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Friends, I found a cure for the end of summer blues…it’s called Chicwish’s fall collection! If you haven’t been to their website in a while, now is the time to check it out- especially if you’re looking to add a few unique pieces to your fall wardrobe. This dress (also available in burgundy) caught my eye immediately! Something about it reminded me of Rose from Titanic meets Lady Mary from Downton Abby, so naturally I had to have it. Must have been the romantic details 😂. Anyway, I’ll save the topic of “film and the influence it has on my style” for a later post. Happy Monday, everyone!

Thank you to Chicwish for sponsoring this post.

Photography by Emily Petri Photography.

Well it’s official, I can add Sydney to the list of international cities I’ve traveled to! Honestly, I never anticipated being able to cross Sydney off the list this year or next. I assumed we’d head back to Italy or even take the year off from a big trip, so when my husband presented the idea of going to Australia earlier in the year, I was onboard!

Guys, Sydney is so much more than kangaroos and koalas! Don’t get me wrong, I went for those two things and I loved every second of being near them but there are also platypuses, echidnas and emus! Joking. Yes, there are lots of amazing animals and birds in Sydney but there are also incredible beaches, structures and views.

We stayed in the Hyde Park neighborhood close to the Museum train stop, which was incredibly convenient. This stop got us to all of the locations on our “must see” list in two train stops or less which provided easy access to ferries via Circular Quay ( pronounced “key” by the way). We purchased Opal transit cards our first day there and used them all week to ride the trains, busses and ferries. One thing we learned after utilizing our cards all week is after you’ve paid for eight journeys (Monday to Sunday) with your Opal card, you reach the Weekly Travel Reward. This means, your fares will be half price for the rest of the week but you have to tap on and tap off each time to receive the discount! There’s also a weekly max of $50 for adults. P.S. this paragraph is in no way sponsored by Opal, I just loved how many places these cards got us!

If you’re looking for things to do in Sydney though, I’m sharing enough to fill up your week below! Also, I recommend starting your day early because everything (except transit) seems to shut down around 6 or 7pm UTC.

1. Take the ferry to the Taronga Zoo. Book a private tour online to get up close and personal with animals native to Australia!
2. Visit Luna Park for vintage amusement park charm.
3. Visit Manly and Bondi Beach, both incredible but so different from one another!
4. Have lunch in the Sydney Tower, Sydney’s tallest structure and the second tallest observation tower in the Southern Hemisphere. The view is amazing!
5. Go whale watching! There’s nothing like seeing a humpback whale in the wild.
6. See a show in the Sydney Opera House, this iconic landmark doesn’t disappoint. Talk about acoustics!
7. Explore the Royal Botanic Gardens, 74 acres of beauty!
8. Enjoy sunset in the harbor/Circular Quay.

One thing we didn’t get to do was visit the Blue Mountains 😭 I guess that means we’ll have to go back! Have you been to Australia? Which cities did you visit? Let me know in the comments!

So, yesterday was my birthday in Australia and today is my birthday back home. I guess that means I get to celebrate twice, right?! I have to say, the 17 hour time difference has been kinda funny. Yesterday I woke up to Happy Australian Birthday text messages and this morning I woke up to Happy American Birthday text messages 😂. Time difference or no time difference, I’m 35 now! I thought the big 3-5 would bother me, you know, being half way to 40 and all but I’m actually ok with it. Most people think I’m in my late 20s anyway and Carrie Bradshaw made 30 something look pretty fabulous! When I start looking (and acting) my age, let’s just plan to revisit the age topic then. In the meantime, thank you all for the amazing birthday wishes. This has seriously been my best birthday month yet!

Photography by @littlephotofox

Outfit from Zara

Sydney bound and I couldn’t be more excited to cross another city off my travel list, especially one with kangaroos and koalas! Normally my husband and I head over to Europe for our annual vacation, so it’ll be nice to switch things up a bit.

Alright, let’s talk about my travel style.

I love getting all dressed up but when I travel, chic comfort is key. Guys, I have been living in this Nike jumpsuit since purchasing it a few months ago! Initially, I bought it specifically for travel but quickly realized it was perfect for any comfy chic occasion! I’ve worn it to soccer matches, grocery shopping , around the house, you name it. I’m kinda obsessed…I wore the pink one yesterday 😂. The fabric is “French terry” and feels like a lightweight sweatshirt! Need I say more?

Ok, happy weekend, everyone. I’m going to finish my coffee and enjoy our car ride to Seattle.

Photography by Emily Petri.

My favorite shopping event of the year is right around the corner and I won’t be able to attend! I know, right? Missing it to go on vacation is a bit of a consolation, but still…it’s Mad About Plaid and I’m mad about vintage!

What’s Mad About Plaid, you ask? Well, its an annual private shopping event at Most Everything Vintage! Purchasing a $10 ticket (which is refunded back to you the day of the event with a purchase) allows you to be 1 of 40 to browse the shop’s new fall collection consisting of over a 1000+ pieces of wool, knits, plaid, tweed, leather and accessories.

This summer was my second year in a row shooting promos for the event with the shop’s owner, Alisa Tetreault and I’ve realized nothing gets me more excited for fall than getting to wear vintage plaid and tweed on a cool summer morning.

This year’s Mad About Plaid looks were all about combining vintage with modern pieces in your closet, so I’m super excited to share them with you! If you don’t wear a lot of vintage because you aren’t sure how to style it or incorporate it in to your wardrobe, fall is the perfect time to give it a try! Blazers, vests and coats are some of the easiest vintage pieces to style because they’re still very on trend. You can’t go wrong with combining timeless vintage pieces with fall favorites/basics you already have in your closet.

Thank you to Alisa Tetreault of Most Everything Vintage for partnering of this post! For more details on how you can attend Mad About Plaid be sure to follow @mosteverything!

Last weekend I got the opportunity to work with my favorite vintage shop, Most Everything Vintage! I spent the early morning hours shooting six distinct looks at three different locations (around downtown Vancouver, WA) with shop owner and photographer Alisa Tetreault.

I very rarely give up my styling rights but when I do, I hand them over to Alisa. She knows my vintage style so well that I always end up obsessing over the looks she hand picks for me.

Not only do Alisa and I share a love for vintage, we also share a love for editorial style photography. I spend so much of my free time looking at vintage Vogue covers and photos of Old Hollywood actresses because those images inspire me the most. I’ve never considered myself to be a model or actress, but editorial shoots really allow me to channel the women I admire most in front of the camera.

This is just one of the looks we shot at Providence Academy, a location that has been on my list for a while. If you’re a fan of old buildings, this one doesn’t disappoint. Built in 1873 it once received recognition for being the largest brick structure north of San Francisco.

For 110 years, the building served as the governance of local ministries, a school, hospital and even an orphanage. Today the academy is on the National Register of Historic Places, open for public tours and rented out as commercial space. It truly is an important link to Vancouver’s past and I’m so glad ongoing efforts are in place to preserve it.

Style tip: This 80s dress was easily styled two different ways by swapping out accessories! For the perfect day to night look consider layering with a denim jacket .

Thank you to Alisa Tetreault of Most Everything Vintage for partnering on this post.

Happy Thursday, everyone! I can’t believe it’s August, that means fall begins next month! It never fails… the minute I find my summer style groove, cooler temps are right around the corner. Luckily this summer in Oregon has been incredibly mild, so you won’t hear any complaints from me. BUT the one thing that has made this summer especially easy breezy has been the great selection of light weight dresses at Chicwish. During the summer months, comfort and breathability always get my vote.

Thank you to Chicwish for sponsoring this post.

Photography by Emily Petri Photography

I can’t get enough of this maxi skirt (under $50!) so you better get use to seeing it! I love the touch of glam it gives to even the simplest of looks. Even if you wore a basic tee or tank with this skirt you’d have an effortlessly chic look to take from day to night.

Photography by @emilypetriphotography

1. Blogging is hard work: When I say blogging is hard work, please know, I’m not complaining. I started blogging as a creative outlet and years later, it’s still the outlet I need to keep me sane. Just like anything in life though, you can’t expect results over night. Growing a brand takes time, work and patience.

2. Loop giveaways hurt your engagement: as someone who once participated in loop giveaways, this is a sensitive subject for me. Why? Because I feel guilty for buying in to them. I can proudly say I’ve been loop giveaway free for years now and I’ll never get wrapped up in them again. P.S.A: giveaways are not a substitute for hard work and your brand is more than a number. Since I started blogging, I’ve hardly taken any time off. Even when I was participating in the occasional giveaway, I never used them as a crutch or a means of playing catch up after not putting in the work. I was always putting in the work and maybe that’s why quitting them cold turkey was so easy. Fact, most giveaways cost anywhere from $25 to $150, if a blogger is running one giveaway a week, do the math. I recently read Poor Little It Girl’s blog post titled “Why I Don’t Follow Bloggers Who Cheat Their Way To the Top Instagram” and it resonated with me. I’m not sure when and how giveaways became a means of “ethical growth,” you’re buying followers and most of them won’t stick around. Please know I don’t condone any bloggers who participate in these giveaways, they’re just not for me. Over the years, I’ve learned, investing in photography for my blog is way more rewarding than wasting money on giveaways. At the end of the day, there’s nothing more frustrating than working your derrière off only to watch others cut corners, but remember this – hard work doesn’t go unnoticed.

3. Create what you love: when it seems like influencers are just influencing each other, it’s easy to start questioning your content. There have definitely been moments when I’ve felt pressured to drink more Starbucks, shop at Target and pose in more flower fields, but that’s not me. I’ve realized that creating content that’s true to me keeps me wanting to create, it has also prevented the infamous burn out I hear so many bloggers talking about. Creating what you love, is simply fuel for creating.

4. Blogging can feel a little like high school sometimes : when I first started blogging, I was a bit naive. I thought every blogger would live by the motto “community over competition, “ but I quickly learned that wasn’t the case. This harsh realization was actually a gift though, it forced me to seek out and truly appreciate creatives with the same mindset as me. Amazing things happen when we just work together.

5. Work with brands you’re passionate about: if you’re familiar with my blog, you’ve probably noticed I wear a lot of the same brands. Why? Because I love them! Commission or no commission I’m going to wear what I want. Fact: I don’t even say yes to every collaboration or sponsored post that comes my way. If it’s not a good fit, I politely pass. My brand is my image and I’ve vowed to stay true to myself.

6. Invest in your blog and other available platforms: we’ve all heard the saying “don’t put your eggs in one basket,” but it’s so easy to do that!! I’m totally guilty of doing that, but I’m trying to break the habit. Remember the Instagram blackout that occurred earlier this year?? We couldn’t post and we all freaked, remember that? I do, and it was eye opening!! Not having access to Instagram forced me to think about a world without it. What other means do I have for getting my content out there? Well, I have my blog, Twitter and even Pinterest. Having a diversified blog or even laying the foundation for one, is only going to set yourself up for success in my opinion.

I’d love to know your thoughts on this post, so be sure to leave me a comment. Have a great week, everyone!

I totally stepped out of my comfort zone for this post….Happy Birthday America! Seriously, I am so insecure in swimsuits! I had a vision for a pinup inspired look for the 4th though, so I just went with it 😂.

I found this swimsuit on Amazon after running a search for “retro swimwear” and purchased it immediately. I loved cut, the skirt and of course the red, white & blue!

While working on this post, I started researching the evolution of women’s swimwear. I was specifically looking for information regarding the “skirt panel” I loved so much on this suit. Come to find out, in 1942 the United States War Production Board issued regulation L-85 which rationed the use of fabrics. This resulted in the modest two piece and swimwear without the usual skirt panel!

And there you have it, a 4th of July post with a little history lesson. Happy 4th of July, everyone!

Photography by @littlephotofox