*I’m devoting this week to dresses in an attempt to motivate myself to actually wear the dresses I have in my closet.*

I shared a peak of this dress and matching cardigan in my last outfit planning post, but this is how I wore it once I got it home. I paired it with a coganc belt that matches the cognac in my wedes. When it gets cooler out, which I can’t wait for because this heat is miserable, I’ll wear it with my denim jacket and booties. How cute will that be? About as cute as this summer version, I’m sure! Anyway, I wore this outfit to my latest volunteer day. I’m wrapping up the project that I started on so that I can begin a new one, which I’m even more excited about. I’m going to be doing some content writing and I love writing so it’s a win.

Dress, Cardigan, & Belt: Old Navy | Wedges: Target | Necklace: Claire’s (old)

Real talk: I probably wouldn’t have purchased these shoes if the saleswoman hadn’t told me they were made by a designer in Mallorca, Spain in small batches. Of course I thought they were gorgeous but even on sale, they were a bit pricey. But when I heard “Spain” I turned to Nick and said, “Mira. Estos son muy bonitas y de España. I have to have them!” I actually said a little more than that in Spanish, but he doesn’t really speak it. Anyway, these are my sweet Spanish shoes and I love them! They’re velvety, adorable, and fit perfectly.

This was the first and only time I’ve worn them, though, because I’m afraid I’ll mess them up!  I was so excited because I had a phone interview that morning and a girl-date night with my BFF that evening for dinner and a movie. It started to rain while we were at the restaurant and all I could think of was my shoes! We decided to ditch the movie and stay at the restaurant to drink wine and eat sushi (two of my favorite things) so I had a great time in my Spanish shoes.

More real talk: I had a hard time choosing flattering photos of me in this outfit because I didn’t realize that the top made me look very top heavy. Have you ever experienced this phenomenon where the way an outfit looks on you in the mirror is different (maybe better) than the way it looks on you in photos? If the pics are the truer version of what I looked like in real life, I might not wear this one out anymore.

Blouse: C.Luce via Stitch Fix | Cardigan & Pixie Pants: Old Navy | Shoes: Vert & Vogue | Necklace: Hawthorne Collection

What do you think of my sweet Spanish shoes?

Linking up with  Tucker Up |The Pleated Poppy | Walking in Memphis in High Heels | Why I Do DeClaire

I can’t get enough of this polka dot top! It’s perfect for an office setting, it’s great for a night out with friends, or it can be dressed down with some shorts or jeans. I wore this particular outfit to the office where I volunteer, giving me an opportunity to get dressed in something other than jeans or shorts and a t-shirt, which is what I wear when I’m babysitting.

Here is some of the thought process that went into putting this outfit together:

–I like wearing gray and navy together.
–The polka dots provide some interest to an all-neutral ensamble.
–A simple necklace will not overwhelm the outfit, since there are jewels/studs on my shoes.
–It’s too hot for real pants, let me wear crops instead… as if that really made much of a difference.
–I really need to figure out which exercises will slim down my thighs.
–Just kidding, I love my thighs! But seriously, I need to get to the gym and work on my fitness. Because being healthy is important!

How many of those did I get right? 🙂

I thought about wearing some dark navy blue pumps but sometimes you just need a good pair of flats to wear to the office, and I love that these provide some sparkle in the light. Also, these shoes were named after me: Nicole!

Polka Dot Top: Target | Trousers: Karen Kane via Stitch Fix | Shoes: Nicole via Ross | Necklace: Old Navy

Linking up with More Pieces of Me & Sincerely Jenna Maria | Walking in Memphis in High Heels | Tucker Up | The Pleated Poppy

Perhaps I was a little naive in thinking that I wouldn’t have any problems getting a job right after graduate school, but it’s been over 2 months and I haven’t found anything yet. I’ve heard stories of it taking 6 months, 9 months, a whole year for some people to find a job after getting a master’s degree so I’m only freaking out a little. However, I mentioned on Wednesday that I have gotten a few interviews lately, and after successfully completing a phone interview, I was invited to an in-person interview this past Friday with a local Girl Scouts office. If you know anything about me, it should be that I am extremely passionate about women’s empowerment and girls’ leadership development, and I would love to work for an organization like GS that does just that. Plus, those infamous cookies! It’s not exactly public health but I have many passions and this is just one of them. So anyway, this is what I wore to my interview.

I didn’t want to go ‘all-black suit’ because I read somewhere that it is intimidating or something ridiculous like that but I thought it looked great and I felt really confident, so I went with it! I followed my own advice about faking a suit when you don’t have one. Also, the second I laid eyes on this top I loved it. It feels so grown up to me, and the neutral colors in the floral print will go with both black and brown.

I’m pretty sure I crushed the interview questions and that it went very well. I should hear back within the next few weeks about whether I got the job or not. *Fingers still crossed*

 Blouse: Loft Outlet | Blazer & Trousers: Banana Repubic | Shoes: Brash via Payless | Jewelry: Old Navy | Sunglasses: Target

Linking up with Charming Friday | Walking in Memphis in High Heels | Tucker Up | Mix & Match Fashion | The Tiny Heart | Coffee Date wtih Gold & Bloom

I spent some time this weekend putting some outfits together for the coming week, and probably just to have on hand for those days when I don’t really feel like getting dressed. This first one is a great one to wear to the office, but I don’t have one of those yet! That’s why it’s photographed as a flat lay instead of as an outfit that I’m wearing. But it’s super cute and I can’t wait to wear it, whether it’s to an office or some other event. I also paired two different shoes with it. I love having options so that I don’t feel limited, but then having too many options can make me feel overwhelmed. I think I would probably wear the brown sandal with this outfit instead of the snake skin heels.

Blouse: Banana Republic | Skirt: Loft Outlet | Necklace: Banana Republic | Shoes: Banana Republic | Clutch: Coach (gift from MIL)

I did some unexpected shopping at a cute little boutique in Durham and purchased a few things without meaning to. Nick encouraged it so he can’t even get mad at me for spending money! These pieces are by patagonia, which is really cool because patagonia is typically outdoorsy and sporty. But these chambray shorts and 3/4-length sleeve top are perfect for running errands or hanging out.

Shirt & Shorts: Patagonia via Vert & Vogue boutique  | Shoes: X-Appeal 

Because it’s still extremely hot, I’m sticking to shorts. I love these black shorts because they’re the perfect length and fit so comfortably. So I’m going to pair them with this sleeveless top and sandals, which is another outfit that is perfect for hanging out, drinking beer or lemonade or even running errands.

Blouse: Banana Republic Outlet | Shorts: Gap | Shoes: X-Appeal | Necklace: Target | Bracelets: Old Navy

What do you think of these outfits? Maybe you’ll see them again on the blog soon.

Linking up with Molly | More Pieces of Me | Michelle’s Pa(i)ge | Fizz and Frosting