dressing for spring in the pacific northwest

spring has finally arrived in seattle.

while summer is my favorite season (i love,

love the sunshine), spring is a close second.

the blooming flowers, increasingly long days,

and warming temperatures, i can't help but feel excited.

i also enjoy seeing fellow seattleites exploring

our city!

the key to surviving spring in the pacific

northwest, however? dressing in layers! keep

that sweater, sweatshirt, and/or rain jacket

close at hand because the weather can (and will) 

change quickly. if you're like me, you may

conveniently forget said sweater or jacket and find

yourself caught in an epic spring storm.

^^^ quick aside--i recently had my eyebrows microbladed,

and these were the first photos taken after my session

with amanda at eastside microblading. i have my touch-up

session later this weekend and cannot wait to see her again! ^^^

one of the ways in which i add versatility to my

wardrobe, while dressing appropriately for spring, is

to throw on a crew-neck sweater over a dress. 

don't get me wrong, a cardigan over a dress or a skirt +

sweater combination is just as fun, but there is something

to be said about a this crew-neck sweater and dress. perhaps 

it makes me look (or feel) taller? i have been on a 

sweater kick as of late, and this fuzzy cream sweater

is one of my favorites!

i also love pairing my booties with skirts, dresses, 

and denim come spring. hello, bare legs.

this pair of dolce vita pointed-toe boots is perfect

in the pacific northwest. whether rain or shine,

my feet are dry and look stylish. i can't wait to pair

these booties with cropped and/or white denim!

layers are seemingly essential in the

pacific northwest. regardless of the season, 

be sure to wear (or pack) layers. i am 

almost always cold, so having a sweater

or jacket nearby is very important. in warmer

climates, a light scarf or sweater can also be helpful.

buying neutral colors, such as this sweater 

and bag can also extend the wear of your spring

wardrobe. both of these items can be styled

in a variety of ways. i wore this crew-neck

sweater with ripped jeans and converse last weekend.

cream and white are classics for spring, and 

they can be dressed up with accessories

or dressed down when unadorned.

light-weight fabrics are your friend.

unlike years past, this spring has felt

particularly humid in seattle. i am chilly

in the morning, yet sweating when racing to

catch my bus after work. fabrics such as

cotton, linen, chiffon, and hemp are

breathable when humidity is high.

photos by sarah wolfe photography

dress: lush clothing, sweater: nordstrom rack,

booties: dolce vita, purse: zara, rings: target

how do you dress appropriately for spring?

any tips for dressing in layers? if so, please

send them my way!

xoxo.

pacific northwest ballet :: emergence

two weeks ago, my boyfriend greg and i had the
pleasure of attending pacific northwest ballet's
performance, emergence! i haven't been to the ballet in several
years, and it was an incredible experience--from the beautiful

sets, live orchestra, and awe-inspiring dancing, it
was a performance i will never forget. 

disclosure: a special thank you to karya schanilec and

pacific northwest ballet (pnb) for providing greg and i complimentary

tickets to this performance. we had a wonderful time! 

as per usual, all opinions are my own.

although i grew up dancing ballet, as an adult, 

i have come to appreciate the immense talent required to put 

on a performance like emergence. the talent possessed by 

those dancers? oh my!

emergence is broken up into three performances: 

alejandro cerrudo's little mortal jump, yuri possokhav's

raku, and crystal pite's emergence. the trio is equally

amazing, but my favorite was yuri passokhav's raku!

based on true events, the story is contemporary 

and passionate, yet violent. to see this story choreographed

in a ballet was inspirational (and somewhat
indescribable). 

'the central theme of his score [...] is burning.

the burning of desire, of passion, of loyalty; the burn

of suffering, of jealousy; finally the burning of death--

emotions that are so strong that they overcome the

discipline of a zen monk and overcome the loyalties 

of a samurai.'

--cheryl a. ossola

i think greg was unsure of what to expect

when i mentioned attending the ballet, but he greatly 

enjoyed the performance (his favorite was also raku)!

greg and i went to dinner in seattle before heading

to mccaw hall. once there, we ordered drinks and found

our seats; we were fortunate to sit close to the stage

and popped by to see the orchestra during intermission.

 as an aspiring fashionista, what to wear

to the ballet was an important part of the night :)

i opted for a spring dress, patent boots, and a blush pink

crossbody bag. i love any excuse to dress up and the

ballet was no exception!

photos by karya schanilec photography

dress: parker (thrifted via seattle goodwill),

boots: zara, purse: nine west, rings: forever 21

thank you again, karya, for providing us tickets

to the ballet. we had a wonderful time, and i look forward

to attending future pacific northwest ballet (pnb) 

performances! 

you can watch the trailer for emergence here 

and see upcoming performances for the 2017-2018 

season by pnb here.

xoxo.

'give a sh!rt' :: celebrating earth day with value village

'you cannot get through a single day without

having an impact on the world around you. what you

do makes a difference, and you have to decide

what kind of difference you want to make.'

--jane goodall

did you know? it takes over 700 gallons of water to
make one new t-shirt!
source

 in celebration of earth day (april 22, 2018),

i have partnered with value village to support and

promote environmental awareness in the greater

seattle community! 

value village has more than 330 locations 

and is a for-profit, global retailer. they are

dedicated to keeping recyclable goods 

(including: clothing, shoes, and household
items) out of our landfills. in 2017, value village

recycled more than 700 million pounds of used
goods. additionally, last year, value

village partnered with 120

charitable organizations nation-wide!

disclosure: a special thank you to value village for providing

me a gift certificate to purchase items featured in today's post. as per

usual, all opinions are my own!

sadly, many people simply throw away

unwanted clothing and household items

when a large percentage of these items

could be recycled. the average u.s. citizen threw

away 81 pounds of clothing in 2017. this number is

alarming, particularly when you consider the

environmental implications!

source 

to further promote environmental
awareness, value village launched their 'give a sh!rt
campaign,' encouraging consumers to recycle unused

items of clothing and purchase 'new' items
second hand from value village (instead

of buying new at other retailers). with more than
10,000 items introduced in stores daily, the
selection of goodies (that could be yours) is
rather amazing!

if i had to guess, i would estimate
more than 50 perfect of my clothes, shoes,
and accessories were purchased second hand.
this is partly an effort to spend
conservatively, but also due to environmental
considerations. why purchase new when
i can find the same (or close to the same) recycled
at value village for a fraction of
the cost? when cleaning out my closet, i
enjoy donating items, allowing them to
find a second-hand home!

i purchased this ann taylor dress,
bb dakota faux leather jacket, and target
cross-body bag all for less than 40 dollars--
talk about savings!

photos by karya schanilec photography

dress: ann taylor (c/o value village),

jacket: bb dakota (c/o value village),

purse: target (c/o value village), necklace: topshop,

shoes: franco sarto

 how do you celebrate earth day?

are you a thrift shopper, and where do

you typically donate unused items?

i may have to celebrate earth day with a shopping

trip to value village :)

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.

little letters :: ready for spring edition

** inspired by this blog post **

dear spring, please bring the sun (and warmer 

temperatures) around soon.

dear white boots, while somewhat impractical, i can't

help but love you. you'll be on major repeat this spring.

dear midi dresses, i can't stop buying you. you're

perfect for work, brunch, a night out, and seemingly

any (and every) other event i can imagine.

^^^ aforementioned white boots--see what i mean?! ^^^

dear clear umbrella, how did i survive

six years of blogging (and subsequent rainy day 

outfit photos) without you?

dear iced coffee, it's been a while! welcome

back, and please be ready to be consumed (by me)

on the regular.

dear easter weekend, i can almost taste

the brunch, copious amounts of chocolate, 

and homemade chicken dinner that will be consumed

in the presence of family. i can't wait!

dear zara, when is your next end-of-season

sale? i'm in desperate need of shoes. and jeans.

and perhaps a few new dresses. 

dear gym membership, oh how i've neglected you.

and what great timing with spring in full swing

(minus the sunshine) and a beach vacation right around

the corner. let's get reacquainted! 

dear eyelash extensions, how i love you! 

and the amount of time you save me each morning.

but you've depleted my bank account.

photos by karya schanilec photography

dress: zara, faux fur: forever 21,

boots: franco sarto (similar here), ring: charming charlie,

clear umbrella: target (exact here)

you can read my last 'little letters' post

(fall edition) here.

happy wednesday, everyone!

xoxo.

shop local :: handmade jewelry from exquistry

 jewelry is the perfect way to transform

any outfit--add a necklace, bracelet, 

earrings, broach, and/or rings to elevate the look of

your clothing. incorporate a statement necklace

and you instantly change your look. 

jewelry is a wonderful way to re-style

items in your closet and express your personality

by adding a unique 'pop.'

while i own a decent amount of 

jewelry, the majority is inexpensive, costume-

like jewelry that i could take or leave.

i have a few sentimental items and several

gifted pieces that i wear daily (including

a necklace passed down from my grandma,

charm bracelets from my mom, and a new

friendship ring from one of my girlfriends).

over the past few years, i have enjoyed finding

local designers that craft quality, handmade

jewelry that i can mix and match with 

other pieces in my closet.

disclosure: a special thank you to amisha, owner of exquistry jewelry for

providing me with the beautiful, handmade necklace in today's post.

i recently met amisha, designer and creator

of exquistry jewelry, online. amisha is

based in seattle, washington, and her sweet and

genuine personality radiate via email :) i hope

to someday meet amisha in person!

amisha is incredibly artistic and was

born into a family of creatives. she learned

to sew at a young age and began making jewelry in 2011.

 amisha feels most inspired by her indian heritage

(she was born in and spent most of her 

childhood in india) and vibrant colors.

she strives to combine fashion with color

and art, and i think this is prevalent within all

of her hand-crafted pieces.

 today i am styling exquistry's peach rose gold

swarovski pendant necklace. this bohemian-inspired 

necklace has hand-sewn beads and a light-weight clasp

for ease of wear (i often struggle with getting

clasped necklaces on and off--this clasp is great!).

because of amisha's passion for color,

i was inspired to pair my necklace with one

of my most colorful dresses. i think the two

work well together!

photos by jenn from hello rigby

dress: j.crew, jacket and heels: thrifted (via value village),

purse: halogen (thrifted via seattle goodwill), bracelet: nordstrom,

necklace: c/o exquistry jewelry (exact here)

happy friday, everyone! 

if you're looking to update your jewelry, 

i highly recommend visiting amisha's website.

she has several other necklaces and bracelets

that i am lusting after.

xoxo.

my best birthday yet

'time and tide wait for no man,

but time always stands still for a woman

of 30.' --robert frost

'i don't think of it as turning 30.

it's my 10th anniversary of my 20th birthday.' 

--unknown

'you can be gorgeous at 30, 

charming at 40, and irresistable for the

rest of your life.' --coco channel

'after 30, the body has a mind of its own.'

--bette midler

'when you're a teenager, all you want

to do is buy beer. but once you hit 30, all you

want to do is get carded.'

--sarah jessica parker as carrie bradshaw

in 'sex in the city'

today is my 30th birthday!

i celebrated with family and friends

over the weekend, and it could not have

been a better (or more fun) way to say 'farewell' to 

my 20s. my parents and boyfriend surprised

me with a party (complete with family,

friends, coworkers, balloons, cupcakes, and 

wine--lots of wine). we had a wonderful

time, and i had no idea they had been

sneaking around all week while planning this!

unfortunately, my 'actual' birthday, as it

falls on a monday, will be spent at work.

but i plan to eat dessert after every meal and

treat myself to a lunch-time shopping adventure.

are you surprised? ;)

^^^ birthdays are the perfect excused to eat 

all the ice cream you want, right? this

vegan, jamocha chaga fudge ice cream from 

frankie and jo's is delicious! ^^^

turning 30 is surprisingly bittersweet.

new year, new me!

i am eager to enter this new decade and look

forward to what lies ahead: finishing

my editing certificate, launching a new

website, pursuing blog opportunities, and of course,

dedicating time to friends and family are

a just a few projects and goals in the works.

while my 20s were fun (a time of

exploration--career-wise and personally),

i think my 30s will be different. to say it will be

an exciting, yet peaceful decade may be

ignorant (or perhaps wishful thinking). 

i feel old, though i probably shouldn't 

say that; i don't mean to offend anyone. 

as a teenager, i imagined a much

different image of myself at age 30. 

perhaps i would be married, have a child

(or children), be well-established in my career, 

etc. well my life sure isn't that, but i am

okay with my current situation, too!

in fact, i feel grateful for where i am both

personally and professionally.

photos by sarah wolfe photography

dress: nordstrom, boots: zara,

blazer: anthropologie (thrifted via goodwill),

clutch: nordstrom rack

and now, onto the outfit!

when brainstorming outfits to wear

on my birthday, i knew i wanted to make a

statement. i picked up this dress at nordstrom

(with sequin polka dots) and love how

flirty and feminine it is. it was on major sale

at nordstrom, too! ankle boots, a blush pink

blazer, and velvet clutch complete

the look. a side of ice cream makes for a 

cute and seemingly festive accessory.

while i didn't wear this outfit to my

party over the weekend, the dress is perfect

for a holiday party or celebration.

it can be dressed up or down, and i look

forward to styling it next weekend with my

denim jacket and converse.

i hope you had a wonderful weekend,

and thank you for stopping by! excuse me

while i indulge in another piece of cake!

xoxo.