I absolutely love "whats in my purse" posts! What is it about seeing what people carry with them that's so interesting? Never the less this post has been requested so here goes.

What's in my purse this summer?

What I'm currently carrying:

My Tory Burch Crossbody hasn't left my side since early winter. Though it may be small in space, there isn't an outfit in my closet that it doesn't pair well with.

What's inside:

1. My Business cards: My moo.com business cards are amazing! If your even thinking about getting some made, go to Moo instead of Vistaprint. The price is about the same when it comes down to the bottom line and the quality of Moo is 1000x better!

2. Oodles of receipts: Mostly from buying coffee and spontaneous shopping trips to be quite honest. I can't wait till the day when all receipts are electronic! My purse gets filled up with these way too easily.

3. Pearl Earrings: I always carry a spare pair with me. I usually grab a $3.00 multi-pack from forever 21 or H&M and throw it in my purse to use as backup. Its the worst feeling ever to leave the house only to realize I've forgotten to put on any jewelry.

4. Iphone (with case): I have worn this Ted Baker iPhone case to absolute shreds. Its adorable and I love it, but its definitely time for a new one.

5. Starbucks Gold Card: This never leaves my side. Never. I feel like its a badge of honor for Starbucks junkies nationwide.

6. Tide To-Go Pen: If I spend time picking out an outfit in the morning, there is nothing worse than staining it mid-way through my day. A huge thank you to whoever invented Tide pens!

7. Solid Perfume: I used to carry little perfume bottle samples from the beauty counter in my purse. Until one day the lid wasn't secure and it spilled fragrance all over my bag. To this day that purse smells like Juicy Couture Perfume (a middle school favorite of mine). Now I buy these little solid ones from Pacifica and I love them! Its the perfect way to update your scent through the day while not worrying about permanenttly scenting your purse.

*Bonus Tip* Take solid perfume with you when you travel! Its one less thing that you have to put in your liquid/gel bag in the security line.

8. Ipod Shuffle: Often times by the time I get to the gym, its the end of my day and my iphone is dead. I carry this little guy to ensure that I at least have some backup music when I finally get to my workout.

9. Kate Spade long wallet: I have trouble squeezing this long wallet into such a little purse. But its my long standing favorite and I refuse to give it up. Someday when I find a little wallet thats equally as adorable perhaps ill switch it out.

What are you carrying in your purse this summer?

xo,

Natalie

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Well Well…It appears Maleficent is in theaters today. 

I'm incredibly excited to see this movie (If I wasn't pre-finals you best believe I wouldve been at the midnight premiere last night). In case you haven't caught on or are new to this blog I'm a bit Disney addicted, and when they announced this film last year my jaw dropped. The soundtrack is out of this world and Angelina Jolie makes for a perfect Maleficent.

Ive included one of my favorite quotes from her regarding the film,

Oh! and can we talk about those cheekbones? Kudos to the hair and makeup team behind that masterpiece.

Have you seen Maleficent? I would love to hear your thoughts (Spoiler free please!)

xo

Natalie

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Ive been swooning over Jack Rogers sandals for awhile, and im a serious sucker for a good deal. So when I found a deal that made the navajo sandals 20$ shipped I just had to go for it. (Crazy, Right? Jack Rogers are always more than 50 dollars on sale).

I chose the asparagus colored sandals with white stitching, but the website has them in a ton of colors! This deal was just to great to pass up, if you are looking for a new pair of preppy summer sandals I've included a how-to below.

1. Here is the link to the promo deal from living social 

2. If you don't have a living social account set one up and click "Purchase Deal" then use promo code BESTMOM for an extra 20% off the deal.

3. After the deal is purchased head to LastCall.com and redeem your voucher! The sandals are on 40% clearance, making your total around 20$ (a total steal!)

4. Wait for your new summer jacks to arrive! Hooray for savings!! 

Happy Shopping! 

#LoveMyJacks

xo

Natalie

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I love traveling, truly I do. I've been hopping on planes like cars since before I could walk. The stress of traveling so often overwhelms me, and i'm caught off my game. I like to consider myself a neat and tidy person, someone who likes to be prepared. But traveling is the least predictable situation one can be thrown in, there are an array of things that can happen to a traveler that dump stress and disorder on to an otherwise ordinary experience.

With spring break just next week I'm once again thrown into traveling preparation. And although this trip is a vacation not a working trip (hooray!) I find myself faced with a challenge. I have a huge event the two days before I leave, so I have to be extra ahead of the curve. With this in mind here are some ways I keep it together when I'm about to be on the road. 

1. Plan ahead and take action before stress arrives. This one is the hardest to live by for me. Weeks before my trip I say to myself "I'm going to get started way early and be super prepared this time" only to find myself the night before scrambling to pick out the right shoes to bring. Do as I say not as I do on this one, because I need to work on it too. Make a plan and set aside time to pack, before you get stressed out. 

2. Scope out your destination. There's nothing worse than getting to notoriously sunny Hawaii to find out it's raining and you didn't pack a raincoat. Check out the weather ahead of time and figure out what events and activities your going to be going to at your destination, so you can dress (and pack) accordingly.

3. Create a packing list. Can be as simple as a post it note, or as detailed as typing one up and printing it out. Anything that will give you an idea of exactly how much your bringing, this always helps me cut down if I'm over packing. Double check you have everything, and your good to go! 

4. Make snacks and meals a priority. A hungry traveler is no fun to be around. Make sure you do what you need to do to keep yourself fueled. A pit stop to Starbucks, a granola bar in your carry on, whatever it takes to keep you from scarfing bags of peanuts and pretzels on the plane. 

5. Use air time to be productive. If your traveling by car, good luck! the only thing i can do successfully on a road trip is listen to music and patiently wait for my carsickness to subside. During a plane ride i figure; i'm stuck there anyway, might as well get to work. If you've got a stray paper to write or something to work on, make your airtime useful and use it wisely. My favorite plane ride activity: calender cleanup.

6. Arrive fresh and ready to take on the day ahead (or go to bed). Plane rides have a way of making you feel stale and dry. Keep what you need to feel fresh  ready to go for your arrival. I usually keep lip balm, Evian spray, a sample vial of my current perfume, and a change of clothes on me at all times when traveling. 

What are your spring break plans and how are you preparing?

xo

Natalie

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Sometimes I can get caught up in a web of my own rules and habits. How is it that I have a closet full of diverse clothes yet head for the same stable outfits day after day, only stopping to think outside of the box when the laundry bin gets full and demands I do so.

I think I miss out on wearing some of the more unique pieces in my closet. Which is a total problem because it means i'm not expressing my sense of style with what i wear, only with what i buy. I hate to think some of my closet favorites are gathering dust.

What made me stop and think about this was receiving a piece of jewelry that was SO unique that the need to wear it overcame my daily wardrobe merry go round. If you haven't heard of Kellembell Jewelry, the statement pieces are by far some of the most stand out I've ever seen. I definitely dig the J-Crew trendy types of jewelry, but having a hand made alternative that stands out among others definitely does more for your wardrobe.

Like a true prep addict , Kellembells lilly pulitzer print necklaces stood out most to me. But her inventory doesn't stop at Lilly. She offers everything from game day prints to leather and suede, making your necklace truly personal.

After anxiously waiting for my "Sailor Patch" necklace in the mail. Upon its arrival I was overwhelmed by its vibrancy and the cute little scalloping on the sides. This adoration flew me into an all night re evaluation of my closet, I didn't want yet another piece of unique jewelry sitting in my closet unworn. 

I had a little too much fun picking out combos, so for homework's sake (How many days till spring break again?) ended up remixing one of my go to basics for class the next day. Gimme some slack…it was a Monday. But I can't wait to to try this new piece out with staples and not-so-staples with the goal of wearing it at least 6 times in the next few months (I made a checklist and everything.) Hold me accountable readers, I will be posting my attempts on Instagram. 

Outfit Details: Jeans (skyline crop) / Necklace: Kellembell (c/o) / Purse: Tory Burch (Thea Cross Body)

Kelly (the owner of Kellembell) is incredibly sweet and runs a pretty crafty blog to go along with her store. Be sure to check out her blog site and Etsy shop. 

xo

Natalie

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