Best of 2013: Clothes

It's so hard to believe 2013 is almost over! I've been reminiscing on the past year a lot lately and honestly, 2013 treated me pretty well. There's always ups and downs but this has definitely been one of the best years form me thus far! It's so weird to think next year I'll be halfway done with my first year of law school and living in unknown city (as of now). So many changes! Since clothes are one of my biggest passions (I would argue that shopping is a hobby, maybe even a sport) I decided to compile a list of all my favorite clothes I've gotten within the past year.

1. The first item is SO easy. My roommates and I call this dandy "the magic sweater." I have never been so obsessed with an item of clothing like this sweater. I own three out of the four colors, only because I haven't been able to find the fourth color in my size. On the hanger it looks pretty ordinary but I picked it up because it was so incredibly soft. The second I tried it on, I was sold. It's THE perfect oversized sweater and surprisingly so flattering on. It's long enough to wear with leggings (love) so that's what I pair it with as well as a scarf and riding or combat boots. Seriously the easiest outfit to throw together, I probably wear that combo at least twice a week. I buy my sweaters from a store in Minnesota called Len but I found it online and that's actually less expensive too. I have the black, grey, and navy ones! If you're in need a sweater, I would highly recommend this one. I believe Nordy's also sells this brand but I couldn't find the exact sweater on their website.

2. I'm a pretty avid riding boot fan but I invested in these babies this fall and could not be happier with them. I feel like the combat boot trend kind of hit last year but every single shoe store and department store started carrying them this year. I found it difficult to find a pair that was different than the one (Steven Madden) pair I saw literally everyone wearing. Finally I found this pair at Aldo and fell in love with the dark burgundy color. I wear a lot of black and grey so I thought these would be a nice pop of color for my wardrobe. I loved this pair from Aldo as well but I already have a few pairs of boots in that color. I've had a lot of fun incorporating these combat boots into my wardrobe!

3. Every girl needs a little black dress and I stumbled upon this classic at Nordstrom Rack. I've always been a fan of Diane von Furstenberg but this was my first DVF purchase! Her clothes are absolutely beautiful and so well made, which usually means they're out of my price range. I certainly wasn't looking for a LBD but it was so gorgeous and I knew this style of dress would look great on. This is why I generally don't try something on if it's out of my price range because I guarantee, it will ALWAYS look amazing. Definitely was an investment to say the least but it was worth the splurge and because it's such a classic, I know I'll have it for a long time.

4. I've never been much of a watch person but that has certainly changed this year. Another steal from Nordstrom Rack, I wear this Kate Spade watch everyday now. I actually wear more gold jewelry than silver, I think gold is making comeback :) I like pairing it with other bracelets and it's pretty much an essential to my wardrobe now. A black Kate Spade watch is next on my list! Please and thanks Santa.

5. This one is easy too. I really hate jeans, HATE them. They're terribly uncomfortable. I do think leggings are pants (as long as your butt is covered) and I wear leggings wayyy more than I wear jeans...until now. These are the softest pair of jeans I've ever worn and if I didn't know better, I would think they were pajama jeans. Super flattering on too so that's just another plus! I got this pair of Hudson's at a boutique in my hometown and I don't think I'll ever be able to wear a different pair of jeans again. Since I don't wear jeans that often, it's hard for me to justify paying $189 per pair (mine were 50% off at the boutique). Nordstrom Rack and Off Saks Fifth Avenue are usually my go to for designer jeans and they do carry Hudson's but I've yet to find a pair as soft as mine. Hopefully if I keep looking, I'll find another pair!

Side note: I also recently discovered AG Jeans and they are wonderful. I got this pair from (surprise, surprise) Nordstrom Rack, didn't realize how obsessed with that store I was! The olive color looks great with all my black/grey/cream tops. The material is a stretch sateen so they're soft, almost velvety, and unbelievable comfortable. Didn't realize comfort was such a stable for me either! I'd definitely recommend trying Hudson or AG for denim if you're looking for a new brand.

That pretty much sums up my favorites from 2013! I guess these are all more fall and winter clothes but it's hard to even remember wearing summer clothes right now! I am looking forward to Spring Break when I can break out my Lilly, colored denim, whites, and Jacks though :)

Merry Christmas everyone! Hope everyone is enjoying the holidays.

Xoxo,

rFe

Spirit jersey obsession

One of my latest obsessions within the past month or so has been spirit jerseys! I've seen them all over Pinterest and I know they're booming in the South right now but the trend hasn't quite hit up here yet. It's coming though! Just slowly...Anyway, I'm purchasing coordinator for my sorority so when a friend on campus contacted me about ordering the jerseys, I was totally on board! I got great feedback from the chapter and I finally worked out all the details so these babies should be arriving in 2 - 3 weeks! I couldn't be more excited to get them! They're everything I want in a shirt: oversized, comfy, and super cute. Not to mention, think of all the great picture opportunities these present :) haha any other sorority girls out there have a spirit jersey? And do you love them?!

That's all for now! Back to studying for me...

xoxo,

rFe

Fall finds!

As quickly as fall is approaching, I can't help but feel sooo much excitement about the upcoming season! I love everything about fall - school starts, it's football season, the weather is gorgeous, but most importantly I LOVE fall clothes. The layering, scarf, and boot possibilities are endless! I'm always looking at Pinterest to get ideas for future outfits.

I seriously live to wear riding boots, they go with everything! Another fall favorite of mine is wearing dresses and tights. I have a pair of cashmere tights that are to die for :) I highly suggest them y'all. Mine are Betsey Johnson from Nordstrom Rack and they were like $12! Easily worth the luxurious feeling I get when I wear them. Last year I wore my over the knee, Vince Camuto boots pretty much everyday. As a result of that, they've gotten pretty beat up so I've had to invest in another pair...

Cue Frye boots. I've been obsessed with Frye boots ever since I discovered this magical place I like to call Nordstrom's shoe department. Not only are they great quality boots but they are SO cute. They are however, ridiculously expensive. They finally went on sale enough during this year's Nordstrom Anniversary Sale that I could justify buying them. Aren't they amazing?!

Another fall essential is a great trench. I got my black one last year from the Banana Republic Factory Store for a steal of about $20! I think they're so classic and again, look great with riding boots! Since I wore mine so much last year, I wanted to get another this year but a little bit thicker (mine's particularly thin). I didn't want black either, khaki was option until I saw this gorgeous trench at Banana while I was working. 

The burgundy color looks so good on and I think it will be a really popular color this fall. I also love that it's a little shorter than traditional trenches. I'm pretty thin so those usually overwhelm my figure too much. Ahh I'm just in love with this coat :)

Next on my fall list: a pair of good flats! I'm thinking Tory's... As always, let me know what you think! I love love love hearing from y'all!

xoxo,

rFe

Product Review: BR Softwashes

Happy Thursday my lovely readers! I'm dedicating this post to my latest obsession, men's softwash shirts. Yes, they're men shirts and from Banana Republic obviously! Now from time to time, when the mall isn't exactly hopping (Monday nights) I find myself folding endlessly for hours. Once that gets boring, I do what I do best, shop. It's dangerous for me to work retail! ;) I recently happened upon the men's softwash shirts and I'm not kidding you these are THE softest shirts EVER. I'm hooked. I love the little bit looser fit, they're perfect for whenever I want to go a little bit casual. Seriously though, I wish I had a boyfriend just so I could buy these for him and then take them haha.

I also love all the adorable colors the tee comes in. I have the purple one pictured above and I've been meaning to buy another one, I just can't decide what color! I'm thinking maybe a basic white since I tend to wear them with my bright norts! What do y'all think? Which colors do you like best?

If you haven't seen these shirts before go check them out! I promise they won't disappoint :)

xoxo,

rFe

Lilly planners & coupon codes!

I'm anxiously awaiting the arrival of my Lilly planner! I swear by my planner, it keeps me organized and helps me keep track of all my events for school, sorority, tennis, and work! I love all the options for the Lilly planners this year, it was so hard to pick one! I opted for the Soft Cover Agenda mainly because I'm in love with Multi Floral Punch print :) It's exactly the same as the Large Agenda but it has a plastic cover so it's a little bit lighter in weight - never a bad thing!

I'm also very excited about the sticker packs (I'm such a kid at heart). Now somehow I stumbled upon a coupon code that allowed me to get free shipping whooo! Since this was the first time I've ordered from the Lilly site (surprising but I tend to use Preppy Princess more) I got to use the code "welcome" at the check out. If this isn't your first time ordering from their site, I'd try using a different email and maybe it'll work. The second code I have is "ohshift" which you can type in to get a free keychain! I love saving money almost as much as I love spending it :)

Who's ordered their Lilly planners already?! And which style/print did you get?

xoxo,

rFe

Travel Essentials: Part 1

So I know I've been relatively absent lately but I've been traveling so much! I figured this presented a great opportunity for me to do a post about all of my travel essentials. There's way too many things I love for traveling to put into one post so I'll be doing two! Part 1 will be all essential suitcases/bags/totes that make my trips a little less stressful and are just all around life savers.

1. Vera Bradley Large Duffel Bag - this duffel is the perfect weekend bag. I don't like to use large rolling suitcases when I'm only going somewhere for a weekend, they're just inconvenient and heavy. What I love about the duffel (besides the obvious - it's adorable) it that it fits SO much stuff in it. I'm a notorious over-packer so having a lot of space is ideal for me. It's also easy to carry around, it has large straps that easily go over your shoulder. Lastly, it's bright, cute, and looks great in the backseat of my car :) I'll make a note that I use this duffel for weekend road trips only. The website says it's carry-on compliant but I don't believe that's the case, there's no way you'd be able to carry this large of a duffel on a plane. I would also never check this bag because I've seen Vera duffels get ruined (the handle got detached from the bag) because of the not so gentle handling from airline employees. However, I make weekend trips much more often than I do week long vacations so I definitely have gotten my money's worth out of this bag. This is the exact size and print that I have :)

2. Lilly Pulitzer Insulated Cooler - this is another essential bag I like to bring on trips with me, plus it's Lilly so I already adore it. What I really love is the insulation, you can use it in multiple scenarios. The first one is obvious, for any type of beach/lake trip the cooler is ideal for holding drinks, refrigerated snacks, and such. So easy to pack up and throw it in the boat. Another practical use I've found is for carrying cosmetics and hair products. It's so nice to have them separate from my clothes because all too often something spills and ruins whatever it's next to in the suitcase. Any spillage in the cooler though can be easily wiped off and nothing gets ruined! I also enjoy the bottle opener that comes attached to the bag, how convenient... :)

3. Longchamp Le Pliage Tote - okay I'm obsessed with my Longchamp. Before I purchased one, I didn't really understand the hype but I've had mine for almost a year now and I'm so in love. I use it for school, work, traveling, running errands, you can use this bag for literally any ocassion. The size is absolutely perfect and the material of the bag lets you easily wash off stains. I made the mistake of bringing mine to a party once and some drunk idiot spilt beer all over it (I know right, so annoying) however, I used a washcloth and water to clean it the next day and it looked like brand new! Anyway, it's perfect for traveling because I can fit my magazines, Nook, water bottle, and anything I forgot to put in my other suitcase in there. My Longchamp is always my carry on bag when I fly. 

This is the exact Longchamp I have :) I'm in love with the color because it's so different - it's discontinued now so I rarely see ladies with the same one! Also, if you're looking to buy a Longchamp but don't want to shell out $125 keep an eye out at big department stores' outlets. I got mine from Off Saks Fifth Avenue (one of my favorite stores) for $98! They definitely don't carry them often but that's where you should look if you want to find them on sale. 

Alright, so I've covered all essential bags and duffels for traveling - stay tuned for Part 2 which will cover essential clothes and cosmetics for traveling! And let me know what you think of my picks :)

xoxo,

rFe

She's country

I don't know what's gotten into me lately but I'm OBSESSED with cowboy boots! Do I own a pair? No. Did I order a pair online last night? You bet :) Maybe it's because of my recent decision to move to Nashville...see previous blog post! I'm praying that they fit! I often have troubles boot shopping because I have pretty thin legs and not super small feet (I wear size 7.5 or 8) so most of the time boots don't fit tightly around my legs, it's so frustrating. More likely than not, I'll only wear the boots a couple times a year since they're really not the most popular up here but I'm still super excited! Plus, my best friend's sister is getting married next summer and her and her bridal party are all going to wear cowboy boots with their dresses, so cute! Obviously I want to match them and go with the theme haha. Here's a couple pictures that are leaving me anxiously awaiting for my pair to come in the mail! 

An accurate picture of what my legs look like haha I'm hoping my boots look as cute on as this gal's!

Loveee

Another summer wish list item - denim top! Cute casual outfit

Presh! 

Any cowboy boot lovers out there? If so, what's your favorite pair and what brand are they?! - For future reference :)

Xoxo,

rFe