Anniversary Recap

Happy hump day!


This past weekend, Kyle and I celebrated our one year wedding anniversary. We've planned an anniversary cruise for next month (WHOOP WHOOP!), so we decided to keep our weekend celebrations pretty low key. We drove down to Atlantic Station (a trendy little outlet mall in the heart of Atlanta) and spent the day there. We browsed through stores we could never afford, played in Ikea, and enjoyed the scenery/weather.

 

Ruffled Cream Top - Vintage

Old Navy Olive Skinnies- Similar style here (SALE!)

Leopard Loafers - Similar style here

Coach Plaid Bag - Ridiculously old!

For dinner, we went to our absolute favorite burger joint, The Vortex. Guys, if you haven't been there and you don't have to cross the ocean to get to Atlanta, get in your car and go - NOW. Seriously, it's that good. One of the things I love most about The Vortex is their interesting menu choices. For our appetizer, we ordered a Mac 'N' Cheesy-Changa. Basically, it was a chimichanga filled with pork, mac and cheese, and "cheesy-cheese goo." Oh, the deliciousness (aka, holy calories). But hey, it was our anniversary. We're allowed to indulge every once in a while, right? I had the Yokohama-Mama burger for my entree (a teriyaki glazed burger with a pineapple on top) and it was just as amazing. Far warning though - It is a BAR, and you have to be 21 to get in. Oh, and the menu is rife with hilarious but wildly inappropriate commentary. You've been warned.

Our celebration was simple, but it fit our personalities to a "T" and we had a great time! 


How was your weekend?

Love you forever,

A Pop of Red

Hooray for Thursday!

This week has gone by SO fast! I love waking up feeling like it's Tuesday and realizing you're almost done with your work week. As if this week couldn't get any better, on January 18th, Kyle and I will be celebrating our one year wedding anniversary. I can't believe how fast a year has flown by. People always tell me your first year of marriage is the hardest, but I think it was the best year of my life. We will probably celebrate by going down to Atlanta for a nice dinner and some exploring - we're saving the real celebration for our anniversary cruise next month. :)

ANYWAY, enough of the sappy stuff - The outfit below was something I paired together for an afternoon out with my hubs. It was FREEZING out, so I knew a warm, cuddly scarf was a must. The downside of those kinds of scarfs though is feeling like the rest of my outfit was drowning in it. I needed a pop of color to outshine the scarf, and my red cowboy boots were just the ticket! I actually got lots of compliments on this look, and I felt warm and stylish all day long.

Gap Polka Dot Boyfriend Blouse - Similar style here (ON SALE!)
Rampage Walden Red Boots - Peep them here (ON SALE!)
Levi's 535 Leggings - Similar style here (Style "Indigo Affection" ON SALE!)
Loose-Knit Fringe Scarf - Similar style here (ON CLEARANCE!)

Staples and Statements

Thank God it's Friday Night

 

& I just-just-just-just-juuuuuuuusttttt

 

 

GOT PAID.

 

 



{Yes, that was an Nsync reference.}

 

Side Note- How did we not catch on that Lance Bass was gay back then?! Shame on us.

 

 

I don't know about y'all, but I am SO excited for the weekend! The first week back from Christmas vacation is always the hardest, so when the weekend finally rolls around, I am one happy camper.

 

Kyle and I usually keep the weekends pretty simple - dinner at one of our favorite spots, movie marathons at home, long walks with our dog, late night coffee, book store visits - that's about it! While some may say that's boring, we always have a great time. We pretty much grew out of our "partying college ways" errr, in college. Now we're content to be old people. Don't hate!

 

For the weekend (and pretty much every other day of the week), I like to keep my looks cute and comfortable. A good staple piece, some eye catching accessories, and a wedge boot have basically been my uniform for the duration of winter.  The look below totally incompasses my style preferences!

 

 

Old Navy Terry Fleece Dress - Similar style here

Rue 21 Red Rose Statement Necklace - Similar style here

Kate Spade Cedar Street Colorblock Shoulder Bag - Similar style here

New Direction Black Wedge Boots - Similar style here (ON SALE!)

 

 

Oh and just so everyone's clear - I will never, ever EVER post stuff on this blog that the average woman can't afford. I'm not going to play it off that I have a ton of money to blow on material goods, because I don't. I'd rather have my house paid off! When I show you similar pieces to what I'm wearing, rest assured that nine times out of ten it will be well within your budget (except for purses - because I am a complete sucker for them). Not encouraging bad spending behavior over here!

Love you forever and ever,

 

Goals for 2015

Hey everyone!

So I'm typically not one to make New Year's Resolutions - to me, if you want to change your life, you don't need a certain day of the year to make it happen. However, even I can admit the old adage of "new year, new me!" is something that really excites me nowadays! My life is wonderful in so many ways, but there will always be room for improvements. Check out a few of my goals for the new year (and no, "getting in great shape" isn't one of them!):

1. Trust God wholeheartedly

 Y'all, I make a ton of mistakes when I don't ask God for help. I can't see the future or where I'll be in ten years, so why would it make sense to think I could make good decisions for my life without seeking God's wisdom? It's not possible! Though it's hard to let God have the steering wheel, I have found that I am more at peace after doing so. Relying on him has taken so much pressure off me, and I only expect even greater things to come from trusting in him.

2. Travel A LOT

I'm young, I have few responsibilities (aside from my dog and being a good wifey), and I live a very frugal lifestyle with my husband. We can afford to see the world, and now is the time to take the opportunity! Besides, if we have kids in a few years, we can kiss all the fun vacations good bye (for a while, at least). So far, we're planning to travel to Honduras, The Bahamas, Mexico, Las Vegas, Paris, and Rome. I'm definitely looking forward to putting even more places on that list as the year progresses!

3. Make Unapologetic Choices

Do you hear that? It's opinions, EVERYWHERE. Your family, friends, acquaintances - they all feel like they've earned the right to say whatever pops into their heads about your life. Though those opinions are usually valued, you cannot let them dictate how you live. Looking into the new year, my hope is that I make decisions based on the wants and needs of my own family. I'd hate to look back and realize I made major life choices based on what other people told me to do. Feeling guilty about living life our way ends now!

4. Get comfortable in my new town

I've been living outside of Atlanta for a little over a year now. Despite that, I still refer to Gastonia as "home." It's time to create a new home for myself, here in Georgia. This means getting out of my shell, making friends, and getting involved with organizations that inspire me. Of course I'll never take for granted where I came from and the friends I made while living in North Carolina, but it's time to make a new life in the here and now!

5. Make my home feel more like a home

 My husband and I built our own home about a year ago. It's a huge blessing and certainly something we're proud of, but right now, it still looks like a "cookie cutter" house. The walls are white, decorations are awkwardly hung (Lord knows I'm not an interior designer), and there's a pile of unused frames and portraits sitting in our "junk room" (yes, there's a whole room). This year, I want to make our home a reflection of our taste and personalities. If that means painting the dining room bright red and having a giant elephant statue sitting in the corner, so be it! It's our home and it will be beautiful.

What are your goals this year?
XOXO,

NYE Look: Classic versus Funky

It's almost the new year, everyone!


I don't know about y'all, but I am more than ready to dive into a new year with new opportunities. I know God's got an awesome plan in store, and I am more than eager to see it unfold.

In terms of my New Year's Eve look, I'm currently torn between two different ideas in my closet - one classic and feminine, the other bold and funky. Typically, I tend to gravitate toward a more feminine look, but hey! New year = new taste in clothes, maybe? Check out the two looks below:

Classic: 
I am an absolute sucker for two things: Full, high waisted skirts, and anything with a bow on it. This outfit incorporates both of my obsessions! I love the feeling of a twirly, flirty skirt to rock for special occasions, and I have a feeling that I'll be using this little beauty for more than just new year celebrations. I added a sequin peter pan top and a red lip for a little sparkle to match.

Sequin Peter Pan Top - Gap - Similar Style here

Full Polka Dotted Skirt - Forever 21 - Check it out here

Bow Pumps - Lauren Conrad for Kohls -Similar style here

Funky

For my second NYE look, I chose something a bit more flirty. This outfit is bound to turn heads for its bright and sparkly pieces! Pretty much every item in this look I've had for the longest time. The hot pink blazer paired with a flashy, gold skirt sounds like a perfect recipe for a fun New Year's Eve outfit. With a bold pink lip to match, this look is definitely a contender for celebrations this week! 

Pink Blazer - Old - Similar Style here

Gold Sequin Mini Skirt - Forever 21 - Similar Style here

Sheer Cream Top - Old - Similar Style here

Layered Necklaces - Charming Charlie's - Similar Style here

Little Black Booties - Old - Similar Style here

Decisions, Decisions...

 

Cozy Christmas

Happy Saturday, everyone!


How was everyone's Christmas? Mine was lovely, but busy, busy, BUSY! Since Kyle and I just got married, we are still getting adjusted to sharing Christmas with both of our families. Traditions changed in a lot of ways, but we (and our families, thankfully) took it in stride and still had a great time! For Christmas day celebrations, I was beyond over getting dressed up for parties. For my look that day, I chose something that was both stylish and comfortable. It worked like a charm and I got lots of compliments (while feeling like I was still in my pajamas!)

One of my favorite things about this outfit is that the core pieces are mostly stuff I've had for years! I love taking an old piece of clothing and totally transforming it by adding unique layers. The red sweater I borrowed stole from my mom's closet, the tunic I bought for my first "big kid job" at age 17, and the flats I spotted at a consignment shop back in college. Kyle always calls me a hoarder for never getting rid of my old clothes,  but this is exactly why I keep them!

Red sweater - vintage 

Patterned Tunic - oldie but goodie

Woven Necklace - similar style here

Faux Leather Leggings - similar style here

Tory Burch Reva Ballet Flats - Peep them here

Kate Spade Cedar Street Color Block shoulder bag - Similar style here

Hope everyone had a relaxing, fun holiday!

Imma Take your Grandma's Style...

Happy Tuesday, everyone!

It's only 10:46 a.m. as I'm typing this, but already, it's been a great day. I got a full eight hours of sleep, I had time to grab a venti iced caramel macchiato before work, and my entire house smells like peppermint, just in time for Christmas. It's the little things that bring great JOY!

On Sunday, I decided to style one of my grandma's blouses that had been abandoned in her closet for a few years (or decades). Vintage clothing has always been something that I've gravitated towards, and I am 100% willing to dig through a heap of old clothes to find that "diamond in the rough" that I can rock with my style today. I adore a quality structured blouse that you can dress up or down, and this top completely surpasses my expectations! Plus, the pleated front and the buttons on the back definitely add an air of sophistication.

 what's not to love? 

Props to Gran for having great taste in clothes!

 

 

 

 

No forreal, ask your grandma, can I have her hand me downs?

 

Until next time...

 

XOXO, Bailey

Cruise Recap

Hi, strangers!

How was everyone's turkey day? I went on a cruise with my husband and his family, and we had a GREAT time. I can't even begin to tell you how nice it is to disconnect from the stresses of day to day life and reconnect with the people who mean the most. You'd think not having access to a phone for five days would drive you crazy, but it is actually so freeing and relaxing. I definitely recommend it!

On our cruise, we travelled to Nassau and Freeport - both in the Bahamas. Although I've been to these ports plenty of times, I still manage to be amazed at how beautiful they are! The sparkling turquoise waters, white sandy beaches, and amazingly friendly locals always leave me coming back for more. Pictures simply don't do them justice.

 Before we left for the cruise, I was researching local places to explore at the ports. You'd think after a dozen cruises I would be a pro at navigating these places - but nope, I'm still as lost as a cruise newbie. In Nassau, I discovered Junkanoo Beach, a local spot only a short walk away from the dock. It had stunning views, friendly locals, and oh, did I mention it was free to go to?

The following day, we arrived in Freeport. As we stepped off the ship, we saw a wide array of stands selling unique goodies while a reggae band played Bob Marley classics in the distance. We definitely were feeling like islanders! The closest beach we could find was a taxi ride away, so we decided to stay near the ship and take a closer look at the local venders. One of the cool things about the Bahamas is that there are plenty of homemade goods to bring home to your loved ones. The people there are usually very kind and are always willing to negotiate a good price. We had a wonderful time!

 

 

Here's to many more weeks of family, friends, and fun!

XOXO, Bailey