I would say I have been on a shopping kick lately but let’s be honest, I shop ALL. THE. Time. I am constantly online doing “research” and along the way fall in love with clothes, shoes, accessories, jewelry and home decor. I do take my time before purchasing, adding each piece to an ever-growing wish list that I go back over {and over again} before ordering. I try to shop for pieces that will enhance my wardrobe, add staples that have a bit of a twist to them or tried-and-true pieces that work with what I already own, and those special pieces that cannot be ignored. My go-to shopping sites are Nordstrom, J. Crew and ShopBop and the last few weeks they have not disappointed as I have found quite a few things that I had to add to my wardrobe and am excited to share them with you all.

ShopBop – Mother Ankle Zip Jeans have quickly become my favorite jeans; the fit is perfection, the zip adds a nice detail and because I am not tall the length ends right at the bottom of my ankle which means no altering needed, while J Brand 620 Super Jeans are perfect for a simple, clean skinny denim that goes with everything and always looks polished. A Vanessa Mooney ring/bracelet combo adds a fun element to my jewelry and a Slash portrait tank by Chaser gives my favorite jeans and ankle booties a rocker edge. Nordstrom – This pale pink Theory Aija Silk Top {on sale!} is beautiful, fits perfectly and dresses up denim or these insanely comfy Wayf Track Pants in black. J. Crew – I have a few denim tops but a Faded Chambray Popover styling makes the go-to denim staple different, a Peplum Top in white will work all summer long dressed up or casual and the Cluster Sequin Tee in neon pink adds a fun sparkle while the tee-shirt back keeps it toned down and comfortable.

A couple other purchases I couldn’t resist include the Rag and Bone Camo Skinny Pant. I have been searching for a camo pant for some time now but the style was never just right until this smaller print brought about my Goldilocks moment. I have been relying on clutches for the last month or so, feeling that I wanted less to carry in the heat and a Clare Vivier foldover clutch in leopard adds a fun element to every look I pair it with.

Currently, our little living space does not have a coffee table and the hubs and I are disagreeing on the need for a coffee table. I want one mainly for display purposes while he feels it will take up too much space visually and physically. I think a good compromise would be a minimalist table with very clean lines or a lucite table. I want to display favorite coffee table-size books, candles and flowers without making the area seem visually smaller and also enable the space to look a little more complete. The marble-topped table appeals to me because of the sleek lines, clean top and open space while I think the lucite table would make a unique option that would help keep the space open. What do you think?

As a self-confessed beauty junkie I am always trying new products. One of my beauty product obsessions has been with lip balms, searching for the perfect one that hydrates, plumps and makes my lips look healthy {preferably luscious!}. Last week I mentioned one of my favorite lip conditioners {see here} and this weekend I was sent a sample of La Mer The Lip Balm. I have heard wonderful things about the La Mer balm but the high price has made me hesitant. This gave me the perfect chance to compare it to the Aerin Rose Lip Conditioner I have been using, along with another lip conditioner I have used in the past; Smith’s Rosebud Salve because of the drastic price differences {$50, $28, and $6} between these three products. {I also felt sick all weekend so the chance to use a luscious new product perked me up!}

I alternated between the three over the weekend and the La Mer Lip Balm is my choice as the best product – it hydrates {my dry lips were gone after the first application!}, plumped my lips so they looked healthy and full, it has a light, pleasant scent, and the teeniest amount is all that is needed. The Aerin Rose Lip Conditioner is also a very good product; it hydrates well but not as effectively as the La Mer, it has a light rose scent, gives lips a pale pink color, and has the prettiest packaging. The Smith’s Rosebud Salve left my lips too shiny/greasy looking and they felt dry within moments after each application so I did not like using it at all. While the price for the La Mer balm is pretty prohibitive, the amount used for each application is minimal, which helps to offset the cost. If the La Mer price point is completely out of your budget, I still recommend the Aerin Rose Lip Conditoner as an excellent alternative.

While the first day of Summer isn’t technically until June 21 {Summer Solstice} with Memorial Day last weekend, hot humid days already here and June 1st falling on a Saturday it feels like summer and its laid-back days have already started. Just like my favorite things to do in Spring, I have some summer musts that always make my summer feel like I am a kid on break for two glorious months, along with some new traditions with the hubs that I am excited to do this summer and every summer after. My absolute favorite thing to do is to enjoy the feeling of sheer freedom that summer brings, along with these other musts…

1.  Road Trips {using this book for inspiration and quick trips}
2.  Outdoor Concerts {music always sounds better outdoors and with a group of friends}
3.  Summer Blockbusters {World War Z and Man of Steel}
4.  Take photography, painting or pottery classes {one day classes scream summer break}
5.  Spend all day at the beach
6.  Summer drinks {fruit smoothies, sweet tea and sangria are a must}
7.  Summer wardrobe {breezy maxis, rompers, boyfriend jeans, sandals, hats and pretty nail colors}
8.  Sunday mornings at the Farmers’ Market {eat fresh all summer long}
9.  Flea Market shopping for unique home decor pieces
10. Bonfires and picnics
11. Snap Polaroid pics all summer long
12. Fourth of July fireworks
13. Outdoor movies in the park
14. Wine festivals
15. Outdoor yoga classes

What tops your summer musts list?

One of my favorite bits to do on the weekends is to curl up with a stack of magazines {old and new} and my tablet plotting out my latest fashion must-haves while indulging in a weekend treat or two {I eat carefully all week just so I can enjoy my weekend splurges!}. I have a few other bits I am currently obsessing over too…

A pink-colored lake adds on to my many reasons to travel to Australia one day

The summer heat has arrived so what better way to cool off than with a champagne Popsicle?

Mango and yogurt makes a fabulous must-have summer snack {the champagne coupe makes the treat even better!}

I love striped tops of any and all kinds so I am loving this black and white with chiffon hem tee

Beach hair is a must in the summertime and Maui Wowie gives the tousled beach look without drying out my hair like so many other sea salt sprays do

Happy weekend!

While I do enjoy wearing dresses, skirts and leggings I am a denim girl at heart. I always come back to denim as my go-to-must-wear-take-with-me-everywhere-I-travel article of clothing. Dark skinny denim is my preferred version but I also have a soft spot for boyfriend and distressed denim, especially in the summertime when the heat and relaxed atmosphere combine to make this the perfect denim for summertime.

I like to keep the distressed boyfriend denim style from becoming too relaxed by wearing them in a slightly more fitted version with a statement shoe and to have the denim cuffed or cropped above the ankle. This deliberate styling makes a comfy outfit into a statement-making one instead and is as cozy as a pair of sweats without the sloppiness. {This look is also great for travel because of the comfort level while still looking polished and intentional}

{shop my favorites – 1, 2, 3, 4 & 5}

One of my favorite clothing brands is Joie; I love the lux materials, easy silhouettes and soft shades they use {my closet is at least half full of Joie clothing} so I was intrigued when they recently came out with their perfume Folle de Joie, but was a bit uncertain about ordering it since I am not really a perfume person, preferring oils because many perfumes scents are too overwhelming. About a week ago I ordered a pair of smoking slippers {on sale!} and received a sample of the perfume with my order and am thrilled because I absolutely love the perfume. While many perfumes are clingy or too strong, this scent is light, fresh and matches its description while transporting me to the beach every time I spray it. It has quickly become my go-to summer scent and I have to order a full size bottle since the sample is nearly gone!

Every few months my lips will get all dry and icky so I have come up with a lip care regimen that works wonders at keeping this issue under control. I use Fresh Sugar Lip Polish to exfoliate my lips then treat them with Aerin Lauder Rose Lip Conditioner.  I first discovered this lip conditioner last November while in FL and fell in love with the light scent, subtle shade, how well it hydrates and the pretty packaging.

This combo has really worked well for me the last several months and I will continue to use the lip conditioner but after reading Jessica Alba’s The Honest Life, I am really intrigued by the idea of making my own all-natural products and found a DIY sugar lip scrub that looks easy to make, the ingredients are already in my kitchen and I love the scent of honey and brown sugar that the recipe calls for so it should be a win-win combo. I also want to combat the price of the sugar scrub since it is a bit high for such a small amount, which also helps me use my tried-and-true concept that money saved on one thing is money that can be spent on something else!

Given my love for both nail polish and shoes, Nars’ collab with French shoe designer Pierre Hardy is thrilling me to bits. The capsule collection has several sets of polishes {2 colors per set} that come packaged in glossy white shoe boxes with mini dust bags {perfect for travel} with the bottles facing opposite directions {just like a shoe to allow for heel-to-toe fit}. Fabulous!

My personal favorites are Venomous and Sharks

Our first anniversary was this weekend so we took a trip to DC to celebrate and stayed at The Jefferson Hotel. Our room was gorgeous and had champagne and chocolate-covered strawberries waiting for us {!}, the service was impeccable, and the food {dinner and brunch} drool-worthy. I highly recommend anyone coming to DC stay at this wonderful boutique hotel.

For the first anniversary gift, the hubs got me the most beautiful Louis Vuitton Speedy Bandoulière 25 Monogram Empreinte leather Earth color handbag {the receipt was the traditional first year “paper” lol}. The size and shape are perfect, I love the subtle monogram, the supple leather is amazing and the Earth shade will go with everything plus I won’t get tired of a neutral.

The weekend was so relaxing and fun, such a wonderful way to celebrate our first year together. I cannot wait to see what the future brings! I hope everyone else had a fab weekend too!

{see more pics from the weekend here}