Yellow

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Adorned Wrists

I have always loved a pretty statement necklace. Throw one on over a silk blouse or a plain tee and you're ready to go. Other than wearing a few signature pieces (watch and bracelets) on my wrists, I've never been too much into elaborate arm adornments. However, designers such as Ann Taylor and Kenneth Jay Lane have created a number of beautiful bracelets that are certainly game-changers for me. These affordable and alluring pieces are the perfect complement to whatever little (or large) stack you already have going. Pile on!

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For the Love of Gingham!

Long reserved only for picnics and the preppiest of fraternity boys, gingham has made its way to be a most versatile pattern for daily wear. Pair with colored skinnies, tuck into a skirt, or throw a sweater over it- the possibilities are numerous. Take a cue from these bloggers around the web and stock up on the checkered treasures.

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Shirt//J. Crew

Necklace//Anthropologie

Skirt//Net-A-Porter

Shoes//Madewell

Weekly Favorites

I hope that everyone is having a wonderful and relaxing long holiday weekend so far! Here are my favorite posts from around the web this week:

A home tour of Jen Ramos' home from MadeByGirl on The Lifestyle Guide. Very beautiful and clean white interiors with colorful artwork made by Jen herself.

Summer essentials on The Vault Files. Casual and wear-with-all pieces.

A very inspirational message from Chiara at The Blonde Salad.

Style spotlight on Rachel Bilson at One Stylish Day At A Time. 

A peek into Diane von Furstenberg's colorful NYC apartment on Brunch at Saks. 

A pretty pastel outfit at Atlantic-Pacific.

Perfect accessories for the summer at The Daily Crush.

Enjoy the rest of your holiday!

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To Paris

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A Seahorse

I have been itching for a new iPhone case and came across this lovely little Tory Burch number from Nordstrom. I can't imagine anything more perfect, colorful, or festive for summer. I'm not usually a fan of having animals on my clothes/shoes/accessories, but this vibrant seahorse certainly bypasses that concession.

Find it here!

A Hint of Leopard Part 2

As promised, here is part two featuring belts and shoes! I will be the first to raise my hand and say that I obsessively watch the Kardashians. All three (or however many they have nowadays) shows, tirelessly. But I can only get so much of their high-end meets Jersey shore animal print fashion strategies. Take a cue from these pictures, and add a spot of leopard to jazz up an outfit, colorful or not. It many ways, it's considered a neutral, so don't be timid! It's very possible for animal print to be refreshing.

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A Sunny Day

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More Macarons

After being semi-successful on my first venture making macarons, my sister and I decided to make another foray into the expansive and complicated field of French macarons. With this recipe by Annie's Eats in tow, an appetizing combination of hazelnut macarons with Nutella filling, we quickly made our way to the kitchen.

Disaster struck rather early into the process. In fact, the oven hadn't even been turned on yet. While pulsing the nuts in the food processor, I noticed that the almond/hazelnut flour was clumping up. Due to freezing the nuts, they were attracting moisture and forming into little pellets. I decided to put the mixture through the sieve, and while some dry flour made it through, most of it stayed clumped up in the sieve. My sister likened it to cleaning the litter box (ummm, ew). Thus, the process was further delayed while I set out the moist mixture in a flat glass bowl to dry out.

Finally, we got the mixture to be even, and it was relatively smooth sailing from there on out. We made the shells broader and thinner, and let them sit out for a whole two hours. I think that's what made all the difference. A firm coat was able to form on the shells, which allowed for feet to form. Yes, they had feet! I've never been so proud.

Let's compare the two batches.

Needless to say I'm rather embarrassed of my first attempt. I'm so glad I was able to redeem myself. Lesson learned: broader and thinner shells, and DO NOT pulse the nuts while still frozen. Recipe for disaster. And almond flour dust everywhere. 

Maybe next time will offer an even more varied flavor profile? I'm thinking something with fruit.