My Vacation Down South

Happy Monday! After two and a half weeks, I am home from my incredible vacation. As I mentioned before, I spent Christmas with my family, and New Years with my boyfriend's family. These past couple of weeks were great for me! I was able to relax, exercise, spend time with loved ones, and eat amazing food! And let me say, Texas has some amazing restaurants (this coming from a woman who doesn't eat red meat).  

In my previous post I wrote about my travels to Texas. On the day I flew, I wore my Cognac Leather Boots from Aldo. These boots are the most comfortable booties I have ever purchased! Not to mention I always receive compliments on them. I recommend these boots 100%! I wore my Bon Voyage Tee from G.H. Bass & Co. (Factory Outlet), and my favorite jeans from Express. I completed this look with one of my Nigerian necklaces. This outfit was cute, simple, and comfortable for flying!

For the most part, Texas had beautiful weather! It was a little cooler than I expected, and with only one black and white sweater, I had to work with what I had. Most of the outfits I wore were simple and versatile. This was great, because I was not sure of what we would be doing each day. Since I was with my boyfriend's family, I wanted to pulled together and cute. 

Below, I wore my basic tee from Express. A similar tee can be found here. I am wearing my booties from Aldo, and my jeans from Express (as seen in previous picture). My Jet Set Logo Tote is from Michael Kors. My leather belt is from Express. The Polar M400 GPS Running Watch is from Polar. And my scarf was a gift from my boyfriend's mother. A similar paisley pashmina scarf can be found here, at Charming Charlie. I fell in love with this scarf, and wore it many times throughout my stay in Texas!

For NYE, my boyfriend's family and I went to Sugar Land's Town Center. It had music, food, drinks, and a light show shining on their Town Hall. I had so much fun! It was an amazing way to ring in the new year!

For New Years, I wore my favorite black romper from Express. This particular romper is not sold online at the moment, however, it is still sold in stores. Here is the same black romper, but with blue feathers. Other Express rompers and jumpsuits can be found here.

For my last night out in Texas I wore my frock dress. I love the blues and purples in this dress. I felt comfortable and pretty for my night out. This dress is from Express, but is no longer sold. Links to similar dresses, that I love, can be found here and here. I wore black tights with fleece interior. They can be found at Marshalls. I recommend tights with fleece interior for any New England girl. They are perfect for the chilly Northern weather. My leather lace-up boots are from a designer called Boemos, and can also be found at Marshalls. These boots are extremely comfortable, and can be worn casually or with a formal outfit.

This trip was amazing, but I am happy to be back with my boys! Something that I learned during this trip is to pack lightly, and to downsize. The luggage in the picture below are mine and my boyfriend's. For my next trip I am going to work on packing lighter, and more versatile outfits. Many of the clothes I packed, I didn't even wear. What a waste of space and weight!!  

On my trip home, I wore striped fitted dress with an asymmetrical hem. This color is sold out online, but can be found in various stores. This dress can be found online in the purple. I wore my Sexy Stretch Leggings from Express. I chose to wear leggings instead of tights, so I would be more comfortable on my flight. I wore my Aldo boots, Michael Kors tote, Polar M400, and pasiley scarf, all of which were seen above. My black faux leather jacket was purchased, a few years back, at Marshalls. A similar jacket can be found at Forever 21.

My vacation was so amazing! I feel refreshed and motivated to begin the year with new goals. I hope you all were able to get some rest during the holiday season. Until Friday, and thanks for reading!

(Leaving Houston George Bush International Airport.)

Home Sweet Home

Hello, Boston! I am back in town and loving our sunny, blue skies. I had the most wonderful time in Texas! I wish I could have stayed longer but I am happy to be home. I spent a lot of quality time with my boyfriend and his family. It was absolutely amazing! Now, it is time to get back to work. But first, here are some outfit details that I had during my vacation.

My Black & White Mesh Skirt Fit & Flare Dress is from Express.

I purchased my shoes from the DSW on Washington Street in Downtown Boston. However, when I looked online I found that DSW only sells Coach in stores, not online.

My bracelets come from a combination of various places. The first and third bangles are from Forever 21. They are not sold at the moment but I really enjoy their bangle selection. The second one from the top was made for me by my mother. And the last bangle was a gift given to me for being in my cousin's wedding. My ring was hand-made at a boardwalk in Florida.

My Basic Black Top is from H&M. My ripped jean shorts are from Express. They are not sold online at the moment but they are having a sale on their denim jeans right now. You can either find mine in stores or a similar pair online. I bought my Lucky Brand Emmie flats from Marshalls. My necklace and purse are from Nigeria.

My maxi dress is from Marshalls and was purchased last summer. My top two bracelets were given to me as a gift. I found my bottom bracelet from a yard sale in Maine. My Sydney Satchel is from Fossil but I purchased it from DSW.com.

My striped tee is from Express. My shorts are from Charlotte Russe. I bought both of these items a few summers ago and are not available at this time. My shoes are from Nine West but I bought them from Marshalls. 

My Ray-Bans are from Sunglass Hut. My necklace was hand-made by my mother. My Kimono is from JC Penney. 

My top two bracelets, the bottom bracelet, and my ring were gifts. I bought the large bracelet from Barcelona.  

During the Texas heat I chose to wear basic, diverse outfits and dress them up with some details. I was able to enjoy my time while feeling comfortable and looking cute. I love being home but cannot wait to see where my next trip will be! 

Thanks for stopping by, Cute Teachings!

Wish List Wednesday & Vacation Purchases

My time in Texas is almost coming to an end! I have had such an amazing time here, and do not want to go home. I will be enjoying my last day here with my boyfriend's wonderful family. They have been so kind and welcoming! They took me to Downtown Houston and we saw some beautiful parks and best of all, the Galleria Mall. I wish I could have left there with everything!

I wanted to take a little time to bring you my Wish List Wednesday. I only have a couple things in mind this week. First, I am in desperate need of a new journal! I like to write rough drafts of my blog posts in a notebook and then edit them before I publish my work. Here are a couple journals that caught my eye. All of these notebooks are Kate Spade and can be found at The Paper Store.

The first notebook on the top left can be found at Kate Spade Spiral Notebook.

The second notebook on the top right can be found at Kate Spade "Little Gold Book".

The third notebook on the bottom left can be found at Kate Spade "Eat Cake" Journal.

The fourth notebook on the bottom right can be found at Kate Spade Large Notebook.

Right now I am writing in an old, beaten up notebook. These journals would definitely get me inspired! A new notebook is always a great purchase and these Kate Spades are adorable and affordable!

Next on my list is the Fossil Original Boyfriend Watch. This leather watch comes in many colors, but I am in love with the olive green! 

 I like the way this casual watch gives off a tomboy vibe. It would give a little edge to my outfits. The leather band is perfect for nannying and working retail. The watch will move with you and will not constrict. Whether my day includes running around with the kids, or knocking on fitting room doors. I can look cute and fashionable, while knowing that I have a quality product that will work with me. 

Furthermore, the gold and silver tones are perfect for this interchangeable watch. You can wear the durable leather band during your work day and dress it up with a silver, gold, or colorful leather band at night. The interchangeable quality to this Fossil watch is one of the many reasons I have my eye on this gorgeous piece.

I have had the most incredible time here in Texas! I enjoyed walking around the Galleria Mall and First Colony Mall. The First Colony Mall is a great mall that has stores indoors and out. It is the perfect outing for a casual, sunny day. During one of my trips there I was able to purchase an item that I had on last week's Wish List Wednesday! Originally I was looking to buy the blue/violet Ray-Ban Aviators, however, I fell in love with these green & gold shades! I found these Ray-Bans at the Sunglass Hut located at the First Colony Mall. While talking with my boyfriend's sister I discovered that polarized sunglasses provide more protection against harmful UV rays than non-polarized ones. The blue/violet aviators did not come polarized but thankfully the green ones did! If you are going to spend the money on a nice pair of sunglasses, I would consider investing in polarized ones. My other vacation purchase, that I found at the First Colony Mall, was a Vera Bradley Cosmetic Bag. I bought this because I did not have a travel bag to keep all my Nigerian necklaces safe. I am in love with bag for so many reasons! The ruffles are adorable, the shape is perfect, and this design is by far my favorite from Vera Bradley. I am so happy with my purchases this week!

This week has been a blast! I am so excited to have bought something from my previous wish list. Hopefully I will be able to visit Texas again soon! 

As always, thanks for stopping by Cute Teachings!