Expedit

One of the challenges I had before moving into my cute studio apartment was how to divide my bedroom from my living area. I wanted something that would still let light through since I only have one (big!) window. I was looking at all sorts of panels but then happened to come across the Expedit Shelving Unit at Ikea. I loved the idea that not only could it act as a divider but it was also functional! (Plus, I thought the High Gloss White version would add a nice finished look to my apartment.) I also bought a couple of the Pjas Baskets to fill some of the shelves. 

 

I'm looking to fill some of the empty shelves with books, although I haven't decided on which ones yet, any suggestions?

(I promise I never judge a book by its cover but I'll be enticed if it's a turquoise one!)

 

Stay Positive

Ever have one of those days where nothing seems to be going right? I'm currently having one of those days. I was given an overwhelming amount of work to complete in a very short time period, so much that I had to work through my lunch break. I love my lunch break. Now that the weather is bearable, I like to go outside to take a mental break and read my book. (Yes, I'm a total bookworm and I'm currently reading Allegiant. I pre-ordered it a while back and was so excited that it was finally released on Tuesday!)

 

 

 I always go to my Pinterest quote board whenever I'm in a funk and felt like this one applied perfectly for today. Although the day is halfway over, there's still a chance it could turn around. I just have to stay positive!

Scallop Oxford

I came across Kiel James Patrick's Scollop Oxford on Pinterest and I have to admit, I'm obsessed! I love discovering unique oxfords, they're a great wardrobe staple plus how great are these colors?! I'm currently crushing on the Pemberton Racquet but Bailey's Cottage is a close second! 

Pemberton Racquet

 Bailey's Cottage

Riven Rock

 Brook Wolcott

Laurel Whittier 

My spending habits have been terrible lately but I can't help imagining all the possible outfits with this cute oxford! Which one is your favorite?!

Confidence is Key

Confidence by mfinley706 on Polyvore

My team and I are giving a pretty big presentation today in front of 50+ people. Needless to say, I'm not looking forward to it since I'm not the best public speaker. I get super nervous, lose my train of thought and the rest is downhill from there. This has always been one of my major weaknesses and I try to put myself in these uncomfortable situations to help improve my fear of public speaking. I have been practicing my part of the presentation over and over again in front of my mirror. (I seem to have it down but I tend to clam up in front of a big audience.)
I came across this quote on Pinterest last night and thought it was very appropriate for today. After reading it, I decided to pick out my favorite outfit: my turquoise capris, white oxford shirt and matching leopard belt and flats. (See it here!) This outfit gives me a ton of confidence, something I'll definitely need during the presentation later on today!
I thought about my part a little bit more and told myself that it won't be as bad as I think it will. (Plus, it's at the end of the day so I have this morning and early afternoon to keep practicing.) I know once it's over with I'll be relieved, I just need to keep my cool and maintain my confidence level.
Wish me luck!

Bracelets on Bracelets

I love accessorizing with silver jewelry. Unfortunately, I'm allergic to gold. It's the worst! My go-to choices are (in order from top to bottom in the picture): 

 

(1) St. John Hook Bracelet

It's said that when you're lucky enough to have found your true love, the open hook should be worn facing your heart. When it's worn the opposite way, (the open hook facing away from the heart) it's said that good fortune will smile on "your every cast" and one day, you are sure to reel in true love!

 

(2) Pearl Wrap Bracelet 

(with a TriDelt Charm)

My mom (also a TriDelt) gave this to me when I was initiated. I had been eying this bracelet for a while (I love wrap bracelets!) but I love the sentimental meaning behind the one I have currently.

(3) David Yurman Cable Bracelet

This was a special graduation gift from my Papa and I love it's classic look. 

 

(4) Wingaersheek Bracelet 

My best friend from home gave this thoughtful gift to me before I moved to Austin. If you look close enough, you'll see that there's sand in the small compartments. Wingaersheek Beach is by far my favorite beach since I constantly spent my summers there when I was growing up. It's nice to have a little piece of home around my wrist every day!

 

As you can see, I'm a huge fan of stacking bracelets. I also wear a watch my parents gave me for graduation on my other wrist, stay tuned for that post!

J.Crew Factory Sale

Monday came and went, thank goodness. I decided to start my day off by looking at J.Crew Factory during their 50% Off Everything sale (online and stores!). I had done some damage to my wallet on Friday (I decided to go shopping during my lunch break) so I told myself I would just look at the sale. 

Then I saw it.

The Jewel-Collar Oxford Shell in classic blue! I kid you not, I have been eying this for a very long time. It was so cute but I couldn't justify spending $80 on it. Then the Factory sale happened and all went right in the world! Needless to say, I cannot wait for it to arrive. It's on backorder until the 24th but I'm not complaining, as long as it's headed my way at some point!

I've already started brainstorming potential outfits with it, like the one below. 

(I'm currently obsessed with playing around on Polyvore, follow me here to see some of my other creations!)

(I also purchased this sweater in champagne and this skirt in navy. I had been wanting to add some new additions to my work wardrobe for a while!)

"Out and About" by mfinley706 

J.Crew blue oxford shirt / Shop women's new arrivals - Everyday deals on cashmere sweaters,... / J Crew flat / Tory Burch bowler handbag / Chan Luu knot jewelry / Cartier square face watch / Tiffany & Co. earrings / Bobbi Brown Cosmetics shimmer blush / Bobbi Brown Cosmetics tube mascara / Essie blue nail polish

Quote of the Day

I came across this quote on Pinterest the other day and thought it applied to me perfectly. Since my big move to Austin, I have encountered so many new opportunities that I wouldn't normally say yes to. It forces me to come out of my shy shell and become more confident with the decisions I make. Instead of overthinking it, I now say, "Why not?"
I have yet to regret an opportunity I've said yes to!

 

Happy Friday!!

My Favorite Fall Outfit

I love pairing my tortoise accessories with my chambray shirt (plus my leopard flats and belt!). It's by far my favorite fall outfit since comfort and chic are always a win in my book!

...Plus how great does the Beau Bag look with it?! (I think I'm just a little obsessed!)

(Chambray and Tortoise by mfinley706) 

J.Crew boyfriend shirt / J Crew capri / J Crew flat / Kate Spade tote bag / C. Wonder earrings / KENNETH JAY LANE necklace / Tory Burch tech accessory / J.Crew j crew sunglasses / J.Crew j crew belt / Essie nail polish

Me and My (Potential) Beau

The Kate Spade 2 Park Avenue Beau Bag has been on the top of my wish list ever since it debuted last month. I love the size, shape and most of all the cute bow on the front! This would be a perfect work bag to carry all my things to and from work. Although it comes in a variety of colors, I love how sleek and professional the black one looks! (Plus, it would go with every outfit!) It's currently out of my price range but I've been on the look out for Kate's sporadic flash sales and special discounts (fingers crossed!). 

I currently use one of her bags I purchased this past summer on Gilt Groupe as my work bag. It's very basic, has great structure and is also black. I love the quality of her bags and hope one day I can call this beautiful bag mine!

 I seriously cannot get enough of how cute it is!

I'm loving all that space!

If you haven't seen the collection yet, check them out here!

Back to Reality

I had a serious case of the Mondays today. I absolutely dreaded coming back to reality after this amazing weekend. ACL Music Festival was unlike anything I've ever seen or experienced. Eight stages, 130 groups, beautiful weather and friendly people (by the thousands), what's not to love? The atmosphere was so relaxing and I even caught a glimpse of Adrian Grenier as he walked by me!! (I was in heaven to say the least!) 

Overall, I have to say my absolute favorites were:

Eric Church

 "Springsteen" is one of my favorite country songs and being close to the stage wasn't bad either! 

fun.

They were absolutely phenomenal live!

Passion Pit

I love all of their songs and I had been dying to see them for a while.

Vampire Weekend

Just fantastic! 

Kings of Leon

I have to admit, I knew at most two of their songs but when I got home that night I downloaded all the songs they played!

 Lionel Richie

He was a great entertainer, I couldn't stop dancing the entire two hour time block he played! A huge congo line formed when he preformed "All Night Long." Amazing. 

Here are some pictures:

Muse (Day 1)

Day 2 with beautiful Austin behind us! (I'm in the red shirt!)

Passion Pit, there were an insane amount of people!

Day 3 had the most beautiful weather! (I'm in the white shirt!)

Eric Church shot gunning two beers after singing "Drink In My Hand" (Day 3)

Needless to say, I'm already looking forward to next year!

Austin City Limits Music Festival

Today marks the official start of the Austin City Limits (ACL) Music Festival and I'm so excited to be going the first weekend!! (Apparently this is the first year Austin chose to host two weekends of the festival and the same groups will be preforming both weekends!) For those of you unfamiliar with ACL, it's a huge three day music festival where 100+ music groups come to preform. There are eight different stages across Zilker Park, where groups will be playing from noon until ten at night. I've been looking forward to this ever since I knew I'd be moving here. (The live music culture is like no other here in Austin!) I'm also in walking distance to Zilker thank goodness. Parking is going to be a zoo!

And to top it off... 

Numerous authentic Austin food vendors will also be there and I can't wait to try the different food!!

Here are some of the groups I'm excited to see: 

Friday:

2:30-3:30 Jimmy Eat World

4:00-5:00 fun.

6:00-7:00 Vampire Weekend

8:00-9:30 Depeche Mode

8:30-10:00 Muse

Saturday:

3:30-4:00 The Verve Pipe

4:00-5:00 Silversun Pickups

6:00-7:00 Passion Pit

8:00-9:30 Kings of Leon

8:00-10:00 the Cure

Sunday:

3:00-4:00 Grouplove

4:00-5:00 Franz Ferdinand 

6:00-7:00 Eric Church

7:00-8:30 Phoenix

8:30-10:00 Lionel Richie

As you can see it's going to be quite a busy weekend and I don't hate it!

I've been brainstorming outfits all week and I still have no clue! I'm leaning towards my black J.Crew strapless ruffle dress with my grey t-strap sandals and my fun stone flower necklace for tomorrow! (Hair will most definitely be up! Texas afternoon heat + thousands of people = intense frizz. No thank you.)

I'll be thinking about my remaining two outfits tomorrow! Keep a lookout for pictures!! 

The Skimm

 

With all that has been happening in the world lately, I was struggling to find time to read the news. After living here a little over two months, I'm still trying to figure out my schedule. With getting to work earlier (so I'm not stuck in traffic later!), finding time for new friends/opportunities and "me time", I felt like I was back in the college bubble. (You know, that one where the outside world doesn't seem to exist.)

I was talking with one of my friends from school the other night and explained my dilemma. She told me she recently subscribed to "The Skimm", which is a daily email that basically consolidates and simplifies major headline stories. It's fantastic! I love how the paragraph gets straight to the point and I'm also not spending a huge chunk of time reading it. Plus, it has stories titled like, "What to Say When You Get to Your Desk" and "What to Say When Your BFF Gets Coffee with Your Nemesis" so you're able to contribute to the conversation with friends or coworkers. This is now the first thing I read when I get to work and I definitely recommend it!

 

Interested? Subscribe here.

Ikea Hacks

I have been drooling over this site ever since I started picking out furniture for my apartment this past summer. O'verlays is a site that sells panels specifically to dress up Ikea furniture. You can either shop by furniture piece or design. I absolutely love this idea Danika and Cheryle have created, it's beyond genius and a much cheaper alternative!  

These are just some of the patterns you can purchase. I'm personally a huge fan of the Greek Key pattern...

...and possibly recreating this beautiful piece! I've been needing just a little bit more room for all my clothes and this would be such a fun project. 

This smaller Malm Dresser would probably be more my size. (Loving the gold on white look!)

Seriously, how cute is this?! The Lack tables are at most $12.99 and the Greek Key Corners are a fabulous finishing touch.

I may need to start this project in the very near future!

Rabbit Rabbit

Can you believe it's already October?! I can't. This whole 90-degree weather thing is really throwing me off. I miss New England, especially it's transition from summer to fall. Crisp mornings, apple picking and leaves changing are all pretty nonexistent down here. I have to admit the mornings have been a little bit chillier and I don't feel that instant wave of heat when I'm walking to my car (hooray!). 

I was so tempted to buy a pumpkin when I went to the grocery store yesterday but I thought I should wait until the calendar actually read October. Instead, I went home and found these two (super cute!) pumpkin ideas. By now I'm sure you understand my love for both monograms and chevron print so you could understand my excitement when I came across these pictures on Pinterest. Best ideas hands down. I'm so eager to start them! 

This would look great on my little balcony, very festive!

Genius.