The Streets of Music City

To end off the summer, I went on a bit of a road trip to Nashville, Tennessee. I was really struck by how up and coming the city is. I thought it would be kind of traditional and old-fashioned, but Nashville is becoming modernized and is growing at a fast pace. Even if you don't like country music, there is so much to do and see there. That being said, live music is definitely a highlight. In basically every restaurant and bar down Broadway (the main drag downtown), you can pop in to hear up and coming musicians. I thought that country music was all the same, but I was definitely proven wrong. There was so much diversity in sound, vocal range, set lists, and style in the musicians I heard- all of whom were fantastic. The food was also absolutely amazing. There, I again was surprised. It wasn't just good ole' country fried food but a whole range of gourmet, fresh, local dishes in such fun and quirky settings.

If you know me then you know I love rompers. They have all the ease and cuteness of a dress without the possible dangers (read: bending down). I don't have to watch the way I'm sitting or fear the wind when I'm wearing a romper, and I love it. This one gave off slightly country vibes with its diamond shaped print so I thought it would be perfect for the southern city. As usual, I kept everything else rather minimal with my natural sandals from Forever 21 that I've featured in past posts. I swiped on a coat of Topshop lipstick in Rio Rio. It's a great shade of orange-red for newbies to bold lipstick, and is surprisingly subtle. 

Get the look:

Strapless Romper- Forever 21

Sandals- Forever 21 (similar)

Lipstick in Rio Rio- Topshop 

Birthday & Brunch

 If you follow me on social media, you'll know that my birthday was last week! I turned 19 years old. To celebrate on one of my last days in California, I hit the beach with some friends. We went to Santa Cruz, about an hour and a half south of Berkeley. Between the tanning, swimming, and boardwalk rides, it was a really fun time. I wore one of my favourite brands of bikinis- Triangl Swimwear. If you don't know about Triangl, they are an Australian company who sells neoprene bikinis, the material that wetsuits are made of. I do a full review on another style of their bikinis here. Here, I am wearing the Chloe top in Malibu Blue and the Ollie Penny Wanderlust bottoms both in size small. I chose to wear the Ollie bottoms because they fit snugly and securely, don't gape at all, and were not likely to come off in the waves. I love the bright colour of this bikini, and how sturdy the material is. I never once worried about a wardrobe malfunction. One thing that has to be noted is that the bottoms kind of collect water in the bum, and you have to let it out every time you get out of the water. It wasn't a huge hassle, but definitely something to think about.

The next day, I met up with one of my sorority sisters in the city (San Francisco) for an extended birthday brunch. It was such a beautiful day and warm in SF so I decided to go sleeveless. Here, I'm wearing a dress that was a birthday present from Francesca's. I absolutely love the colour. It's kind of a periwinkle colour and is quite unique. The lace layers make it look so delicate and sophisticated, while not being over the top. I feel like I could wear this dress casually, or to a more semi-formal event if I paired it with some heels and pearls. For shoes, I'm wearing a pair of gladiator snakeskin patterned sandals from Vince Camuto. They are really comfy and I thought the white colour would brighten up my look for summer. Finally, I grabbed my favourite Longchamp Le Pliage small tote. This bag is the perfect size for me to carry my camera, wallet, phone, and a light sweater. It has quickly become a staple in my wardrobe and is definitely a good investment. 

Get the look:

Chloe Malibu Blue Top- Triangl Swimwear

Ollie Penny Wanderlust Bottoms- Triangl Swimwear

 Mulberry Lace Dress- Francesca's Collections

Snakeskin Gladiator Sandals- Vince Camuto (similar)

Le Pliage Small Tote in Navy- Longchamp

Summer Staples and Back to School

It's almost time to go back to school, where did the time go? But since the summer is nearly over, I thought I would share some of my season staples. Every girl needs a pair of plain high waisted shorts. They are like the peanut butter to your jelly in the summertime- classic, comfortable, and a go-to choice when in a pinch. While I have blogged another pair from Naf Naf, I wanted a pair in a lighter wash. This pair is from Brandy Melville. These have become one of my favorite pairs of shorts because they are slightly longer in the back so they cover your whole bum. They're slightly distressed and frayed on the edge giving them a casual Cal look. 

The bralette has become one of my favourites these past few months. I wear it with jeans, shorts, skirts, under other tops- you name it. The strappy detail on the bust is super cute and unique. The material is also really soft. I threw on a simple grey cardigan because with Berkeley weather, you never know if it's going to be sunny and 75 or cloudy and misty. Finally, I slipped on a pair of black slider sandals. They're comfortable, easy to wear, and recently back in style. 

With the fall approaching, so is fall recruitment! As you can see from my tote, I'm a member of Pi Beta Phi, the first fraternity for women in the United States. Going Greek has been one of the best decisions of my college experience, and I encourage every girl- even if you don't think you're a "sorority girl"- to at least go through recruitment to keep your options open. If you want to see more posts focused around Greek life, let me know and I would be happy to share my experience!

Get the look:

Cardigan- Abercrombie & Fitch (similar)

Bralette- Brandy Melville

Denim Shorts- Brandy Melville

Sliders- Forever21 (similar)

Southern Collective and Co-ords

 

 

This past weekend definitely felt like summer, so I decided to break out some fun prints to go with the sunny weather. I've wanted to get my hands on a co-ord for forever, they're so cute and easy to throw on when you can't decide what to wear. You can also wear them as separates too so they're versatile! I got this set from a store in the UK called Southern Collective Clothing (hence the title of the post) whose clothes are all handmade, but unfortunately they don't sell this style anymore. There are still loads of shops where you can get matching sets though, like TopShop, Missguided, and New Look. The material is not stretchy but is still comfortable since the shorts fit loosely. The top is cut in an on trend way, with a slight high neck. I also really love the colours in this set, I don't usually wear yellow but I'm starting to warm up to it.

I've paired it with minimal brown strappy sandals from Forever21. They go with just about anything and slip on in a minute so they are my go-to summer shoes. I also decided to debut my new Longchamp Le Pliage, another staple. I have the small tote in Nylon in the colour navy. I think it's the perfect size and holds all the essentials. It's a classic and can be worn all year round. I've also wanted one of these for the longest time, they are definitely worth the hype! It also folds up and snaps for easy traveling.

Get the look:

Co-ord- Southern Collective Clothing (similar)

Sandals- Forever21 (similar)

Purse- Longchamp Le Pliage

Stay sunny,