lovely customer servce

top-H&M, shorts-Joe Fresh, necklace-H&M (Holland), sandals-Graceland, bracelet-vintage

I saw this necklace in an H&M ad in an H&M store in Canada, BUT the sales person said they hadn't received it yet (this is about a month ago; a few days before I left for my trip). That in itself always bugs me a little bit, because I don't like being lured in a store with pictures of stuff they don't even sell (atm that I go in...let's face it, I'm not the most patient person in the world; and when it comes to necklaces like this one, my patience is even less). Naturally, I left bummed out, but secretly hoped I'd spot one of these beauties in Holland (you know how certain chains offer slightly different things in different countries?...yeah, I was hoping to benefit from that)

And that brings me to the most helpful and sweet sales person H&M has ever hired. She ran around the entire 2 story store looking for this necklace, after I asked her, and then chased me down (I thought she forgot about me, so I started wandering around the store). She was polite, all-smiles, and brought me what I wanted :) In short, the perfect sales person!

too much fun?...

top-H&M, skirt-thrifted (appears handmade), belt-vintage, shoes-Graceland, watch-gifted

Is there such a thing as too much fun? I think not. Especially when it comes to twirling around in a skirt that responds to the tiniest whiff of wind :)

pattern love

The color and print of this skirt kind of spoke to me; the fact it was 12 bucks, spoke to me even more :) It's perfect for traveling since it's light weight jersey yet isn't see through, packs easy, and can be paired up with lots of options. I would usually wear it with a more 'toned down' top, in a solid color or something, but this combo just felt right. A little loud, some might say, but I try not to argue with a good thing ;)

top-H&M
skirt- H&M
belt-thrifted
bag-vintage
bangle-vintage
flats-Old Navy

p.s.- not going to lie; the wind and this skirt=not really best buds...

tribal-ness

As I pondered over the title of this post the only word that I could think of was 'tribal', hence 'tribal-ness' (had to add the 'ness' because making up words is fun!:)). I love tribal inspired pieces; anything from jewelry, to clothing, to home decor. Luckily for me, the tribal trend seems to stick around summer after summer!
There's just something unique about the intrecate detailing in most tribal artifacts, which are usually the inspiration behind the mainstream 'tribal' things available to purchase. It's not surprising then that when I saw this necklace at Forever 21, I was instantly in love :)

tunic-H&M
tights-?? via Winners
boots- Franco Sarto
belt-thrifted
necklace and ring-Forever 21

Any 'trends' you've loved for a while?

love it or hate it

I used to be a lot more 'black and white' about...everything really. Things were either right or wrong; fair or unfair; I either loved something or hated it. But now I find myself knees deep in the 'grey area' of early adulthood; realizing that things in life are a lot more complicated (than they should be, at least according to the 12 year old me). Although I don't always like it, the 'grey area' has a few benefits, which frivolous as they may be, help me stay positive. One of them is the fact I've eased my do's and don'ts when it comes to clothing. I figure now is the time to try things; some will work, others I'll have pics of, so my kids can make fun of in years (until it suddenly becomes cool and they'd beg me to borrow them).

Case in point, I used to not be a huge fan of jean shorts and tights...clearly I've converted. Turns out, it's a super comfy combination, and I kind of can't believe I've missed out on it for so long.

trench-Suzy Shier

top-H&M

shorts-Joe Fresh

tights (which are purple btw!)-Joe Fresh

flats-Joe Fresh

belt-H&M

Style Matters: Ikat chairs

Ikat is easily one of my top 5 favorite patterns. I love its tribal influence and its versatility, especially as it so easily fits in many different color schemes.

Here's a few gorgeous Ikat patterned chairs I just had to share!

I see this one in a serene nursery.

This one would look great in a study, or a cozy reading corner!

Love the great color combination in this one!

Stunning...simply stunning! The deep purple and lacquered black are such a gorgeous mix!

This one is so bold and yet its shape so sleek, it would look great as an accent in nearly any room!

images via: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5