look for less- city sophisticate

Yes, the inspiration photo for this look is of a toddler. But just look at this kid! I die.

the always fabulous Evie

You wear that cute trench coat and you're standin' and posin'
You got soul, you got too much soul

Ideally I'd know the cost of an inspiration outfit so I can make an outfit that costs less money, but my guess is this lil gal's miniature sized trench and pants cost just as much as the adult version.

Each of the components of this outfit are in trend right now, so you can easily find them at a variety of stores if you don't own some of them already. I originally picked these blue legging jeans from Gap, but found these $44.99 pants at Land's End. The trench is from Forever 21 and is $32.80. There are two choices for shoes and head scarf. The top options mimic the photo better and is less expensive, but the bottom options create a more grown-up look. The blue zig zag scarf is only $3.80 and is another Forever 21 find. The dark brown Mary Jane's are $19.99 at Payless (they got great reviews and probably look cuter on than they do in the pic). I'd personally go for the $4.95 hairband from H&M and the $40 bronze flats from Zappos. I think Evie would approve.

view all details here
outfit 1 total cost- $101.58
outfit 2 total cost- $122.74

five and goodbye!

*warning* the second video on this post will start playing the second you open it.

Tomorrow we'll be on the big island in Hawaii for ten days with my parents, my sister and her husband and my brother and his wife. We haven't seen John-Michael (my brother) since he married Sky in August. I'm packing tissues.

It's about time to zip up the suitcases and start channeling sandy beaches and sunshine! I just re-read our itinerary and got even more excited, if that's possible.

Even though I'll be away enjoying Hawaii, The Blog Around the Corner will still be here! I have some great guest posts lined up for while I'm away along with a few that I've already put together. For now, here are five things I'm currently grinning over...

1. my friend and former classmate Eileen not only has the cutest mop of curls you've ever seen, she's also got a gorgeous voice. Click here to listen.

girl can rock a scarf. pic by Sarah Wiegand

2. and then there's this album by Isaac - another classmate of mine from JMU who also has a mop of curls.  what are the odds? I especially love "walk you through the night."

3. Imani has a new line! I can't figure out which one I want most... maybe the Rahisi? SO fun.

the "Rahisi" necklace in pink/tangerine/yellow

4. I weeded through my nail polishes and made room for a few new paints, including "Posh" by Revlon. All Revlon polishes were on sale for $2 at Rite Aid and it took a lot of restraint for me to not buy more. I've never had green nails before (I tend to pick up purples and browns) but this peppy color caught my eye.

from here and OMG holy cow look at how many polishes this gal owns

5. My new favorite body wash couldn't be more perfect for our trip. I normally use a bar of Dove, but this was on sale at Wal-Mart and I was sold after taking a whiff. I've already poured some in a travel sized container so I won't have to stuff the whole bottle into my bag.

product details here

Can't wait to share everything when I return! Aloha.

calling all advice givers

We leave Frederick tomorrow night to sleep at my parents house before our early flight to Hawaii on Thursday morning. That means I have roughly two days to finish shopping and packing and I am about to lose my mind over here! We're taking two carry ons and checking one bag, and I can't forget to leave some room for Kona coffee and other souvenirs. Also, this is the first time I'm traveling with my camera (and my new macro lens), so, yeah, my heart is pounding.

Help me, please?

1. What shouldn't I pack?
2. What should I pack that I maybe haven't thought of?
3. BOOKS! I need more books to bring! What should I read? What should Andy read?
4. Am I crazy for not taking this opportunity to buy a new beach bag? I think I threw Grandma's out in the move...
5. How do I fit everything? I know to roll clothes - any other tips?

This is only the beginning...

sun hat, polarized glasses, light scarf for my hair, a few of the tops I'm bringing, maxi dress for the luau, shorts, walking shoes, belts, books, tankini, water shoes... sandals not pictured cuz I was wearing them...

weekending v. 13

First things first. Les Mis is coming to theaters THIS CHRISTMAS eeee!!!

What do you think of the cast? I'm keeping an open mind. I wonder how long the movie is going to be?

So. This weekend. My parents came up yesterday and brought my old bedroom furniture with them, so we now have another guest room furnished! The Rennie B&B is expanding... but there's still more work to be done. We hung more art, dumped some furniture and put together a kitchen table for our bay window nook. I managed to pull a muscle in my back even though I hardly lifted a finger, so the rest of the weekend has been spent on a heating pad. Today was too boring to write about. It's all good, though - next weekend we'll be in HAWAII!

look for less - short wedding dress

If you've seen my fashion posts, you know I love putting outfits together. Most of those outfits are craaazy expensive though, so I'm mixing things up and putting together budget-friendly ones instead. I'm going to start publishing weekly "looks for less" - inexpensive looks based on pictures I find on the Internet. Drop by each Friday to see what I've put together and let me know what you think!

lace dress - $698 from this Etsy shop

(the bride got it right. the groom, not so much.)

How cute are short wedding dresses? The one above has two of my favorite wedding dress details - lace and scalloped edges. For many brides, the $700 price tag (not including shipping) is a steal. But $700 isn't chump change for someone who is maybe paying for her own wedding. To recreate the look, I chose a $179 dress from Macy's (love the back) and paired it with $50 fuschia heels from DSW. The pop of color is fun and unexpected, but it's not for everyone. The earrings are from Charlotte Russe and they're only $6! No one has to know... Finally, give your almost-kissed-by-your-husband lips a swipe of $8 drugstore lip gloss. I tried this stuff the other day and loved the way it felt on my lips. It really does give you a fuller pout - perfect for pictures!

view all details here

cost of dress and shoes combined - $229