The Power of Hello

There's something that no one ever really tells you about when you are growing up. It's something that comes so easy to us when we are young, but as soon as you get into your mid-twenties your realize gets harder and harder. I certainly wasn't prepared for how hard it would be to make friends post college, and it's something that I've struggled with for years. I have tried many things, and a lot of those things didn't return the results I was hoping for. So I had to try harder. I had to seek friends out. I had to make the initial move if you. I had to be the one to say "hello" first.

I wish I would have known then what I know now. That is really is as simple as hello or hi to make those new and great connections. Blogging has been one of those platforms where a simple tweet, comment, or like can create lasting friendships and connections. Lindt has launched their own sweet way to connect with their new line of chocolate flavors. The HELLO line from Lindt is sure to make every hello as sweet as can be. I love the little darlings because of their perfect little size that let me indulge without going overboard. The new flavors are to die for, especially the cookies and cream.

Lindt wants you to share a favorite hello story. Stop by here to share your story, and be entered in the Lindt Hello Sweet Connections Sweepstakes to win many more sweet prizes. Want more sweet stories? Click here to check out a special YouTube celebrity series of "hello" moments!



Thank you to Lindt for sponsoring today's post and inspiring me to try Lindt HELLO!

Wedding Crush

This post doesn't need much text or introduction because the pictures really speak for themselves. This isn't going to be a a habit, but I had to post about Lauren Conrad's wedding. She's my original girl crush, and everyone's favorite California girl. Her elegant, classic style was ever present in every detail captured in the photos. Anyway, I'm going to get to the pictures. Try not to drool too much.

Ugh. I just can't. So I won't ruin it with my babble. Well done on the nuptials, LC. Not that we expected anything less from the first lady of Laguna Beach.

Bendy Brunch Event

Exciting things are happening in the District! A great new yoga company, Grip the Mat, contacted me about their event this Sunday Bendy Brunch. I wanted to share the info plus a special promo code for my readers. Grip the Mat is a new concept to bring yoga practitioners together and cultivate a social community. This is such a great concept. What's better than grabbing a friend or two for a yoga class followed up by drinks, eats, and socializing with like-minded people? Check out Grip the Mat to find out what they are all about and to see when they will be holding more yoga/social events in the future.

The yoga class + brunch will be held at the Wonder Bread Factory (a very cool repurposed urban space) in Shaw at 641 S Street NW Washington, DC 20001, with two sessions being held at 10:30am and 1:30pm. You can register for the event here and use code "Lovelier" for $5 off the ticket price. 

on my radar

I'm working on being more put together when it comes to my super casual outfits, and this look is something that for me is very doable. The over-sized sweater is comfortable enough for running around, but is dressed up with a long necklace and black pants. These pants have the look and stretch of a legging, but with the structure of a pant (huge win for me). A classic leather tote is a little more formal than my huge keep all, and the booties tie it all together while being practical.

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Street Style

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Weekend + Links

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Thinking outside the box just a tad when it comes to pumpkin with this recipe.

You guys Calypso St.Barth has been so so good lately. I crushing on this sweater, this perfect top, and this delicious scarf.

Hair falling flat? An easy tutorial on creating more volume (I needed this badly).

I want, need, love, and die for this coat!

An upper body kettle bell workout that needs to get in my life ASAP!

Have a great weekend! xx

Finally

You guys, it's here. By it I mean the long awaited Scandal collection by The Limited. I cannot express how excited I am about this line, and even more excited that it lived up to the hype. Olivia Pope has arguably the best wardrobe on tv. One the most impressive aspect of Olivia's wardrobe is the seamless balance between power suiting and feminine accenting. The next most impressive aspect is the use of neutrals, most notably white as her signature color (how a lover of red wine has no fear of white ensembles boggles my mind but that's just me).

In true Olivia Pope fashion, the collection is neutral palette full of grays, blush tones, cream, and whites. I love the versatility of the pieces that can be mixed and matched to create a more modern look, a nice departure from homogenized suiting of the past. My pieces, are the shawl collar coats. I scoured the internet for one of these last year and never quite found what I was looking for in a price range I could spend. The search is over, sign me up, the money is as good as spent. The collection hits stores September 23rd, but until then you can die over the look book pictures and sharpen your best "it's handled" stare in the mirror.

That gray blouse is gorgeous, and again that coat...swoon!

All the tops especially the collar-less pin-tucked blazer are clutch

Could anyone else make a long sweater look this chic?

That dress makes me wish I had a formal work environment

Classic whites

A cape for the modern day wonder woman

Hybrids

DC/Arlington are cities with a very healthy and active population. You would be hard pressed to find a store or restaurant on weekends that aren't full of active wear clad yuppies dressed in their Lululemon finest. Other active wear brands have taken notice and this fall have rolled out lots of workout/street wear hybrids. Anything from tops perfect for layering, comfy sweaters that would look great with jeans, to leggings you would happily wear to a casual brunch. 

My goal is to be more put together and conscious of what I am wearing even for days where I'm just running around. I'm a big fan of Athleta's new arrivals, and the price point is a little friendlier than Lulu (although if money weren't an object I'm sure I'd be covered in the stuff). Gone are the days where I feel good in a huge hoodie and cheap yoga pants. What are you go-to pieces or brands for  put together athletic wear? I'm always on the lookout for more!

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Weekend + Links

You guys, I think I have an open weekend without ten million predetermined plans and I don't even know how to contain my excitement. I don't have much to say today so i'll let the links do the talking!


A hilarious illustrated answer to the "what's in your bag?" question/common blogger post.

Make working out more fun with some of these.

My three loves...together...in a salad...OM NOM NOM!

If you're guilt of constant self comparison and can only remember one thing, make it this.

I love these classic emerald cut stud earrings (my earrings of choice) for a timeless update.

A list of three ingredient cocktails to keep in your entertaining arsenal. Hello Moscow!


Have a great weekend friends, see you next week! xx


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Insta Love

I don't even need to ask the question because I know everyone out there loves Instagram just as much if not more than me. It's by far my favorite social media platform (also the fastest growing if you care about that stuff).  I'm always finding new accounts to follow that will allow my scrolling and trolling to reach an almost unhealthy amount of time/level. So today I am sharing some of my favorite Instagram accounts.

Juley Le of @upperlyneco and Upperlyne, a life and style blog.

There's a few things I love about Juley's pictures. First she lives in New Orleans, a city that's near and dear to my heart and I never tire of reminiscing over my time spent there when I see those shots. Second, the girl can cook and likes food (just like yours truly). Last, but certainly not least I love how clean and sleek her pictures are. Juley's aesthetic is consistent and very eye catching. Trust me when I say you could get lost in the pictures.

Kelly Christine of @kellycstudio and Kelly Christine Studio, a graphic design studio and blog.

I adore the personality in this Texas girl's pictures. From cute snaps of her dog, a little food porn, to how she decorates her home (um HELLO leopard print and gold antler faux dear head), I always get excited to see a new picture from Kelly in my feed.

Caitlin McGauley of @caitlinmcgauley, artist/illustrator and blogger behind Caitlin's Sketchbook.

Caitlin is one of the first artists I followed on Instagram. She does great watercolor paintings and illustrations with a variety of subject matters that I find really appealing. Following her gives me a little glimpse into her work and life, and has lead to me following other artists on Instagram. Slowly but surely I'm developing a long awaited appreciation for art.

Jean Wang of @extrapetite and Extra Petite, a fashion and lifestyle blog.

This lady is the queen of tiny person style. As a mega petite myself, it can be hard to wear certain trends, fit into regular sizes, and not look like a child in our mom's clothes. Jean has a great eye for styling her petite frame and helping others find flattering pieces they would be happy to hang in their closet. For the record her style is fabulous regardless of size.

Aubrey Kinch of @aubreykinch and Aubrey Kinch, a design studio and lifestyle blog.

Aubrey is positively adorable. This young and very talented lady has a great eye and a knack for lighting. I love her vignette shots and she takes selfies that don't make me roll my eyes. While she does post great pictures, it's almost like you are scrolling through your besties pictures with the way she connects to her followers. I love her aesthetic so much that I am working with her on the new blog redesign. I couldn't be more excited to be working with the talented Mrs. Kinch!

What are some of your favorite Instagram accounts to follow? I'm always on the lookout for new ones to add to the list!

The 5 Shoes You Need

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Interior Style Files: Herringbone

Today's interiors post is all about herringbone detailing, mainly floors. If you spend any time on Pinterest, then I'm sure you see flooring and tile work in herringbone patterns everywhere. Now before you go rush to call it a trend, keep in mind that some of the earliest herringbone wood floors date back to the 16th century France. Herringbone is a pattern style of parquet flooring (parquet being hardwood flooring arranged in repeating geometrical patterns). So like pretty much everything else out there, it is a style resurrection that has found an updated and modern look. Herringbone adds such a bold statement to a room, and lends itself to classic and contemporary flooring. I personally love seeing it in bathrooms and in a great room or other room with higher ceilings. Herringbone is a great way to highlight and feature natural elements in the home.

all images via Pinterest

Theme For The Week

Today's post is brief as I just wanted to share a mantra I'll be adopting for the week especially the next few days. Should be interesting to say the least. Things I am attempting to tackle include but are not limited to: getting tons of work done at the old J-O-B, getting back on the workout horse, doing a healthy food shop, and an a apartment clean. Wish me luck, and have a kick ass Monday friends!

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Weekend + Links

Thank heavens this week flew by! I feel like I still need a rest from the bagillions of activities of last weekend (a nap due to a nap sort of thing that happens as we get older). I am looking forward to not doing a heck of a lot honestly. So in the spirit of sitting on your butt, kick back and check out these links!

FOUND: Design on a Dime. This great blog that sources "copy cat" items for your favorite high end furnishings and decor.

SIPPING: Cider. But not just any cider, a bourbon spiced cider to be exact. Cold or hot this sounds fantastic and can easily be made for a crowd.

BEING: Predictable. Excited for PSLs but in all honesty I don't make it to Starbucks very often at all. This at home skinny version is right up my alley.

CRAVING: Soup. Actually looking forward to soup and this chowder recipe looks comforting and delicious.

REMINISCING: Childhood favorites. It's the 20th Anniversary of The Little Rascals, and the cast reunited and took one amazing picture.

SHOCKING: White Girls + Fall. Hilarious list of what you can expect, shocking because I don't do most of the annoying activities on the list.


Have a great weekend! xx

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You Need This: Rack It Up

Today I wanted to share my new favorite sale shopping tool, Rack It Up. I'll be honest I'm not a great bargain shopper. I almost never keep tabs and monitor items so see if prices have dropped, and don't check my promo folder for sale alerts in Gmail either. So unless I stumble across something online, chances are I miss the sale or that coat I dreamed took its half priced self to live with someone else. In short, I miss out on sales and deals ALL THE FREAKING TIME!

Enter Rack It Up to save the day. This amazing site allows you to grab items from your favorite stores online and organizes them in your "closet." Simply install the RackItUp button to your browser and click on it when you find an item you like (from their extensive list of retailers). When you add items to your closet, you can add qualifiers to the item such as size, color, but most importantly when the item goes on sale or when it is discounted by a certain dollar or percentage amount. Once you add the item, you sit back and wait for Rack It Up to send you emails when the items you've selected go on sale. How is easy is that?!?

Rack It Up also allows you to follow your friends or other stylish members so there's always new pieces to add to your closet! Gone are the days of missing out on a fresh mark down on those boots you've been obsessing over. Another great thing to note is that it's not just for clothes and accessories, but things for your home like decor and furniture too! Rack It Up takes the work out of sale scouring and frees up more of your time so you can do more of the things you actually like doing. Search for me, Ali Bentolila in the members tab and follow along so we can score some great deals together!

I was not paid or compensated by Rack It Up for this post, I just like the concept and site that much!

Fashion Week

Funny story: my boyfriend asked me why I wasn't going to Fashion Week after I received some event invites. I proceeded to burst out laughing. There are several reasons I am not going, the main one being $$$. However, I don't think Fashion Week is really my scene to be quite honest. Other than ready to wear, I don't have an appreciation for haute couture, don't love the idea of getting dressed to the nines for days at a time, and while I love the blogging community I cannot stand the blogger mean girls. 

I don't know if I will ever make it a point to attend Fashion Week, but if I were going this is what I would wear. Other than the bag, which yields me incapable of focusing on anything else, it's a pretty doable look for a variety of budgets, it's classic with an edgy twist, and the pieces are so so versatile. Below you can shop the post, and I added a few skirts with different price points along with blouse options. **If leather isn't your thing, or you don't like the price you can try this faux option.**

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