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Bachelorette Party (OMG!!!!!!!)

I guess I would say the coolest thing about having a professional photographer as a bestie is that my life looks FREAKING GLAMOROUS.

But in all seriousness, I am still coming off the high of my bachelorette party last weekend. It was the best weekend of my life (until the wedding replaces it a month from today, I'm sure). I've heard so many brides-to-be say that, and I always smiled and thought it was a little weird. In fact, I didn't want to have a bachelorette party. I thought it was too much to ask of my friends. I moved 2000 miles away and left most of my best friends in the midwest. How could I ask them to fly to California for just two days to celebrate with me when I will see them at the wedding in one month anyway? 

But my sisters talked me into doing it, and I couldn't be more grateful. Honestly, to have so many of my friends, in such an absolutely bEaUTifuL place, in the midst of wine country... well I've just never felt more loved. 

I'll post later about what we did to prep for the weekend, because my trio-MOH sisters and I learned A LOT about how to throw our first bach party.... but for now, here are some pics that Natalie took. Enjoy!

AnniesBach!-4633.jpg

Photos by Natalie Folchi of Folchi Photography & Natalie Was Here Blog. // & because some of you have asked, my jumpsuit is from Urban Outfitters. I think they're sold out, but here is the romper version! 

Trying new trends w/ sex appeal

As much as I love my staple wardrobe pieces, sometimes  a girl just needs to be on trend. Ya feel? Those are the days I turn to tobi.com.

Usually my style is really, muted. I tend to wear what I call "uniforms," and they cover about 95% of my skin. Ha! Today, I decided to challenge myself and share three currently trending outfits with, dare I say it, SEX APPEAL. Read on :D

EDGE OF NIGHT CAMI

WHOOP THERE IT IS. This cami is everything. I realized camis were trending again after reading cool-girl Aimee Rancer's post about it a few weeks ago. Mixing and matching soft, feminine pieces with hi rise denim was a perfect way for me to be completely out of my comfort zone on top (I couldn't wear a bra with this shirt, ah!!!) but still wear my regular, skin covering bottoms. 

I do love this cami, tho. It's a wonderful color for spring and though I didn't take any pictures of the back, the sex appeal is real. Trust me. Shop the entire look via the photos below.

ALLEY LACE UP RIBBED BODY SUIT

GUYS. I wore a body suit. WTF? I never, ever, ever thought I would be able to pull off a body suit. & I guess I didn't allllllllll the way. I probably shouldn't have worn a bra with this lace up beauty, but that just seemed like way to much exposure for me. So I donned a bralett. 

Long ago I read on a blog that body suits are great to wear as an outfit "base." They don't ride up and they look like a shirt. I wanted to test out the theory.

This look is 10,000% outside of my comfort zone but I can tell you right now, people loved it. People like my fiancé. Paired with some hi rise vintage denim, I felt like I could take on the world in this ensemble. Shop the look in the photos below.

CURRENT AFFAIRS COCOON DRESS

Okay... so, short dress + deep v.

I cannot pull this off.

It looks like I'm wearing a tiny night gown. Or a t-shirt. Which in retrospect is probably how I should have styled this piece......

However. If you are a little bit shorter than me, or can pose in a short dress without looking like you're the most uncomfortable person in the world...... give it a try. The look is below. 

What am I missing? What kinds of trends are you guys rocking these days? In other news, it's my bachelorette weekend! As I am writing to you, my friends and sisters are flying across the country to spend the weekend in Sonoma with me. I cannot wait. 

Miss you guys. Hope you're good. Sending love. xox

Photos: Jake Heath
Lip: Lipsense in Pink Champagne
TOBI clothes provided c/o. All thoughts are my own.

Spring Loungewear Wish List

Yesterday I walked into Nordstrom Rack for the first time in a loooooong time. &, while I am still on that no-frills budget, it didn't  stop me from trying on every piece of the OG adidas loungewear line 😜

Anyway, once I got home (empty handed),  I started researching all the spring loungewear. I'm all about the bold retro feel out there this season, and I thought you might like to take a look at some of my faves. All images are hyperlinks. 

ANNIE'S TOP PICKS: SPRING LOUNGEWEAR EDITION

Mimalist Style & Max Comfort: A Review of Grana

My style has changed a lot over the lifetime of this blog. Maybe it's something about getting older, or – like we talked about last week – wanting to live a more minimalist lifestyle, but these days I've been trying to invest in staples. 

Before I purchase any piece of clothing, I ask myself one question: will I still want to wear this in 5 years? If the answer is yes, I consider it a staple. If not, it's probably fast fashion, and not worth my hard earned cash.

Today, I wanted to investigate Grana, a clothing company with "timeless" at the core of design. As you'll see from the link I hyperlinked above, Grana searches for the best quality fabrics, in comfort and durability. But anyone can say that. Are the pieces really timeless? Comfortable? Durable? Cute? I checked it out.....

SILK CASHMERE BOYFRIEND CREW NECK

The silk cashmere boyfriend crew is my favorite Grana piece. Per the name, it's a mix of silk and cashmere, but let me just put that in terms that are easier to feel... HOLY SHIT THIS SHIRT IS SOFT. The length of the shirt is perfect for high waisted pants, and the loose fit doesn't hang on any food baby bellies. The sleeves are surprisingly tight, but not uncomfortable. I think the sleeves actually make this shirt super unique, adding a tiny bit of form to an otherwise modern box shape. 

Would I suggest it to you? Hell yes. You could sleep in it.  But don't. Wear it to work, instead. Like me. Shop for the outfit in the photos below.

CASHMERE BOYFRIEND SWEATER DRESS

Grana Sweater Dress

TBH, I was afraid of this dress. The midi length made me nervous and I wasn't sure what kind of shoes to wear with it...  Then I started asking other questions. Is it *too* loose? Do I look like a box? HERESY!

There is no such thing as too loose! Just check what super-cool-girl Kendall Chase says on that topic. 

Like the crew neck, this dress is one of the softest things I've ever put on my body. I'm not usually a dress-wearer, but when the weather is about to swing from 40 to 75 in a single day, I think this is the piece I'll grab for. 

In the saddest news of all time, Grana temporarily stopped making this dress. Maybe we can all write in and request it come back?

CHUNKY RIB KNIT MERINO BOYFRIEND CARDIGAN

I wear this cardigan every single week. Actually, this outfit pretty much is my uniform for work. V-neck tee, comfy Grana cardigan, high waisted jeans, modern loafers. It makes mornings very easy when you have a go-to look to grab. 

What I love about the cardigan is the warmth. It's all wool, and all cool. Rhymes. It is my most practical Grana piece. Pick yourself up one in the photo links below.

MERINO RIB BOYFRIEND CARDIGAN 

Last but not least, we have the ribbed open cardigan. TBH, I don't wear it that much. Usually when I'm looking for a cardigan, it's so I can stay warm in a frigid office. But this one, well it's super duper thin. And, conservative? I don't know, but I feel like I need to be teaching the ABC's when I wear it. 

Don't get me wrong, this cardigan is soft as can be. There is absolutely nothing wrong with it. Just a wee bit girly for my taste. If you're only buying one cardigan, I'd steer you to the chunky rib knit merino in the photos from above. Still though, this cardigan is worth linking. Check out the whole outfit in the photos below.

So what's the consensus? HOW DID THEY DO IT?!?!? Did Grana capture the world's softest small animals, treat them to bonbons and ice cream, or you know, pet food, until they admitted the secret to creating a perfect, cuddly, soft? I have no idea. But in the search for comfort and modern minimalist style, Grana takes the cake.

Now, speaking of cake....... 

Photography: Jake Heath
Lips: Lipsense in Carmel Latte
Grana clothes provided c/o. All thoughts and opinions are my own. 

Two Steps to Kickstart Your Life of Less Spending

I moved to California almost two years ago. In the blink of an eye, my financial outlook went from "Wait, I have to fork over $750/month to live in this beautiful apartment in the best part of Cincinnati???" to "Thank God I found this shit-box, tiny bedroom in the Tenderloin for $1,800/month. I hope the police don't try to break down the door again tonight." 

My savings account depleted as I turned in huge rent checks, big security deposits, and scoured the internet for deals to furnish my little place. Half of my paycheck was going to taxes and what did end up in my bank account went straight to rent. For the first time, I wasn't able to pay off my credit card bill at the end of every month. 

The problem was, I was consuming like I was still living my old life. Clothes, meals, alcohol, furniture, vacations... I didn't really have the cushion in my income for it anymore, but I was buying like I did. Maybe even more. My rent was so high, it made all the other numbers seem really small. A $120 pair of pants equaled 1/18th of my rent! Not bad! 

I racked up a lot of debt. 
Cut to my #1 goal of 2017: get out. 

So anyway, Jake and I sat down and made a budget. What came out was an aggressive plan to pay off our loans. No room for shopping.

So, that's where we are now. I'm trying to remove the temptation of things. Have you ever been there? Or maybe, are you there now? These two steps helped me kickstart a new way of thinking about stuff, and hopefully they can do the same for you.

Step 1: Unsubscribe from all the email marketing

“A 40% sale doesn’t mean you’re saving 40%, it means you’re spending 60%.”
— Annie's Coworker at Lunch

I've had the same email account since I was 18-years-old. Over the years, I've subscribed to tons of email newsletters: Madewell, J. Crew, Anthropologie, Urban Outfitters, West Elm, CB2, Target, Etsy, Kate Spade, Asos, and more, and more, and more..... it was insane. I loved it, too. I work in advertising, so I excused the newsletters as a way to keep up with industry trends. What are the good subject lines? Which ones catch my eye? 

But, you know what really happened? I bought things. Every morning, I logged in to my inbox and deleted all the newsletters that didn't stand out. I read the ones that did – which, unsurprisingly, were flash sales. Eighteen months ago I bought a Rebecca Minkhoff purse on a surprise sale.  Today I barely use it. One year ago, I purchased a second pair of glasses because "they're cuter than the ones I have." Now, I can't find them anywhere.

I didn't even notice how much the marketing was working on me..... and I'm IN marketing! I am literally trained to sell things to people, but I didn't see what I was being sold. 

The day after Jake and I cracked down on our budget, I unsubscribed from over 30 email lists. Theory being this: I won't buy things just because they are on sale anymore. Rather, I'll make the effort to look for the things I really need, when I really need them.

Step 2: Watch "Minimalism: A Documentary About the Important Things"

Minimalism is such a buzz word these days. We hear about minimalist decor, capsule wardrobes, tiny homes. Have you ever wondered why it's such a trend, though? Maybe, just maybe, minimalists actually are happier?

For a few years I've been thinking a lot about minimalism. Part of it was forced on me – my last apartment was 250 square feet. Some of it, though, was from curiosity.

A couple weeks ago, I was g-chatting with my best friend, Natalie. I was lamenting the fact that, even in debt, I was still buying clothes. I wanted her to tell me my most recent purchase (a wool coat from Madewell that was "just the perfect length to wear with my longer shirts but much thicker than my other long coat which I can't wear during the cold weather") was a good one. She did make me feel better..... and then she said this, "but Annie, if you want to stop buying clothes, watch this documentary. It will really convince you that less is more."

I did watch it. & I think you should, too. Natalie wrote about it already, so I'm going to send you over to her blog for some lessons from the film. But here's what I think you should know: it's 78 minutes long. It's on Netflix. You won't regret spending the time to watch it. 

Minimalism: A Documentary About The Important Things.

Okay, so that's what I've got. I'm no where near out of debt. & I also just spent $4 on a lunch I could have made myself. But... I'm a little more cognizant of it all, and I think that's a step in the right direction. 

Let me know if you have more tips :)

Photo: iStock