Romantic Florals

Hi guys! Let’s talk about trends we’ve seen for a little while- “romantic florals,” open shoulder, high waist jeans and gladiators. They’ve been around for a while and they’re still in -it’s time to invest in them.

The shirt I’m wearing, I immediately fell in love with. I thought it was a really special top and this season I had always admired how special looking floral Zimmermann tops looked, but I never wanted to spend close to $500 on one Zimmermann top. This top was perfect because it had the floral pattern that I wanted and the silhouette that I wanted of the open shoulders and it was the perfect price for me. I got it on sale at Intermix, its Intermix’s exclusive line, and they had so many more floral items I loved at an affordable price.

The Intermix top I’m wearing looks pretty similar to the Zimmermann ones I love, so why is the Intermix one so much less? It’s because it’s Intermix’s exclusive line- they can mark their items lower, while producing items of the same quality because they are selling direct to consumer not wholesale. I highly recommend buying items that are direct to consumer like items from the Intermix exclusive line, “Bop Basics” on Shopbop or Aqua from Bloomingdales.

As for my jeans- I needed a new pair of ripped jeans and figured I’d give high-waisted a try! I’m so happy I did because I now pair them with almost anything; my shorter tops that need to be with a high jean and regular tops that I tuck in or let hang and cover the high waist. Mine are from Revolve, there’s no sale going on with Revolve right now but if you use the code “Tulip” you receive 15% off all merchandise that’s not a best seller or a new arrival.

Stay tuned later this week for my post for Fourth of July weekend essentials! 

Leigh

Get the top here and similar tops here, here, here, and here || Get the jeans here and similar jeans here and here || Shoes here and similar ones here || Similar shades here || Bag here

Now Trending: Blush + Off the Shoulder

The more blogs and websites we come across, the more we see blush everywhere. I hesitate to call blush "pink" though, because I think it turns a lot of people off (including myself). But recently, it seems like its being worn by everyone under the sun - anyone from chic to preppy.

What I like about blush is that it is very soft, elegant (no matter how you dress it), and easy to wear in the spring/summer, as you can pair it with any white bottom. The color looks amazing with all skin tones, but especially if you have a little summer glow!!

This ASOS off the shoulder, blush top is definitely already one of my favorite summer pieces and is something that I am going to wear often in the coming weeks. In addition to the elegance of the color, the off the shoulder style allows you to effortlessly dress up the outfit.

Click on the links below to see where all of the pieces in this post are from!

ASOS Top || Rich & Skinny White Jeans (Similar) || Target Shoes || Earrings (Available in store @ Citrine)

Nail Color: After School Boy Blazer (Essie)

Lip Color: Royal Orchid (Laura Mercier)

Similar ASOS Tops: Here and Here

Seeing Stripes

Every store we walk into at the moment, is filled with racks upon racks of white and blue striped pieces -- with many, eye-catching variations. For Memorial Day Weekend, Lindsay showed her festivity by pairing this striped J.Crew Factory top ($30!), with AG white jeans, Steve Madden wedges, and of course, the most classic RayBan Aviators. 

Tops like these are perfect (and super easy) to throw on for the summer and go well with any white or denim bottom. Below are a few striped tops that we are also watching!!

Check out these summer, striped styles from Shopbop and Zara -- here (this one's my fav), here, here, here, here, here, and finally, this amazing crop top (that's on sale!)

The (Sort of) Boyfriend Jeans

With every new season, old trends return and current trends evolve. As we head into Fall, distressed denim seems to be at the forefront of both old and new. I have always been a fan of a simple skinny jean or jegging and have been reluctant to try different shapes and styles with the concern they wouldn't be flattering for my body (i.e. boyfriend jeans). Nevertheless, always fun to try trends that bring you out of your comfort zone a little bite. In an attempt to find boyfriend jeans that I could wear while traveling abroad, I stumbled across these baggy jeans that aren't quite boyfriend but have the same effect. Because they still have some shape, they aren't as unflattering as boyfriend jeans can sometimes be. And though the rips are somewhat aggressive, you can wear them as a fun beach look, chic European look, or even a little more conservative look with a simple, oversized button down (as pictured).

I am usually a huge fan of color and simple gold jewelry, as I like and feel most comfortable in it. This look, however, was one of my favorites from the summer and something completely out of my usual repertoire. The big staple necklace and cuff were really fun and I used the heels to bring it all together. I also really thought that my Warby Parker glasses were a fun addition and constantly try to remind myself that glasses can also be used to accessorize. 

As I head into my second week studying abroad in Italy, I made another unconventional purchase; ripped, light wash, overalls. Stay tuned to see how I style them and combine my desire to be ~European chic~ with my personal style!

Distressed Jeans: Here and Here (pictured above) || White Button Down: Here (oversized), Here and here (short sleeve option - SO cute) || Open Toed Booties: Here (similar) and Here (dressier option) || Warby Parker Glasses (also have AWESOME sunglasses!) || Necklace: Here (similar)

Black & White

As I've gotten older, I've found that I buy a lot more neutrals and fewer patterns. Although this makes all my clothes look very similar, I prefer having versatility over having to re-wear identifiable patterns over and over again.

That being said, I try to spend money on neutrals that are timeless and good quality. All of the items pictured above are from this summer. The black pants are a recent Club Monaco purchase and I've already lost track of how many times I've worn them. Though other companies (like Zara) make similar pairs, I wanted to get something that would also be nice enough for work. I paired the pants with a $30 Old Navy cotton shirt that is PERFECT for a hot summer day and these new J.Crew animal print slip-on sneakers.

A tip that someone once told me about finding the right pair of lose pants that fits your body best is to look for ones that scrunch at the bottom. Whether they actually scrunch or just get tighter is your preference but something that comes together at the bottom will give your legs more shape. PLUS, if you wear them with heels they elongate your legs even more!

This outfit was incredibly easy to throw together because everything was neutral. I added the shoes to give it an extra pop, as neutral outfits usually look best with a little extra something. Whether thats a necklace, ring, shoes or bag is up to you. 

They no longer sell this white top but this quilted Old Navy top is a perfect transition piece for the fall and only $25!

 Club Monaco Pants Similar ON SALE ($29 down from $159) BLACK LEATHER

J.Crew Shoes ($198 + ADDITIONAL 30% OFF)

Neutral Necessities

As the end of summer approaches, and I have to start thinking about what I am going to pack for my semester abroad in Florence, I've been trying to find clothes that are neutral, affordable, comfortable and versatile. I recently came across the sale rack at a Club Monaco store and found this top and pair of shorts (they aren't a set but they might as well be). Both pieces were an additional 30% off the sale price making them impossible to say no to.

I know they will serve as staple pieces the rest of this summer and while I am in Florence and it's nice knowing they didn't break the bank. Neutrals are perfect for this time of year and essential when packing for a trip. It's important to always bring things that can be worn in a variety of ways and don't necessarily need to be dry cleaned.

Club Monaco Top ($99 - ON SALE, IN STORE+ 30% OFF) || Club Monaco Shorts (ON SALE-$79.00 + 30% OFF) ||

Heels ($89.95) || Gorjana Necklace ($65) || Joie Cardigan ($298)

Navigating SHOPBOP

Shopbop always offers a really nice selection of pieces and accessories coming from an array of designers and incorporating a variety of different styles. They also always have an incredible sale that is filled with rows upon rows of really cute shoes, tops, dresses and everything in between. However, my biggest issue with their sale is that it takes at least a full hour to sort through the 40 pages of apparel that are on sale. 

SO, to make everyones life a little bit easier, we pulled a few items that we've been eyeing for a while. Click the links below to see if there are any you love!

 Current/Elliot The Stiletto Skinny Ankle Jean ($138.60 down from $198) ||IRO Oz Jumpsuit ($418.2 down from $697) || Equipment Keira Blouse ($187.6 down from $268) || Joie A la Plage Solimar Flat Sandals ($136.5 down from $195) || Sophie Hulme, Mini Envelope Bag ($468 down from $585) || Tory Burch Snake Print Loafer Cut Espadrilles ($129.5 down from $185) 

Skirtin' Around

A super hot trend right now is a skirt and matching crop top set.  BCBG Max Azria has an amazing selection of these sets for the summer, most of which are 40% off! After multiple trips to BCBG, drooling over the chic cropped jackets, and  sets, Lindsay finally went for the purchase. This high wasited blue and white patterned skirt shares a matching top that is also very flattering.

 She decided in order to make the most of the purchase, the skirt and shirt need to be worn separately when possible. Yesterday, for work, she paired the skirt with a simple, blush Madewell blouse. She added her new H&M heels (that were less than $30), her stylish Karen Walker sunglasses, and a bunch of her favorite jewelry from Neely by NVB. Also from Neely by NVB is the Brown Evie bag seen here, that is a perfect size for an everyday work bag.

 What also makes this bag so special is that the colors of the bag represent each school that Neely's team visits on their college tours. While Lindsay obviously loves the Washington and Lee Generals Blue and White, she decided the Brown University's colors were more neutral and would work well with any outfit, as it does here.

 Click the links below to get the outfit on Revolve Clothing and the accessories on Neely by VNB's Website!

Sunglasses ($220.00) Skirt ($228.00)|| Top (Similar-$59.00) ||  Heels (Similar-$99.95) ||

Gold Cuff ($77.00) || Chan Luu (Similar-$72.00) || Neely by NVB Evie Bag ($70.00) ||

Ring ($50.00)