And that is all.

What's In Pandora's Box?

I have never been a huge fan of the Pandora bracelets. They are way too bulky to wear doing dental work and the charms are pretty expensive. When I opened my birthday present from my grandma and saw a Pandora box I was kind of surprised because my family knows it's not really my thing. To my surprise there was a gorgeous silver and mother of pearl ring inside! I had no idea that Pandora made anything like this, and while it's not an everyday wear because it won't fit inside my gloves, it's going to be making regular appearances when I go out because I think it will compliment so many outfits! Have you ever bought any Pandora jewelry besides charms? What do you think?

BFFs

People come into our life for a reason. Ally came into mine to be my partner in crime, my other half. Since our first quest together to meet Ryan Cabrera freshman year of college when we successfully lured him off the tour bus, to our most recent adventures on the beaches of Southern California, she has been my best friend, my confidant and my most trusted fashion consultant. During our days at Uconn we would sit at the hair salon for hours flipping through magazines, sipping mimosas and chatting with our hairdresser Justin in our alter egos Lanka and Coco. I always knew she wouldn't lead me astray as I chopped and dyed. We have shopped for major life events together- our Honors Formal, our first Nickel night and college graduation. I will surely be bringing her to pick out a wedding dress someday. These days most of our consulting is done over the phone and via the internet as we live on opposite coasts, but there isn't anyone I trust more to confer on what trends are a go and which are a no-no. Together we became fanatics of Michael Kors, shopped Rodeo Drive, said yay to colored denim and nay to anything and everything tacky. This post is dedicated to an amazing friendship that has led to fabulous bicoastal style. Love ya, girl! Thanks for making me look good!

Our first facebook documented photo together. Even as new friends we were already dressing in the same color family. Oh, the good old days of UConn.

On the beach in Cali in matching aviators! So happy we had this time together! :)

Red Lips

I have been noticing tons of girls rocking the red lip lately and have been super envious of their bold style. I have this horrible association of bright lipstick with my mom coating on the layers year after year at my dance recitals and feeling like such a clown. Feeling gutsy today in Sephora with my roommate, I thought "What the heck?" and asked one of the girls working in the store to help me pick out a shade. She chose a lip stain for me and warned me that I would have to be precise because, big shocker, it stains! I did the little Q-tip test on the makeup counter mirror and was shocked to find that I loved the way it looked. It was bright. It was bold. It was unexpected. The new lip color really gave me the pop I was looking for. What do you think of the red lip?

I really can't wait to wear my new red lip stain with my awesome new shoes care of my best friends for my birthday from Macy's. They are having great Black Friday Weekend Sales! Thanks, girls! I'm obsessed!

Backpacks Aren't Just for Elementary School

One of my favorite birthday gifts so far this year was actually a backpack. I haven't carried one in years, since I retired my blue Aloha print L.L.Bean, but to my surprise the bag I used to carry my books in has gotten a seriously cute update. My aunt bought me a floral print bag from Macy's that is the perfect size for a day trip, just large enough for the essentials- water bottle, wallet, sunscreen and a spare tee. The greatest part of this trend is there are colors and patterns for everyone and this handbag investment won't break the bank. There are tons of great options for some seriously fabulous price points. 

Favorite From Factory

Since I won't be home for Thanksgiving I have been thinking about what I want to wear for Christmas instead. I know that red is kind of expected for the holiday, but I have been in love with this adorable dress from J.Crew Factory. I figure afterwards it will be cute for school with black tights and pumps, but for Christmas day it would be cute with patterned tights and boots plus some great gold jewelry. The website describes it as having a hint of stretch which will be good for eating lots of yummy cookies and the plain front really makes it a great canvas for accessories. What would you pair with this dress?

Fashion Icons

We all have that special someone that every time we see them we just go crazy over what they are wearing. There are a lot of amazingly dressed women out there, but one in particular that takes the cake for me is Most Eligible Dallas fashionista Courtney Kerr. Every time she was on screen during her stint on the Bravo show she looked incredible and she has attitude to boot. No pun intended because she is a Texas gal! Not only is she super skilled at putting fun and creative outfits together, but she has a great blog that details her fashion adventures. Something that really stands out to me is her ability to mix high end pieces with items from stores like Forever 21 and Gap and always look like a million bucks. I love using her ideas as inspiration for putting together ensembles from my own closet. I doesn't hurt that she has amazing hair either and has totally perfected the art of wavy hair and the ballerina bun. Do yourself a favor and check out thecourtneykerr.com and get some fashion inspiration today!

Perfect Outfit as seen at http://thecourtneykerr.com/

If I Only I was Having A New England Fall

The thing about Southern California that I don't love is that there really aren't seasons here. We are already 5 days into November and the temperature hit 90 today. I am sure my friends and family back in CT would curse my name to hear me say it, but while getting my butt kicked at Boot Camp today in the un-air conditioned studio I was cursing whatever brought about this heat wave. This is nothing new. First year I was studying for my MCBM midterm in my bikini at the pool. But while I had to pull back out my shorts, the lucky people back home are buying up all the awesome winter clothes. Since I can't actually wear them in SoCal anytime soon, let me tell you what I would be snatching up if I was still getting cozy on the other coast.

You Look Good In Rainbow

This weekend I participated in my first 5k. It wasn't just any 5k either; it was the happiest 5k on the planet, The Color Run! While I may not have actually run the whole thing, I had a great time spending time with friends and getting doused in colored corn starch that took a couple of showers to finally be rid of. If you aren't familiar with the race, runners are encouraged to wear white clothing and for each kilometer of the run volunteers squirt them with various colored cornstarch. At the end of the race there is a color festival where everyone gathers and tosses a packet of color in the air. It was a gloriously warm day in San Diego and everyone had an awesome time. If the Color Run comes to a city near you, you should definitely run, walk or dance it because we really did a fun and colorful time!

The Before and After Shots Care of Cherish

Maybe not my best fashion moment, but certainly the most colorful!

Oh Lola!

There's something special about a signature scent. The other day my boyfriend texted me and said that someone had come into work wearing Marc Jacobs Lola, my absolute favorite, and he was thinking about me for the rest of the afternoon. He can vividly recall me smelling like MJ Lola since our first date. Aside from the gorgeous bottles that I love seeing on my dresser, Marc Jacobs has mastered the light, slightly floral, but never overbearing scent that lingers just the right amount. I have Lola at home and Daisy out here in California. Spritzing on a little as part of my routine makes my morning a little happier. Do you have a signature scent?