Lavender

I've done my fair share of adventuring this summer, which makes me happy. My mom and I have wanted to go to the Finger Lakes Lavender Festival at Lockwood Lavender Farm for a few years now and we finally made it out this year! It was actually a bit smaller than I was expecting, but it was a beautiful day and we had a lot of fun. I really hate taking photos in public, but I managed to get past my self-consciousness for a few shots.

It was too hot, sunny, and crowded to spend much time on getting the perfect photo, but I wanted to at least capture the perfect dress! This purple gingham number from Hearts and Found couldn't have been better for the occasion (and the heat). It's definitely a scene-stealer, for sure! I'd been wanting to try this Dolly style for a while, and even though I was apprehensive it wouldn't work on me due to my bust, I was very pleasantly surprised at the result. I think the structure of the dress makes it a bit short-waisted on my frame, but it's really comfy and low maintenance.

Outfit Details

Custom Dolly Dress in Lavender Gingham: Hearts and Found

Boater Hat: available here   ||   Flats: Aerosoles

After we had our fill of the festival, we wanted to walk around Skaneateles. Unfortunately, everyone else had the same idea. We couldn't even find a place to park! We eventually had to give up and decided to stop over at Mirbeau for a little snack. I'd love to stay there sometime! The garden is so beautiful there. All in all, it was a really nice way to spend the day with my mom and be surrounded by nature.

Have a great start to your week!

Twinning in Dita

This week has been a bit crazy, but I'm excited to share this post because it gave me the chance to twin with my bestie! I keep my circle of close friends pretty small for a reason, but living on the other side of the country from your best friend can be really hard sometimes. Luckily, Ashley and I talk almost constantly, so even though she's on the opposite coast, I always know she's there for me. (I just wish it were in person!) We end up twinning all the time, as we own a lot of the same clothes, but when we both got this Wheels & Dollbaby lavender Dita Von Teese cardigan, I knew we needed to do a post together. We haven't done one of these coordinating posts in a long time – it was definitely overdue!

It's not often that I really splurge on something like a sweater. I'll drop a pretty penny on a dress, but I tend to be a bit of a spendthrift when it comes to separates. But lavender is my favorite color, and I couldn't stop thinking about this cardigan for weeks. So I finally bit the bullet and am now the proud owner of an infamous Dita cardigan. This color is no longer available at Wheels & Dollbaby, but they did just release the newest Dita cardigan in a luxe silver hue. I don't know if I'd buy others (not at full price, at least – I can't afford that kind of habit!), but I will say that this is absolutely one of the most beautiful cardigans you could ever imagine. It's incredibly well-made and soft, and the details are divine. It feels truly special and it's certainly not a purchase I regret. And of course, now my bestie and I can match! You can find all of Ashley's outfit details over on Southern (California) Belle! I love how she styled it (and hot damn, that girl looks good in pants). Even though we're separated by hundreds of miles, being able to do posts like this makes me feel even closer to her.

Outfit Details

Dita Von Teese Cardigan: Wheels & Dollbaby

Black Lola Skirt: c/o Hearts and Found

Heels: ModCloth (similar)

It's my first full weekend off in a while, and I'm so excited. I plan on sleeping in (finally!), getting a massage (yay!), getting a new phone (double yay!), catching up on blogging (something exciting is coming next week!), and having brunch with some of the girls from work (yum!). As much as I love performing, I'm realizing how much I need time to recharge and have real downtime. Isn't it funny how we used to hate being bored as kids, but doing nothing is such a privilege as adults? 

Have a wonderful weekend!

28 on 28

Well, it's official: I'm 28... and on the 28th, too! The past few months have been filled with a lot of change and I feel like I've done quite a bit of growing up (or catching up) in a short amount of time. I'm finally starting to feel like I'm supposed to feel at this age, though I realize that there are people who are younger than I am who have accomplished much more. But as I've gotten older, I've stopped trying to compare what other people are doing to the path I'm on. It's not that I don't care that other people are getting married, buying houses, and having babies. I do. It's just that I've come to realize that I'm happy taking things as they come – and I believe that it'll all work out in the end.

So, to sum up, I may not feel 28 (aka two years away from 30 ahhh!!?)... but I just feel content about where I am at this point in my life. I haven't felt that way in a long time. Of course, there are still a lot of things I want to work on – new skills, getting in better shape, working on a side hustle – but all in all, I think 28 is gonna be a good year. I can't wait to see how it pans out.

I wanted to talk about this dress from Hearts and Found for a second. How cute (and appropriate) is this balloon animal print? I really love all the customization options Marjorie offers, and I love the design of this dress. My only qualm is that the shoulder straps are slightly too short for me, but other than that, it's such an adorable piece. Absolutely perfect for a birthday!

Outfit Details

Penelope Dress in Party Animal Print: c/o Hearts and Found

Cardigan: Pinup Girl Clothing

Necklace: similar

Flats: 6pm

Have a great weekend!