B. is. for. Barbour.



Hello, lovely readers! Spring has officially sprung (as of this past Monday, anyway), which theoretically means winter *should* be behind us. Instead of sharing my own unique spin on groundbreaking floral, I'm getting chatty about transitional spring fashion. You know, like what to wear when the mornings are nippy and the afternoons are balmy. AKA, when Mother Nature can’t seem to make up her freaking mind. Side note: Don’t you hate it when it looks exceptionally nice out, but is anything but? SO DECEIVING. 

As you might’ve guessed from the title of this post, a certain Barbour jacket may or may not also be up for discussion. If you’re new to the blog, a Barbour jacket’s been on my splurge list for quite some time now, and for good reason. It’s a seasonless topper that can be dressed up or down for no shortage of downtown appeal. (Did I mention that even, regional cool girl, Alexa Chung has been known to style a Barbour on occasion? Cough, cough, Glastonbury Festival.) While I was originally set on the waxed Beadnell (and still am), I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to invest in a Beadnell Polar Quilted Jacket when I stumbled upon it on major sale. Fast-forward to now, and it’s been in heavy rotation. 

Though I wore this outfit back in February, I have a feeling that it’s going to be perfect for the full spectrum of spring weather we’ll be experiencing in the weeks (and potentially months) to come. It’s the quintessential topper to toss over a t-shirt dress and riding boots or team alongside jeans and Adidas Superstars (or Chuck Taylors) for a low-key look. On this particular outing, I opted for a considerably preppy green striped top and my go-to high-rise Margots from Industry Standard. Finally, for a much-needed pop of color, I finished off with some bright pink ballet flats.
 



jacket (in olive)  |  striped tee (similar)  |  jeans  |  flats (different color)

What transitional spring wardrobe essentials do you swear by? Comment below!

xo,
A
2

the. mani. diaries. // minimalist. dots.


Hey! It’s been a while, but I’m back at it today with a new installation of “the mani diaries.” Slowly but surely I’m starting to get a little more experimental with my weekly manicures. I specifically turn to Paintbox Nails and Olive & June for inspiration. I’m partial to negative space designs and minimal nail art in general as they fit my aesthetic and aren’t terribly hard to replicate.

Speaking of minimal, minimalist dot manis have been trending for a while now (I’m sure you’ve seen ‘em while scrolling through your Insta feed). Although this wasn’t my first attempt at a dot mani, it was my first time using a dotting tool — which I highly recommend investing in, BTW. If you don’t have a dotting tool on standby, then you could also get away with using the end of a Q-tip. It just takes a bit more trial and error.

If you’re interested in achieving a minimalist dot mani, here’s how it’s done. There aren’t a lot of steps! 


1. I began with 2-3 coats of China Glaze’s “That’s Shore Bright,” a vibrant purplish hue.
2. Next, I used a dotting tool (included in Red Carpet Manicure’s Nail Art Tool Kit) to carefully create the dots on each nail. FYI: I chose a dark midnight blue hue for my dots (similar to “This Blue is So You”). I would recommend practicing the dots beforehand on a scrap piece of paper to ensure you’re creating uniform-sized dots on each nail. The size of the dot is dependent upon the amount of nail polish being used when dipping the dotting tool. As clichĂ© as it sounds, practice really does make perfect!
3. After allowing a sufficient amount of drying time, I finished off with a coat of China Glaze’s “Gotta Go Top Coat.” And voilĂ ! I would definitely consider this a beginner level mani as it doesn’t require a high level of artistry — just a steady hand!

What nail design should I try next? What are your favorite nail accounts to follow on Instagram for inspiration? Comment below!
xo,
A
2
Glossier
Back to Top