Styling Graphic Tees for Fall

Graphic tees have become one of my favorite things to wear.  I love the quirky character they add to an outfit.  Here are some of my favorites and how I style them:

This Hocus Pocus tee is one of my favorites for fall!  How perfect is this one for October??

Pumpkin spice everything is pretty much my motto for fall!  This graphic tank is so fun to layer under a button down or cardi and throw some fun booties on.

Is there a better shirt for October??  This is one of my favorite quotes from L.M. Montgomery.

Barbara Mandrell said it best, I love this tee and the country flair it adds.  Pair it with booties and a button down to finish off the look. 

What I bought recently

I did some random shopping and didn't have enough for a real haul post so I thought I would share some of the things I have bought recently.  

I picked up these faux suede western booties at Dirt Cheap for $3!  I love the cowgirl vibe and can't wait to style them!

My next find were these floral slip on mules.  These shoes are super trendy and I have been considering them but didn't want to spend a lot.  I wasn't sure if I would like them.  I found these on clearance at Target for $7 and snatched them up.  Styling them is a little difficult because they are a little wild but I have worn them a couple of times.  My husband isn't the biggest fan of them but I think they are gorgeous!  So pretty for fall!

Last purchase to share, and super random but I picked up the Halo Top Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough ice cream for me and my husband to split.  We are big fans of Halo Top and hadn't tried this flavor yet.  I was not let down at all.  It didn't' have a lot of cookie dough but the flavor was really good!  Have you tried Halo Top?  What is your favorite flavor?

Jack Rogers Lauren Splurge vs Steal

Y'all I am a fan of Jack Rogers.  I got my first pair after I graduated college and wore them to death.  My first pair actually just broke and I have to figure out how to get it fixed...if you have any tips let a girl know.  I have only had the original flip flop version but had my eye on the two strap Lauren.  I was randomly shopping on Walmart and found these cork two strap sandals that give you the same look.  Obviously they are not real leather and the quality is much lower.  They have a strap in the back but I ended up cutting off to make it look even more like the real deal.  If you are a fan of Jack Rogers but don't want to pay the high price go check out these and let me know what you think!  P.S. I usually wear a 6.5 and got a 7, they fit great.

Styling Dresses for Fall

Dresses are my favorite, one piece of clothing and you have an outfit.  I love dresses for all seasons but especially fall.  I love all the layers!  I got a few new pieces and thought I would show some outfit styling I am really excited to wear for fall!  P.S. it has finally started to feel like fall and I am loving it!!

dress | purse | vest | flats

This plaid dress from Filly Flair is one of my new favorites!  It just screams fall.  I am a vest person and love throwing a vest over pretty much anything.  This is one of my favorites, I love how it looks with the plaid.  I'm also trying to step into pattern mixing, I'm loving the leopard and plaid together.  

dress | boots | purse | vest

Another dress from Filly Flair and I love the fall floral with the cute cutout.  I picked this faux fur vest up at the thrift store for $3 and am in love!  The boots were a deal find as well at $3 from Dirt Cheap, I can't wait to break them out for fall. 

dress | boots | necklace | vest

Another floral dress and a vest.  This vest was a thrift store find and I love the vintage vibe.  I paired it with a gem necklace and my favorite new booties.  They are the prettiest blush pink color and bring the edginess down just a little.

dress | jacket | patches | boots

What can I say I am a floral girl.  This jacket was a DIY and I am obsessed with it!  I applied patches from aliexpress on an old Gap jacket and turned it into one of my new favorite pieces.  Can't stop won't stop with these blush booties.

sweater | tunic | leggings | necklace | boots

My last outfit is a floral tunic top, the softest leggings ever from Simple Addiction and a comfy long cardigan.  I am loving the gemstone trend and this one from Rue21 is perfect for fall.  Since I love those blush booties so much I had to get a black pair, and they are perfect!

What are your favorite fall outfits and what are you most excited about?

Five Things Friday

Tarte Shape Tape Concealer: I was given this concealer by friends and it definitely lives up to the hype.  I goes on smooth and hides all the imperfections.  It is really easy to apply and lasts well.  If you haven't tried it, the hype is real.    

Coffee-Mate Hazelnut Creamer: On my last Friday favorites I talked about my favorite coffee, this time I thought it was time to talk about my favorite creamer of the moment.  I have been a fan of hazelnut creamer since college and the love lives on.  I have tried lots of different creamers but always fall back on my old faithful hazelnut.  I love the slight hazelnut flavor that it adds, nothing overpowering.  If you haven't tried hazelnut creamer go try it!  Also let me know what your favorite creamer is.   

Poldark Season 3: Poldark is back!!!  This is my favorite show on at the moment.  If you haven't ever watched it and you are a fan of Downton Abbey definitely check it out.  The story-line continues with the love triangle between Demelza, Ross and Elizabeth.  As if that wasn't enough drama the war is encroaching on their lives.  I'm loving diving back into the lives of Ross and Demelza, (definitely team Demelza all the way).  If you are a fan of Poldark let me know what you think of this season.  

Cookie Notti Espresso Spread: This stuff was a random find from Big Lots.  I love the cookie butter from Trader Joe's so I thought this would be worth a try.  Honestly it is pretty similar to the Trader Joe's version.  This version I picked up has an espresso center.  I am a coffee fan so I enjoy the espresso flavor but I can definitely see how it could be too much for some people.  I have been enjoying putting it on toast, waffles and breakfast cookies.    

Essie Vested Interest: Fall is finally here and that means darker nails!!  I think fall and winter are my favorite times to paint my nails.  I love the rich, dark colors and I just feel like my nails should be painted in the fall.  This color is a dark tealy green and I am a fan.  It is such a pretty color and I feel like this greeny color can be a fun neutral.

What have you been loving lately?  

Weekend Adventures (Talladega, football, and family)

Time for another weekend recap.  My sister and her boyfriend made the trip to visit us and we had such a great time!  

This weekend was also homecoming at Alabama and we wanted to show them the campus and stadium.  Usually we stay far away from campus on football games but we decided to head out to show them around.

We lucked out and found a random free parking spot and walked around campus.  Things were pretty crazy, it was homecoming after all.  We still haven't been to a game but it was pretty cool to be in the atmosphere and just hang outside the stadium.

Since my sister was going to be in town I planned on having her take a few pictures of me and Kyle. 

Of course we end up with some like these...

Rae's boyfriend was able to get Talladega tickets for all of us for the weekend and we of course took him up on it.  I'm not a Nascar fan at all but it was quite the experience.  Even though I'm not a fan it was really fun to be around all the fans and experience Nascar in all its glory.

We were cheering for Dale Earnhardt Jr. since it was his last time at Talladega, he didn't end up winning but he gave a good fight.

There were three wrecks throughout the race and they were pretty exciting.  Luckily no one was hurt, some of them got pushed into the wall and hit a couple of times.

On our walk from parking to the track we stumbled on the motocross show.  Little known fact about me I love this stuff!  When the X-Games are on I get pretty excited to watch these people perform these crazy stunts that I would never even think about doing.  If we go back I would love to go earlier to catch the whole show.

We had such a great time this past weekend, it was so great to see my sister.  It was a jam packed weekend and I am definitely going to need another weekend to recover but it was really fun!

Target and Rue21 Clearance Haul

I recently went to Target and they had SO many things on clearance!!!  I am all about the clearance.  To make things even better Target cartwheel had an extra 20% off clearance.  Which if you aren't using cartwheel go download it now, it will change your shopping there! 

Anyway here's what I picked up on this trip:

How cute are these rainboots??  They had these in the regular section as well in a new glossy version.  I actually prefer this matte floral version better.  They were so cute and less than $10!!

I am so in love with these brown and ivory slides.  They are so pretty and chic.  I am so in love with them.  They have just a slight baby wedge for a little extra umph.

Alright these are going to be a love hate thing, my husband hates them.  I have been looking for a pair of buckled sandals because they are so comfortable.  These guys were on clearance and I'm not in love with the flag print but they are really comfortable.  I am planning a little diy with them to redo the flag print to something a little more me.

These are probably my favorite find, and also my most expensive.  I had been eyeing these blush satin sneakers for a while and they finally got on clearance!  They are super comfy and look like a Steve Madden dupe.  They also have a burgundy velvet pair that I have on my wishlist.

I also ran by Rue21 randomly and found two pieces of jewelry for $1 each!

They are both long necklaces with a really pretty stone pendant.

They were originally $10 and I can't wait to pair them with a plain sweater this fall. 

What clearance finds have you found lately?

What I Read in September

It's been a little while since I did a what I read post, I figured it was time I shared.

Return to Sullivans Island by Dorothea Benton Franklin: This book was just ok, easy to figure out and a little slow.  I didn't love the main character so it was hard to connect with the book.  It followed Beth who is fresh out of college and is house-sitting her families beach house for the summer.  She meets a developer and falls head over heels. As per usual there was a lot of drama and also the addition of a ghost in her families house.  It felt a little random but it was ok.  

Captivated & Entranced by Nora Roberts: I have read a couple of books by Nora Roberts and have enjoyed them.  This book was a set of two books.  They followed the Donovan clan who have a secret, they are witches.  The first book focused on Morgana.  She meets Nash, a screen writer who is writing a new movie about a witch. Of course they fall in love and the story continues from there.  This one was really strange and I really wasn't a fan.  The second book followed Sebastian, Morgana's cousin who is able to see the future.  He teams up with a detective to save a stolen baby.  This one was more interesting and I enjoyed the crime case.  

Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher: With all the hype around this book I thought I should see what all the fuss was about.  For those of you unfamiliar the book follows Clay as he receives a set of thirteen tapes.  He soon finds out they are from Hannah, a girl who just recently committed suicide.  The tapes are her way of letting everyone know the part they played in her life (good or bad) and whether that led to her decision.  As you can imagine, it was a pretty heavy book.  The writing was really good and I couldn't stop reading.  I'm not sure how I feel about it as it does bring the idea of suicide more to light and can "glamorize" the idea.  It is definitely a book that sticks with you and make you think about the impact you are making on the lives of others.            

Swapping Lives by Jane Green: This one was a cute read.  It followed Vicky and Amber who are unsatisfied with their very different lives.  Vicky is a single magazine journalist living in London who wants nothing more than to get married and have a family.  Amber is a mom of two living a in beautiful mansion in a neighborhood right out of "Desperate Housewives".  Vicky winds up writing an article about "Swapping Lives" and ends up swapping with Amber.  I enjoyed the read, the story line was cute and I liked the characters.  It was an easy read and reminded me of Sophie Kinsella's books. 

Hissy Fit by Mary Kay Andrews: I am a fan of Mary Kay Andrews and really enjoy her books set in and around Atlanta and focusing on strong southern women.  This one was probably my least favorite.  I wasn't crazy about the main character Keeley.  She finds out her fiance is cheating on her with her best friend, during her rehearsal dinner.  Obviously she calls off the engagement.  The rest of the book focuses on her design business and her adventure decorating an old house in the community.  Like I said I wasn't a huge fan.  Keeley was just annoying and I had a hard time connecting with her.  Overall it was an easy read and I enjoyed it but just not my favorite from Mrs. Andrews.  

What have you been reading lately?       

Five Things Friday

Folgers Coffeehouse Ground Coffee: I have been really enjoying making a pot of coffee and having a few cups in the morning.  I used to use the Keurig everyday but the coffee wasn't what I wanted (sometimes watery and not as strong) and I didn't want to have to use another k-cup to top off my cup.  I picked this coffee up at Publix and it is my new favorite!  Strong but not too bitter.  If you are looking for a good ground coffee this one is the best!  

Monogram Necklace: I am a southern girl and with that comes a love of monograms.  I have always loved the classic look of a monogram necklace.  I found my new favorite one from Classic Prep Monograms.  This one is the perfect size, I love the size, enough to be a statement but not overwhelming.  I can't wait to pair it with sweaters for the fall.      

Mulled Cider Candle: This candle is amazing!!  It smells just like a Bath & Bodyworks candle, the throw is great, it doesn't burn too fast and it is less than $4!!  It smells delicious and my husband loves it, he said it smelled like fall.  Next time you are in a Wal-Mart go smell it and see what I mean. 

SmallTownNC Stickers: I am an NC girl born and raised.  Right now my husband and I live in Alabama so we definitely miss home.  I have always loved stickers.  They are so cute to decorate your notebooks, computer, planner, etc.  I randomly discovered this shop on etsy and fell in love with all her NC mountain stickers.  She was sweet and sent me four and I am in love with them!  My favorite is the NC state outline with a beautiful watercolor mountain print.  I love them so much I almost don't want to use them.  

Fall Treats: Fall is here and that means it is time for pumpkin EVERYTHING!  I love pumpkin baked goods so when I discovered Kay's Simply Homemade treats I fell in love.  She has a bakery on etsy where she sells all kinds of delicious goodies.  My husband and I had the chance to try three things: Apple Pie Cookies, Bourbon Pumpkin Pie Bars, and Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls.  They were awesome!  My favorite were the pumpkin cinnamon rolls!  So good and so easy to have fall treats delivered to your house instead of having to go to the trouble to make them.  Check out Kay's store and let her know I sent you!  

What have you been loving this week? 

Fall Decor

Fall is my absolute favorite!  The leaves, chillier weather, sweaters, county fairs and pumpkin everything!  I love decorating our house for fall.  The colors are so pretty and warm.  I thought I would share my fall decor this year.

I love our little entryway table.  We don't have a mantle so I consider this my mantle.  It is the perfect place to showcase my favorite holiday decor.

This gold striped pumpkin is one of my favorites.  I picked it up at Hobby Lobby after Halloween for 90% off!

Our dining room is one of my least favorites...since we are renting we can't paint or change much.  Our dining room is a dark burgundy color and the room is dark.  I do like how the fall and Christmas decorations look in there because the colors go well.

I picked up this piece of art from Michael's for $1 a couple of years ago.

I love this Target bookcase we picked up at a thrift store when we first got married.  The fall bouquet on top is from Wal-Mart on clearance for $5.  The antler stand was on clearance at Hobby Lobby.

More clearance finds from Hobby Lobby.

I love this letter board I picked up at Wal-Mart for $9!  It is so cute and fun to change out.