MemoriAli

Dress: Ann Taylor: Blazer: thrifted, Necklaces: Lion's Mane Vintage and Elizabeth Ngo

As I do every year on Memorial Day, I spent the holiday weekend in Omaha celebrating my best friend Rachel's birthday and having a mini-college reunion of sorts. This year, a bunch of our guy friends also made the trip, so to truly recreate our college experience we pretty much lived like hobos all weekend. Thankfully I got these photos before heading out to dinner the first night that everyone arrived before things went completely downhill. It was the only day cool enough to even consider wearing a maxi-dress. It was actually chilly enough that I had to resort to stealing this great silk blazer from my friend's closet. After these were taken, I didn't wear much beyond a bathing suit and a water-balloon soaked cover-up for the rest of the weekend . . . even when I went to the grocery store. I'm like a "pioneer of shame" as one of my guy friends put it. But in my defense, there's really nothing else to wear when you spend four straight days playing 4-Square, having water-balloon fights, and hanging out on a driveway in 95-degree heat. 

I also got to visit my friend's new store while I was in town! She recently opened her own vintage boutique in the Benson neighborhood of Omaha, so if you're anywhere near there you must must must go check out Lion's Mane Vintage. I'm probably just a teensy bit biased, but the store is amazing. It's like hanging out in some cool, trendy, hipster closet full of vintage pieces you never even knew you needed. As someone who is in awe of vintage, thrifted pieces (but can never find them on my own) I was blown away. I bought way too many necklaces while I was there, including the turquoise beads I have on above, which I didn't take off all weekend. And just in case you don't make an annual pilgrimage to Omaha like I do, you can also check out her store's Facebook page here or her Etsy page here. 

Love-Hate Relationship

Dress: Target, Belt: J.Crew, Shoes: Enzo Angiolino, Necklace: Tiffany's. Watch: Michael Kors

When I first bought these giraffe-print wedges, I LOVED them. I mean really loved them. The"I like my Sketchers, but I love my Prada backpack" kind of love. Now, we have more of a love-hate relationship. As in, I still love them, but they hate my feet. They're adorable shoes (god knows I love anything in animal print) and great if you're planning to spend most of the day just sitting around, showing off your feet and only have to walk for few minutes at a time. But I made the mistake of wearing them to run errands at Target after work one day and seriously considered taking them off and going barefoot, "shoes and shirts required" sign be damned. (I mean, I was going to keep my shirt on. One out of two isn't bad, right?) Since I spend most of my day sitting at a desk, I thought I'd be brave enough to try wearing them again. It wasn't a total disaster — I managed to hobble outside in them to take pictures since they're so fun with this color-blocked dress from Target, officially the number-one provider of my summer-dress wardrobe. And I even managed not to grimace in most of the photos . . . at least not the ones anyone will see. 

Bigger is Better

 

    

  

Jeans: Democracy, Tank top: Joie, Blazer: Kenneth Cole Reaction, Shoes: Target, Scarf: Nordstrom,
Sunglasses: Kate Spade, Earrings: Simon Sebbag, Bracelets: J.Crew

I swear to god, this blazer gets bigger and more oversized every time I wear it. Which isn't to say I don't love it. I do — especially paired with this equally loose feather-print silk tank top and summery scarf. But because seems to grow magically larger when ever I take it off, it's often forced to spend much of its life hanging in my closet, unworn and unloved. I always feel like I'm playing dress-up when I wear it. Or like I'm Tom Hanks in Big when he's all of a sudden a little kid again, but still wearing giant, grown-up sized clothes. You'd think something that makes me feel tiny would get more play since my style aesthetic is pretty much defined by super tight pants and loose, flowy tops that could potentially double as a maternity smocks. I don't care what anyone says, that's the most comfortable outfit there is. Other than sweatpants, obviously. Sweatpants win every time.