Anchors Aweigh!

My first pair of Sperry's were purchased this spring, but since then, I cannot get enough of these preppy-style boat shoes. They were popular way before my generation's time, and what most people probably don't know is that the company has been around since 1935. When they came out, they were the first boat shoes introduced into the boating market. They really have come quite a way since! The newest style this season is the seersucker Top-Sider style, available in coral and light pink. 

The best part about these boat shoes is that they can be paired with almost anything: shorts, relaxed summer shirts, and even summer dresses, as a way to dress down your look a bit. Plus, they're more comfy than most pairs of flip-flops, and will never go out of style.

Which pairs are your favorites?

xxo

{1} Cloud Logo Authentic 2-Eye Boat Shoe in Tan Woven ($125), {2} Cloud Logo Authentic 2-Eye Boat Shoe in Olive Salt Washed Canvas, ($75), {3} Cloud Logo Authentic 2-Eye Boat Shoe in Pink Seersucker ($90), {4} Authentic 2-Eye Boat Shoe in Coral Patent, ($90)

{1} Men's Authentic Original Boat Shoe in tan ($80), {2} Men's Authentic Original Boat Shoe in dark brown/tan/white leather ($80), {3} Top-Sider Authentic Original Boat Shoe by Made in Maine in tan leather 2 ($300), {4} Authentic Original Canvas Boat Shoe in navy/red/white canvas ($75) 

How-to: Clean those dirty make-up brushes!

After reading beauty sections of the many blogs that I have categorized in my "daily reads," I've come to the realization that I lead a somewhat unsanitary lifestyle when it comes to make-up. Sometimes my mascara tubes have lifespans of 5+ months, and I'll admit that I've never once cleaned my make-up brushes... until now.

We change our toothbrushes every 4 weeks, so why not give those that touch our face a little attention too? I found this household remedy for cleaning make-up brushes on Pinterest, and all it takes are two ingredients, water and white vinegar. It disinfects grease and make-up buildup, leaving your brushes clean and sanitary.  

What you'll need:

1 T white vinegar

a glass

hot water & cold water

Mix the white vinegar in with a glass of hot water, and let your brushes soak in the mixture for 20 minutes. After, take out each brush and rinse in hot water, then cold water. Pat brushes dry with paper towels, and you're good to go. 

xxo

Peplum + scalloped

It's no secret that peplum tops/dresses/business skirts are in this season. I couldn't resist splurging on this Anthropologie peplum ponte tank, especially because I figured it'd be gone by the time it went on sale. It's super-simple to dress up, and can be paired with anything from shorts to skirts to J.Crew's Minnie pants. I noticed it last week on an episode of Pretty Little Liars (can you guess which character was wearing it?) although I didn't like the way the costume department put the outfit together. 

During the summer months, pair it with something simple like seersucker scalloped shorts in light red/blue from Lilly Pulitzer. At $74, they're expensive, yes... but can be brought out for a party on the Fourth of July. I thought seriously about purchasing them, but then I realized I could probably DIY my own pair (yes, it's completely ridiculous that I took a picture before purchasing). I had a pair of seersucker bermuda shorts that I had stored away in an under-the-bed bin after Bermuda's had gone out of style... which apparently was before I stopped wearing them...

(Circa 2009... I believe they became unpopular in 2006, whoops)

Lucky for me, I still had my pair that was blue and white seersucker, and took a pair of scissors to 'em to create the "scalloped" look. It was simple, just make sure you stencil out the pattern with something washable- I used an eyeliner pencil. 

And voila, now you have an entirely new pair of clothing, DIY'ed from one that had just gone out of style. 

xxo

New blog + new green drink

After months of talking about it and weeks of trial and error, I decided to break off my blogger relationship with Tumblr. He wasn't meeting my standards, and frankly, I wasn't attracted to his templates anymore. This quick and easy breakup has lead me to Blogger, where my standards are met and I can create a beautiful site from a simple template. Hopefully you find my posts interesting, creative and most importantly, helpful when it comes to style!

Now, onto the third drink in my Green Drinks series... I've been hearing that I'm late on the trend and that green drinks were "a thing of last summer." However, kale chips are all the rage right now, and if you're making those, then it's likely you have some extra kale lying around... right? Plus, these aren't your typical green drink recipes... the ones I'm about to post in the next few weeks are a little outlandish and involved things such as beets and pumpkin. Gross, right? Nah, I'm sure they'll taste delish like the rest of them have.

The latest concoction involves orange juice and apricots, and I promise, you cannot taste the leafy greens.

Creamsicle Green Drink


- 1 cup orange juice
- 3/4 cup coconut milk
- 1/2 cup fresh spinach
- 1/2 cup fresh kale
- 1/2 cup fozen apricots/peaches/mango (whatever you prefer)
- 1 frozen banana
- ice

Blend together, makes enough for two.

Monogram Madness

Sometimes it's the little things in life that make me happy. 

Things like chocolate, the right song, and having to put together an outfit for a night out (pretty much only understandable if you're a girl). Seersucker bags, like my tote below from Tiny Tulip was a graduation gift to myself. It's the ideal summer bag with the added bonus of my new favorite look: monograms.

I used to think monograms were tacky, gaudy fashion statements that bragged about how cool your initials could look to everyone. Who wants to use monogramed towels stamped with initials? It looks like you're wiping your hands on an item clearly deemed someone else's property. So, now that I'm about to sound completely contradictory with this post, I'm going to have to support the reasons for my newfound obsession. 

1. They're colorful

2. They're personal

3. They will never go out of style [unless you get married ;) ]

Monograms are clearly not something to go overboard on, because then you'll just look like you want to stamp your name on everything you own. :) Buying an iPhone case like any of the ones below, and you add class and sophistication to your phone (and your initials increase your chances of return by about 3% if you lose your phone...just kidding, I totally made that up).

Beyond iPhone cases, there is a plethora of other initial-donning items these days, including the necklaces. Layer them with more simple strands that match the chain, and let the piece pop out. 

Monograms aren't for everyone, but they're a fun way to personalize your favorite things. Besides, who could pass on all of this color? 

xxo

{1} Acrylic Monogram Necklace ($69), {2} Cotton Throw Pillow ($75), {3}Chevron Sunflower iPhone case ($58), {4} Chevron Stationary ($66/25 cards), {5} Coral Repeat Plate ($26), {6} Quatrefoil Monogram Mug ($24), {7}Quatrefoil Monogram Laptop Sleeve ($48), {8} Lilly Pulitzer Acrylic Tumbler with Straw Monogrammed ($22.50) 

Photos from: Tinytulip.com, luxurymonograms.com, sweetteapaperie.com, and lipstickshades.com.