Warby Parker

I am so excited to be partnering with Warby Parker to showcase their (fabulous) Spring 2015 collection!

What's that? You've never heard of Warby Parker? Well, they're pretty awesome. I first heard of them at the Social Good Summit in 2013, and I've been hearing about them ever since.

Basically, you buy a pair of glasses and give a pair at the same time. But instead of just handing out glasses, WP also partners with non-profits to train people to give basic eye exams and sell the glasses- this means that the glasses fit local styles and promote businesses in under developed communities. Pretty cool, right?

If you're not already convinced that Warby Parker is a great company, just check out their new collection. It. Is. Nautical. Inspired. (cue screaming)

The collection has eight brand new shapes and six new colors, combining WP's signature vintage-inspired designs with fresh, nautical themes. Take a peek ;)

Maybe it's the little compass inspiring my inner traveler or the killer pattern on the frames, but I'm in love with these! Maybe if I had these I would wear my glasses more often like I'm supposed to (oops...).

How cute are these? I love tortoise shell to begin with, and these frames look like they were crafted out of sea shells (I mean, they are called the Carnaby Blue Coral...)! I'd love to pair these with big, turquoise Kendra Scott earrings and a lacey white dress, like so...

Perfect for summer! This outfit also pairs well with these matte brown and turquoise frames below- there's something about blue glasses that seems so chic- it shows you're not afraid to go with something just a little more daring!

Look at this chic pair- Zac doesn't wear glasses but he loves WP and has asked more than once for a pair. Knowing his love for all things nautical and deep-sea-inspired I'd say this collection is just for him...

If you're feeling adventurous I'd go for this multi-colored pair. They make such a statement and ensure you'll stand out.

If you still don't love Warby Parker, you'll love this- when you want to buy a pair, you don't have to pick just one; you can pick five! With free (yes, free) shipping, you get five pairs sent to you, and you then have five days to take them all out for a test spin. When you pick the winner, you send back the others for free!

I would rock every single pair from the Spring collection, and you can too- pick your top 5 and try them all! I'm thinking it's time for me to pick up a new pair...

While you're all shopping for new glasses (or sunglasses!) I'll be flying to Amsterdam for my semester abroad! I can't wait to share and play with my new camera.  Bon voyage and I'll see y'all in Amsterdam!

Autumn in New York

Now that I'm home for winter break, before all the craziness of pre-study abroad sets in, I have, dare I say it, too much free time. It seems like I have all day to blog and not much to blog about!

So, I'm dipping into some of my adventures from this semester. Early in November Zac and I took a full day to explore the city, running all over the Upper East Side. Zac had been dying to take me to the Frick Collection all semester, and we couldn't help but window shop up and down 5th Avenue, popping into Barneys, Bergdorfs, Bendels, Tiffany's...you know, the usual (I wish).

Our first stop was The Frick, a museum I knew nothing about. It's housed in Henry Clay Frick's Gilded-Age-era mansion, one of the few remaining in New York, and the house itself is a museum. 

It's very different from walking through the Met or the MoMA, as the old furniture and decorations remain, with most of the art hung on the wall as casually as a family portrait. You almost feel like a guest in Mr. Frick's home, admiring his impressive collection while wandering through one of his sitting rooms. 

The front entry is the only place where you could take pictures, so we took full advantage!

After the Frick we strolled (literally) across the street to Central Park, where the Sunday crowds hadn't quite filled the park yet, making it movie-set-perfect.

Funny story: I was admiring a woman's hat while we were walking, and happened to look at her companion and realized it was Jillian Michaels from the Biggest Loser! I made Zac double back so we could get a better look. You never know who you're going to see in New York!

The weather started to warm up mid-morning and I was able to shed my coat. The fall weather stuck around- we were lucky and managed to avoid snow all semester!

After a little window (and a little actual) shopping we were in need of a brunch break. Serendipity was packed as usual so we opted for a little Greek place on the corner. I cannot remember the name of this place but it was adorable, and sooo delicious!

After a little more shopping, a hankering for hot apple cider drew us to Bryant Park, where the Christmas market had just been set up and the ice rink was in full swing. 

I love New York in the fall, when all the leaves are changing, everyone is layered up in sweaters, and the Christmas tree in Rockefeller Center is still being strung with lights. We had a packed day in the city but it was picture-perfect (so perfect I forgot to take pictures of half of it!). Commuting to the city twice a week made it hard to appreciate the city anymore- I saw it as the place where I worked, and riding in on the train became a chore rather than something exciting. But somethings (or some people) make you fall in love with a city all over again, and New York changed seasons at just the right time.

It's crazy to think that I won't be back in New York until probably August for my (eek!) last semester of school!! But I'm looking forward to my semester abroad and one more summer of freedom!

Outfit details: Button-up, J. Crew (similar). Sweater, Gap. Skirt, Gianni Bini. Fleece tights (similar). Trench coat, H&M (similar). Bag, vintage Coach. Bracelet, KJP 'JFK' bracelet. 

What's In My Bag: Travel Edition

With the holidays ending and everyone hitting the road, there comes the dilemma of what to take in your purse while traveling, especially when you're taking a plane. As someone who spends a lot of decent amount of time on a plane traveling from TX to NYC, I am constantly switching my school bag or my internship bag into a carry-on bag.

The carry-on is something every one should master, even if you don't travel very often. Since I will be abroad next semester I really have to get this down (looking at you, discount airlines). So, here are my absolute must-haves when on the road.

For shorter trips (a week or less, but it always depends on where I am going) I like to bring just my iPad since I can do pretty much everything on it, I have a portable keyboard, and it holds all my books. For longer trips, I bring my laptop, but now that I have a MacBook Air (which weighs nothing) I find myself bringing it along more and more.

That little pink stick is the greatest invention ever- a portable charger. My dad bought one for me online (unsure of the brand but this one is similar) and I bring it everywhere. It's great for long day trips into the city where chargers are scarce or long plane rides with unreliable seat outlets. It has saved me many, many times.

I always have sunglasses with me, even if it's cloudy. These Ray Ban club masters are my new obsession and I can't stop wearing them!

Since I jumped on the blanket scarf trend over Thanksgiving (I have this one from Charlotte Russe, right now it's only $5!!) I have been wearing mine nearly every day. I love bringing scarves on planes to use as a shawl, blanket, pillow, or just to hide my static-y plane hair.

Pretty much everything else here can always be found in my purse (even the M&Ms, sometimes you need a snack!). I bought this Anne Klein bag for $20, unused, at a resale store and it has become my go-to bag- it's even big enough to fit my laptop!

I hope everyone had a Merry Christmas and you all have a Happy New Year!

The Holidays are Here!

Can y'all believe that Thanksgiving is tomorrow?? And you know what that means- Christmas is coming! The holidays are one of my favorite times of the year- I can't wait for the tree to go up and to exchange presents on Christmas morning. I know some people already have their lights up, and a few start listening to Christmas music at 12:01 on November 1st. I try to contain my excitement and wait at least until after Thanksgiving (although Zac and I did watch Love, Actually last week).

Since the holidays are coming, that means it's time to start thinking about holiday outfits! The good thing about being in college is that most of my 'holiday parties' require little more than a crazy Christmas sweater or a pair of red jeans. But I still have a few formal events and of course Christmas events with my family. I wanted to put together a few looks that will work for any holiday gathering, whether you're sipping cocoa by the fire or laughing over cocktails at your office party.

1. This is totally something I could wear to my casual-dressy Christmas Eve celebration with my family! I sometimes all the time overdress, but this is the perfect mix of casual with a little festive sparkle. The hot pink skater skirt is a fresh look amongst a sea of red and green, and the sequined Alice + Olivia top add just enough glitter! The black tights and ankle boots help tone down the rest of the outfit.

2. If your Christmas is a low-key affair, this combination is festive without being over the top. And who wouldn't love to wear those plaid loafers all season long? 

3. I have been lusting after this Kate Spade dress since I first saw Carly from The College Prepster rocking it at NYFW. Since it won't be in my budget for a long, looooong time, I can still dream, right? This all-Kate look is something I would love to rock at a fancier event like Zac's formal, but you could wear it at a cocktail gathering or maybe even an office party if it's held at a venue other than your workplace. 

I hope everyone has a lovely Thanksgiving! I've been home since Thursday, and thankfully avoided the winter storm that's about to batter the North East! Fingers crossed there's better weather when I return to school...Happy Thanksgiving!