Leopard Hoodie  |  Leggings  |  Espadrille Sneakers

This week has been hectic with the move!  I find myself constantly working to finish moving items out of the apartment so I can clean and officially hand in the keys (goodbye apartment life).  The one thing I make sure to find time for are daily walks with my dog Odin.  Each morning we take a short stroll around the loop in the suburb before I head out to work.  In the evenings the walks are longer and it's actually light enough to see what the new neighborhood is like.  One thing I have noticed is how many other dogs are in our little suburb!  Almost every other house has dogs that bark at us as we go by.  It's nice to know that dog barking won't be an issues seeing as most people have dogs, not that Odin barks a ton but it does give peace of mind.

Another thing I love about the new neighborhood are the sidewalks and street lights!  Seems simple, I know, but after living in the apartment for over 3 years and not having those amenities to walk the dog made it an actually chore.  Not being able to see in the morning or at night depending on the time of year and walking on the edge of the road making us vulnerable to getting hit by a car.  Oh the simple things in life! I have definitely been more motivated to walk the dog twice a day everyday now that the walking conditions are nice.  Hopefully we meet more neighbors soon, the only one I have met is the one house we share a property line with.  She has three little dogs; we call them Odin's fence buddies :)

The past couple weeks I have been putting a fishtail braid in my hair because it's quick, easy, and I don't need to apply heat to my hair.  I have gotten a few comments/questions about it so I wanted to share a quick tutorial on how to braid a fishtail.  Hopefully this tutorial is easy to follow! 

Step 1:  gather all the hair to one side and use a small, clear plastic hair tie to keep it loosely in place.

Step 2:  split the side ponytail into two equal sections.

Step 3: take a one inch section of hair from the back of one side of the split ponytail.  Bring that small section of hair to the front of the other side.  Basically, cross one small section over to the opposite side.

Step 4:  starting with the side of the ponytail you just added a section too, take a one inch section from the back and cross it over to the other side.  All your doing is crossing sections from one side to the other in an alternating pattern.  Continue steps 3 & 4 until you reach the ends of your hair.

When you reach the end, secure the braid with another clear plastic tie.  The braid should look like this!  It's up to you if you want to leave the braid as it is or make it look "messy."  Keep following the instructions below for more volume!

Step 5:  starting from the top of the braid, tug on each side to loosen the braid and add volume.  Work your way down until you reach the end.  This will give your braid a "messy" look that's more relaxed.

Step 6 (optional):  now that the braid is complete there are two options.  Either add a cute silk tie at the top to cover the hair tie or cut the hair tie off for a seamless transition.  This braid is a great way to change up a look and is super easy to do!  I may try a french braid version of the fishtail where you start closer to the top of your head and add hair so that the braid is longer and less loose at the top.

If you have any questions, let me know in the comments! 

Lace Top  | Tomgirl Jeans  |  Espadrille Wedges
Hoop Earrings  |  Lips "Creme Brulee"

It's been a gorgeous spring week here in west Michigan, full of sunshine and warmer temperatures.  The effect sunshine has on my mood is incredible.  I've been so happy!  Not to mention all the cute spring attire I have been able to wear this week.  Abercrombie has killed it with their spring line, most of which I am proud to say I own.  This lace top is gorgeous!  Lace detailing all over, a silk ribbon tied in a bow in the back with a little open area to show off some skin and it has a built in tank top to keep you covered.  The color is a deeper blush and I'm obsessed!  Pretty sure most of the tops I bought for spring include this pinky hue (#noshame).  I was bummed to see it's sold out online, there are similar options that I have linked in the widget below.  This version is gorgeous as well !!

LIFE UPDATE:  As you know, Darin and I recently bought a house.  Originally, there was 30 days for us to pack and get our affairs in order.  After a call from our realtor yesterday, we get the keys this Sunday afternoon!  As thrilled as we are to be moving into the house next week, it also feels like a rush to get things packed and services switched over so soon.  The hope is to be completely moved in by next weekend.  Get ready for some home blog posts coming your way!! 

Long Sleeve Tee |  High Waist Tie Shorts
Toggle Necklace  |  MK Tote  |  Wedges

​The latest trend in shorts are high waist with a tie and they are to die for!  I love the look and feel of these shorts.  It's a fabulous mix of office casual with everyday neutral.  This pair from Abercrombie comes in a few color options.  I'm wearing a size small and the fit is great.  For reference, I am 5'4" so you can see that the shorts have some length to them (no worries about your booty hanging out).  The whole paperbag trend in pants is now available in a shorts option.  There are tons of options for styling shorts such as these.  I will do my best to post a few on Instagram throughout the spring season.

Have you tried this trend in shorts?  Share your thoughts in the comments!