Currently Vol. 10

Happy Friday! Today I'm back with another installment of Currently, where I catch you up on the things I'm loving at the moment. Enjoy!

from my trip to Galveston!

June 2018 Instagram Roundup

Typically, whenever I post an outfit on Instagram, I also share it on the blog, but for whatever reason I haven't been doing that lately. To compensate, I thought I would do a huge Instagram roundup post today! I always love reading these, so I hope you enjoy.

Also, shameless plug - go follow me on Instagram so you can see these photos right when I post them :)

Similar Swimsuit Top // Similar Swimsuit Top // Similar Swimsuit Bottoms // Sunglasses

The first of many pool days of the summer! My swimsuit is from last year, but I've linked some similar ones.

LOOKBOOK: How To Get Cute Outfits For Less!

One the questions I get asked most frequently is, How do you shop while on a budget? How can you get cute clothes for less? I've become pretty good at scoring great deals on clothes over the years, so today I am sharing some outfits that I've gotten great deals on and how I did it!

This outfit is probably my favorite I've ever put together, and the best part is, every item in it was pretty inexpensive! My top was actually $3, because I got it from Shein - a great place to buy cheap, trendy clothes. My choker was only $4, from Forever 21. They have great inexpensive jewelry. My skirt was originally $50 at Urban Outfitters, but I got it for $20 because it went on sale and I applied a promo code on top of that (sold out but here's a similar, even cheaper one)! My shoes were also $50 at DSW, but I had a coupon for $20 off, so they ended up only being $30. Lastly, my sunglasses are $15 from Francesca's, but they often have 2 for $20 promos so I only paid $10.

Total outfit price: $67 // Price Per Item: $11

It drives me crazy when I find a cute swimsuit, but it's $100 for the top and $100 for the bottoms. There is no way I'm paying that for a SWIMSUIT! I've done a couple blog posts on cheap swimsuits, but this one is by far my favorite. It's from Target, and $15 each for the top and bottoms. However, if you wait a while they will have some sort of sale where it's 20% off all swimwear (that's when I got this) or buy one get one 50% off, making it even cheaper. I'm wearing the same sunglasses that I got for $10.

Total Outfit Price: $34 // Price Per Item: $11

Okay obviously nobody is wearing sweaters right now, but this outfit was such a good deal so I couldn't not share it. I scored this sweater (similar here) at Nordstrom Rack for only $14 (it's a great place to find basics for discounted prices!) and this necklace (very similar here for $20_ was on clearance at Francesca's for $9. These jeans are $40 at Francesca's, but I got them as part of a BOGO 50% off sale so I paid $20 (they're currently available in a lighter wash that's $30). Lastly, I scored these Adidas sneakers for only $30, because they were on sale at Dick's Sporting Goods and I had a coupon for an additional 20% off.

Total Outfit Price: $73 // Price Per Item: $14

I wouldn't normally think to shop at JCPenney, but I'm really impressed with their selection. They are constantly having sales, so this top was $14 and the jeans were $25. I am wearing the same $4 choker from Forever 21, and you can't see it, but I'm wearing my Steve Madden Brando sandals (they look just like Birkenstocks but are much cheaper!) I got them for $15 because they were on clearance at Belk.

Total Outfit Price: $58 // Price Per Item: $14

TO SUM UP:
- shop at cheap sites like Shein & Forever 21
- wait until things go on sale
- always check to see if promo codes are available
- look at discount stores like Nordstrom Rack
- buy dupes of expensive things (like my knockoff Birkenstocks)
- invest in items you can wear multiple ways (the most expensive items in this post were jeans and shoes, because I will wear those with multiple things)
- shop on Poshmark (I have scored some great deals on there, and I am also selling some clothes! shop my closet HERE)

What are your best tips for finding cute clothes for less?

Life Lately Vol. 38

Happy Friday! I'm long overdue for a Link Love post, but so much has happened in the past few weeks that I decided to skip the Link Love post and just share a little life update. Enjoy!

I got my braces off!! If you've been following me for a while, you might remember the days before I had my braces and I had the worst gaps of missing teeth in my mouth, but those days are long gone. I do have an Invisalign retainer, now, which is a pain, but I don't miss braces at all! The only bad part is that my teeth are really sore from adjusting to the retainer, so I haven't been able to eat any solid food. All I've had in the past 24 hours is three different kinds of ice cream, a peach, a small bowl of rice, and a coffee, which now that I'm thinking about it, doesn't sound that bad. Who doesn't love an excuse to eat ice cream?

I'm going to do a YouTube Q&A all about my braces experience (because it's been a pretty unique one) so if you have any questions, leave a comment below or shoot me a DM on Instagram.

I also finally pulled the trigger and bought Aspyn Ovard presets (as seen in the pictures above)! I had been wanting them forever, and after I asked my friends and pretty much every single one of them thought I should buy them, I pulled the trigger. Let me just say, they are so amazing. Pricey? Yes. But amazing? Ohhh yes.

I'm sure you've already seen this by now... but I went to Galveston! It was such a fun vacation, and I would do just about anything to be back there right now! Make sure you check out the Galveston travel guide I posted earlier this week - full of so many fun things to do!

After Galveston, we headed down to Houston to celebrate my grandpa's 80th birthday and see my grandparents' new house. It was such a fun couple of days. Sadly, I didn't get any pictures with them, but I did snap this one of my grandpa's birthday cake. It's called a Brown Mountain cake, and it's literally one of the best cakes I've ever had. (of course, pretty much any cake my grandma makes ranks really high on my list.)

Oh, and I tried the Costco acai bowl. I've become obsessed with acai bowls lately, and when Costco came out with one, I knew I had to try it. It's so good, and even if you don't like acai bowls, you will like this one. It tastes more like a sorbet but is amazing!

If you didn't know, I am a huge soccer fan, so I've been watching the World Cup like crazy. My dad and I have gone out to lunch every day this week to watch the games. Since USA isn't in the tournament, he's pulling for Iceland and France, and I've got Spain and Mexico. If you're following along, I would love to hear who you're rooting for!

Have a great weekend!

Galveston, Texas Travel Guide

If you're following me on Instagram, you might have seen that I was in Galveston, Texas last week! My family and I road tripped down there in order to spend a few days at the beach and visit my grandparents (who live an hour away.) It was so much fun, and I'm so excited to be sharing my Galveston travel guide on the blog today. These are some of my favorite posts to write, so I hope you enjoy!

// SHOP //

The Strand // This street is Galveston's historic district, home to some of the cutest beachy boutiques. Some of the best shops on this street are Tina's, Gracie's, Emboldened Elegance, and Tola-Mo Bettah Market (a great place for souvenirs!) Make sure you stop at La King's Confectionary for some candy and chocolates, too.

Post Office Street // I personally preferred this street over The Strand, because I liked the boutiques better there. Make sure to stop in Style Co and ha.ba's, and head to Hey Mikey's for dessert! There's also tons of cute murals on this street - perfect for taking pictures.

Kitchen Chick // If you love cute dishes and kitchen accessories like I do, this place is for you. They have some of the cutest little kitchen knick-knacks. It's in a big blue building near the Strand - you can't miss it!

Peanut Butter Warehouse // This warehouse has small pop-ups from a bunch of different vendors. They have all sorts of cute clothes, accessories, home decor, and other little items.

// DO //

Pleasure Pier // This amusement park is built on a long pier extending into the ocean, so while you're on roller coasters and ferris wheels, you can look out and admire the waves crashing into the shore.

House Hunting // There are so many cute, quaint houses everywhere you look! They're all painted pink, blue, or yellow, and are absolutely adorable. My mom and I found one for sale and we're dying to move in! (even though it's $1 million haha). It's so fun to just drive around neighborhoods and admire all the houses.




Beach //And of course, I think this goes without saying, but you really can't visit Galveston without going to the beach. Enough said. I've heard great things about Stewart Beach, but we honestly just parked at a random point along the seawall and went to the beach there.

// STAY //


The Tremont House // This boutique hotel is one of my favorites I've ever stayed in. From the marble floors, to the palm trees in the lobby, to the spacious rooms (with amazing lighting, I might add), this is literally my dream hotel. It's located right next to The Strand, perfect if you're in the mood for some shopping. And just wait until you read about their giant cinnamon rolls...

The Galvez // We didn't stay here, but of course we had to pop in and see the lobby! It's a beautiful hotel, historic and classic - it reminded me a lot of The Breakers in Palm Beach. It's located right on the beach, too, which is great if you're planning on being at the beach a lot.

// EAT //

Fisherman's Wharf // This lively restaurant was my favorite one on the trip, and we almost didn't even go! We had planned to go somewhere else, but it was closed, so we headed here instead. The food is amazing - the shrimp queso is to die for, and you have to get their chocolate cake for dessert! The atmosphere is equally amazing - there's a large patio on the water, and the entire place is decked out in nautical decor.

Mosquito Cafe // Despite the name, this is one of the best brunch spots in Galveston! Everything on the menu looked amazing, so my mom, sister, and I split three dishes three ways. We tried the veggie omelet, the pancakes (my personal fave) and the yogurt with granola.

Hey Mikey's // I'd been craving ice cream on the entire trip, and I finally satisfied that craving on the last day when we went to Hey Mikey's after doing some shopping on Post Office Street. Their menu rotates daily, and it ranges from classics like chocolate to unique flavors like thin mint or biofreeze (all the flavors combined).


The Tremont House // When you stay at the Tremont House, you HAVE to get their giant cinnamon rolls for breakfast. They're literally as big as your face: gooey cinnamon rolls served straight from the oven topped with cream cheese icing. I'm craving one just thinking about them (and I don't even like cinnamon rolls)!

Gaido's // You can't go to Galveston without eating at this historic spot! This is the nicest restaurant on this list, and it's been around for over 100 years - my mom remembers coming here when she was little! Both their grilled shrimp and fried shrimp are incredible (oh, and they bring out the most amazing bread as an appetizer)!

Sunflower Bakery // We headed to this spot for lunch one day. They have good sandwiches (and french fries!!) but the best part is their bakery. We all got brownies, and they were so yummy!


Olympia Grill // If you like Greek food, this place is for you! Their menu is a seafood-Greek hybrid, and as a lover of all things pita bread, I enjoyed eating here. My mom and I split an appetizer of pita bread and hummus, and shared a shrimp pita for dinner.


La King's Confectionary // If you're in the mood for a sweet treat, pop into La King's for some handmade candy. They have so many different kinds (I tried a red velvet truffle and a chocolate peanut butter cup), and they also have taffy pulls every few hours where you can watch them make taffy!

We also wanted to try Mama Teresa's Pizza, Willie G's, and Farley Girls Cafe, but we didn't have the time.

Let me know if you go to Galveston and try any of the places on this list - I'd love to hear all about it!

Summer Swimwear Under $50 (vol. 2)

I always have a hard time shopping for swimsuits. So much so, in fact, that I'm doing a second installment of this post so I can show y'all even more swimsuits I've found! I'm so picky about my swimsuits: they have to be modest, cute, and under $50. It can be hard to find a good combination of all three, so today I'm sharing a quick roundup of some swimsuits that fit this criteria!

Side note - I'm in Galveston right now and out of office so this post is prescheduled. The best way to contact me is to send me a DM through Instagram or Twitter!

Don't forget to check out my first roundup of swimsuits here!

Where is your favorite place to buy swimsuits?

3 Years

Three years ago today, I sat down at my ancient HP laptop and wrote a short blog post (very cringe-worthy, don't go read it) about how to save money on Lilly Pulitzer. My blog layout was atrocious back then: I had a Lilly Pulitzer Lobster Roll background and used what were arguably the world's ugliest fonts. I so wish I had a screenshot of that layout; I can picture it so vividly.

Two years ago, I published a blog post celebrating my one-year anniversary. I was taking pictures exclusively on my iPhone 5c then, and they were mainly of preppy stickers and t-shirts.

One year ago, I talked about how much blogging has taught me. I had been using a DSLR for about six months, and I was still figuring out how to use it. I had just started my YouTube channel, and was looking forward to spending the summer taking pictures and filming videos.

And today, I'm hear to talk about why I love blogging.

It's so easy to get caught up in the stress of blogging: maintaining social media, shooting and editing photos, putting together outfits... it's a lot of work behind the scenes. I can't tell you how many times I've thought about closing this tab for good and giving up blogging. I've taken several breaks, but I always seem to come back to this blog. I can't imagine my life without it, because when I look back, I don't see all the stress. I see the amazing opportunities and relationships this blog has created for me. I see nothing but great things. Let's take a walk down memory lane, shall we?

I see the very first travel guide I ever published, and I see my most recent. I see my very first collaboration I ever did, and I see my most recent. I see the blogging goals I achieved so long ago, and I see the ones I'm still working towards. I see my ongoing list of things I want to achieve by this September, and I see each of those things chronicled through my "life lately" series. I see my very first outfit post, and my most recent.

I keep coming back to this blog because I need this creative outlet. I need a space to document my life, my memories, all these crazy twists and turns on the road called life.

My mom once asked me if I thought I was missing out on opportunities because I spent so much time taking pictures of everything. It's actually the opposite, you see; chronicling every little detail has allowed me to capture so many more memories and go on so many new adventures. I can't tell you how many things I would've forgotten if I hadn't documented them on this blog.

It's crazy to look back on old memories and see how much has changed. So often, I feel like I'm still the exact same person I was three years ago (seriously. I'm still the same height I was in sixth grade.) but then I go back and I realize how much I've grown as a person.

I can't wait to see what the future has in store for me, and as always, I'm looking forward to documenting it here for you. Thank you for following along on my journey, whether you've been here since my Lilly Pulitzer days or this is your first time reading my blog. You mean the world to me!

Currently Vol. 9

Happy Friday! Today concludes the first full week of summer, and man, it was a good one full of shopping, photoshoots, and delicious food. However, I have a feeling next week will be even better... because I'm headed down to Galveston! Make sure you're following me on Instagram so you can see all of the fun snapshots from my trip!

from my fun photoshoot with the girls at Grace Layne!

Watching... White Collar! My friend Mia got me hooked on it, and I can't stop watching. It's about a former con artist/art thief who ends up in prison, then starts working for the FBI after that. It reminds me of the movie Catch Me If You Can (one of my all time favorites) and I can't stop watching!

Wanting... I just posted my summer wishlist on Tuesday, so go check that out!

Eating... ice cream. When it's 100 degrees outside, I want nothing more than to dig into a pint of Halo Top. I've also been loving Hubert's Lemonade - it's perfect for cooling down after spending some time outside.

Reading... I just picked up two books from the library: The Summer of Broken Things and The Unexpected Everything. I haven't started either one yet, but I will keep you posted as to how I like them!

Listening... country music! Whenever summer rolls around, I listen to country music nonstop. Anything by Sam Hunt or Thomas Rhett is pure gold, and I've also been loving Coming Home by Kieth Urban.

Loving... coffee. I never thought I'd be that person who says, I'm addicted to coffee, but I'm addicted to coffee. I've made it a part of my morning routine: every morning, I sip on a cup of coffee while checking my email, reading blog posts, and scrolling through Pinterest.

Wearing... somehow, I think you know what's coming here... Nike shorts and a Comfort Colors t-shirt, all day, every day.

Have a great weekend!

Wishlisted: Summer 2018

Welcome to the first official blog post of summer 2018! I can already tell that this summer is going to be such an amazing one. Today I'm kicking off the season by sharing some things that I've had my eye on lately. I'm actually going on vacation to Galveston next week, so I've been looking for a lot of swimsuits and casual beach outfits.

one // two // three // four // five // six // seven // eight // nine // ten

Let's talk swimwear!! I purchased this swimsuit the other day, but I have my eye on a few more. I love this embroidered one, this wrap one, and this palm leaf one (which didn't make it into the collage). And of course, I need a cute coverup to go with all the swimsuits!

I feel like I've become addicted to stripes recently. I just ordered this striped skirt, this striped top, and this striped bikini, but I also really want this striped dress and these striped shorts. Do I have a problem? Probably. Do I care? Nahhh.

As I said earlier, I live in t-shirts now, and I thought these three graphic tees would be perfect for summer. (I think the bring on the sunshine one would be so cute with the aforementioned striped shorts!)

Lastly, I have a couple basics. I need a new pair of white shorts, but I'm so picky about the way my shorts fit... fingers crossed these work out! I also am in love with these espadrille sandals - they would be so perfect with this white lace dress I have.

A couple other things that didn't make it into the collage... this out of office tee, this casual yellow top, and these Friends-themed pajamas!

What's on your summer wishlist?

Life Lately Vol. 37

HAPPY FIRST DAY OF SUMMER!! Clearly I'm very excited about summer (and on my 4th cup of coffee this morning #sendhelp) but it's my favorite season and I'm finally done with finals, so I think a few exclamation points are appropriate. Today I'm sharing some snapshots from the past month: what I've been up to, what I've been eating, and more!

First of all, Mother's Day was so much fun! My family and I went to Olivella's (our favorite pizza place in Dallas), did a little shopping, and had dessert at cake bar! It was such a fun day celebrating my mom! My sisters and I bought her Joanna Gaines' cookbook and she loved it. We've already made the chicken pot pie and strawberry shortcakes - 10/10 recommend.

One of the really cool perks about being in high school is that you get a ton of days off due to testing. I didn't have to take the standardized tests my school issued a few weeks ago, so I got to have two days off! Ashley and I had brunch and went shopping on one day, and I took my sisters lunch at their elementary school on the other day. It made me realize how much I miss being in elementary school!

         

For whatever reason, almost all of my friends have birthdays in spring. This month, I celebrated two of my friends - Eleanor and Mia! I loved getting to spend time with them and celebrate them!

I also have my AP Human Geography test two weeks ago and it was kind of stressful but I feel confident that I did well! I went out to lunch with Ashley and Mia after that. We tried a new burger place near us and went shopping afterwards.

Memorial Day weekend in my family is always really chill but still tons of fun. We spent a ton of time at the pool, and tried a new ice cream place that has the coolest desserts (I don't even know what to call them!)

Now that it's summer, I'm looking forward to creating more content and posting regularly again. The past few months were kind of rough when it came to blogging/social media, but I promise I'm going to be more active this summer! Go follow me on Instagram and subscribe to my YouTube channel so you don't miss out on any fun content!