nastygal white dress

Is there anything more fresh than a crisp white dress in the summer? When I saw this dress online at NastyGal, I knew I wanted it in my closet ASAP!

It’s plenty gorgeous on its own, and it’s 50% off right now which makes it under $40.  It’s a little chillier in San Francisco right now, so I wanted to show y’all how you can layer it for an extra dose of luxe.

The duster. I am OBSESSED with any duster cardigan or trench. I love to layer them over dresses, jeans, shorts, the works.  And this top totally gives the same vibe, so pretty!!

Because NastyGal is having such an amazing sale right now, I’m rounding up some of my favorite white midi and maxi dresses from their site. Scroll down for my picks!

white lace dusterstuart weitzman nudistwhite lace midi dresspink tassel earringsnude ankle wrap heelszac zac posen mini eartha bagmuseum of ice cream earringsnastygal white midi dresspink ray ban round sunglasseswhite lace jacketwhite lace dusterstyling a white lace midilayered coin necklaces

photos by Christian Barnes

dress (if you’re in between sizes, I would size down), also love this one and this one | love this duster (also comes in black), how pretty is this top? | similar heels here and here, really love these! | love this bag | similar necklaces (under $10!)

There are so many beautiful white midi and maxi dresses right now at NastyGal, and they’re 50% off! I’m linking some of my favorite picks below.

Thank you so much for reading! XO –

brought to you by NastyGal

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san francisco home office

– cleaning up my office and thinking, “ok… this room actually turned out pretty cute” –

sofa | rug c/o Summerhouse | similar desk | white fur pillow | spotted pillow | pink pillow

courtly check ice cream bowl

– the cutest mini courtly check bowls that I can’t wait to use for all kinds of things –

relish dish | ice cream bowl | sugar bowl

baublebar hoop earrings

– lucite hoop earrings I can’t wait to wear –

san francisco apartment

– adding these black and white pillows to the den and loving them even more than I thought I would –

outdoor voices techsweat leggings

– a new pair of exercise leggings that make me smile – such a fun color! –

Happy Friday fab friends!  I’ve been nestled in the apartment this week and it definitely feels like fall over here in San Francisco. AKA cozy time.  Every morning I’ve been layering up to walk Bailey, coming back to the apartment to pour a hot cup of coffee and lighting a candle at my desk… I love it.  But I hear it warms up come September/October… so we’ll see!

Christian and I watched Mrs. Doubtfire this week.  I haven’t seen that movie in so many years, and we laughed so hard! Robin Williams really was on another level. The movie is filmed in San Francisco less than a mile from where we are living, so it was neat to watch with that perspective.  If you know of any other SF-based movies or TV shows worth watching (of course I know about Full House and Party of Five), I’d love to hear!

We’re planning on playing tourists again this weekend, seeing a comedy show and exploring the city.  Even though Christian is on call every weekend, we’ve never had this much time together so consistently, so it’s something I definitely don’t take for granted.

Hope y’all have a beautiful weekend! Thanks so much for reading – XO –

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best amazon purchases

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17

A few months ago I shared this post of my favorite Amazon purchases over the past year, and the response was so amazing! I loved hearing some of your favorite Amazon buys, and I thought the comments were really so helpful.

SO, after purchasing a lot of things this summer (big surprise), I wanted to use this week’s wish list to hash out some of my favorites as of late.

1 & 2 | I recently bought this bendy tripod that works for both my new small camera and my larger DSLR. I haven’t gotten to use it a ton yet, but I already know it’s going to be great for travel.  I’ve also shared this dog bed here, but Bailey has loved it so much. So many of you have also bought it for your pets, and I’ve loved seeing photos of your furry ones enjoying it too!

3 & 4 | Being in a cooler climate in San Francisco, I’ve noticed I’m not drinking as much water as I typically do. I bought this gigantic tumbler and I can already tell I’m drinking way more water during the day. I also recently bought these glass straws and I love, love, love them (more than my metal straws)… but they don’t fit in the openings of any of my tumblers or to-go cups, so that’s a little bit of a bummer.

5 & 6 | Living in an apartment we don’t have a balcony or patio to grill, so this has really come in handy. Christian has mastered using it and is really doing a great job with his stovetop grilling!

7 | I mentioned this on Instagram recently, but if you want your dishes to really sparkle, using this product will change your life. Every time I unload the dishwasher I am so amazed! It makes my dishes look brand new.

8 & 9 | Two of my favorite bloggers recommended these two products, so you know I bought them asap. Helena of Brooklyn Blonde uses these cloths to wash her face and says it’s a game-changer, and Courtney of Kerrently says this purple shampoo is the best bang for your buck!

10 & 16 | I purchased these heels and they are unbelievable dupes. So gorgeous – I can’t wait to wear them! I also recently ordered these slides and can’t wait to get them in.

11 | We use these instead of dryer sheets and they do a great job and are more economically friendly.

12 | I so desperately wanted this plant for my birthday, but sadly they don’t ship to California. If they do ship to your state, get on it girl!

13 | I bought this popcorn popper a while ago because it takes up less space than an appliance (which I also love but storage is very precious to us these days).  It works great and collapses for storage.

14 | I ordered these leggings and love that they have zipper ankles, side pockets and a little zipper pocket in the back. They’re really comfortable and perfect for walking Bailey when I have my phone, keys, etc.

15 | What you’ve heard is true, this foot mask is amazing. I would warn you not to do it before a vacation though because your feet actually peel for quite a while!

17 | You’ve seen this patch on my denim jacket here, here and here, but it really makes such a statement. I love an oversized varsity patch!

Tell me if you like these kinds of practical purchase posts and if you’ve bought any of these items before. I secretly love reading random but resourceful posts like this, so I’d love your feedback!

AND, of course if you have any great Amazon steals, you know I want to hear. Thank you so much for reading and sharing – XO –

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styling a cold shoulder top

I know I’m not necessarily early to this trend, but let’s talk cold shoulder tops, shall we?

When I got this top, I couldn’t wait to style it. Then I put it on and pulled and tugged at it 10 different ways… I was stumped!

I realized a few key things to styling the trend of the collared, slouchy, off the shoulder top that I thought I would share.  I think the finished look is chic and effortless looking… but the truth is that it takes some effort! Or I should say that it took me some effort.

1.  Look for adjustable straps.

This one (sadly it sold out fast!) doesn’t have adjustable straps, but a CBL girl pointed out to me on Instagram that if you find a top like this that does have adjustable straps, it is a game-changer.

2.  If you don’t have adjustable straps, try safety pinning a camisole strap and the shirt strap.

I took two small safety pins and attached the shirt strap to my camisole strap on each side which kept both in place.

3.  And on that note, do yourself a favor and wear a little camisole underneath.

I quickly realized that with this slouchy look, I was most definitely at risk of a fashion mishap, so I layered this top over a lace camisole.  I really love how it turned out even more. I love the texture play!

black flap handbaggold evil eye necklacestuart weitzman nudistblack ankle wrap heelswhite cold shoulder toplevis 501 skinny jeanscollared shirt off the shoulderlevis crop jeanhigh waist levis jeanswhite shirt with black lace camiblack levis 501 skinny jeansan francisco styleblack ankle wrap heels

photos by Christian Barnes

top (sold out – fast!), love this one, this one and this one | denim (I sized down one size) | heels, similar look for less here | sunglasses, dupe here for $13 | bag, also love this one and this one | similar hoop earrings | evil eye necklace | “3” necklace and bracelet

Have you dabbled in this trend? I’m linking some similar styles below.  I’d love to hear what you think! Thanks so much for reading – XO –

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sausalito

– exploring Sausalito for the first time –

overalls | bag | similar sandals | similar shirt | sunglasses

san francisco fog

– and driving back over the Golden Gate Bridge –

tall white flower vase

– hydrangeas that have lasted for two full weeks – wowza (shoutout to Whole Foods) –

thousand mile sneaker

– the cutest shoes that are perfect for C’s new city walkin’ life –

banana earrings

– seriously happy earrings I bought at the Museum of Ice Cream gift shop –

Happy Friday, my friends! I had a very slow, relaxing week, and quite honestly I don’t remember the last time I walked into the weekend feeling so rested. It’s not my norm… so I can definitely stop to appreciate it.

I skipped last week’s Friday recap, so this is covering a few weeks!  Two weekends ago we went over the bridge to Sausalito for the day. It was my first time visiting that area and it felt a little bit like a Northern version of Laguna, which you know I loved. Ah, memories!

Another fun highlight we’ve recently tried are the Scoot rentals around the city. We watched a class online, rented them through our phones and then “scooted” all over town. For the first few rides Christian and I used our Air Pods to be on the phone with each other the whole time so one of us didn’t get lost (that person would obviously be… me).  It was a great way to see different neighborhoods, and I’ve always wanted a Vespa!  I know we’ll be using these often on the weekends.

C’s week has been pretty busy and we are both working this weekend, but word on the street is that he’ll have a light schedule next week so I’m looking forward to that!  In the meantime, I hope y’all have a beautiful weekend. Thanks so much for reading – XO –

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wearing a dress as a top

Earlier this year I got really stuck on this whole dress-as-a-top situation. I was raiding my closet for ways I could put different looks together. I came up with this one that is similar and summery and this one that is a little more appropriate for the office.

This button down dress is perfect dress-as-a-top material.  It has buttons halfway down and then opens into a flowy, drapey dream!  If you have any button front dresses, you can totally recreate this look at home on your own by only buttoning it halfway down.

And I’ll go ahead and address that no… my hair didn’t grow overnight! My length is currently in between long bob and long, so I clipped in some hair extensions (full post here) that added about three inches. I have to say, it was weird to see myself with long hair again. Even though I’ve had long hair for most of my life!  I actually think I might prefer it shorter… what do you guys think?

button up dresslouis vuitton monceauvintage louis vuitton satchelwearing a dress as a topstuart weitzman nudistwearing a dress as a tophow to wear a dress as a topwhite lace short sleeved dressnude ankle strap heelslevis 501 skinny jean post modern blues

photos by Christian Barnes

top (no longer available – sad!), also love this one and this one | denim (on sale), also really loving these | heels, this pair is on sale! similar look for less here | bag c/o The Lady Bag | scarf (sold out), love this one and this one (hello, gorgeous!) | sunglasses, dupe for $11 here | evil eye necklace | “3” necklace and bracelet| similar hoop earrings | ring from boutique in Sausalito

What do you think about styling dresses as tops? I think it really increases versatility in your closet, which is always a great thing in my opinion.

Thanks so much for reading! XO –

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la sunset

One of the most frequently asked questions I get from you guys is what to do in OC + LA. I have a Guide to OC, but I lived an hour south of Los Angeles… so I never really considered myself the guru of all things LA.

BUT, my brother, Patrick, and his fam have lived in LA for the past four years, and thanks to him, I have a list of recommendations for those of you looking for tips and tricks to the city!

I’m also including some of the photos I’ve taken over the years in LA.  I’m not linking items because many are years and years old, but I hope they’ll give you an idea of the vibe of some of the different parts of town!

paint dripping wallcatch LA rooftopgetty villa garden

 

WEST HOLLYWOOD

STAY

Sunset Tower | I’ve never stayed here, but I’ve eaten at the restaurant here twice and it’s pink and darling and fabulous. Have only heard great things about the hotel!

Sunset Marquis |  I’ve heard great things about this hotel as well!

EAT

The Hungry Cat Musso and Frank Grill | Classic, old school dinner restaurants that have been open since 1919. 

Osteria Mozza | Upscale Italian

Petit Trois | Upscale French

The Sycamore Kitchen | Casual breakfast and lunch spot.

Larchmont Wine and Cheese | Lunch

Bludso’s Bar & Que | And we’re Southerns so we don’t take bbq lightly.

Connie and Ted’s | Seafood

Son of a Gun | My brother’s personal favorite seafood spot

Animal, AOC | Upscale American

Republique | Upscale French and great breakfast spot

Blue Jam Cafe | Breakfast

Meals by Genet | Ethiopian, another personal favorite of Patrick’s

Odys + Penelope | Brazilian

Jon & Vinnys | Pizza

Sur | Food is good not great, but I mean, if you’re a Bravo! superfan you gotta go. We actually saw Lisa and Jiggy here!

Gracias Madre | Vegan Mexican food, which sounds like a #fail but it’s actually delicious and decor is on point!

ACTIVITIES

LACMA | I think this is both mine and Christian’s favorite museum visit in the city. You can walk around outside for free, which also gives you free access to the Urban Lights Exhibit you’ve seen in movies and social media.

La Brea Tar Pits Museum | This was on Christian’s list, and I went with him. I said it should be renamed the “Tar Pits Memorial” because it is both fascinating and so sad. The entire museum is about the natural asphalt that rose from the ground over 10,000 years ago. The museum shows the fossils of the animals who died there as the asphalt has been able to preserve their bones.

Getty Museum | You only have to pay for parking and you can walk around outside.  The outside of the museum is beautiful itself with its landscape architecture and has incredible views of the city and Pacific Ocean.

The Grove and the Farmer’s Market | Very popular with tourists… but probably smaller than you think it is!

La Brea Avenue | Great shopping between Beverly and 6th. 

turquoise tilesprinkle pool

 

DOWNTOWN LA

STAY

Ace Hotel | I’ve had so many meetings here and also attending many events here as well. A great spot in the middle of the action. I mean, a cappuccino is probably like… $12 but that’s LA for you!

The Line Hotel | Technically in Koreatown, but I’ve stayed in this hotel before and it is very, very cool with huge windows overlooking the city.

EAT

Grand Central Market | Very good, but has gotten very touristy and crowded (just a warning!).

Smorgasborg Food Truck Meetup | Sundays in the Arts District.  

Bestia, Drago Centro, Baco Mercat, Alma, The Factory Kitchen, Church and State | All popular downtown picks!

Langer’s Deli | Easy lunch, Patrick’s pick.

The Original Pantry Cafe | Patrick’s personal favorite.

ACTIVITIES

Broad Museum | A contemporary art museum.

hiking runyon canyon

 

SILVERLAKE/LOS FELIZ

EAT

Intelligentsia Coffee | Good people watching and good coffee. You’ll see this spot featured a lot on TV/movies.

Mh Zh

Night Market Song

Land’s End

Pine and Crane

Little Dom’s | One of my sister-in-law’s favorites. 

Masa of Echo Park | Incredible deep dish pizza and personal favorite’s of Patrick.

ACTIVITES

Griffith Park/Hollywood Sign | Great hiking. We hiked to the Hollywood sign on New Years Day and it was pretty epic!

Griffith Observatory | La La Land fans, you gotta go! Also the view is outrageous both day and night.

palm tree streethigh waist black flare pantsrodeo drive palm treespalm print duster

 

BEVERLY HILLS

STAY

The Beverly Hills Hotel | Ok yes, this is a crazy splurge. I’ve only stayed here once but I wish I had saved up for a second visit! It is truly darling and lives up to the expectation.  If you DO stay here, make sure you take a visit to the pool and Polo Lounge… great celeb spotting place!

Mr. C Beverly Hills | I’ve never stayed here but have always wanted to.

Sofitel Beverly Hills | The Sofitel is reasonably priced and dog-friendly, so we have actually stayed here with Bailey several times. Great location and easy!

SLS Beverly Hills | I’ve stayed here a few times as well and have had a great stay each time.

EAT

The Cabana Cafe | So yes, the salads are like $45 but the ambiance and people-watching is top notch. I’ve eaten here a few times and it was always worth it! Try to make a reservation if you can!

The Ivy | I’ve been here a few times – you absolutely need a reservation, no matter what day of the week. The food is good but the people-watching is GREAT. A must-do in the neighborhood and worth the hype (in my opinion). Even the valet is good people-watching.

Villa Blanca | Christian took me to lunch here on my birthday when we first moved to OC and Scheana was waiting tables that day, ha! Food was good not great, and I bought a $50+ bottle of wine that I’ve still not drank because I’m that kind of person.

Taste on Melrose | Probably my favorite

ACTIVITIES

Rodeo Drive | A quick walk but a must-do if you’re visiting for the first time!

Melrose Avenue | Another great stroll. TONS of amazing stores and boutiques, be sure to pop in Alfred Coffee!

Greystone Mansion | Absolutely breathtaking and completely free. You can walk the property and peek in the windows… but leave your fancy cameras in the car because they’re not welcome here. I learned that when snapping this post!

Beverly Gardens Park | A beautiful park in the area you can drive by or walk through easily.

venice wall art

 

COASTLINE

EAT

Malibu Farm Pier Cafe | This restaurant is out on the pier, but you’ll definitely will have to wait to get a table.

The Tasting Kitchen

Gjelina

Manhattan Beach Post

ACTIVITIES

Venice Canals and Abbot Kinney | If you’re in that area these are fun to see, but Patrick and I both agree it’s not worth a trip just to see it. 

Malibu Country Mart | Lots of upscale shopping and restaurants with a big playground in the middle for those with kids.

Manhattan Beach | A favorite beach for locals. You can easily spend an entire day here with half the day at beach and half the day walking around the stores here.

betsy johnson fish pursepalm tree lined street

 

PASADENA

ACTIVITES

Rose Bowl Flea Market | Once a month and absolutely massive.

Huntington Gardens | Probably the best garden-museum in the city.

Descanso Gardens | Also beautiful but not as beautiful as Huntington Gardens (in Patrick’s opinion).

LA studio tourfriends studio tourla la land cafe set

 

OTHER SUGGESTIONS

Runyon Canyon | Finally went on this hike toward the end of my five years in Southern California and it totally lived up to the hype. This website is great for showing the hiking options in the area.

Dodgers Baseball, LA Lakers, LA Clippers | I’ve been to a Clippers game and my brother says Dodgers tickets are easy and inexpensive to get!

Live Music | This site will show you who is playing and they have a free app as well!

Outdoor Movies | Hollywood Forever Cemetery and Rooftop Cinema Club 

Comedy Shows | Upright Citizens Brigade, The Comedy Store, and The Laugh Factory

Studio Tours | I’ve done both the Universal and Paramount Studio Tours with visitors and they were both so fun! I learned so much about the behind-the-scenes of movies and television shows, and now I honestly look at them so differently. Mind-blowing!

I hope this guide will be helpful to any of you looking to visit! Huge thanks to my brother Patrick for basically writing this post for me. Thanks so much for reading – XO –

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best beach reads 2018

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9

It’s been a while since I shared some books that are on my reading list (I shared this post two years ago), and since there is still one month left of summer I wanted to put it out there! I keep a note on my phone of books that are recommended to me, suggestions from others in the digital industry as well as books you guys have told me are really good! From business to steamy beach reads and LOL-worthy, the gang’s all here.

I borrowed Luckiest Girl Alive from a friend, and it was SO good.  This book the author is definitely top of list!

I read this book of Mindy’s years ago, before I even got addicted to The Mindy Project (it’s hilarious if you’ve never watched – available on Hulu!). I knew I had to read her  next book and was so excited to get a copy for my birthday!

Several people I respect have shared that they read this book and this book.  Judging by the reviews… yeah, they seem pretty incredible.

Have you read anything this summer that you loved? I’d love to hear! Thanks so much for reading and sharing – XO –

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video by Joshua Makela

scarf (under $10), also love this one | pants available here and here | top – sold out, similar styles here, here and here | headboard (25% off) | similar bedding here | similar lamp | similar bedside tables

tying a scarfleopard neck scarf

Some of you may have seen this scarf tutorial video on IGTV, but I also wanted to share it on YouTube and my blog as well!

I love styling scarves and have many of them. I think they’re so fun, and can be super inexpensive and versatile. After getting a lot of questions from you guys, I wanted to put together a video sharing some of the different ways I like to style a scarf on my head, around my neck and on the bod as a top.

It’s a little long, so feel free to fast forward to get to the desired style you’re looking for.  I hope you guys will like it! I’ve already gotten messages from several gals that they’ve discovered how to play with their own scarves at home after watching this on Instagram which makes me so happy!

Thanks so much for reading and watching, and let me know if you have any requests for future videos/tutorials! XO –

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end of nordstrom sale

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19

There are only three days left in the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale, and there are still some great pieces left!

I think the best purchase I made this summer in the sale was these jeans. I haven’t hardly taken them off, the high waist fit is perfect and I loved the cropped ankle for summer and fall. I sized down one full size, and you can see my size guide for the pieces I purchased here!

This sweater comes in five colors and is the kind you never want to take off. In my opinion, Free People makes some of the best cost-per-wear sweaters in the biz.

I’ve seen these heels on some other girls and they look so chic. I haven’t taken the plunge yet, but the nude is so tempting. If I was going to make one more splurge this weekend, these would be it.

I’ve never tried Cashmere Mist, but I’ve heard so many great things about it. I think this is the perfect time to try it out!

I’ve been wearing my trench coat nonstop this summer because of the weather in San Francisco, but this trench is such a classic year-round piece. If I didn’t already have one I would totally be snagging it!

I got the shorts version of these pajamas and I am already obsessed. The fabric is so soft, they’re the perfect travel pajamas for when you’re a guest in someone’s home.

NSale OOTD’s

What I Bought | Sizing Guide

Travel Picks on Sale

 

You can see all of my NSale posts by clicking the “NSale Picks!” page at the top of this site. Don’t forget items will continue to be on sale through 8/6, and then the prices of everything will go back up.  So far, Nordstrom has not been restocking items this year (#tragic), so if you see it… snag it!

Thanks so much for reading, and I hope you guys have a beautiful weekend! XO –

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hutch striped wrap dress

This little striped dress and this classic San Francisco house… I feel like I’m having an SF moment.

I think wrap dress are one of the most flattering dress styles on women. I love that they’re snug and flowy in all the right places!

I thought this dress was versatile in the way that it layers with a trench for a more church/office/bridal, baby shower occasion, or you can ditch the jacket for girl’s night, date night or a wedding.

You may also recognize this trench coat from this post. I have a few different trench coats (my pride and joy being the vintage Burberry one I scored on eBay), and while I think trench coats are classic and go with almost everything, I feel like I’m going to be fully embracing them this year because it’s crazy windy here. You don’t even want to know the outtakes of me in the dress nearly flashing the passersby. Literally!

colorful striped dresspared pink sunglassessoia and kyo trench coatpared sunglassessan francisco style blogloeffler randall nude heelsstriped wrap dresssan francisco yellow househenri bendel floral bagsoia and kyo trench coat

photos by Christian Barnes

dress (nearly identical on sale for $16 here), also love this one and this one (over 50% off) | trench | heels (sold out), similar styles here and here (on sale) | bag (sold out), love this one and this one | sunglasses | earrings | x ring | index finger ring

Thanks so much for reading! XO –

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travel picks in nordstrom sale

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15

While I feel like it’s been going on for months, this is the last full week of markdowns from the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale.  I was thumbing through some of the pieces still included yesterday, and I saw there were still so many great travel pieces on markdowns. Cashmere, adorable travel bags, headphones, the best sneakers, luggage and passport holders. It’s all there, okurr!

You can see all of my NSale posts by clicking the “NSale Picks!” page at the top of this site, including this post with a size guide of everything I purchased. Items will continue to be on sale through 8/6, and then the prices of everything will go back up.  Word on the street is that they’re not restocking items this year (#tragic), so if you see it… snag it!

Keep in mind there are still free returns so when purchasing clothing, if you can’t do it in-store I would recommend trying two sizes and sending back whichever one doesn’t fit.

Thank you so much for reading, and I’d love to here what you’ve snagged so far! XO –

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