athliesure workout wear for the holidays

christmas is four days away!

only four days? how did it arrive so quickly?

i have to admit, this week, i am scrambling to 

finish last minute shopping, errands, and gift 

wrapping. are you caught up? if so, 

please tell a girl your secret.

disclosure: brooks running graciously provided me the top, jacket, shoes, gloves, and headband 

photographed in this post. as per usual, all opinions are my own! and thank you again,

brooks running!

whether you're heading to the gym,

out to coffee with girlfriends, or catching up on

last minute holiday errands (like visiting the 

christmas-tree farm), brooks running has you covered.

from your jacket to your sports bra and shoes,

brooks offers high quality, yet reasonably priced 

athletic wear for men and women. they're 

local to washington, too!

i have lived in my revel road running shoes

for the past several months. they're comfortable,

supportive, and stylish! i love the chic, 

black and white fabric; they seemingly match

all of my workout wear. priced at $100,

the revel show is perfect for my fellow runners

(and fashionistas) on a budget.

don't let cold weather interfere with your

active lifestyle! here in the pacific northwest,

layers are your friend. a down vest, headband, 

and tech-friendly gloves are the perfect accompaniments

to any workout. psa: my greenlight gloves have a

small magnet at the base of the wrist, allowing

me to attach them to one another after a workout

(no more wondering, 'where on earth did the 

other glove go?').

photos by jenn from hello rigby

jacket: canopy jacket c/o brooks (exact here),

tights: zella, t-shirt: c/o brooks,

shoes: revel running shoe c/o brooks (exact here),

headband: c/o brooks (exact here),

gloves: c/o brooks (exact here),

purse: borrowed from my mom

i often find myself missing workouts

during the holiday season. a hectic calendar, 

chilly weather, and frequent invitations to

happy hours and holiday parties make the gym

a lackluster priority. however, keeping active 

(even if it means walking laps around the mall 

while window shopping) is important to my physical 

and emotional health and wellness.

versatile clothing, such as my canopy jacket

and workout tights, allow me to easily 

transition from one activity to the next. i 

can no longer blame a 'lack of workout gear' on 

missed gym dates. in 2018, i am determined to keep up 

with my active lifestyle.

how do you stay motivated and healthy

during the holiday season? let me know in

the comments, and happy holidays!

xoxo.

flashback: fall favorites

is anyone else trying to figure

out where 2017 went? how is it already

december? the holidays are upon us, and i feel

like we just celebrated the fourth of july!

i am ready to embrace december (and celebrate

the end of a great year) with all things festive:

a trip to westlake center, visiting snowflake lane,

sipping a peppermint mocha, decorating

my apartment, listening to christmas music, etc. etc. 

and with the holidays fast approaching,

i realized i am a bit behind with posts on this 

little blog #thestruggleisreal

i also have yet to begin christmas shopping,

but we will save that for a later post.

i wore this outfit a few months back,

before it was too chilly to wear a skirt sans tights.

however, i think tights and a cozy cream

jacket could easily be added to make this

look more 'weather-appropriate.'

my denim skirt was a spontaneous purchase

earlier this fall, and i have already worn

it countless times! it is a classic piece, 

and the medium wash seemingly matches

all of my blouses and sweaters.

are you ready for the holidays?

we decorated our tree last weekend, and

my company's christmas party is next weekend.

i cannot wait to celebrate. i am also

looking forward to visiting family, 

driving around the city to see christmas lights,

and of course, enjoying far too many delicious

christmas goodies!

^^^ these leopard-print booties are comfortable

and fun to style! ^^^

photos by karya schanilec photography

skirt: flirt boutique (located in pullman, wa),

sweater: urban outfitters (exact here), clutch: forever 21,
booties: thrifted via buffalo exchange,
bracelets and ring: target

happy monday, everyone!
i hope you have a wonderful week :)
xoxo.

fall jacket style

as mentioned in my previous post, i am

eager to find new ways to stay warm (while also looking

chic); i am ready to retire my black down jacket,

but refuse to feel cold all the time.

calling cute fall and winter jackets : send them my way!

a few weekends ago, my girlfriends, jenn, from hello rigby, 

and ana luiza, from northwest blonde, and i took a daytrip

north of the city. we planned to stop by the pumpkin

patch for cute, fall-inspired photos. unfortunately,

the rest of seattle thought similarly, and the line to get 

in was far too long. instead of waiting, we snuck into a 

nearby field of sunflowers (one kept watch, while the others

posed and shot photos). it provided the perfect backdrop!

we had a great day exploring snohomish county

(complete with coffee, window shopping, lunch, and 

numerous blog and instagram photo opportunities).

i packed a handful of outfits to wear and subsequently

take photos in. this camouflage jacket was at the

top of my list. paired with a basic striped t-shirt,

dark denim, and booties, i was warm and felt grungy, 

yet chic in my jacket!

if you don't yet have a camouflage jacket

in your wardrobe, i highly recommend purchasing one.

it can be paired with just about anything

(think 'denim jacket' in terms of versatility). wear

it with dresses, jeans, over a tunic with leggings -

the options are seemingly endless!

photos by jenn from hello rigby

t-shirt: old navy, jeans: american eagle, 

purse: borrowed from my girl, ana luiza, sunnies: target,

jacket: american eagle (similar here), rings: forever 21,

boots: lucky brand (thrifted via value village)

adventures with fellow bloggers are

my favorite! i cannot wait for our next

trip. i have a few coffee and antique stores

on my 'must see' list.

do you have any recommendations?

where should we visit next?

xoxo.

little letters: fall edition

though it is still officially fall, 

it feels more like winter in seattle. we even experienced 

our first snowfall; too soon, too soon! with the cold 

weather (unfortunately), i was forced to dig out my heavy 

jackets,  scarves, and weather-resistant boots. 

i am eager to find new, and somewhat discrete, ways to layer, 

as my black down jacket is a bit overdone. 

confession: these photos were taken prior

to our recent cold front...

dear high-waisted skinny jeans,

i hope you never go out of style.

dear iced americanos, 

despite the cold weather, you remain my

favorite caffeinated beverage.

dear pandora radio,

thank you for reminding me of my love for

all songs by mat kearney. 'sooner or later,'

you're an oldie, but such a gem.

dear overnight oats,

you have become my saving grace for breakfast.

dear leopard flats,

you are one of my favorite thrifted finds.

speaking of thrifted finds, i think i need to

do a bit of thrift shopping this weekend. who wants

to join?

dear oversized handbags,

i have a love-hate relationship with you. 

you make it seemingly impossible to ever

find that essential crucial pin or my favorite chapstick!

dear cozy sweaters,

i plan to live in you from now until june.

#sosadbuttrue

dear lady yum,

why must you be located across the street from

my office? it is less than ideal for my insatiable

sweet tooth (but in all seriousness, the toffee and espresso 

macarons are to die for!).

dear hair, 

please keep growing. thank you!

dear weekend, 

i am beyond happy that you are here.

dear bedroom,

i promise to clean and organize you in the next

few days. and decorate. and put away all that

crap stuff currently on the floor. whoops!

photos by karya schanilec photography

sweater: loft, jeans and purse: american eagle,

flats: thrifted (via seattle goodwill), rings: forever 21,

necklace: c/o cy design studio

see past little letters here.

have a wonderful weekend, everyone!

xoxo.

fall staple: the denim skirt

what item can i seemingly not live without

this fall? the denim skirt!

whether light or dark wash, blue or black

denim, embroidered, distressed, and everything

in between, the denim skirt is a fall wardrobe

staple. when brainstorming for this post, 

i realized i may or may not have 5+ denim skirts

currently hanging in my closet. however, 

they differ in style, color, and price point.

the skirt i am wearing today is by far my favorite!

i picked up this particular denim skirt

when visiting pullman, washington a few 

weekends ago. while the boys golfed, and

the rest of our friend group went out for 

brunch (my body still won't allow me to eat dairy or 

eggs, so no brunch for this girl), i shopped.

surely you aren't surprised, right? 

flirt boutique, located in downtown pullman,

kept me more than entertained, though my wallet

may say otherwise. this adorable, distressed skirt

was one of my purchases!

^^^ i cannot get over how soft this sweater is;

a little secret? i purchased it in the little girls' section

of zara! ^^^

grab your leather jacket, an oversized sweater,

or floral blouse to pair with this 70s-inspired trend.

while this particular skirt may not be workweek appropriate,

 depending on your work environment and the specifics 

of the accompanying dress code, it can transition

from day to night. add tights or swap out over-the-knee 

or chic velvet booties. the variety of ways

in which this skirt can be styled are endless!

photos by chelsea macor photography

sweater: zara, skirt: blanknyc via flirt boutique (exact here),

purse & boots: thrifted via seattle goodwill,

ring: forever 21

have you purchased a denim skirt

yet this year? what is your favorite style?

i am eager to get my hands on a distressed,

black denim option to pair with black tights

and leopard boots!

xoxo.

fallin' for athleisure

i have a confession: despite the many

blouses, boots, dresses, and skirts in my closet, i spend

the majority of my free time (i.e. time spent away

from the office) in leggings and a sweatshirt. 

i am perpetually cold, so layers (such as a sweatshirt,

vest, and thick socks) are seemingly essential.

two years ago, when athleisure became 

increasingly popular, this girl was thrilled.

athleisure: a trend in fashion in which clothing

designed for workouts and other athletic activity

is worn in other settings, such as the workplace,

at school, or to other casual engagements.

source

disclosure: brooks running graciously provided me the top, tights, 

and shoes pictured in this post. as per usual, all opinions are my own!

a sunny afternoon spent lunching and shopping

in snohomish was the perfect opportunity 

to style my newest athleisure wear, graciously 

provided by brooks running. 

while i greatly enjoy dressing up, there is

something special (or perhaps exciting?) about the

ability to wear comfortable, casual pieces in

public (without fear of looking or feeling

too casual). printed leggings and a sweatshirt for

lunch? yes, please!

i cannot tell you how soft and stretchy

my brooks running 'greenlight' tights are! they are 

high waisted, so i don't have to fuss with 

them (surely you can relate -- that persisent 

yanking on and pulling up of leggings to keep them

in place on your waist -- #notimeforthat).

my 'dash' hoodie and 'purecadence 6' shoes 

kept my feet (and the rest of my body) happy

throughout the day. despite a great deal of walking,

i felt comfortable, energetic, and supported!

how can you style athleisure pieces while 

striving to look presentable? it can often

feel like a balancing act, but it is simple, i promise!

here are three ways i style athleisure items

outside the gym:

1. pair your hoodie with jeans.

whether you prefer boyfriend, distressed, or skinny 

jeans, a hoodie is the perfect top to pair with denim.

2. don't forget a purse!

a chic bag is critical to your look, so why not 

include a fun bag with your running shoes?

3. makeup and/or hair can be a fun (but

not required) addition.

what makes you feel beautiful? your favorite

red lipstick? a dusting of blush? curls?

mascara and loose waves make me feel prettiest!

photos by jenn from hello rigby

hoodie: c/o brooks running (exact here), 

tights: c/o brooks running (exact here), shoes: c/o brooks running (exact here),

purse: swap with my favorite, ana luiza from northwest blonde

are you a fan of the current athleisure trend?

how do you style gym-inspired

pieces? i cannot seem to get enough!

in case you missed it, here is another post in

which i styled brooks running tights. 

xoxo.

cozy layers

happy monday, everyone!

how was your weekend?

if you follow along on instagram, you 

may have seen that i was finally (finally!) able

to move into my new home. i began the

unpacking process, and i have to admit,

i have way too much crap stuff. i could

have sworn i got rid of a ton prior to moving

out, but it seems my purging efforts were

seemingly futile. i foresee a few trips 

to goodwill in my future.

in addition to unpacking, i caught up

on homework, watched a few too many

episodes of law & order (have you seen the

new series?), and babysat one of my favorite

little guys. i also shot new content for

my blog and social media; please stay tuned!

disclosure: jeulia jewelry graciously provided me with the bracelet

i am wearing with today's outfit. as per usual, all opinions are my own!

i have been living out of boxes and bags

for the past two months; although the time

went relatively quickly, i feel relieved to be

in my own space (with access to my clothes). 

a girl needs her clothes and shoes, right?!

i shared a poll on my instagram story

this weekend, but thought i would pose the question 

here as well. are you interested in learning more about

my unpacking and home decor processes?

would you like to see photos of the final look?

as a fashion and lifestyle blogger,

clothes, shoes, and accessories comprise

the majority of my possessions ;)

surely this is no surprise!

photos by karya schanilec photography

sweater and skirt: zara (from the little girls' section!),

clutch: target (similar here), rings: forever 21,

bracelet: c/o jeulia jewelry (exact here),

boots: asos (thrifted via seattle goodwill)

i picked up this skirt and sweater at zara a

few weeks ago and couldn't wait to style them!

a metallic clutch and black ankle boots

offset the flirty (and feminine) skirt. i love mixing trends and 

styles, such as this: 'chic meets edgy.'

to complete my outfit, i chose go-to gold

rings and a bracelet i was gifted by jeulia jewelry.

i was immediately smitten by the clover

(a favorite symbol) and the steel and

leather combination. i am thoroughly impressed

by the quality of this bracelet and appreciate

how easy it is to get on and off my wrist.

you will likely see it again, soon!

it is time to stop procrastinating on homework,

but i will be back later this week with another

outfit. stay warm out there!

xoxo.