Fairly Basic

I think if I had to pick one word to describe the most important thing to me in clothing, it would be comfort. That's what I was looking for this morning when I pulled out this gray dress. I added some fun touches with a leather belt and sequined shoes and was good to go.  Since this was a fairly basic color palette, I added some super fun teal bird earrings just to mix it up.

This week has just flown by, I'm a little shocked tomorrow is Friday. I'm also really excited because it means we are just 5 days away from our summer trip to Colorado. I am so excited for mountain air and seeing some of my best friends. It's going to be awesome!

Dress: Old Navy 

Belt: H&M

Shoes: Target 

Necklace: Target

Earrings: Target

Totes Profresh

It's Monday, and that means simple with a pop. A black dress, black wedges, and lovely new statement necklace made for the perfect easy Monday combo. Plus we were holding interviews in my office today, so looking professional and well put together was important. 

I found this lovely necklace over the weekend, and it just makes me so darn happy. I normally have a strict no Forever 21 policy, but I am willing to bend it for jewelry only.  I've been looking for a blue/green statement necklace for a while, but since I am not one to wear jewelry a lot, I didn't want to spend much. Enter a random trip to the mall and finding the perfect solution.

Necklace: Forever 21

Dress: Target
Belt: Lulu's 

Shoes: Target

TGIT

TGIT, is that a thing? It should be a thing if its not, because goodness lord am I glad its Thursday.  Even though its been a short work for me, its still been busy and I am so ready for Friday and my chill weekend. In honor of my TGIT state of mind, a simple outfit was the perfect plan. I'm having a little love affair with my skirts lately, and mixing my favorite little keys skirt with a simple stripped tee was perfect.

Today one of my coworkers commented that my hair looked awesome, I didn't really get it, but looking at these photos, now I do. If I do say so myself, I had a pretty great hair day!

On a totally different topic, you should get this purse. I got it for Christmas and I love it, its my every day go to bag. Obviously, the lovely Kendi knew this and she is now rocking a fabulous white version for spring, and my delightful friend Bijal also got one in teal. So really, join our cool kids club and get this bag!

 

Cardi: Target 

Top: Banana Republic 

Skirt & Belt: Target 

Shoes: Target 

Bag: Melie Bianco

Sunglasses: Spex Club

1970

Remember how I said my mama was a thrifting good luck charm? Well this skirt is proof. Based on my research its from the 1970s and I am in love!  Its got the perfect pleats, its a great length, and you can never have enough black skirts. I almost gave it to my mom, but we both felt it needed to find its home in my closet. I also found these great shoes this weekend and I can't think of anything better to wear this skirt with than these fab wedges.

Not only did we find awesome clothes on our thrift adventure, we also found the perfect tray for this project!  I've been wanting a chalkboard in our kitchen forever and was just waiting to find the right tray and obviously, it took my mama's keen eye to help me find it! We actually found 3 perfect trays, so I have a feeling I'll be making a chalkboard for work and for home!

Cardi: Target 

Top: Old Navy 

Skirt: Thirfted Vintage 

Belt: Ruche

Shoes: Madden Girl via TJ Maxx

April Fool's Baby

There are a few things in this life that I can just never pass up, a cup of coffee is one of them, burnt orange dresses are another.When I saw this lovely little dress, I knew it needed to be mine, it has work functions and football games written all over it. If you live in Austin and you bleed orange, I suggest you get yourself to Target ASAP, something tells me this dress will be gone in a flash, and that something is the multiple ladies at my office who are heading there to pick up their own right now.



I had a lovely and productive weekend. A clean house, fresh baked goods, and a fully planted garden. It was also Miss Petunia Jean's first birthday! She's an April fool's baby, so we had a little doggy celebration complete with peanut butter papaya ice cream. It was great, even if I can't quite believe my tiny tunes is now a year old.


Dress: Target
Belt: Ruche
Earrings: Target
Wedges: Target (last summer)

Paprika

We're holding interviews in my office this week, so that means lots of dressing a little more professional than normal. Since I don't really own a suit, for me that translates to black with fun accents. Hence, my current go to black skirt and a polka dot blouse. Simple, business appropriate, and still fun.



Does anyone have any favorite recipes involving paprika? My mother-in-law just got back from Budapest and brought us an awesome assortment of paprika. I'd love to find new things to make using it, so if you have a suggestion please share. Hopefully at our next beer tasting, I'll also have something delicious and paprika-y for folks to enjoy!


Top: Jason Wu for Target
Skirt: Old Navy
Belt: From a Lulu's dress
Wedges: Target

'Ello

This is the dress I got from LuLu's at the Texas Style Council Swap. I've never been inclined to make a purchase from Lulu's, but after seeing some of their pieces in person, I might be able to look past their terrible website styling and purchase some things. For now though, I will enjoy this adorable dress. I wore it to work with black flats and a black cardi, but for our evening walk with the pup, it was so lovely that no cardi was needed and Toms were far more comfortable.





Can we talk about this random phone booth for a moment. Its in our neighbors yard, a block down or so from our house. Its real, like I think they might have stole it off the street real, and has a no trespassing sign inside of it. Why they have done this, we have no idea, but it seemed like an appropriate place to take photos.
I went strawberry picking this weekend, so I'm off to prep strawberries for freezing and decide which kind of pie or cobber I'm going to make!


Dress (came with belt): Lulu's
Shoes: Toms
Earrings: Target

Terrifically Tall

Over the weekend I found these great wedges at Target. I can't explain it, but they were the only pair in the store, in my size, and on sale for $8, yet online they are still full price. I'm pretty sure this pair was destined for my closet. I am not normally a lady who wears 5 inch heels, but I figured for the price, I could take the chance. They were actually fairly comfortable but then again I spent most of my day sitting at my desk sorting data. Maybe next time I'll be brave and try them out on a busy day.



This evening we went to Lowe's after I got home from work. Its time to begin gardening here in Central Texas and we're really excited about it this year. We finally have a yard to spread out in a bit, so we're going big. I can't wait for delicious tomatoes, peppers, herbs, onions, and lettuce, basically its going to be awesome! I also decided I'd try potting geraniums this year, so hopefully I'll have pretty hanging pots of flowers in a few months!

Cardi: Target
Top: Banana Republic Outlet
Skirt: Target
Belt: Target
Wedges: Target
Necklace: In Pink

Perfect Pop of Spring

Today I wanted to hang out with an old favorite, so my trusty black wrap dress it was. I love the simplicity and versatility of this dress. I felt really put together and professional, yet it took me less than 2 minutes to get dressed. I found this scarf last week at, of all places, Walmart. I ran in for Reese's and came out with 2 scarves. I can't ever turn down a row of pretty scarves and well, pink roses just seemed to be the perfect pop of spring I didn't know I was looking for, plus it was $3.



I hope everyone had a lovely St. Patrick's Day! I dressed in my most favorite rainbow striped top and went to Target were I bought a really great owl lawn ornament and some shoes. I also met up with my lovely friend, Caitlin, for a delicious Guinness. Which was then followed by a late night pie run. I think from now on I shall celebrate every St. Patrick's day with chocolate cream pie and Guinness. I believe my many Irish relatives would certainly approve.


Dress: Target
Belt: Target
Scarf: Walmart (sorry mom)
Bracelets: Target and Stella & Dot
Shoes: Target

Spring Break for Elephants

This was suppossed to be my Saturday outfit for Texas Style Council, however, there was rain, lots and lots of rain. So to celebrate the sun and that everyone else in Austin is on Spring break I wore the outfit today. I first fell in love with this dress when it was for sale at Bloom, but I waited until I got home to purchase and by that time it had sold out in my size. I was a sad panda but then Ruche had the same dress, and as soon as I saw it, I grabbed it. I've had thing for elephants since I was a little girl, so it was only natural that I add a pink and purple elephant print dress to my wardrobe.



So I've been thinking about dying my hair. I used to dye it all the time, but then stopped for about 8 years. In November I died it a dark brown, which has been great for the winter. However, now that I'm letting it grow again (I'll be honest, I really miss being able to do a proper blogger bun) I'm thinking about dying it this awesome auburn but I'm still not sure. Every time I see photos of my hair in the sunlight I get the itch to switch it up, so stay tuned, eventually I'll make up my mind.


Dress: Ruche
Belt: Target
Shoes: Toms
Sunglasses: Spex Club which is now apparently Lookmatic?
Bracelet: Stella & Dot (thanks Whitney!)

Saving Time

Happy daylight savings time! Normally I'm not a fan, but now a time change means no rushing for blog photos in the morning! Yay! It also means an increase in Petunia on the blog and we could all use a little more Petunia in our lives.
This dress is my new favorite Hunt.Gather.Style piece. Not only is it super cute with polka dots and paisley but its American made, complete with union made tag still on the collar! Also, I feel totally librarian-ish in it, and I LOVE that!



As I mentioned previously, I spent this weekend at the Texas Style Council conference, it was a wonderful weekend full of fashion, shopping, networking, learning, blog talk, and rain. I made some wonderful new friends (Hi Julie & Sara!) and got to see a few of my favorite people (Hi Kendi & Bryan) I have so many ideas and new goals for this little blog and I cannot wait to put them all into action. For now, please bare with me as we switch over to a .com (the comments will be wonky until that is all figured out)

Dress: Vintage via Hunt.Gather.Style
Belt: Target
Shoes: Ruche

Lady Leopard

Trying to keep with my goal of wearing things in my closet that I love but haven't worn a lot, I felt today was the perfect day for my Jason Wu skirt. Goodness is this skirt great. I feel so girly and put together when I wear it. I wish it came in a million colors (hear that Target, hint hint) I would wear it every day if I could I think.



I need to give a HUGE thank you to my amazing husband tonight. Right after I got home he sat on our bed and gave me feed back on ALL of my TX Style Council outfit and helped me figure it all out. He is a wonderful man and I am a lucky girl. Now I'm off to eat delicious pasta that he made!

Cardi: Target
Top: H&M
Skirt: Jason Wu for Target
Belt: Ruche

Flats: Target

Old stand by

I'll admit with TX Style Council coming up I am holding a lot of outfits on reserve, yet every time I go into my closet and see them they are all I can think about. Since I can't wear them yet, I end up feeling stumped. Luckily this morning I was able to fall back on an old staple and pulled out my favorite LBD. Thank heavens for belts and cardis for adding interest and color.



Tonight we're starting on our new spring goal of a trailer a week. One of the best things about living in Austin is all of the amazing food trailers around town. We've made it our goal that we will eat at one delicious restaurant on wheels a week, from now until it gets too hot to eat outside before 9pm (I'm guessing this will be about mid May.) We're starting off right with Eastside King, it's Paul Qui's trailer and man am I excited for beat fries and beef tongue!

Cardi: Target
Dress: Target
Belt: H&M
Flats: Target