Little Black Party Dress

Monday, February 29, 2016

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Outfit: Little Black Dress (on sale for 65% off) // 
Ferragamo 'Vara' Flats (other colors on sale here, save here) // Earrings (similar)

Hey everyone! How were your weekends? I had a great time back home in Philly and the weather could not be beat. Alex and I pretty much relaxed all weekend, aside from a work party at Del Friscos on Friday night and hosting a little Oscar's Party on Sunday night. We also went and worked out both days this weekend as I am trying to really make my fitness a priority. I will be posting more about that tomorrow, so come back and check it out!

Anyways, I spotted this LBD on clearance for about 65% off and just had to try it on. Usually clearance dresses do not work on me, #tallpeopleproblems, but I figured I'd give it a shot. Well, the stars aligned and this fit perfectly. It hits right above my knees with no alternations and is so comfortable. I think this is going to be the perfect little dress to have in my arsenal for cocktail parties and weddings in the future. You can never have enough Little Black Dresses right? Also, for sizing reference, I'm wearing a size 'Large' in this dress and I'm usually a Medium or Large depending on the dress (size 8-10). 

What do you think? Do you have any go-to LBDs? What did you do this weekend? Hope everyone has a great Monday!

P.S. That last picture, Alex made me take. We shot these photos at the Rodin Museum on Sunday and he insisted I take that shot. If you're ever in Philly I definitely recommend checking the museum out!
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Linking up with B Loved Boston

February Budget Update

Thursday, February 25, 2016


Hey everyone! I can't believe it's already the end of the month and time for a budget recap post! I didn't do a budget post in January because I didn't buy anything! This was one of my 101 in 1001 Goals, and you can read my progress post here about not shopping for a month.

Well, in February my online shopping fingers were itching and I was dying to add something new to my wardrobe. I bought a huge Nordstrom order in the beginning of the month and then tried to be good about my spending for the rest of the month as I'm trying to save for some upcoming vacations, and to get clothing for those vacations, and some weddings we're going to this year! So here's how I made out this month:

Baublebar Phlox Earrings: $38 -$4 points - $8.50 promo code = $25.50

ASICS 'FuzeX Lyte Running Shoe': $79.95, outfit post here

TOMS 'Florentin' Sunglasses: $78.00 - Funny story...well not funny. But I had similar sunglasses from TOMS and my car was broken into in January and the only thing stolen were my sunglasses! Also, no window was broken so I consider myself very lucky! But I had to replace my sunnies and I LOVED my TOMS pair!

Nike 'Palm Epic Lux Dri-Fit Tights': $120 (probably my most extravagant purchase, no one needs running tights this expensive #yolo, outfit post here

Anthropolohie Evangaline Sheath: $178 (on sale for $99 plus an extra 40% off), $59.97

Athleta Supercharged Electro Tank: $64.00, this was a little pricey for a workout top, but it's so comfortable and so cute. I have been trying to upgrade my workout wardrobe to help inspire my fitness goals for 2016.

Uniqlo Heat-Tech Scoop Neck T-Shirt: $19.90 (on sale for $14.50), outfit post here

Total Purchased: $442
Less Gift cards Used: -$50
Total Spent: $392
Plus Q1 Spending Carryover: $0

Total Left for Q1: $358

Things that didn't work out this month:

Shelli Segal Cowl Neck Jumpsuit: $148, expensive but I've been wanting an alternative to the LBD for more formal occasions and I needed an option that didn't look cheap and had a long inseam. While this fit well, I just couldn't get over the 70's vibe. It could work if you're looking for a retro piece.


I have quite a bit left to spend in March thanks to my No-Spend January. I don't know if I'll use all of this, but I am in the market for something to wear to a beach wedding in Los Angeles for an upcoming wedding in April. I'll also be in the market for some new work clothes and possibly some new spring clothes that can be brought on vacations.

How did you do with you budget this month?

Linking up with Fran

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2016 Oscar Party Themed Menu

Wednesday, February 24, 2016

Awards show season has been upon us and on Sunday night the Oscars will determine the biggest winners in Hollywood for the year. If you know my personally, then you know I love award shows, especially the Oscars. In college I used to watch all the nominees for Best Picture, Best Actor, and Best Actress. Nowadays I don't have quite that much time, but I am still watching all the Best Picture nominees for the year, it's actually one of my 101 in 1001 goals

Since I've seen all the movies nominated for the most coveted award this year, I thought it would be fun to put  together an Oscars Party menu with different party foods you could serve at your own, each inspired by one of this years nominees. In some cases, like The Martian, it was super easy to think of a food to showcase (potatoes are a big part of the movie), in other cases it was a little more difficult (I resorted to a pun for 'Bridge of Spies'). No matter what, a good theme party is always fun and I'm sure your guests will enjoy! Each link below contains a link to the original recipe and picture of where I found these recipes after I decided on a dish I wanted to use for each movie. 
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Mad Max: Fury Road // Sparkling Water Cocktails
Water is such an important element of this movie I wanted to use it as the inspiration for the menu item. I decided a simple cocktail would work perfectly for your party. If you don't want to drink you could just serve sparkling water with various fruits to garnish the glasses!

The Revenant // Grizzly Bear Claws
As soon as I saw this film I knew I had to use a form of bear claw pastry as the dish it inspires. Your guests will love the sweet flaky snack, and the connection to the movie is undeniable. 

This one was a little harder since there are no foods that are really the focus of this movie. However, Boston is such a integral part of the fabric of the film that I decided a snack inspired by the location would be best. I settled on this yummy looking cupcake that actually looks pretty easy to make!

The Martian // Mashed Potato Bites
I needed a savory snack and luckily potatoes happen to be an integral part of the movie. These cute play on twice baked potatoes look like the perfect thing to serve for this movie. If only Matt Damon's potatoes had looked this good.

Birthday cake is really the only important food the movie focuses on, except for maybe cereal. I knew I wanted to do a cupcake for Spotlight, so I thought a fun cocktail would be perfect for this movie. Because it's not a party without a fun shot right? 

The Big Short // NYC Style Mini Hot-Dogs
I went back and forth a lot before settling on mini hot-dogs as my pick for this movie. I even asked all my co-workers (native New Yorkers working on Wall Street) for ideas. I settled on a classic NYC hot-dog, but bite-sized as it seemed the most realistic for your party. Other ideas which could work are sushi or pizza bites!

I knew I wanted to use spaghetti, because of this scene (link contains no spoilers). I wanted to make sure that the Spaghetti would be a good finger food for your party, and remembered the Spaghetti and Meatball nests I had seen floating around Pinterest awhile ago. These are the perfect savory bites for your guests and have a clear connection to the film.

Bridge of Spies // "Bridge of" Apple Pie Fries
Honestly, this one was the hardest for me. I originally was going to use a Russian or German themed apetizer, but then thought maybe American theme Apple Pie would be easier and round out the menu with another sweet option. And then I thought of the pun and couldn't resist. Because no Oscar party is complete without a play on words on the menu. 

Will you be watching the 2016 Oscars? Will you be hosting a party? Who do you want to take home the big honors? Let me know in the comments!
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NYC: Galentine's Day Weekend in Brooklyn and Lower Manhattan

Tuesday, February 23, 2016

(this is Carrie Bradshaw's stoop from Sex and the City!)

Hi everyone! I hope you're all having a great week so far. I totally wanted to have this post ready to go up yesterday, but the weekend was crazy and it did not happen. Anyways, it's here now! I just wanted to share a little recap of my weekend with you guys, including some fun pictures from around NYC. 

I had five friends visit this weekend and stay with me in my apartment located in the Financial District. We hung out entirely in lower Manhattan and Brooklyn, which are some of my favorite places in the city. The Lower East Side is becoming by go-to weekend hang out spot, Brooklyn is really growing on me, and SoHo is amazing (especially the shopping). 

I love having the opportunity to have my friends visit me in this new city and experience things we never would have gotten the chance to experience. On Friday we went out on the Lower East Side (dancing until late into the night), followed by bagels and blow outs on Saturday morning at Brookfield Place, a new mall near Battery Park, which is so gorgeous and you all should check it out. After we were all glamed up we went back to my apartment and got ready to go explore Brooklyn. We decided to walk to Brooklyn via the Brooklyn Bridge, which turned out to be crazy crowded and long, but it was an awesome bucket list experience. 

We explored Brooklyn Bridge State Park and the DUMBO district, including all of the really cool murals on the underpasses. It's really a cool neighborhood, filled with coffee shops, restaurants, little boutiques, and art galleries. I highly recommend checking it out if you have the chance! 

On Saturday night we got dinner at Sauce and then went out to Hotel Chantelle which is quickly becoming one of my favorite dance spots because the music is spot on. After a late night out we were troopers and were up early to get brunch Sunday morning at Jack's Wife Freda in SoHo. I highly recommend for a great brunch with friends, it's Mediterranean themed and so yummy, I had the Green Shakshuka. After brunch we walked around SoHo before arriving at Carrie Bradshaw's stoop in the West Village. 

Overall it was a great girlfriend weekend and I'm so happy I got to spend time with my friends. Especially since we all live in different cities (none of my friends who came live in Philly!) and time together is so precious. If you take nothing else from this post, take a minute to talk to your girlfriends :) 

Have you ever had a girl's weekend in NYC or gone to any of these places? I hope you enjoy these NYC posts, if you'd like more of them please let me know! Have a great rest of the week!
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Wanted: Beach Getaway Pieces

Thursday, February 18, 2016

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Bottom: Kate Spade Bikini Bottoms, Bow Top (also comes in a one-piece version


Happy Thursday everyone! Just popping in quick with my current wish list. If you can't tell I'm totally over the cold weather, even though it's supposed to be warmer this weekend, and I'm ready for a tropical vacation. Not that I'm going on one anytime soon, but I can dream right?

If I were going on a beach vacation the items above are exactly what I'd want in my suitcase, a cute bright swim suit, fun cover-ups, a big straw hat, and plenty of sunscreen

Are you traveling anywhere warm anytime soon? What's on your beach vacation must-pack list? 
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How to Work from Home Productively

Wednesday, February 17, 2016

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Hey everyone and Happy Wednesday! Today I thought it'd be fun to share some tips for working productively from your home. Whether you are a teacher who needs to just grade some papers or create lesson plans at home at night, a full-time blogger who works from home most of the time, or a CPA like me that occasionally works from home these tips are applicable.

I will admit my first year at a public accounting firm I found it difficult to get work done or focus when I had the opportunity to work at home. I normally would actually go into the office (even though that meant putting on real pants) just to force myself to focus and be more productive. Over the past couple of years that I've been working I've gotten better and better and working remote and realizing what helps and what I need to avoid doing. So, here are my tips for how to work productively from the comfort of your home.

ONE // Set a consistent wake-up time and stick to it. Sometimes when you're able to work from home it's really tempting to sleep in until 10am everyday or go out late one night and sleep in the next day. However, not maintaining a consistent sleep schedule can make it so your body is constantly confused and always feels slightly tired. Also, if you begin working really late in the morning you won't be able to squeeze in a full 8-9 hours of work until all your friends are already out of work for the day. It's really frustrating when it's 5:30pm and you start getting texts about happy hour but you can't go because you've only gotten 4 hours of real work done that day.

TWO // Avoid doing household chores and running errands. Obviously part of the perk of working from home is getting to schedule appointments and such during the work day when most people wouldn't be able to go. While the occasional doctor's appointment is fine to schedule I've found it's best to avoid doing everyday chores like vacuuming or laundry because it distracts you from your work and is going to constantly break your focus. I used to always do laundry while I was working from home, I thought I was being super productive and killing two birds with one stone, so to speak. However I began to notice that always having to get up, change the laundry, put in a new load, etc. really broke my concentration and getting back into the zone took awhile. 

THREE // Take set breaks rather than constant mini-breaks. Treat your home like an office, don't allow yourself to take breaks every hour for 5 minutes to do this or that. Instead take a longer lunch break and snack break in the afternoon, or run and get a coffee in the morning and then get right back into work. I remember one time I was in the middle of reading this book and I decided I'd read for five minutes every hour as a little break. I thought this would actually make me more productive at home, but instead I just wished I took an hour for lunch to sit on my deck and read instead of getting little breaks every hour which I constantly wanted to extend. This doesn't mean don't take short mental breaks throughout the day, but doing activities you would normally do after work if you worked at an office should be avoided throughout the day. 

FOUR // Make sure you have all the supplies and equipment you need in a set area. It's the worst when you're working at home and a client calls and you cannot find a pen anywhere. Instead, make sure you have all your supplies laid out and organized before you start your work day. For people that work at home full-time, this is probably a given, however for people like me that only work the occasional day from home it's important to set myself up in the morning before getting started for the day. This includes getting out my mouse, dual monitor, plugging in my laptop, setting out my notebooks, and getting my highlighters, pencils, and pens out. It really makes me feel like I'm at the office when I have everything within a comfortable reach throughout the day. 

FIVE // Never work on the couch. I used to try and audit on my couch, mostly when I'd be doing extra work after I had already worked a full day at a client site and wanted to just get a few more things done. I figured it was fine since I was just doing a couple of things and it wasn't like I was really in my work day. However, I found I was so unproductive and so uncomfortable that tasks that should have taken me one hour would take three. I would end up staying up late just to get everything done and only being able to bill for one hour because I was so unproductive. This also means, if you have a desk, work at your desk. If you don't have space for a desk (like me) find a nice table to work at or any type of flat surface where you can sit with an upright posture. 

SIX // If you're having a really hard time focusing and not browsing the internet, try an app like Self Control, which is a free app to allow you to block certain websites of your choosing for an amount of time you select. You can also choose to only be allowed to access certain websites for a set amount of time. I used to use this all the time in college when I needed to study and it helped so much! Nowadays I will use it to block my favorite online shopping sites, blogger, etc. Sometimes after looking at my email I will type in Facebook or Twitter out of habit, so it helps that the block comes up to snap me back into focus. 

Do you have any tips for working or studying at home? I'd love to hear them, leave your best tips in the comments below!

Workin' on my Fitness

Tuesday, February 16, 2016

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Happy Tuesday everyone! Hope everyone getting back to work today is having a good morning. Today I am sharing my first fitness themed outfit on the blog. I ordered these Nike running tights after pining after them for a month and a half. I kind of wanted to hate them because they were more expensive than I would normally spend on athletic wear, but I had a gift card and I decided to pull the trigger. When they arrived I tried them on and it was love. Side note, these are a size medium which is equivalent to an 8-10 per the Nordstrom website. When they arrived I thought there was no way they were going to fit, but after putting them on they were very comfortable and the perfect fit, therefore if you're looking to order trust the numerical sizes on the site! 

Anyways, I paired these with a simple long-sleeve white t-shirt and my new ASICS running sneakers. I love ASICS and have always used them for my athletic shoes. I needed to replace the pair I'd been wearing for awhile and decided to go with a simple black and white sneaker rather than the neon pairs I usually gravitate towards. I really love the crispness of the look, and they are so comfortable.

I also finally replaced my old FitBit over the weekend and I'm excited to have one again because it really motivates me to take more steps and stay active throughout the day. It's even included in one of my 101 in 1001 goals, so I'm going to work on that! 

Staying active and getting fit is a big goal of mine this year and I plan on investing in more athletic clothing, so don't think this will be the last athletic outfit you'll be seeing on the blog!

Do you have any favorite athletic clothes pieces? How's you week going?
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Linking up with I Do DeClaire

Weekend Rewind + President's Day Sales Shopping Guide

Monday, February 15, 2016


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Hey Everyone! Happy Monday! If you live in the Northeast I'm sure you were frozen all weekend like me. It was brutal guys, Alex and I went up to my hometown to hang out with my mom and dad on Saturday and took the train back into the city. I'm not going to lie, walking home from the train station was the worst (i.e. coldest) 15 minutes I've had in a long time. I should probably count my blessings for that. We made it back to the warmth and popped a bottle of rosé  and watched 27 Dressed (well I did) and all was ok.

On Sunday we grabbed dinner at Vernick Food and Drink in Center City and had a nice relaxing evening. It was especially nice since I am working from home in Philly today and didn't have to wake up early to catch the Amtrak back to NYC. Anyways, long story short I was planning on taking two sets of outfit photos this weekend, but I just did not want freeze taking photos and decided to forgo the process, sorry guys! Don't worry there's some great content coming up this week, so keep popping by the blog! Also, there's still time to enter my giveaway with CaseApp for your chance to a win a $40 gift card to their website where you can design your own phone case or laptop skin (or choose from their selection of beautiful designs). Head over right here to enter that, today is the last day!

Anyways, if you're lucky enough to be home and not working today its the perfect time to do a little online shopping! Lots of stores are having great sales on Fall/Winter merchandise, and some are even offering savings on items which would be perfect for Spring!

Nordstrom is having a Winter Clearance Sale with up to 40% off favorite styles for women, men, and kids. I have rounded up my top picks (and personal wishlist) below:

Ann Taylor: Use code "LOVE" to take 30% off all new styles and 50% off all sale styles. My picks are this gorgeous skirt, these shorts, and this shell which would be perfect for work

Steve Madden: Use code "PREZ" for 25% off. My picks are these flats which would be great for work, these awesome heels, or these classic slides which are perfect to tuck away for spring or summer.

Anthropologie: Extra 40% off sale styles at Anthro with code "EXTRA40". They are one of my favorite retailers and I always find something I wish was just a little bit less expensive. Now is the time to score, I am eyeing this mixed pattern dress, this chic blouse, this floral dress, and this eyelet swing dress.

Madewell: Extra 30% off sale times with code "XOXOMW". My picks are this plaid coat, this classic bucket bag, and these classic heels.

J.Crew: Extra 40% off final sale styles with code "SHOPSALE". My picks are this beautiful coat, or this one, this classic crossbody bag, and this classic striped top.

ASOS: 20% off with code "Lincoln". This gray wrap dress, this Ted Baker dress (actually included in this post), this front button mini skirt, and this off-shoulder white dress.

GAP: 40% off with code "LONGWKND".  Loving this striped t-shirt dress, these jogger-style sweatpants, and these girlfriend style shorts.

Athleta: 20% off sale styles with code "EXTRA20". Now is the time to stock up on classic black leggings, these printed leggings, this printer tank top, or this mesh tank.

Lilly Pultizer: Spend $200 and get a free cosmetic bag. I'd pick up these athletic pants, this cute spring dress, or a classic Elsa top.

Will you be shopping the sales today? What are you in the market for? I hope everyone has a happy Monday and happy shopping!
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Linking up with B Loved Boston and Her Heartland Soul


TGIF + Friday Links vol. 11

Friday, February 12, 2016

Image via Pinterest

Well guys, we made it to Friday again. For all of you that have a three-day weekend for President's Day, consider me jealous. I'm heading home to Philly tonight and planning on visiting my parents on Saturday and maybe grabbing drinks with some high school friends on Saturday night. On Sunday Alex and I are going to dinner at Vernick Food and Drink in Rittenhouse and I'm super excited to try it since I've heard good things. What are you all up to this weekend?

On a side note, I'm considering trying Soul Cycle next week so if you have a teacher recommendation for the Financial District NYC studio please let me know!

Anyways, here are your links for the week:

1// My city was named the best place in the U.S. to visit! Check out the full list here. #PhillyPride

2// My sorority sister and NYC friend Michelle launched her blog The Finan Things this week, she is essentially a modern day Martha Stewart so you should check it out! 

3// Jess is officially coming back for the Gilmore Girls reboot. Jess is my favorite and this makes me happy. #TeamJessForever

4// I just ordered this dress, it's on sale and perfect for summer. How many more weeks of winter?

5// The trailer for the new season of Broad City has been released, is anyone else really excited?

6// Ballerina Misty Copeland poses as famous Degas works of art. I love Degas' works and thought Misty's recreations were absolutely beautiful. 

7// Kristina posted this article about the best way to make scrambled eggs. Total game changer, I've made my eggs this way three times already. 

8// Did you all know its NYFW? Being in NYC it's been cool to see snaps, read tweets, and be in the city while its all happening. Here's a list of 5 makeup trends to watch from Fashion Week. 


On Laura Aime Vous this Week:



Current Wants:


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Currently... {2.11.16}

Thursday, February 11, 2016

Happy Thursday everyone! I hope everyone's week has been going well! I thought it'd be fun to share another "currently" post today since people seemed to like the one I shared in December. I think I'll try and do one of these every month to share with my readers the things I'm currently liking at the time, in addition to all my regular blog posts consisting of outfits, wish lists, links, city exploration, etc. 

It's been busy at work lately but I've been trying really hard to maintain healthy eating habits, work out a few times a week, and read a little each night before bed. Doing these little things for myself just make me feel so much better and refreshed throughout the week. 

Listening // Evol by Future

Eating // Sushi 
(loving Taste of Tokyo for those of you ordering delivery in the FiDi)

Drinking // Terri's Green Power Smoothies
(my co-workers and I are OBSESSED, we order these no lie every day. Recipe can be found here)

Watching // The Bachelor 
(Who are your favorites? Any predictions on next Bachelorette?)

(on sale plus an extra 25% off with code 'SHOPNOW')

(this cotton oxford is so cute, but also want this top and this skirt...and pretty much everything in the collection)

What are your current monthly favorites? I hope everyone is having a great week!
P.S. Don't forget to enter my giveaway with CaseApp for your chance to win a $40 gift card! Enter right here

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