Thankful!

The amount of things, and most importantly, people that I have to be thankful for is too immense to even attempt to describe in words. So much has happened in the past year for me, and I am so thankful for this adventure that we call life. It may be unexpected, but it ends up to be beyond my dreams. Thank you to everyone who makes mine shine.

As you enjoy your Thanksgivings, I want to leave you with my most favorite quote from my most favorite film:

I firmly believe that love is smiling through all things.

Let's not find reasons to be unhappy! Happy Thanksgiving!
xo,
Grace

Sale Alert- Pink Friday!

It's that time of the year again! The Thanksgiving sales are starting early at Elaine Turner, as early as TODAY! This is a really good one too. Here are the details:


Tuesday: 25% off of all merchandise online at www.ElaineTurner.com.
Thursday: shoppers can celebrate Thanksgiving from the comfort of their homes with our Sip, Shop & Save event starting at 5pm to receive 30% off everything on the site!
Friday: guests receive a free iPad case with a $300 purchase plus more deals in store! (Houston, Dallas, NYC, San Antonio, and Nashville are the store locations).

Because Elaine Turner is seriously my favorite brand ever, and if you follow me on this blog you know I love to sing Elaine's praises, I will definitely be picking up some presents for myself and others during this excellent sale!!

Here are Elaine's favorite gifts of the season:


Happy Shopping!!!
xo,
Grace

What I Wore Today, 4 AM Edition!

Today I traveled back to LA for work, and our flight left the east coast at 6:50 am. To make it in time from where I live, that meant that I had to wake up at 3:55 am, try to pull myself together, and prepare myself for a five and a half hour flight (which I am SO grateful was direct, AND I was in an exit row, so I really cannot complain!).

Anyway, I am the absolute opposite of a morning person. I don't know what is more scary, the fact that I had to see 4 am, or that 4 am had to face my grumpy atitude.  I didn't feel "normal" again until we touched down in LA, and I had had 3 cups of coffee, made it through about 6 episodes of TV, and eaten a cookie.

With all the traveling I tend to do for work, I've gotten really good at knowing what works best for me for early flights or long trips. Today's outfit is a really good representation of what I love to wear for these occasions!

Starting with the bag, this is the greatest travel purse ever, and believe me, I have tried lots. This Tory Burch Soft Nylon Tote Bag (Tory Navy Geyser) was a college graduation gift from my fiancé last May, but I was able to still find it for sale on amazon if anyone is interested! It is super light weight, but big in size, with a massive zippered (really secure) exterior pocket, and another nice roomy zippered pocket in the main interior, along with two handy slots for cell phone, lipgloss, etc. It has room for everything I need and everything is secured in with a zipper which makes me feel at ease carrying it in busy places, plopping it down in the TSA scanner, and stowing it away in the plane. Not to mention, the nylon material makes it easy to wipe away anything that may get on it. It really is the best. 


I love to travel in my Nike Flex Runs (New Version) because they are lightweight, so comfy, and easy to slip on and off (although I hear you're not actually supposed to do that with tennis shoes, whoops!). Plus, the pop of hot pink makes me happy!

Layering is key for me when I travel, and I like to start with a great base. Nothing is better than the Lululemon Wunder Under Crop leggings. Nothing. They are my second skin. I am now a proud owner of 6 pairs accumulated over years and years of love for them. I still have the first pair I ever bought and they are as good as new-- that is where your investment goes with these-- amazing quality that lasts forever. They are expensive for a legging, but trust me, they are worth every single penny. Plus they have tons of fun colors and patterns now!

Next,  I like to go with a lightweight long sleeve top, like this one from Splendid. I particularly like the longer silouette when wearing it with leggings. Finally, a cosy, blanket-like sweater is key. I am notorious for getting cold everywhere I go, so a sweater is a must. This Kersh Anchor Print Sweater (found at T.J. Maxx) is a favorite as I find the waterfall style to be nice and flattering, and I love the print/colors. It also has a nice drapey neck which adds to the warmth factor.

If you ever catch me in the airport super early in the morning, I may not quite know what is going on yet, but chances are I will be wearing something really similar to this because I know it works and I always feel good in it. Do you guys have any travel outfits that you love?


Have a great Hump Day!!
xo,
Grace





Getting into the Christmas Spirit! (A little early)

With all the busyness and travel going on in our lives right now and in the coming weeks, my fiancé and I took the last 24 hours to really start getting into the spirit of the holiday season!  As I write this, I am listening to my freshly downloaded "Christmas At Downton Abbey" album and it is just as delightful as it sounds like it would be! I am currently wearing newly purchased Disney Christmas flannel Pajamas, and sipping on my first non Starbucks "home made" hot chocolate since last year, pretending it is not currently 80 degrees where I am in Florida.

Last night, we went to Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party at the Magic Kingdom and it was our first time back there since we got engaged last January. It was such a fun night and we enjoyed every moment! Of course, we went back to the exact spot where Ben proposed and the rush of excitement hit me all over again.

Times like last night remind me how important the sharing of tradition is to me. Even though Ben and I have been together almost 8 years now, we have so many exciting new traditions to begin and experience together as we start our new lives together; the holidays are an excellent reminder of that!

Speaking of tradition, my outfit last night was full of it! Growing up, my mom used to take my sister and I to Old Navy every year for most holidays so that we could buy a fun seasonal t-shirt to wear. I always loved getting to pick out a Christmas one and that is a tradition that I haven't stopped! The shirt I wore last night, that says "Meet Me Under The Mistletoe" was my purchase last year from Old Navy's holiday tee shop. These are the ones I am eyeing for this year :

                  "You Wish"                    Pray For Snow"               "Mickey Mouse"         "Merry and Bright"

I hope you all had fantastic Mondays and are off to great enjoy a great week!
xo, 
Grace

My Non-Costume Halloween Outfit of the Day!

Just for the record-- this is the second year in a row that I haven't dressed up for Halloween!! Let it be known that despite my poor showing of Halloween spirit, I really do LOVE Halloween and have always enjoyed the concept of playing dress up and making creative costumes….there's always next year! Today I did want to share my OOTD with you because even though its not a costume, I do have a new jacket that I love. It is the 1969 Stud Denim Jacket from Gap.  I think the stud accents on it are just enough to make a statement without being too far into the rocker/biker category. As it always goes with The Gap, the denim is super soft and already worn in. 
For our evening at the movies (where we saw John Wick) I paired this beauty with a JCrew Collection White Cashmere Tee, 7 For All Mankind Skinny In Black, and my Metallic Aldo Booties ! Comfortable, laid back, and casual… just the way I like it!

I hope that you all had very happy Halloweens filled with lots of treats and no tricks! I can't wait to see and hear about your costumes!! 
xo,
Grace

My Fall Staples!

Hi friends and happy Wednesday! Woo-hoo we've made it half way through the week!! As you read this, I am probably road tripping to one of my fave places, Phoenix Arizona, for work (any opportunity to go to AZ and I am ready to go!). 
With my current job, which I absolutely am loving by the way, I get to travel a lot. When I first started, I will admit that my "light" packing skills were seriously bad.  Instead of packing three outfits for a two day trip I was leaving with 10+ (hey, this girl has gotta have her options). After a few wake-up-calls that my overpacking was more of a nuisance than a wardrobe saver, I've gotten to be really good at narrowing it down to the staples (blog post about packing light coming soon :) ). 

Anyway, today I wanted to share with you some of my most favorite recent Fall purchases. I have reached for these items day after day because I love them so very much.  Let me begin with the Ray Bans (1). I love the blue lenses because they are totally opaque (yay for privacy), and as someone who wears a lot of neutrals, I love the pop of color they add to my outfits/ fair skin and blonde(ish) hair. They are so comfortable, and I've honestly worn them every day since I bought them with my fiancé in a moment of joy in Santa Monica, CA. 

Next is this NARS Nude Lipstick (aka Honolulu Honey)(2). I've been on the quest for the perfect nude for so long, and I can really say that this is it. I love a nude lip for fall and this checks all the boxes- moisturizing, barely there, elegant. Couldn't love it more. 

Also a NARS purchase, this Cheek Palette is gorgeous. It is great for highlighting and contouring, which I am a huge fan of, and also supplies three good sized blushes, each of which are very different and fun. I ran into Sephora to stock up on my favorite blush, Orgasm, and left with this instead… guess what? Turns out I like this better! 

I recently also treated myself to these incredible PJ's by PJ Salvage, which I found in Bella Beach in Manhattan Beach. I usually buy PJ's at target, but these were so worth the money, and I love the "Girly Skull" print. I feel like a rockstar in my sleep. I've also seriously considered wearing the PJ top as a "real life" tank top…. I'll let you know if  when that happens ;). 

Finally, these Aldo Montoro Metallic Booties have been my MVP shoe of the season.  After seeing them walk the runway on my favorite show ever, Project Runway, I bought them on sale and could not be happier with them. They're great with dresses/skirts as well as skinny jeans or even leggings. They are also the perfect way for me to add a bit of metallic into my fall wardrobe. 

What have been your fall fave's? I'd love to know!! Do you have any of these too?

xo,
Grace








Bridal Shower Style!

Hello and happy Sunday! I hope that you have all had great weekends-- mine has been so amazing!
I flew back to my hometown, Charlotte NC, for my Bridal Shower and it was even more special than I expected. It was hosted by my soon-to-be aunt, and my fiancé's grandmother; they (along with  my future Mother in Law) were so thoughtful in every little detail and planned such a fabulous day, making me feel so honored and loved.

When I found out about the shower, I immediately started thinking  stressing out  about what I was going to wear. Initially, I really wanted to wear a dress in an off white or cream color, but had such a hard time finding one. I began to admit defeat on that mission, and instead became obsessed with trying to re-create an Olivia Palermo Wedding separates moment. After a few weeks of searching for the perfect cashmere sweater and flowy skirt, I had an epiphany that I was being a bit unreasonable… I am no Carolina Herrera!

So, literally the day before the shower, I found myself with my mom at the Kate Spade store in Houston (best Kate Spade store EVER by the way… it is massive) with only a few hours to try and create the perfect bridal shower look. Thankfully, my mom is my best shopping partner and extremely helpful picking out things and giving advice. I tried on a bunch of outfits, but ended up settling on classic a blush pink dress, berry and glitter heels, and green and pink earrings (loaned to me by my bridesmaid, Laura).

Dress: Kate Spade  Shoes: Kate Spade (not available online) Similar Here Earrings: Kate Spade Similar

I am obsessed with these shoes! I almost bought some nude pumps to go with the dress, but the second I put these on I knew that it was just meant to be. The glitter heel matches the color of the dress perfectly and I think it gave my outfit a bit of a happy surprise element.  They make me feel happy too, and to me that is the most important thing. 

So, I didn't end up in off-white but I love how my outfit turned out, and I felt very "me" and comfortable the entire day. 

Here are some iPhone shots of the shower taken by my future Mother in Law if you can see what a beautiful job the hosts did! I am so incredibly thankful for them and our guests… it is such an incredible thing to feel supported and loved. 








Have a great Sunday night!!
xo,
Grace

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