fashion reassurance from kate middleton

Being on the taller side (5'8"), I always have a question of whether or not my pants are long enough. While my average-height college roommates debated how many inches to hem off of their pants, I struggled to find jeans that didn't make me look like I was waiting for a flood.

Now, thanks to Kate Middleton, I feel okay having my pants slightly above my ankles. Because while they may look too short to some, my pants and I are in the company of royalty.

Note to self:  Wear those bright blue pants that are hiding in the closet!

images via NY Mag lookbook (image 1, image 2)

fall fringe

I know I already mentioned that I can't wait to get into Fall fashion - and it seems like fringe is positioned perfectly to take us from the summer into the fall months. #4 below was today's featured shoe on my "shoe a day" calendar, and I googled it quickly to find that the Jerome Rousseau beauties recently were on GILT. Just my luck! But that must mean that it is fate that the Bisou and I should be together... or at least that it should be in my closet.

(1) Fun fringe earrings from GUESS (2) L.A.M.B. "Hortensia" shoes (3) Kenneth Jay Lane fringe earrings (4) Jerome Rousseau "Bisou Fringe" pumps (5) Betsey Johnson "Ziah" wedge booties (6) Michael Stars T-strap sandal (7) Sam Edelman "Louie" booties

weekend recap & antiques

I spent part of Sunday at my grandmother's house, helping my family go through items to keep/sell/etc. I never realized how much my Nana liked antiques, but they really were all over the place. We found some pretty awesome things, like this bottle I just had to share - she and my grandfather found it in the basement of their antique home when they purchased it in the 1950s:

The bottle sold in 15 minutes on eBay - how crazy is that! It's an 1880s-1900s bottle in pretty great shape.

rocking the red, white, and blue

I'm really looking forward to the Olympics opening ceremonies tonight! It seems like just last week I was in London (and it was absolutely pouring every day). Good luck to all of the athletes, but especially to those from the US!

Bought my first pair of Hunter wellies this year! I finally see why everyone has been raving about them - they're so comfortable. Love this patriotic (and sparkly) bracelet from Dannijo. And I have this scarf, courtesy of my mom and the '80s, which I might have to rock this week.

shop smart: end of season deals

It's tempting to get excited about the upcoming season and spend your budget on the new style of boots that you can't wait to get your hands on... But don't forget that the majority of stores are clearing their inventory to get ready for the new season too- shop their sale sections, and you'll save quite a bit of cash.

Here are some items I found on the current J.Crew sale. All of them are at least half off, and they're items we'll probably see again next summer. Tank tops, t-shirts, and scarves rarely change from one summer season to the next, so pick up some solid colored items that you wear frequently to replace items that should be donated or thrown out (think pilled sweaters, stained tees, pants that are a smidgen too tight). I wear tank tops under pretty much everything (I blame my school uniforms for this), so I am constantly rotating those in and out of my wardrobe.

And brides- see what dresses are on sale and do your 'maids a favor by picking something that is budget-friendly. This teal chiffon number from J.Crew is a mere $89 compared to the $250 original price tag. If all of your girls' sizes are available and the color and style fit your vision, why not go for the discounted version? (They'll love you for it.)

Items available at J.Crew

gorgeous gowns with feminine detail

I can't get over these gorgeous gowns by Claire Pettibone. Romance, femininity, and lace. A lot of dresses I've seen with dramatic backs have less-than-thrilling fronts, but not these. Plus, from what I read, they're all made in the US! The gown below with the criss-cross back reminds me of angel wings. So delicate.

Dress images via

See the rest of Claire's collection at clairepettibone.com

specialty pizza, made at home

I'm a huge fan of specialty pizzas, so for dinner tonight I decided to try my own at home.   After a small mishap (sorry, singed bangs. Note to self: Don't stand over the grill when lighting it...), I thought it looked great! And then I realized it was missing something...

Of course - goat cheese!

Note: These are "before" images.

Ingredients:
1 small bunch fresh asparagus
1 small red onion
Ken's Balsamic with Honey dressing (to drizzle)
pizza dough from the refrigerated section
1 can pizza sauce
2 oz. crumbled goat cheese

Cooked on a pizza stone (thanks, Dad!) on the grill on medium heat for 30 minutes. I highly suggest investing in a pizza stone - it's a great item to have in the kitchen, no matter what season it is.

packing for a wedding weekend

Here are a few items I'll be packing for this weekend's wedding:  (one) Amsale bridesmaid dress in Cerise; (two) a ring my mom gave me, similar to this one from Stella & Dot; (three) some awesome new MICHAEL Michael Kors peep-toe pumps, purchased at Lord & Taylor; (four) a few favorite clutches, including this FC Lady from Foley & Corinna and another my sister gave me, also from F&C; (five) my go-to Sam Edelman sandals; (six) a dainty Stella & Dot necklace; (seven) my new favorite mascara, "They're Real!" from Benefit, available at Sephora; (eight) a tan and black chevron dress from BCBG that I scored at Marshall's, similar to this one from Nordstrom

coral and mint rehearsal wear

Because a) it's summer and b) T's sister is getting married this weekend, I've got weddings on the brain. Here are my picks for semi-casual rehearsal dinner wear, if I didn't already have an outfit picked out.

one- Urban Outfitters has this fun deep-V-back lace dress in three colors
two- ModCloth always has fun jewelry, like these bow earrings
three- absolutely loving the new clutches k.slademade has on her site! This mint version reminds me of ice cream and all things summer and wonderful. I have a few of her items on my wish list for my upcoming birthday (hello, October).
four and five are budget-friendly options from Old Navy for a scarf in case it gets cool (I live in New England - you never know what the weather will be like!) and comfy ballet flats that won't set you back. I tend to ruin my flats pretty fast, so when I can snag a pair under $20 like these, I'm all over it.

While some people are strict about keeping silver with silver and gold with gold, I'm all about silver and gold together and also mixing brown and black, navy blue and brown, etc. Why not? You only live once!

Fall prep: structured bags

With the fall season quickly approaching, I'm getting really excited about structured bags. The Cole Haan satchel (one) is ideal for the workday, while the Z Spoke Zac Posen (five) is a fun alternative to a clutch for a night out. The chain detail seen on two through six below adds a touch of rebelliousness to the otherwise structured accessory.

one- Brooke Village Small Satchel by Cole Haan (available at Nordstrom)

two- Mini Mac by Rebecca Minkoff

three- Jet Set Travel Small Shoulder Flap by MICHAEL Michael Kors

four- Olive Shoulder by Danielle Nicole

five- Americana Mini Shoulder by Z Spoke Zac Posen

six- Hamilton Saffiano Satchel by MICHAEL Michael Kors

(two through six available at Piperlime)

weekend recap

What a busy week! I was gone from the blog for a few days to finish up finals for one of my classes. One more week of finals to go for another class, and I'm free for the summer!

It was a busy weekend, too. A friend's engagement party with a gorgeous ocean view, lots of pool time with T and Sprout (who got a haircut today), finally got Sprout's portrait up in the dining room, and Lord & Taylor has their clearance sale going on - shoe heaven! I somehow managed to walk out with only 3 pairs, including those black suede ones - I don't even know what to call them - suede bootie sandals with a peep toe? - and the leopard print heels, as well as a gorgeous pair of Michael Kors peep toe heels. 

I'm looking forward to a restful night and beginning a new week!

something blue for the table

This April, I found the absolute most gorgeous glasses ever - of course, at the Hyatt Paris. I've been hunting for similar glasses, but I haven't been able to find them - until today! A little different, and they're champagne flutes, but I'll take it for now. Still looking for those glasses on the left, though - if you know what they are, please share!

(Please excuse the water droplets in the photo)

left photo mine, right Artland glasses via

weekend recap

T and I had a fab weekend in NYC, where we went to celebrate a friend's 30th at a bowling alley with pizza and beers. In case you were wondering, I'm a horrible bowler. But we did get to spend some time with my sister as well, with dinner and a trip up the Empire State Building.

NYC from high up - check out how lit up Times Square is!

We came home to one very excited puppy who apparently spent the weekend playing as much as he could with his cousin Rowdy (yes, another dog), because he's exhausted. And one of my best friends texted with some awesome news - she and her boyfriend got a puppy of their own!

This week I'm looking forward to finishing up summer classes for my MBA, as well as starting some projects around the house.

3 things thursday: can't get enough of

I can't get enough of...

Nicely decorated entryways

via

Girly details

via

and baked goods that are in no way good for me

via

happy fourth!

Wishing you a very happy Fourth of July!

flag cake via

getting ready for the Fourth: outfits

While you're gearing up for the Fourth and deciding what fabulous soiree to go to, don't forget to put together an independence-themed wardrobe! And definitely don't forget the Moscato :)

Blue is my favorite color, and I can't wait to add some of these items to my wardrobe!

1 - BaubleBar Tangelo Flora Drops
2 - Dorothy Perkins blue flare dress - love, love, love!
3 - Barefoot Bubbly Moscato Champagne, purchased at my local wine shop - my new favorite drink
4 - K.Slademade tip pouch in navy (monogram it!)
5 - Blue stripe dress from Dorothy Perkins
6 - Sophia Studs at Design Darling
7 - Dorothy Perkins floral dress
8 - Blue chain wrap from BaubleBar (I Spy DIY has a tutorial on a similar version if you can't wait to ship this and want to try a project!)
9 - Maya braided wedge from Sole Society (I recently purchased a very similar pair by Jessica Simpson at my local DSW)
10 - Colorblock clutch from K.Slademade, exclusively for Design Darling