Wish List Wednesday: Floral Maxi Dresses

This week isn't so much a wish list as a compilation of all the other floral maxi dresses I've been looking at since I ordered an adorable one the other night on a whim and wanted to see what else was out there! Sail to Sable is having an end of summer sale (use code: endless summer for 50% off sale!) and I just had to have this dress I've been coveting; I just love the hydrangea print. I'm planning on wearing it to a function the school is throwing for the 3Ls downtown tomorrow night.

Sail to Sable's The Centerpiece Peacoat Maxi. 

Lilly Pulitzer's Holbrook Strapless Maxi Dress. Because who makes a better floral print than Lilly? I feel like I don't see many strapless maxis, and thought this was a nice way to bare a little skin, but still be modest.

Anthropologie's Sabal Maxi Dress. Not quite floral, but still fauna. I like that the pattern almost looks like palm leaves. (Another sign I'm not ready to give up on summer?)

Anthropologie's Equinox Pleated Maxi Dress. If I really do have do give up on summer soon, I'm going to do so in this gorgeous maxi. The colors look more fall-ish, as do the sleeves. I think I could pull this off with my new brown heeled boots.

Ted Baker Alana Botanical bloom maxi dress. So so pretty with the sweetheart neckline, which I always gravitate towards- it's so flattering!

Kensie Spaced Floral Woven Maxi Dress. The darker navy color makes this an easier dress to transition to fall than some of the brighter colored options. Plus, at less than $40, I can afford to have it and another dress! 

Are you loving all these floral maxi dresses as much as I am? I think I'm just not ready to give up on summer quite yet, but I'm so excited that my STS dress should be delivered tonight! 

(Last) First Day of School

Last Tuesday was my last first day of school, (provided I don't make good on my threats to my parents and get a PhD!) which is both exciting and super scary. It's so weird to see these new freshmen walking around campus for the first time and know that I'm six years of school ahead of them. That time has made me wiser, but  I would still love to trade places and do it all over again. On one hand, I just turned 23 last week and feel a little old to be packing my lunch and my backpack every morning. But on the other hand, how weird will it be not to be walking across campus next fall?

No matter how many nostalgic memories of being a freshman come flooding back in the coming weeks, it's so exciting to have marked law school commencement on my calendar (May 8!!!). Adulthood seemed so far away six years ago when I first moved into my dorm room. Now I sit in my apartment and apply for post-grad jobs and worry about things like making sure I pay my bills on time and grocery shopping. It's weird and so so scary, but exciting at the same time.

As comforting as my security blanket backpack and lunchbox may be, it'll be time soon to give them up. It's so strange to realize that this time next year I'll be finding out whether or not I passed the bar and (hopefully) be working full time. No more summer break, but also no more homework. Like so many things in life, it will be a mix of the good, the bad, and the just plain new. But no matter how I feel about it, this year will probably fly by and pretty soon I'll be in a cap and gown. Scary, right? But also oh so exciting. No matter what happens, I'm excited for my last nine months of school and what the future holds for me after graduation.

This is me and my siblings on my first day of 5th grade. My brother was starting kindergarten and my sister was starting 3d grade. It's so weird to think that we'll all be graduating from one school or another in May!

Have you already graduated from college or graduate school? Did you feel as weird as I do right now anticipating being a real adult and not going to school every day? I'm excited but still a little scared!

Wish List Wednesday: Ballet Flats

As much as I'm in love with my new job, one thing that's weird to me is the much more relaxed dress code. I went from wearing either a suit or a business dress and blazer to working somewhere that tennis shoes are acceptable office attire. While working somewhere so much more laid back is a great change of pace, it's a little weird adjusting to the fact that I could literally wear jeans to work if I wanted to. So my heels have gone back in their boxes and I need more casual selection of work shoes. The one caveat of the dress code is that your shoes have to have a strap on the back, which knocks out a lot of my sandals. Plus, with fall coming on, I have to think about putting them away anyway. Ergo, my new shoe of choice: ballet flats. Pretty, polished, comfortable and they keep me from devolving too far into the casual choices!

I already have this pair of printed bow Viv flats from J.Crew, but I wanted to share them because I love them! They come in other colors and patterns, with and without a bow, and are perfect for dressing up jeans or pairing with a  skirt. 

Joan and David Collection Mitzie Flat- I love the fancy brocade-like pattern and the gold heels on this pair- plus the neutral color palette will pair with so many things in my closet (and they're on super sale!!)

Modcloth's Refined Stride Flat- a truly ballet-esque ballet flat with fun lace-up details at the ankle. These probably wouldn't go with as much in my closet, but at less than $40, I may get them anyway.

Tory Burch Tumbled Leather Ballet Flats - I used to have these in both tan and black, but my semester in London running around over the cobblestones ruined them. Needing non-heel shoes for work reminds me that I should order another pair of these in plenty of colors!

Loeffler Randall's Milla Haircalf Flats from SHOPBOP- scallops and pink, what more could a girl want? For those days when you need a pick-me-up, what's better than bright, fancy feet.

Salvatore Ferragamo Varina Perforated flats- these are a bit of a splurge, but I love my Ferragamo heels so much,  I can't help but want the flats. And especially in this gorgeous royal blue color!

Any of these flats tickle your fancy? Do you ever have trouble balancing looking work appropriate while also not overdressing (I know I have trouble with the latter!)?