Vera Bradley 2021 Bright Friday Sale!

      Let's kick off the biggest shopping week of the year by chatting about a sale for one of my favorite brands, Vera Bradley! I wanted to highlight some of my favorite Vera items that I use regularly that are included in the sale. They'd be perfect for treating yourself, or gifting this holiday season!

Let's Travel Again! Vera Bradley Luggage Review.

      I've shared this before on the blog, but 2020 was supposed to be my big year of travel. I had tons of plans last year- from two international trips with my parents to tons of weekend trips all over the US. Obviously most of that didn't end up happening, but now it's finally time for all of us to have missed plans to be rescheduled or new plans to happen! It's finally time to welcome back travel into our lives!

My 2021 New Year's Resolutions + Word of the Year.

      I am a big fan of resolutions with the start of each new year, but if I had to be honest I had trouble for the first couple weeks of 2021 narrowing mine down for this year! Life still seems so uncertain as we are in such a difficult part of the pandemic. I didn't want to make resolutions that would be unrealistic for how the rest of the year ends up being. But after a lot of brainstorming, I finally came up with some that should be good goals to work towards- pandemic or not! I'm also going over last year's resolutions, and sharing my word of the year. 

Vera Bradley Backpacks Review: Which Style is Best?

      Vera Bradley has managed to do what I thought was impossible: they've made me a backpack fan! They kindly gifted me two of their post popular backpack styles for a social media campaign a couple months ago, and I've been enjoying using them so much that I wanted to share the photos here as well and a review of both styles.

Vera Bradley x New Hope Girls.

     Starting off this new week by sharing my first spring outfit of 2020, and introducing y'all to some cute bags for a great cause. Happy Monday!

Dream Christmas Wishlist 2014

Dream Christmas Wishlist 2014 by rainbowflash94 

     So many of my favorite bloggers have recently been posting Christmas gift guides on their blogs! I have really enjoyed looking at a lot of their favorite gifting picks (my favorite of these types of posts so far has been from Caitlin of Southern Curls and Pearls). While I do like the idea of sharing a gifting guide, I take Christmas gift shopping pretty seriously, and I don't want to share what I'm getting for my friends and family on my blog in case they should read the post! ;-) So I figured instead I would share my "dream Christmas list" for this year. I certainly don't expect to be getting most of the things on this list,  but hey, a girl can dream right?! 

     Ever since I bought my Tory Burch riding boots this summer during the Nordstrom sale, I have been obsessing over all things Tory Burch. Tory makes the most beautiful purses, and the one that I linked would be just perfect for the cooler months! I am also in love with the Miller sandals. (If I make enough money babysitting next semester then I might seriously consider buying a pair!) 

      For beauty items, Mally is my favorite high-end make-up brand. My mom often buys me Mally products for my birthday or Christmas since their make-up is a bit pricey, and I would love to receive some Mally mascara especially for Christmas this year! And I am also asking for this Remington T-Studio Pearl curling wand. I already have this wand in the smaller size and I love it! I love it so much that I want to try the one in the next size up to try out looser curls now that my hair is finally growing out again. 

     I have been in love with the classic J. Crew pearl twisted necklace for quite some time. And these cute little Kate Spade stud earrings keep popping up in my Pinterest feed lately, and they have grown on me a lot! I love them in this deep blue color. 

     The last two items are perfect for adding a little color into your Christmas. It's no secret that I'm a big Lilly Pulitzer fan, but I actually don't own any of the popular Elsa tops, so I would love to receive my first Elsa top for Christmas, especially since that would be the perfect fashion piece to add some Lilly style to my outfits during the cooler months! And I added a Vera Bradley totebag because that is the type of bag that I use for school, and the one that I currently have has almost reached it's limit... I have had it since my senior year of high school and it is definitely showing signs of age! 

     Lastly, I am asking for a DSLR camera for Christmas. (This is the item that I think I have the most chance of receiving. ;-) ) I think that it's seriously time to take the next step with my blog, and I am actually taking a photojournalism class for my major next semester, so this would be the perfect time to make that kind of investment! 

     As I said earlier though, I want to stress that this is a dream Christmas list! I certainly don't expect to receive most of the things on this list. If I were to just get a DSLR camera I would be so excited!! As cliche as this sometimes sounds, it is important to remember in this season that celebrates retail that Jesus is still truly the reason for the season. :-) 

     But now I want to ask y'all, what is on your dream Christmas list? Or what is on your "realistic" Christmas list? Haha!

     xoxo Miss ALK

OOTD: J. Crew Pleated Mini Skirt Style Collab!

     I am so excited about today's blog post!! I am doing a style collaboration with Michaela from The Monogrammed Midwesterner. If you aren't following Michaela's blog, then I think you absolutely should! Michaela just started blogging this past summer, and her blog has already become one of my favorite daily reads!! She is a fellow college student (like me!) who also has quite the passion for fashion. :-) Michaela is absolutely the sweetest thing, so definitely visit her blog here and also be sure to follow her on Instagram @missmichaelaaaa!

     The idea for this fun collab started after I tweeted back in September about purchasing the famous J. Crew Factory during a big online sale they they were having. Michaela tweeted back saying that she had it in a different color, and we mutually agreed that once mine came in we needed to figure out a way to combine OOTD posts! I absolutely loved how Michaela styled her skirt. I also love the color of her skirt! This skirt from Factory is sold in a few different colors, and let me tell you if I wasn't on a college student budget I would have scooped it up in every color it's sold in!! I ended up buying the navy one though since that happened to match the most things in my closet (practicality won ;-) ).

     Here's the rest of my outfit!

All photos credit to Olivia Miller Photography

 Skirt: J. Crew Factory || Top: Talbots || Jacket: Wet Seal || Boots: Tory Burch || Scarf: Talbots || Laptop Bag: Vera Bradley || Earrings: In Pink Jewelry || Bracelet: Silpada Designs {old} || Lips: New York Color Expert Last Lip Color in Air Kiss

     The beauty about the J. Crew pleated mini skirt is that no matter what color you have it in, there are endless ways to wear it! I had so much fun pulling out different things from my closet to put this outfit together. As y'all know, I love wearing bright colors (hence why spring and summer fashion is my favorite!), so I was glad that this fun scarf and my beloved Vera Bradley laptop bag allowed me to add some bright pops against all of the fall colors.

     This outfit also mixes some high end and low end purchases. Obviously my Tory Burch riding boots (which I have blogged about before) were more of a splurge, but this faux leather jacket that I'm wearing was a clearance find at a Wet Seal outlet last spring for under $10!! And my lipstick is quite the bargain- $1.99 from the New York Color drugstore make-up line. I really like this line of Expert Last Lip Color lipsticks that they launched earlier this year, they have great staying power and pigmentation for such a low cost product! I would definitely recommend them. 

      Be prepared to see this skirt again on the blog this fall and winter! I love investing in quality pieces that I can wear again and again and mix and match with things that I already own. 

   

     And shout-out to my sweet friend Olivia of Olivia Miller Photography for these beautiful pictures! More pictures from Olivia Miller Photography will be on the blog soon!

     

     xoxo Miss ALK

OOTD: Of Fall Florals & Friendship.

Dress: Dillard's || Cardigan: LOFT || Boots: L.L. Bean || Necklace: Pink Slate Boutique || Bracelet: c/o Stella and Dot || Rings: Charming Charlie, c/o A-List Greek Designs || Bag: Vera Bradley || Nails: Forever 21 || Lips: Essence XXL Shine Lipgloss in Pretty in Hibiscus

     This was one of those outfits that I formed by just mixing and matching random things from my closet together, and then being really pleased at how everything turned out! (Don't you just love when that happens?) I got this dress on sale at Dillard's last Spring. I absolutely love the dress department at Dillard's! In both the Misses and the Juniors departments they always have so many on-trend styles, and you can get really great deals on their clearance racks (like I did with this dress!). I wore it a couple times over the summer but I think that it's truly meant for Fall. I don't wear my cowboy boots very often but I thought that throwing them on here would give this whole outfit a sweet Southern look! :-)

     I am absolutely obsessed with this necklace that I am wearing from Pink Slate Boutique. I first heard about Pink Slate Boutique a couple months ago after I won a gift card to their shop from Nicole's blog Keeping You Stylish. I have to note that Pink Slate Boutique had some of the best customer service of any online store that I have ever worked with- and that made shopping with them a breeze! This floral statement necklace that I ordered is just perfect for Fall! It matches so many things in my closet and adds the perfect pop of glam. And y'all know that I adore anything floral! The necklace also came with a darling little pair of purple earrings to match (which I am wearing here but aren't pictured). I also got another fun fashion item from the Pink Slate Boutique that I can't wait to blog about soon!

     My sweet friend that took these pictures for this post is my friend Liane from France. We met during my freshman year of college when I was at my former college. I took French there (I still take French and one of my minors is actually in French!) and that year I was Vice President of the school French club. Liane was visiting my former college for that year from France as a grad assistant for the French program. She taught my French class's lab and helped with French club activities. We quickly became friends outside of the classroom and hung out a lot during my freshman year! Both of us left the school after that year though- me because I transferred schools, and her going back to Europe.

My freshman year of college at a French club event!

     Fast forward to this year: both of us have found ourselves in Charlotte! I ended up transferring to a college in Charlotte, and Liane is now pursuing her Masters degree at a different university in Charlotte (but still the same city!). We finally got to see each other this past weekend for the first time in over a year! And where did the much-awaited reunion take place? None other than Bojangles!! Two years ago one of our favorite places to go together was the beloved Southern chicken and biscuits fast food chain, so of course this is the first place we decided to head together. 

     

     I am so thankful that our friendship has lasted through time and distance, and that both of us have found ourselves in the same city again!! 

    

     I feel like such a productive blogger because today is Tuesday and this is my second OOTD post of the week! And last night I finished and sent off a guest post that I am writing for another blog. This is the type of productive blogging that I would like to be back to doing every week... if only I could always be this on top of things! ;-) 

     xoxo Miss ALK

OOTD: A very Vera color combo.

Top: Lands' End || Jeans: Delia's || Belt: Talbots || Shoes: Jack Rogers || Necklace: c/o Pink Bubbly Shop || Bracelets: c/o Jet Chic Arm Candy || Ring (Right hand): c/o A-List Greek Designs || Lips: Maybelline Baby Lips Dr. Rescue in Pink Me Up || Bible Cover: Vera Bradley (Print is Indigo Pop)

     With summer flying by the way that it is, I need to take every advantage that I can to still wear summer color combos, like this fun mix of neon yellow and aqua! I have never been a neon yellow fan until recently. Wearing that color honestly always made me feel like a tennis ball (although tennis is my favorite sport to play so maybe that isn't a bad thing?), but after I got this fun neon yellow bathing suit top my opinions have changed! The shirt that I'm wearing was purchased for me by my mom from the Lands' End end-of-summer sale, along with a cute lilac cardigan for school. Y'all know that I practically live in my cardigans so you will probably be seeing that on the blog soon! 

     I realized after taking these pictures that all of the jewelry shown is all things that I've received for free to review from various companies over the past year because of my blog! How cool is that?! Blogging has some serious perks. :-) I wear these bracelets from Jet Chic Arm Candy and my A-List Greek Designs "Love" ring all the time, and this necklace from Pink Bubbly is one of my favorite statement pieces- I just love the pretty colors! 

     This outfit is what I wore to church yesterday (Sunday), so I decided to include my bible case into the OOTD pictures. Since my bible is the most important book that I own it needs a fabulous case! I use the Vera Bradley "Good Book Cover." The one that I have is in a print from 2012 called Indigo Pop which is now retired. Sadly according to the Vera website the Good Book Cover style has been retired altogether from new prints, but they still have it available online in a couple older prints! I used to be Vera Bradley obsessed a couple years ago (see this old post!). I am not quite as into it anymore but I still love using the Vera things that I own, and I still would like to get a Vera Bradley duffle bag at some point.

     And my Jack Rogers are from a Vera Bradley fabric as well- Java Blue, which is my all-time favorite Vera print!  I got this pair of Jacks when Neiman Marcus's discount website, Last Call, did a big Jack Rogers promotion a couple months ago. I was able to find my exact pair online still so I linked them below- it looks like the Last Call website still has them in stock!

     xoxo Miss ALK

     

     

The quintessential "What's in my bag?" post.

     I've seen a number of bloggers do this by now. The ones that stick out most in my mind are Annelise and Emily's posts, but I'm sure there are many more! I figured it's finally time that I hope on the bandwagon and show all of you what I tote around on a daily basis. :-)

     I have way too many a few purses, but my main bag is my newest Vera Bradley purse. It was a Christmas gift from my parents this past year. It is the Glenna style in the Ribbons print! I love multicolored bags because there is bound to be at least one color in the design that matches what you're wearing. :-)

1. A pocket sized copy of the NIV New Testament. This was in my 2007 Easter basket, and it is the perfect size to tote around! You never know when you're going to need God's word, so why not carry it around always?!
2. My Vera Bradley Gallery wallet in Va Va Bloom. This wallet was an 18th birthday present so I got it before getting my purse. Luckily since they're both mulitcolored I think they both coordinate fairly well together! I love this wallet because it was a ton of card slots which is perfect for my license, debit and credit cards, gift card and the tons of rewards cards I have (If there's a store with a rewards program I'll sign up for it!).
3. My car keys for Lucy! The ironic thing about my keys is that I collect key chains and have been doing so since I was four years old, but the only ones that I actually use for my keys are a tiny keychain of Times Square in NYC and this Vera Bradley zip ID case in Safari Sunset. It's pretty worn down now so I should probably get a new zip ID soon!
4. Cheap-o sunglasses from Kohl's, bought last summer. Fact: I will never spend money on expensive sunglasses. I break and/or lose sunglasses so easily, and I don't really wear them as a fashion accessory ever. I honestly only wear them when I'm driving in bright light or reading at the beach, haha! Anyways, these are a pretty deep brown color and they do their job well.
5. My favorite lipstick! The best part is it's a drugstore brand and pretty cheap. It is from the Revlon Colorburst Lip Butter line in shade Sugar Frosting. My mom stuck it as a little surprise in the toilietry bag she packed for me for college last summer. It is so soft and feels like chapstick when you put it on. And just like chapstick it keeps your lips moist instead of drying them out! This is a perfect light color for everyday wear, and I also wear it when I am wearing a lot of eye make-up so I don't look overdone. I keep it in my purse instead of my make-up supplies because it is my go-to product!
6. I'm not really a big fan of minty tasting mints, but when I'm craving something sweet I enjoy Ice Breakers Duo Fruit + Cool in Strawberry. Delish! And my favorite gum of all time is Orbit Bubblemint. I'm addicted to this stuff y'all. In high school my mom used to buy me cartons of it from Sam's Club and I'd go through all 12 packs in a couple weeks. At least it's sugar free! 
7. My cute little Coach wristlet from their Hamptons line. This was given to me a few years ago by one of my older cousins. She had gotten it as a gift and never used it. Free Coach? Yes please! Below is what I keep in my wristlet:

1. Victoria's Secret PINK sparkly body mist in Sweet n' Flirty. This was a Christmas present from my sweet high school friend H. H and I had a running joke all of senior year about the color purple, and she knows that I can't resist anything with sparkles, so I was thrilled when this cute and sweet smelling mist was part of my Christmas present from her! It's the perfect size to tote around, and fits so well in one of the pockets in the Glenna purse.
2. A little bit of freebie make-up that I got in a Clinique bonus gift a couple months ago! The masacra is Clinique High Lengths mascara in 01 Black and the lip stick is in a shade called Flirty Honey. Perfect for make-up touch-ups!
3. A couple healthy necessities! Hand sanitizer is one of the only things I'll buy at Bath and Body Works. I love their large selection of scents and I try a new one everytime. Right now I have Pink Diamond, because the sparkles in it caught my eye when I was in the store. And it's always good to keep a little dental floss on you!
4. Pens! The ones that I keep in my purse are random ones that are given to me at events or that I find around my house since purse pens are likely to be lost and then replaced. 
5. Hair stuff! I keep two different looking clips in case I need to pull my hair back, and at least one hair tie. My mom had a wooden comb that broke, so I took one of the smaller pieces for my purse. It fits perfectly!
6. And my favorite item: my adorable pill case from Charming Charlie! Isn't this just darling? You pop it open and there are three mini pill compartments and a little mirror. I chose this pretty color because it reminded me of sapphire, my birth stone. 

     And I can't forget about my trusty iPhone! Right now the case on it is a Lilly Pulitzer in Dirty Shirley. The design is currently starting to peel a little bit, perhaps I should replace it soon. :-(

     Hope you enjoyed the little peak inside my purse! Now my question for you: what's in your bag?

     Happy Monday! Today I begin my last week of classes for freshman year. Next week is finals and then I'll be homeward bound to Maine for the summer.

     xoxo Miss ALK

Web Wish List {3}

     It's been a little while since I last did a Web Wish List post. With the end of school so near and the start of warm weather, I've been dreaming non-stop about beach days and all of the cute accessories that go with them!

1. Towel: Beach Towel in Plum Crazy by Vera Bradley I'm a self-professed Vera Bradley fanatic, and I'm so excited that as part of their 2013 summer collection Vera Bradley debuted some beach items! This beautiful towel is one of my favorites. It comes in eight of their beautiful spring and summer prints! I would like it best in Plum Crazy because since beach towels are bound to get a little dirty its dark color would probably hide most spots. It is priced at a reasonable $35.00, depending on when I get a summer job I may be purchasing this!
2. Bikinis: Ruched Side Bikini Bottoms and Ruched Bikini Bottoms by Victoria's Secret PINK Bathing suits are one of my favorite things about summer. I love shopping for cute bikinis, and I liked both of these so much that I had to include them both! I'm never a fan of bathing suits with "string" bottoms, and I like how these have a little more coverage. Bandeau tops are very comfortable and removable straps are perfect for no tan lines! And aren't these prints too cute? The tops are both priced at $30.50 and the bottoms are between $18.50-$22.50.
3. Earrings: Lacquered Anchor Circle Studs by Forever 21 I adore earrings even more than Vera Bradley (now that's a LOT!). I love wearing cute little studs at the beach; they add a bit of bling to basic beach attire without getting in the way of hair or hats. But the key is to wear cheap studs so should you lose them at the beach you can easily replace them! These adorable Forever 21 earrings are priced at $1.50... yup, you read that right! I love their pretty pink color and the cute anchor design. Perfect for the beach!


     What type of beach fashion do you like?


     xoxo Miss ALK


     

Vera Bradley Summer 2013!

     Today's post is certainly going to be much more upbeat then the one I posted late last night. It's a new day, the sun is shining (Although it is quite chilly, but hey, sunshine is better than rain.) and I've already taken two tests today, which means the rest of the day should be a breeze. :-) Today is also exciting for another reason- Vera Bradley's summer collection launched today!

     How cute are these prints?! From left to right they are called Tutti Frutti, Lilli Bell, Marina Paisley and Sun Valley. Normally when the new Vera prints come out for a certain season there will be one or two that I really like, but I honestly adore everything in the summer collection! I think Sun Valley would be great for a purse, and Lilli Bell would make an adorable duffle bag. My iPhone would look gorgeous in the Marina Paisley hardshell case, and I'd go for anything in Tutti Frutti! Speaking of Tutti Frutti, below is my most favorite new product of all. Despite the fact that it comes from the Vera baby line I really, really, really want this! Perhaps it'll make an appearance in my Easter basket next Sunday?

     Aren't those the cutest little bunnies ever? Bunnies are one of my favorite animals and how cool would it be to have a Vera Bradley stuffed bunny?!


     Which is your favorite print from the Vera Bradley summer 2013 collection?


     xoxo Miss ALK


     P.S. Please like the all new Facebook page for Southern Belle in Training by clicking here!

Obsession/Vera Bradley favorites.

     Two words. Vera. Bradley. The title of this blog post may have been a bit off... I'm not sure this is a "little obsession." There are 18 Vera things in this picture, plus I have had two purses in the past that I wore out, and I have a lunch bag that I keep at home in Maine. This collection didn't happen overnight for sure- I got my first Vera item for my 13th birthday!
     So why do I love Vera Bradley so much? Definitely the top reason is because it's colorful. This might seem a little obvious, but I'm obsessed with anything that has bright eye-catching colors. I think for while Vera's motto was "Be Colorful!" The fact that most of the patterns involve floral designs is simply an added bonus, since I have a weakness for anything with flowers.
     Vera Bradley can be a bit expensive, but I think that all of their accessories are worth the investment. They last a long time and are well made. They also have products to fit literally every aspect of your life! Here are a few of my personal favorites from the Vera website.

1. Zip ID Case

     I own two of these, one in "Doodle Daisy" (left) and the one on the right is "Safari Sunset," which is the one that I'm currently using for my car keys. Inside of these IDs is a handy place to store important cards. I keep my drivers license and AAA cards in here so that I don't always have to grab my large wallet when I have to drive somewhere. On the other side of these ID's they have a clear panel so that you can see the first card displayed (I just am showing the back side of them for privacy :-) ). These are some of the cheapest Vera products that you can by. New prints sell for $12.00 and retiring prints are sold for $9.99. They come in every Vera pattern! I think that these would make great gifts for almost any occasion for a special friend or family member in your life. Since mine comes in so handy at college I might buy one for a friend who is graduating high school this spring!


2. Laptop Portfolio

     Out of all of my Vera items this one has probably gotten the most use! I have this laptop bag in "Very Berry Paisley" which is now a retired color, but Vera Bradley still makes this bag in all of their current colors! It's one of their more expensive items, for a new pattern it costs about $84.00 and for a retired print around $63.00. I honestly believe though that this bag is worth every penny, because it's one of the most well-made laptop cases around. Underneath the pretty print there is a ton of really think padding to keep your computer safe and sound. Seriously, you could throw this bag off of a cliff and your laptop would probably still be totally fine (Just don't try this at home :-) ). There's also two large handy pockets on either side of the bag. It makes a great airplane carry-on! Not only does it fit my computer but when I fly I'm usually able to stick a journal and a few books in the pockets as well.


3. Good Book Cover

     This is one of my newer Vera items. It was a Christmas gift from my parents last month. I gave them a couple names or prints that I liked, and they picked out this one, it's called "Indigo Pop." The official name for this product is "Good Book Cover" so I took it to mean that this was a cover designed for the good book of ALL good books... the bible! :-) I got my bible in Christmas 2006 so it's looking a little ratty now and I figured it was time to invest in something to protect it. Like my laptop case this has a large pocket on the outside under one of the handles, and the inside has a few beautiful ribbons sewn into the cover that you can use to mark the pages in whatever you're reading. It's roomy enough that I can keep my sermon notes journal in with it, or it would also be big enough to fit a few fiction books- perfect for a day of beach reading or travelling! Regular price for a new pattern is $34.00 and for sale patterns it's currently $20.40.


     Do y'all like Vera Bradley? Or is there a different brand of accessories that you're going nuts for?


     xoxo Miss ALK


     P.S. I finally have an updated "About Me" page... click here to check it out!

Fashion Post {1/18/13}

• Sweater: Christmas 2012 present (I think the tag on it said it was from Kohl's!)
• Jeans: Hollister (August 2012)
• Coat: Lands' End (Winter 2011)
• Boots: DSW (December 2012)
• Earrings: Local jewelry boutique in Maine 
• Purse: Vera Bradley (December 2012)
• Ring: Lia Sophia (June 2012)
• Nail Polish: Wet n' Wild (Christmas 2012 present)

     This is a perfect example of what a winter casual outfit would look like for me. My mom was down from Maine visiting me at school the past couple days so I didn't have as much time as I usually do to get ready. The past few days I've worn more simple outfits. I wore this one to my Friday classes at school, and then on an evening excursion with my mom for dinner and shoe shopping. 

     The sweater was a Christmas gift from my mom. To be honest, argyle isn't usually my taste. I like it because it's preppy, but it doesn't have quote enough "bling" for me to wear on a regular basis. However, it's a very warm and comfortable sweater that's perfect for days like yesterday when I didn't have a ton of time to get dressed. The south has had a chilly spell this week so it kept me nice and warm. I also like the combo of the colors in it- dark pink and grey looks very chic!

     I accesorized the sweater with one of my favorite pairs of hoop earrings. They add enough excitement to make the sweater seem less "mom like" and a little more youthful, but without being too flashy. The ring that I'm wearing on my right hand is from Lia Sophia, a direct selling jewelry company. A lady at my church at home was hosting a Lia Sophia party last spring. I was unable to attend, but she had given me a catalogue and I found this beautiful ring. I had never gotten a class ring in high school because those were so expensive, so my parents bought me this as a graduation gift. It's much more my taste and colors, and it was a lot cheaper then the class rings that my school sold. I don't wear it very often, but it I thought it complimented the sweater well.

     My jeans are from Hollister. Typically their jeans are expensive, but you can get really good deals when they go on sale! I don't remember exactly how much I paid for these, but I know it was under $25. You'll probably be seeing them in a lot more of my upcoming posts sicne I wear them all the time! I love how they have a skinny fit but aren't so skinny that they cling to my body and become immodest. 

     And the beautiful brown leather boots will also be making many more appearances! Some of you might remember my old black boots. I once dedicated a whole post to them on my old blog. I had planned to wear them until I couldn't anymore, and that's what happened. In December when I was home in Maine for break I wore them all day on a cold, rainy day. When I came home that night my feet were soaking wet, and I saw that my beloved boots had reached their end. A trip to DSW (my favorite show store!) was in order and I picked out these brown beauties. Hopefully they'll last even longer then my last pair of leather boots (which lasted over 3 years!).

     At some point I'll do a post on how much I'm obsessed with Vera Bradley, but for now I'm just excited about my new purse. The one shown in this post is the "Glenna" style in the Ribbons pattern, which was brand new for Winter 2012.

     What are your essential outfit pieces for cold winter days?

     xoxo Miss ALK