I Found My Love In Avalon

My husband and I recently returned to Catalina Island, the site of our engagement 2.5 years ago to celebrate our 1 year wedding anniversary. I still have the note in my phone on the “notepad” app that I wrote that day so I wouldn’t forget a single moment…

“After our romantic dinner, we walked through Avalon and ended up stumbling upon a little drink stand by the ocean so I ordered two lemon drops for us and we toasted to being engaged…I’ve never felt happier in my entire life! Mike told me that he chose to propose on Catalina so it could be considered our place to always come back to and I can’t wait until we do.”

While I thought nothing could be better than that day, this trip was absolutely amazing. Our typical vacation is spent beach bumming with a side of drinks so we entertained our adventurous side this time by zip lining (holy shit, btw!), walking on the ocean floor, taking a tour of the famous casino, renting golf carts to explore the island and experiencing our first massage together! There are no words to describe my love for the island but there certainly are photos in which my smile says it all…

Jacket: J. Crew (similar)  // Skirt: LOFT // Tank: H&M // Sunnies: Old Navy // Bracelet: LOFT 

Sandals: Old Navy // Bag: Persun (Swap w/ Lisa) 

Here is a shot from our engagement day...

and our return to that spot :)

A few fun shots from our trip...

Do you have a special vacation spot that you always return to?

Rocked it & Swapped it (Twice!)

I was given this bag by Persun in early December and wore it twice in blog posts. When I was not capturing my daily looks, it quickly became my everyday bag.  After two months of use (and an embarrassingly large purse collection), I decided to put it up for sale in my closet and Kaitlyn swapped me for it right away! 

Here are 4 ways to remix 1 great bag:

     source // source

     source // source 

This bag is the perfect size, classic style, and a great black bag is like a LBD: everyone needs one! 

Which style do you like best?
Do you own a great black bag?

Because Kaitlyn Mixes Casual + Chic

I've always been a fan of the white oxford shirt -- it's always classy and looks good with almost anything. Whether you're dressing for the office with a pencil skirt and pumps or for a casual Saturday around town in jeans...60% of the time, it works every time ;) 

I found this version at JC Penney and I really liked the addition of the black lining down the side and beneath the buttons. It reminds me of a tuxedo and gives it a more playful feel, so I dressed it down with distressed jeans and ankle booties with a fun detail to match.

Top: JC Penney (similar) // Jeans: Old Navy // Booties: Old Navy // Purse: Persunmall (similar)

Sunnies: Nordstrom  // Bracelet: Forever 21(similar) // Ring: Francesca's

What are the staple pieces in your closet?

It's T-Shirt Time!

We love making a statement in graphic t's…from layering under outerwear, dressing up with a blazer or tucking into a pencil skirt, we can't get enough of these sharp and stylish combinations.

Simply stated, we love them, live in them, and want to share them with you. Today begins the pre-sale for these soft vintage wash t's! There is a limited number in stock so shop sisters now! 

T-shirt 1:

Tee: Sisters Marie (wearing size M) // Blazer: Urban Outfitters (similar) // Jeans: Old Navy // Shoes: Old Navy

Bag: Persunmall (similar) // Hat: My Mom's closet // Sunnies: Nordstrom (similar)

T-Shirt 2:

Tee: Sisters Marie (wearing size M) // Blazer: BISTM- Mary's Closet // Jeans: 7 for all Mankind // Bag: c/o Just Fab 

Sunnies: Prada // Necklace & Bangles: c/o It's a Bling Thing // Watch: Fossil 

…Because we wear love graphic t's too much! ;)

How will you style yours?

Because Kaitlyn Enjoys Spontaneity

Lisa and I met up to do a site check on a place we're considering for our next #swap party and we ended up finding a really cool spot to take photos. While the surrounding area didn't seem seem like much at first, it ended up being a hidden gem. 

I've found that spontaneity often has the best outcomes -- as organized as I am, sometimes it seems like excessive planning can result in too much structure. We didn't prepare anything for this evening, as it was a weeknight after a long day of work and it ended up being a great outing. Go with the flow, I say...Perhaps my new yoga class has instilled me with the value of namaste already :)

Chambray: Target // T: Forever 21 (old) // Leggings: Express (similar) // Boots: Just Fab // Bag: BISTM-Lisa's Closet  (Persunmall) (similar)

Hat: Mom's Closet (similar) // Initial Bracelet&Necklace: Old Navy 

Gold Bracelets: Forever 21 // Sunnies: Nordstrom (similar)

Are you more of a planner or go with the flow type personality?