Coral Sweater and Statement Stones

I came home this weekend to get my hair chopped off! I cut off about 5 inches, and got some side bangs (which I can't stop playing with). I absolutely love that my hair now looks and feels healthy, and I don't have to worry about my tangled ends anymore.

As it has been getting colder, I have been wearing my heavier water proof Michael Kors coat. This coat was a gift, and it is not only warm and cozy, but classic that I can use for a long time. 

I enjoy having investment pieces, but I am convinced that it does not have to cost a lot to make an outfit look expensive. I am all about shopping sales and knowing when to find the best deals at stores. 

This coral sweater is from Old Navy and I purchased it for $7 (normally $30) after Christmas last year. My cream belt is from J. Crew, and I purchased it for under $10 during an extra 40% off sale, and my student discount.

Finding some inexpensive pieces to add to your wardrobe is all about timing, and if you purchase at the very end of the season you will catch the best deals.

Jeans: Gap

Boots: Old Navy

(both were also sale finds)

 I bought this J. Crew inspired statement stone necklace from Target, which you can purchase by clicking here! It is very similar in design to some of the more expensive J. Crew necklaces, and I actually got mine on clearance for $10 at my local Target. 

Watch: Kate Spade

This watch goes nicely with the necklace, and picks up the same gold and sparkle in the stones. 

I hope you find some great deals this holiday season! I can't believe it is almost Thanksgiving, which also means my semester is almost over. I can't wait to finally finish all these projects and assignments due for finals, and spend more time blogging this winter.

8 Times Taylor Swift Rocked October

Taylor Swift's style has been in the spotlight while promoting her new album 1989. She has become a trend setter this October with her eclectic and chic fashion, and adorable new hair cut. 

1) Jewel Tones

 (From InStyle)

While promoting 1989 on Good Morning America, Taylor Swift wore this jewel toned cobalt and teal two-piece dress. 

2) Black and White Chevron

 (From InStyle)

In London, Taylor wore this black knit chevron patterned two-piece. She brightened it up with these playful pink Giuseppe Zanotti pumps. 

3) Mixing Patterns

(From InStyle)

Taylor rocks a gingham orange and grey jacket overtop a checkered grey and black dress. She tops it off with simple black tights, booties, and Rag & Bone hat.

4) Vintage Florals

 (From Taylor Pics)

Taylor is known for incorporating vintage silhouettes into her wardrobe, and this two-piece top and shorts combo is classic T-Swift style. The vintage floral pattern across the whole outfit is smartly paired with some strappy colbalt heels. 

5) Proportions

(From Taylor Pics)

Taylor rocks her long legs by wearing this preppy green and black stripped mini dress. She adds a pop of color to contrast the look with these bright pink pumps.

6) Oversized

 (From Taylor Pics)

Taylor wears this oversized burgundy sweater over a grey mini dress and black tights, mixing both feminine and masculine elements. She tops off the look with Jimmy Choo booties and a black bowler hat. 

7) Color Blocking

 (From Taylor Pics)

This color blocked pink and orange crewneck sweater is classic and casual for everyday wear.  Pairing it with these slim tan pants and jeweled Miu Miu flats really lets the outfit pop. 

8) Humor

(From Pop Sugar)

Lastly, Taylor Swift isn't afraid of being herself. Her hilarious "pegacorn" Halloween costume shows that even though T-Swift is busy, she still has time to have fun,

Taylor Swift is rocking this October with her album success and being to queen of social media with her fans. This past year she has transitioned from a country inspired girl to a chic and sophisticated pop star, and I can't wait to see what is in store with her 1989 tour!

Anchor Blouse Under a Grey Sweater

Fall in the midwest is the most beautiful time of year. The leaves are all changing colors, and it is just chilly enough to start wearing chunky sweaters.

I have a lot of collared tops, so a lot of times I will wear them underneath sweaters during the colder months. This is an easy technique to coordinate summer pieces into your fall wardrobe. 

This anchor blouse is from Ann Taylor.

My grey sweater is from Target, and I absolutely love the grey cable knit texture on the front. 

These silver oxfords are by Sam & Libby for Target, and my teal pants are from Forever 21. The good thing about the shoes is that mud and dirt wipe right off of them, so I am never too worried when wearing them out. 

Watch: Michael Kors 

My favorite new accessory are these glasses from Warby Parker. 

Warby Parker is a glasses company that allows you to order online and try on glasses in your home. At first I was skeptical, but the website is so easy to navigate and ordering is a quick and painless process. I got the finch frame in violet magnolia, which is a tortoise pattern with purple accents. 

I used to rarely wear glasses, but I am obsessed with these. You need to check out their website if you are looking for a new pair.

I hope you have been having a great October and are getting excited for Halloween. I decided to be a sloth this year... We will see how convincing the costume is. 

Until next time,

Layering with an Aztec Print Dress

A go-to look of mine is wearing a dress with an oversized jacket. It is a simple and casual way to dress up your every day look for going out with friends.

I recently went to a friend's house warming party where I wore this chiffon aztec print dress by the brand Fire. I paired it with this oversized khaki jacket with red detailing by the brand Olive & Oak. My cross body black bag is from Forever 21, and I love using this purse for going out at night because it holds a lot and also allows you to be hands free. 

I paired the outfit with my suede black boots and tights.

Bracelets (from bottom to top): Alex + Ani, Francesca's Collections, Gifted

I am excited to be wearing more layers with dresses as we continue to head into fall. We have a three day weekend coming up to wrap up our school's midterms week, and I am excited to head home and do some much needed relaxing (and probably some shopping).

Stay cozy,

Finding the Perfect Puffer Vest

Puffer vests are extremely cute for fall to wear over a button down, long sleeve shirt, or a sweater. They are a great way to add layers to an outfit, and also help you stay warm during those crisp days.

 I compiled a list of the best puffer vests that are available right now following my three shopping requirements:

1) Not too bulky and puffy

2) Inexpensive, but still a good quality material

3) Stylish in its cut and details

(you can click on the descriptions below to purchase the item)

J. Crew Factory

Quilted Puffer Vest

$68

The factory website has a great variety of high quality vests which are half the price of J. Crew's. The website has 4 colors, as well as a navy plaid and camo print. The factory website often has sales and free shipping as well.


Old Navy

Quilted Zip-Front Vest 

$34

This is a lower price, but still looks great. I actually own this in navy blue, but it is a bit thin so I wouldn't recommend it be used as an outerwear staple.


Zara

Zara Padded Vest with Contrast Edging

$79.90

This is more expensive, but the details make it stand out as a higher quality item. This only comes in navy blue with brown edges, and gold detailing.


Banana Republic

Quilted Vest

$98

Banana Republic has a similar vest to Zara, but it comes in both black and navy.

This is the most expensive of the options, but Banana Republic often has 40% off on full price items and if you sign up online you get 25% off your next purchase.


Sears

Laura Scott Women's Quilted Vest
$14.99

Sears isn't exactly where I go for clothes, but I saw this vest and was surprised by how good it looked. It isn't the highest quality, but for the price, it is worth it. Plus, it comes in multiple colors. 

Ann Taylor Loft

Polka Dot Quilted Puffer
$79.50

Polka-dots are neutral right? I couldn't help but add this adorable puffer vest to the list. It is a nice quality, and a bit more expensive, but Loft will often have sales throughout the season on their new fall items.

Vests are a great addition to any closet, and I know I want to get my hands on a red or a cream one.

Happy shopping until next time!

Stripes with Kelly Green

As it has been getting colder, I have been wearing a lot of cardigans over some of my favorite shirts. This kelly green one is from Joe Fresh. The hue is a great contrast with black and white, and adds a pop of color to the outfit. 

I love black and white stripes, so I couldn't pass up this peplum top from Banana Republic. This is a great piece in my wardrobe that can be dressed up or down. I decided to pair it with these jeans from Gap that I rolled up to keep the look more casual. 

 Necklace: Nordstrom Rack 

Oxfords: Sam & Libby for Target

Seriously, these shoes are so comfy. I find myself wearing them with almost anything.

I have been doing my best to survive midterms week-- but it is finally over! Last weekend, it was homecoming and I had a blast being a part of the Queen court and representing my sorority.

Unfortunately, it was extremely cold out and raining during the parade and game so I have been struggling with a pretty bad cold this week. However, my family did come up to see me and it was a lot of fun spending time with them. 

I hope you are staying warm this October. I am taking a road trip to go to the Notre Dame game tomorrow afternoon, so I am going to be sure to pack a ton of layers! 

Have a great weekend until next time,

Summer Dresses with Fall Layers

Where do I begin! I have been at school since the end of August, and it has been an extremely busy semester. To start it off, I cut my thumb on a mandolin the day before the first day of classes. If you ever watch the Food Network, you’ll know what a mandolin is. It has been healing nicely, but for the first few weeks of school I had my friends help bandage me, and it was difficult to do a bunch of silly tasks like put my hair up. 

Secondly, I was busy with formal sorority recruitment. I decided to be a recruitment guide this fall, so I helped take the women who were rushing to each chapter and served as an unbiased guide. A part of the process for the recruitment guides is disaffiliating from your chapter until the end of recruitment. This meant nobody could know what sorority I was from or see pictures of me with other affiliated women on social media. With all this going on, I wanted to wait until after recruitment to start blogging again.

At the end of summer, I was able to purchase some light cotton dresses from H&M. I love the skater style of the dress, and I knew that this was an item that I would be able to wear transitioning into the colder months. We have been lucky with some warmer, light jacket weather, and this dress is perfect for that. 

The dress is a tropical pattern in navy and white, so I layered it with my green surplus jacket from American Eagle to contrast against the design.

Purse: M.A.C. bag by Rebecca Minkoff

Bracelets (bottom to top): Aeropostale, Francesca's Collections, Alex + Ani, Gift

 Rings: Forever 21

I paired this outfit up with my staple summer shoes, my white Converse. Sometimes you have to wear white after labor day. 

I can’t believe how it is already October. Midterms are already next week and Homecoming for my school is this weekend. I am on the Homecoming court, so I am going to be extremely busy this weekend, but it will be a lot of fun to have my family come up and celebrate with me. I am trying to balance everything in order to survive the semester, because what I really love doing is blogging and sharing with you all. Now that some of the chaos is over, I am hoping to be able to blog more outfits and stay on top of things happening in fashion.

I know I have talked a lot in this post, but I am excited to get back into the swing of writing again!

Until next time.