top: silence + noise [30% off] | shorts: one teaspoon | shoes: birkenstocks | sweater: kimchi blue [45% off] | purse: toryburch | bracelet: etsy, kate spade | ring: david yurman |

if you ask my friends to describe one of my typical day to day outfits, i can guarantee it will include a pair of cut off shorts and a tank of some sort. i live in cut offs. texas summers can be brutal and these babies keep it real for me. abercrombie used to be my jam back in grade school then i moved to the ever-so-popular true religion with a little urban outfitters in the mix, but my life changed once i bought my first pair of one teaspoon shorts. y’all, it’s an obsession. i don’t even want to own up to how many pairs and different colors/styles i now have. but, they’re my summer uniform, so they’re all getting plenty of wear. that makes it okay, right?

i have a little junk in the trunk [i can’t believe i just said!] so my biggest qualm with shorts has always been coverage. i would have to go a size up, sometimes 2 sizes up just so nothing is hanging out back there. this caused all kinds of awkward fitting, but i was left with no choice. show off my goodies, or keep it classy. i definitely aimed for the latter.

my favorite thing about one teaspoon is that the back of the shorts are significantly longer than they are in the front. this makes me sing praises. praises, y’all. how did no one think of this before? do keep in mind, they are shorter shorts. not parents won’t approve of you leaving the house short [maybe some] but they are not long/school appropriate by any means. so for you taller folk, try before you buy.

i buy my tanks to wear and re-wear. this silence + noise corinne tank top which many of you may recognize because i wear it all the time is one of my favorites. it’s loose and breezy, comes in 9 different colors and is currently 30% off. 🙂

this kimchi blue sweater adds the perfect amount of color to any neutral outfit and is perfect for cooler summer nights or turning summer dresses into a more casual work appropriate outfit. and it’s 45% off, whaaat!

earth tones are my favorite colors to wear. i have an olive skin tone and have always thought they complimented me best. so naturally, i feel most comfortable in them. whites, greens [my favorite color], blacks, browns [except not so much], greys, etc. i live in these colors.

i’ve recently had quite the reality check after some major life changes thrown my way. full disclosure, if you take a closer look at some of my pictures above [i did my best to hide it, so don’t look too close] you’ll see a nice little gap in my back molars.

after chewing on a restaurant peppermint i chipped off a good chunk of my molar [never chewing on a peppermint again!!]. i had to get some major dental work done to repair the little guy which took about a months time. a month with a chunk of my tooth missing.

then, later down the road [both figuratively and literally] my car a/c started acting up on me. problem is now solved and a solution is in the works. however, right after that fiasco, my apartment a/c completely gave out. think of a texas summer with no a/c. not fun people, not fun. on top of it all, i’ve moved to a new city, hello austin texas! and have filled every inch of my plate with commitments.

i was so caught up in the negativity and focusing on all that was going wrong that i was completely ignoring all that was going right. y’all, i’m engaged to the love of my life [proposal story to come]! how can a little a/c problem take away that joy from me?!

i’m in a new city with so many activities to enjoy and life to explore, not to mention closed the gap on my long distance relationship. tuesday night date night? what! that’s unchartered territory for me. how can i not be excited about that?

i’ve filled my plate with planning a wedding [tips, anyone? help a sister out], filming a show [details to come] and a new job with such incredible opportunity. a little chipped tooth that has an easy solution seems so minuscule in the scheme things.

life really is all about perspective, and when you are able to take a step back and appreciate all that is in front of you instead of list all that you wish you could change, you’re able to see how blessed you really are. and how beautiful life really is.

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photography by: angiegarciaphoto

cover up: tiare hawaii | beach bag: straw studios, similar | sandals: tory burch | sunglass: rayban | necklace: kendra scott

it’s summer [finally!] so that means to the beach, pronto!

packing for a beach getaway can be as relaxing as sitting on the beach and sipping a piña colada while diving into a good book and thinking about absolutely nothing. okay, maybe not that relaxing, but it can be a easy task.

the first thing i like to think about- before packing anything- is “what will the weather be like”. this determines the very important question of “what am i going to wear?” for most beach vacations it’s bathing suits, sundresses, shorts and tanks.

step one

i like to start with bathing suits first  [i’ll post a bathing suit guide soon]. i like to pack a suit for every day i plan on beaching on the beach or plan on being in the water [4 day vacation = 4 bathing suits, travel days don’t count]. if luggage space is an issue, pack one or two less and re-wear or mix and match your suits.

step two

once bathing suits are out of the way, think about what covers ups to bring. i pack one less cover up than bathing suits and just re-wear. [4 days vacation = 3 coverups]. this tiare hawaii cover up [shown in the pictures above] sold out in the blink of an eye, twice. it’s finally back in stock. hooray y’all!

it’s one size fits all with adjustable straps and might be the cutest cover up i’ve ever owned. the tassels are fun and flirty and the pink adds a perfect pop of color. best of all, wearing this cover up doubles as a sundress so you can take a break from soaking up the sun and walk indoors somewhere for a bite to eat. a girls gotta eat.

i always bring beach coverups that can double as clothing just in case i decide i want to go on a walk through the town or find a cute little restaurant to eat lunch or dinner. this way, i always feel prepared.

here are some other cover ups that are multi-purpose and absolutely adorable.

step three

once i have my beach wear set aside i assess my vacation plans. personally, i enjoy the activities that most beach towns have so i always do a quick google search of the area and make sure i pack a comfortable athletic outfit or two so i can partake in the fun events or go for a relaxing beach jog. some activities require pre-bookings. this makes things even easier. review the website and make sure to plan accordingly. a pair of work out clothes or cut off shorts [my summer time staple] and a tank will typically do the trick.

step four

once my activity outfits are covered for, i pack dinner outfits. i always pack a pair of wedges, which always takes up too much valuable luggage space. i try and talk myself out of it each and every time, but let’s face it. that will never happen because i love wedges.

sundresses and maxis are always my go to. they are the easiest to pack and take minimal effort to put together. after sitting in the sun all day and fighting the urge to take a nap, minimal effort is always nice and always welcome.

step five

the last step takes care of all necessities. jammies, make up, sunblock, bug repellent, charges, cameras, etc. luckily you don’t need too many extras when going to the beach. a good book, enjoyable music and sunglasses will usually have you set!

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