Back on the blog train...

It's been almost three (three?? Honestly?) months since I've posted anything on APOS, but thanks to my great friend Dana, who decided to start a blog of her own, I've decided to get back into it. Right now, there's a duo-blog in the works with a friend of mine who lives in New York City. We've been planning something since the holiday season, but haven't really had the time to complete the project. Hence, my attention to my audience here has unfortunately fallen to the wayside. Also, being the Type A kind of person that I am, I won't release anything until it's perfect, so it may be a few more months before the new blog, people. 

Last weekend was my 24th birthday, and with a birthday that falls on the same weekend as the season 2 release of House of Cards, Lord knows it's going to be a great one. I allowed myself ample time on one of the days to binge watch nearly half of the season. It's almost surreal knowing that I live in the same town in which the show is set. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't hoping to run into Frank Underwood every time I'm on Capitol Hill. Although maybe it's better he doesn't actually exist. 

On Valentine's Day, I got to bring a puppy on set during my boss's show. My brother was watching at home and sent me a photo. How cute is that puppy?

A snapshot from the Jefferson Memorial taken during one of my weekend runs. Running the memorial stairs of the Lincoln or Jefferson is something a lot of the runners do here. 

A post birthday brunch photo of my friends and I. After bottomless drinks, we were all pretty happy by this point. 

This Thanksgiving...

It's hard to believe it's already Thanksgiving and the year is nearing an end. This Thanksgiving is my first ever in which I'm traveling a far distance to get home to my family (during college it was a simple 45-minute drive), and it's the first time I've been home since moving out of state in April. With that being said, I am thankful for my parents for booking me a flight home for the holiday, and the family and friends I get to enjoy it with. I'm also super excited to be reunited with my best friend Rachael, who I haven't seen in over a year, because she's been around the world living out her dreams of becoming a dancer!

Needless to say, I'm so excited to come home -- even if it only is for a couple of days! 

Have a happy Thanksgiving,

xxo

Weekend/Fourth of July recap

I hope everyone had a nice, long holiday weekend! I started the Fourth watching the parade from the National Archives with a few friends. The weather was almost unbearably hot, and did not cool down by the time the sun went down. However, I was very lucky to have had the chance to watch fireworks from the Capitol, and I can now say nothing will ever top it!

My friend Alex works in the Capitol and was able to get a few of us on the list to watch the concert and fireworks from the Capitol. Unbeknownst to us, Niel Diamond was performing at the concert, so you could imagine our excitement when he started singing "Sweet Caroline" and a crowd of thousands began singing along. 

Definitely an unforgettable Independence Day!

Happy 4th!

Happy 4th of July everyone! I can't imagine a more ideal place to spend the Fourth of July than Washington, DC, and I'm so grateful to be living here so I can experience the holiday in the nation's capital.

Hope you have a great holiday!

American flag attire

Fourth of July attire has always been tricky for me. I don't often wear red, so typically i'm one to pair white pants with a blue top. So when I went looking on Sunday for something to wear this week, I was beyond excited to find this American flag scarf from Forever 21. It was honestly, $9. Can't beat that! Especially when I was thinking of investing in this dress to wear for every Fourth of July for the next decade!

Unfortunately this scarf is not online, but I found a few other pieces from Forever 21, American Apparel and Lilly Pulitzer that are perfect for the holiday!

Clockwise from top-left {1} {2} {3} {4} {5} {6}

Happy Memorial Day Weekend

Happy Memorial Day weekend! I'm so excited to have a laid back, relaxing weekend. My family is coming to visit this weekend so we're planning on doing a little sightseeing, shopping and exploring. There are a few restaurants I want them to try out too -- definitely this one in particular. DC is in the spirit of Memorial Day--I shot the picture of Union Station above on Wednesday, after they'd hung the flags-- and there is a huge concert on The National Mall that is going on this weekend. Do you have any plans for the weekend?  It's supposed to be cooler weather here, but if it warms up, this is what I would wear!

{Silk navy tank} {White shorts} {Striped scarf} {Chain knot studs} {Satchel} {Gingham wedges}

Happy Valentine's Day

"Love is not love which alters when it alteration finds. It is an ever fixed mark that looks on tempests and is never shaken. Love alters not with time's brief hours and weeks, but bears it out... even to the edge of doom."                                                                                               --William Shakespeare

{via}

Valentine's Day must-haves

Single or taken, there's something about a day devoted to love that makes me love Valentine's Day. Ok, maybe it's because my birthday is the day after Valentine's Day, but I still love the candy hearts, valentines and cheesy/lovey-dovey things that occur on the 14th. For all things devoted to sappy love stories, hearts and shades of red and pink, here are a few must-haves for V-Day. 

xxo

"Love" bookends: Sure, they may be from the kid's section of Pottery Barn, but what 20-something wouldn't want these holding her book collection together?

"Somewhere in Time:" For anyone who hasn't seen this movie yet, run (do not walk!) to your nearest Target/Walmart/online Netflix subscription so you can watch this movie on Valentine's Day. You'll be swooning over Christopher Reeve's performance, and planning a trip to the Grand Hotel in Michigan, where the movie was filmed.

"Love Story:" Another classic love story, it began the phrase, "Love means never having to say you're sorry."

"Fall in Love for Life:" I originally saw this book in Anthropologie, and stood there for at least five minutes indulging in its first few pages. It tells the love story of a couple married for 73 years.

Heart Tray: Use it as decor, or for a tray to serve fruity pink drinks on Valentine's Day.

Butter London Nail Polish: Spending over $10 for nail polish is a little crazy, but these two colors are not only perfect for the 14th, they're also perfect for the spring!

Doloris Petunia one-of-a-kind earrings: I have had my eye on many things from this Etsy shop since I saw this designer on Cupcakes and Cashmere, and these earrings are at the top of my list. 

Mexico

My family and I escaped to the Caribbean this Christmas when we all flew to Mexico. It was the first time my brothers and I had seen the Caribbean Sea, and the first time we'd all been south of the border. The weather was fabulous, and the beaches were everything I'd expected, except there weren't any seashells! It was a little weird waking up on Christmas morning to eat breakfast outside in 80-degree weather, but it was a nice alternative to a white, snowy Christmas. We spent the 25th on the beach, and my brothers and I tried our hands at archery (insert Katniss Everdeen reference here!) 

Here are a few of my favorite pictures from our trip. Did any of you go on vacation over the holiday? 

{Black swan + white swan}

{The view from our balcony}

{A Mexican fashion statement?}

{Archery on Christmas morning}

{They really didn't like us all that much in the gift shop}

NYE-worthy: Necklaces

Necklaces are my favorite way to dress up an outfit-- especially when it comes to New Years. I recently snagged the bow necklace (the top-left from below) on sale at my local J.Crew store for only $48! It's sold out everywhere online, and down from $148, I thought it was a great deal. I've seen a few more in the store lately, because some are getting returned from Christmas... why, I'm not sure, because it is a really great statement piece. 

Any of these pieces below are under $100 (some even below $25!) and would look perfect paired with a simple LBD or even a more colorful outfit on New Year's Eve. Either way, make sure to have fun with it-- that's the best part about NYE. 

Clockwise from top-left: {1} {2} {3} {4} {5} {6}

NYE-worthy: Dresses
NYE-worthy: Pumps

NYE-worthy: Dresses

After a week of being away in Mexico, I'm back in the USA and couldn't be happier. It was great to get away with my family, especially to amazing weather and beautiful beaches, but it's always nice to be home. We came back to Ohio with about a foot of snow on the ground! So I guess we missed a white Christmas, but I am definitely not complaining about the 80 degree weather we had. (I'll be sure to post some of those pictures soon!)

I thought we'd have free Wi-Fi at our hotel so I could post each day, but unfortunately the only wi-fi we could access was in the lobby, so I've missed a week's worth of posting. Since New Year's Eve is right around the corner, I wanted to continue my "NYE-worthy" series with dresses you can find for under $100. Arden B is one of my favorite stores to find party dresses. They always have glitzy dresses that have head-turning designs (such as the added leather peplum on the dress below). Forever 21 is also a great place to find a dress for New Year's, without spending all of the Christmas money you've just received. 

Check back tomorrow for the final "NYE-worthy" post!

Six NYE-worthy dresses for under $100

Clockwise from top-left: {1} {2} {3} {4} {5} {6} 

NYE-worthy: Pumps

With New Years Eve nearly a week away, I thought I'd do a short series of posts on NYE style in regards to "building" a standout outfit for the last night of the year. Since high school, I've always put a lot of thought into New Years outfits, although I'm ashamed to admit my style circa 2006 (see below) -- a light wash jean skirt in December, really?? 

I always enjoy finding something a little more outrageous than usual to wear for December 31st, even if it's a simple piece of an outfit, like for example, your shoes. In my opinion, the idea is to go big or go home when it comes to accessories. I haven't picked out my outfit yet for NYE, but I'm pretty sure it's going to include a pair of shoes similar to any of the ones below. It's one of those nights where you can really overdress and no one can look at you differently for it, so why not?

xxo

Six Pairs of NYE-worthy Pumps for under $100

Clockwise from top-left: {1} {2} {3} {4} {5} {6}

Guest Gift Guide: The Blue Dog Belle

Hey Pop of Style Readers! I'm Emily from the Blue Dog Belle. Thanks to Jenn for having me today! I live in DC, and while my professional life is full of political rhetoric and policy debates, my blog showcases my love of all things girly and fabulous. I wanted to put together a list of my essential gifts for any working girl.  Because if y'all are anything like me, you still have a decent amount of shopping to do.

Thanks again for having me Jenn! I hope y'all come visit sometime!

Cheetah Gloves  |  Hat  |  Amazon Kindle Fire   |  Urban Decay Naked Basic Palette  |  Earphones  | Black Dress  |  Leather Satchel  |  Earrings  |  Watch  |  Glasses  |  Perfume 

Gift Guide 2012: For the home

 

 

{Rope wall mirror} {Mr. & Mrs. Muse mugs} {Zebra tray} {Tea light votive set} {Colorful cake stands} {Decorative pineapple} {Hand tossed salad servers} {Krups citrus press} {Monogrammed pillows} {Footed bowl} {Wine pairing towel set} {Metallic leaf tray} {Cream + brown throw} {Engagement ring measuring spoons} {America cutting board}

Previous gift guides: For Her, for Him, For the Co-workers, For the Tech-lovers

Guest Gift Guide: Beauty & the Feast

{source}

Hi all! I'm taking a break from posting today to send you on over to Allie from Beauty and the Feast. She's been kind enough to share her space with me today to feature one of my favorite gift guides, so head on over there to see what it's all about. I highly recommend checking out what else there is to read on her blog, I absolutely love it!

Have a great weekend
xxo

Deck the halls on a budget

One of my favorite parts of college was the holiday season, when John Carroll University would decorate the student center with a large Christmas Tree and the red and green spotlights would shine on the campus clock tower by night. After moving into an apartment, I would try my best to decorate with my babysitter's budget, which usually wound up looking something like this:

Yes, those are cheap plastic bows taped to my kitchen wall to spell out "Ho Ho Ho." Along with a tiny Christmas tree, this is usually what made up my holiday decor. Now that I've graduated, and have more of a decent budget, I can afford to spend a little more. Here are a few of my favorite ways to decorate your place for the holidays without breaking the bank! 

{Reindeer & Sleigh} {Merry Christmas} {Peppermint Candies}

Sources: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

The Winter catwalk

It's official, the holiday season is upon us all! Marketing campaigns like to convince us that the Christmas/holiday spirit kicks off the day after Thanksgiving, but to me it's the start of December. My friend Brianna and I spent the first of the month at one of Anthropologie's events, a holiday fashion show. The store shut down a few hours early for the nearly 100 guests eager to see some of the company's newest holiday arrivals. Anthro sure knows how to throw a party-- with mason jars full of hot mulled cider, who could ask for more?! 

xxo

    

          

PS: These items, among many others just went on sale... find them here, and happy shopping!