A Memory Of Us

This post originally started out as a roundup of the best Memorial Day sales. However, as I was writing it, I realized the only store I was really impressed with their sale was Banana Republic. They have 40% off the whole store and it's the only place I am ordering from this weekend! Rather than just do a list of the sale, I thought I would do some outfit inspiration using pieces from the sale. Not everything included in the guides is from the Banana Republic Memorial Day Sale, but at least a key piece from each outfit is.

I am in the process of revamping my wardrobe. I feel like my style has evolved quite a bit over the years and it is need of a refresh. I am currently in the process of a major closet clean out where I am getting rid of anything that I don't love. I read somewhere to get rid of anything that does not bring you joy, so that's the mindset I'm trying to apply as I clean out my wardrobe. It's a great tip for cleaning out your closet because so often we hold on to pieces just because we spent a lot of money on them or because we might wear them someday. As I clean out my closet now, I'm really thinking about if it makes me happy when I wear it.

The first area of my wardrobe that needs some new life is my work wardrobe. We are able to dress jeans casual where I work, so I could honestly wear each one of these any day of the week. However, I hope that you are able to take some inspiration no matter your dress code at work!

||chambray peplum top | York Buckle Tote (have this and LOVE it) | sandals | red pants||

coral pencil skirt for work | what to wear with a coral pencil skirt | summer work outfit ideas | what to wear to work this summer | cute outfits for work during the summer |

||coral pencil skirt | printed top | white blazer | nude wedges | necklace ||

how to dress for work this summer | work appropriate dresses | floral flutter sleeve dress | good work bags | madewell leather tote | what to wear to work this summer | summer outfit ideas | cute summer outfit ideas for work

||floral flutter sleeve dress | boyfriend cardigan | block heels | cuff bracelet | tote||

summer work outfit | how to wear jeans to work | scalloped blazer | casual work outfit idea | what to wear to a jeans casual work environment | what to wear to work this summer | cute work outfits for summer

||skinny jeans | floral top | scalloped blazer | ballet flats | earrings | tote bag||

what to wear to work this summer | what to wear on casual Friday | cute outfits for summer | cute work outfits for summer | a memory of us | pink peplum top | espadrilles wedges | what to wear for casual friday at the office

||peplum top | espadrilles wedges | jeans | necklace||

Which one is your favorite?!

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sale guide - Friday, May 27, 2016

summer work outfit ideas

This post originally started out as a roundup of the best Memorial Day sales. However, as I was writing it, I realized the only store I was...

outfits - Wednesday, May 25, 2016

the most figure flattering t-shirt dress

||Silence + Noise Side Knot T-Shirt Dress | Vans gold slip on sneakers | Stella and Dot Waverly Petite Crossbody ...

outfits - Monday, May 23, 2016

lace peplum top

||Banana Republic lace peplum top | Franco Sarto Sabine Block Heels | Express white denim | Stella and Dot woven c...

can you wear a romper to work | how to wear a romper to work | summer work outfit ideas | cute outfit ideas for work during the summer | summer outfit ideas | how to style a navy blazer | navy blazer outfit ideas

||Olive and Oak March 21st Romper | similar nude wedges | similar Kendra Scott necklace | Stella and Dot sunglasses, bracelet c/o | similar navy blazer ||

Can I wear a romper to work? That is a question I have gone back and forth about for the past few months. I have recently decided that yes, you can wear a romper to the office. There are a couple things to keep in mind when choosing a romper for work, or deciding if one you have will be appropriate for the office. Hopefully this helps you if you have been on the fence!

1. Length: Admittedly, most of my rompers are on the shorter side. They are much more made for date nights, going out, etc. When choosing a romper to wear to work, I looked for one that was longer. (I know it might not look like it, but this white printed one I am wearing in these pictures is in fact a romper!) Most likely, the dresses you wear for work are a little longer than your "going out dresses" so keep that same mindset here. I do think it is harder to find rompers that are longer, however, so you may have to try on a couple before you find the right length.

2. Layers: A blazer pretty much adds an element of class to any look. Considering adding a blazer or cardigan over your romper to help dress it up a little bit.

3. Closed Toe Shoes: If I am trying to take a more casual dress into work, I will make sure I wear closed toe shoes or pumps instead of sandals. The romper would have a completely different vibe if I paired it with my favorite sandals!

Lastly, all dresses at Urban Outfitters are now 20% off! I was obsessed with Urban Outfitters in high school and recently that obsession has come back in full force haha. I picked up this one during the sale and can't wait to wear it for a casual weekend look. They have so many on trend dresses included in this sale (think lace up, off the shoulder, etc.). If you have a wedding coming up this year, I think this one would be a great option! Shop my favorites using the widget below.

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outfits - Friday, May 20, 2016

how to wear a romper to work

||Olive and Oak March 21st Romper | similar nude wedges | similar Kendra Scott necklace | Stella and Dot sunglass...

- Wednesday, May 18, 2016

cute pool floats for summer

Most likely, last year you saw countless pictures of cute pool floats flooding your Pinterest and Instagram feeds . Well, they are ...

Top Things to Do in London | What to do on a trip to London | London Travel Tips | Things to do in London | Things to see in London | Things to eat in London | Best things to do on a trip to London | Tips for your first trip to London | A Memory of Us

Tyler and I were in London April 27 through May 5. (We flew on the 26th.) We had the most amazing time! It truly was a trip of a lifetime. I have wanted to go to London since I was in high school, so it was incredible to finally get somewhere I have been dreaming about seeing for years! Today, I am going to be sharing my list of the top things to do in London that I hope will help you plan a trip over there, especially if it is your first time in London!

There is obviously much more to do in London than this list, but these are the favorite things we saw/did/ate while there (in no order).

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1. Bus Tour: Our first day in London we did a Hop On/ Hop Off Bus tour through Big Bus London . I could not recommend this enough! It gave us a tour of the city, which was so important as it helped us really grasp a layout of the city. (We never got lost while we were there!) This was also very fun because it let us see all of the main tourist attractions in London, and gave us the opportunity to walk around anywhere we wanted to explore more. They have headphones on the buses so you can listen to an audio guide which tells you what you are looking at, as well as the history behind it. (Some of the buses have live commentary, but none of the ones we got on had it.) I would also recommend the company we booked through. There are quite a few hop on/hop off bus tours in London, and it was honestly overwhelming to choose one. We chose this one even though it was a little more expensive because they have more buses going through the city, so your wait time while waiting to "hop on" is much shorter. (Someone from another bus was complaining about waiting almost 20 minutes for her bus to come around to the stop she was waiting at. Yikes!)

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Tower Bridge London | London Instagrams | Pictures to Take in London | Top Things to do in London |

2. Tower of London Tour: Tyler and I decided we wanted to do the Tower of London Tour after we rode past it on our bus tour. We were immediately intrigued about the history behind it! Make sure you go at a time when there is a Beefeater (Yeoman Warder) tour you can walk with. (It costs to get into the Tower, but a guided tour is free with admission.) I learned that in order to be a Beefeater they have to serve in the military for for a minimum of 22 years! Ours was incredibly entertaining and knowledgeable. The guided tour itself takes about an hour and then you have time to explore the rest of the grounds. The Crown Jewels are also stored here, and they are beautiful! (We had to wait in probably a 15 minute line to get in and see them.) The Tower is also right next to the Tower Bridge! Where to eat? Stop for a coffee and grab-and-go sandwich at Pret a Manger outside of the Tower.

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3. Explore Westminster: Exploring the Westminster area is a must on any London itinerary. It is here that you will find Big Ben, the Palace of Westminster, Westminster Abbey, the London Eye, etc. All are very cool to see. (The first time I saw Big Ben in person I was in awe!) Tyler and I did the London Eye while we were there, and we loved it! We paid for the fast pass so we were in our "pod" within 10 minutes (so worth the extra money). It gives you amazing views of the city, but if you are trying to find ways to save money while in London I would not go on it. You can also see a view of the city for free at the Sky Garden. We didn't go there but the reviews online seem like it's really cool!

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4. Santander Cycles: London has hire-a-cycle bikes all around the city that you can rent for two pounds a day. You can check them out for 30 minutes at a time. There are stations all over the city so it is easy to get to a new one to check your bike in before the time expires. After you check in at one station, you can check out another bike for 30 minutes and keep riding to the next attraction. Tyler and I rented bikes for a day of exploring Notting Hill and Hyde Park. It was one of our favorite days! (Also one of the cheapest days as we only paid the two pounds for the bike.) Where to eat? Try Itsu for sushi in Notting Hill.

Natural History Museum London | A Memory of Us| Free Things to Do in London | South Kensington Museums | Activities for a Rainy Day in London | Tips for Your First Trip to London | Top Things to Do in London |

5. South Kensington Museums: Three museums can be found in the South Kensington area. Tyler and I stayed in South Kensington, so we explored this area quite a bit. The museums here are the Natural History Museum, Victoria and Albert Museum, and the Science Museum. All are free, but they do ask for a donation when you walk in. Our favorite was the dinosaur exhibit at the Natural History Museum. Where to eat? There are so many good places around South Kensington! My favorite was the Kensington Creperie. We also both really liked pizza from Pizza Sole Luna (they had great lunch specials) and gourmet waffles from Wafflemeister.

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6. Changing of the guards at Buckingham Palace: Seeing the changing of the guards at Buckingham Palace is most likely on everyone's list for things to do in London. You will want to get to the Palace around one hour prior to it starting in order to have a front row seat. (We showed up about 45 minutes prior to it starting and got one of the last open places in front of the gates.)

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7. Fish and Chips at a British Pub: One thing you must eat while in London is fish and chips! You can find it at pretty much every pub (and each one will claim to have "the best"). Tyler ordered fish and chips at least four times while we were there haha! His favorite spot was Bunch of Grapes.

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Kinky Boots London Review | A Memory of Us | Top Things to Do in London | What to Do in London While on Vacation | Vacation in London Tips | Date Night in London

8. See a Broadway Show: While we were in London, we went to see Kinky Boots at the Adelphi Theatre. This show is currently touring the United States, but it was one of the only Broadway shows in London that I hadn't seen yet. It was such a fun show! Going to this show was one of our favorite parts of our trip. It was cool to see what the theater looked like in a different country and it was fun to get dressed up for a dinner + show date night. Aladdin starts there later in May, and if I were going this summer that would definitely be on my list. It would also be really cool to go to a concert over in London. Where to eat? We had burgers, fries, and milk shakes at Byron - Proper Hamburgers.

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9. Shopping at Harrods: Harrods is one of the most famous department stores in the world. It is in Knightsbridge, which was very close our flat in South Kensington. The store itself is huge as it has seven stories. There are over 20 restaurants inside and there is a food hall inside with chocolate, fresh produce, meats, etc. It is very cool to see in person. Most everything you will find in the store is pricey, but Tyler and I both had fun walking around looking at the different sections. We spent quite a bit of time in the home goods section, as well as the books and toys! I would recommend stopping here because in the food hall is where I bought some delicious macarons!

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10. Thames River Cruise: A free river cruise was included with our hop on/hop off bus tour ticket, and Tyler and I both loved it! It was very cool to see London from the Thames River. We had a Double Decker Boat with live English commentary explaining everything we saw. Our guide was hilarious, and always cracking jokes. The cruise itself was probably only 30 minutes as it took us from the Tower Bridge to the London Eye, but we still saw quite a bit. The bus tour covered most of London, but there were some things we could see from the water that our bus did not drive us past. I don't know that I would have paid for a cruise ticket, but if you do a bus tour and it includes a river cruise... take it!

I hope this list helps you make your London itinerary. Our trip was amazing, and I could honestly go on and on with tips! If you have any specific questions feel free to email me. I think I am going to do one more post dedicated to our London trip, specifically a review of the Warner Bros Harry Potter tour in London! I will also be uploading a travel diary to my YouTube channel, so make sure you are subscribed :).

Linking up with More Pieces of Me, B Loved Boston, and Pink Sole.

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vacation recap - Monday, May 16, 2016