Autumn, You Have My Permission.

I have a confession to make...I am actually excited for Fall. Even though autumn is usually my favorite season, I thought that I would never crave cooler weather again after the gut-wrenching winter that we just had.  But, I can't help it!  
I want to wear cute boots and cozy little sweaters.  I want to walk on beautiful crunchy red and orange leaves.  
And I really want to drink hot cider and eat delicious doughnuts!  

So, autumn, I give you permission to arrive.  You may now bless us with your wonderful presence. :)
Here's what I've been wearing to work lately:  

"Yasi" dress c/o Catch Bliss Boutique (Exact here)//
Nude pumps (Exact here; Similar here, here, & here)//
Rosa necklace c/o Accessory Mercado (Exact here)

Katelyn lace dress c/o Catch Bliss Boutique (Exact here)//
Blush blazer (Similar here, & here)//
Skinny black belt (Exact old; Similar here, here, here)//
Pointy toe black pumps (Almost exact here; Similar here, and a gorgeous pair with ankle straps here)//
Skinny black watch (not shown) (Exact old; Similar here, here)//
Michael Kors Hamilton Tote (Exact here; Love these more affordable options here, here, & here)

Black and white sheath dress (Very similar wrap dress here; Love these other options here, here, & here)//
Red blazer (Exact here; Similar here, here, & here)//
Nude pumps (Exact here; Similar here, here, & here)//
Skinny black watch (not shown) (Exact old; Similar here, here)

"All A-Bow-t Me" top c/o Flourish Boutique (Exact here; The bow on the back of this top is amazing!)//
Seamless cami (Exact here)//
White blazer (Exact here; Similar here, here, & here)//
Dark-wash skinny jeans (Similar here, here, here, here)//
Crystal frosting necklace c/o T+J Designs (Exact here)//
Pyramid stud cuff ℅ Stella & Dot stylist Erika Lehman//
White pointy toe pumps (Similar here)

Navy sheath dress (Exact here; Similar here, here, & here)//
Patterned satin scarf (Exact here; Similar here, here, & here)//
Champagne pearl cluster necklace c/o T+J Designs (Exact here)//
Skinny black watch (not shown) (Exact old; Similar here, here)//
Pink pumps (Similar here, here, & here)//
Striped Aldo bag c/o Zappos (Exact here on Aldo)

Ivory short sleeve sweater (Similar here)//
Full khaki skirt (Exact here; Similar here; Cute grey options here)//
Skinny white belt (Similar here, here, & here)//
Pearl necklace c/o Avery Lane Boutique (Exact Sold Out; Cute versions here and here)//
Orange pumps (Exact here; Love this pair here)

Black blouse (Similar here, here, & here)//
Printed pencil skirt (Cute options here, here, & here)//
Nude pointy toe pumps (Almost exact here; Similar here, and love this pair with ankle straps here)//
Somervell necklace ℅ Stella & Dot stylist Erika Lehman//
Skinny black watch (not shown) (Exact old; Similar here, here)

Summer Wind Down.

Toward the end of every Summer I always experience two very distinct scenarios:
1. A sudden and insatiable craving to go shopping for Fall pieces. (I already bought two pairs of boots-- no judging!=P)  
2. An urgency to wear every single thing that I won't be able to wear when cooler weather hits. (Hence the outfits below. ;)

Really though, this truly is the time to start shopping for boots.  Especially if you'd like to have plenty of options to choose from.  Many times when I've waited until later in the season to buy the boots that I really want, they're already sold out.  So, don't let that happen to you! ;)
Have a great week, Loves!! 

Anchor dress c/o Catch Bliss Boutique (Exact here)//
Pink skinny belt (Similar here & here)//
White cardigan (Similar here, here, & here)//
Pink pumps (Similar here, here, & here)//
Pearl necklace c/o Avery Lane Boutique (Exact Sold Out; Cute versions here and here)

White button up (Great options here, here, & here)//
Red ankle pants (Exact here; Similar here & here)//
White skinny belt (Love these here, here, & here)//
Holding a navy cardi (Exact here; Similar here & here)
Champagne pearl cluster necklace c/o T+J Designs (Exact here)//
Striped flats (Exact here; LOVE these pairs here, here, & here)//
Striped Aldo bag c/o Zappos (Exact here on Aldo)

Black and white polka dot blouse (Almost exact here & here; Love these versions here & here)//
White pencil skirt (Similar here, here, here, & here)//
Chunky pearl necklace (Great options here, here, & here)//
Pointy toe black pumps (Almost exact here; Similar here, and a gorgeous pair with ankle straps here)

Red sleeveless blouse (Similar here, here, & here)//
Striped skirt c/o Catch Bliss Boutique (Exact here)//
Princess Kate necklace c/o Accessory Mercado (Exact here)//
Nude pumps (Exact here; Similar here, here, & here)

Black and white animal print blouse (Similar here, here, here, & here)//
Teal pencil skirt (Similar here, here, & here)//
Black peplum jacket (Similar here & here; Other cute blazer here & here)//
Nicole necklace c/o Bauble Boutique (Exact here)//
Pointy toe black pumps (Almost exact here; Similar here, and a gorgeous pair with ankle straps here)

Red blouse c/o Flourish Boutique (Love these solid red options here, here, & here)//
Beige pencil skirt (Exact here; Similar here, here, & here)//
Nude pumps with ankle straps (Exact here (but, only available in black now); Almost exact here; Similar here & here)//
Wonka bar necklace c/o Accessory Mercado (Exact here)

Hectic summers & a volcano.

A few times a year life in our household gets hectic. (Or should I say more hectic than the usual amount?:) 

After coming back from Costa Rica, we found ourselves smack dab in the middle of a crazy summer.  Now, I must preface this by saying that our summers are always kind of crazy.  Both of our birthdays are in the summer, as well as our wedding anniversary.  And because summertime in Michigan is short-lived, almost every weekend is booked and planned by late spring. (And both of us working full-time and my two hour daily commutes really leave the weekends as the only time that we devote to getting things done.)  

This specific summer, however, has been especially busy.  With our Costa Rica trip in early July, my 30th birthday bash last week, a few visits from out of town family (My mom is staying with us right now. Hi, mom!) and tons of other planned activities, there hasn't been much time to just sit around and well, do the normal daily things that we want to be doing.  (I can't even tell you how much laundry I have sitting in a pile, just waiting to be washed.  And hopefully you don't judge me too harshly when I tell you that a month after getting back from Costa Rica, I'm still not really unpacked.  Actually, I think I'm passed the point of worry about judgement and have sailed straight into the 'I-don't-care', 'this-is-just-how-my-life-is-right-now' zone.=P)

Inevitably though, I always get to the point where I feel like I'm stuck in a spinning tornado.  But, I know that if I just buckle down and regain my composure, I can make it out alive.   So, my lovely friends, this is me posting the last of my "real" Costa Rica pictures and trying to get my life back in order. 

Be prepared for tons of work outfit photos from the past couple of weeks!

Have a wonderful weekend! :)

Volcan Arenal, Costa Rica

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Mandie top c/o Catch Bliss Boutique (Exact here)

Skirt c/o Flourish Boutique (Exact no longer available; Love this Flourish skirt here; Other super cute versions here, here, and here)

Wedges (Similar here and here; LOVE these here)

Necklace c/o Flourish Boutique (Exact no longer available; Love these options here, here, here, here & here)

Geo cuff (Love these ones here, here, & here)

For the Love of Ombre.

In my second to last Costa Rica "real" outfit photos... 

I absolutely adored this gorgeous and whimsical ombre ruffle dress.  How could I not? It's so unique and just totally gorgeous. 

Love love LOVE!

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Caroline dress c/o Catch Bliss Boutique (Exact here)

Wedges (Similar here, here, and here; LOVE these here)

Anar lace earrings c/o Bauble Boutique (Exact here)

Geo cuff (Love these ones here, here, & here)

Sequins and Mint.

Since I don't usually take editorial style photos, being in Costa Rica and having time to actually take some "real" outfit photos was super fun!  And what's better than that?  A sequin and mint baby doll dress!  

This dress was so comfortable and pretty that I actually ended up wearing it twice on our trip.  

Hello, Lover! 

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Sequin baby doll dress c/o Flourish Boutique (Sold out in mint; But, available in a gorgeous peach here)

Sandals c/o Accessory Mercado (Exact here)

Blue chandelier earrings c/o Bip and Bop (Similar here)

Boho bracelet set c/o Accessory Mercado (Exact here) 

Hello, Paradise.

About a week ago, J and I hopped on a plane and left the real world for Paradise: Arenal and Manuel Antonio, Costa Rica.

Only two words come to mind when describing our trip: mind blowing.

Being who I am, I like to use trips as escapes from the every day.  My perfect scenario is to lay out by a beach, read a couple of semi-decent books, and eat great food.  Our trip to CR was really not the type of trip I usually see myself saving my vacation days for.  But, oh my GOD, was it amazing!  We rappelled down waterfalls, surfed the Pacific, zip lined over the tops of trees, threw our bodies across the the rainforest on Tarzan swings, and rode in a humvee that looked like it belonged on the set of Jurassic Park.  

And in between, I managed to capture a few outfit photos, too.

Pura Vida, my Loves! 

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Romper c/o Catch Bliss Boutique (Exact here)

Sandals c/o Accessory Mercado (Exact here)

Aviators (Similar here, here, here, & here)

Geo cuff (Love these ones here, here, & here)

Gold & black bubble necklace (Almost exact here; Super cute options here, here, here, & here)

In a trance.

This weekend happened to be one where we were actually home.  Subsequently, I found myself at the mall.  kidding.

But, all jokes aside, I did find myself at the mall because hubs was actually in "need" of new clothes for the summer.  Aren't guys funny?  So many of them don't shop unless they have absolutely run all of their clothing options into the ground and are left with practically nothing.  Me, on the other hand... =P

Anywho, so, J left the mall with a few bags of goodies from Express.... and I found myself at Forever21.  In a trance.  Per usual.  

And I walked out with my own bag of goodies. ;)

Here's what I've been wearing lately!

Mint green blouse (Exact old; Similar here, here,  here; Cute sleeveless options here, here, and here)//
Seamless cami (Exact here)//
"Jadyn" striped skirt c/o Catch Bliss Boutique (Exact here)//
White pointy toe pumps (Exact here; Similar here, here, here)//
Pearl necklace c/o Avery Lane Boutique (Exact Sold Out; Similar here, here)//
Belt bracelet and "Lovely" bracelet c/o Accessory Mercado (Exact here and here) 

Yellow cardigan (Exact old; Cute options here, here, & here)//
Seamless cami (Exact here)//
Geometric patterned skirt (Exact old; Love these styles here, here, here, & here)//
Nude pumps (Exact here; Similar here, here, here)//
Crystal neon necklace c/o Accessory Mercado (Exact here)//
"Lovely" bracelet c/o Accessory Mercado (Exact here) 

"Laci" top c/o Catch Bliss Boutique (Exact here)//
Ivory and neon yellow skirt (Exact old; Super cute versions here, here, here, here, here, & here)//
Strappy nude heels (Exact old; Similar here, here, here, & here)//
"Citrus Glitz" bracelet c/o Sira & Mara (Exact here)

White sleeveless blouse (Exact old; Similar here, here, here)//
Yellow pencil skirt (Exact old; Similar here)//
Strappy nude heels (Exact old; Similar here, here, here, & here)//
Colorful scarf (Exact not available; Love these options here, here, here, here)//
Earrings c/o Blossom Jewelry Design 

"Sallie" tank c/o Catch Bliss Boutique (Exact here)//
White blazer (Exact here; Similar here, here, here, & here)//
Red skinny jeans (Exact old; Similar here, here, here)//
Nude balett flats (Exact here; Similar  here and here)//
"Lovely" bracelet c/o Accessory Mercado (Exact here) //
Oversized gold watch (Exact old; Similar here, here, & here)

"Dora" top c/o Catch Bliss Boutique (Exact here)//
Black tailored shorts (Exact old; Similar here, here, here, here, here, here)//
Skinny gold belt (Exact old; Similar here and here)//
Gold sandals (Exact old; Similar here, here, & here)//
Drop earrings ℅ Bip and Bip (Exact here)

Crochet "festival" top c/o Catch Bliss Boutique (Exact here)//
Seamless cami (Exact here)//
Boyfriend jeans (Exact old; Similar here, here, here)//
Gold sandals (Exact old; Similar here, here, & here)//
Drop earrings ℅ Bip and Bip (Exact here)