Pumpkin picking + my fall uniform

On Saturday, Adam and I finally visited my uncle’s pumpkin patch and picked out a few pumpkins for our apartments! This fall has been exceptionally busy with my full-time job, part-time work and blogging, which is why we had to wait until the week before Halloween to get our pumpkins. But better late than never, right! 

We went to the farm around 11 a.m., and it was SO COLD. The sky was filled with clouds and the wind was a step away from tornado level! My hair could not be contained. Here’s how most of my pictures turned out, if you need a good laugh:

BP flannel shirt / cardigan / Express jeans / crossbody bag / wedge booties / fishhook collar / Maybelline lipstick in "Blushing Bud" 

Needless to say, we didn’t spend a lot of time there. By the time I found my pumpkins and took a few photos, my hands were numb. I don’t think I’m ready for this whole winter thing that’s coming… But we still had a fun time picking through the pumpkins. We’re planning to paint them tomorrow night — any ideas for how I should paint mine??

As for my outfit, I wore one of my new fall uniforms this year. I’ve already bought two new flannel shirts, and I wear them probably at least once a week (although we both know I’d wear them every day if I could!). I love layering this flannel shirt under sweaters and cardigans like this one for a slightly preppier look. I paired it with my newest booties (the wedge heel makes them great for all-day walking!) and this crossbody bag I got for my birthday, which is so cute and convenient.

Have you been pumpkin picking this year? Do you like to carve or decorate pumpkins? I’d love to know!

P.S. Last year’s trip to the pumpkin patch, the perfect fallcardigan and my favorite flannel shirt

My fall wish list

NARS Audacious lipstick in "Rita" / Sole Society booties in "Khaki" / gold bar ring / black booties / lip line protector / crystal brooch / statement necklace / pumpkin candle / felt floppy hat / half faux-leather leggings / BP flannel shirt / oversized plum sweater

Happy Tuesday everyone! I know I've mentioned it approximately a million times, but fall clothes are the absolute best. There's nothing I love more than putting together a layered look with different prints and textures. (You can see my first venture at that this year here.) I think this green and blue flannel shirt would look so great underneath a gray or cognac sweater, so that's definitely next on my list!

Of course booties are on my list, because I don't care what anyone says — you can never have too many ankle boots! I did just buy a cute new pair of booties (my first of the season!)  And have you see Olivia Palermo's new collection for Baublebar? It's (not surprisingly) gorgeous and absolutely perfect for fall. I can't wait to start adding sweaters and new accessories to my closet this year; I feel like I've been in a bit of a sartorial funk the past few weeks, but the cooler weather has really inspired me to create fun outfits and try out new looks.

What's on your wish list this fall? Any trends you can't get enough of? 

P.S. Fresh starts of fall, 2015 fall bucket list and last year's fall wish list

8 places to pick pumpkins in central Iowa

With my intense love for fall comes a natural love for all things fall-related, and that includes pumpkin patches. When I was a kid, one of my uncles bought the family farm from my grandparents and started growing pumpkins. He has acres and acres of pumpkins, and every fall my whole family would get together for a big party to help him pick them and then celebrate with tons of delicious food. It is one of my favorite childhood memories to this day.

Fall bucket list

Are you tired of reading about fall on my blog yet? I hope not, because this is only the beginning ;) With the first official day of fall being tomorrow, I wanted to share some of my goals for the new season. And what better way to do that than with another bucket list?

I have to be honest: a couple of these are extensions of things from my summer bucket list that just didn't get done, but better late than never right? And most of them are new fall things, like picking apples and wearing a couple's Halloween costume (that one was Adam's idea ;).

September has been a blur already — I can't believe it's almost over! I've only crossed one item off this list so far (tailgating, of course!), but hopefully in the next couple months we'll get many more accomplished!

On another note, you might have noticed that I haven't been posting on Mondays for a few weeks now. I've been doing some re-evaluating, and with all that I have going on between work, blogging and life in general, I decided the best thing for me — and my sanity — right now is to take my posting down to four days a week instead of five. This gives me a little more time to spend on curating better content, and it allows me to enjoy more of my weekends — and more time to cross things off my bucket list! :)

What is on your fall bucket list this year? 

P.S. my summer bucket list and fresh starts of fall

Fresh starts of fall

I have always loved fall. I think there are a lot of people out there who claim fall as their favorite season, and it's no wonder why. The air is crisp and cool; the leaves turn beautiful shades of orange and red. One of my favorite quotes about fall is a famous one by F. Scott Fitzgerald, and one I firmly agree with: "Life starts all over again when it gets crisp in the fall."

Fall is a time of transition: students go back to school, activities that were paused for summer start up again, people are coming home from vacations. It's like someone has hit a collective "reset" button for the world.

The season officially starts next week, but I'm already in the fall mindset. This year is the first fall I am not going back to school, and it's a bittersweet feeling for me. Part of the reason I've always loved this time of year was going back to school — buying school supplies, preparing to see friends I hadn't seen all summer, cheering at football games, even the excitement of starting new classes. They were all things to look forward to as summer drew to a close.

I'm excited for the transition of fall, though. I'm ready for the cool weather, the leaves to change, to pick apples and pumpkins, to watch football games...and to break out all my favorite sweaters! But mostly, I'm excited to see what surprises the new season has in store for me. Each new season tends to usher in an era of change, especially fall, and I can't wait to see what this one brings.

What are you most excited for this fall? Is it a transitional season for you, too? Leave your thoughts below...I'd love to hear! 

P.S. Last year's thoughts on fall, my family pumpkin patch and my 2014 fall wish list

Fall for flannel

flannel shirt / Express jeans / Loft sandals (sold out, similar) / rings

Baublebar bracelets (sold out) / Maybelline lipstick in "Vivid Rose" / Express sunglasses 

Happy Monday, friends! How was your weekend? I spent Friday night at the state fair, which was amazing, and then Sunday morning I went to a Des Moines blogger brunch at the brand new Hotel Renovo, which was absolutely stunning. I'll share more details on that later this week! 

Now let's get to the outfit! This is one of my new favorites, and it's perfect for this cooler fall weather we've been having recently. I bought this flannel shirt during Nordstrom's big Nsale, and it is the best flannel I've ever found. It's so comfy, and it'll be great for layering in the fall and winter. And can we talk about these sandals? The ones I'm wearing are sold out (they were only $10 when I bought them a couple months ago!), but I linked a similar pair. I love this style because it's a little different than the tradition T-strap, and I've practically been living in them for the last month! 

I'm so excited about this cooler, 70-degree weather we've been having and I hope it sticks around for a long time! I hope you all have a great week! :)

P.S. sundress at sunset, cool summer style and off-shoulder top

Cool summer style

maxi skirt (similar) / Forever 21 v-neck tee / Old Navy slip-ons (on sale for less than $15!) / Steve Madden sunnies (similar) / Fifth and Mae necklace (old) / chain-link bracelet (similar) / NARS velvet matte lip pencil in Cruella 

I know this is an unusual outfit for mid-July, but Iowa is not known for its consistent weather patterns, and the day I wore this was cloudy and chilly. This is my favorite maxi skirt because it is so big and flowy, and I just feel a little fancier every time I wear it :) I love pairing with a plain v-neck to make it a bit more casual and relaxed, but I also like to style it with a crop top for the weekends. (P.S. this is one of my favorite outfits to transition to fall!)

What are you all up to this week? I've got a date night with Adam tonight since we didn't get to see each other all weekend, and my sister and I are taking our mom to see the new Minions movie because my mom loooves the minions — it's adorable! Then Adam and I heading to the zoo for Zoo Brew Wednesday night and this weekend two of our friends are getting married! It's definitely going to be an exciting week! Hope everyone is having a great Monday!

P.S. the perfect printed sundress, short hair love and an off-the-shoulder top

Holiday dresses for every occasion

Now that Halloween is over and the holiday season is upon us (I think we can thank all the department stores for filling our minds with Christmas thoughts before we've even had time to plan the Thanksgiving menu...), it's time to start thinking about holiday parties — which means holiday dresses. Here are some of my favorites for every occasion, from cooking the turkey to opening presents with your S.O.'s family to ringing in the new year.

Wandering the web: a new series

What are your plans for the weekend? I'm heading out for a girls' trip to Kansas City with a couple of my wonderful friends. We're renting a small place on airbnb, and we'll probably do a little shopping, sight seeing and lounging. It'll be so nice to get away for a few days. Hope you enjoy your weekend, and here a few of my favorite things from around the web:

1. Birdman, starring Michael Keaton, Emma Stone and Zach Galifianakis, came out last weekend and I really want to see it. But, sadly, so far there are no showings in Iowa. (Vulture)

2. These "punny" flower bouquets would be an adorable gift. As well as the DIY book that features them. (A Cup of Jo)

3. I adore these black peep toe booties. So perfect for fall. (Somewhere, Lately)

4. Gold playing cards would be an adorable coffee table accessory, and they'd be a perfect stocking-stuffer for Christmas! (Anthropologie)

5. How cute are these high-fashion pumpkins? Anna Wintour and Grace Coddington are my favorites. (Domaine)

6. I took this Ben Affleck butt-chin quiz the other day and my results were embarrassingly good. But I don't get tired of looking at him. (Vulture)

Family pumpkin patch!

Last weekend Adam and I visited my favorite place in the world: my uncle's farm and pumpkin patch. The farm has been in my family for longer than I even know, and I grew up visiting during harvest season and picking pumpkins. I always make at least one trip back every fall to get some pumpkins and see the family. Get ready for lots of photos.

Dad and Grandma had a great time taking rides on the ancient golf cart... Until it broke down.

But the guys took a loot and got it working again. Hooray for manly men ;)



My grandma was happy to see my grandpa's old tractor looking as beautiful as the day he bought it. The best part about visiting the farm is all the family memories there.

And making new memories.

And taking a million pictures.

And a little outfit of the day action. Did I mention fall is my favorite?

New scarves

I have a slight obsession with scarves, and I've been looking all over for new styles and prints to add to my collection. Neutral colors are a big part of my personal stylebook this year. Adam likes to make fun of the fact that every time I buy something new it's usually black, white or gray. But they just look so classic! And they go with everything, so I can add statement earrings, bold lipstick or fun shoes for a pop of color.

But for scarves, I want more neutral blacks and whites to wear with my green military jacket and lipsticks. I can't help it — winter just seems like a time for neutral color palettes. So I did a little online browsing the other day and found a few beautiful options.

From Express: black glitter | geometric coral | black and white aztec

From Forever 21: green plaid | blue paisley | gray stripes

Even though I chose regular long scarves here, I should also say that infinity scarves are my absolute favorite because of their convenience and effortless wearability. I have this snake print scarf from Express in a tan and gold print and love it, and this coral scarf with gold flakes from Francesca's is also pretty.

Where do you shop for scarves?

Fall reading list

Fall and winter are the best time for reading, don't you think? Summer reading outside in the sun is great, but when it's cold all I want to do is curl up in a big sweatshirt, drink green tea and read all the books I can find. (And that's usually not hard because my sister is an English teacher.)

Right now I'm having a hard time fitting in any time for fun reading between work and classes, but I just started Tina Fey's Bossypants (wonderful so far), and I have several more to read on my Kindle.

The Goldfinch has been on my list for a while, but I think it will be a great one for Thanksgiving break. I started reading the first couple chapters at the beginning of the semester, but I just couldn't concentrate, and I can tell it's a book worth focusing on. (I mean, it did win a Pulitzer.)

Also on my list is Madame Bovary for a little historical drama, and Eleanor and Park because my sister raved about it.

Are you reading any good books right now?

(Photo via Buzzfeed)

Wish List: Fall accessories

As you already know, I love fall — especially the chilly weather fashions (I've got a whole Pinterest board dedicated to exactly that). So I thought I'd share some of the accessories on my wish list this season.

1. Statement necklace: Style this up or down with an elegant dress or a graphic tee for multiple looks  2. Headphones  3. Statement ring  4. Knit scarf  5. Oxblood lipstick: I love the deep red color of this NARS Audacious lipstick in Jeanne for the holiday season...very festive and sexy  6. Stacking rings  7. Sunglasses  8. Tiered necklace: This one from Gucci is WAY out of my budget, but I still love it  9. Black ankle boots: The gold detail and the open design on this style are so versatile  10. Purple infinity scarf  11. Layered necklace  12. Nail polish: These navy blue, dark cherry and nude colors are absolutely gorgeous for fall  13. Tan booties  14. Berry lipstick  15. Clutch: The soft leather and shape make this a perfect accessory for any outfit, from cozy sweaters to date-night dresses

What's on your wish list this season? Anything like mine? :)

Fall is finally upon us

There are so many reasons fall is my favorite season. Memories of picking pumpkins at my uncle's pumpkin patch, looking for the crunchiest leaves to stomp on the sidewalk, opening the tub of sweaters and scarves I've been hiding all summer, eating far too much candy corn...

This year I'm looking forward to those, plus a few more old favorites (hot tea, football, ankle boots, and dark lipsticks), and a few new things I hope to do (picking and stomping grapes at a local vineyard and discovering all the fun cool-weather things to do in Des Moines). 

Oh, and enjoying a good campfire in the crisp fall air if I can convince my dad to bring out his new fire pit before it gets too cold :)

This checklist would be a fun way to spend the season:

What are you looking forward to this fall? 

(Images via Pinterest and A Subtle Revelry)

Fall nail polish

I've been looking for some new dark colors for fall and winter, and when I saw this green I couldn't resist. It's called Stylenomics from the 2012 fall collection, and I can't wait to try it. 

Also... I'm dying to try out a navy blue if I can find a good one. I really like this one.