Legally Charming Style

Hello hello! 

I Hi everyone! I hope you had a fantastic holiday weekend. I always love spending quality time with my sister and her kids--it's a recharge I usually need after a long week of work. 

Can I get a holla for the end of the work week?!

It has been a CRAZY first week of July. It's been very exciting for me, though! I was offered a teaching assistant position for two sections of civil procedure and asked to draft a report for a second committee in the state of Maryland's Commission on Child Custody Decision Making. I am so thrilled at all the opportunities I've been getting lately, and it just keeps getting better!

But with all this stuff going on, sometimes a girl's gotta let loose and have some fun. So yesterday I took myself out for a little (budget) shopping session.

I've been participating in two Instagram style challenges: Style Me July from Hilary Rushford and Dean Street Society and Pants Dance July from Samantha of I Wore Pants Blog. I'm only three days in and I already love doing these challenges. I get to interact with a TON of different Instagram users and see lots of adorable outfits! I'm so excited to participate.

 
Style Me July's challenge was Candy Color Block. I was already wearing this shirt at work, and it happens to be one of my favorites. The color is fantastic and served as the base for this outfit. These shorts were actually a pair of Gap chino capris I bought for $6 at a consignment store clearance. I'd planned to take in the legs, but eventually I just got frustrated and cut them off and folded them. The shirt and shorts is actually a repeat of an outfit I wore to Harper's Ferry a few months ago for a day trip with the family.


With the shopping trip, I wanted to up the ante on the colors. So I added the yellow belt and coral bag to give it extra pop.

Yes I am a pasty, pasty girl. Try not to judge.

The Pants Dance July challenge was relatively easy: a pair of flat out fabulous shoes. I chose to go with the pair I wore earlier in the day: a nice, nude patent flat with tassels that wouldn't compete with the rest of the outfit. I picked these up for the bargain basement price of $5.


The shopping trip was a budget success! I am very self-conscious about spending right now, since I have to live on the remainder of my student loans until the new ones roll in mid-August (pray for me!). But I got some adorable stuff!

New secret for Instagram/blogging: scrapbook paper as a background. Brilliant!

I am an NYX Cosmetics nut, so I bought their new Butter Lipstick in "Little Susie," a cheerful pink. The conditioner I tried a few months ago and it's AMAZING. (Their Beach Babe spray is also the bomb.) And the stationary to write a little ol' thank you to the professor that re(commended me for the teaching assistant position. :)

Can't wait to share more Style Challenge outfits! Have a VERY happy Fourth of July, friends!

Happy Sunday!

No one think about the fact that Monday is tomorrow, okay? You've still got a few more hours to enjoy the weekend!

I was so excited this weekend because I got to have brunch with one of my favorite Baltimore people, my friend Makayla. She's an absolute doll, and since for the next month or so we'll live in the same apartment complex, hanging out is super convenient.

I wanted to be comfortable and relaxed, but still cute. Since I'm working this summer, all my shorts and skirts are reserved for evenings and weekends, and I wanted to take advantage of the chance to wear something fun.






I love this skirt. It's short, but mixed with a loose, sheer shirt, it looks casual and fun. The yellow is a fab pop of color for the weekend (and also doubles as a great professional skirt). And since I really don't like to go all out short and sleeveless unless I'm doing one of my rare turns at the club/I've time warped to age 22, this army jacket is the perfect counterbalance and pulls the whole thing together.

I'm trying new poses. "What, this old wall?"

Brunch was great--good food, great conversation, and then pedis together with our friend Ally. The easy, fun kind of Saturday I prefer to have. :)

My sister gifted this clutch to me a few years ago--LOVE--and borrowed shades.

The whole outfit together.

Today I'm wearing yoga pants and a tee, so no outfit pics. But for today, we'll talk about my second love--baking! I've been dying to try this banana bread recipe I found on Pinterest for a little bit, but I didn't have enough bananas until I went to the grocery store Friday.

Ingredients--plus a cup of flour!

Creamed butter and sugar, plus two beaten eggs.

3 mashed bananas. Add them into the egg, butter, and sugar mixture.

Add flour, salt, and baking soda.

Pour into pan and bake for 40-50 minutes... ...and voila! Banana bread!

And all while rocking a pretty fabulous pedicure.






Hope you all had a great weekend!

It's Friiiiiiidaaaayyyyyy!!! YAY!

So Friday day was not all that exciting fashion wise. Striped blouse, black pantsuit. A little yawn, ya know. It was a great day at work with the judge--working on the commission draft, researching probationers' rights in revocation hearings--but by the time I got home, I was so ready to change. I only had a run to the grocery store planned, but I wanted to feel cutesy and fun while I did it.


This is the same striped shirt I wore to work, since I have a hard time completely changing after work because it feels like a waste of clothes. This shirt always makes me feel nautical, so I wanted to kind of keep with the theme. And I love these gray pleated shorts. The black leather-trimmed pockets are such a nice detail, and the fact they're working pockets is even better. Throw them together, add long pearls and voila! Fun, casual, and comfortable!

DIVA.

I gave my feet a break and threw on some sandals after five days a week of high heels. I used to do high heels every day for work, so it wasn't a big deal, but I took almost a year off being back in school. Now my toes are paying the price.






Paired with the first (and only) Coach piece I have purchase I have ever made for myself, it was a great outfit to wear when my nonprofit boss invited me to go see Obvious Child. GREAT MOVIE. If you're any kind of feminist, I highly recommend it. Jenny Slate is incredible.





Hope you have a great weekend!

Welcome back!

So Tuesday was primary day here in Maryland. I'm relatively new to the state, but I wanted to do my civic duty and vote because there's not enough people that take the time, amiright?

My initial thought was to try to make a play on patriotic colors with a not-so-literal interpretation on the flag. I was really, really excited about this idea. I mean, really excited. How cute would that be?! So with that in mind, I put together this combination.


Adorable, right?

The top has tiny little navy polka dots, and the reddish-pink hue of the necklace. America. In an outfit. I walked out of my bedroom, feeling all patriotic. And then my roommate saw me, and said, "Ooooh, a dot theme!! Cute!"

For a second, I was like, kinda crushed. I had planned patriotism! AMERICA. Come on. I explained it and she got it, but then I reconsidered. You know...there were polka dots on the shirt. The beads on the necklace are round. Hey let's GO FOR THE DOT THEME!!!

Lots of dots...

...with a little J.Crew sleeve roll (thank Pinterest for that tutorial!)... ...All coming together to be patriotic AND polka-dotty!

After a morning photo shoot, I ran out to go do my voting thing and got complimented on these super adorable shoes on my way into the polling place, which were a Payless find uhhhh...three years ago? Four years ago? I got the privilege of voting for a very dear friend of mind from law school who is running for office in my district, which was AWESOME. And then I got the best accessory of all--a voting sticker! (Yes, I'm a nerd.)






After a full day of work calling clients, cleaning out files, and filling out petition paperwork, I had a training up at school on legal writing samples and cover letter formatting. Since I spilled tomato sauce on my white shirt sweated to death in my supervisor's office wanted to continue the dot theme, I changed into a polka-dot peplum I got as a hand-me-down from my roommate. (Yes, I take a lot of hand me downs from my roommates. College life for ya.) I threw on a thrifted J.Crew cardigan and called it a day!







Side note-I freakin' love this lip color. NYX is my favorite brand of makeup, since it's cruelty free, cheap, and great quality. This particular color is called Chaos, and while it looks really dark in the tube, when applied directly it comes out to this pinky-berry hue that I adore. (I honestly wish I owned every shade of NYX lipstick/matte cream ever made, but that's just one of those big dreams that's not to be.)

New post on Friday, and remember, ALWAYS vote when you have the chance! (And hey, maybe throw on some polka dots while you're at it.)