recap: july

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i feel like i should probably mention my new-ish job since it's been the catalyst for a bunch of other big life changes.  i got new headshots taken and the photographer made me look the perfect combination of friendly and professional.  the one below didn't make the marketing cut, but i still like it a lot.  and the big, big, big news is that i finished all my licensing exams!  i can finally call myself an architect without any qualifiers!  yay!  i've been slowly chipping away at the seven sections for the last two and a half years with some breaks for various projects/trips/weddings, so it seems like it was so long ago that i started on them.  i met my goal that i set back in undergrad of finishing before my thirtieth bithday (it's coming up in october) and i celebrated with cupcakes of all sorts.  i even got to eat leftover cupcakes for breakfast with my whole family earlier this month.  and my nieces were just as excited about this as i was.

[buying]
one: zara marble-effect trousers: $60.  these are totes my new favorites (evidence here and here) and are perfect for my new office environment where everyone looks so darn cool all the time.  except for when they're covered in fleece blankies because it gets really cold, but under all the fleece they're dressed in super cool duds.
two: labworks quilted pullover top: $20.  i haven't worn this yet, but it is definitely a new silhouette for me.  i'm thinking it will make its debut on friday with some gray jeans.
three: merona ponte pencil skirt: $12.  ponte, gray, pockets.  that's the comfy skirt trifecta right there.

july total: $92.  june was kinda buy-everything-shoppy-time, so this is good.
and get nosy with a bunch of other blogger's budgets over hurrrr.

[reading]
novels!  yay!  i'm finally not spending all my free time doing practice exams, so i'm back reading books that aren't about efficient mechanical systems or construction contracts.  i'm working my way through anne and heidi's book suggestions and it's been fantastic.  

dotty, her black hole closet, and her black rubber bracelet

[wearing]
blouse: pleione (exactly)
vest: zara (similar)
jeans: old navy (exactly)
flats: chinese laundry (similar)
scarf: target
tote: madewell (exactly)
tracker bracelet: fitbit flex (exactly)

[three things]
1. i feel like i forget about/temporarily lose track of clothes quite a bit.  and my closet is more organized lately than it has been historically.  maybe this is a sign that i have too many clothes.  hmph.

2. case in point: this vest.  i haven't worn it since february even though it's great for summer layering.

3. i'm on the hunt for a alternative to the tory burch fitbit bracelet (this one). it's just a bit too branded/ladies-who-lunch for my taste, but i definitely have some days when my rubber bracelet seems a bit silly.  i've compromised an accurate step count on a couple of occasions this summer for fancy occasions. but i like my statistics so much!

dotty, pitchforks, and kendrick

[wearing] 
dress: madewell (exactly)
scarf: forever21 (exactly)
hat: h&m (similar)
boots: target
bag: marc by marc jacobs (exactly)

[three things]  
1. we haven't been to pitchfork in a few years, but the sunday lineup convinced us to brave the droves of hipster teenagers to hear a bunch of our favorites.

2. i pulled my outfit together the morning of and just combined patterns in a slightly more anthro-ish way than i usually do.  and the hat, boots, and crossbody bag were all utilitarian choices.  it was barely cool enough for boots, but they definitely protected my toes from all sorts of festival-related hazards.

3. kendrick lamar.  i don't think i've seen the boy so into a concert since 2006.  also, he got his photo taken for a style blog.  now i just have to find his face on the interwebs!

dotty, sequins, and parties

[wearing]
dress: lc lauren conrad (similar)
heels: merona (exactly)
bag: marc by marc jacobs (exactly)
necklaces: light in the box and forever21

[three things]
1. i bought this dress three years ago when i was in grad school and it has made quite a few appearances over the years for fancy events and i even dressed it down once.

2. it was quite possibly the perfect dress for one of my favorite people's bachlorette party that was a combination of eating huge plates of italian food and going to a drag show.  i was a bit more dressed up than the rest of the girls, but i'm convinced that rose-colored sequins are perfect for any occasion.  and a good break from the usual little black dress.

3. you would not believe how much i can fit in this purse.  there's a bottle of water, a gift for the bride, a cardigan, and a pair of flats in there.  it's like mary poppin's carpetbag.  all i need is a floor lamp.

 

dotty, unnecessary hashtags, and a whole lot of ikea

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it's been a little while since i posted any photos of our home and since we just signed up for another year in our sunny, below-market-value-because-it-is-not-that-close-to-the-train apartment, so i thought it was about time to share some of my favorite little pieces.

p.s. how cute is it that those cacti look like a couple on vacation posing for a photo and waving at the camera?

#partytimeallthetime
paper lanterns from ikea + spray-painted leftover table numbers from our wedding


  #flylikepaper
ikea clock + discontinued blik paper airplanes wall decals
 


#bedsidemanner
ikea headboard + target pillowcase + west elm nightstand



#rainingonmyparade
ikea shower curtain



#thesisshmesis
a chunk of my master's thesis + eames rocker + ikea furryness

dotty, weekend pants, and baseball caps

[wearing]
pants: zara (similar)
tee: gapfit (exactly)
hat: j.crew
flats: chinese laundry (exactly)
bag: marc by marc jacobs (exactly)
sunnies: rayban

[three things]
1. i totally want to wear these pants every day.  i'm going to limit myself to wearing them one day/week to work, but weekends are totally fair game.

2. my hair was a little wonky from the night before, but you know what's great for that?  hats, man.  hats.

3. i really like how these shoes look, but i'm sorry they are still a little weird to walk in.  next time i should definitely find a pair with an ankle strap.

dotty, summertime cocktails, and swarming interns

[wearing] 
dress: zara (exactly)
heels: marco santi
clutch: h&m
necklace: forever21

[three things]
1. i've been wanting an asymmetrical dress for awhile.  okay, i used to have one but it was definitely more um...club-ish than this grown-up version.

2. these photos aren't the greatest, but i wanted to document what i wore to a cocktail party that we went to this weekend for the boy's jobbie.  it is absolutely amazing how cool all the summer interns think he is.  there was a swarming cluster of them clamoring to talk to him for the first hour of the party.  #kindofabigdeal

3. all formal events should end with food trucks.  whoever planned this party definitely knew what they were doing!

dotty, summer sweatshirts, and weekend erranding

[wearing] 
sweatshirt: j.crew factory (exactly)
jeans: j.crew factory (exactly)
flats: chinese laundry (exactly)
talon necklace: forever21
bag: marc by marc jacobs (exactly)

[three things]
1. i keep a fuzzy blanket on the couch year-round, so it's no surprise that i am all about the short-sleeve sweatshirt.  it doesn't make logical sense until you feel how soft the inside of it is.  it's like a flashback to high school and brand new team sweatshirts.

2. this outfit is from the other weekend whereas this current weekend is much more cocktail parties, friend dinners, and a hipstertastic music festival.  so pretty much every type of outfit imaginable that isn't this errand-running combination of things.

3. fancy flats are always a good thing.

dotty, marble pants, and gravy

[wearing] 
jacket: zara
tee: old navy (exactly)
marble pants: zara (similar)
flats: old navy (exactly)
tote: madewell (exactly)

[three things] 
1. i have this thing pieces of clothing that i deem to be "cooler than me" and these marble-print pants are most definitely cooler than i am.

2. speaking of these pants, i can now wear questionably denim-ish pants to work!  this is amazing.  it has made getting dressed for work sooooo much easier because i don't have to worry about if i'm not looking professional enough or violating the dress code in some weird way.

3. one of my co-workers had a big sample of carrara marble in the office the other day and the veining was more subtle than these pants and omgsopretty.  all the material samples sitting around at my new job are just amazeballs.  #interiorsforthewin







[previously on] gravy (gray v-neck tee)

dotty, all the spots, and rainboots

[wearing]
dress: madewell (exactly)
rainboots: loeffler randall
necklace: stella&dot
purse: marc by marc jacobs (exactly)

[three things]
1. spots!  i mentioned this dress in my june round-up and here it is on a rainy, rainy day.

2. i used to be really against animal prints for some reason.  i'm obviously over it since here i am wearing all the leopard spots.

3. i feel like showing all the ways i've worn a necklace is pretty easy since this one totally goes with a whole lot of different types of outfits. actually, i don't think i've ever done a "previously on" post with a necklace.  hmm.
 

[previously on] stella&dot chunky necklace

dotty, frisbees, and athletic hats

[wearing]
dress: madewell (exactly)
hat: j.crew (in floral)
tote: madewell (exactly)
sandals: gap (exactly)
necklace: h&m

[three things]
1. i've been wearing this hat for both non-athletic and athletic activities ranging from an airport run (that's what you're seeing here) to playing ultimate frisbee (which is going to be the most athletic thing i do all summer...or more like all year.)

2. this tote is just so photogenic.  and just so good for carrying around snacks and extra shoes.  and the occasional frisbee too.

3. now that this dress has appeared twice on here styled pretty similarly it might be time to mix things up a bit.  while i was busy ghostlike on here last week, i guest posted over on anne's pretty blog about this axact topic.  maybe i should read through my own advice again!
 

dotty, the jeans era, and ponytail problemz

[wearing]
jacket: zara (similar)
blouse: target
jeans: old navy (exactly)
flats: old navy (exactly)
tote: madewell (exactly)

[three things]
1. look at that, i'm wearing jeeeeeans!

2. especially with shorter hair, i really just don't like the way that my hair looks in a ponytail.  i'm still a big fan of sock buns, but i'd need a whole lot more length for that to happen again.  i've been having some straightened hair+humidity=weird frizzy waves issues, so i need to adjust my hair product routine a bit.

3. i hope that everybody stateside has a great holiday weekend!  we're headed home to the mitten to see as many of our siblings and their kids as we can find.  fingers crossed that we'll get a whole frozen soundtrack performance from my nieces.  who am i kidding?  it's a given.  let it gooooooo.





[previously on] contrast-sleeve jacket