rainy. day. chic. #ootd.

Rainy day trench... with a playful twist!

Spring is officially in full swing and it’s only a matter of time before the April showers arrive. Thankfully, there’s no shortage of seriously cute rain jackets and wellies to go around. (Like so cute that you secretly want it to rain just so that you can whip out your favorite rainy day essentials. Well, almost anyway.) To prove that rainy day chic can be done, I’m sharing an #OOTD that I wore despite the not-so-pleasant weather. Now, if only I could find a way to combat frizzy hair!

As I like to say: Rainy days are just an excuse to get dressed up. Am I right?!

LOVE the pop of red! Every rainy day trench needs this much personality.

Ugh, someone please tell me how to combat frizzy hair on a rainy day! This was taken earlier in the day before I decided that a ponytail/messy bun was obligatory.

After snagging the cute navy rain coat above at a J.Crew Warehouse Sale back in November, I had been anxiously waiting for a rainy day to wear it. Can you blame me?! I proceeded to pair it with a "fun" ruffled sweatshirt and gingham pants for a preppy-whimsical look. Since it wasn't a downpour, I was able to top it off with a pair of old sparkly ballet flats.

J.Crew Navy Rain Jacket (similar)
J.Crew Ruffled Sweatshirt (similar)

Ann Taylor Geometric Necklace (different but I love this necklace)
Paige Verdugo Ankle Skinny Jeans (similar)
Sam Edelman Sparkly Ballet Flats (similar-ish)

Shop more rainy day essentials below!

What’s your secret to rainy day dressing? Leave a comment below!

xo,
A

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hoppy. easter.

A snapshot of my speckled mani + current favorite Old Navy lace-up flats. 

Hoppy Easter! Stopping by to wish you all a lovely Easter Sunday filled with tons of relaxation and (hopefully) some speckled jelly beans! Stay tuned tomorrow for a new outfit post featuring my rainy day style!

xo,
A

PS: For more Easter mani inspo, check out one of my latest Brit + Co articles featuring 18 Pastel Manicures to Wear on Easter Weekend (and all spring long!).

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pinch-free. st. patty's. day. outfits.

Don’t have a St. Patrick’s Day outfit planned out yet? Say no more! Whether you’re looking to dress in head-to-toe green or are all about those subtle pops of mint, scroll down for three green (and pinch-free!) #OOTDs that can be styled with almost zero effort.

 

When in doubt, mix in green accessories that exude your personal style. Start with a trusty striped dress and then proceed to add in a kelly green satchel (loving this one from Cambridge Satchel Company!), a pair of mint sandals and some sparkly green bejeweled studs. If you’re not so keen on wearing all-green-everything, then you can just pick one attention-getting accessory to keep the pinches at bay.

1. Seastone Sparkle Cluster Studs (Kate Spade)
2. The Cambridge Satchel Company Mini Push Lock Crossbody Bag (Madewell)
3. Faux-Leather Double-Strap Sandals for Women (Old Navy)
4. Chinti and Parker Striped Cotton-Jersey Mini Dress (Net-a-Porter)

Dress to impress with this preppy outfit that you could wear to class, work and beyond. Celebrate the arrival of spring (this Sunday!) by incorporating some throwback floral into the equation. This Brady Bunch-esque button-front skirt (with hints of mint + lime) can be teamed with a white scalloped blouse and a cardigan/denim jacket/field jacket depending on the weather. For an extra dash of green, try working in an emerald cross-body bag, mint flats and/or fluorescent green nail polish FTW!

1. Butter London Nail Polish in Wellies (Net-a-Porter)
2. Kara Nano Tie Leather Shoulder Bag (Net-A-Porter)
3. The Fortuna Flats (M.Gemi)
4. Scalloped Carrie Cami (J.Crew)
5. Floral Twill Skirt (H&M)

Non-green enthusiasts, I hear ya! Rest assured that you don’t have to love shamrock green to avoid the pinches on St. Patty’s Day. Enter an army green jacket that won’t cramp your minimalist style one bit. Keep things business as usual with a slouchy striped tee, streamlined black skinny jeans and of-the-moment slides (I actually want to snag these for myself!) Last step: Add some pep to your step by fastening a festive green hair tie around your ponytail or braid.

1. Field Mechanic Jacket (J.Crew)
2. Yoga Hair Ties (Banana Republic)
3. Pointed Flat Fashion Mule (Old Navy)
4. Short-Sleeve Slouchy T-Shirt (J.Crew)

5. High Riser Skinny Jeans (Madewell)

What will you be wearing for St. Patrick’s Day? Leave a comment below!

xo,
A

PS: For more green sartorial inspo, check out my article, 18 Green Dresses to Wear on St. Patrick's Day (+ All Spring Long).

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march. the. list.

A new month means a slew of new goodies to yearn after. With the weather already starting to feel like spring (I’m talking upper 60's, people!), all things gingham, plaid and spring-y are currently on my radar. For the March list, I picked out items with major styling potential. Basically, anything quirky, girly and a bit Parisian made the final cut. Scroll down to see my faves...

1. Belted Trench Coat with Hood (J.Crew) // With April showers right around the corner, I can’t think of anything more practical (or chic!) than a bright red trench. Am I right?! I’m also loving this one with a preppy gingham liner. Major #swoon.
2. Saffron Ankle Wrap Sandal (Loeffler Randall) // Can you say perfect pink sandals? These lovelies by Loeffler Randall are a fun update on your classic ankle strap sandals. The tassels (!) and fun wrap style make it the ultimate match-up for denim dresses, easy-breezy skirts — you name it.
3. Flavor of the Month Popsicle Coin Purse (Kate Spade) // Naturally, I need this cheeky popsicle coin purse from Kate Spade. It’s seriously too perfect… and especially Insta-worthy come ice cream season.
4. Hello Sailor Intarsia Cashmere Sweater (Chinti and Parker) // While it may no longer be #sweaterweather, I know that spring temps can be unpredictable at best. (Think: chilly mornings and warm + sunny afternoons.) That said, a knit sweater will always do you right — especially when it’s navy + nautical. Throw some white scalloped shorts or white skinny leg jeans into the equation and it’s a done deal.
5. Striped Organic Cotton-Jersey T-Shirt (Chinti and Parker) // This striped tee from Chinti and Parker — complete with a pink heart-printed pocket — provides for a fun twist on your every t-shirt. While it’s definitely a splurge, just think how cute it’ll look teamed with skinny leg jeans or a paperbag skirt and ballerinas. I digress.
6. Plaid Tie-Front Skirt (Madewell) // I can’t explain it, but whenever I see this plaid tie-front skirt, I immediately think of hot summer days and freshly mowed grass. There’s something about it that just screams warm(er) weather to me. ALSO, I love how perfectly effortless and daytime casual it is. Tuck in a white tee, toss on a sweatshirt or pair it with a chambray shirt for your new spring uniform.
7. The Striped Cloud Bag With Top Handle (The Cambridge Satchel Company) // If you haven’t checked out The Cambridge Satchel Co.’s selection of bags lately, then you seriously need to. Like RN. Not just limited to their timeless satchels (which I love!), there’s currently a variety of silhouettes (from hands-free crossbody bags to of-the-moment saddle bags) to choose from in a range of dreamy pastel hues. This classic navy-and-white top handle bag has got me swooning hard. The scalloped detailing is easily the best part.

What are you currently loving this month? Feel free to share a link to your must-haves for March or leave a comment below!

xo, 
A

4

february. outfits.

Good things come to those who wait... SO happy I was able to snag this adorable toggle coat by Kling on major sale at a local clothing boutique!

... and then it was March! Even with Leap Year, February literally flew by. With the exception of a little snow and some frigid temps sprinkled in, it's safe to say that winter never really showed up. Not that I'm complaining or anything. While I'm totally gung-ho for spring, I'm admittedly reluctant to leave cold weather behind just yet. I don't know about you, but I'd love to have a few more opportunities to wear my fair isle knits and style some fun layered looks. In the meantime, I've rounded up some of my favorite February #OOTDs for your sartorial pleasure (you can check out last month's roundup here).

Leopard print is a neutral, right? 

Not the most scenic backdrop, but I LOVE wearing pretty pastel hues (like lilac!) during the winter for an instant pop of color. Sadly, I wasn't able to wear this super cozy topper nearly as often as I would've liked.

Am I College Prepster yet? I loved how Carly styled her fair isle sweater from J.Crew so much that I copied it verbatim. Literally. I layered an old ruffled shirt from J.Crew underneath my sweater for a polished, daytime casual look. 

Cricket sweater — where have you been all of my life? #itsbanana

Staving off winter one polka dot at a time. (Pssst: You can still score this nautical striped sweater and this flirty mini skirt on sale.)

A sneak peek at an upcoming rainy day outfit that added instant cheer to my day. Stay tuned!

What's your go-to winter uniform? Let me know in the comments below!

xo,
A

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