* SPANX Look At Me Now Seamless Leggings in Indigo Leopard c/o Shopbop ($68)

Gifted from Brands:

1. AUrate Pearl Studs in Rose Gold (retail $150)
2. AUrate Medium Chain Bracelet in Rose Gold (retail $50)

Total spent in May: $90

Total spent in 2020: $104.83

Happy Valentine's Day!! I've never been a huge celebrator of the holiday apart from eating some chocolate with heart designs on the packaging since I was chronically single my whole life. Now that I'm married it hasn't changed too much. I got a dorky card for Christian and one of those Oreo dunking sets because he is obsessed with Oreos. We'll go out to lunch tomorrow but nothing super fancy, just a normal weekend meal out. I'm not even making anything fancy for dinner tonight because I'm lazy.

Looks like it's Madewell sweater week on the blog, this is another one I've had for quite some time (since 2011!) I keep it around for occasions where I need a punch of red. These jeans are getting closer to being out of my closet, there is a small hole on the butt area that I'm having my mom put a patch behind but not sure how much longer they'll last. That's why I bought a similar pair by J Brand last month. I still want another pair of this cut from FRAME because they fit like a dream!

Sweater: Madewell (more Madewell sweaters),  Jeans: FRAME 'Le Skinny de Jeanne' (Shopbop), Leopard Loafers c/o Joie 'Dylan' leopard loafer (more Joie shoes)

This outfit is full of old favorite items that sometimes get forgotten because I wore them soooo much when I first got them! The sweater is from November 2013, vest from January 2013 (I think...,) jeans from May 2014, boots from October 2014  and Chanel bag from February 2012. Technically the boots are from October of last year but I bought them as exact replacements for the other pair (which I still have and wear when I don't care if they'll get scuffed more.)

I also enjoy how the majority of this look is from Marshalls. You can definitely tell from this outfit that it's one of my favorite stores to score deals on clothes.

Vest: French Connection faux-fur vest (Marshalls, shop more vests), Sweater: Madewell, Jeans: Mother Denim c/o Marshalls, Ankle Books: Vince Camuto 'Davilla' (Marshalls), Bag: Chanel Classic 2.55 Double Flap (shop pre-loved Chanel), Sunglasses: Gucci

Designer collaborations are all the rage these days, everyone from H&M to Kohl's do collections with famous designers. We can thank Target for making it popular, they started the trend 20 years ago. I believe I used to have a pair of sandals from a collection they did with Isaac Mizrahi but they are long since destroyed from wear.

Last month Target announced they would be re-releasing some of their most popular brand collaboration pieces to celebrate 20 years of designer partnerships! I have bought quite a few pieces from the collections over the years and some remain favorites to this day! One of my absolute favorites is my floral Jason Wu dress that has been on the blog countless times. I also love my 3.1 Phillip Lim sweater and sweatshirt - they are re-releasing both of those! You can preview everything that will be available here and shop tomorrow!

Unfortunately since the collection is being released tomorrow, I will be flying to and enjoying my first night in Rome. Such a shame! But I guess it's stopping me from shopping! Speaking of - this will be my last post until October since I didn't want to have blog posts go up while I'm away. Follow me on Instagram to keep up with our travels through Italy and Greece and when we get back I'll share outfits and travel guides! YAY!


Top: Thakoon for Design Nation (Kohl's), Jean Shorts: Madewell Boyshort in Frances, Slip-On Sneakers: BCBGeneration 'Yerra' Slip-on Sneaker (DSW), Bag c/o Orox Leather