LONNY is BACK!

For those of you who are Matchbook Girls and LONNY lovers, you probably know that LONNY has been noticeably absent for the past few months as they revamped their look. Well (drumroll please....)

Welcome back LONNY!

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What a perfect way to spend a Sunday! I'll be getting back to you later this week with my fave features once I have a chance to sit down and read it! Today is jam-packed with prep/set up for the high school fashion show my mom chairs followed by a family birthday party. Not your typical spring break activities, but fun and busy nonetheless!

Check out LONNY {here}... and can we just gush over Anna Burke's outfit for a second? I'm not sure what I love the most, but I think I'm going to have to go with the shoes... or the jacket... love it all!

Happy Sunday!

xx

Color Crush: Leopard Print!

It's no secret to anyone who knows me that I absolutely adore, obsess over, cannot get enough of... Leopard Print. My iPhone cover is Leopard print. My fave pair of flats are these old black Nine West Loafers with leopard print tops (that I bought six or seven years ago back when people thought leopard print was outrageous...) A couple of months ago, I had Sally Hansen leopard print nails on and hadn't noticed that I had my mom's leopard print J.Crew cardigan and the coat check guy at the Met asked me if I had purposely matched my phone, nails, and sweater.... awkward? Whatever! What can I say? I love it! 

{coat}{bag}{tote}{skirt}{belt}{hat}{scarf}{cardcase}{nails}{loafers}{flats}{dress}

P.S. ~ How fab is that coat?! I had it pinned to my style board on Pinterest, so I didn't have the original source. However, I absolutely die over that entire outfit. Love, love, love!

Happy Sunday!

xx

Sun & Surf

{bracelet} {wedges} {clutch} {hat} {swimsuit} {iPhone case} {sunnies} {Sperry's}

Happy Saturday!

Anatomy of Flying

As I said on Tuesday, when it comes to travel, I am a realist. Conveniently, winter coincides with my high traffic of travel time, which is always fun when you need to take off multiple layers due to TSA policies. When I went to Spain and automatically starting my routine "jewelry off, shoes off, bags, liquids, etc. process" some random Spanish ladies started asking me a million questions as to WHAT I was doing... because the rest of the world is not that strict in security, but since I'm so conditioned to flying back and forth, I went into airport autopilot!

That being said, I've now pared down flying to a science. Patience isn't my best virtue, and for that I've got the outfit down to a science to get through the airport security lines as swiftly as possible.

Here's my "Dress for Success: Flying Edition"

{shirt}{scarf}{leggings}{boots}{watch}{necklace}{suitcase}

Usually I include a thin cotton J.Crew wrap sweater in my bag, but I never wear it until I'm through security due to the fact that I'll only have to take it off anyways. Since there's nothing I love more than leggings--and because I don't like sitting for a long period of time in jeans-- these Hue equestrian leggings are perfect, and simply the most comfortable leggings ever. My go-to outfit always includes leggings or jeans and a J.Crew t (since they're simply the best). I pair almost all leggings or jeans with my Frye boots that I received for Christmas seven years ago. I couldn't find a picture of the boots (obviously) now for sale, but the ones above are fairly close. I barely wear jewelry when I'm flying, but the one thing I always keep on is my Saint Christopher's necklace that my parents gave me for "safe travel" (st. chris is the patron saint of that) and it's in an aqua-blue enamel. Aside from an obligatory watch and suitcase, my favorite accessory is my blue pashmina. I can roll it up and wear it as a scarf, or completely unfold it and use it as a blanket on the plane. 

Happy Travels!

Friday's Fancies: Spring Break

{dress} {sunnies} {jacks} {swimsuit} {nail polish} {shorts} {wedges}

Oh, how I wish I could say that by the time you read this I'll be in the middle of Indiana en route to Fort Lauderdale round 2! Alas, my parents decided that since I was (a) at the time of planning spring break unemployed for the summer and (b) living in Milwaukee this summer, I should fly back to Connecticut to visit family and doing the whole "grown up" interview process in the city. I have to admit I am happy to be going home for many reasons. I get to see my baby cousin, talk to my newly engaged cousin about wedding plans, celebrate birthdays, and see my family. Plus, I'm {fingers crossed} going to D.C. for Saint Patrick's Day to cheer on my friend Mallory in her half-marathon and then celebrate St. Patty's day! 24 hour road trip, here we come!

Happy Spring Break!

The Seven Dollar Steal

 2011 was the year I accidentally stumbled upon a few trends purely out of the attraction to things that interest me.

Example A: During “Rebajas” (Sales) Month in Spain (you have to love when your study abroad session just happens to line up perfectly with the month in which the entire country of Spain puts everything in their stores on sale!!!), I was out shopping one afternoon with friends. Zara never disappoints, and it certainly didn’t disappoint that day. Strewn in the corner was a pile of leopard print stiletto booties. Of course, I was stuck with my two guy friends who strongly urged me against the purchase, especially due to the fact that I couldn’t try on the left shoe due to the fact that I had sprained my ankle. This was one of those moments where my impulsive nature came in handy because at 25 euros (down from 90 euros) HOW COULD I SAY NO!?!?! I skyped my parents later in the week and while my mom thought they were adorable; my dad thought they were ridiculous. Two weeks later when I returned home to the states, the J. Crew magazine was sitting on the coffee table and what else was featured? Leopard Print Shoes. My dad recanted.

Example B: (And the point of this post) Pseudo-Girls’ Weekend 2011

Every October we have a four-day break the weekend before Halloween to relax after midterms. With airline prices high and two daughters in college, my parents asked if I minded staying in Milwaukee since I had an apartment. I didn’t mind, especially since my friend Hannah was staying in Milwaukee as well, due to the fact that she’s from New York and had a similar predicament. Not to mention, being unable to come home garnered many sympathy points from our parents, which allowed us to treat ourselves to a fancy seafood dinner one of the nights we were in Miltown. We transformed October Break into a total Girls’ Weekend—haircuts and blowouts, dinners, playing wing woman to the other girl as we hit the bars, lots of Food Network and TLC Wedding Shows, wine, and most importantly… shopping.

Han and I popped into Charlotte Russe because Hannah wanted to check out some piece she had seen in the window. I’m not usually a fan of Charlotte Russe (they’re not exactly the epitome of quality), but Hannah wanted to check out the major sale on jewelry and obviously I obliged. Having not purchased much that day (due to our goal of a non-neutral wardrobe), I decided to impulsively buy a few pieces including feather earrings, a couple of necklaces that I have yet to wear, and a gold link necklace. The gold link necklace cost seven dollars, and I grabbed the last one. 

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Now, this isn't the necklace, since I could not find a picture of the original, but this is more or less exactly the same thing... minus the Michael Kors name and $140 (sale) price tag. 


I wore the necklace to Thanksgiving dinner, and this caused a major frenzy in the Claflin extended family. My cousin Jennifer loved it so much that my aunt, my mom, and Jenny's fiance spent the entire Christmas Season trying to find her the necklace. My aunt actually found one for my grandmother, who also really wanted one, but Jenny never found her link necklace. Of course, ever since I encountered my miracle find, I've been completely head over heels for link jewelry, a fact that can be seen on my Pinterest boards quite clearly. Here are some of my favorites below~

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xo

48 Hours

48 hours, my friends, is all that stands between me and the picture below. 

Well, that and four classes, two papers (which I'm currently procrastinating), and two readings. 

And, if I'm lucky, Karaoke Night. (but I'm doubtful that will happen tomorrow due to the fact that I'm procrastinating my papers by blogging and watching SVU...) 

My friends and I joke sometimes that I carry the print industry on my sales alone since I am addicted to magazines. I used to make them for fun all the time as a kid, an activity I think stemmed from going to work with my dad. Anyways, I cut down on the habit since it's extremely expensive (ELLE Decor is $5.99!), but magazine binges are my favorite part of flying. I picked only a few (ha!) for the flight home since I'll need some for the flight back... but I'm so excited. 

I bought these as a motivation today to do my papers. They look so pretty sitting on my suitcase. 

Time for Bruce Springsteen and paper writing. 

{It's times like these I ask myself why I'm an English major}