It's hard to believe its been over five years since I spent my semester abroad in France. It truly was one of my favorite periods of my life and helped me grow and learn in so many ways, both in and outside of the classroom.

First off, I went to Paris without knowing a single person. I was on exchange at SciencesPo but no other students from Tulane went over my semester. Not only that, my school does not have dorms and therefore we had to secure our own apartment in Paris to live in. While at first this seemed REALLY scary (especially because I found my apartment online and wired the money to my landlord before leaving the United States, a HUGE leap of faith) it turned out to be THE BEST thing ever.

I think studying abroad is one of the best experiences you can have in college, and everyone should take advantage if possible. Studying abroad not only brushed up on my language skills but it taught me to make new friends, come out of my comfort zone, and learn confidence and independence that I never thought I had.

That being said, I'm so so so excited that I'm going back to France, in less than a month! While I would love to move back to Europe I will take a 10-day vacation. I decided it'd be fun to do another TBT travel post (like this one I did in October about my time in Peru) and go through some photos that bring back fond memories of my time in France.

Why go back to France? Why not go somewhere else? Well, while Alex and I considered going to a new country, he has never been to France. It's such a special place to me that I really wanted to take Alex and show him around Paris, and explore a new part of the country I haven't seen yet. So, look forward to a couple more posts about packing, favorite spots, etc. in the weeks leading up to our trip. If you can't tell I'm very excited, seriously is it time to go yet?

One last note, when going through my old photos for this post I found this picture from 2011 in Paris, ironic since Pokemon Go has made it that they really ARE everywhere now, anyone else playing?

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Stitch Fix Box #2 - Review & Try-On

First off, how is it already the end of July? I feel like summer is just FLYING by and I don't know how I feel about it? This past weekend I had a work event on Saturday in Wilmington, so I drove down early to shop at Nordstrom in Delaware before the event and see if I wanted to scoop up any fall looks on sale (#Nsale). Unfortunately, the booties I had my eye on were sold out EVERYWHERE in my size, but I did score this cocoon cardigan which I'm already in love with. 

Anyways, if you have been reading for a little while you'll remember that last month I scheduled my first Stitch Fix! I really loved the experience and my stylist Shawna is great! I decided to get another fix this summer and see what other pieces they sent me. 

That fix arrived last Friday and it seriously feels like Christmas morning opening up my fix! I'll show you everything I got and let you know what I'm keeping, but first off here's a brief summary of how Stitch Fix works for those of you who don't know (for those of you familiar with the process, you can skip this part):

1// First fill out your style profile. They will ask you about your sizing, style preference, budget, etc. I really liked how detailed this quiz is because I was able to let them know how tall I am, what colors I usually don't wear, and other random things which will help them pick better pieces for me. You can even link a fashion board on Pinterest for them to get a better sense of your style.

2// Schedule your fix! You will be charged a $20 styling fee but that amount will come off of any clothing items you decide to keep! You can also choose to sign up for monthly, bi-monthly, or quarterly fixes! I choose to not subscribe so I can just ask for a fix whenever I feel I'd like to try something different. It's whatever works best for your style and budget! You can also leave your stylist a note when you schedule your fix, letting them know about upcoming events (I told them about my vacations planned for the summer), if there's something you don't want (I asked them to only send clothing and no blue jeans), or anything else! 

3// When you fix arrives try everything on and decide what you like! It's great because you can see if the pieces work with other things in your closet. Also you can have some time to try them on in the comfort of your own home. If you decide to keep all 5 items you will receive 25% off your entire fix!

4// Check out online and send back any unwanted items in a prepaid mailing envelope, it's so easy! Additionally, Stitch Fix includes styling cards which will give you different ideas for ways to wear the pieces!

Anyways, on to what I received in my second box! I let my stylist know about an upcoming wedding I'm attending and my big trip to trip France. I also let her know that I'd like at least one piece I could wear to work. I also pinned a lot on my Pinterest board with ideas so she could get a sense of my style. I think she did a great job again. I was on the fence about a couple of the items, but since I did some other shopping this month I decided to be more conservative with my budget.

1// LOVEAPPELA - Torie Knit Dress - Size Large - $68 - kept

I loved this piece as soon as I pulled it out of the box. The length is long enough to wear to work, it's comfortable, and I love the striped pattern. Win win win!

2 & 3. Market and Spruce - Poplin Eyelet Detail Top & Margaret M  - Sophie Printed Trim Detail Straight Leg Pant - both size large - $58 (top) $98 (pants)

 I apologize because it was probably 100 degrees when we were taking these photos and it was about to storm, so I didn't get the chance to iron this top out and make it look as cute as it is. I was really on the fence about the top because I do like the cut-out bottom detail and I don't have many white tops. That said, I don't think I could wear it to work because of the cut-out bottom so I decided to return.

The pants my stylist sent me as they are the same cut as the shorts I loved from my first fix. While they are comfortable, I thought they fell a little short on my leg and didn't quite flatter my legs. So unfortunately they went back.

4 // THML - Armide Babydoll Top - size large - $54 - returned

 I like how cool and breezy this top was, and it was very comfortable. I like that my stylist sent me something I normally wouldn't gravitate towards during my normal shopping, that's why I'm doing this service anyways! However, the top cut weird on my chest, I think it'd work better for someone with a smaller chest (like A or B) or someone that does not want to accentuate their waist and prefers to accentuate other areas. 

5// LOVEAPPELLA - Topeka Crossover Back Knit Top - size large - $54 - returned

I was on the fence about sending this one back as well. My stylist actually sent this to me because she noted I had pinned it on my style board! While I like the color and look of this top, the sleeves were a little itchy and not super comfortable. For that reason I don't see myself reaching for this and I decided to send it back. Hopefully I won't regret it!

What did you think about my second fix? What would you keep or return? 

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Five Four Club Review & Guest Post by my Boyfriend

Hi everyone! I have a little bit of a different post for you all today, a guest post from my boyfriend, Alex! If you read here a lot you'll notice I just tried my first Stitch Fix box in June (and my second fix is scheduled to arrive today, yay!). I was talking to Alex about the service and commented it'd be nice if there was a similar service for men, especially since most men hate shopping. Alex decided to sign up for a service called Five Four Club and I asked if he'd review it for the blog since I think other men and some of my female readers' husbands, boyfriends, brothers, etc might be interested in the company! So without further ado here is Alex's post.

Hello people of the internet, I'm Alex, Laura's boyfriend.  If you're a regular on here I'm sure you've seen my work as I take most of the pictures that Laura features on here.  Well today Laura decided to let me write my own post about a new clothing delivery company that I just started using, Five Four Club.

So, here's how it works, it's only 60 dollars a month and I got five pieces of clothes, which I think is great value.  Shipping is free, but there are no returns for different clothes; you can however exchange sizes if something doesn't fit you right. When you first log into the site it'll ask you a few questions about your style. you can pick from Forward, Casual, Classic, or a mix of all three. For my first box I decided to go with mix so I could get a feel overall of what the company has to offer.  Next, they'll ask if you want Vibrant and Rich, or Dark and Muted for your color scheme, I went with Vibrant and Rich.  After that they ask your top size, ranging from small to triple XL, I'm a large.  After that the questions shift to your pants size, from 29 to 44, and what style you want Slim, Straight, or Relaxed. I'm a 34 and I went with a Straight fit.  So without further ado, here is what I got in the box.

The first thing I tried on was a classic white collared shirt.  I think this is something every guy should have in their closet, as it really screams summer to me.  It was a good fit overall.

Next we have a white graphic shirt and a pair of swim trunks.  Again both fit very well.  I liked the look and feel of the shirt as I could see myself wearing it while I'm relaxing at home or for a night on the town. The swim trunks were nice too. I liked that they ended just above my knees.

Next is a blue Henley shirt.  Laura says this is her favorite piece that I got and I can see why.  Definitely a shirt she will approve of when we go out. I know I sound like a broken record at this point, but again it's a great fit.

And last we have a pair of no show socks.  They say left and right on them, which is good for me as I constantly forget which feet my socks need to go on.

So overall I would 100 percent recommend Five Four Club.  As I've said everything that I got fits me really well.  The quality of the clothing is really good too, and at 60 dollars a month it's a really great deal too. You can cancel at any time, but I will definitely be a monthly customer of this quality service.  Also, they have their own exclusive store where you can buy clothes from their previous months box, all at half off their original prices.  So if this sounds like something you'd like to try, or ladies, if this sounds like something your boyfriend or husband would like as a gift I have great news. If you follow this link, you can get your first box for 30 dollars, 50 percent off.  So that's everything from me, I hope you enjoyed my post, Laura will be back soon, bye everyone.

Pink Summer Sweater

When the sun begins to set and the nights begin to cool down there's nothing better than a lightweight sweater to wear in the summer. I am always cold so I'm actually shocked that I don't have more lightweight summer sweaters. 

We took these pictures at my favorite park, Peace Valley Park, on my way to my parents' house on Saturday afternoon. It had been a rough morning (read this post for my information on that) and so it was really nice to walk near the lake in one of my favorite spots growing up. Fun fact, I actually learned how to drive in the parking lot of this park!

I paired this lightweight sweater that I scored on mega-sale with my new favorite cut-off jean shorts. I know this outfit will take me into the fall on those Indian summer days and cool nights. 

I'm also kind of surprised I don't own more pink in my wardrobe. Looking at these pictures I really like how it pops against the denim shorts! I am also a Phi Mu alumna and our colors are pink and white, so I should probably start buying some more pink tops!

What do you think of this look? I hope everyone has a great Wednesday!

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101 in 1001 : 245 Day Update

It's been awhile since I checked in with you all and talked about my 101 in 1001 goals progress! My last update was after 80 days and now we're already at day 245! Where did the time go? In case you missed it, get caught up here and see my full 101 in 1001 goals list. Basically, this is just a list of 101 things I hope to accomplish in the next approximately 3 years. I updated you on my progress in January after my list had been in effect for 80 days and it's time to check in and see where I am now!

I haven't been pulling out my list as much as I should be, but I am proud of the progress I've made so far. Here are the numbers:

Goals Completed: 12/101; $120 placed into a separate savings account

Notable Goals Completed:

ONE // Try a clothing subscription box (like Stitch Fix) - I finally signed up for my first Stitch Fix box which arrived in June! I blogged all about the process and everything I received. I really enjoyed the experience, so much that I'm getting another box this month, I actually just got a notification that it shipped! I'll be sure to write a post all about it once it arrives! 

TWO // Watch 3 Broadway Shows - Living in NYC for 5 months certainly made achieving this goal easier! I attended Chicago with Alex and An American in Paris with Michelle and Risa during Broadway Week in January! In May I went to Shuffle Along (which was really good!) with Risa, Andrew, and Adrienne! While I haven't made it to Hamilton I enjoyed all of the shows I was lucky enough to see so far this year. I'm hoping to see another show before the year is done, usually Alex and I like to go to one in the fall!

THREE // Try 10 new restaurants - I've honestly tried way more than 10 in this time period. Just traveling for work made sure of that. Here are some of the restaurants that I've tried in the last 245 days which I found the most notable: Uva, The Buffalo Club, Osteria, Antica, Dos Caminos, Ayza Wine and Chocolate Bar, Giorgio on Pine, The Smith, Rosemary’s, Jack’s Wife Freda, Straight Wharf, Olio e Piu, Double Knot, Urban Farmer, Cafe Habana, Cuba, James' Beach Bar and Grill 

FOUR // Host a Theme Party - I hosted an Oscars party for some friends in February! We each voted on ballots who we thought would win, I made snacks, and we had some champagne and beer! It was a really fun night and I plan to do it again next year! 

FIVE // Watch all the nominees for Best Picture for the Oscars - I used to do this every year, but after college it became more difficult to have time to watch in the winter (hello busy season for public accounting). This year since I have a new job and no official busy season I was able to have the time to squeeze in watching all the movies! I really liked Mad Max Fury Road, Room, The Martian, and The Big Short this year!

Upcoming Goals to Complete:

ONE // Read 30 Books - I've got 9/30 down, but I'm trying to make time for reading every night before bed! I really would like to complete this by the end of the year if possible. I'm currently reading The Husband's Secret and I'm hooked! If you have book suggestions I'd love to hear them in the comments below!

TWO // Watch 5 Documentaries - I love watching documentaries and there's plenty of them on Netflix. I'm going to make an effort to complete this goal over the new couple of months

THREE // Invest in one really nice handbag - Honestly, the only thing holding me back from this is I keep changing my mind one which nice handbag I'd like! Hopefully I'll do this in the fall and finally make up my mind! Any suggestions on a splurge handbag you love?

FOUR // Go back to France and visit my old neighborhood - I've hinted at this a little, but Alex and I are going to France in August! I can't wait to take him to Paris and show him where I lived for six months! We're also bopping around the country so stay tuned for more on that trip! I can't wait!

FIVE // Go to the Texas State Fair - my plane ticket is booked! I'm going to Dallas in October with a bunch of friends from Tulane and we're all heading to the fair! I'm excited to head back to Dallas and see all my friends that I don't get to spend enough time with!

Do you have a 101 in 1001 goals list? I am going to try and be more vigalent of completing my goals, I'll be sure to update you again in a few months!

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