6 Blanket Scarves for Fall

Y'all, I am so over this in-between weather. It's been almost a week of hot, nasty rain, and I am ready for some cool, sunshiny, October days. Looking out the window makes me want to bundle up, but as soon as I set foot outdoors, the heat and humidity make my face drip and my hair frizz.

Dear Fall, you're late. Hurry up!

While we are waiting for the weather to cooperate, I've found some cozy scarves for the chilly days ahead. Last year, I found a tartan blanket scarf at H&M, and it has become my go-to scarf for the cooler months. I love tartan! It works well with jeans and a vest, or with leggings and an over-sized sweater - you just can't go wrong! Here are a few blanket scarves in different tartan patterns that I'm loving for the fall, all under $35:

{Caramel Tartan - White Tartan}

{Camel Check -  Classic Plaid}

{Blue Tartan - Large Plaid}

5 Shoes for Fall

Don't you love New York in the fall? 

It makes me want to buy school supplies. 

I would send you a bouquet of newly sharpened pencils if I knew your name and address. 

On the other hand, this not knowing has its charms.

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Fall has finally arrived. For the majority of September, it hasn't really felt like fall, but it's definitely here now! Fall is my season. I love scarves and vests, the apples and candy corn, the bonfires and the State Fair. For a long time, I didn't consider myself a State Fair fan, but last year I changed my tune. We had such a great time, I ended up going twice!

Here are a few shoes I love for fall:

{Flats - Chucks - Pumps - Ankle Boots - Rain Boots}

How To Pare Down Your Wardrobe

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We've all been there. You open the door to find a closet full of clothes staring out at you. You stand and survey your options for the day ahead. Ten minutes later you roll your eyes, slam the door, and pull your favorite outfit out of the dirty laundry - the same one you've worn it the past three days straight. It's fine! You're not going to see any of the same people four days in a row! 

 I've found that one of the best ways to solve the "nothing-to-wear" conundrum is to narrow down my options so that I have fewer clothes that all coordinate well. Then, I figure out what pieces I need to add to my closet in order to help tie everything together for easy outfit choices. The first step is to separate your clothes into the "yays" and the "nays."  So how do you go about sorting what to keep and want to let go? 

Recently, my friend Stacy asked for some help with her wardrobe, so last weekend we did some serious closet purging. We went piece by piece through her closet and talked through these simple questions:

1. Do you like it?

How many of us have an item (or two, or three) we don't like but have kept for years because it was a gift, or it was really expensive, or your great aunt told you it looked pretty on you? People, if you don't like something, don't keep it. Don't let a piece of clothing take up valuable real estate in your closet if you are never going to wear it. That being said, if the sentimental value of a garment outweighs the closet space you loose by keeping it, hang on to it.

2. Does it fit?
If something you own is two small, it's usually time to say goodbye. However, most clothes can be easily tailored to fit if they are too large. If you have a piece of clothing that is too big, decide if it is worth keeping, and then take it to your local tailor for some alterations. Skirts, dresses, jackets, and jeans are fairly easy to take in or hem, and alterations typically cost less than buying something new.

3. Do you have something to wear with it?

That sparkly sequence top and those sky-high stilettos may be fun, but if you don't have anything else in your closet that works with them, sometimes it's best to just let them go. If you decide you love that sparkly top too much to see it leave, than figure out what you might need to add to your closet to make it wearable for you.

4. Is it past its prime?

I have a few rules for getting rid of clothes that are just plain worn out:

• Pilling - if a sweater or shirt is covered in those little tiny matted-up balls, trash it. No reason to be wearing something that looks like a hand-me-down. (I have nothing against hand-me-downs - as long as they still look fresh, I'm a fan!) 
• Holes - some holes are easily repaired when they are along a seam. However, if the garment isn't worth repairing, into the trash bag it goes.
• Deodorant Stains - Gross! If you've tried to get them out and they still won't budge, get rid of that shirt- especially if it's a simple white tee. A silk shirt is probably worth trying to save, but a white tee is easily and inexpensively replaced.
• Stains or Discoloring - Sometimes no matter what you do, that pesky little stain just won't come out! If that's the case, its time to replace.

After going through her entire closet, Stacy and I came up with a list of a few simple pieces she could  purchase to provide more outfit options this fall. Stay tuned to find out what Stacy decided to add to her wardrobe! 

Outfit Inspiration:Black on Black

In college, my choir director required us to dress in all black for our performances. I can still hear him saying every semester, "Guys: black dress pants and black dress shirt. Girls: black dresses that fall below the knees." I loathed it. First, I bought a hideous black ankle-length dress with a collar and some sort of built-in spanks. Do not ask me why. I don't know. (I still vomit a little every time I think of it). Then, I found a black maxi-dress at T. J. Maxx that did not fit me well at all - short people do not look good in empire-waist dresses. Eventually, the school allowed the girls to wear pants to perform (hallelujah!!), and my hatred for all black ensembles began to reverse. I found a pair of black cigarette pants and a black tunic that I loved, and I started to actually like my all-black outfit. Now I wear head-to-toe black on a regular basis and it makes life so much easier. Just throw on some bright shoes or a statement necklace, and you're good to go!

Black is such a staple color in a wardrobe: not only is it slimming, but it adds polish to your look. I mean, people rave about Little Black Dresses for a reason - they always work! Here are a few outfit inspirations for wearing black on black.

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Here are a few places to start if you are looking to add some staples to your wardrobe:

{Ann Taylor - Target (Only $7!) - Nordstom}

{Ann Taylor - Nordstrom - Banana Republic}

{Pumps - Flats - Wedges}

Shop Tradesy

{Shoes - Photo by: Blue Barn Photography}

My tastes have always outweighed my wallet. To illustrate: when I was in elementary school, my dad would take me on little "dates." I would ask to go to the mall so we could browse the Godiva Chocolate store, the fine jewelry store, and the shoe section at the department store (not the kids shoe section, the real shoe section). Some things never change.

Every now and then I find an excuse to purchase something that I usually wouldn't be able to justify. This summer I needed a pair of gold wedges for a wedding, and I'd had my eye on a pair of Lilly Pulitzer shoes that I knew would be perfect! However, they were well out of my price range, so I hopped on a couple of resale sites to see what I could find. I ended up purchasing a pair from Tradesy - one of the best decisions I've ever made, wardrobe wise. Tradesy offers resale designer clothes and accessories, some new and some gently used. The shoes arrived in the original box, and they were perfect for the day of the wedding! I've been able to wear them to work all summer as well. The ordering process was so simple, and the shoes arrived much sooner than I expected. I've been scrolling through their selection of leather bags - check them out here!

Any other online resale sites I should know about?

Apartment Update: Staying

After living in our apartment for a little over a year, it's really starting to take shape and come together. When we first moved in, I went a little overboard as the self-proclaimed "decorator." I have since realized I am no such thing. (Shout-out to C for being so patient with me.) When it was time to either renew our lease or move to a new place, C and I opted to try a new look before deciding and we ended up loving it! We still have a couple of plans in the works, but the place is so much more cozy now!

Remember what it looked like before?

12 in 12: Centro

New is hard. I've always struggled going into new experiences. Starting college: terrifying. My first few weeks at Whole Foods: beyond stressful. Going on a blind date: we're talking off the charts anxiety. So when I started my new job earlier this summer, I spent the week leading up to the first day fighting the overwhelming nervousness that, for me, accompanies just about any situation that involves unfamiliar people and places. Caroline was so sweet and treated me to dinner at Centro after my first day. It was so nice to have something to look forward to as I muddled my way through learning the ropes at the office.

Centro wasn't on my original list, but I'm so glad I tried it! Bit of advice: go on a weekday. C and I tried to eat there one Friday back in January, but the wait for a table was over an hour, so we ended up at Raleigh Times that night. This time around, we went on a Tuesday - brilliant planning on our part, if I do say so myself.

The atmosphere was cozy and candle-lit, and the food... neither of us could stop commenting on how much we loved the food. We each got a taco plate, but I think both of us enjoyed the beans and rice more than the actual tacos! We just couldn't get over how wonderful everything tasted.

My mouth is watering right now! I cannot wait to go back and maybe sit outside when the weather cools down.