the gingham off the shoulder top

white denim + black gingham.

i LOVE gingham. it's probably one of my favorite spring/summer prints right up there with stripes. but black gingham was a piece i hadn't owned yet. this one is a super breezy top with some subtle cinched bell sleeves. style tip: always pair black gingham with white. oh and the tassel earrings are pretty dang light, i own them in yellow styled here. #thatsallfolks.

side happenings: what was supposed to be a pretty quiet weekend ended up BUSY! in a really good way. i totally needed it. Friday evening was one of those "i am too old for this" kinda nights.. -- @bobschophouse & @greenlightsocial the VIP hidden bar (aka: Benny's room) with the one sided mirror is pretty dang cool. i can't remember the last time i stayed out/up until 3AM but my girl Michelle @stylebeacon was in town so what the hell! Saturday continued with my monthly facial at @hiatusspa (Hillary Robinson is my girl!) then checked out the 2nd Street White Linen Night downtown all to wake up at 6AM on Sunday for a "photoshoot" & brunch at my fave @countercafeatx -- the joe's special holds a special place in my heart. ha! here's to a productive week ahead! xx 

currently on my playlist: slow hands by Niall Horan

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the flutter sleeve polo dress

polo dress gone dressy. ha!  

i'm pretty sure this is my first polo dress! i think most polo dresses are casual pieces that are usually made of the typical polo material and can be worn with some comfy sneaks, but it was a whole nother case when this one arrived from @BananaRepublic. a dressy polo -- red with a lace overlay, scalloped hem, AND flutter sleeves (not to mention the subtle satin collar & buttons and the pockets!). gosh, you can't make it more feminine than that! my immediate styling thoughts; gold accessories. for a more fitted look, i cinched this with a gold belt that i had been eyeing #perfectopportunity. gold earrings, gold hardframe clutch and nude stiletto heels to complete this entire chic polo dress look. you should give it a try!

side BEAUTY ramblings: y'all know i'm a skincare nerd. i love talking about skincare & taking care of my skin as much as i love eating #whichisalot. i ran out of my SK-II facial treatment essence recently and started using @TATCHA's the essence. way better packaging and dispensing system than SK-II. their most recent product is the Violet-C Radiance Mask which i am super excited to try! also, @hourglass came out with a slim & refillable lipstick that looks like a stiletto heel.. which means i'll have to check out ASAP!

currently on my playlist: girl on fire by Alicia Keys (takin' it back old school)

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i always love a good artsy shot, thanks Katie!

dress c/o | Banana Republic flutter sleeve lace polo dress in red (wearing size small, also avail in light blue and navy) -- similar with scalloped details // similar in floral print // similar but solid // similar but striped // similar from J.Crew Factory
belt | ASOS metal waist belt in gold
shoes | Stuart Weitzman nudistsong in adobe patent (comes in different widths too!) -- similar // similar with lower heel // chunky heel version
bag | Kate Landry pyramid metal hardframe clutch (old) -- similar in a hexagon shape // similar // a cool marble one
earrings | Kendra Scott sophee textured drop earrings in gold -- smaller version
sunglasses | Le Specs savanna 51mm sunglasses in tortoise -- similar 
rings | Gorjana c/o shimmer stacking ring set // Gorjana amara ring set // Gorjana mini stackable ring set // Etsy stacking & midi rings // Gorjana candice CZ ring // BaubleBar ice chevron midi ring -- similar // BaubleBar tri bar ring (old) -- similar // Cassandra Collections c/o mini ring
watch | Michael Kors darci watch in gold

rock the polo dress,
JD

photo credit: Katie J Photography.
a post done in collaboration with Banana Republic. 
dress provided by Banana Republic, all opinions are my own. 

the striped off the shoulder dress

stripes + ots.

something about stripes and ruffles. i can't explain. if you remember this post with the ruffle one shoulder top & white denim -- it was probably one of my favorite ones this past spring. well i guess i had to have something similar in dress form, because we all know that summer dresses are my go-to (besides my v-neck white tee and running shorts combo haha!). although the off the shoulder on this isn't the best design, i couldn't resist because of the tiered ruffle and the length. #yestolongerlengths! it also has straps that you can tie in a bow on your shoulder as well. 

side happenings: one of my favorite jewelry brands @gorjana is having their summer sale! check it out, i am a fan of their dainty designs. especially their rings and necklaces -- DEEP discounts! i've been working on some exciting things with @bananarepublic & @henribendel. can't wait to share!! ps -- i'm still recovering from that soul cycle class. from. last. wednesday. #sendhelp.

currently on my playlist: wish i knew you by The Revivalists

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dress | LOFT meadow dress (sold out) -- current version w button detail // similar at $23 // similar at $48 // similar but midi length // similar by topshop
bag | J.Crew mini bucket bag in natural vachetta (old) -- similar
shoes | Target Merona marcella low block heel ankle strap sandals in tan (avail in three colors and such a staple, the perfect height too!!) // same but with a higher heel
earrings | Kendra Scott sophee textured drop earrings in gold -- smaller version
necklace | Anthropologie monogram pendant necklace -- similar 
sunglasses | Le Specs savanna 51mm sunglasses in tortoise -- similar 
rings | Gorjana c/o shimmer stacking ring set // Gorjana amara ring set // Gorjana mini stackable ring set // Etsy stacking & midi rings // Gorjana candice CZ ring // BaubleBar ice chevron midi ring -- similar // BaubleBar tri bar ring (old) -- similar 
bracelet | Nordstrom BP love knot cuff (old) -- similar by Kate Spade // similar off Etsy

photo credit: Brandon Hill

the lace off the shoulder top

olive + cream.

the off the shoulder top #OTS is such a fun summer one! a little skin never hurt anyone. i've talked about this before but most of the ones i own are not practical. you cannot move your arms around freely without your top riding up to your shoulders. if you're laughing you know exactly what i'm talking about. forget fixing your hair or giving someone a high five (insert sad face emoji). it wasn't until recently that i discovered the disconnected arm/sleeve OTS tops! now these are way way more comfortable!! it makes me want to get rid of the ones i currently own. anyways, this has set a new bar for OTS tops. 

this top comes from the cutest San Fran boutique called @morninglavender, owned by fashion blogger @laceandlocks. the boutique is filled with fresh, very feminine finds at affordable price points. it's also tax-free to Texas, FYI. 

side happenings: i tried my VERY FIRST spin class yesterday @soulcycle. holy hell. i knew it was going to be brutal, and it was. every. second. the good thing was that i survived (i mean i had to somehow, my feet were strapped to a bike. pedaling. no where). my instructor hit it pretty hard right off the bat and i was certain i wasn't going to make it five minutes in. needless to say i couldn't unclip myself from the bike, made a complete fool of myself, wobbled my way to Sprinkles Cupcakes, almost fell down some stairs, but i had the most energy afterwards and CANNOT wait to go back. it was such a great experience. loved the music, motivation and overall vibe!

currently on my playlist: the cure by Lady Gaga

well, i probably shouldn't iron at 6:30AM because clearly i need help or an eye exam. 

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the lilly pulitzer two piece

the two piece life.

recently, i had some interesting conversations about the romper from a male perspective. while i think they are a fun summer piece, i agree on the non-practical-ness of it, especially when you have to use the restroom. compared to jumpsuits, rompers tend to fit weird. so... enter the two piece. 

as you may know, color is not my go-to. for years i've seen so many GFs wear Lilly Pulitzer and it always looks good on them. me... not so much. until i found this! this is actually my first LP piece, or should i say two piece? ha. either way, i am a fan of the two piece life. like a romper, it takes the guessing out of which top or bottom to wear. in addition the material of this two piece is made of scuba, which is one of my favorite materials. the key is tasteful. a tasteful two piece is one that has a high-waisted bottom (um, hello this one has a cute ruffle detail on the shorts!) to show just a tiny bit of midriff. also, the likelihood of a two piece fitting better than a one piece is much much higher and way more practical. 

side happenings: met with the coolest chicks/brand last week @everlane which produces ethical clothing. they have an awesome slogan: know your factories. know your costs. always ask why. i cannot wait to work with them! the Nordstrom sale is still going strong, check out my latest post of tips & picks. as always, thanks for stopping by!

currently on my playlist: hideaway by Kiesza

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nordstrom anniversary sale

the sale of all sales.

if you haven't already heard, the Nordstrom anniversary sale has arrived! one of the largest sales of the year mainly due to the concept -- buy stuff for the upcoming season ON SALE now. after the sale is over, everything goes back to regular price. pretty easy! so instead of buying things on sale after the season is over and wearing it next year, you get to buy it now.

with that said, there is A LOT of hype with this sale. so here are some of my tips...

  • DO NOT. i repeat DO NOT buy it because everyone else is. number one mistake. 
  • leads to... do you really need it? if not, don't get it.
  • is it practical? example: why yes, i would love a suede moto jacket. but in Texas? not practical. plus i would spill something on it on day one.
  • need it immediately? you can choose the 'pick up in store' option if you don't feel like dealing with crowds and fitting room lines. they even have curbside service!!
  • when in doubt go for more basic items that you can see yourself wearing at work and on casual days. double the wear. 
  • no sure on size? get two. return one.

who | Nordstrom
what | major discounts off fall items and always FREE shipping & returns
when | 07/13/17 - 07/20/17 (early access for Nordstrom cardholders); 07/21/17 - 08/06/17 (for everyone else)
where | shop.nordstrom.com or in-store

after previewing a ton of merchandise and trying things on here are some of the things i would buy if i had a money tree. all after the jump.

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clothing //

beauty //

shoes & accessories //

happy #nsale shopping!,
JD

the white one shoulder midi & boater hat

summery whites.

nothing says summer like a casual white dress. they easily go with sandals -- heel/wedge or flat. but more importantly, they go with STRAW HATS. which.. if you haven't noticed... are my thing lately! yes, i've raved about @gigipip and this is their adjustable boater hat #itsperfect. specifically, this dress has the prettiest pleated detail at the top and a very elegant cinched waist that is tied in the back or side, oh and it has pockets! but it does have to be ironed -- FYI. #aintnobodygottimeforthat!

fact: i'm actually on the shy side. i really don't like being in front of the camera. #shocker. i would much rather be behind the camera but unfortunately, this fashion blog wouldn't exist with my name if i didn't actually "model" the clothes (using the term model veryyyy loosely there). that said, this was a really fun shoot. my first time shooting with Steven, who suggested a ton of different "poses" completely out of my comfort zone. it reminded me of what i've done to make myself feel uncomfortable every step of the way to have this site. basically, i laughed the whole way through, making a fool of myself, per usual = #goodtimes.

side ramblings: the @nordstrom anniversary sale kicks off this week to cardholders and it is one of the BIGGEST sales of the year for men and women! i will be attending some preview events by Nordstrom this week to get the inside scoop. so stay tuned! 

currently reading: a man called ove by Fredrick Backman

currently on my playlist: fall in love by Phantogram

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dress | Banana Republic one shoulder poplin dress in white (wearing size 2) -- similar from ASOS // similar w cutout // similar // similar w ruffles
hat | GIGI PIP faye boater hat -- similar
shoes | Target Merona marcella low block heel ankle strap sandals in tan (avail in three colors and such a staple, the perfect height too!!) // same but with a higher heel
bag | J.Crew Factory rattan clutch in natural pale gold -- similar
earrings | Kendra Scott sky earrings in white pearl (old) -- larger version // similar
sunglasses | Celine marta sunglasses in havana -- similar
rings | Gorjana c/o shimmer stacking ring set // Gorjana amara ring set // Gorjana mini stackable ring set // Etsy stacking & midi rings // Gorjana candice CZ ring // BaubleBar ice chevron midi ring -- similar // BaubleBar tri bar ring (old) -- similar // Cassandra Collections c/o mini ring
watch | Michael Kors darci watch in gold

rock the white dress,
JD

photo credit: Steven Gunter