BREEZY FLORALS

It is such beautiful weather here. Temps are getting back into the 80s, but the breezes are wonderful. I love how casual this outfit is. Not much beats a flowing skirt, cotton tee, and flats. Hope life is wonderful for y'all!

Top: H&M - well made and so comfortable
Skirt: Kimchi Blue - found on great sale
Flats: Forever 21 - ancient and much loved
Earrings: don't remember, possibly F21 or a gift
Sunglasses: UO
Hair: attempted a fancy braid on wet hair, that did not turn out well, so got the banana clip

ZOO DAY

Today, mom and I took H to the zoo! He had a great day petting goats and alpacas, feeding lorikeets and other birds, not shying from the giraffes, eating pickles and fries, and watching the spider monkeys. He fell asleep while walking around the Natural Florida exhibit, but was up and ready for more before we had finished our lunch. (By the way, Brevard Zoo has an amazing pulled pork sandwich... they stuff it with coleslaw and french fries. SO GOOD.) I'm loving my week off from school, and can't wait to do a few more relaxing things before classes start again. DIYODS coming up!

ETERNAL SUMMER

Because I have such a bad habit of lusting for fall, I decided to atone for my sin by dedicating a post to the beauty of an (almost) eternal summer. Just a heads up, this will be a photo-heavy post. I'll have some additional commentary, but I'll let the beauty of my home shine through on it's own.



{Technically, this is The Keys, but I loved this little guy, and had to add him.}






(I may or may not add more photos.)

Life's a beach, lovers!

SUMMER SHEER

As summer wraps up, I find myself drawn to sheer, light fabrics. This new-found passion would have been nice for the entirety of summer, but I'm not exactly known for my willingness to embrace change or peek-a-boo fabric. But Free People had a gorgeous sheer dress on sale that I had to snap up.

While I've mostly worn it with solid unders and bikinis, I have a bombshell one-piece heading my way to make this something other than "beach cover up". But until then, I layered a vintage slip underneath to make this somewhat more appropriate for public consumption.





(Love the lace detail on the bodice.)



Dress: Free People
Slip: Vintage
Bra: Victoria's Secret

ADVENTURES IN SHOPPING

Last Sunday was the final day for Florida's "No Sales Tax" break for back-to-school. The tax break mostly applies to school supplies like backpacks and lunch boxes, but clothing across the board is also included. You see where this is going, yeah? Since I don't want to be one to let a tax break pass without celebration, I took Sister-In-Law and Baby H shopping at Kohls.

A Girl's Day was so what the doctor ordered. The past week was a stressful one, for both of us, and since having the baby, she needed new clothes. And since my birthing hips keep attracting delicious foods, I needed some new pants. I know, it was, like, destiny or something.

H was a trooper. His only demands were that he have his binky and be held at all times. As long as those two demands were met, he was happy as a clam, and a MUCH better shopper than his Daddy and Gramps. I even managed to snap a quick phone picture:


{That's my Junebug!}

The lesson: Tax breaks are awesome, and H is doomed to go shopping with the Rihab women for the rest of his life. Sorry kiddo, but that's the rule.

STORY OF MY LIFE

{Village Green Bag}

Why do I not have a bajillion of these straw bags? This is like the epitome of Florida style. I am a terrible Floridian.

RED SCARE

I returned from the Keys yesterday, and snapped the above portrait. Yes, I got far too much sun, so please forgive me for slacking off the next few days. I'll be laying in a tub of aloe vera and sipping a painkiller smoothie.

Talk to you soon!

JUST THIS JUSTICE

The Casey Anthony verdict is all over the place, and I am way too emotional to discuss it. I'm glad the circus is over, but my heart goes out to the ones who loved Caylee. Nothing brings justice in the murder of a child. The only justice would have her alive and well, about to turn six. Poor thing.

So much for not talking about it. Anyways, in the happy frivolous world of mine, I'll be taking a nice vacation this weekend. Three days in the Keys with a few friends, Cuban music, tequila and Kino's. Perfection. Expect beachy OOTDs and some big ass photo posts when I return.



While I'm away, I'll have some fluff posts scheduled.

Party on!

GET YOUR ARMS T-REXIN'

{I've got a fever. And the only prescription is more cowbell.}

Do you remember the glorious days where I was serious and demure and not tacky? (HINT: That is a trick question.) If you do remember those days, sorry to say, it was probably a dream or acid flashback. Yeah, bummer, man.


I had a doctor's appointment today, and managed to remember that oh, hey, I'm a fashion blogger. Let's get some outfit shots! before I came home to slip into my PJs. The above snap is a fever shot; desperately trying to fan the fever down. On the plus side, I'm getting better, and don't have to worry about dying from a heart attack before I'm 30. Hooray!















Top: Urban Outfitters
Skirt: thrift
Belt: thrift
Wedges: Ebay find
Earrings: Forever 21
Necklaces: gift (cornicello); GILT find (wishbone)
Title: The Creep - Lonely Island (Can't embed the video here, but it is HILARIOUS. Check it, yo.)




Speak easy, lovers!

SIP OF YOUR LIPS

Whew! It has been a whirlwind of a month, but I finished my first class as a nursing student. It feels so amazing to be actively getting my life back on track and challenging myself to do what I thought was impossible. Fighting through depression and fear has been a long journey, and meeting it head-on is such a rush. I have the best support team a gal could ask for.


Finals is "casual day" at Keiser, so I got to wear something other than my scrubs, which, let's be honest, are pretty dang comfortable. No way was I going to miss out on a chance to show off my knock-knee glamor, AS YOU CAN SEE. :D









Top: Forever 21
Skirt: Kristin Davis
Flats: Forever 21
Earrings: art fair buy
Ring: gift
Purse: Ebay



Now I'm off to celebrate Sister-In-Law's birthday with dinner and a birthday party for my buddy Seb. :D

Have a lovely weekend!

AND I'VE BEEN CHASING DREAMS IN MAGAZINES THE LAST TEN YEARS

On Friday, I saw the handsome and suave uomo, Fantasma, of Controlled Crash, rip some sick waves. Whoa, dudes. Whooooa. Alas, due to sharks, the water adventure was cut short. Still managed to get a few decent snaps. Behold!















{I tots slipped a beachy OOTD in there. Tricky trickster!}
Suit: Mailott from anthropologie - snagged while on wicked sale.
Shades: Forever 21
Flip flops: Wal-Mart - we ain't fancy folk 'round these parts.
Nail polish: Midnight Sky
Title: "Milwaukee" by Stephen Kellogg


You can really feel summer's approach the last few weeks. With the mornings still in the 50s and afternoons of 70s, I guess you could classify it as spring, but it won't last very long. Already we're getting closer and closer to 80! I'm busy dreaming of flowy tops and bottoms, sheer fabrics, neutral wedges, colorblocking, refreshing brights, and wicked styles of jewelry. And plenty of ice cold drinks.



Happy Monday!

OUTFIT OF THE DAY: FOOF AND FUN

I can honestly say that despite my tomboy, rough-and-tumble exterior, I am very much a princess. Princesses aren't automatically girly-girls. I draw inspiration from Boudicca, Cleopatra, Freyja, and Teuta of Illyria, to name the top women on my list.

I do have an affinity for queens and warrior goddesses. I don't know if this is because I was really into history and mythology as a kid, or because I was raised in a matriarchy family. Probably both and then some. Ah, good times.

Anyways, while the family was in town, we went out to dinner at Squidlips. Silly name, but delicious food and drinks right on the river. I ordered the Green Parrot, a fruity vodka cocktail. It's so bright!

Mom and Bri looking for shells, lizards or crabs.

I managed to eek out an Outfit of the Day from our trip. Hurray!

Romper: gift from Jess (Brooklyn Industries)

Shoes: cheapies from Wal-Mart

Earrings: Forever 21

Purse: Coach

Polish: Shrimply Devine

Hair: Air dried with two spritz of kms california Sea Spray

I love the BI romper. It's a silky material that swishes and flows along the body, providing a perfect summer night cover. It's a deep indigo-purple on top and black bottoms. (Sorry for the B&W, I didn't change the setting before passing it over to Mom to take the snaps.) I felt like a fightin' princess. Thank you Jess!

The lovely young woman I'm posing with is my cousin Alex. She was so tan she looks like the native Floridian! And that's what I mean when I say I am a Floridian Albino.

Have a lovely day!