Welcoming October

And just like that, October has arrived! With Fall, excitement of hot chocolate, cozy sweaters, cuddling, Fall foods and bike rides takes over, while the romance of falling leaves gives me a newly renewed energy. 

Meanwhile, anxiety of the impending winter starts to creep in. I love the cool, but loathe the cold. Do I have enough winter jackets (my eyes are on this beauty that Cuyana just released), do I need to update my scarf collection, where can I find a pair of affordable, yet durable OTK boots?

But for now, I’ll push those thoughts aside and just relish in these few weeks of Fall’s beginning. 

Wearing Free People jeans, Banana Republic vest (on sale, last seen here), VETTA cropped blouse (last seen here), Classic Leather Tote from Cuyana c/o (PS this bag holds my life - I use it every single day), Ukies flats c/o, Topshop velvet choker

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Lacoste Wool Dress and SS17 Show

• SHOP THE POST •

This year has been, for me, the year of perfecting my everyday style. Dressy looks are fairly easy for me - throw on a pretty dress/skirt/blouse and heels, and BAM you’re done. But there’s something to be said about looking effortlessly casual. For me, it was never a look I had gotten quite right growing up. 

I cringe thinking back to the days where I’d wear my sketchers with dark flares and a tee with some silly phrase about there being more fish in the sea. But thankfully, with lots of practice, I’ve finally reached the point where I can throw on a pair of distressed boyfriend jeans, tee, leather jacket and sneakers and feel pretty great.

So when Lacoste invited me to see their show of next Spring’s collection, I could barely contain myself with excitement. Lacoste has been mastering casual cool styles for years, and I love the sporty edge that sets them apart. 

So what was on the runway? Patent leather raincoats galore, hoodies everywhere (short sleeved, long sleeved, under trenches, with trousers, you name it!), terrycloth robes (the more you look like you walked out of a shower and out the door, the better), and stripes (let’s pray these never go out of style because I’d be ruined.) It was almost like an elevated version of what we’d wear during sports season in high school. Although I was hardly dressed as well. Still, it had this nostalgic, yet fresh feel to the entire collection. (See a few of the show highlights below!)

To the show, I wore a wool dress from their most recent collection with a pair of their white, leather slides that I’ve LITERALLY been wearing non-stop. Actually, as I write this post from the airplane coming home, I’m wearing them at this very moment! To top off the 90 degree weather of that day, I couldn’t help but add a denim jacket. I was melting, but I looked good. And sometimes, feeling great about yourself makes up for the difference. ;)

Wearing Lacoste dress and leather slip-ons c/o, Chanel bag via Bag, Borrow or Steal, J.Crew denim jacket, Sophie Blake bracelet, H&M sunnies, Dior lipstick.

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Anine Bing Dress

There's nothing better than spending a lunch hour conversing with a dear friend, escaping the world for an hour to just connect and enjoy some great food. And that's exactly what I did for my birthday this year!

I met up with one of my best gal pals, Erin, for a lunch at my favorite little cafe, Malmaison. This sweet little spot in Georgetown is one of my favorite hidden gems - it sits back away from the hustle and bustle of M Street., at the end of Water Street. The food is so tasty and the atmosphere reminds me of something straight of of Elle Decor. (See a few photos of Malmaison in a recent post here!) There's also a little coffee shop that I love stopping by if I'm not grabbing a full lunch.

For my birthday lunch, I wore my favorite Anine Bing dress. It's a bit summery, so I paired it with my favorite linen coat that I picked up during a trip to New York. The choker is actually a string from a shoe duster bag that happened to come unravelled. Blessings in disguise, my friends. 

Anine Bing has quickly become one of my favorite brands. Her pieces are so effortless and they exude the laid back LA vibe I'm always trying to achieve. One of my favorite DC shops, Lynn Louisa, carries her line so I try to pop in once a month so I can snag my favorite pieces before they're sold out! Next time you're in Georgetown, be sure to check out Malmaison and Lynn Louisa!

Wearing Anine Bing dress (sold out, love this similar one!), MO:VINT duster (last seen here), Cuyana tote, Everlane loafers, Urban Outfitters sunnies, DIY choker (similar and this one is under $5), Sophie Blake bracelet

How to Create Beachy Waves with a Straightener

Hair. It’s something we all care about, something we spend countless hours (and dollars on), and for me, something that’s been transformative over the past few years.

In a few weeks, I’ll be sharing about my own hair transformation (thanks to Nadine Matar at the PR at Partners on K Street!) but in the meantime, I’d like to chat about the thing we all struggle with when switching our hair do’s - HOW TO STYLE IT.

Cutting off 10 inches has honestly been one of the most amazing things I’ve done for myself within the past few years. But as I’ve mentioned before, there are far less options for that short hair life. Before, it was “hmmm do I want to wrap my hair in a sock to create a ballerina bun or perhaps a milk braid today?” Today, it’s more like, “hmm should I wear my hair wavy or straight?” 

What I didn’t realize is that there are SO MANY DIFFERENT KINDS of waves. Curling iron waves, wand waves, and flat-iron waves. WHOA - HOLD UP. Flat iron waves? Yes, friends. Meet my favorite tool for traveling, for helping me get the most versatile styles, and definitely voted “most likely to be the best looking tool in my hair tools arsonele,” the T3 Singlepass Luxe.

This is not your high school straightener, babes. Gone are the days of burnt hair smells and tugging at your hair. This 1-inch straightener has flexible, ceramic plates so it glides smoothly, a microchip to maintain even temperature, and technology to seal your cuticles for a smooth, shiny finish. It even comes with sectioning clips, which are a lifesaver when it comes to saving yourself the anxiety and stress of trying to section out your locks with hair ties that eventually crinkle your hair. Plus, it has rose gold detailing, making it extra Instagram worthy.

While I love a great straightened look, my signature look is definitely waves. How does one get those natural, beachy waves? Watch the video from my hairstylist Nadine below or follow these easy instructions:

1. After letting the Singlepass Luxe heat up for a moment, take a one-inch section of your hair and bring the straightener up to your roots at a 45 degree angle.

2. Twist the straightener around the hair closest to your scalp a full 360 degrees, then slowly twist at a downward angle. 

3. After you twist to the bottom, scrunch the curl lightly to set the wave.

4. Switch between inward and outward angled pieces until you’ve covered the outer layer of your hair. 

5. Next, run your fingers through your hair to separate the waves a bit, then spritz lightly with your favorite texturing spray (I love the Oribe spray and this trio from Bumble & Bumble!)

6. Ta-da! You’re done. Now take your best selfie and show the world what a pro you are at using a straightener to curl your hair. *MAGIC*

Special thanks to T3 Micro for sending me their latest straightener for me to try out! You can find this straighter on their site, at Sephora, Ulta, Nordstrom and Saks!

Creative Layering with a Black Maxi Dress

I’m always excited when Fall rolls around because it gives me a chance to layer once again. Unless, in typical DC fashion, you hit mid-September and it’s still reaching 90 degrees. 

So in an attempt to celebrate fall without sweating to death, I threw on this playful maxi dress that just released at South Moon Under for a Sunday afternoon coffee break with my love. (Between catching up on Narcos, of course.) 

The first thing I loved about this maxi dress was how versatile it was . Paired here with my favorite Aritzia tee (last seen on Friday #repeatoffender much?), I’ve also styled it for work with a flowy blouse and pumps. And it looks great on it’s own with sandals and dainty jewelry for date night too. Once the temps finally drop, I’ll be wearing this with a chunky sweater and probably this same western belt (that I’ve been honestly sporting non-stop since I bought it.)

I paired the dress with these super fun block heels from Maumero, one of my new favorite shoe designers. They were just in DC last week hosting a pop-up, but if you missed them, you can check out their cool styles online. I layered the sandals with these lightweight gold socks to give them a fresh feel for Fall.

And - surprise surprise - I’m holding onto the chokers/bandana trend as long as it’ll have me. 

Also - excited to debut this drool-worthy Chanel bag I rented for Fashion Week from Bag Borrow or Steal. Alicia and I did a little Snapchat takeover on their channel while we popped around to our last day of shows (which I’ll be sharing more about in the coming weeks!) 

I’d love to hear from you - how do get creative with your style when it’s supposed to feel like Fall but Mother Nature just aint having it? And if you're looking for some Fall inspiration, be sure to check out the new South Moon Under lookbook (which is SO dreamy!)

Wearing Black Maxi Dress from South Moon Under c/o, Aritzia tee (similar), Miu Miu sunnies from Ditto, bandana, gold socks (similar), Maumero sandals, Chanel bag via Bag, Borrow or Steal (complimentary rental), Urban Outfitters belt, Like Gloss by Kylie.