I love coffee. It wasn’t always this way; I used to think it smelled great but tasted gross. Why couldn’t it just taste the way it smelled? In undergrad, I had a few 8 AM classes so I bought a small coffee maker, thinking it would help me wake up and get to class on time. I probably only used it three or four times my entire undergrad career. That all changed when I was about 26 years old and started working as a communications assistant at a non-profit in a few towns over, requiring at least an hour commute, one-way. I had to get up really early to try to beat the rush-hour traffic on the interstate so I pulled out that little coffee maker and my love affair began.

Over the years, I’ve developed my palate and learned that I like really strong coffee with a touch of cream and sugar. Maybe the t-shirt is a little misleading because I rarely drink it black, but if it’s *good* coffee (my personal favorite is Counter Culture here in Durham) I’ll drink it straight up!

As far as the outfit, I wanted to jump on the graphic tee train so I purchased this one because I do love coffee so much and because I have a lot of plans for it as inspired by Pinterest. Now that it’s getting warmer, I can’t wait to recreate some of those Pinterest looks. I wore this outfit to the dealership to get the oil changed in my car, and the guy still thought I was only about 21-22 years old. I don’t look THAT young, do I?

T-shirt and Blazer: Banana Republic | Jeans: Kensie via Stitch Fix | Shoes: Old Navy | Earrings: Old Navy

Let’s hear it for Spring Break!

This week is my last spring break ever, which is awesome because that means school is almost over forever. It also means that Nick and I are heading to Savannah, GA tomorrow for a nice little four-day vacation. I’m really excited to get away for a romantic week with my lovey dovey. It’s been a really long and difficult two years of graduate school for us because I’ve had to spend most of it away from home, commuting to school (which is almost 2 hours away). This trip will give us a few days to ourselves, without having to worry about school or work or who is going to load/unload the dishwasher after an exhaustingly long day. The only thing I’m NOT looking forward to is packing because I’m a notorious overpacker. For as long as I can remember, I’ve overpacked for every single trip I’ve taken. I’m not even joking. One time we went to the beach for a week and I had at least three different bags full of clothes. As I’ve gotten older, however, I’ve gotten a little better at planning out a full itinerary so I will know what we will be doing and can pack/dress accordingly.

This trip is no different. We’re planning to eat at yummy restaurants, go on a nighttime ghost walk, see the sights, do some shopping, and possibly take a moonlight riverboat cruise. That all sounds easy enough to pack for, but the one thing throwing me off is that it’s supposed to rain all week. Boo, rain! Anyway, I’ve challenged myself to pack light for this trip. Everything has to fit into this weekender bag I purchased from Target:

I’ve chosen four shirts, two pairs of pants, and two pairs of shoes. I’ve only decided on one accessory (for now) which is a scarf. I’ll throw some jewelry in there last-minute, like usual

I also plan to pack my rain gear (e.g. trench and/or rain coat and rain boots) and a skirt or dress in case we make it to a fancy dinner or that riverboat cruise, but I haven’t decided on which dress yet because I still have to get my spring clothes out of storage.  Here are some of the outfits I’ve put together with my chosen items so that I have some options and can work with the rain.

I know these photos aren’t exactly Pinterest-worthy, but I took them  as I was putting outfits together and figuring it all out. I think they serve their purpose. Maybe next time I’ll be a little more organized and get better photos. I will say I’m actually really glad that I decided to post about this because it has helped confirm some of my choices!

Yes, that is my dog, Mia’s little butt/leg in the corner of this photo!

I can’t make any promises that I won’t add a bunch of stuff at the last minute (my brain is already screaming at me, “oh my gosh, you forgot to include a cardigan in case it’s a little chilly!) but I will do my best. I’ll try to get lots of outfit photos while I’m there so you can see how it all came together. I hope everyone has a great week and you all are enjoying the great thaw 🙂

Shirts: Pink sweater: Banana Republic | Gray tee: Target | Striped tee: Old Navy | Beige sweater: Banana Republic
Jeans: Both from Old Navy
Shoes: Canvas sneaks: Target | Cognac flats: Old Navy
Scarf: boutique from Wilmington, NC
Necklace: Stitch Fix