| LUXE FOR LESS: |

i bought the madewell parka last year when it was on sale for a real steal of a price...more than 50% off what it's going for online currently.  it's waterproof, cozy and oh so fashionable.  i was recently shopping at forever 21 and i really loved their rendition of the ever so fashionable forrest green parka; enjoy todays luxe for less. happy thursday! xo

luxe // mcq alexander mcqueen, rag and bone 

for less // american eagle, madewell, forever 21

| GIFT GUIDE FOR HER- STUFF HER STOCKING: |

holiday season is approaching. like quick.  when did it become mid-november?  i'm starting to see gift guides on all my favorite sites so i figured why not get a head start?  hope you all have a great week. xo

1. madewell always makes the best scarfs; this oversized plaid one is cozy and chic all at the same time.

2. sugar paper at target? stop.  this 2015 calendar is dreamy.  it makes me want to be the most organized gal out there.  stuff her stocking with any of the sugar fish x target and it's sure to be a hit. 

3. i'm a note taker, list maker...if it's not written down it's not getting done, kind of girl.  most of my girlfriends are like this too.  this smythson notebook is small enough to fit in most bags and stylish enough to whip out anywhere.

4. ok. stop. this is so cute and any gal who likes makeup even a smidge will die over this benefit advent calendar. it comes with all the benefit favs and the packaging is adorable so skip the wrapping.

5. i'm a sucker for cute sayings + words on accessories.  these old navy gloves may not be the warmest gloves but they are darn cute and perfect for a cool night in california.

6. girls love their tumblrs and recyclable mugs: or is it just me?  i could never have enough.  this j.crew reusable water bottle is the perfect size for a quick workout and is dishwasher safe!

7. ok. this shirt does make me happy!  this megan lee design shirt come in different states with cute sayings.  roll it up and stuff it in the bottom of the stocking ;)

8. kate spade makes the sweetest, daintiest products and this business card holder is thin enough to throw in the smallest clutch and get your network on. 

9. i really love deborah lippmann polishes: they are such a great quality and her polishes contain no toluene, formaldehyde, formaldehyde resin, camphor or DBP and no animal testing. this mini set is perfect for the holidays.

don't forget the candy and a bux card ;)

| WHAT I'M LOVING RIGHT NOW: |

happy monday! tomorrow jeff and i are off to new england for a bit.  i've totally hit a packing funk: packing for cooler weather takes up so much more room in my luggage which makes you have to pack a bit more savvy.  with my sister being back in san diego we always find our way to a mall or doing some sort of shopping.  last week we spent an entire day shopping (exhausting) and she and i were both on a mission and we failed. i wanted a maroon felt hat and she wanted maroon pants.  we are both loving maroon and these two looks make me want to load up on lots more of it because it's great for fall and winter plus it's a great color for the upcoming holiday season!  hope you all have a great week. xx

shop the looks: h&m, jacket (also available; shorts) // h&m, oversized tee // american eagle, skinny denim  // sole society, heel // stella mccartney, tote // nasty gal, gloves // buxom, lipgloss "black cherry"

j.crew, cable turtleneck // theory, pant // madewell, coat // steven, bootie // tory burch, satchel // forever 21, hat // nars, nailpolish "chinatown"

| ALL BLACK EVERYTHING: |

happy wednesday!  i love how sharp all black looks.  it will never go out of style and to me, will always be classic.  i've been on the hunt for a faux leather pant; I wanted them to look like leather and have a somewhat sharp price point.  i found them the other day at H&M.  

In general, I was really impressed with H&M's fall line: their pieces look expensive, sharp and right on trend.  I dragged my sister there--so fun; haven't gotten used to calling her in as a road-dog for a quick shopping date!  hope you are having a great week! xx 

{ shop the look: } H&M, faux leather legging (if h&m doesn't fit you right: similar styles here and here) // H&M, oversized sweater // Gap, camisole // Rag & bone, boots (similar, sharper price point here and here) // Madewell, satchel // Charming Charlie, necklace // Ring one of a kind from italy (similar styles here and here) // Nordstrom, sunnies (no longer available, similar here)

| random phone snaps: |

i've been going through a transition period.  waking up and not having to go to a job is really different.  you have to be disciplined: it's so easy to not shower, to drag your butt out of bed whenever you please and specifically, with this heat, it's easy to just want to do plain nothing.  I haven't gone through my phone photos in sometime except to delete random pics when my phone tells me it's getting full.  I wanted to share a few photos that really made me happy when I was browsing for this post.  hope you're all having a good weekend. xx

[ we spent the day up in sharon, VT while back east to visit our good friends hans & jesse.  they took us to a dairy + maple syrup farm.  it was so picturesque- i can't wait to get back up there soon ]

[ this place will never get old: this was our building while living in boston. ]

[ last weekend we hosted a birthday party for my dad. nothing better than quality time with family! // wearing a madewell dress (similar) & dolce vita sandals ]

[ had the best craft cocktails at our hotel in UK // totally craving this mint ginger drink ]

[ a really cute cheese board and knife (similar) from my mom. ]

| what i'm loving right now...|

happy monday!  holy moly...coming back has been a bit crazy: we got home, had a neighborhood garage sale over the weekend, our internet wasn't working, then today we wake up to my brand new car having a dead battery. OIE. today was a bust and tested my patience to the max.  jeff and i ran to old navy while we were on the east coast and i was so impressed with their fall assortment that i met my mom there on friday to buy a few things: a pair of moccasin loafers and a pair of smoking loafers.  i'm loving loafers right now and love that they can be paired casual or dressed up- they are one of my favorite fall trends:

{ look one: } old navy, moccasin loafers // current elliott, boyfriend jeans // isabel marant, sweater // j.crew, belt // see by chloe, handbag // madewell, cap 
{ look two: } j.crew, leather loafers // alice + olivia, skirt // theory, blouse // j.crew, tights // sophie hulme, handbag // DITA vesoul, sunglasses

| venice island hopping |

one of my favorite things about venice was getting on the vaporetto and island hopping.  It took about 30 minutes from our taxi stop to get to murano then another 20 or so to get to burano.  If you tend to get seasick I would recommend taking something: the waters are a bit rough.
we spent our day on murano and burano wandering around: murano is known for their beautiful blown glass and burano is known for their lace.  I loved all the colored buildings on both islands; I could have spent all day walking up and down the narrow alleys looking at all the cute houses. one of my favorite parts of the day was grabbing a big ol' pizza at a local pizzeria and eating it at a nearby park- burano had tons of little parks where the locals were hanging out.  here's a glimpse into our island hopping day. enjoy! xo

{ shop the look: } madewell, tank // oysho, pants // gap, chambray // dolce vita, sandals // handbag, louis vuitton (chain, vintage- no louis) // super, sunglasses  // madewell, necklace (similar)

| what i'm loving right now...|

when i was packing for this trip i knew i couldn't pack 30 outfits.  I opted to pack 2 white tees, 2 black tees and 3 gray tees (my favorites: madewell, jcrew, james perse, splendid...just to name a few) to mix and match with bottoms.  I of course packed a few dresses and other tops but there is something about solid tee's that are just easy.  They can get away with being a bit wrinkled, don't take up a lot of suitcase room and are lightweight. We brought travel detergent so it's easy to clean them too!  enjoy your monday

{ shop the looks: }

1. madewell white tee // j.crew linen pant // beige birkenstock // cambridge satchel // garrett leight sunnies // sara designs watch
//
2. splendid oversized tee // t by alexander terry shorts // yosi samra cambelle sandal // marc by marc jacobs cross body // gorjana necklace

| more, roma |

I'm a bit behind on my travel diary: while in venice our internet connection was s....l.....o......w.  like, I couldn't upload photos.  SO, I'm back.  We just got to our villa in Tuscany, Italy.  It will be our home for the week and it is seriously AMAZING.  It sits on a hill in Spello / Umbria and it's a nice change of pace from the hustle and bustle of all the stops along the way.  It's hard to believe we've been gone for nearly 20 days.  I'm excited to enjoy this time in the hills of italy: there aren't many english speakers so....bring on the italiano!!!!!!

 

{ shop the look: } gap, printed shorts, also worn here // madewell, tee // jcrew, belt (similar) // dolce vita, sandals // michael kors, crossbody 

| exploring roma |

we are on the train on our way to venice.  it's a 4 hour train ride from rome - i'm looking forward to seeing venice; i've heard so many amazing things about it.  We were in rome for 3 days; today I'll be sharing our first full day: we had a private tour guide show us the vatican and went on to explore the ruins and colosseum.  wow. it was unbelievable.  the history, sculptures, art....everything.  enjoy the photos from roma!

{ shop the look: } madewell, tee // jcrew, linen pants // michael kors, crossbody // sunnies, super // sandals DV (similar) // madewell, necklace (similar)