A Blonde's Moment

end of summer dress

August 24, 2015 by Rachel McCarthy

Dress: J.Crew | Shoes: Jessica Simpson {on sale!} | Bag: Modalu {similar under $200 here} | Sunglasses: Prada {similar under $70 here} | Bracelet: Kate Spade | Fitness Tracker: Mira | Ring: David Yurman | Lipstick: Bobbi Brown {pink blossom}

Happy Monday, friends! Can you believe this is the last full week of August?! Time needs to slow down! With summer gradually coming to an end, today I wanted to talk about end of summer dresses. I picked up this dress on sale last weekend while in Chicago and I’m so glad it was still in stock in my size. I love the black and white floral print and think it’s a great style to wear as we transition into fall. It can easily be paired with a cardigan and open toe booties to make it more fall-like. Although, you may not want to cover up the back of this dress. How cute is the cut-out triangle?! Below, I’ve linked to some other end of summer dresses that I’m loving right now too 🙂

For those of you who follow me on Instagram, you may notice that I have been obsessing over my Mira fitness tracker. I love working out and I have always wanted a fitness tracker, it seemed like a great way to keep track of your exercise activity and goals. Until now, I haven’t found a “cute” fitness tracker that would go with everyday looks. Sometimes, you want something more than a rubber band! I’ve been wearing this Mira fitness tracker since Chicago, and I’m so happy with it! You can easily take the black “stone” off the bracelet and attach it to your workout gear, so it’s easy to use for workout purposes as well.

Hope you all have a wonderful week!

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create + cultivate

August 20, 2015 by Rachel McCarthy

Today, I am sharing a recap of the Create & Cultivate Conference in Chicago that I attended this past weekend. Create & Cultivate is a conference for female entrepreneurs in the digital space. The day was filled with workshops, panels, mentor sessions, a beauty bar, pop-up shops with plenty of opportunities to share fabulous pictures on all social media platforms. It was such a great opportunity to hear some of the most influential bloggers in the industry, including Rachel Parcell of Pink Peonies and Emily Jackson of Ivory Lane, speak and meet other like-minded bloggers from all over the world! As a side note, for all the other bloggers out there, I would definitely recommend checking out the conference if it ever comes to your area!

Serious consideration went into the outfit for conference day. The day started at 8am and lasted until 8pm, so something that was cute, yet comfortable, was a necessity! Although I did opt for heels, at least they were my new favorite pair with the shorter heel 🙂

Dress: J.Crew {on sale & comes in more colors!} | Shoes: Sam Edelman | Bag: Chanel {found a cute alternative for under $40!} | Necklace: J.Crew | Ring: David Yurman | Watch: Kate Spade | Bracelet: here & here | Earrings: similar here | Sunglasses: Prada | Lips: Liner {boldly bare}, Lipstick {creme cup}, Lipgloss {turkish delight}

Here are a few snaps from the day…

A wall of donuts. YUM!!

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back to school

August 19, 2015 by Rachel McCarthy

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Can you believe it’s already that time of the year?! Where did summer go! Growing up in Ohio, we always went back to school after Labor Day, so there are only a few weeks left before kids start heading back to the classroom. And I’m sure some have already started!

I always loved school and back to school shopping was something I looked forward to each year. Not only did I love picking out new clothes {who wouldn’t!} but I truly got excited for a new start each September. Believe it or not, I actually liked picking out all my color {pink} coordinated supplies just as much as picking out my new wardrobe!

I think this is the perfect wish list for back to school for the college kids and thankfully, I think I could find a use for each of these items without even having to go back to school 🙂 I may even be willing to venture from my usual leopard phone case for fall for this one. And I just love these glitter ballet flats — comfortable yet chic for you first day of class!

Thanks for stopping by and have a wonderful Wednesday!

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Instagram Lately

August 18, 2015 by Rachel McCarthy

Just a quick Instagram recap for today’s post. I am finally back home in Virginia and regular posts will resume tomorrow! It was a fun couple of days, but I am SO happy to be home and I’m looking forward to getting back to my normal routine tomorrow.

For those of you who follow me on Instagram, you may already know that you can shop my looks right from the app! And it’s super easy to register. Visit liketoknow.it and sign up with your e-mail address. Anytime you “like” a photo with the www.liketoknow.it/ link, you will receive an e-mail with all the outfit details! You can receive e-mails hourly, daily or weekly — it’s up to you!

Here’s how to get started:

1) Register on the LIKEtoKNOW.IT website {here}

2) Like Instagram photos that include the www.liketoknow.it/ link

3) Receive ready-to-shop product links right in your inbox!

^^ Suitcase | Quilted Bag {under $200 here} | Leopard Pumps | Booties | Pink Bag | Hat

^^ Bag | Dress | iPad Case | Shoes

^^Dress {similar here} | Shoes {under $50 here} | Bag

^^ Jacket | Leggings {similar here} | Tee | Pink Bag | Quilted Bag | Flats | Suitcase | Hat | Sunglasses

Thanks for stopping by and have a fabulous Tuesday!

scalloped lace

August 17, 2015 by Rachel McCarthy

Dress: Nordstrom, last season {similar under $100 here} | Bag: Chanel {similar under $200 here} | Shoes: similar under $50 here | Earrings: Zinnia West c/o | Bracelet: CAbi | Lipstick: YSL {#007}

Happy Monday, everyone! I just got back from Chicago yesterday, so excuse the short post, but I wanted to share with you what I wore Friday evening for Create & Cultivate! You can see a few pictures from the weekend on Instagram and I will also be sharing some here later this week, so stay tuned!

Hope you all had a wonderful weekend!

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denim + leopard

August 13, 2015 by Rachel McCarthy

Tee: Old Navy | Jacket: J.Crew | Jeans: similar & on sale!| Bag: Tory Burch, also here | Shoes: Sam Edelman, slightly higher heel version here | Hat: Nordstrom | Sunglasses: Ray-Ban | Earrings: Nordstrom | Ring: BaubleBar | Watch: Kate Spade, new version here | Necklace: Kendra Scott | Lipstick {creme cup}, Lipgloss {turkish delight}

Happy Friday Eve, everyone! I told you might be seeing these leopard pumps again…I just can’t get enough of them! As I mentioned in Monday’s post, one of my favorite things about leopard print is that it can truly act as a neutral. I always love the denim on denim look, and I think adding the pop of leopard is the perfect touch — it’s neutral enough to work with the different shades of denim, yet striking enough to make a statement!

I’m off to Chicago this weekend for the Create + Cultivate Conference so I have some serious packing to do! You can follow along on Instagram and Snapchat {rach.mccarthy7} for a behind the scenes look at the weekend!

Have a fabulous weekend and see you on Monday!

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red

August 12, 2015 by Rachel McCarthy

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Happy Wednesday! We’ve officially made it to the halfway point of the week! Today’s Wednesday Wishes is all about a slightly new color obsession of mine: red. I’ve never been much of a fan of the color {I blame it on the fact that it was one of my school colors growing up and I had way too much of it in my closet!} but recently, I have been seeing so many red accessories I love. I even painted my toe nails red the other night which was a huge change for me. I’m all about shades of pink in the summer 🙂

This outfit inspiration all started around this striped skirt. When I first saw it, I of course loved the stripes, but the tapestry-like band at the hemline is what won me over. I feel like the skirt can be styled so many different ways, from casual to work to a night out…and everything in between! And speaking of skirts, I also have had my eye on this one…which would pair so perfectly with red, right?!

When it comes to red accessories, this lipstick is one of my favorite. It’s a super intense color that really makes your lips pop. I especially love wearing it around the holidays, but it’s also a year-round lipstick as well. And, as the name describes, this lipstick will stay on all day. No joke! You will have to scrub it off, which in my opinion, makes for a great lipstick. I don’t know about you, but I hate having to reapply my lipstick or gloss several times throughout the day!

Thanks for stopping by and have a great Wednesday!

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lemon artichoke risotto

August 11, 2015 by Rachel McCarthy

When it comes to a favorite Saturday night dinner, I think risotto takes the cake. I love experimenting with different kinds of risotto and incorporating different ingredients depending on what vegetables are in season. Risotto might not seem like the ideal dinner for the middle of August, but the combination of lemon and artichokes create the perfect light, refreshing and summery dish. I used frozen artichokes that I thawed because I didn’t have time to clean and cook fresh artichokes, but fresh could easily be substituted!

Lemon Artichoke Risotto

{what you will need}

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 shallots, chopped

1 clove garlic, minced

2 cups arborio rice

32 ounces chicken stock {I used reduced sodium}

8 ounces frozen artichokes, thawed & chopped

1 lemon, juiced

1 tablespoon butter

1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, plus more for garnish

Salt and pepper to taste

{instructions}

Place chicken stock in a medium pan and keep the heat on low to warm the stock. Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large pan over medium heat and cook the shallots and garlic until just golden brown, about 2 minutes. Add the rice and stir to coat, incorporating completely. Pour about 1/2 cup of warm chicken stock into the rice mixture and stir until completely absorbed. Continue to stir and add the stock 1/2 cup at a time, just until the liquid is absorbed. Repeat this process until the rice is fully cooked, about 20 minutes. {I used just about all of my chicken stock and tasted the rice at this point to check it’s “doneness”} Add the chopped artichokes and lemon juice and stir to combine. Allow the artichokes to heat for about 1-2 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the butter and Parmesan cheese; season with salt and pepper if needed. Garnish with additional Parmesan cheese, if desired.

Happy cooking and thanks for stopping by!

leopard accessories

August 10, 2015 by Rachel McCarthy

Top: Leith via Nordstrom | Skirt: J.Crew, almost sold out {found a super similar one here} | Jacket: J.Crew | Shoes: Sam Edelman | Bag: Mark & Graham | Sunglasses: Prada | Earrings: Zinnia West c/o | Ring: Kendra Scott, also here | Bracelets: here, here | Watch: Kate Spade, new style here | Lipstick {creme cup}, Lipgloss {turkish delight}

Happy Monday! Hope everyone had a wonderful weekend! I wanted to wear my fabulous white skirt find one last time before summer comes to an end {how is it already almost the middle of August?!} and I thought what better way to accessorize than with leopard! It’s no secret that I have a serious love with this animal print and I think it works so well with this all white and denim look! And I cannot tell you how obsessed I am with my leopard pumps — they have a shorter heel so it makes wearing them all day totally realistic! I feel like I will be wearing them a lot as we approach fall and you may even see them again later this week 😉 Leopard is a neutral, right?!

A few weeks ago, I shared the Zinnia West “Ella” bracelet with you {you can see the post here}, and today I am wearing another gorgeous Zinnia West piece. These statement earrings add just the right amount of sparkle and with the black stones, they are made for transitioning to fall. I wear a ton of black, especially during the work week, and I love that these earrings can really spruce up a simple look. You can see more of Zinnia West’s earrings here.

Hope you all have a wonderful start to the week!

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summer to fall in monochrome

August 6, 2015 by Rachel McCarthy

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Happy Thursday, friends! One of my favorite color combinations is black and white. There is just something so chic about this monochromatic look — there is nothing like a black and white outfit with a pop of red lipstick! As you may know, I have had fall on my mind lately, so I wanted to share some outfit inspiration that is perfect for late summer and early fall.

Black and white is one of my go-to color combinations in the fall and winter, but it can be easily worn in the summer as well, especially when this cute panama hat and strappy sandals are involved! And it’s easy to take these colors to fall by swapping the panama hat for a floppy fedora and suede paneling pants — how fun are those! Although I love my open-toe booties that I wore yesterday {here’s the post in case you missed it!} the wooden heel and buckle on these is just too perfect for words!

Have a wonderful weekend!

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