Clogs for Spring

February 2018

Going back to my roots today! Which means…dressing in an ultra cozy, boho vibe. Growing up in Austin means it’s pretty much in my blood to dress casual for every occasion…and I’ve got no complaints there! It’s one of my favorite things about living here – you never feel pressured to get super dolled up. Barely-there makeup, second day hair (…that’s what hats are for! 😉 ), some free flowing layers and a fabulous pair of clogs…can you tell I am so ready for spring? Side note: it was 75 degrees when we shot this post, which makes me sooo happy! (Warm enough to order an iced beverage…#yaaas). Austin weather, you are totally CRAY but I sure do love you for providing a little sunshine this week.
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thermal top – UO (wearing xs) / jeans- MADEWELL / cardigan – SOLE SOCIETY / hat- BRIXTON / shoes – SOLE SOCIETY / handbag – SOLE SOCIETY

The Ultimate Avocado Toast

February 2018

By Jessica Lee

As we inch closer to the weekend, we’re craving everyone’s favorite trendy meal…avo toast. There’s a reason why it’s so popular, and LL food contributor Jessica Lee is spilling the details on her ultimate avocado toast recipe, plus why it’s about to be your new favorite (easy-to-make-at-home-meal), too…

Camel Crush

February 2018

Ohh this camel coat…I just can’t get enough! I wasn’t so sure it’d be put to proper use living in Austin, however, it has proven to become a go-to in my wardrobe (…thanks to a rare, cold Texas winter!). While I am SO over the cold and very ready for spring everything (mostly sunshine…ohh how I miss that Vitamin D fix!), I am secretly still loving getting to wear all these beautiful layers. Needless to say, it’s been fun to enjoy winter styling this season!
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coat – J. CREW / jeans – LEVI’S / shoes – (old Forever21) similar FREE PEOPLE / handbag – CHLOE / sweater – FREE PEOPLE

Road Trip Through Iceland

February 2018

Hello friends! Ohh the long anticipated Iceland travel diary is finally HERE! In November, I partnered with the wonderful Noken to create a promo video for their OFFICIAL launch! In a nutshell, Noken curates incredible end-to-end trips through Iceland (…and now Colombia, too!) and yes…they do ALL the work (hotels, rental cars, itinerary) and you just get to soak up the magic of this stunning country. I grabbed my two best friends, Elissa & Ben (…y’all probably know them very well by now – my besties since age 15…the best travel trio!) and we ventured to Iceland for a week of road trip bliss starting in Reykjavik and through southern Iceland. To say this was the trip of a lifetime is truly an understatement…I have never seen SO much vast beauty in one country. From driving on an open road (…with no one in sight for miles!) and a changing terrain every 20 minutes (…one minute you’re in a white powdered snow globe, the next in a mossy green lava field) to hiking on a glacier and looking out on giant pieces of ice in the middle of a black sand beach…Noken curated the most magnificent trip!

Sharing more about what we did, as well as a Noken discount code for LL readers (jump on this one, y’all – they plan THE BEST trips!) and the video at the end of this post!
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My Valentine’s Day Top Picks

February 2018

What’s on your Valentine’s Day wish list? Jewelry, candles, a silk pillowcase perhaps? (Psst, this pillowcase has amazing reviews and that color is TOO cute!). Blake and I generally keep things pretty simple to celebrate the day – we get each other a sweet gift and card, then make dinner together and cuddle up to a movie at home. He has never been one to love the gift shopping experience, so I make it extra easy and send him a few options (…and he does the same for me). At the top of my list? …Well, really any of these gorgeous goodies listed above! I’ve been eyeing that pretty necklace (#2) for over a year now, though…hey Blake, hint hint! 😉

1 – SEZANE TIGER HANDBAG / 2 – MISSOMA NECKLACE / 3 – SLIP SILK PILLOWCASE / 4 – URBAN OUTFITTERS JUMPER / 5 – SEZANE SNEAKERS / 6 – RATTAN HANDBAG / 7 – ZOE CHICCO DIAMOND EARRINGS / 8 – VOLUSPA CANDLE

Travel Diary: Australia

February 2018

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Hello, mates! (…just a little something I picked up in Australia… 😉 ). This is probably my favorite travel diary to date because OMG Australia was jaw-drop stunning. I’d seen the Pinterest photos and heard the rave reviews from my traveling friends (…flight attendants seem to know best!) and they were 110% correct. Australia is heaven on earth. Kind (and happy!) people, unworldly beaches, the cutest summer clothing and fabulous metropolitan cities throughout. We visited Melbourne for the first three days of our trip, then finished out with a full week in Sydney. My best friend Elissa is a flight attendant for Delta, so we grabbed our other galpal Valerie (also a flight attendant) and decided to trek across the world for 10 days in paradise. Though the 15 hour plane ride is brutal (sharing my tips for this lengthy flight further into this post), as soon as we stepped our feet into the Sydney sand, it was all worth it.
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Outfit details: WHITE SHORTS (wearing size 25) / OTS STRIPED TOP / BIKER SHORTS + CROP TOP SPORTS BRA / HIGH WAIST BIKINI (mine is last season HERE, linking to this years and it’s SO CUTE. Wearing XS in both top + bottoms) / MY FAVORITE WALKING SHOES (give yourself time to break them in!) / STRIPED BIKINI (wearing size US6, I am normally a 0/2 in suits and this brands runs teeny!)

Curry Cauliflower Soup

February 2018

By Jessica Lee

Austin weather has been all over the place lately. A few days ago I was walking to work, and it was lovely on the way in. I was wearing a light jacket and felt great as I crossed the pedestrian bridge over Lady Bird Lake, listening to my current favorite podcast My Favorite Murder (any other murderinos out there?). Cut to 5pm and I was FREEZING as I walked home. I may need to take Olivia’s advice and work on my layering skills…

Needless to say, cold weather always leaves me craving soup. The beauty of this Curry Cauliflower Soup is that you probably already have most of the ingredients on hand. I almost always pick up cauliflower at the store because I love the nutty taste that comes out when you roast it. Pair that with the zip of curry and turmeric, and you’ve got a really delicious, warming soup. Enjoy!

Texture Mix

January 2018

If you’ve been following me for a while, you may have noticed that I have a slight obsession with all things camel, tan and cognac. When I look at my shoe shelf, it’s 90% tan and 10% black and olive – clearly, I’ve got a thing for earth tones and neutrals. I feel like browns are such approachable hues and soften a wardrobe (I love black but sometimes feel like it comes across as too harsh and not feel quite as “me”), while also making it easier to mix and match for years to come.

Recently I’ve been stepping outside my comfort zone when it comes to styling and I love it. Wearing a summer handbag with a corduroy skirt (…a very wintery texture) and cozy sweater may not have been something I’d thought to do last year (…or perhaps that I thought was style faux pas?)…but last week I tried it on in the mirror, liked it and said, done! I’m working on dressing for me and wearing what I feel good in, regardless of what others may think or what’s seasonally acceptable in the fashion world…and I gotta say, it feels good!
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skirt – URBAN OUTFITTERS / sweater – URBAN OUTFITTERS / handbag – ETSY / shoes – similar TOPSHOP (mine are old) / neck scarf – MADEWELL / sunglasses – RAY BAN

Tiny Moments of Happiness

January 2018

Artwork by Kimberlee.

As we enter the thick of January, I am holding my “word to live by in 2018” close to my heart – b a l a n c e. Which means focusing on the good in life and keeping my cool and taking deep breaths when I begin to feel overwhelmed. I’ve realized that there are SO many small moments of joy that take place throughout the day and it’s easy to take them for granted. But you know what? Those tiny moments of happiness sure do add up and bring a big smile to my face when I think about them.

I love how artwork can share an unspoken message, so my sister and LL contributor Kimberlee illustrated a few of our most beloved happy instances. From “me time” to motherhood (ohh that special bond between mother and child!) and something as simple as scoring a front row parking spot, here are a few of our favorites…
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Our Patio Renovation Plans

January 2018

New year, new projects for our little abode and we are especially excited about this one! Living in Austin means spending lots of time outdoors…so creating an inviting patio space is number one on our renovation list in 2018 – just in time for spring. Though the weather is freezing this week, Blake and I are daydreaming about warm, sunny days where we can leave the back doors wide open and Watson can run to and from the house…while we sip a cold beer and read a good book…can you tell we are SO ready for this?!

We have a wonderful contractor team making our dream patio renovation come to life (I’ll share more about who we are working with in the before/after reveal post) and it’s been so fun to scour Pinterest (and Google Images) to help visually explain the look we’re going for (…as seen above!). Our reno plans are moving along and it should all be completed in about a month…can’t wait to share more as we make some progress!