october budget

1. J.Crew Blouse [seen here]: originally $110, on sale for $50
2. The Limited Pants [seen here]: originally $70, with code for $40
3. Madewell sweater: originally $80, on sale for $30
4. J.Crew Tee: originally $62.50, with student discount for $53
5. Forever 21 sweater: $22
6. Forever 21 sweater: $18
7. Gap Herringbone Vest [seen here]: originally $88, with codes for $50
8. Gap Loafers [seen here]: originally $40, with code for $22

+ $25 in altering slimming the knees of this pair of pants and letting down the hem on these

= $310 - $150 clothing sold - $75 gift card = $85

$500 quarterly budget - $120 in August - $200 in September - $135 in October = $95 left over

So this wraps up my first quarterly budget! I think it worked out pretty well, even though I had a little bit to add back into the budget with the sale of my J.Crew vest and a pair of jeans I wasn't wearing, and then a visa gift card I had. In the last three months I have purchased:

5 pairs of pants
5 sweaters
5 tops
3 pairs of shoes
1 necklace + 1 vest

Which isn't terrible I don't think, considering I wear many of these pieces (like the pants and shoes) several times a week. I'm so excited for the vest to FINALLY arrive. I had ordered it when it was first available, but my order was cancelled a week later because they were out of stock...except when I went on the website and they still had most sizes available. I ordered three again, and decided to stick with the Tall Large version as it left a bit more room for layering up. I think my other favorite purchase was the rhinestone top from J.Crew as I want to reach for it just about every other day.

This month for sponsorship, I received this beautiful watch from Daniel Wellington, and this pair of earrings and ring from BaubleBar.

So now we basically start a new quarter for November, December, and January. I need a coat for school as I finally threw away the ratty one I wore the last two years. I'm not sure exactly what I want - I'd love something very Olivia Pope- like, like this beautiful coat, but I'm not sure how really practical that would be. I'd also really like a dark flannel shirt, such as this one or possibly this red version, because ya know, winter!

So that's that! How'd the month of October work out for you? Link up below - please make sure you link back to this post so your readers can find other budgeting bloggers!

ask me anything: medical school

I loved loved loved reading all of your questions from the Ask Me Anything post. It turns out that all of the questions kind of fell into several topics - medical school, blogging, fashion/shopping, and general life questions. I'll answer the questions for each topic in different posts over the next few weeks because not everyone wants to hear about my study habits or where I buy pants or how I taught my dogs to be so awesome ( just kidding. no one asked that question. rude!). First up is everything related to medical school, medicine, and studying. If there is anything you maybe didn't get answered, feel free to ask in the comments section!

my friend Serine and I during the casting clinic last week

How stressful is medical school and do you feel like you still have a life outside of going to class and studying?

to the mall we will go

Shirt: H&M

Sweater: J.Crew Factory [exact]

Skirt: Anthro via eBay [similar]

Necklace: c/o Tryst Jewellery [exact]

Shoes: Banana Republic c/o Chippmunk [exact]

Belt: H&M

Life after anatomy has definitely been different, at least the last few days. My learning pathway means from here on out, I spend less time in lecture and more time learning on my own. This is awesome for several reasons. One, I can't learn from people talking at me, so lecture was mostly useless for me. Second of all, I get to wear whatever I want on the days I'm not in school! Yesterday was the first day really all week where I had to dress up to go to school. I initially was going to try to wear this outfit with my boots, but I don't think I can pull that look off.

After the studying was done for the day yesterday, my friends and I drove to the bigger mall a hundred miles away. We mostly just wanted to get out of town for a little bit, and really, I'll just take any excuse to go shopping. We stopped at Banana Republic first as they were (and still are!) having a 40% off store event. I tried on this sweater, and while I liked it, I wanted to see what else I could find in the mall before I bought it. The material is thin without being transparent, and because it is a wool/nylon/spandex mix, has a bit of stretch and "sucking in" to it. I'm wearing my usual size here. I've come to realize that v-neck sweaters are my favorite kind of sweaters, but I own very few of them. This emerald color would be a fun one to add so I will definitely keep an eye on it though in hopes that it eventually ends up in the sale section. I did find this cute dress in the sales section, and while it was really flattering on, I could really only think of about 2 ways to wear it, so I left it behind (it's cheaper in stores than online if you are interested - it's a really soft and stretchy, but still sturdy, dress).

On a mission to find the nearest pretzel stand, we discovered a Madewell store which I'm not sure was there when we were at this mall over Labor Day. Either way, I love Madewell but I stick to the sale section there. I found this sweater in a really pretty maroon, only one left, my size, on the sales rack. It's funny since just yesterday morning I was thinking about how versatile a sweater like that would be, and here it was waiting for me. With the 30% off sale prices, plus an additional 15% off for being a student, it came to just over $30. I've been carrying around a visa gift card for months now, so it technically didn't take anything out of my budget.

Our last stop was J.Crew. I originally just wanted to try on this peplum top and that scarf sweater that is sold out online. I found a whole stack of them, just waiting to be purchased by me. But then I tried it on:

I mean, it's fine. But it's not $100 LOVE. I'm glad I at least tried it on just so I could stop thinking about it. After a couple more thanks but no thanks items (namely this sweater and this dress - both horrible on me), I fell.in.love with this tee. I initially saw it on a mannequin and made four trips around the store before I found it hiding between some coats. Is it outrageously priced for a tee? Yep. But it is thick and beautifully embroidered and long enough on me, so I just bought it. At least with my student discount, and the rest of the gift card, it only cost me $10 out of pocket. I'm so excited about it. The picture doesn't really do it justice.

So that was our little half day trip out of town! This weekend I'm having a little girls weekend with my friend Caitlin as all of our other girlfriends are with their boyfriends or at home. MANICURES, PEDICURES, BRUNCH, HAPPY HOUR. I can hardly wait :)

P.S. I'm closing the Ask Me Anything survey at noon on Sunday. I've received some pretty awesome questions so far, but please feel free to ask anything you've been wondering about.

ask me anything!

This week has been kind of weird for getting dressed because half the time I have been at home napping with my puppies, and the other half I'm only in school for an hour so I haven't felt the need to put too much thought into what I'm wearing. I've been receiving more emails lately asking questions, so I thought maybe others had questions too but just didn't want to email me or whatever (but you totally should if you want to! I love emails). If there's something you've always wanted to know - how I manage to have the cutest dogs in the world, how hard is medical school really, how many licks does it really take to get to the center of a tootsie pop? - just ask below in form (or comments if you prefer). I won't be able to see who asks the questions, and I'll do a little Q&A next week!

P.S. Don't even think about it, Eric/Travis/Neel/Chris!

slimming the knees of dress pants & anatomy adventures

Today is our last day of anatomy and I'm torn about how I feel about that.

I'm actually pretty sad- it's crazy how far we've all come in the last twelve weeks. I was one of the unfortunate ones in the class who didn't take anatomy before, so learning everything in such a small amount of time was really, really intense. I would be lying if I said I didn't sit in front of my atlas crying a few times, but the closer I became with my lab group, and the more I figured out how to actually study, the better it got. 

To be able to cut into a human body and learn how everything works is definitely an experience few people get to have, so I'm thankful I got to be one of them. I think we all felt some kind of weird connection with our cadaver. It was disheartening to see how much our bodies go through as we age, but also inspiring that this person decided that they wanted to let us learn from them, even in death. I'm glad that our school structured it that we did anatomy first - it made this whole medical school/becoming doctors real. Now that we're basically done with anatomy (our cumulative exam is this afternoon - keep all of your digits crossed for me because I'm tested out), I'm sad that from here on out it's just books and flash cards. 

In other (not so morbid) news, I finally got my pants back from the tailor. When I initially compared these from The Limited against these from Banana Republic, my biggest issue was that the knees were just too baggy. This is a problem I have with all pants, so I finally just took them in to my tailor to see what she thought. She said it was a relatively easy fix, and pinned them on one knee to see the difference, as you can see below:

In the end, I'm pleased with the subtle improvement. They aren't perfect, there is still some bunching and pulling, but I think that is expected for all pants that are actually worn all day. Part of the problem is definitely the strange shape of my legs, but I do think that this slimming helped the weird bunchiness that was going on. It cost me $10 to have this done as they are unlined pants. I think the difference is worth that, so I may take my maroon pair in to have the same thing done the next time I need to take something in.

Shirt: J.Crew [exact on sale]

Sweater: J.Crew thrifted 

Pants: The Limited [exact]

Shoes: J.Crew Factory [exact on sale]

Watch: Fossil [similar]

Whoa, I feel that's a lot of J.Crew. Might have to add another piece to the collection this week though - I'm heading to Pittsburgh tomorrow for a bit of shopping (and buying groceries at Trader Joes apparently because my California friend is a crazy person and refuses to leave his apartment once it starts to snow so he needs to stock up on food), and I really want to try on this long sleeved peplum top while we're at a bigger mall that has a J.Crew. Has anyone tried it on yet? I wish that this sweater was still available because it's adorable - maybe I'll get lucky and fine a lone one in store? 

#hairspiration with vidal sassoon pro series

As a bunch of stressed out first year medical students, my friends and I don't get a lot of girly time to ourselves. We have to throw some professional outfits together in the morning, sit in lecture and anatomy lab all day, and then study into late in the night, so there isn't much time left for us to do fun things like watch our favorite TV show when it actually airs, or try out new hairstyles.

When Vidal Sassoon Pro Series offered to "host" a party just like that, we made sure to block of the night after our anatomy exam to do just that - watch our favorite TV shows (The Mindy Project and New Girl), talk hair and fashion trends, and try out different hair styles on each other. I love this kind of stuff - I've always been cutting/ coloring/ doing my friends' and siblings' hair, so I was super excited to get my hands on the gorgeous hair of my friends.

We were provided with a Target gift card to stock up on both hair supplies and treats. I bought one of every product, which worked out perfectly since each of the girls ended up taking home their favorite product. I was honestly surprised how affordable the products were - all were under $4! 

We started off the night with Kira, who has these amazing curls. My hair is pretty straight and boring, but Kira's hair just is so dang beautiful so I'm always jealous. We decided to go in the opposite direction though, just because we wanted to see what she looked like with straight hair!

one of the guys

 

It's like Bri always thinks of me when she is picking her Third Thursday Thread link-up. Menswear? Done and done. I try not to play up the girls too much anyway, so I love wearing pieces traditionally made for men to counteract them. This blazer was one of the first I ever purchased over two years ago, but it's one of my favorites. You can't see them, but there are elbow patches involved. It always reminds me of a German professor I had in college who used to wear one just like this.

Speaking of pieces that'll last you through the years, I'm so excited to show off my newest watch. Daniel Wellington has been a company I've been in love with for a long time - I wear their Classic watch at least once a week, so I was thrilled when they offered to send me a new design. I chose one with a lighter brown strap from the new line, which have a smaller face, and tiny Swarovski crystals on the time points. While I generally don't like bling on watches, these are so subtle but it adds just enough. If you are in the market for a timeless watch that'll go with everything, I highly recommend checking out Daniel Wellingon. Now through November 10th, you can get 15% off your purchase using the code Franish. If you want something on the girly side, the Classy line is the way to go. Want something a bit larger and masculine? Try the Classic line. And if you want something a bit sportier, try out the Classic with the natostrap. Don't forget to follow along on instagram and facebook where they post daily picks of their favorite follower pictures!

Watch: c/o Daniel Wellington [exact]

Blazer: H&M [adorable similar]

Chambray: J.Crew Factory [exact]

Pants: Gap [exact]

Boots: Frye [exact]

P.S. I'm guest posting for Shanna today while she's on the most amazing vacation. Read up on my budget, how I make my money stretch, and what I've learned along the way!

hell week

 

So much pink, so little time. It's our last anatomy hell week - 8 tests in 8 days. As much as I like anatomy (for the most part), it's draining to learn all of it in such a short amount of time. It's also pretty gruesome as we are literally removing heads from spines, and sawing faces in half to see the inside of the head. Medical school is so weird.

Blouse: J.Crew [exact on sale]

Cardigan: Banana Republic Factory

Skirt: Banana Republic [similar <$20]

Shoes: J.Crew Factory [exact]

Earrings: Tiffanys [exact]

Belt: Old Navy

who knows about your blog?

 

This was one of those outfits that I didn't really plan ahead on, but it was the day I received the most compliments about my outfit (it must be my awesome "carpet" shoes!). 

It was also the day one of my lab mates (CHRIS - yes, my lab partners name is the same as my boyfriends. Their birthdays are also a day apart. It makes it complicated when I'm talking to my girlfriends) decided it was time to let everyone around us know about my blog. The conversation went like this:

Girl in my class: I really like your shoes Fran!

Chris: YOU CAN GO READ IT ON HER BLOG, IT'S CALLED FRANISH, GO READ IT:

All boys around: YOU HAVE A BLOG?!?!? WHERE IS IT, I WANT TO UPLOAD IT TO REDDIT

It's weird, because he makes a good point about the fact that I don't care if all of you read my blog, but I don't want any one in real life to know about it. I think the big thing is that you guys read because you "get" blogging - outfit inspiration, reading about people's lives, talking about shopping. But to a bunch of medical students it might seem like just about the weirdest thing you can do. I kept blogging a secret from everyone for at least a month after I moved here, and then told some of my closer girlfriends, who think it's awesome (you'll meet them on here in the next few days!), but never intended for it to really get out to others. And especially not to boys! 

If you blog, how many people know about it? Do you tell everyone, or keep it all to yourself as your little secret?

Shirt: Gap [similar for a steal]

Pants: The Limited [exact]

Scarf: Victoria's Secret 

Shoes: Gap [exact | amazing splurge] 

save or splurge: herringbone puffer vest

Last winter, I bought the J.Crew excursion vest in navy. I wore it a few times, but the color made me get all weird about what to wear it with. I really liked the idea of the herringbone vest at J.Crew Factory when it first came out earlier this fall (as a re-incarnation of the herringbone vest from the retail store) but I wanted it to be actually embroidered instead of screen printed on. Jess also said that it is pretty boxy, which is something I try to avoid at all costs. Even though all of those things were in the back of my mind, I still starting getting the closet fomo after seeing all of the cute outfits on instagram. I even started searching on eBay to see if I couldn't get one for a relatively good price! I gave up that search pretty quickly (a $100 printed vest is not worth $200) and I was actually pretty upset that I would let myself spend money on something I didn't even really like. All that time on eBay made me realize I could sell my vest for a similar price I bought it for, so I ended up selling it for $100.

A few nights ago I was looking around the Gap website, and I saw the most perfect vest. It wasn't anywhere for purchase yet (I even tweeted at them asking why I can't find it anywhere), but they finally put it up yesterday. It's actually wool, not just screen printed polyster, it's fitted, and best of all, it comes in both regular, petite AND tall sizes. Full priced it's almost $90, but with the Columbus Day sale (code GAPSAIL for 35% off), it comes to just under $60. I ordered two to try out two sizes, both in tall, and can't wait to receive them! I think these are like the second coming of the original J.Crew vest, but better, so if you are looking for the perfect vest, I think this is it :)

Other awesome sale going on: J.Crew Factory is 50% off everything both online and in stores (perfect time to pick up my favorite Sylvia wedges if you've had your eye on them!). Here are a couple more pretties that are as low priced as they're going to get:

baublebar: buy all the jewelry!

My preferences with jewelry have slowly been evolving. I use to be a one simple necklace, two simple rings kind of girl. That is, until I discovered Pinterest. I realized that clothes are fine on their own, but the jewels make the outfit. I have been a long time peruser of BaubleBar (the monograms were what initially drew me to their site), so when Grace, blogger and social media maven for BaubleBar, reached out to me I was SO EXCITED. They sent me this adorable little midi ring, and these gorgeous earrings to try out. If you follow along on instagram, you will have noticed I haven't taken the ring off since I received it. BaubleBar is currently celebrating their Friends and Family event, so if you've been considering buying something, now is the time! Through the 13th of this month:

Get 10% off orders of $50 or more with code FRIEND10

Get 15% off orders of $100 or more with code FRIEND15

Get 20% off orders of $150 or more with code FRIEND20

My recommendations? This tortoise necklace will go with everything, and this cuff will look great stacked with a watch.

Ring: c/o Bauble Bar [exact]

Blazer: J.Crew, thrifted [save | worth it splurge]

Blouse: Forever 21 [exact]

Pants: Gap [exact]

Boots: Frye [exact]

Scarf: H&M

a few more favorites: 

linking up with mix and match fashion

over-thinking it

 

Navy. A color that should be so easy to wear, but I always have a problem with.  Back when I got to wear jeans every day (THE GOOD OLD DAYS), wearing blue was easy because what doesn't go with jeans? My schoolboy blazer (which is currently on sale for less than $120, down from $200) was worn at least once a week. Now that I have to wear dress pants/skirts/dresses, I'm always a bit confused about what to wear with the few navy tops I have. Navy doesn't go with black, but can I wear it with other blues? What about red? Do I always have to wear my cognac shoes/belts since my black ones would clash?

Is this the dumbest blog post you've ever read or what? Just wear your clothes Fran! I know, I know. I tend to over-think getting dressed. I want to improve my style while sticking true to what I like while re-wearing all the pieces I have, but in different ways. Oh, and then take pictures of it, and put it on the internet. Writing this blog has definitely helped me do those things - figure out what my style actually is and work on building a wardrobe that is composed of pieces I love but can re-wear, and if I go back to even a year ago I can see the improvement (OMG. I just went to look what I wore exactly a year ago, and it's this same shirt. Promise I did not plan that). At the same time, it makes me hyper-aware of things that are just so dumb: 

"My buttons are gold, but the metal on my belt is silver!"

"The watch band is dark brown, but my shoes are cognac!"

"WHY DOES THIS SKIRT WRINKLE SO EASILY"

Looking for a friend here. Anyone else over-think it?

Blazer: J.Crew [exact on sale with code EXTRA40]

Skirt: Anthro via eBay [similar]

Blouse: H&M

Scarf: H&M [similar]

Belt: H&M Mens

Watch: c/o Daniel Wellington [exact]

Shoes: BR c/o Chippmunk [exact]

Nails: Essie Marshmallow + OPI Kissed at Midnight

linking up with wiww.

review: banana republic sloan pant versus the limited exact stretch skinny pant

It feels like finding pants I like is a never ending thing here on the blog and in my life. I kind of hate dress pants, and wish I could just wear jeans all day every day, so finding something I actually like to wear, and am allowed to wear, has been a bit of a journey.

Many people have suggested trying out the Banana Republic Sloan Pants, and with all the great reviews and available colors online, I wanted to give them a try too. Because the navy pair was on back order until the end of the year, I ordered the Mythic Blue instead. Here are my thoughts:

I ordered these initially during a 40% off sale, which brought the price down to around $55 from $90. I am not the biggest fan. 

Pros:

• The fabric, a 50% viscose / cotton / spandex mix is very comfortable, and surprisingly thick.
• They come in a bunch of fun colors, and even in patterns.
• If you are taller than I am, these do come in talls which could make them long enough to be ankle pants instead of crops

Cons:

• I ordered them in a size 12 Tall because my pencil pants from the Limited are just a tiny bit shorter than I want (which is why they are currently at the tailor to be let down), so I was hoping that the tall length would fix that. I think these are now too long, and are full on pants, not ankle pants. 
• They are too loose in the knee and leg area, which makes me look dumpy. I'm not sure how much my opinion would change if I tried these on in a regular instead of a tall, which would make them more like real ankle pants. Unfortunately, I do not have a BR in my area so I can't try them on.
• Like the J.Crew Minnie pants [review here], these also do not have front pockets, which I just don't understand. Maybe it's different for me because on my body my thighs stick out in the front, so I need something that breaks up that area, instead of drawing attention to my thighs like this whole no pocket business is doing. 
• Dry Clean only 

See Jean's [of Extra Petite] review here, and Lauren [from The Pear Shape] will have one coming up in a few days as well, if you are interested in seeing them on various body types.

In comparison, The Limited Exact Stretch Skinny Pants:

I already own these pants in the maroon color, so I knew what I was getting myself into. I went in recently with my roommate while they were having a 40% off sale, and picked these up in blue. Here are more detailed thoughts, and what still needs to change

Pros:

• Machine washable! 
• Front pockets help break up the thigh area
• The color isn't too dark (I thought the pencil pants in navy were almost black, but these you can clearly see are navy)
• Long enough off the rack in regulars to be considered ankle pants, not cropped pants (per our dress code anyway!)

Cons:

• I liked the fabric of the Sloan pants a bit more. These are still nice and stretchable, but not as soft as the viscose fabric of the Sloan.
• Still too loose in the knee. This is a problem I have with all pants, so I spoke with my tailor, and for around $10 (as these are unlined pants), she's taking the knees in on these. If that is successful, I will have her do it to my maroon pair as well. I'll write an update on that for sure as I think it's somewhat of a stranger alteration, but something some of you may be interested in too if you have weird legs like me ;)

So that's it! The Limited Pants are here to stay - they've really been pulling through for me as all but one pair of my dress pants are from there. I'm now officially done buying pants for a while. I hope all of these various reviews (see the Gap dress pants, J.Crew Minnie, Gap Ponte Pants) have helped some of you in your own journey to find pants that don't make us look like we have elephant legs!

P.S. J.Crew is running a 40% off all final sale items using code EXTRA40 - I may have made my friend Neel add this shirt in with his order so we could split shipping. I'm glad I waited out on the price as it's been hovering around $90 for months now, and finally went under $50 with the current promotion. Is there anything you have your eye on? 

happy heart happy life

 

It was such a good weekend! Like I said on Friday, Chris and I have spent the last three months apart so deciding to do a last minute trip half way between us was exactly what we needed. It was Chris's birthday on Friday, and I'm so glad we got to celebrate at least the last hour of it together (in the middle of Indiana).

We did a bunch of annoying couple things, but also went out into the real world to buy his birthday present. He wanted a second G-Shock watch because they apparently are what all the surgeons he works with wear, so we went and bought him this one. Boy fashion, mmkay. While he was busy deciding which watch he wanted, I spent a good amount of time staring down all the rose-gold watches. I've wanted one for so long (years!) but I'm really picky about watches (I hate little fake diamonds and little fake hands). I have a little bit of extra money coming in in about a month, so I'm thinking about taking a portion to buy a watch (outside of my budget - such a rebel). I really like the look of this one, and possibly something a little bit more masculine like this (which is actually a guys watch). Any recommendations or experiences with Michael Kors or Stuhrling watches? I'm not looking to buy one immediately, but would like to narrow down the choices.

On the way around the mall, we somehow found ourselves in Forever 21. I've been wearing my cream open cardigan almost every day (it's a great cardigan to study in), so when I was heading towards the check out line to buy this sweater (it's super soft and long enough on me!) and saw that it came in maroon too, I was torn. I rarely buy duplicates of items, but I like the cream version so much, and I knew that I would actually wear it all the time (and actually do that, not just say it), so I bought it as well. I used to really hate open cardigans, but I've completely changed my mind on them, especially the thicker sweater kind. It's like wearing a snuggie, but a socially acceptable one. I'm always a little bit torn on shopping at Forever 21 though. While filled with heaps of super trendy items a la the lip sweater seen all over the blogosphere, they also have some great "staple" pieces that I wear over and over again. The quality is totally hit or miss, but I've had pretty good luck with their knits, even though I'm always a bit sheepish to admit where they're from. I know that they've also had some issues with copying of smaller designers, so it's a constant internal battle of inexpensive clothing versus being a better consumer.

We went into Gap looking for a winter jacket for Chris, but of course made a quick trip to the women's section. I've been admiring Whitney and Dotty's black and white geometric shoes, so when I saw this awesome herringbone pair, I marched them straight to the cash register. Chris says they look like carpet (may be true) but I think they are awesome, and I don't own any printed shoes (does leopard count?) so I'm really excited about them. Like most Gap shoes, they'll require some breaking in, but that's nothing a little buffer stick can't take care of. I also spotted this sweater dress, which is a total dupe of the Madewell version, so if you've had your eye on the more expensive version (as seen on Dotty, Erika, all the cool kids), this may be a great alternative for winter as it's fleece lined. I wish the sleeves were not so capped sleeved (never my friend) or else I would totally have tried it on. 

Of course there was more than just shopping, including delicious Mexican food, arcade game playing, and late night pizzas for watching Miley on SNL. Driving away from each other was a lot easier this time than it was when I first left because I knew I was returning to good people, and because I know that I'll get to see him in 6.2 weeks (at Thanksgiving. No I don't have a countdown. Okay, yes I do.)

Jeans: Kut from the Kloth via Nordstrom Rack

Tee: Everlane [exact - reviewed here]

Belt: Gap [current color]

Shoes: Banana Republic c/o Chippmunk [exact]

Bag: Coach [very similar style]

Bracelet: c/o Apple of My Eye

Watch: Target

via instagram

distance makes the heart grow...

 

Sadder. Chris and I are going on month three of not having seen each other. It's the longest we've ever not seen each other in the 5.5 years we've been dating. The first summer we were dating we lived on opposite sides of the country while he did an internship and I worked as a camp counselor, but ever since then we've never spent more than a week apart. After living together for four years, moving ten hours away has been a real adjustment, as anyone who has ever done this damn LDR stuff knows. With him doing away rotations on the west coast in August and September, and me going through the first few months of medical school closer to the east coast, figuring out a way to see each other has been difficult.

Except this weekend. This weekend we get half a weekend to be together and I'm so excited :)

Dress: Madewell [exact on sale]

Cardigan: Old Navy [similar | awesome chevron version]

Necklace: Kate Spade [birthday present from Chris]

Ring: c/o Tryst Jewellery [exact]

Shoes: Banana Republic c/o Chippmunk [exact]

Belt: H&M Mens

review: gap ponte legging jeans

 

With it finally being fall here (didn't you know? IT'S FALL Y'ALL!), it means that it's time for the two best things about fall - boots and scarves (PSL not included). Last year I wore my boots with jeans all the time, but that's not dress code appropriate at school, so I'm happy to say that I have a new, even more comfortable, alternative.

These ponte knit "legging pants" received rave reviews both from some of you guys, and the online reviews. During a recent 40% off promotion (that happen every other week), I finally ordered them. I decided to go down a size based on some of the reviews, and it's a good thing I did as they definitely run a bit larger. I ordered these in a 10 Regular (usually I buy pants in talls/longs) as I mainly want to wear them with boots, so I wouldn't have cared if they were a bit too short. It seems that they are also a bit longer as I have to fold them over to wear with flats (as seen below). 

The rayon /nylon /spandex fabric is so comfortable and stretchy, which also means that for them not to be baggy you want to size down at least one size. I have been wearing them for about a day straight, with lots of walking around, sitting, and napping (gotta try out all of the positions!) and I have not experienced any sagging around the butt or knees (the two places it's most likely to happen on me). The fabric is much thicker than a regular leggings, but still on the not structured end spectrum of pants. Because they have seams, pockets, and a zipper, they definitely look like pants, but feel like leggings, so they may not be appropriate for every work place. I know that with boots that these will be great for school, but they are very form fitting all the way down the leg, so I don't think I'll wear them with just flats to school. On the other hand, I think these will be a huge staple on weekends just because they are so comfortable, yet are more polished than wearing sweats to Panera for our 10+ hour sessions there.

Now that I have the pants, I can't wait to find the boots! 

Edit: I forgot to mention that these are an online exclusive, which means that they will also have to be returned by mail (but Gap has free returns so that's not that big of a deal)

and for the weekends:

Pants: Gap [exact]

Chambray: Old Navy [similar]

Necklace: gift from Kimmie :)

Boots: Frye [exact]

Flats: Banana Republic [exact]

Belt: H&M Mens

polka dots!

I love polka dots, as you guys very well know. I really loved seeing all of the different ways these six other bloggers wore theirs! Make sure you check each of their posts here:

2 Girls in 2 Cities 

Sorority Girl in the Real World 

Amanda Kathryn  

Thirties' Two Cents 

I Get My Crafty from My Mama