Your Life, Styled: Summer Neutrals

Pure Collection Sweater | Old Navy Shorts | Burberry Sunglasses | DSW Hobo | Tory Burch Sandals | Invictus Watch via ShopNBC | ChanLuu Bracelet | Lord & Taylor Pearl Earrings | Lulu Frost Gold Drift Pendant

In keeping with Mother Nature's fickle behavior patterns, I've been finding myself in a transition of sorts. A floral printed short topped off with a slouchy knit to battle the dropping temps and air conditioned buildings. You can find me in something similar tomorrow as Katelyn, Emily, Jenny and I make our way down to Kansas City for Go Blog Social!

Worth Noting: Pre-Fall

I'm usually not one to let go of season's too soon {with the exception of this past winter}, so this is not me writing off summer, but celebrating the the cooler temperatures knocking on our doors. A taste of fall temps this past weekend has me anxious for pre-fall trends. Pencil skirts, tapered pants, printed blouses, jade tones, and fancy shoes galore: loafers, open-toed ankle booties, and an up-dated take on mules! 

Sam Edelman Shoe Sale Shop Gladiator Sandals Sam Edelman T Strap Sandals 

My Style: Tribal Print

gifted Flourish Boutique Tank & Shorts | Target Wedges | UO Crossbody | Sequin & Shira Melody Bracelets

While I've lived in Des Moines all of my life, it's taken the past few years since moving home from college to discover its hidden gems. The East Village is home to a few of my favorite sights, and this wall is no exception. Bright colors, crazy monsters and lots of eyeballs, the works! A bit fitting as Zombie Burger is just down the street!

This Thursday I will be traveling to Kansas City for Go Blog Social! We have put so much time and hard work into planning this event, and I can't wait to see it come to life! Make sure to follow along on instagram, twitter, and facebook! 

PS. Not only will Thursday bring the start of our conference, I have a huge announcement for TBO that I am anxious to share!

Shopping Cart: The Kitten Heel

The kitten heel used to be a dirty word in my book. All I can see when I close my eyes are kitten heel flip flops, which are almost, if not more dirty in my eyes than flatforms. Thank goodness for Shopbop curating some of the best re-invented kitten heels to date. Let's just a take a moment to swoon over these spotted heels Loeffler Randall Tamsin Haircalf Pumps. A heel height perfect for the office but walk you straight into happy hour!

Giuseppe Zanotti Suede Pumps Sergio Rossi Heels Pointy Toe Pumps 

My Style: Printed Maxi

Zara Dress & Sandals | Kate Spade Bag | Shira Melody & Sequin Bracelets 

What a crazy week it's been and it's only Tuesday! I am gearing up not only for Go Blog Social {hmm, it's next week...what??}, but also busy getting things lined up for our Midwest Blogger's Brunch for the Iowa crew in a few short weeks. While I should be crossing things off of my very large to-do list, my late night top priority seems to be window shopping outfits for next week's event! 

PS. If you purchase this dress, you may need to plan what to wear underneath of it. I planned to wear it in Chicago this past weekend and was at a lost when I realized it cut so low in the front. I improvised and wore a bandeau underneath. A perfect temporary fit until I can get the dress to a tailor!

Get the Look:

My Style: Elizabeth & James Bardot Dress

Elizabeth & James Bardot Dress via Rent the Runway | gifted Anuja Tolia Necklace  | Zara Heels | Kate Spade Crossbody

What a whirlwind of a weekend! Cody and I left for Iowa City on Friday evening to break up the drive to Chicago. We dined at our favorite restaurant & enjoyed a few beers al fresco at one of our favorite college bars. Saturday we set off to complete our road trip. I love visiting Chicago and seeing all of my college sorority sisters, especially Sarah, who is one of my bridesmaids! 

We were able to take in the scenic views of the Chicago skyline during our yacht cruise, benefitting the Cystic Fibrous Foundation, hosted by an organization close to my heart, Twelve, which was started by two sorority sisters of mine. Despite a bout of rain, we were lucky enough to see the fireworks off of Navy Pier from the water!

PS. The necklace I am wearing in this post is different than I ended up wearing out. I asked my fiancé & his friend which necklace they liked better, they said this one. In the end, I chose a complete opposite necklace. A pretty typical outcome, sometime I really miss living with my sorority sisters and getting their fashion opinions. Not that the boys made a poor choice, I was torn!

Your Life, Styled: Charity Yacht Party

Elizabeth & James Bardot Dress

Cody and I are headed east this weekend. The twelve '#getontheboat' yacht party is finally here! I can't wait to reunite with my sorority sisters and toast to a great cause! It's not too late, if you are in the Chicago area on Saturday night and looking for a great event - get your tickets here!

The co-founder of twelve will be wearing a RTR piece, and so will I! I rented this beautiful Elizabeth & James number, the Purple Bardot dress. It's simple & chic and just needs a statement necklace to top it off! 

Cheers to the weekend!

Shopping Cart: Wildfox

 While you won't typically find me in a head to toe 'edgy' look, I love how Shopbop styled their Wildfox lookbook. Summer basics {white pants, silk shorts, high-waisted cut-offs} pair quite well with these statement tees. When you want to throw 'girly & feminine' out the door, take note! Find these looks and more at Shopbop!

Wildfox Sweats Shop the Wildfox Sale Wildfox Clueless Tees 

The Blogger Buzz: Our Favorite Summer Accessories

I'm teaming up with a great group of bloggers from around the internets to bring you our favorite summer accessories!

No. 1) Laura of Beauty & The Beard // My favorite summer accessory is this over-the-top coral flower necklace! I feel like it goes with everything, and it's so dang bright you can't be unhappy wearing it!!

No. 2) Ashley of One Fine Day // For an instant splash of cheer and color, you'll find me sporting my go-to accessory, Ban.Do's Pom-Pom Flower Pin in Hot Pink. I attach them to my t-shirts, button downs, cardigans, blazers, etc. They also look adorable pinned to your favorite clutch or tote. It's a no-brainer!

No. 3) Lauren of La Petite Fashionista // I love an ultra-colorful statement necklace to pair with all of my favorite white summer dresses.

No. 4) Samantha of The Brunette One // Summer in the Midwest often means scorching hot temperatures. I usually reach for a breezy slip dress and the simplest of accessories. This gold bangle goes with everything!

No. 5) Katherine of The Duchess of Plumewood // I'm so pale that I need a hat to cover my face in addition to sunscreen! Besides, how could you resist a classic accessory like a Panama Hat? You can't really go wrong with an accessory worn by kings, presidents, and my personal favorite, Winston Churchill!

So now that you know our favorite accessories, now it's your turn! Leave a comment below listing your favorite summer accessories!

WWDMAGIC: A Pinch Me Moment

Yesterday I received the most amazing news, well maybe ever. I won a trip to Las Vegas! Remember this post about Aryn K at WWDMAGIC? Well...they picked me to be an official blogger at the WWDMAGIC show in a few short weeks! I'm so excited to meet the other bloggers selected and to meet some amazing brands that I can't wait to bring back to you! Talk about a dream come true, I was all calm, cool, and collected at work but let's be real when I got home, this was my happy dance reaction. 

I will admit, I spent a good hour getting lost in the world of Jennifer Lawrence gifs before finding these.  I'm not ashamed. 

Twenty Five in Twenty Five :: No. 12

No. 12 :: Make it a habit to work out – take a class, sign up for a gym membership, and train for a race? – Disclaimer – I am not a runner.

Over the weekend I participated in my first ever 5k, The Color Run. One of my best friends convinced me to sign up, and I'll be the first to admit that I was hesitant. But luckily, this was more of an 'experience' in which we dubbed The Color 'Stroll'. We started the morning off warming up with some Zumba, waved our hands in the air at the start line with a little help from Miley, stopped for mid-race beer break and leaped/rolled/twirled through each color stop in style! We topped off the race at the Finish Festival and even managed to make our way up to the stage! 

Now all I can think about is finding a way to make it on The Color Run staff and carry the party on to the next city....

Event: Happy 3rd Birthday to The Brunette One

Big things have been happening behind the scenes of The Brunette One. Last week, I became the owner of The Brunette One, LLC {currently crossing number four off this list}. And it's only fitting to announce that during the 'birthday' celebration {a few days late} of this little adventure in my life. So many great things have transpired during the past three years due to this blog and more than anything I'm grateful & beyond thankful for the people it has brought into my life! I can't wait to see what else unfolds in the months & years to come for my little business, I hope you continue to follow along. Thanks for all of your continual support the last three years! 

Make sure to follow along on:

Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Bloglovin'

Shopping Cart: Alexis Bittar

With my day job, I get to spend some of time researching new brands to present to clients. I recently came across Alexis Bittar and couldn't be more obsessed. These pieces just scream 'finishing touch' to any look you walk out the door with. 

So tell me, which are your favorites?!

Alexis Bittar Pendant Necklace Jewelry by Alexis Bittar Alexis Bittar Collection 

Event: #JCrewStyleSessions

A few weeks ago I hosted an event at our local J.Crew with fellow blogger, Katelyn from Katalina Girl. I walked in and immediately was drawn to this polka dot skirt and toyed around with a few different tops before settling on this printed tank {which I can't find online but this is similar}. Katelyn and I have such distinct styles that it's fun to see what we both came up with! 

Aryn K at WWDMAGIC

For a chance to win a trip to WWDMAGIC this August {who could pass up this chance?!}, I wanted to share a few looks I put together highlighting one of my favorite brands that will be showing in Vegas - Aryn K. During the summer, I rarely find myself reaching for jeans or any type of pants. I live in dresses during these hot summer months! I put together a few looks that you could find me in - one for work, for date night, and to the farmer's market!

For the latest updates on WWDMAGIC, make sure to follow along on twitter, facebook, and instagram!

Aryn K Malpasis Dress | BC Footwear 'Swagger' Sandal | Octopus Nina Bag

Aryn K Pashupati Dress | Melie Bianco Handbag | BCBGeneration Cut-Out Wedges

Aryn K Terrasse Dress | Fossil Teardrop Earrings | BCBG Aerial Sandals

Shop these looks!

Life: Lake Vermilion

A few snap shots of my vacation last week up north to Lake Vermilion & White Eagle Resort! We made our annual stop at Gordy's Hi-Hat, cooled off with ice cream at Moosebird's {my new favorite flavor, Pirate Booty}, and took in the gorgeous scenery. 

What can I say, Lake Vermilion is my happy place.