30 years strong :: setting new health and wellness goals

happy monday, everyone!

my 'out-of-office' reply is on, and

i am officially on vacation. i write to you

from kona, hawaii, where i am relaxing in

paradise--with family--for the next

week. however, i couldn't stay away from blogging

and wanted to share a few health and

wellness goals i have been working toward

over the past several weeks.

disclosure: a special thank you to brooks running for providing me

the jacket, top, sports bra, running tights, and shoes pictured in this post.

i am grateful for the opportunity to be a brand partner of brooks running.

as per usual, all opinions are my own! 

i celebrated my thirtieth birthday

in march, and over the past year (or two), i have

noticed significant changes in my body.

no longer can eat french fries and pizza and

chocolate chip cookies without 1. getting

a terrible stomach ache (gluten and dairy products

are not my friend), and 2. adding quick

weight to my arms, thighs, and stomach.

additionally, i have prominent laugh lines--which

i am 100% okay with--but

that furrow on my brow--eh, i could

live without it.

staying up late, not drinking enough

water, a few too many glasses of

wine at happy hour? sheesh! my 20-something 

self would laugh and seemingly be horrified at how 

poorly i tolerate these! in an effort to feel great, both

physically and emotionally, during my thirtieth 

year, i have made a conscious effort to practice better 

self-care. this includes finding activities that 

support my overall health and wellness.

i should preface this by stating that
i am happy, healthy, and eager to see what
this new decade (hello, 30!) has to offer.
i simply want to document the personal
goals i have set as a means of holding myself
accountable :)

1. exercise, exercise, exercise.
(and no, not extra fries, unfortunately.)
whether going for a walk, visiting the gym,
or running stairs, i am determined to
exercise five days a week. getting in 30
minutes of cardio is one of my favorite
ways to alleviate stress. while i don't mind
going to the gym (i belong to a local
la fitness), i prefer to be active outdoors!

believe it or not, i greatly enjoy running
the stairs. seattle has several scenic staircases
worth visiting; my favorites include the
howe street stairs (capitol hill), thornton
creek water channel stairs (northgate, seattle),
the staircase over western avenue
leading into pike place market (downtown
seattle), and of course, the stairs featured
in today's post on upper queen anne!

^^^ i cannot get enough of these shoes! 

i'm wearing the purecadence 7 road running shoe,

and the purple is my absolute favorite. ^^^

2. breathe. stretch.

you may or may not believe this, but

i have never practiced yoga. stretching

has never been a strong suit of mine, but

with increased stress and back pain (again,

hello, 30), i think it may be time to make

stretching a priority. i think the best way

to do this is by attending a yoga class so i can

learn the introductory-level poses!

my gym offers complimentary classes

as part of my membership, but if you're 

local to seattle and have a studio you love,

please send recommendations my way.

3. prioritize my skincare routine and

accompanying products.

i have always been diligent about

washing my face (i never sleep in my makeup),

but until recently, i would skimp on skincare

products. affordable and easily

accessible washes and moisturizers were

my go-to products, but i have realized that 

i am not only skimping on cost, but

also on the quality of the ingredients. in

the past few months, i have been

better about reading labels and ingredient

lists in order to know what it is i

am applying to my face. 

and unlike my teenage self, apply

spf and eye cream daily!

photos by karya schanilec photography

ghost short sleeve top: c/o brooks (exact here),

uprise crossback sports bra: c/o brooks (exact here),

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

ghost high-waist mesh crop tights: c/o brooks (exact here),

purecadence 7 road running shoes: c/o brooks (exact here)

**these pieces are part of brooks running's spring

collection. items run true to size, and i love how supportive

the sports bra and running shoes are, whether i'm exercising

outdoors or at the gym.

a few others goals i recently set?

read! instead of scrolling through instagram

or watching tv before bed, i choose, instead, to read.

dedicate time to family. cherish time spent with

friends. and lastly, be happy! this last goal

may seem silly, but at times, i can be a 'glass half

empty' kind of gal. i am working to be more

positive and have a better outlook on things, especially

when i feel stressed.

do you enjoy setting goals for yourself?

how do you like to document these goals?

and most importantly, how do you

hold yourself accountable?

xoxo.

my top five spring activities in seattle

happy friday, everyone!

if you haven't noticed, i am a bit 

behind over here. work + school + babysitting +

blogging + aspiring to have a social life is

kicking my butt. sadly, blogging has 

taken a backseat, but don't worry, this little

blog isn't going anywhere.

disclosure: a special thank you to justfab for providing me the

adorable bomber jacket featured in today's post. as per usual, all

opinions are my own. thank you again, justfab!

spring has finally (somewhat) arrived in seattle,

and i am determined to put away all my

cold-weather garb. give me all the floral prints

and open-toed shoes, please!

with the arrival of spring comes a bustling 

calendar, but i thought it would be fun to share my

five favorite things to do during spring in the greater

seattle area. for those of you not from seattle,

my apologies (and do you have any similar activities

or destinations near you?).

1. visit the cherry blossoms in the

quad at the university of washington. 

(you can follow 'bloom updates' here.)

the cherry blossoms were a gift from japan in

the 1930s and moved from the japanese garden

in the arboretum to uw's campus in the 60s.

they are a trademark on campus and worth

braving (crazy) campus parking and crowds to see

in person. my friends and i had a

wonderful time wandering through campus

to take these photos!

2. speaking of flowers, it is time for the annual

 skagit valley tulip festival. 

the girls and i visited last year (it was my

first visit in ages), and the colorful

tulips were stunning! we made sure to arrive

early and lucked out, as the day was chilly

and grey. despite our seemingly ever-present

rain, fellow seattleites weren't too keen on trekking 

through muddy tulip fields during a spring rainstorm.

this allowed us to capture some fun

(and very pretty) photos, with few tourists

in the background.

^^^ a quick lipstick refresh ^^^

3. take a stroll through pike place market.

bring your reusable shopping bag,

as you're sure to come home with fresh

flowers, delicious coffee grounds, pastries

galore, and other handmade/handcrafted goodies!

i recommend swinging by 

ghost alley espresso for an iced americano.

it is d-e-l-i-c-i-o-u-s.

4. attend a food festival (seattle hosts numerous

food-related festivals each spring). 

at the top of my list this year is the 

'meat and cheese festival' at mccaw hall.

tickets and additional information can be found

here. food trucks, bacon and beer, tacos, and

numerous other tasty festivals

are making their rounds this spring, too.

5. keep active by taking a walk on the

elliott bay trail. something about the warm

weather makes me want to get outside! i greatly

enjoy going on walks (neighborhood walks

are great, too), but scenic, waterfront

walks are my favorite. the elliott bay trail

is 10 miles roundtrip, flat, and takes you

through sculpture park. it is gorgeous!

photos by jenn from hello rigby

jacket: c/o justfab, blouse: lush clothing,

jeans: nordstrom, sneakers: style & co (via macy's),

purse: thrifted (via seattle goodwill),

rings: assorted (forever 21 and target)

what are some of your favorite spring

activities? my wish list of places i hope to

go this season is ever-growing, and i cannot 

wait to enjoy the sunshine!

xoxo.

words to live by

'my mission in life is not merely to survive, 

but to thrive; and to do so with some passion,

some compassion, some humor, and 

some style.'

--maya angelou

happy new year, everyone! 

i touched on a few goals i have 

for 2018 here, but wanted to circle back

to this topic after listening to a handful of podcasts 

(detailing self-love, dating, writing, and more), 

and reading a few inspiring blog posts,

written by local women i truly admire (you

should check out this post by jenn from 'hello 

rigby' and this post by asa from 

'lace and pearls').

in addition to focusing on my career aspirations

(if all goes according to plan, i will finish

my certificate program at the university of washington

in june), and dedicating more time to my

blog (new website launching soon), i want to

focus on myself (what exactly that entails,

i am not yet sure).

sadly, the value in self care and self love

is often overlooked. we feel guilty when saying

'no' to friends and may regret missing an

event or party (FOMO is a real thing, let me tell you). 

but taking that time to instead read, watch

a show, meditate, stretch, or do whatever it is

that brings you peace is incredibly important.

our time is a precious commodity, and it should

not be wasted. 

last year, i dedicated a great deal of

time to varying social engagements, attended

events, and commuted all over the

city for said engagements. while fun (at times),

this time could have been spent in other

productive ways, too (let's not mention

the food, gas, and clothing money that was

also wasted last year--that is an 

entirely different topic). 

of course, i still value social engagements; they 

can be both productive and entertaining. however,

 i want to prioritize my time and energy on the friendships that

are most important to me. i suppose my point is that

i want to be more conscientious in regards to

how i spend my time and energy. you live, and you 

learn. i am eager to learn more about this!

^^^ i love the elbow-patch detail on this blazer ^^^

photos by jenn from hello rigby 

blouse: loft, jeans: american eagle,

blazer: banana republic (thrifted via seattle goodwill), 

purse: tj maxx, flats: vaneli (thrifted via seattle goodwill)

2017 taught me several important life

lessons: a career in a field i never thought

possible (finance of all things) is possible 

(and enjoyable, too); i can further my education

if i set my mind to it; friendships i once thought

were incredibly important may lessen over

time, but new friendships can also prosper; 

relationships (whether friend or romantic) take

a great deal of effort, and this effort cannot

be devalued; family is as important as ever during

busy and seemingly tumultuous phases of life;

and lastly, your health and wellness should

never be taken for granted (take care of

your body--this is something i am 

learning to be better about, as i had to 

greatly change my diet this past year).

what lessons were seemingly prominent

for you during 2017? what are some of your

goals or intentions for the new year?

xoxo.

boho chic

happy tuesday, everyone!

i feel a bit like a nomad as of late -

i was supposed to move this past weekend, but alas,

our new house is not ready. thus, moving

has been postponed, and i am living out of a suitcase

(or two) and several garbage bags while floating

from one couch to the next. getting dressed in the

morning is a struggle; i feel like i am losing

my mind with all the clothes, household items, 

shoes, and general crap all over my room

and living space. i am eager to get everything

organized and settled in my new space!

unfortunately, i do not think that will happen

for a few more weeks.

please keep your fingers crossed for me!

disclosure: today i am partnering with endless knot, a local seattle

boutique. they graciously lent me the dress and necklace i am wearing today!

despite packing and moving, i do not want

to completely sacrifice my personal style (and i am

hopeful i do not get too behind with my blog), but you know,

life happens! when scrambling to find an outfit, 

i am grateful for simple, but chic outfits like the boho-inspired

dress i am wearing today. dress + vest + mules, and

you are ready to go!

the sleeves, midi length, and cut-out

on the neckline make this dress much different

from anything else in my closet. it was a 

challenge (a fun challenge!) to style. 

i decided to go the casual route by adding my

distressed denim vest and nude mules;

ballet flats or sneakers would be a fun alternative! 

photos by karya schanilec photography

 dress: c/o endless knot, vest: levi's (thrifted),

mules: dolce vita for target (exact here), necklace c/o endless knot,

purse: dooney & bourke

this week, i am guest posting on the endless knot blog

and discussing a prominent trend for fall 2017: 

boho influences and the american pioneer aesthetic. 

this floral midi dress (borrowed from endless knot)

is an example of this trend and how easy it is to wear!

i often worry that high fashion and runway looks

are impossible to wear IRL (in real life), but it does not

have to be that way! bohemian, feminine, all things

embroidered - endless knot has it all.

what trends are you looking forward to this year?

is it just me, or can we ask summer to stick around

a little bit longer?!

xoxo.

how to wear a cropped top in your (late) 20s

cropped tops are seemingly everywhere

this spring and summer! i have to admit, as i near the 

end of my 20s, i find myself thinking, 

'can i wear a cropped top without looking 

like a teenager?' the answer is, 'YES!'

cropped tops come in all colors, styles, 

and sizes. while i do not typically wear fitted

cropped tops (bodycon style), i am an avid supporter of 

shorter, somewhat looser-fitting items. this cropped,

floral blouse is the perfect example! while short in length, 

the overall look and fit is much different

than that of a fitted cropped top.

paired with my high-waisted jeans, you can

hardly see my midriff ;)

are you a fan of the cropped top trend?

how do you typically style yours?

^^^ this manicure was one of my favorites

as of late! white gel polish with gold glitter at

the base of my nailbed. i miss it already! ^^^

the nordstrom anniversary sale is prominent

on social media and in the blogging world (i do not

have a nordstrom card, so i have not yet been able

to shop), but can we also talk about the recent zara 'end-of-season' 

sale?! i picked up these fun, distressed jeans for $25 and my 

cropped blouse for $15. zara, i love you!

i usually style cropped or shorter tops

in one of three ways: 1) with high-waisted

denim, 2) with a high-waisted skirt, or 

3) with high-waisted shorts.

any of these options are perfect for spring and

summer. they allow you to enjoy the flirty trend

without feeling immodest and having to worry

about showing too much skin. 

photos by karya schanilec photography

blouse: zara, jeans: zara, flats: steve madden (similar here),

purse: forever 21, rings: forever 21

iphone case: c/o ideal of sweeden (exact here)

i love how casual, yet feminine this outfit

feels. i wore it last week to take outfit photos (as per usual)

and on a coffee date after work. i am eager

to style the blouse with a fitted black skirt and

ankle boots this fall.

xoxo.

a few of my favorites for spring

 despite the month of may being more than half over,

seattle has yet to experience much of a 'spring' season.

rain, rain, please go away!

if you are from the greater seattle area, or familiar with the

pacific northwest, you can likely relate to our weather woes. 

while we are accustomed to a slow start to spring,

this year is seemingly ridiculous (in real life:

i was freezing when these photos were taken).

we have had more rain this year than as far back 

as i can remember; temperatures in the low 50s are

less than ideal -- especially when all i want to do is wear

spring attire and enjoy the sunshine.

 

 a few weekends ago, three bloggers and i

packed our bags (many, many bags!)

 for a day trip to the skagit valley tulip festival; i shared my first 

outfit here. we met in the morning and drove an hour north 

of seattle to the infamous tulip fields. although the tulips were

nearing the end of their peak, we greatly enjoyed the vibrant

colors and gorgeous blooms!

we were fortunate to visit towards the end of the 

tulip season, as the groundskeepers were less strict about 

foot traffic in the fields. i did not recall this, but you are 

**technically** not supposed to walk between the rows,

as it can harm the tulips. we were very cautious, however,

 when taking our photos.

it's no secret that voluminous, bell sleeved tops

and dresses are prominent this spring. while i've

always been a bit of a hippie at heart (my mom often says 

i was born in the wrong era), i added

a few new bell sleeved dresses to my wardrobe.

other trends i am loving right now?

fringe (on clothing and accessories), chokers,

tropical prints, ruffles and all things 70s-inspired.

 

 

photos by jenn from hello rigby

dress: zara (exact here), bracelet: nordstrom rack,

boots: hunter gloss rain boots via nordstrom (short version here),

purse: steve madden via tj maxx, ring: forever 21

i picked up this floral print dress at zara

a few weeks ago (exact style linked above -- it's

very budget-friendly, too). it was fun and festive with my 

pink rain boots. i wore wedges with my previous outfit

and was rather unsteady on my feet, trekking through

gravel and mud. rain boots were a much better 

(and more practical) shoe choice.

what trends are you loving right now?

did you visit the tulip festival this year? my good 

friend and fellow blogger, ana luiza of 'northwest blonde'

is sharing a guide to the skagit valley tulip vestival on her blog.

stop by for tips on what to wear (including what to pack for 

your day trip), the best route to take and

dining options along the way!

xoxo.

springtime print mixing

flowers, polka dots, stripes, butterflies -- can they 

be worn together? the answer is, 'yes' (!!!).

initially, print mixing can feel utterly intimidating.

you may ask yourself, 'do these items go together?' ;

'are these prints too busy?' ; 'do i look ridiculous?' ; etc.

while these questions are valid, print mixing doesn't have to 

be a scary closet-experiment. in fact, i've come to love

mixing and matching different pieces (various prints

included), as it's a great way to restyle items in your closet.  

when brainstorming this outfit (which i often 

do while browsing pinterest or sitting in traffic on the 

bus), i wasn't sure what top to pair with my butterfly

skirt -- speaking of skirts, this print and style

remind me of my middle school days when butterflies 

emblazoned shirts, clips and school supplies. 

what a wonderful pastime!

 #90sgirl

adding another print to this skirt can sound (and feel)

overly busy, but it can be done! i view stripes

as a 'neutral' piece; they seemingly match almost anything.

the key to incorporating a striped top or bottom

is to wear smaller stripes (i.e. stripes that are closer together).

stripes that are within the same color family

as the other item you're wearing are ideal. navy and white

are classic and can be worn with most colors, 

but a coral and white striped top also fits within 

the color scheme of my butterfly skirt.

because my sweater and skirt make a statement,

i kept my accessories to a minimum; adding a hat and/or

large jewelry would distract from the rest of this outfit. 

instead, a simple cross-body bag and large, round sunglasses 

completed my look. it was perfect for a morning

spent sipping coffee and brunching with fellow

bloggers. i was comfortable, yet felt polished-looking

(and if you follow along on instagram, then you may have

seen the gigantic cinnamon roll i enjoyed in my story!).

photos by jenn from hello rigby

sweater: zara (exact here), skirt: nordstrom (old; similar here),

purse: gift, flats: vintage (via indie frock), sunnies: thrifted,

ring & earrings: forever 21

have you experimented with print mixing?

what are some of your favorite combinations?

stripes are my go-to, but i am hoping to incorporate

florals and polka dots. when digging through the archives, 

i found a few other outfits in which i mixed prints: here and here

(i am impartial to stripes, what can i say?!).

xoxo.

happy easter!

^^^ and an easter outfit roundup! ^^^

1 // 2 // 3 // 4 

happy easter, everyone!

this dress and accessories roundup is slightly belated (i tend to be a bit of a 

last minute shopper, however). i cannot get enough of all the gorgeous 

spring florals, and they're readily available on a variety of different 

dresses, skirts and rompers. 

whether you're headed to church, brunch with family and friends, 

or on an egg hunt, these outfit ideas will keep you comfortable and feeling

stylish. i especially love the last dress (available here), and it's less than $100!

1 // 2 // 3 

a neutral shoe is essential for spring and summer. a few of my favorite 

styles are the peep toe bootie, the lace up flat, and the studded block heel.

i recently picked up the above peep toe bootie in black at my local nordstrom,

and they are incredibly comfortable!

1 // 2 // 3 

as with any outfit, accessories are a must! while i'm not typically an earring girl, 

i love this statement pair from sole society. this bucket bag can easily be dressed up

or down (and is trendy while still providing ample storage space for all my 'stuff').

this kendra scott stone pendant is gorgeous and can be paired with all

of your spring blouses, tops and dresses.

i am planning to enjoy brunch with my parents, an afternoon walk 

(weather permitting!), and indulging in far too much chocolate. 

i hope you have a wonderful day!

xoxo.