Warm Tones for Warm Days

Did I mean to write this last night? Did I instead end up falling asleep while rewatching the first season of Community? Yes, and hell yes. Since I'm writing this real quick before starting work, let's just keep this short and sweet. This dress is one of my "ol' faithfuls" that never fails to look flattering. I wore this to explore old town Tustin and take pictures with friend/photographer extraordinaire, Hanna over the weekend. I lived in Tustin a while back (when I lived with horrible crazy roommates), but only explored the area a little bit. It's adorable, and we had amazing pastries from a shop there as well. Hanna brought her dog, Sol, so he is once again the star of my photos. How can I compete with him? 

The only other thing of note in my life is that my car battery died yesterday while I was at a gas station, which is never fun. My dad was nearby, fortunately, so he let me use his AAA card and got me help. So all is well now. I also made a ton of mac and cheese for dinner last night, which let's face it, is the true highlight of my week. 

On-Trend Parisian

I am fully aware that this outfit is very un-creative, but I still love it. Despite the fact that I feel like I've seen a million different bloggers wearing essentially this same exact look, I hadn't worn this on the blog yet and I couldn't resist. This was actually my first time trying out the bandana scarf look, and I'm pretty pumped with how I managed to pull it off. Naturally, I couldn't help but look to blogger babes Devinne and Nicole for inspiration. Those two have been rocking the neck scarf since before it was trendy. In all honesty, I look to both of them for inspiration on a daily basis so if I can look even half as flawless as they do, I'm happy.

I took these photos with my friend Hanna again, and even though scheduling forced us to take them during the brightest point of the day, we still managed to get some great shots out of the afternoon. The Orange Circle is forever one of my favorite places in Orange County (you've surely seen me share photos taken in the area before), and the backdrop of Old Towne antique stores never fails. As for the rest of the weekend, my family got together on Saturday evening to celebrate my mom's birthday, and Jon and I stopped by our friend's apartment to hang out for a little bit after. We're trying to make exploring new places a regular thing, so we took a little drive to Laguna to visit Crystal Cove for a bit on Sunday. I complain about living in Orange County often, but the multitude of gorgeous beaches in the area is hard to dislike. Living 20 minutes away from my hometown isn't so bad when I live in a place like this. 

Park Plaid

Well, it turns out that this cute little park exists right down the street from my apartment. I've driven by it countless times, but it always looked a little unimpressive while quickly driving by. Jon and I decided to walk over there to scope it out for pictures over the weekend, and it ended up being darling. Perfect for a sweet dress and heels...okay, fine. Not perfect for heels. I only wore them because I liked how they looked with this dress, not because I wanted to take a walk over to a park in them. I'm all for being fully transparent, so I have no issue with admitting that I only wore these shoes for the photos. Can you blame me?

This dress is another Schoola find, which I'm always happy to support. I won their Instagram contest recently and got a $50 gift card. I was able to get more than a few great items, but this dress has definitely gotten the most wear. I can't get enough of this plaid or the full skirt. Not that I need another plaid dress, but who cares? 

Monteau Dress + Pink Cardigan

I'm a little disappointed in both the weird lighting I experienced yesterday and my lack of expertise with photography/editing because I don't think these photos do this dress justice. It's from Monteau, but I found it at Saver's for $5 recently. It's so fun and feminine, and it's making me realize that I need more items with bows. It has been slightly warmer lately, which means that I've already shed the tights most days. I love fall/clothing, but I've realized that most of my cute shoes are sandals. Maybe I just need to buy more closed-toe shoes? Yeah, that works.

Most of my weekend was spent finally arranging my gallery wall in my living room. I've been collecting cute prints for years, but I haven't had a permanent enough home to hang them in until now. I didn't want to spend a bunch of money on frames, but my sister-in-law gave a bunch that she was getting rid of, which gave me the perfect excuse to make an IKEA trip and pick up just a few more. I still have quite a few prints to get frames for, but I at least succeeded in getting enough up for an actual gallery wall. It's really all I've ever wanted. You can take a look over on my Instagram. Then you can suggest more cute prints for me to be if you're into enabling people's bad habits.

Teal Dress + Gray Cardigan

Excuse me while I cough all over this keyboard as I write this post. Yes, it is true. Like practically everyone else you know at the moment, I am sick. It would be a bit more bearable if it didn't happen right before I left for Vegas though. I lost my voice from coughing the day we got there and I had to stay in and go to bed on Saturday night while my brother, his fiance, and my boyfriend all went out. I'm usually pretty lame when it comes to these kind of things, but never this lame. Still, I managed to have a really good time, despite barely being able to talk. I still drank what I could without overdoing it and walked the strip with them. We also saw Love before I passed out on Saturday, and it was one of the most enjoyable shows I've ever seen. Mostly though, it was nice to get to spend time with my favorite people and to see Jon bond with my brother. Oh yes, I'm that kind of sap.

Needless to say, these photos were taken about a week ago when I was healthy and able to speak. Ah, those were the days. I got this dress from Schoola recently, and while it's a little on the short side, it's the perfect layering piece with tights. It was of course made for putting a collared shirt underneath it. Well, at least that's what I tell myself.

Don't forget to enter my giveaway with Copious Fashions for your chance to win an adorable sweatshirt with floral elbow pads!

Collared Dress + Yellow Cardigan

In both good and bad news, this will be my last set of photos taken at my parents' house. It's always beautiful vising them at the lake, but the drive is at least an hour long, and it's tough to see them as much my siblings and I would all like. Fortunately, they're moving back to Orange County in a few weeks so the drive will be much easier. I'm a little bummed to be losing one of my favorite photo locations, but I'll manage.

I put this outfit on in a hurry before Jon and I left to have breakfast at our friend Adam's place. We were running late and I knew I'd be taking outfit pictures, so I grabbed what I knew would work well. I wear this dress pretty often so I was convinced I had taken pictures in this exact combination before, but I think I actually haven't somehow. It feels familiar, though, right? I guess I can't be surprised. Any combination of a collared dress and cardigan feels like something I've worn before. Or pretty much every day.

Schoola Purple Dress + Tan Jacket

I should really just stop checking my email. Every day, there's a promotion from a store I love that's better than the last, and every day, I can't help but browse. I am very weak, and I don't have the self control to pass up a good sale. As I do more email marketing at work, you'd think I'd be able to ignore them as I learn more of the tricks and gimmicks. But no, I am still weak. When Schoola sent an email with a 50% code, and this purple Luck Be a Lady Dress donated by Modcloth showed up in my size, my hand clicked the "buy" button before I had a chance to stop it. Jon and I decided to explore our new city a little bit over the weekend, and this dress was perfect against this mural we stumbled upon. Then again, anything would look awesome in front of this. I still can't believe we found this spot.

Yesterday was filled with vintage goodness, as I met up with Erica at Whurl's Gurl's Night. I always have a blast with Erica, and it was made especially fun by getting to browse through the most beautiful collection of vintage clothes, eat cotton candy, and be surrounded by girls who were way, way cooler than me. It was basically the ideal way to spend a Sunday. Or any day for that matter.

Monteau Dress + Yellow Cardigan

I'm going to be completely honest with you; this dress doesn't exactly fit over my bust. And by that, I mean that it doesn't fit at all. I picked this up at the Melrose Flea Market with Erica last weekend, and in true flea market fashion, I didn't try it on. It fits most places, but my boobs just aren't having it. So in a fit of desperation to make this adorable dress work, I improvised. A cardigan is key to covering up unzipped dresses, and a safety pin here and there gets the job done. Viola! If I hadn't felt the need to be completely transparent, you would no idea. At least that's what I'm hoping for in real, non-Internet life.

Life right now is pretty grand. Jon and I are settling in quite nicely to the new apartment, and we're slowly having our closest friends over to visit. After living in such unstable places for so long, I'm incredibly happy to be able to host people and, most importantly, learn how to cook. I have never, ever been a cook, nor have I really had the desire to be one. Maybe moving in with my boyfriend has domesticated me, but I'm finally motivated enough to learn. I'm starting with easy dishes, but so far, it's going pretty well. If anyone has any simple recipes or tips, throw them my way!

Schoola Modcloth Dress + Cat Eye Sunglasses

I can hardly think of what to write because of how hot it is. I'm beginning to forget what it is about summer that I've always loved so much. Without three months off from school anymore, it just seems like a lot of sweat and lack of comfort. I'll stick with my light breeze and cardigans, thank you.

Is it really already Monday? Things have been fairly busy lately as I've been trying to make more plans now that I don't have to be up at 4 a.m. every day. One of my close friends was in town over the weekend, which seems to be a reoccurring theme in my life as more and more friends move away. As much as I don't want to stay in Orange County forever, it's nice to still be at "home base" when everyone comes back to visit family. Speaking of family, I wore this Modcloth dress, which I got from Schoola, to hang out at my parents' house yesterday. It's by far one of the best things I own. I've noticed that I haven't been accessorizing much lately, which I'm okay with. I looked through some old blog posts not too long ago, and I cringed at how much I piled on jewelry. I think I felt that I needed to have more details to photograph if I wanted to my posts to be interesting. I still have too much jewelry that I refuse to get rid of, but I like feeling more secure in my personal style that I don't feel the need to do that just for the post. 

Plus, this dress is just that good. No jewelry required.

Also, congrats to Kassie Harris for winning my giveaway with Luella, and thank you to everyone who has entered!

Earth Day with Schoola

It's no secret that I'm a big fan of Schoola. Once I discovered the website (while browsing through Reddit), I became an instant fan. As a lover of thrifting and education, Schoola - an online thrift store that donates 40% of its proceeds to schools and the Malala Foundation - is a dream come true in terms of shopping and being a good person. So of course, when I get the opportunity to work with Schoola (a website I've praised many times with no prompting) in celebration of Earth Day, I was ecstatic. 

I can't say that I'm the most, ahem, environmentally conscious person. However, when it comes to shopping, I make the effort. Americans send 10.5 million tons of clothing to landfills each year. The easiest way to avoid that? Buying used and donating clothing, of course. That's what makes thrifting so wonderful. In addition to saving money and presenting creative challenges, thrifting is recycling. 

Since I am guilty of buying too many clothes, I'm proud to be donating many of pieces to Schoola. It's free and easy to do so; just request a donation bag on the website, and one is sent free of charge, with return postage paid for as well. All of the items on Schoola are donated, some of which are even new with tags, including stylish donations from Modcloth. Schoola was kind enough to send me two beautiful dresses donated from Modcloth, and I took it upon myself to style them both with items purchased from second-hand stores. Click through to see more.

Thrifted Cream Dress + Pink Cardigan

I really wish I had more time to take photos when it wasn't so bright outside. I also wish the weekend lasted forever, but sadly, I don't always get what I want. The good news, which I'm surprisingly happy about, is that I'm back to my 6 a.m. shift after working 8-5 for the past month. I never thought that I would miss my early hours, but I've been a little spoiled working irregular hours. Don't get me wrong, I could easily get used to normal business hours if I have to, but I've missed having my afternoons free. Plus, going anywhere at 5 p.m. is a drag. Forget the traffic (although I'll never actually forget); going to Target or getting gas after work was a killer. Now, however, I'll happily pay the price of constant exhaustion from waking up so early if it means leaving work at 3 p.m. when the world is still just a tiny bit quieter.

In case you're wondering, yes, this is another dress that I thrifted last weekend. I wasn't lying when I said I had a successful excursion. I usually stay away from dresses that cut straight across on the bust, but for $5, I couldn't resist this one. I'm a suckers for  cream dresses and anything with pleats. Plus, I love how pretty it looks with my ruffled cardigan from Schoola. Of course, there is no better accessory than a pin of the dapper Paul F. Tompkin's face. PFT is one of my favorite comedians, and Jon got me this pin for Christmas because he's the best. More pins with comedians' faces on them please.

Leaf Print Dress + Gray Cardigan

I don't think that I'm overexaggerating when I say that this dress is all kinds of good. It's a Modcloth piece that I bought from Schoola not too long ago, and I've worn it far too many times already. I've already spoken about my love of Schoola, but I don't think I could ever do it justice. Not only does the website have great used pieces that can be purchased to donate money to schools in need, it also has a selection of brand new pieces that were donated by Modcloth. I knew that I needed this dress the moment I laid eyes on it, and my decision was made that much easier by knowing that I would get to help schools by purchasing it. I love when buying dresses is about more than a selfish need to look cute. P.S. I have no shame in linking to my referral code for Schoola so that we can both get $20 off. You would do it too.

As I mentioned in my previous post (Red Dress + Gray Lace Cardigan), I'm set on digging up old pieces in my closet to make them work while I stay true to my shopping ban. If you've been reading Room 334 for a while, then this cardigan is nothing new to you. I wore it often during college, but it has seen much less light in the past year or two. It's one more item that I'm very glad to rediscover because truly a wonderful staple piece. There is no such thing as too many versatile cardigans.

Floral Dresses and Yellow Cardigans

Remember last week when it was Christmas, everyone was celebrating, and there was ample time to sleep in? Yeah, I do too. The long weekend was much appreciated, but as with every Christmas, I wanted it to last forever. I had a wonderful Christmas Eve at my brother's house and then stayed with my parents until Sunday. It was partly because I'm having issues with roommates (living with two aggressive people is no fun for someone extremely non-confrontational), but it was also a nice way to extend the holiday. Jon came to my aunt's house for Christmas dinner, and it's exciting to be taking these steps toward having a real "adult" relationship. Who knew that it actually wouldn't be scary at all?

This is what I wore on Christmas Eve, but with tights and boots. It's actually gotten quite cold here, to the point that my mom didn't want to take pictures outside. I took advantage of the indoor setting and decided to leave the tights behind just because. This dress is by far one of the best things I've purchased this year (thanks to a good year of gift card money), and I've also been wearing this yellow cardigan with pretty much everything. 

Beach Day

Ah, we meet again, Monday. This weekend was wonderful, as usual. On Saturday I went to Ruche's event, Sip N' Shop Holiday, at their warehouse with my friend Casey, and it was fantastic. I got to see their first retail space, The Shop at 131, which meant seeing a selection of gorgeous Ruche and Threadsence pieces in person. There was also pizza and beer from some of my favorite local places (Two Saucy Broads Pizza and Bootleggers Brewery), plus booths full of beautiful clothes and accessories from other local stores and brands. I resisted the urge to buy a million things, but I did end up picking up a sweet little leather pouch from Share And Do Good. As much as I like to complain about living in Orange County sometimes, I can't deny that I live by some amazing businesses.

The rest of the day was mostly spent watching Master of None with my friend Adam. I am in love with that show now and already finished the season last night. When I wasn't binge watching yesterday, I was getting breakfast and spending the afternoon at the beach with Jon. We're always looking for free things to do (since we're both broke as hell) and it finally cooled down enough to sit by the water and read together. I wore this lovely vintage dress that I picked up while I was in Portland a few months ago and this new (to me) cardigan that I got from Schoola, my new obsession. If you're unfamiliar, Schoola is an online thrift store that donates money to schools. When you request a bag to be sent to you to fill with clothes, you can choose which school to donate 40% of the sales. Cute clothes and supporting a good cause? It's a win-win for everyone. P.S. If you use my referral link, we each get $20 in credit.