Floral Art

Taking you on a mini-throwback Thursday to a few weeks ago when I was back home in Des Moines and to one of my favorite downtown locations, the Pappajohn Sculpture park (recently & newly beloved by Lucky's EIC Eva Chen, too!). But first, the story behind this dress!

I was wandering through Flatiron late last summer and found myself browsing the sale racks at Anthropologie looking for things I didn't need when this floral number with 3-D appliqués jumped out at me. I checked the tag and was crushed to see it was a size too big and there were no others in sight. I hustled it over to a sales girl who told me it was an online exclusive that had been returned in store; there were only a handful left in the entire company and the closest one in my size had ended up in a store in New Jersey. Since I'm car-less, I opted for the easier route and tried it on anyways—and it fit! The midsection is a bit on the billowy side, but given my recent habit of eating bagels every day I'm more than OK with that. 

It's the perfect summer travel dress because it doesn't wrinkle and calls for few accessories, so I tossed it in my suitcase last minute on my trip home a few weeks ago to wear out to dinner and a night of live jazz. I hadn't gotten to spend much time in the sculpture garden since I moved, and they've added some incredible new works, like the one I'm standing in front of and a Keith Haring piece (oh, hey again, Eva Chen!). Already planning to spend an afternoon wandering the area with my mom when I'm back again later this summer!

Anthropologie Dress || Zara Heels || Marc by Marc Jacobs Crossbody || Sequin Cuff (on sale!!)

NARS Satin Lip in Timanfaya || OPI Teal the Cows Come Home

Get the Look

Mad for Plaid

When I was 13, I had this really great pair of pants I'd picked up at some mall chain store-they were the perfect red plaid, tapered and flattering. Of course, 13-year-old me knew absolutely nothing about style (confession: I was a grunge/punk kid, more often in flannel & concert tees than not!), but my fashion sense matured with age and now-adult me wishes I still had/could still fit into those perfect red plaid pants. Alas, I'm sure they found their way to Goodwill, and hopefully to someone who knew how to style them, so adult me is on the hunt for a new perfect plaid. I think any of the above would do, don't you?

Clockwise from top left: Alice & Olivia Plaid Skirt || Nike Dunk Sky Hi London || Marc by Marc Jacobs Plaid Bag || Sea Combo Pullover || DSquared Plaid Coat || Stella McCartney Tartan Sweater || PJK Plaid Sweatshirt || Loft Plaid Ankle Pants || Alice & Olivia Plaid Pump || J. Crew Wool Scarf || Club Monaco Utility Tote

Corals

I got this incredible, silky-lined blazer at Forever 21 when I went to return another item earlier this spring-and I've rocked it at least a dozen times since. The color is freaking fantastic (hello, brights!) & the cut goes well over just about everything from t-shirts to blouses to dresses.

Jessica pointed out I went a little Corals and Cognacs with my look when she took my pictures-unintentional, but such a great color combo (looking at you, Hallie!).

Blazer, Forever 21 (similar) | T-Shirt, Victoria's Secret Pink | Jacket, Zara (old, similar)

Jeans, Joe's Jeans | Bag, Marc by Marc Jacobs | Nails, OPI in Tasmanian Devil Made Me Do It

Happy Friday! Looking forward to a warmer weekend full of sunshine & friends, hopefully getting some work done around my apartment for once, too. 

How to Dress Like an Athlete

Even if you aren't really one ;)

Maybe it's that I've finally made it back to my gym after a very long lapse between visits, but I have been digging sporty-cool vibes everywhere lately (bonus: doubles as motivation to actually get your butt to the gym).

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The key is to look for the same kind of details you want out of fitness gear: vibrant colors (think lots of neon), racing stripes, geometric and graphic shapes, and a hint of cutout details. Sheer fabrics and mesh work great with this trend, as do crop tops-hey, if you're gonna sweat, you gotta show some skin! Top everything off with a bright, athletic jacket or parka, and don't be afraid to mix in actual workout pieces as long as you skip the running shoes at the bottom. Keep accessories simple, like a bright, rubber bracelet or some impossibly cool sunglasses (see below) and a swipe of bright lipstick.

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Spring Shoe Cravings

I've been realizing more & more when I go to get dressed in the morning that part of the reason I feel so limited in my clothing options (which really, trust me, aren't that limited) is due to the fact I don't usually have the right kind of shoes to fit the look/mood/style.

Don't get me wrong, I have a lot of shoes, but I always collected pumps & various high heels, thinking I'd be working in a dressier office setting. Thankfully, mine is pretty casual, but I still like to kick it up a bit (pun intended!) and my shoe wardrobe needs a little re-vamping to fit my daily needs.

I'm honing it down to the basic styles that are easy to pair with my current wardrobe of skinny jeans, printed trousers & casual dresses, i.e flat sandals, heeled sandals (a thicker heel is a must when you're hoofing it in NYC), loafers and wedge sneakers.

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I really am thinking about jumping on the wedge-sneaker bandwagon. Go ahead & judge a bit if it's not your thing, but I like the mix of sport & fashion (and, ok, those blue Zara sneaks are calling my name). 

xx