At the Pumpkin Patch

This past weekend I ventured over the river and through the woods, not to Grandmother's house but to a pumpkin patch!  Although, my grandmother does live over the river and through the woods.  If you live in or around Louisville, Huber's is the place to go and while I love it, we decided to try out a new family farm.  It was a lot smaller but much less crowded and we had a blast navigating the corn maze and picking pumpkins.  All in all it was a great little trip, even if it was a bit hot for my fall enjoyment. 

I went comfy and casual with this striped top, skinny jeans and converse.  In my head I was having flashbacks to high school because I don't think I've rocked a pair of converse since then, but I am so glad I added these to my wardrobe.  They're perfect for when you need a comfortable shoe but still want an element of style.  And then there's the top.  The ruffle sleeves add the perfect feminine touch to this otherwise sporty look.  As a self proclaimed girly girl, this small detail was just what I needed so that this look still felt like me.

Top: Loft  | Jeans: Loft  | Bag: Marc Jacobs  | Sunglasses: Loft

InstaStyle: Sweet Tee

My style took a turn for a more casual side over the summer, and I had a few sweet tees on constant rotation.  Who am I kidding, I still have them on repeat.  I'm all about getting dressed up, but even I can't resist a comfy t-shirt.  Pair it with colorful shorts, leggings, or trusty denim cutoffs and you have yourself a cool and casual summer outfit.  I'm looking forward to transitioning these into fall with skinny jeans and booties if the weather would ever cooperate!  They say sometimes you have to sacrifice comfort for style, but I say these tees beg to differ. 

Messy Bun Tee | LOU Tee | Brunch Babe Tee | Pizzatucky Tee

Listen Up: Five Podcasts to Check Out Now

At the beginning of the year, I told myself that I wanted to listen to more podcasts.  I had just completed Serial and was hooked from the first byte.  Much like finishing a good book series, I felt like there was a void that needed to be filled.  I stalked the podcast charts searching for my next new favorite and over time I have developed quite the subscription list.  There are podcasts on every topic imaginable, from pop culture gossip to business and sports and politics, so you're bound to find one or ten that floats your boat.  Here are my five favorites that are definitely worth a listen if you're looking to break into the world of podcasts.

Straight Up with Stassi

After Serial, this was the first podcast I found that really drew me in.  It's hosted by Stassi Schroeder of Vanderpump Rules fame plus a different guest each week.  I have Chelcey to thank for introducing me to Vanderpump, and ultimately this podcast, and I am so glad she did.  I think we all know reality shows are not necessarily 100% "real" but Stassi does a phenomenal job of being uber relate-able by sharing her life experiences.  Plus, girl is a Bachelor/Bachelorette/Bachelor in Paradise fan (so many shows!) so it's always fun to hear her perspective on the crazy that ensues on those shows each week.

#Girlboss Radio with Sophia Amoruso

I think everyone has at least heard of, if not read, Sophia's book #GIRLBOSS (I'm in the heard of crowd, need to change that).  She's the founder of Nasty Gal and if you're looking for some inspiration and motivation in your own creative endeavors, then this is the podcast for you.  Each week she interviews a Girlboss from different industries as they share their story of how they rose to success.  This is my most recent discovery and I can definitely attest that it is a major reason why I am writing this blog post right now.  I haven't been in the blogging game much lately, but after listening to a few episodes I felt re-inspired and ready to get down to business.

My Favorite Murder

Ok y'all, bear with me for a moment as we take a complete 180 in terms of podcast subject material.  After the whole Making a Murderer craze, I needed more of that in my life.  The psychology of it all absolutely fascinates me.  I'm not crazy, I swear.  I binged on How to Get Away With Murder on Netflix but I needed more.  Then I found this podcast on the top charts and it's been at the top of my list ever since.  Each week the two hosts share a murder story that they've researched or learned of from listeners.  Sometimes the crimes are high profile, other times not so much.  Either way, it's an incredibly interesting listen even despite my aversion to blood.

The Lady Gang

This one for me is a blend of Straight up with Stassi and Girlboss Radio.  It's fun conversation like you'd have with your girlfriends over brunch and mimosas, but with a little more substance.  While they don't dive so much into the whole reality TV world, they do have celebrity guests each week who share their rise to success.  Hosted by Jac Vanek, Keltie Knight, and Becca Tobin, these ladies are successful in their own right and make you feel like you're in the room with them sipping on some bubbly.  It's a fun listen that might just inspire you to get in the game too.

The Skinny Confidential: Him and Her Podcast

Another recent discovery, this podcast is hosted by blogger Lauryn Evarts and entrepreneur Michael Bosstick.  I really enjoy how they blend sharing aspects of their personal lives, much like an audio blog post, with tips and tricks for success in the creative and entrepreneurial world.  This is another podcast that's ignited a fire in me to get back into blogging and creating and has really changed my mindset and outlook on life, so I can't help but think others would be able to draw inspiration from it too.

What are some of your favorite podcasts?  You can never have too many!  After all, an empty subscription box is the worst, am I right?

The Basic Tee (Shirt Dress)

I'm not going to lie, my 2010 Jersey Shore watching self wanted to title this post "It's T-Shirt Dress Time", but I refrained.  Kudos if you get the reference, and if you don't, then you've probably saved yourself some brain cells so kudos as well. 

I am all about a good T-shirt dress because hello, it optimizes your level of comfort and sophistication all while being both office and weekend appropriate.  I'd rather wear a dress nine times out of ten in the spring and summer, so this comfy little green number is going to get plenty of wear in the coming months.  Just throw on a belt to give it some shape and you're good to go.  Since my office is like the arctic tundra in summer, I paired it with a jean jacket, which would also work well for those chilly summer nights.  If you want to feel like you're wearing pajamas all day but look like you took the time to put yourself together in the morning, then the trusty T-shirt dress is the way to go.

I have to talk for a second about these sandals, too.  I spotted them at Target well before it was warm enough to even think about showing your toes, but I scooped them up right away.  I love the shorter wedge heel because they're super comfortable to wear all day.  The pop of gold on the toe strap ups the ante just enough to be able to rock them with a dress or skinny jeans and a blouse.  I always buy a new pair of sandals each year, and these were definitely a solid choice.

T-shirt Dress | Target

Sandals | Target

Jean Jacket | Nordstrom Rack

Bag | Marc by Marc Jacobs

Photos by Chelcey Tate

Spring Flare

I have a confession to make.  I've had these photos for at least a month and I just never got around to writing the corresponding post (insert the "see no evil" monkey emoji here).  I know I'm not alone when I say that sometimes it's really difficult to find the motivation to get going with something, and for me that something has been blogging.  I took a break for a while and really had the best intentions of getting back into it this year.  While I haven't really done that yet, I had the most inspirational conversation with Chelcey over weekend brunch last Sunday and girl gave me the swift kick I needed to finally pick up my laptop again.  So here we are.  Now that I've dipped my toe back into the blogging water, I really want to carry this momentum forward and get things going around here again.

Now about the outfit - I've had these flares for a while and sadly I've only worn them a couple times.  I obviously need to change that pronto because I am loving the 70s vibes.  They are pretty long, but with wedges they are that perfect skim-the-ground length.  I'm personally really happy to see flares coming back, which is crazy considering I haven't purchased anything but skinny jeans since high school.  There's just something about them where you can dress up a dark rinse pair with a chic blouse, or make it more casual like I have here.  My style is really all over the place and for days when I'm feeling a little boho, this is my go-to look.  Just let your ankles breathe a little bit, I promise you'll love it.

Photos by Chelcey Tate

Jeans | Madewell

Shirt | Loft

Kimono | Nordstrom Rack

Wedges | Off Broadway

Bag | Marc Jacobs

Necklace | Francesca's Collections

Bracelets | Target