New Beginnings

It's still very much a work in progress, but I'm excited to share my next project! Adore Prep is not just about shopping and clothes, but will better represent my current interests beyond just fashion.  

I have not been able to spend as much time as I'd like on Love at First Shop in the past year or so, and I'd like to say a big thank you to everyone who stuck around through my sporadic posting. I really appreciate the great feedback & insights that I got from all of my readers and the lovely blogging community. Feel free to see what I'm up to at Adore Prep!

Some Work Looks

what i'm wearing: 

uniqlo knit blazer

f21 gingham shirt

f21 eyelet lace skirt

shoemint bow flats

I've been longing for spring for weeks now, the cold & gloom has really been getting to me. I decided that I needed to incorporate some bright colors into my work wardrobe to perk me up a bit.

what i'm wearing: 

zara mustache knit

madewell chambray shirt

zara faux leather skirt

anthropologie necklace

steve madden ankle boots

Mustaches really creep me out, but for some reason I really liked this comfy knit top. It's completely silly, and I received many comments on it at work, but it made me laugh, so I like it. 

I had never been to Cincinnati (or Ohio for that matter), but I ventured over there for the long holiday weekend. It was so cold out, so in a nutshell, all we pretty much did was eat & drink (the evidence is above). It was a fun weekend, but I think if I were to try Cincinnati again, I think it would be a lot better in the spring or summer.

Be My Valentine

I have a confession to make- I freaking LOVE Valentine's Day! It's my favorite cheesy holiday, what's not to love? It is in my nature to love things that are sweet, romantic, and full of pink and hearts, candy and chocolate. It's everything I enjoy rolled into one gloriously commercialized holiday.

This year I had way too much fun making my own handmade valentines, and this one is probably my favorite!

My lovely valentine sent me two dozen gorgeous roses to my office on Tuesday, so that I would have more days to enjoy them at my desk! They definitely brightened up my week along with my cubicle.

Hope everyone has a lovely Valentine's Day!

Splash of Prabal

what i'm wearing: lilly pulitzer 'helene' dress in bomber blue, forever 21 flower pendant necklace, prabal gurung for target nolita print pumps, bow from korea / on the wrist: chevron elastic hair tie (handmade), david yurman bracelets, tiffany & co heart bracelet, tatum bradley co. monogram stamped cuff

(Yes, I know this dress is also featured in the previous post, but it has actually been a few weeks since I wore it! And I want to get as much wear out of this sweater dress before it gets too warm.)

I have to admit that I love a good Target designer collaboration. I try not to get too affected by all the hype and end up with a load of things that I really don't need. (But let's be real, do I really need anything? We all know the answer to that is a solid no.) 

But when I was hanging out with my family this past weekend, my sister reminded me about the collection launching this weekend, so I finally succumbed to checking out the Prabal Gurung for Target lookbook online. With its bright colors and fun floral prints, I knew I had to at least check it out. I didn't wake up at the crack of dawn or anything, but I ended up picking up a few items that I'm super excited about. Like the printed pumps above (I think they will be perfect with my brightly colored dresses this summer) and the printed tee below (great layering piece). Did anyone else check out this new collection?

I've been MIA from the blogosphere for far too long, would love it if you shared some of your current faves. =) Feel free to post your own as well.

Why Hello There

Why hello there, blog! Haven't seen you in quite a while now. Even though I haven't had a chance in a very long time to take good pictures of my outfit of the days, I've still been taking quick snaps whenever I like what I'm wearing - so now they've become my #ootds on instagram. And yes, I do realize that I have pretty much the same pose in every photo.

I've always been drawn to quirky animal prints and patterns. When I first saw this crab sweater at f21, I knew I had to have it. Who needs a sweater with crabs printed all over it?? Apparently me. I really had no idea how I would wear it, but in a quick last minute decision, I paired it with my pink gingham shirt, which worked out surprisingly well.

I've been MIA for a few months (it was still 2012 when I last posted!) but the following is my attempt to play catch up.

Dress Obsession: I'm always extolling the virtues of the most basic of female clothing items, the dress. It's a way to feel instantly put together with minimal effort and coordination (which is good when one is lingering in bed on a cold winter morning instead of putting the time in to put together an outfit). They're just so easy! Throw on a statement necklace, a pair of tights if necessary, any type of shoe, and you're good to go. 

Layers: I feel like I always have go to combinations when it comes to layering. I get stuck in a rut of wearing a button down under a sweater, or a cardigan layered over a sleeveless dress. But unexpected pairings and bright colors always make it better.

I feel like I've done enough photo collage spamming for one day... things that I am planning on working on very soon: finish updating blog layout, post photos from the Christmas holiday (spent it in Korea), share some easy DIYs I've done recently, and of course my favorite... post some recent handmade valentines that I've made. If anyone's out there reading this, I'm going to try a lot harder than I have the last few months to get this blog up and running as a creative outlet for me.

Going Prep

what i'm wearing:

jcrew (outlet) navy gingham shirt

american eagle bow sweater

american eagle red jeggings

shoemint ankle boots

Looking over some of my older outfits, some variation of this look (gingham shirt layered over sweater, skinny jeans + ankle boots) is probably my cold weather uniform. It's pretty easy to put together when you're like me and have far too many colorways of gingham button downs and skinny pants. Feeling very preppy today, even more than usual, I think it's the combination of navy & red along with the bow. But that's not a bad thing (in my opinion).

Catching Up

I can't believe it's been almost 2 months since my last post on this blog. I haven't abandoned it completely, but I haven't had the time lately to take good quality photos and post them. I've been doing things the easy way, snapping some quick outfit photos with my phone and instagraming them. A lot has happened since then, I feel like it was still semi-warm out the last time I posted (I have bare legs!) and now it feels like we're right smack dab in the middle of winter. In the past couple of months, I've run a half marathon, developed quite the heavy craft addiction, and have really been putting a lot of heart and soul into my etsy store, Adore Prep. More photos on what I've been up to after the jump!

joe fresh sweater + loft skirt

diy print & painted frame

f21 top, anthro necklace

cheap frames painted with martha stewart paint

gap sweater, jcrew gingham

monogram etsy pullover, jbrand houlihans

Hi, I'm Autumn

zara peplum top, h&m skirt, f21 necklace, tb patent revas, ysl muse

It really feels like fall is here and I can't be more excited! Fall is probably my favorite time of year in NYC, and I just love being able to wear layers and jackets and boots and all that other fun stuff. This peplum top I wore yesterday is something I bought a couple of weeks ago, but I felt like I should save it for cooler weather. I love the teal color, and the texture of the top.

joe fresh knit dress, f21 necklace, shoemint ankle boots

Wearing teal today as well, but a comfortable drapey dress from Joe Fresh, which had a lot of great fall pieces at reasonable prices. I'll be sad when it becomes too cold to go tightsless, but I'll enjoy it for now!

The Latest Quick Snaps

Mossimo for Target dress, ShoeMint ankle boots

Can't believe that summer is actually over! I love summer, but I'm pretty excited for fall, looking forward to wearing more layers, boots, and not sweating as much. For the day after Labor Day, I decided to embrace Fall by wearing a sweater dress and boots. But the dress is sleeveless, and the boots are ankle boots, so I don't feel like I'm jumping the gun too soon. 

I have never tried ShoeMint before, but I really loved the way these ankle boots looked, so I pulled the trigger (with a 50% off code). I was pleasantly surprised, they are real leather and look a lot nicer than expected. I'm planning on checking back to see if there are any other styles I like!

zara knit peplum dress, ae necklace, aerosoles sandals

This red peplum dress is definitely out of my comfort zone. I don't wear red often, but I felt like this knit dress was much more fun in red than in black. It's made out of knit, so it's a lot more casual than the peplum shape normally implies. 

 

tibi dress, target belt, zara jacket, matt bernson sandals

I've been obsessed with my Zara denim jacket lately. I never thought I'd wear one, but after seeing my sisters and my co-worker rock them, I decided I wanted one for myself. It's a great layering piece for fall, and I've worn it a bazillion times already, especially in my office which is still freezing.

So there you have it, a few quick snaps. I'm really excited about wearing fall clothes, so hopefully will have some better photos soon!

Quick Snap: Leopard & Fringe

zara leopard top & fringe skirt, aerosoles sandals

Sorry, I wear this skirt all the time. It's easy to pair with anything, but the fringe still makes it fun. I keep meaning to take more photos outside instead of these poorly lit excuses of photos, but just like going to the gym and making homemade meals, I've been incredibly lazy. And I'd much rather do some crafts.

 

via Instagram

• Arm Party #1 (or #armrager as my friend LV called this): AdorePrep hairties, David Yurman bracelets, handmade friendship bracelets, and H&M bangle
• DIY Monogram Stripe pouch, along with some other mint accessories (the bag needs a 2nd coat, but I like it so far!)
• Margot Tenenbaum, my current hair and style inspiration
• Arm Party #2: MK rose gold watch, AdorePrep hair tie, and handmade disc bracelet

Business With a Twist

Back to work on a Monday after a wonderful weekend spent with some of my favorite people in the entire world. Even though all of us live in different cities around the country, I love that we still make an effort to get together once in a while, and it's always as if we just started back up from where we left off, whether we saw each other a week ago or several months ago. I had never been to Denver before (or out west pretty much) and I loved it. Went hiking in Boulder, checked out a brewery, and just had a lot of fun with everyone. And you can't beat the weather!

J.Crew cardi, LOFT blouse, Zara skirt, aerosoles sandals

I feel very "secretary" wearing this blouse & cardigan combination, but I think the asymmetrical hem of my pleated skirt keeps it from being dull. Never thought I'd embrace this type of skirt, but after seeing it on other people, I decided this blush colored version on sale at Zara would be a fun way to try it.

J.Crew (outlet) cardi, F21 dress & necklace, aerosoles sandals, YSL Muse

Lately I've been all about being comfortable... the heat and humidity just get to me. I'm so ready for fall!

I've been having so much fun with Adore Prep, my Etsy shop, and if you've shopped, thank you for your support! 

Sneak peek at my latest notepad design!