So Long, Summer

Rational thought would lead you to believe that when two bloggers get together, something blog-related might happen. Outfit photos, an Instagram-worthy brunch (mimosas would surely be involved). Hell, at the very least a Snapchat. But in my world that is very rarely the case. Besides the fact that I abhor both mimosas and Snapchat (give me coffee and Instagram), the friendships I've made through blogging have always been exactly that: Friendships. My interactions wine-soaked evenings with a couple of good friends are rarely front page news. And so, despite knowing one another for years and having our fair share of wine and cheese-fueled afternoons, somehow this was the first time that Ashley and I ever thought to take photos together. The weekend before she up and moved to Maine. Figures.

In other news, this is the dress (shirt?) I've been living in all summer. It makes me feel as though I should be on a cruise ship holding a margarita and about 35 years older than I am. In other words, it's perfect. So long, summer... from here on out it's decorative gourd season, motherfuckers.

Get the look: Mexicali Blues dress (similar) //  FP necklace // ankle wrap sandal // similar ring // sunglasses

Summer Island: Maine in Photos

Back in early July I made a solo trip home for a few days to hang out with my mom, gather content for work, and otherwise take advantage of a few days off. Since Chris and I hail from the same 25 mile radius, our vacations home tend to be rather harried affairs, jumping from family home to family home in an (often failed) attempt to see everyone. So, going it solo was a nice chance to be on my own schedule and just kick around and visit the places I haven't seen in years.

If you want to fall in love with Maine, visit in June or July (or September, October, November, or December for that matter). It's bittersweet, really. To me, it's the most gorgeous time of year, which also makes it that much harder to leave.

Still Summer

Guys, it's still summer. Hot, humid, sweaty, glorious summer. I'm trying my best to bask in this 90+ degree heat, because I know seven or eight months from now I'll be shivering and cursing the fact that I remain rooted in such a fickle climate. I'm beginning to see the appeal of LA. But let's be real, I'm a born and bred New Englander and as such, complaint is in my blood.

While the temperature sits firmly planted near the triple digits, I've been turning to outfits like this one in an attempt to keep my body at an agreeable level of comfort while also maybe looking cute. Also helpful: the green leafyness (not a word, let's pretend) of West Philly. Chris and I looked at this neighborhood during our relocation and really fell in love, especially with the way it reminded us both of Beverly and our neighborhood in Pittsburgh. The big old houses, wildflowers spilling from the sidewalks, and big, expansive porches. Ultimately we landed in South Philly, but when a friend's yard sale beckoned us close to Clark Park, we took the opportunity to explore a bit. Just long enough to stop sweating before heading back to the frying pan that is the rest of urban Philadelphia at the height of summer. Happy August, friends.

Get the look: Asos dress (c/o) // Lack of Color Hat // Free People sunglasses (find them here) // Free People sandals (options here) // Vintage bag (similar) // Vintage bracelet // Self-made necklace (similar)

Forever & A Day

Photos from Maine, written in Paris, published in Stockholm. Life is wild. Full explanation of recent events to come. But for now you can follow along on this unexpected adventure on my instagram, I took these a couple weeks back while in Maine for Independence Day, it was a solo trip, really just a chance to hang out with my mom and chill for a bit while also shooting for work. The city had been closing in, as it tends to do, and a long weekend presented the perfect opportunity to get the hell out of there. As I've grown older I've felt my patience for city life waning, funny, because as I kid I wanted nothing more than to escape the wilderness for bustling, brimming, frenetic NYC. HA! These days I'm perfectly content in my mother's garden, or sitting on the bench in the back yard. Give me some grass and a fire pit and I'm happy.

It has honestly been ages since I took my own photos, shameful, I know. Since we moved to more urban areas with people around, I've felt myself relying more and more on Chris to take quick photos while no one is coming. Convenient, yes. Creative? Not always. So it was nice to take a few minutes while picking snowpeas from my mom's garden to play around with the tripod again, experiment a little, and get back to shooting my own stuff. Even if it is relegated to my mom's backyard.

Get the look: FP sandals (more options here) // Free People slip dress // Lack of Color hat (similar) // Vintage jewelry (check out my Etsy faves for more items I love) // FP bra //

En Scene

Let's not pretend this outfit hasn't been worn before, but a good thing is a good thing and in my weakened state (hello, annual summer cold) my mind turned to "hey, maybe getting dressed will make me feel better." It didn't, but I felt cute despite my severe congestion and general crappyness (that's a word, right? Please pretend it is). I love the pairing of this top and skirt, and the addition of black lace-up sandals makes the whole thing feel more complete than my old brown pair, summer perfection.

If there's one thing I'm terrible at (lies, I'm terrible at a lot of things) it's taking care of myself when I'm sick, especially in the summer. My mind is all "it's so nice out! Why do you feel so crappy, body? Let's do stuff!" and my body's all "I hate you." Despite Chris' pleas for me to take a nap, I force myself to stay awake, against better judgement. And yes, I'm that person. I'm that person who drags herself to work with a cold. I know. Not only setting an awful example but eventually having to admit defeat and drag myself back home (this has happened twice this week). So... I need to get better at this. Because it's no way to live. Any tips?

Get the look: Thrifted top (similar) // Madewell skirt // Free People sandals (options here) // Vintage necklace // Vintage bag // Vintage bracelet