The Power Pant

The power pant. It's the base of the best looking work outfits and your go-to for client meetings. They demand attention and command respect. Bonus points if they give you 'legs for days.'

But the pants are just the start. It's what you do in the pants that matters most. It's how you use your powers that really counts.

To me, this blog has always been about more than just fashion. Yes, I love clothes. Yes, I'm unapologetically addicted to shopping. But I hope you've felt that it goes deeper than what I've wore and instead, given you a deeper look into who I am.

A big part of who I am involves giving back to the community. Whether it's shopping local, giving out ice cream sandwiches at the park with my church group, donating to my favorite causes or doing my part to be a responsible member of the environment...I think it's an absolutely crucial part of making our world a better place.

And if you decide to come to the Alice + Olivia in Georgetown tomorrow from 5-8, you can give back to the community as well! I'll be hosting the shopping event where 10% of proceeds will be going to the Tigerlily Foundation. Ever since my mom got breast cancer last year, I've grown a passion for organizations that help women affected by cancer. 

So if you want to give back to an incredible organization (and also get your fall shopping ON), come join me tomorrow night! Can't wait to see you there!

Alice + Olivia pants, blouse, clutch, and shoes. Makeup Meltdown X Claire Ashley lipstick in Siren c/o. 

Dreamer

< SHOP THE POST >

I’m still in a reality haze since returning home from St. Lucia. I haven’t unpacked my bags, done the laundry or basically accepted that our trip is over. And yet, I’m already knee deep in planning our next adventure. 

When I proposed to my husband on the plane ride home, ‘how about Paris next?’ he laughed. 

“We haven’t even finished this trip and you’re already onto the next one?”

What can I say? I’m a dreamer.

I’ve found that being a dreamer constantly influences my style choices. I want the softest fabrics, the prettiest silhouettes and perfectly versatile pieces, unapologetically. Even if I don’t find my Paris in the next few months, I want to wear clothes that give me the feeling that I’m in Paris - pussybow blouses, buttery leather handbags, a perfect trench. Because I never want to stop dreaming, imagining, of the moment I get to step out in front of that Eiffel tower in the prettiest dress of all time, i.e. the dress I’m wearing here. Can you guys imagine? THIS DRESS on a windy day? Dreamy. 

This dress is from Alice + Olivia and when you step foot into their Georgetown location (right next to Georgetown Cupcakes), that’s exactly what you think - DREAMY. Stacey Bendet has totally outdone herself this season with an attention to detail unlike any other. Racks of romantic lace, jewel-toned dresses and a feather skirt that's been selling like hotcakes.  Her timeless pieces are outrageously gorgeous, totally wearable, and BOLD. But don’t take my word for it. Come see it for yourself!

I’ll be hosting an event at their Georgetown location NEXT TUESDAY, September 22! It’s the day before the pope arrives, so you’re good on traffic ;) Well, as good as one can be in this area, ha! 

The event goes from 5-8 and will be filled with champagne and yummy treats. You’ll also receive 10% off your purchase (!!!) and 10% of proceeds from the event will go towards one of my favorite charities, The Tigerlily Foundation. Since my mom was diagnosed with cancer last year (but she’s cancer free now, hooray!), I’ve felt very passionate about this cause. I hope you’ll join me in supporting this awesome cause and checking out the new Fall collection at Alice + Olivia. Spoiler alert: you’ll want everything, guaranteed.

Alice + Olivia
3303 M St NW, Washington, DC 20007
(Next to Georgetown Cupcake)
5 PM - 8 PM

You can RSVP to Georgetownstore@aliceandolivia.com. If you'd like to dine at Nick's Riverside Grill before, they're donating a portion of the evening's proceeds to the Tigerlily Foundation in honor of the event as well. When you RSVP for the event, they'll handle all the dinner reservations for you too.

Hope to see you there! 

Wearing Alice + Olivia dress and pumps. Makeup Meltdown X Claire Ashley lipstick in Siren.

Back At It

Being on vacation is like living in a dream. You don't know what day it is - only that you try your hardest to make the most of every moment...to relax hard enough to make it through the next few months, years, until you can break away for a few days of pure, unadulterated rest and relaxation. 

Last week, I had the pleasure of visiting the insanely beautiful country of St. Lucia. We spent our days searching for the tastiest eats, exploring the wilderness and doing some hardcore R&R. It was simply incredible. 

Over the next few weeks, I'll be sharing about our time in the southern Caribbean island. In the meantime, I'll be responding to the 100+ work emails, helping plan an event at Alice + Olivia next week (more details coming soon!) and trying not to cry myself to sleep at night as I mourn getting back to the everyday grind. ;) 

And even though I'm not looking forward to an insanely crazy first day back today, I am SUPER excited about this outfit. I've been smitten with Cameo lately - and my favorite "try before you buy" company, Lyon + Post carries them! I love that their subscription is free and that YOU get to choose the products you get to try in your box. If you want to try it, you can use my referral link and get $30 off your first find. My next box has these pair of Chiara Ferragni flats I can't wait to get my hands on! And the lipstick I'm wearing - might be my favorite of all time. 

On Julien: Cameo top via Lyon + Post, Hinge skirt from Nordstrom (on sale!) Free People espadrille, Hanuel bracelet and Claire Ashley for Makeup Meltdown lipstick in "Siren."

Boston

Early plane flights. You think they’re a great idea when you see that they’re a hundred dollars less than the other options, but not SO much the morning-of. 

Since I used up most of my vacation days for our trip to St. Lucia, we had to make the most of our Saturday flying to Boston for my Papou’s big Red Sox debut. We arrived in Boston at about 7:30 AM (don’t even make me tell you what time we woke up) and immediately went to find coffee. But not just, like, STARBUCKS coffee. Ick. So we hopped on the bus to a little place downtown called Barrington Coffee Roasting. They not only had the yummiest latte ever, but the yummiest chocolate croissant too. Mmm. 

We made sure not to eat too much, since my sister and her boyfriend were meeting us later for brunch at Area Four. I can’t even describe the amount of happiness and joy I felt as I ate THIS french toast. Even though it was located in a business’y area off the beaten path, it ended up being one of my favorite stops on the trip!

We spent the rest of the afternoon walking around downtown, eating ice cream sandwiches, and goofing off by the pier. Surprisingly, it was kind of chilly earlier in the day, so I was thrilled that I had my Denada knit shawl with me. I also wore my ABSOLUTE FAVORITE pair of jeans ever that I found in an article from Cupcakes & Cashmere. There’s a reason why AYR jeans are a cult-classic and now I finally understand why.

Until next time, Bean Town!

Diner en Blanc + Rent the Runway

This past Saturday night, the world’s largest secret dinner party manifested itself in Washington, D.C. To those who were invited last year or snagged a ticket within the first few minutes of registration, it was not something done spur-of-the-moment, but planned weeks in advance. The menu, the all-white outfits, the centerpieces…yet the location kept secret until the very last minute.

I had tried to snag a ticket to this coveted event (mind you, the wait list was rumored to be over 10,000 long) but failed to make it through the registration process. However, a few days before the party, my friend Bree asked if I wanted to go with her! I honestly could not say yes fast enough.

This left us with three days to develop a strategy. Who would bring the chairs, and who would grab the flowers? What would we eat and how many cheeses are too many (answer: THERE IS NO LIMIT.) And most importantly, what would we wear?

Since time was an issue and spending hours shopping wasn’t an option, I quickly called upon the experts at Rent the Runway in Georgetown for their assistance. Over a quick lunch break, I was able to pop in, try on their selection of white dresses in store, and even reserved the prettiest pair of dangly earrings for the occasion! I didn’t make a reservation, but the staff was still incredibly helpful. Even though they take walk-ins, I found myself wanting to have someone there waiting to evaluate my every look, so I would definitely recommend making a reservation. The $25 fee covers a 45-minute appointment and someone dedicated to helping you find the perfect outfit for your special day or big event. The woman helping me even gave me the best tips for my specific event, like suggesting a cotton to keep cool and giving me her honest opinion (which was literally the most helpful thing ever for someone as indecisive as myself.)

Photo via Rent the Runway

Since I had checked out Rent the Runway online beforehand, it was a fairly quick process once I arrived in the store. An assistant pulled multiple looks for me, but I landed on the MOST gorgeous Monique Lhuillier cocktail dress. Lace, of course. Monique’s signature look. It arrived at my doorstep Friday, just in time for Saturday’s festivities!

Saturday, Bree and I booked appointments at Drybar so it would be one less thing to worry about. We had our pretty little picnic to prepare, after all! We tried the Bethesda location and had the best time. Our visit was filled to the brim with champagne, 27 Dresses, and the best scalp massage of all time. At $40 for the whole experience, it’s my go-to for fancy events and dinners in the city.

After getting pampered, we placed the prettiest flowers from UrbanStems into white vases (another time-saving option that looked like we’d spent hours arranging!) We threw on our party dresses and met our group at the Dupont Metro to begin our journey.

Still not knowing exactly where to go, we hopped on the metro. You think the metro is a hot mess on a regular day? Think again. You haven’t seen hot mess until you’ve seen 5,000 people carrying flowers, tables and chairs try to balance on the rickety rail cars. I feel like I got a good enough arm workout to last me a lifetime.

As we arrived at Carnegie Library, thousands of Washingtonians dressed to the nines in their white gowns and tuxedos, fancy feathered hats and the most opulent centerpieces, made their way to their pre-assigned spots to setup. It was like something out of a movie. 

Once everyone was set up, we all waved our white napkins in the air (as one casually does) to signal the start to the evening. We dug into our cheese platter, french bread and zucchini pasta immediately thereafter. No shame in the game folks.

Wanting to save our fruit tart and Georgetown Cupcakes for dessert, we made our way to the dance floor where we threw our elbows around to the sick beats of the DJ at the top of the stairs. And people watched. Did I mention how incredible the people watching was?! Better than at the airport. 

We finished off the night with our tasty treats and zero regrets. Until next year, Diner en Blanc.