freaking cool

i go through stages with earrings. i used to be all about stud earrings (the bigger the better!) and then some dangly ones caught my eye. 

as i was getting dressed for work the other day, i realized that it might be time to add a few new ones to my collection. a lot of the ones i purchased from j crew have fallen apart (GREAT QUALITY GUYS!) and i've managed to lose a few pairs here and there. 

the earrings i have my eye on these days are the best of both (all?) worlds: large, clustery and a little bit funky. i especially like the ones that sit on the lobe in a different way.

see what you think, below. 

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
5| 6 | 7 | 8

OF COURSE the ones i like the best are the most expensive. 

but any one of these guys would be a welcome addition. 

friday finds xi

i'm so glad it's friday.

the weather's gorgeous, the sun is out and i'm just feeling happy today.

if you want to pick up a little something this weekend, here's some wallet-friendly ways to do it.

water bottles | print | cards | top | necklace | shower curtain

that print would be adorable in the kitchen. and how comfy does that shirt look?

my shower curtain is getting a little old. this striped one is looking like the perfect replacement.

have a wonderful weekend!

just drop it

chandelier/drop earrings are everywhere right now. i see it as a natural progression from these cluster earrings and larger-than-average studs. 

oscar de la renta and dannijo both have some pretty major ear wear in this style right now. but since most people can't afford those price points, i found a bunch of equally dazzling pairs you can grab.

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8

the thing i like about this new breed of dangly earrings is that they have a post backing. they're not the kind that hook through your ear and weigh down your earlobe.

my third grade teacher used to wear these enormously long and heavy earrings and i remember always looking at her earlobe and how long and stretched out it looked. shudder.

these would be great to pair with a little black dress for the upcoming holiday party season. they'd be fun for new year's eve or could be paired nicely with a black turtleneck for the office.

friday finds x

i don't usually make the friday finds posts themed. i just kept finding a lot of black, white and gold stuff that i liked and that fit the under-fifty bill.

we make pizza at home a few times a month, and having a pizza peel has been a game changer since we use a stone. the crust has never been better. 

here's a few other items i liked this week.

shoes | pizza peel | clutch | dress | cuff | cups

if i wasn't almost 9 months pregnant, that dress would be mine. i love the abstract pattern.

_ _ _

here's to another beautiful september weekend in dc. 70s and no humidity. ahhhh.

happy friday!

friday finds ix

right now, i'm in florida for one last vacation this summer. 

we've packed a lot of travel in this season, mostly because next summer our lives will be a lot different with a kid in tow.

anyways, i wanted to leave you with a few fun things you might wanna pick up. i've been eyeing that madewell ring all summer and now it's on sale. score.

cookbook | blouse | utensils | ring | tank | candleholders

if you're traveling for labor day, hope it goes well. if you're local and staying in town, get a croissant. 

i'll be back in town tuesday night so you won't be hearing from me until wednesday. 

have a great weekend!

extra large

i've mentioned here how i prefer larger stud/post earrings instead of dainty ones.

turns out, even the ones i had in that post weren't large enough for my taste. i blame extremely deceptive imagery on their website. on the model's ears, they look huge. but in person, they're barely a half inch. 

rude.

either way, i'm still loving big, bold studs and these are some of my favorites. they all happen to be in the same gold, grey-ish and white color palette, but that's just by coincidence.

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6

i also couldn't find the measurements for two of the asos pair, but they appear to be larger than normal. so if you're really set on having gigantic earrings, i'd buy these with caution so you don't make the same mistake i did. 

and if those diamond earrings were around when i got married, they woulda been my wedding day pair (i wore these if you're curious.) 

just gorgeous. 

friday finds vii

just a few things i saw this week that caught my eye. and for less than fifty bucks, can you really say no?

jacket | rings | coin bank | coasters | french press | cake stand

and that french bulldog coin bank?

stop it. you stop it right now.

that cake stand is from fab.com. if you need an invitation, here you go.

_ _ _

have the best weekend!

intergalactic

i'm not into sci-fi. i've never seen star wars. that's just never been an area of interest to me. 

so when nanette lepore sent her models down the runway wearing these shiny, metallic, futuristic pieces, i wasn't sure what to think.

to tell you the truth, i'm still not sure what i think. but, clothing and accessory trends have surprised me in the past and i'm always willing to give things a chance. even if they seem a little...out there at first. ha.

dress | ipad case | clutch | watch | pouch | polish | necklace | flats

the easiest way to dive into this style is to pretty up your finger nails with some space-age polish. i think for me, i'd be most likely to wear that watch. and maybe that dress if i had the right occasion.

hey, even zac posen is getting in on this.

i can't decide if this is totally tacky or kinda fun but i like to see new things in the fashion world.

friday finds VI

more cool stuff for less than fifty bucks comin atcha today!

earrings | flats | vase | lights | notebook | purse

those pendant lights are a steal at only $9.99. how cool would they look in your house or apartment?

_ _ _

it's the last weekend in july already. make it a good one!

friday finds V

on this gloomy, humid dc friday, here are six things i'm loving. all are less than fifty bucks, and i especially love the size of those earrings. i like my post earrings to be on the larger side and these fit the bill nicely.

shorts | wooden herb labels | necklace | earrings (also available here) | planter | passport cover

hope your weekend is refreshing. 

i'm trying out this place after months of saying "i really need to go".

dressing for the fourth

well, since this was in my head all day yesterday (who knows why), it got me thinking about the fourth of july.

here's a whole mess of red, white and blue items to get in the spirit of things.

and if you're local, these pieces would be pretty cute to wear to nats games.

red: dress | shorts | shoes | clutch | sunglasses | necklace
white: dress | necklace | sandals | earrings | shirt
blue: swimsuit | peplum top | dress | belt | coin purse | earrings

a few things to note: first, when i found those red sunglasses, my eyes just sorta glazed over the $400-plus price tag. don't spend that much. these are cute, too. 

also, that bikini top is cute, but i don't advise wearing that to a nats game. ;)

_ _ _

get your sparklers ready. the summer seems to go by super fast and the fourth will be here before you know it. 

friday finds III

it's payday for me today, and i'm thinking about treating myself to something new.

here's six summery finds for you, all $50 or less. 

blouse | shades | bag | necklace | face wash | belt

any fun plans for the weekend?

i'm planning to go see this and eat here for starters.

i'm also diggin this heat wave. sizzle sizzle.

happy friday!

friday finds II

well, i did this last friday and had fun putting it together, so i thought i'd do another one.

i really wanted to keep it less than $50 because that's just such a nice arbitrary cutoff, but i saw those wedges on sale for $59.99 and had to up this one to less than $60.

still works, right? 

shoes | earrings | dress | watering can | giraffe | framed illustration

and if that isn't the coolest watering can i've ever seen...jeez. puts all other ones to shame.

_ _ _

if you have monday off, enjoy the long weekend!

and if you have netflix, let's all hope it doesn't crash the second arrested development is available to watch.

loren hope

i've fallen hard for loren hope's really amazing line of jewelry. 

all of the statement necklaces out there were starting to look way too similar (i'm looking at you, j crew bubble necklace and its many many imitators) and i was really craving something fresh, modern and fun.

i think this smart line of accessories really fits that description, and i've selected a few of my favorites below.

1 | 2 | 3

1 (as seen here) | 2 | 3

1 | 2

these pieces are special and they're some of the coolest looking jewelry (for a pretty affordable price) i've seen in quite a while.

three cheers for something new.

sale time

i'm a dress lover.

in every season, really. 

but spring's warmer temperatures make wearing dresses even more fun.

_ _ _

there's some decent sales* happening right now, and so i rounded up a few of my favorite dresses that are comfortable, affordable, and almost universally flattering.

get em while you can...

zara* not technically on sale, but i just liked it | madewell 

also, i don't usually go for full-length numbers, but these two from piperlime caught my eye. they'd be perfect for a plane trip and could easily be made more chic with some fun, simple accessories and a cute bag.

i also like that these pieces are pretty perfect for these transitional temperature days we're about to face: not hot, not cold, just somewhere in the middle.

1 | 2 | 3 | 4

happy (almost) spring!

bring on spring

this is the third day in a row that i've talked about spring.

can you tell i'm excited?

i actually haven't been shopping in a while so i was thinking it's probably time to add some new warmer weather items to my closet.

even better?

all of these are less than $100.

time to hit the stores

from top: jacket | chambray shirt | sleeveless equipment blouse | skirt
earrings | sandals | necklace | shades

i can't wait for longer days, sunshine and pretty blooms.

oh. and leaves on trees. i'm so sick of the sticks in the sky look that the bare trees have.

cluster struck

remember these awesome ear cuffs?

well, oversized cluster earrings kinda give off the same vibe. 

and these funky statement makers keep it classy.

while some are still a little pricey (oh, oscar), there's lots of reasonably priced options out there too.

i love how these pieces combine different shapes, sizes and colors too.

from top: 1 |2 | 3 | 4 | 5 

1 | 2 | 3 | 4

i used a gift card to purchase those red ones and i have been wearing them all the time. almost too often because they work with so many things.

maybe i should just buy another pair.

off the cuff

remember when i was talking about fancy earring backs?

here's another new idea for your ears: ear cuffs.

not this kind of cuff (those always look equal parts painful and dangerous), but i'm talking about something elegant and daring like these guys below.

1 | 2 | 3

now they're not cheap. i don't even know if i'd shell out the money for one right now, but i bet we'll be seeing more of these at lower price points this spring and into summer.

and i always love a new shape, a new idea in jewelry. if you wanna see how it looks on the ear, you can see pictures here.

i love a little bad ass-ness and these earrings bring it. 

back that ring up

somewhere along the way, jewelry makers decided to mess with earring backs.

these vital -- yet overlooked/unappreciated -- components of ear candy haven't changed much over the years, even as earrings have evolved and changed with the times.

making the earring back part of the look instead of a silent partner is something that's never occurred to me. so thanks to the fine people who came up with these numbers:

polyvore set here

i purchase new earrings a couple times of year. it's something i buy frequently. and i have never heard of anything reversible until now. 

brilliant.

and hey. even if no one but you notices your fancy new lobes, it's something special. and looking good from every angle never hurts either.

chain gang

a coworker of mine wore a chain link necklace with a simple sheath dress the other day and i really liked the way it looked on her. i like jewelry with a bit of a tougher edge, and these in-your-face pieces are really doing it for me right now.

1 | 2 (sold out) | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 

i'd pair these necklaces with a high scoop neck dress, making sure that there isn't too much else going on (cowl neck, pleating, zipper/leather detail work) so the necklace can truly be the focus.

as for the title of this post? it's the only thing i could think of when i looked at these guys, but that song has got to be in my top ten least favorite of all time ever. that and anything that lenny kravitz has ever played.

and now i'm way off topic.

chain necklaces, guys. check em out.