November Must-Haves

Happy Friday! I am so thankful for the weekend this week. I haven't been able to kick a cold that's been looming over me, and am looking forward to a restful weekend. I have an INSANELY important week next week, so I have no choice but to get better. While I'm an avid believer in waiting to break out Christmas after Thanksgiving has passed, my parents are already asking for a Christmas list! It's gotten me thinking lately, and I have found a few things that I don't think I can wait until Christmas for! Here are my November must-haves:

coat // vest // pajama set // top coat // rollers // blanket scarf

Coat. Last year I bought a great puffer jacket from Gap, but it's shorter. I definitely think that I want a longer warm jacket that isn't a trench coat for work! I love the belted look here- helping you avoid that oh so flattering Michelin Man silhouette.

Vest. I love the soft grey color of this vest! The quilted look is here to stay, and it looks super cozy! I've been on the fence about which color to invest in (grey or navy) since I currently don't own either. Any thoughts??

Pajamas. I'm a sucker for a cute set of pjs! I think that Target has some awesome and affordable options. Both of my flannel long sleeved/pants pj sets are from Target! This grey set looks like it would be heavenly to snuggle up in.

Gel Top Coat. Who doesn't love a nice gel manicure?! Most of my manicures are done at home, and I've yet to try the at-home gel polishes. I love Essie polishes, so I think I'll give their version a try first. Have you used one like this? Any feedback?

Rollers. In the Winter, my hair is prone to static. I like to use hairspray to keep it under control and have always wanted to see what my hair looks like with rollers. Blow drying my hair provides a ton of volume but I flat iron it afterwards- sometimes leaving my roots flat. These might be just what I need!

Blanket Scarf. I am a bad blogger because I STILL don't own one of these. As an avid Georgia Tech fan, I barely own any red. Including red-heavy plaid! I like the look of this tartan pattern and think that I can make an exception now for a cute scarf. Especially one that's perfect for Christmas!

What's on your must-have list for fall? Do you hold back on shopping for yourself before Christmas?

My Fall Bucket List

Happy Monday!! I'm super excited for this week because it's going to be a short one for me- I'm taking Friday off. I'm headed to Dallas for a girls' weekend and I couldn't be happier! I've only been to Texas once but never to Dallas. And, I can't wait to see my friends! So it's a win all around. I always seem to be busy during the fall, there's just so much to do during this glorious time of year. In an effort to make sure I don't miss out on any fall fun, I've put together a fall bucket list!

I know that fall has already begun, but I think that I have enough great activities to get me through to winter in the remaining time. I've included all of my favorite activities- from Salted Caramel Lattes to lounging by the fire place- and a few of these can already be crossed off! I've already burned one of my new fall candles, my fall soap is situated by the sink, I've had my inaugural SCM latte, and have already enjoyed some candy corn! I have already started thinking of some Halloween costumes, but I haven't decided yet! I always have a hard time picking something out to wear. It will be preeeetty cold by the time Halloween gets here and I don't want to be miserable. I know I'll be attending the UGA vs GT game after Thanksgiving, so I will be able to get that one taken care of as well. Honestly, I'm just looking forward to completing this entire list! I realize that I probably won't get everything checked off but I'll try. Check out my fall activity bucket list below!

Quick story time- when I was growing up, I absolutely hated scooping out the "pumpkin guts" when carving my pumpkin. My parents would always take care of it for me, and clean up the seeds before we seasoned them to roast. When I went off to college, I somehow managed to have someone else do it every year. I made it all the way until my first Halloween after college without having to scoop out my own pumpkin innards! Talk about some good luck. And talk about a rude awakening when I finally had to do it! I carved pumpkins with my co-workers and did my best to keep the squealing to a minimum.. but a girl can only contain so much. It was so gross! Last year, I opted to keep my pumpkin in-tact and may do the same this year. They can be pretty cute in their natural state if you pick out a nice one!

Thanks for reading, I'd love to hear what's on your fall bucket list! Leave me a comment below and share your favorite fall activities!

Fall 2015 Shoe Favorites

Happy Thursday!! Although the first day of fall isn't until next Wednesday, I'm in full force fall. All this week, we've had chilly mornings. Warm afternoons- but crisp, cool, lovely mornings. After doing some closet reorganization over the weekend, I have decided that I need some more fall shoes. Mainly, I'd like some more work-appropriate shoes. I try to wear heels most days, because they help me feel confident and dressed up, but a new pair of printed flats would also fill a gap with my current choices.

Octavia Sandal // Cutout Suede Heels // Billie Boot // Colette D'Orsay Pump // Lydia Flat // Mixed Media T-Strap // Metropolitan Ankle Boot // Varcityy Pump // Stacked Hooded Sandal

It's no secret that I love to shop, but I don't indulge as often as I'd like. Budgetary restrictions suck. My shoe collection could use some love and honestly I'd jump for joy to have any of the above join my shoe rack! Most of the selections above are perfect for fall and winter (aka closed toe so I can wear tights), which makes it more justifiable from a cost perspective for me. I mostly have black and nude work shoes. I think that's why I'm so attracted to the colored pairs above! Once I get a few more work appropriate pairs, I'll venture into the more casual arena... Helloooooo riding boots.

Until then, I'll just drool over these beauties!

Which is your favorite pair? Did I miss any fall must-have shoes?

Transitioning to Fall

Hello, hello! I hope your weekend was full of relaxation and rest. Mine sure was! I spent some time with a friend visiting from out of town on Friday and Saturday- always a favorite of mine! Unfortunately, we were puddle jumping through rain and steamy humidity on Saturday. That made the 70 degree weather we experienced on Sunday that much better. I did some much needed cleaning around my apartment and started to get things transitioned over for fall. I'm getting excited just talking about it!

After the Labor Day holiday, I switch gears into fall mode. I'm not a Pumpkin Spice Latte girl (gasp, don't send an angry mob my way!), but I fully embrace other aspects of this lovely time of year. I love the mild daytime temperatures, cool nights, and gorgeous scenery! In preparation, I made several little changes around my place that help me to transition to fall.

First, I packed up all of my whites. I am not one of those gals who continues with white clothing after Labor Day. It works for many, I know, but one of my ways to embrace the cooler weather is a seasonal color palette. There are SO many gorgeous colors that you can get back into that have been packed away all summer and to be perfectly honest, many of my whites aren't warm enough to be worn during the fall. Bye bye shorts, tank tops, and tissue tees. Hello sweaters, dark denim, and layering pieces!

That brings me to my second tweak for fall- rotating my cold weather items to the front of my closet. I have everything that I own with me up here and limited storage space, so I keep all seasons of my clothes in my closet. To make mornings easier, I just keep the current season's clothing front and center and rotate the off season clothing to the back. That way, I spend less times sifting through my things to find something weather-appropriate. Keeping my current season's clothing at the front also helps me identify what else I need to purchase. I keep to a pretty strict budget (you can read more about that here), so I keep a running list of things that I want to buy. That way, I don't spend on things I already have. It will start getting cold here soon and it takes over so quickly! I want to be ready!

While I was in my closet, I took inventory of my sweaters and shoes in preparation for fall shopping. There are so many cute trends this year and I am still trying to figure out which ones I'm actually going to embrace. Because I don't shop all that much, I mainly stick with more timeless pieces (aka the bigger, more costly items) and may get more trendy with my accessories.

Lastly, I made a quick stop at Bath and Body Works to pick up some fall-scented items. I don't normally do this last change but I love love love burning candles in my apartment. I typically opt for light and floral scents, not usually heavy or sweet/food scented candles. However I couldn't help myself this year. I picked up some Pumpkin Pie candles and fall hand soaps. I think they add the perfect touch and will be used frequently.

I just love the detailing on the lid!!

I'm linking up today's post with Tutu Tuesdays!

What have you done to get ready for fall? Do you have a staple item (candle, drink, etc) that just screams fall in your world?

Loco for Leather

Y'all. I don't know what's come over me lately, but I'm all about leather jackets right now! I never thought in a million years that I would want one, but I do. Really, really badly. I always associated leather jackets with bikers, Uncle Jessie from 'Full House', and strangely my father (he didn't have a motorcycle but he did have a brown leather jacket that's older than me.. and that he still has...).

I tend to identify my style as classic, feminine, and conservative. Even more confusing why I'm coveting a rugged, edgy, masculine piece like a leather jacket. What can I say? The heart wants what it wants. Leather is an investment to me, whether it be in the form of shoes, purses, or jackets. So naturally it will take me forever to pick one out. Thankfully, it's still hanging around 90 degrees up here so I won't be needing one just yet! This is perfect for fall and I wouldn't be surprised if I ended up with one once it gets colder, but for now I will get my fix by drooling over them in stores and online. Here are a few of my current favorites!

I think that they're extremely versatile! You can add a little edge to a feminine floral dress, or jazz up a white t-shirt and jeans. I love the idea of getting a blush pink jacket like the one I've linked above. Not only does that add a feminine touch, but I think it will fit nicely into my current wardrobe- which is a HUGE plus for me! I have a harder time, especially with more expensive pieces, buying something that doesn't fit well with my current closet. Anyone else like me out there? I can't be the only one. Anyways, cheers to colder weather!

What fall fashion are you drooling over right now? Do you have anything totally outside your taste that you are coveting? Which jacket is your favorite?