Wish List Wednesday: Work Tote

This past week I got offered an internship for this fall semester (more on that coming soon!) and realized that my current work bag just isn't going to cut it any more. I've gotten by the past few years using my favorite Longchamp Le Pliage tote that I've carried since high school- but eight years down the road it's starting to look a little too well loved. And as I get closer to graduating and having a real job, I've realized that it's time to invest in a nicer, more adult work tote that will help elevate me from intern to associate. I generally choose black for my suits, so most of these totes stick to that color, but are available in others if black isn't your thing!

Kate Spade's Cedar Street Medium Harmony. At 13.3 inches wide, this tote is just wide enough to fit my laptop. I love that the bag is super basic and unassuming but very well made- I know with KS I don't have to worry that my bag is going to tear up before my internship is over.

Loeffler Randall's Walker Tote from Piperlime.  I love the interesting but still neutral print on the front of this bag. It amps up an otherwise plain work tote, but doesn't cross the line into being so distracting that it's not work appropriate. It's also slightly larger than the KS bag above (so I can stuff even more into it!)

GiGiNewYork's Gates Satchel. I love love love the color blocking on this bag (which also comes in four other color options!) At 13 3/4 inches wide, it's just wide enough for my laptop and since it's five inches deep, I can stuff all my files into the remaining space. It also has an interior zip pocket as well as slip pockets, ensuring my cell phone won't be lost and crushed on the bottom. And it's monogrammable! Am I waxing poetic yet? This bag may be the winner!

Coach's The Borough Bag in Colorblock Boarskin Leather. A simple bag done real really well. I love the color blocking here as well - no need to worry that it won't go with whatever suit-heels combo I'm sporting that day. Coach describes it as having an "accordion-like interior" which means pockets!

Fossil's Vintage Re-Issue Tote. I love the woven leather and that Fossil says it will fit laptops up to 15 inches- I think this bag may be perfect for my sister in her new job. I would probably put this tote away later in the fall since I feel like the woven style makes it look more summery, but it would make a great bag for summer months and look perfect with the tan Tory Burch Reva flats I live in.

Michael Kors Fulton - Large Quilted Leather Tote. I included this tote for another brown option, but I just don't think that I'd invest in a tan one first (just personal taste- I wear so much black.) But it's a gorgeous bag- I love the quilting and the dainty chain straps.

Tory Burch's Robinson Double-Zop Tote. I love that this tote has both top handles and a longer optional strap for those moments when I need another hand free (for that oh-so-essential cup of coffee). It has plenty of pockets and is 14 inches wide, so it will easily fit all the essentials - laptop, files, and thermos!

Where do you shop for work totes? I feel like by the time I stuff my laptop and files in mine, I need a huge bag- but I still want it to be pretty in additional to functional!

Apartment Shopping: Pops of Pink

One of the updates I'm making to the apartment items I already own is to finally, finally chose an accent color for my living room. I bought a great khaki and black greek key patterned rug last year from Home Goods as well as a set of black pillows with coordinating khaki greek key embroidery from Target. I loved all of the pieces, but after a while I got tired of, well, how boring it was. Black and khaki are classic, neutral choices but I needed something more exciting with it. I decided that as a single girl in my twenties I'm going to embrace my propensity to choose girly accents and use hot pink to jazz up my otherwise boring living room. I've been hunting around on Pinterest lately for inspiration and here are some of the pictures I'm hoping to pull from:

There seems to be a lot of pink out there, but not so much pink and black together. Guess I'll have to keep on Pinterest-ing. Follow along with MOTS on Pinterest!

Wish List Wednesday: Workout Wear

This summer, one of the things I'm doing for myself is training to run a half-marathon. I've always been a runner, but mostly just ran track for school and for leisure when I get stressed. But I've always wanted to run a half-marathon. I downloaded an app on my phone called Log My Run and then chose a beginner/moderate half training program. It's great to keep me on track and motivated. Another way I've been keeping myself excited is by treating myself to some new workout clothes. It's hard to be thrilled with throwing on the same black Nike shorts and college tee day after day, so I've been in the market for some new fun things to wear. Here's some of the items that have caught my eye:

I just bought a pair of these Lululemon Wunder Under pants a few weeks ago. I always said I wouldn't buy lulu- but I went with a friend, found a pair on sale, and figured I would try them. Best. Leggings. Ever. I seriously couldn't tell if I'd lost weight from the running I've been doing or if the pants are just that good (I think it's the pants!) I've been wearing them non-stop. The lion fabric is super stretchy and thick but breathable. I'll be buying them all next time I see them on sale.

For a more affordable option, I also like these skinny yoga pants from Aerie. They come in a variety of lengths, which is perfect for shorties like me whose leggings are usually bunched around the ankle (as well as you lucky tall girls who need extra length!)

I love the fun pattern on the Ditsy Stripe Balance Capri from Athleta. The parade of sold black leggings, capris, and shorts gets a little old sometimes - why not try a fun pair of blue floral capris?

This fun tank is Old Navy Active's goDRY Graphic Tank. For something I'm going to sweat in, I love how affordable these are (various quotes range from $8-$17!) For that price, I can get one for every day of the week.

I'm loving this Colorblock Chi Tank, also from Athleta. It will layer well with my floral sports bra in those colors, but is super breathable and made with breathable, "Unstinkable" technology - perfect for running in the currently 90 degree weather!

This draped cross back tank from Trina Turk is probably my favorite item I found. I love the cross bank and the cheery pattern. I'm not quite bold enough to go for the matching leggings, but I think the tank would be the perfect accompaniment to my collection of black leggings.


How do you keep yourself motivated to work out? Would these fun prints and colors help you get in the mood to do a few miles? I know they help me!

Roll With It

One important lesson that my life lately has reminded me of is that it's important to 'roll with it.' My job wasn't going the way I wanted it too, the renovation on my apartment got behind and I haven't moved in yet, and people keep coming in and out of my life. It's hard to keep up with sometimes. In keeping with my resolution from a few weeks ago to go for it and say yes to new experiences, I'm also trying to learn to 'roll with it' and be more flexible.
The two philosophies go hand-in-hand. Part of my trouble with learning to say yes to everything was that the things I was saying yes to didn't always go the way I planned. It's hard when you envision a situation going a certain way and it then being a radically different experience. I was so excited to go to Boston a few weekends ago. It seemed perfect that my friend had an airline ticket voucher and I needed to get out of town. I envisioned a big girls weekend where we'd have fun, be super touristy, and catch up. Instead, even though we did a little of those things, I spent a lot of the weekend feeling awkward that she and her boyfriend kept bickering with each other. At the end of it all, I realized that I just needed to be there for her and shrug off the expectations I'd had. As disappointed as I was and as selfish as I felt in wishing things had gone differently, it's way more important for her to be happy than for me to pout about what I had wanted. I needed to learn to roll with the fact that my weekend took a different turn.
It's the same thing with my apartment situation. I was so excited to go buy paint and pick out fabric. Then my landlady decided that she wanted to replace the plumbing and the kitchen floor before I move.  That was two weeks ago. It was hard to let go of the fact that I was ready to move and accept that it's obviously not happening at the speed I would like. It's something I don't have any control over and just have to let go of. Instead of being upset, I've been trying to remind myself that I should be grateful that my parents live nearby and I have a roof over my head. It's hard not to have my independence, but it truly could be so much worse. I'm not happy about the way it's going, but I'm not going to change anything by being upset- I have to let it go.
The people in my life have presented a similar dilemma. The past month or so has been a constant stream of people in and out of my life. It's been hard to keep up with, let alone understand. People I loved decided that they didn't want to see me anymore; that was unbearably hard. People I haven't seen in years have suddenly moved back to town and we're navigating a new friendship. Classmates that I hadn't talked to before are now calling me to go places. It's confusing. It's not easy. But I had to realize that it wasn't making it any easier to dwell on it. I was driving myself crazy trying to understand how other people think and that's just not always possible. As long as I haven't done anything wrong to someone (in which case, obviously baked goods and apologies galore), I have to let it go.
Learning to roll with it is not easy for me at all. I've always been a type-A, obsessive sort of person who wants to know the why behind everything. But this summer I'm trying to unlearn those tendencies and understand that the only person I can control is myself. My stressing doesn't help the situation and it only hurts me. I know right now it's not going to be an easy lesson to learn, but it's certainly an important one.

What do you do when things don't go your way? Do you stress and try to explain the situation? How do you remind yourself to 'roll with it?'

Kate Spade Swimwear

Kate Spade has just announced that it will be expanding to include swimwear. The collection won't be unveiled until this fall, but until then, here's a sneak peek:

photo: Kate Spade

I loooove pretty much everything Kate Spade puts out and am so excited to see them bring their fun prints, bows, and overall flair to the swimwear market. I'm already a fan of this bow-decked bandeau two-piece.

Read more here at Lucky Mag.

How excited are you about Kate Spade's expanding collection?

Wish List Wednesday: Shower Curtains

For this week's wish list, I'm still on the lookout for apartment items, specifically a new shower curtain. Before I left for London, I let my little sister take the blue and green paisley shower curtain I had in my last apartment. I had meant it to be a temporary fix for the fact that couldn't find one she liked, but it appears that it's taken permanent residence in her bathroom and I'll be searching for another. Obviously I hate shopping and this is a real hardship for me. I'm really not a fan of the retro brown and white tile in the bathroom in my new place, so I want something bright and fun to distract from it. I also don't want to spend a ton of money because I tend to get tired of things (which is fine, since by then my sister has decided to 'borrow' whatever it is anyway). Here are a few of the options I've found poking around online:

Pottery Barn's Pom Pom Trimmed Shower Curtain is one of the first ones I found in my search. I love the fun of the pom poms, but I think the plain white may be a little too dull for what I'm looking for.

Danica Studio's Prim and Proper Shower Curtain is a lot of fun. The bows are so girly and whimsical. But again, I think I need more color- maybe I could monogram it in hot pink?

I absolutely love this Stepped Chevron Shower Curtain from Jonathan Adler, but at $122 I'm really not sure I want to spend that much.

West Elm's Stripe Shower Curtain looks like a good option. The stripes are fun and preppy, but classic and I can totally see it with a big pink monogram to add an accent color.

Trina Turk's Coastline Ikat Shower Curtain is soooo pretty. I love that it's got multiple bright colors to pull from for towels and accessories. Plus, it's more reasonably priced at $59.99 and available at Macy's, so I can use my mom's coupons! This may be the winner.

Where do you shop for fun, affordable home accents? I love having pretty things, but I just can't justify some of the prices out there on my student budget!

Wish List Wednesday: Budget Friendly Furnishings

On Monday, I got to pick up the keys to my new apartment. After spending the semester in London living with four other people in a small flat and then spending May and June at my parents sharing a bathroom with my little brother while I looked for a place to live, I am more than ready to be back in my own space. I love my family and my friends, but sometimes it's nice to just lay on the living room sofa with a novel on a Saturday and read the whole thing with no interruptions. Pure bliss. I'm also excited to have more space than I have previously. I've always had a one bedroom (or two and used one as an office) but now I'm going to have an entire duplex! It'll be nice to have space to spread out. I'm going to paint the whole place before I move in (the last tenant was an art student who made crazy color choices) so I'm not making the shift there just yet. But while I'm gearing up for the move, I've been looking for new furniture, bedding, and decorations to make the space my own. I was surprised by how many cute, affordable options there are available right now- just perfect for my student budget. Here's a spotlight on two of my favorite lines I found: Happy Chic by Jonathan Adler for JCPenny and the Threshold collection at Target.

Happy Chic by Jonathan Adler Crescent Heights Collection: I love the navy patterned rug that anchors this gorgeously done living room.

Jonathan Adler Happy Chic Bleecker Dining Room Table, Bleecker Side Chairs, Chevron Wool Rectangular Rug. Fun end chairs and a bright rug punch up a traditional dining room table.

Jonathan Adler Happy Chic Elizabeth Comforter Set and Accessories. I'll have one of everything from the Elizabeth collection. What could be more relaxing than these pretty shades of blue?

Threshold Slipper Chair in Navy Floral. Target has definitely stepped up it's home collection in recent years. I feel like this patterned slipper chair could just as easily be from Pottery Barn -- but this version is as cute and budget friendly!

Threshold X-Stool: Available in six patterns to match and color scheme, these stools will be perfect under my library table against a wall most of the time, but then be easily brought out to provide extra seating for guests. (And they're on sale!)

Threshold Windham 2 Door Cabinet with Center Shelves: For my new apartment, I know I'll need a new piece on which to put my television. I love the fun colors this cabinet comes in and that there's both open and closed storage options - the center shelves are perfect for my DVR and router, and the closed shelves will be great for storing DVDs etc.

Threshold Kilim Square Pouf: It seems like poufs are everywhere this season, but with prices ranging up to hundreds of dollars, many just aren't a student budget option. I think this one (also available in other patterns) are much closer to a price that a student like me can justify spending.

Any of these items coming to your apartment? Where else do you love for budget friendly home shopping?

Party like it's 1776: Weekend in Boston

This weekend I went to visit a friend of mine in Boston. It's been a rough couple of weeks and I was grateful when she called to offer me a chance to get out of town for the long weekend and celebrate the Fourth with her. I flew out Friday morning super early (5:00 exists in the a.m. too???) so I had almost a full day when I landed.

Knowing me as she does, our first stop was coffee and lots of it. We got an early lunch and then she took me to see her apartment. She lives in this awesome converted mill outside Boston- exposed brickwork and beams, tons of windows. It's gorgeous. After that, we spent the afternoon/evening at their friends' cookout. Unfortunately, it rained so we couldn't swim and the fireworks were cancelled, but we still made the most of it inside.

On Saturday, we went to Boston Common and walked around. We followed the Freedom Trail through the historic district and up to the North End for lunch, where the smell of garlic pervaded the streets. We ate an absurd amount of delicious pasta at a tiny corner restaurant until I could barely move. Nonetheless, I found it within me to eat cannolis from Mike's Pastry, which were so good and definitely worth having to cross the Mason-Dixon to taste. There wasn't room to eat there with the crowd, so we took them to the Harbor (that's hah-bah) and ate on a bench overlooking the boats. It was an absolutely perfect afternoon.

No, I didn't eat all four myself!

I love you Mike, whoever you are!

It's pronounced 'hah-bah.'

So delicious.

After my sugar crash subsided, we made our way to catch the T to Fenway Park. We were still a little early for baseball, so we went to a place called the Cask and Flagon to get a quick drink and watch the end of the World Cup game between the Netherlands and Costa Rica. I was glad we stopped since the game went to penalty kicks and an exciting finish. After cheering the Netherlands to victory, we walked on to Fenway. Even though the Red Sox lost to the Orioles, it was still a super fun experience and I'm so glad we got tickets so I could visit the 'Green Monstah.'

Those are our new friends photobombing us. They were so amused by the fact that I call my friend's boyfriend 'Yankee.'

Yesterday, I had to be back at the airport around 3, so we shopped around a little bit and got a late lunch at Legal Seafoods. My crab cake was delicious and the perfect last New England meal! All in all, my first foray to Boston was great. It was so nice to see my friend, be shown around her city, see new sights, and eat new things. Even if people kept looking at me funny when I said ya'll!

What fun things did you do this past holiday weekend?

Fourth of July Weekend Sales!

In case you needed something else to celebrate this weekend besides, you know,  America, here's a list of awesome sales to shop:

• Ann Taylor has a variety of sales going on, but all are for a 'limited time only' (no specific date, so shop early!)
• Anthropologie has their sale on sale - an extra 20% off with code BUZZ20 (shop my picks here)
• Banana Republic is offering 40% off in-stores and online with code BRJULY
• Bloomingdale's is offering 20-65% off in-stores and online
• C.Wonder's Semiannual sale includes items up to 70% off
• Gap's summer sale includes deals on plenty of basics
• J.Crew is offering 30% off with code JULY
• Kate Spade has their sale on sale - an extra 25% with code MORESALE
• Ann Taylor LOFT - $25 dresses, $6 tops, $15 sandals
• Old Navy- plenty of tanks and tees for under $10
• Zappos has a number of items included in their Fourth of July sale

Which sales will you be hitting this holiday weekend?

Wish List Wednesday: Anthro's Sale!

Starting today, Anthropologie's already marked down items are an additional 20% off (use code BUZZ20 at checkout!). I'm always a sucker for Anthro's clothes, particularly when they're on sale. But take an additional 20% off and my cart fills up fast! I'm loving all the breezy tanks, the omnipresent peplums and fun floral prints. A lot of things are selling quickly, so there are limited sizes available in many of the items - but if you're lucky enough to score your size, it's a great deal! Here's a few of the things in my basket:

Pure and Good Shadow Floral Ruched Leggings - I'm training for a half marathon right now and I think the extra effort deserves some extra cute gear. If I'm stepping up my workout game, I should step up my workout wardrobe, right?

Deluna Cardigan- An out-of-the-ordinary cardigan for looking special without special effort.

Shimmered Garden Dress. I love the summery oranges and blues as well as the subtle jewels around the neckline and on the bodice.

Gemme Dress- Because diamonds are a girls best friend, why not wear a dress printed with them? So much fun.

Clovelly Peplum Top - Scallops are my favorite and the back cutout on this pretty blouse provides an unexpected touch when you exit a room.

Portia Maxi Dress- I've been on the lookout for a printed maxi and this fits the bill with it's pretty tulip print and subtle orange sequin detailing.

Dotted Silk Tank- I think this top would be perfect for any Fourth of July plans this weekend! It's fun without being fussy and will pair perfectly with white jeans for a patriotic look.


Are you as addicted to Anthropologie's sale as I am? Any of these items showing up in your basket?