Day 111: Santa Monica to LAX to PHL

Is it really time for my final LA outfit post? It's hard to believe that this trip was really so short, since we packed so much in! For the final night in Southern California, I wanted to stay somewhere outside of downtown, and I wanted it to be special. I did a tiny bit of research on places worth staying that weren't far from the airport, and I couldn't stop thinking about the Oceana Santa Monica, which I found out about from Cup of Jo. We got in late and went for drinks at Bar Chloe with Chris and Rosalie, and met up with Dave's (and my) friend Matt and our new friends Baily and Mesch. We spent a few hours enjoying the hotel room in our sleep, then enjoyed a fresh buffet and a big walk around Santa Monica before heading to the airport. Do you like the binoculars necklace Dave gave me for my birthday? I do! How about my running shoes? I know it's not stylish to wear sneakers around, but these aren't as bad as they could have been, and I needed a break from the heels I was wearing all weekend!

Cardigan: Betsy's, Target

Tank and Jeans: TJ Maxx

Running Shoes: Brooks, City Sports

Purse: Coach

Sunglasses: Gap

Necklace: Kate Spade

Day 110: From work to play and back again

Monday started with a nice, long meeting for work, and ended with a casual work dinner. I wore this shirt with a black pencil skirt and the blazer from the day before, but changed into something a little more comfortable after the meeting.  This outfit to me to Phillipe's and around Chinatown and then the Grove, before I had to get back downtown for dinner. I am so jealous of all of the shopping opportunities in the Los Angeles area. Anywhere you look, there are stores worth stopping into, and though I resisted the temptation since there was so much to do, it didn't stop me from wanting to bring the shopping districts home with me. Philadelphia is absolutely lacking in this regard. By the way, I realized why I didn't have flats before I just bought this pair: they all hurt my feet! Why am I more comfortable in heels than flats? Does anyone else have this problem?

Top: Gap

Jeans, Bag, and Flats: Old Navy

Earrings: From Mom

Necklace: Gift from Lauren

Day 109: Birthday Sparkles

Sunday was my birthday, and I celebrated by starting my day with a work meeting in LA.  I took off the blazer and changed into slightly more comfortable shoes for a little walk to some vintage stores, and though I wasn't planning on wearing this all day, I never made it back to the hotel. I definitely wasn't prepared for the chillier temperatures of Venice, CA.  Even if my outfit choices weren't the right ones to get me through the day, I had a great time.  We went to Koreatown for lunch, and then to Denise and Dan's adorable abode, where they surprised me with cupcakes! Then we headed to Venice and wandered among the canals, which were cute and allowed us glimpses into the privileged life. We swapped out Denise and Dan for Chris and Rosalie when the Andersons had to leave, so then we walked up and down the Venice Beach Boardwalk with Chris and Rosalie.  There were no musclemen out on Muscle Beach that day, unfortunately, unless you count Dave and Chris, of course. We finished our day with dinner in Little Tokyo and thought about how much ground we covered in two short days!

Amazing macarons at Bottega Louie! These are pumpkin and earl grey.

Touching the Pacific for the first time, but trying to keep Denise's sneakers dry!

Blazer: Marshall's

Shirt: Gift from Dave's Mom, Coldwater Creek

Pants: Gap

Shoes: This day, I wore Nine West stilettos, Old Navy boots, and Denise's sneakers

Necklace: Gift from Lauren

Day 108: California Cool

We packed so much into our first day in Southern California. After waking up at Chris and Rosalie's apartment in Hollywood, we met up with Denise and Dan and we explored everywhere! We first went up to Chris's rooftop and admired his pool and the Hollywood sign, and then we jumped in the car for our full day of adventures. We went to the Griffith Observatory, the Hollywood Walk of Fame, and Graman's Chinese Theater. The next leg of our trip was all sight-seeing by car: Mulholland Drive, Beverly Hills, and I felt like the Fresh Prince, coming from Philadelphia to Bel Air.  Saturday was my first time ever eating at an In 'N Out Burger, and I thoroughly enjoyed my burger and shake. The majority of the evening was spent at the Getty, which is one of the best art museums I've ever been to. Not only that, but it was even more than just an art museum. They have a great outdoor space, and the whole place is so big that I wanted to spend days there! We came back downtown toward the hotel for dinner at a noodle shop, and reflected on the full and exciting first day in Los Angeles.

Top and boots: Old Navy

Tank top: Kohl's

Jeans: Tommy Hilfiger via TJ Maxx

Sunglasses: Gap

Necklace: Gift from Lauren

Day 95: Coming home

Late Saturday night, I changed after dinner from my Lilly dress into this casual shorts and shirt combination.  I only wore it for a few hours of sitting around with a few old friends and lots of new ones, so I incorporated the pieces into Sunday's outfit as well.  I had to change my plans for what to wear on the plane ride back because I wasn't going to wear the white pants anymore.  I had a feeling that upon landing in Philly, I'd really regret the shorts, but I didn't! It was unseasonably warm on Sunday night around 11 pm and I was actually a bit too toasty in that cab coming home.  These layers served me well.  FYI: Apparently you're not allowed to take pictures in the baggage claim area of PHL.

I'm sorry my vacation posts were a little out of order; I hope you still can see that I had a great vacation and am very happy for my newly married friends. I packed super lightly for this trip, and I think it worked out, and I wore all but two tank tops that I packed.  Not bad, considering I didn't know what to expect!

Blue tee: LOFT

Button up: J. Crew

Cardigan, wedges, and bag: Banana Republic

Shorts: Gap

Boat shoes: Sperry (J. Crew)

Necklace: Rebecca's

Day 93: What I Wore to the Wedding!

Alicia and Tommy got married on October 7! Unfortunately, it was raining, so the wedding was moved inside, but we still had a great time, and we had plenty of time to soak up the sun the rest of the time.  The Avallones are probably my blog's biggest fans, so Tommy wanted a picture to show off the dress so he could guarantee a spot in this post. Of course I'm going to include my favorite new married couple!

One reason I am very lucky to have so many people in my life who like to share clothes with me is that I get to wear something I might not ordinarily buy.  For instance, I think this dress is beautiful and was a perfect choice for Alicia and Tommy's Jamaican wedding, though I'm not sure if I would have bought it for myself. I love how it is perfectly tropical, but if I had a jean jacket, I would also want to wear it to dinner in 50-or 60-degree weather back home. Please also notice that Dave is doing a good job making the most of his wardrobe as well, as he's wearing the vest and pants from our own wedding. We a generally a couple whose outfits complement one anothers' pretty well, but we did not do any dress-tie coordination this time, as you can see.

Dress: Rebecca's, from Anthropologie

Necklace: Gift from Mom?

I am also wearing shoes

Day 92: White for all seasons

This dress did double duty at the resort because it was perfectly casual for lounging but also ideal for breakfast and lunch.  I bought it at my local thrift store, still with the tags from Kohl's on it.  In the past few years, that's traditionally how I have shopped at thrift stores, so I don't think this technically counts as thrifting. I am excited to debut a new skirt pretty soon that is legitimately vintage and also from the $1 rack.

I believe that living in Philadelphia means that the thrift stores don't have the best selection. For better or worse, people love coming to the South Street area to find their one-of-a-kind pieces.  Instead of becoming deterred, I have actually realized that I will just go to PAT more often, so I can always be on the watch for new items and get them before everyone else does.  This dress is one of only two clothing pieces I've bought there. I've actually had better luck with games; I bought Cranium and Wise & Otherwise, two favorite games, for $2.99 a piece.  Next August, a friend will be getting married near Kansas City, and I am already excited to check out some thrift stores there.  Where is your favorite place to go thrift shopping, and what are your best secondhand finds?

Dress: Philly Aids Thrift
Hat: Urban Outfitters

Sunglasses: Kohl's 

Day 95: Rain on the last day

And the blog claims another victim. This shirt is out! In theory, it's a very pretty and classic white shirt. In reality, it is about 6 inches too long, which means it looks good with nothing I own. On Sunday morning, I pulled the shirt tight and twisted the back and tucked that part into the back of my shorts. Not a very practical way of wearing what should be a very practical shirt.  I do remember a time when this shirt worked on me, which means either the fit has changed drastically, or I used to walk around swimming in the shirt. In either case, this shirt and I are going to part ways.  You can't think of a way to style it so that it would work, can you?

A chilly, rainy day is a good way to not be too sad to leave vacation. Dave and I were planning on going parasailing with the bride and groom, but unfortunately, the rain meant that instead, we drank a little, ate a lot, and played some life-size Connect 4 before grabbing that shuttle back to the Montego Bay airport.

Shirt and shorts: Gap

Bathing suit: Lands End Canvas

Shoes: Old Navy

Headband: Forever 21

Necklace: Gift from Lauren

Day 94: My original Lilly

If you know me, you probably know that I have a particular soft spot for Lilly Pulitzer that goes beyond an affinity for bright colors. I love Lilly's clothes because they remind me of Margaret, who introduced me to the tropical clothing line in the summer of 2002. Margaret and Pa took my family to Nantucket, where we stayed at a house on Cisco Beach where we swam, biked, and read, and Mom made calamari, and I got to sleep in the attic nook, my favorite room of the house.  On one of our days in town, Margaret brought us into the Lilly store and together we picked out this pink and orange flamingo and palm tree dress.  It was a really special moment for me because it's not every day that someone buys me whatever I would like.  It's almost 10 years later, and I still think this dress was a solid choice.

Dress: Lilly Pulitzer

Shoes: Kohl's

Necklace: Gift from Lauren

Day 93: Burning those shoulders

I didn't wear this dress all summer because it's too droopy on top, and shows a bit too much skin for regular wear. My bathing suit saves the day, so I think this dress is now relegated strictly to the "beachwear" category of my clothing.  It makes a pretty good Jamaican cover-up.  I'm sorry I didn't pack matching flip flops for each of my outfits on this trip. I brought six pairs of shoes for five days in Jamaica as it was, but I am glad that I brought all of the shoes that I did. My sneakers, boat shoes, wedges, flip flops, black sandals, and light goldish sandals all played an important role in the vacation.

Dress: Francesca's

Hat: Urban Outfitters

Sunglasses: Kohl's

Flip flops: Shop in Stone Harbor, NJ

Day 92: Sheer Pleasure

I bought this shirt about a month ago and was saving it for the trip. I like how it looks as a cover-up, and it worked well to wear over a bathing suit, particularly while playing volleyball on the beach.  It's also nice to have clothes that have to be handwashed while you are on vacation, since I could hang this outside on my balcony and it was dry in an hour.  It's a much faster process than when it hangs in my bathtub at home.

Word to the wise: if you're planning on wearing white pants multiple times per trip, make sure to bring the proper undergarments. I wish I could've worn these pants again later in the trip, especially since I thought they'd be good for the temperature transition on the trip home.

 Top: Marshall's

Pants: Rebecca's, from Anthropologie

Clutch: From Mom, Clinique

Flip flops: From Mom, a store in Stone Harbor

Sunglasses: Kohl's

Bathing suit: Victoria's Secret

Day 91: Jamaican holiday

I'm so glad that I went to Montego Bay, Jamaica for the wedding of my friends Alicia and Tommy! I was there for five days, starting last Wednesday. The flight was at 6 am, which means that I landed in Jamaica around 8:30 am and was on the beach by 11.  We stayed at Secrets Wild Orchid, an impressive all-inclusive resort.  I had never been to a resort before, and didn't know what to expect, but this spot was perfect for a few carefree days in the sun with friends. I think there were 28 of us there for the wedding festivities, which was ideal, because Dave and I could go off and relax or kayak on our own, but there were always people around to hang out or play volleyball with if we wanted to.  A perfect vacation!

Dave's sister lent me a beautiful batch of clothes (and jewelry!) to take on this trip, since she dressed well for her St. Barts honeymoon five months ago.  Every day in Jamaica, I put my bathing suit on first thing in the morning and kept it on until it was time to dress up for dinner. I would keep a cover-up or some more casual clothes around during the day to wear during breakfast and lunch, but after nap time, it was generally time to get dressed up and put on some makeup.  The cruise ship in the background of these shots already has me thinking about my next vacation!

Dress: Rebecca's, J. Crew

Shoes: Old Navy

Earrings: Rebecca's

Bracelets: Forever 21

Leaving for Jamaica!

See you next Monday! Please enjoy the fall weather for me while I'm away. Congratulations, Alicia and Tommy!