On the Banks of the Grand River

Coat - J.Crew // Shirt - J.Crew Factory // Pants - Hollister // Boots - Report // Purse - J.Crew // Gloves - C. Wonder // Necklace - C. Wonder // Sunglasses - Steve Madden // Beanie - Target

My parents and I made the weekly commute to Western Michigan to visit my sisters and watch the littlest one race. The campus where my sisters go to school is divided by this deep ravine and the students pass over this bridge to get from one point of campus to the next. The blend of nature and campus reminded me so much of my alma mater and made me miss it dearly. I can't believe it's nearly been a year since I graduated! It kind of scares me how fast time went by...so much has changed since graduation, it only makes me wonder where I will be this time one year from now. The thought is frightening and exciting!

Where and what do you imagine yourself doing one year from now? 

For me, my dream has been to live and work in DC. I don't know what I'd be doing for employment, I just want to be living in the nation's capitol. If in one year I am sitting in an apartment in DC reading this post, I'll be one happy girl :)

Winter Whites & Florals

Outfit details: Coat - J.Crew // Shirt - Ann Taylor // Pants - J.Crew // Heels - Madewell // Necklace - LOFT // Sunglasses - Marc by Marc Jacobs // Purse- Vintage, unknown

 Sundays may be my favorite day of the week: it's a day to recover from the events Saturday held and a day to relax and prepare for the upcoming week. The time on Sundays just seems to move a little slower and I love taking full advantage of that.

The best way to cap off the weekend is sitting down and cuddling up in a blanket to watch Downton Abbey. Such a good, juicy show! I can't believe it's the season finale already :( I guess I'll have to find another show to get wrapped up in for the time being!

Cold Weather Essentials

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I had a rude awakening this morning when I walked out the door to head to work and was met with blustery winds and a temperature of -8 degrees! The second part of the rude awakening is when I realized how ill prepared my wardrobe is for the bitter cold.

Luckily for my poor planning self, most stores are having major sales right now on all of their winter items. While the majority of us may be in the heart of winter battling to stay warm, clothing retailers have their sights on spring and making room for their next collection's inventory. Go check out your favorite stores and see what sort of steals you can grab! You know I have my eyes on that J.Crew sale ;) I mean, an extra 40% off sale items?! I think I'm in heaven! *cue Hallelujah music*

Leopard & Leather

Jacket: thrift shop find (similar) // Sweater: Urban Outfitters // Skirt: Urban Outfitters // Tights: Capezio // Booties: Report // Necklace: Unknown (liking this one) // Sunglasses: Marc by Marc Jacobs // Purse: Coach (Similar)

Greetings and Happy (belated) New Year! We spent our Christmas in North Carolina as we do each year and when we arrived back to Michigan we came back to a winter wonderland! While some (aka me) were happier about this than others (aka the rest of my family), I think we all agree that days where the skies are clear and the wind is still are picturesque. I mean, who can be totally upset when they look out the window and see the snow glittering like diamonds? Albeit, it doesn't happen often but when it does it is a beautiful sight!

Sunset Glow

Sweater: J.Crew | Coat: J.Crew | Pants: J.Crew | Shoes: Lacoste (old) | Clutch: J.Crew (sold out but loving this one here!) Watch: Fossil | Bracelet: J.Crew | Necklace: Unknown | Sunglasses: UO (old, similar here)

I made it home from work just in time to catch the last rays of sun shining in the backyard. With the winter season basically here in Michigan, I had to take advantage of the clear and sunny skies while I can since pretty soon it'll be overcast the most days. Michigan weather, you sure know how to toy with emotions!

Midnight Madness in Kerrytown

 My best Buddha impression...sadly this was not staged.

Outfit Details: Top - Forever 21 | Skirt - J.Crew (on sale here!) | Tights: Capezio | Coat: H&M (old but loving this coat here!) | Necklace: Bauble Bar | Bag: Dooney & Bourke

 Friday night after work I met up with my parents in downtown Ann Arbor for the Midnight Madness event in Kerrytown. Kerrytown is such a cute neighborhood in the city with interesting independent shops and businesses and is home to my favorite farmer's market and the delicious Zingerman's Bakery! We had fun looking at all the items offered by different vendors and the tasty looking pastries that tempted our empty stomachs. However, we weren't anticipating how big of an event this turned out to be! You could hardly move around and were somewhat forced to move with the masses. My parents and I were a little confused why there were so many more children than you find at typical community events, but we found our answer when we were leaving...does the name Santa Claus mean anything to you? ;)