photography by ashley kay
Y'ALL. I officially have an addiction to wearing this dress.
It might be the most versatile little number I've ever owned (ok maybe that's an exaggeration. But pretty close) because it can be worn in SO MANY different ways, sometimes completely changing the look. 
Take a leather vest. Paired with one, the simple t-shirt dress becomes a bit feisty & sassy. 
BAM. 
Okay, I'm off on a little road trip for my super adorable cousin's baby shower. What are you up to this weekend? & while we're at it, what's your favorite way to wear a t-shirt dress? 

details// dress | f21 (in the color rust) vest | papaya (similar here) wedges | target (similar)  earrings | unknown choker | francesca's  xo,

PRETTY LITTLE LIARS: FINAL THOUGHTS

{via}

If you're an OG WDAC reader, you'll remember my old PLL recaps every week that I eventually stopped because the show got so bad I didn't know why I still watched & had no motivation to write about it.
YIKES.
But, since last night was the LAST EVER episode, I thought I'd sit down & have an old-school chat about it. Because, let's face it, it's been in my life for seven years, no matter how bad it got, no matter how much it was basically that ex that told you over & over they've changed so you believe them & every time it's no different. 
So, thoughts: (PS if you haven't watched yet DO NOT GO ANY FURTHER)
The final episode, 'Til Death Do Us PArt,' was two hours long, the pace more like a movie, to tie up seven years worth of plot holes loose ends, that didn't all get tied up in my opinion BUT. 
It's all one year in the future, so I guess AD stopped messing with them for that year & then started again? All that time mona was still playing the game, trying to figure out who AD was. Meanwhile, spencer was acting V weird, which brings us to the twin theory, that I was on board with. There were certain times spencer didn't seem like herself, like all those times she blatantly seduced toby. 
TURNS OUT I actually got a theory right: spencer had a twin she never knew about. (& apparently her dad didn't either)
Alex Drake. A.D. HEY OH. Apparently she wanted vengeance for CC's death, as they were sisters. BUT something that doesn't make sense.. why would she let mona join the team if she wanted vengeance & she knew mona killed her? A question unanswered. So, anyway, alex had been manipulating the girls, even pretending to be spencer sometimes. (& the girls & toby didn't notice?? AT ALL??)
It wasn't the best reveal, but it wasn't horrible, but I do wish melissa had something to do with it. Like, she was always SO sketch. & that thing about the NAT club in the earlier seasons? What happened with that?
ALSO, was bethany young really irrelevant this whole time? We spend like an entire season trying to figure out who killed her & then she doesn't even matter. MAKES SENSE. 
All in all, the girls got their happy endings & mona is out there doing her thing, holding mary & alex captive & LIVING HER BEST LIFE.
Also, can we take a moment for troian bellisario? THAT TALENT.
Okay, let's chat. What did you think about it? Are you sad to let it go?
xo,

THE TWENTY THIRD YEAR.

Two events during the year cause me to get deeply introspective & reflective; new year's & my birthday. It's strange how each year comes & goes, slow paced & rushed at the same time. Sometimes it seems like it was just yesterday I was turning sixteen, and in many ways it feels like a lifetime ago.
'If I knew then what I know now' is such a cliche thing, but if I knew then what I know now.... I can't even tell you how much lighter teenage kae would've felt. 
Happier. Freer. I guess that's the point of aging, though, learning what matters & how to grow & love & breathe.
Some things I've learned this twenty second year:
Surround yourself with good energy It's true what they say; you become the people you spend time with. If you're with negative nancys or energy-suckers all the time, it's eventually going to drain you. Be picky with who you choose to let in & give your energy to. 
& once you choose your people.... hold on to them!
Life isn't on a timeline No matter what society makes you think, you don't have to have done this or that in life by a certain time. NEVER do something just because it's what you're "supposed to." 
Carve your own path, even if it looks vastly different than those around you. It's not a race.
Give yourself a break You will fail & make SO MANY mistakes. We're human, it's what we do. 
It's okay. It doesn't make you a bad person. With each mistake and failure God gives us an opportunity to grow. If all you can accomplish some days is pushing the 'next episode' button, you're not a failure for that. 
Life is a balancing act.
HERE'S TO TWENTY THREE. (lowkey sad '22' is no longer my theme song okay byyeee)
xo,

FOURTH OF JULY PICKS

With the Fourth just over a week away, it's time to get in festive mode.    Sparklers, stars & stripes, & champagne, here we go! I kind of adore the asos tasseled dress & the flag muscle tee. HOW CUTE!

SHOP AWAY:

xo,

THE BRALETTE.

The bralette is having a MOMENT, in all its pretty, sometimes lacy glory. There's a kind of freedom in straying from traditional, UNCOMFORTABLE bras & trading them in for a less harsh counterpart.
& while a lot of them are still geared toward er, smaller chested ladies, I've been on the hunt & finding some really good ones for the rest of us! 
Once you find ones that work for you ya kinda never wanna go back, yes? They're feminine, pretty, & lightweight, & they come in so many different styles that you can pretty much find one for any kind of outer layer. 
I'M OBSESSED.
WDAC'S BRALETTE PICKS

Have you gotten on the bandwagon?
xo,

Three Tips For Finding Inspiration

Sometimes a case of the Mondays comes on for like, a solid week, am I right? It's sometimes easier to get uninspired than the opposite, which is really inconvenient. 
Here's a few of my go-to tips for getting back into your groove. They may seem simple, but they really work!
1// Get out of your comfort zone. Sometimes you get so used to a routine that it's more harmful than helpful. For a new perspective, switch things up a bit. It doesn't have to be big, it can be something as simple as taking a few minutes to go for a walk. Take a bubble bath & do a face mask. Just do something different!
2// Create a mood board Either on pinterest or from magazines, create a visual of the vibe you're feeling or the one you want. There's a reason why we're visual creatures; when we something concrete we're more likely to follow through. I'm ALWAYS on instagram & pinterest for a breath of fresh inspiration. 
3// Don't force it. Know what they say about a watched pot never boiling? Same concept here. If you try to force inspiration, it's actually LESS likely it will come. Don't put too much pressure on yourself to create something just to get it out there. 
What do you do when you're feeling totally zapped?
xo,

LATELY ON INSTAGRAM

{dress deets in this post}

The writers block is real lately.. sometimes inspiration flows so freely it's hard to keep up & then other times..... EEK. I always turn to places like pinterest or IG in that case & sometimes just seeing someone else's perspective helps. 

In other news, my birthday is in ten days and I have no earthly clue what to say if people ask what I want. (not that they have- is there an age limit to that? I would honestly welcome it) Like, give me coffee & it'll be the best birthday ever. 

{struggles}

What's going on in your world?

xo,

WHAT TO READ THIS SUMMER

1// Once And For All  I love ANYTHING sarah dessen & honestly, every one of her novels make for a lovely summer read. But since once & for all is her latest (& the book I'm currently diving into) it makes first round draft pick. 
"Is it really better to have loved and lost? Louna's summer job is to help brides plan their perfect day, even though she stopped believing in happily-ever-after when her first love ended tragically.  But charming girl-magnet Ambrose isn't about to be discouraged now that he's met the one he really wants. Maybe Louna's second chance is standing right in front of her."
2// Twenties Girl I read this book back in high school after a recommendation from my cousin, & now that I'm actually in my twenties I kinda wanna go back & re-read! I really like sophie's writing style & I remember this being an easy & cute read. 
"Lara Lington has always had an overactive imagination, but suddenly that imagination seems to be in overdrive. Normal professional twenty-something young women don’t get visited by ghosts. Or do they? When the spirit of Lara’s great-aunt Sadie—a feisty, demanding girl with firm ideas about fashion, love, and the right way to dance—mysteriously appears, she has one request: Lara must find a missing necklace that had been in Sadie’s possession for more than seventy-five years, because Sadie cannot rest without it.  Lara and Sadie make a hilarious sparring duo, and at first it seems as though they have nothing in common. But as the mission to find Sadie’s necklace leads to intrigue and a new romance for Lara, these very different “twenties” girls learn some surprising truths from and about each other."
3// To All the Boys I've Loved Before trilogy Jenny Han just released the last title in the TATBILB trilogy, 'Forever & Always, Lara Jean.'  I haven't started it yet but I loved the other two in the series, & now is the perfect time to get caught up. Jenny gives her characters a unique voice & I think this series is a fun read that also gets touching at times. 
"What if all the crushes you ever had found out how you felt about them…all at once?
Lara Jean Song keeps her love letters in a hatbox her mother gave her. They aren’t love letters that anyone else wrote for her; these are ones she’s written. One for every boy she’s ever loved—five in all. When she writes, she pours out her heart and soul and says all the things she would never say in real life, because her letters are for her eyes only. Until the day her secret letters are mailed, and suddenly, Lara Jean’s love life goes from imaginary to out of control."
4// The Heiresses I've talked about this one before as it was the first can't-put-down-til-I'm-finished book I'd had the pleasure of reading in quite awhile. If you like mysteries (especially murder mysteries) you'll EAT. THIS. UP. (please don't actually eat the book though) 
"The only thing more flawless than a Saybrook’s solitaire is the family behind the diamond empire. Beauties, entrepreneurs, debutantes, and mavens, the Saybrooks are the epitome of high society. Anyone would kill to be one of them. But be careful what you wish for, because if you were a Saybrook, you’d be haunted by secrets and plagued by a dark streak of luck.
Tragedy strikes the prominent family yet again on a beautiful morning in May when thirty-four-year-old Poppy, the most remarkable Saybrook of them all, flings herself from the window of her office. Everyone is shocked that someone so perfect would end her own life—until her cousins receive an ominous warning: One heiress down, four to go.
Was it suicide . . . or murder? And who will be next: Aster, the beautiful but reckless girl who’s never worked a day in her life—and who’s covering up her father’s darkest secret? Her older sister, Corrine, whose meticulously planned future is about to come crashing down around her? Perhaps it will be Natasha, the black sheep of the family who suddenly disinherited herself five years ago. Or maybe the perpetually single Rowan, who had the most to gain from her cousin’s death.
A gripping, edge-of-your-seat thriller about heiresses who must uncover a dark truth about their family before they lose the only thing money can’t buy: their lives."
5// Milk & Honey This one is a poetry book that's full of incredible words & inspiration. Rupi is kind of badass.
"The book is divided into four chapters, and each chapter serves a different purpose. Deals with a different pain. Heals a different heartache. Milk and Honey takes readers through a journey of the most bitter moments in life and finds sweetness in them because there is sweetness everywhere if you are just willing to look."
Tell me what's on your reading list this summer!
xo,

GEM OF A DRESS

Thrifting can be such a hit or miss: sometimes you come out with ten different treasures & sometimes it's only one. But it's that one that is sometimes such a beauty it's worth the hunt. (they always are though, yes?) 
All the Loft pieces I've owned have come from thrift or resale shops & every one has been a gem. Perfect fit, comfy & chic, & this little number is no different. The top part is so soft and comfy it feels like you're in your favorite tee, & then the skirt part adds a flirty & dressier feel. 
I couldn't find this exact piece online, (I have no idea how many seasons ago it's from) but I did find a couple of similar ones, both from Loft as well!
xo,

WHY I'VE SIMPLIFIED MY MAKEUP ROUTINE

A while back I wrote a post on the products I use most for a dewy, simplified look. Since then, I've been wearing less makeup most days & lemme tell you, IT IS FREEING.
Back in my angsty teen days I think I hid behind makeup, then as I got older & learned to love myself I stopped hiding behind it & just genuinely had an interest in it. While I still love a good ulta browse & testing out products for y'all, the past few months I've just been less interested in full on looks. I've found some oil + concealer, a dab of shadow (sometimes), mascara, brow gel, & highlight to do the trick for me. (& of course lipstick, always) I know when I write it out it still seems like a quite a bit, but TRUST ME, for me, it's not.
It takes me a fraction of the time it used to take to do my makeup in the mornings, & I feel like at this point in time a more natural, dewy look fits me better. Obviously for certain occasions I still go all out, but for every day this is what it is now & it feels very... light. Free.
Sometimes I do still have to fight nagging self esteem issues, not so much stemming from negative self image but the fact that people think I'm fourteen with a FULL FACE on, so wearing less makeup can be jarring at times.(especially when randos think it's necessary to tell me how old they thought I am. Trust me, you're not the first. thanks) But I'm learning to embrace it & have a less is more attitude.
That's obviously only the attitude for myself; if you're still out there taking an hour to do your makeup every day MORE POWER TO YA. You are amazing. I think that's what's so great about beauty & fashion- everyone has their own interpretation and can freely experiment however they feel. Kinda cool, yes?
As long as you're doing it all for yourself & not to please others, experiment away! Don't wear any makeup or wear all of it! over & out.
CHAT TIME: what's your daily makeup routine look like? Have you ever simplified? 
xo,

Summer Sweetness.

It's always hard for me to choose between summer & autumn as a favorite season- they're both a bit magical in totally different ways. 
My birthday is in summer, so maybe I'm naturally biased towards it. Whatever the case, once June hits & the pavement gets hot, my heart swells.
It swells at the mention of ice cream, the smell of sunscreen, the sound of a baseball game. 
They say spring is the season of renewal, but I happen to think everything changes in the summertime. It's a time of innocence and nostalgia, long nights & cold lemonade. Everything tastes a little bit sweeter & feels a little more magical. 
What's your favorite part of summer?
xo, 

A HACK FOR SHORT DRESSES.

This dress has had a bit of an identity crisis, first with me being confused on if the print was actually pineapples or not. (then, after looking at the online description I realized that oh yes, it does indeed SAY pineapple in the title.. haha.. ha) 
Then me realizing that the petite hem line was a bit too petite... what's a girl to do?
Throw a fancy skirt over, of course! I've talked about my love of this blush beauty before, making me feel all kinds of carrie bradshaw. It dresses up the dress (ha) just right!
What's your favorite hack for super short dresses?
details// pineapple dress | asos petite tulle skirt | f21 wedges | target (similar here) bag | f21 watch | target
xo,

FASHION RULES & HOW TO GET AWAY WITH BREAKING THEM

Over the years I've gotten to be sort of a rebel when it comes to supposed fashion 'rules.' In my opinion, the only rule to fashion should be that you love what you're wearing, but some people still feel strongly about the rules. Here's how to get away with breaking them.  No White After Labor Day I feel like this one died out about ten years for most of us, but some people still live by it to a t. How to get away with it: break up colors. If you're uncomfortable with a whole lotta white, just focus on one point & build around that. White jeans with a black top, white dress with colorful shoes... make it work for you. Mixing Prints I used to shy away from any form of pattern mixing, but now I know it's all in the way you wear it. Pick two prints that compliment each other, like classic stripes and plaid. If you choose to go bold with something like leopard, let the other print be more simple. Dressing For Your Body I am all for learning what shapes, patterns, etc best compliment your body type, but a lot of the 'rules' for what you should & shouldn't wear are kinda crap, in my opinion. If you wanna wear a crop top, wear a crop top! The balance between wearing what you want & what looks good on you is learning how to best compliment your features, & running from there. You do you! What about you? Do you follow the fashion rules or do your own thing? xo,