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?