pep

shirt: Nordstrom striped peplum top (currently sold out, similar styles below). Additionally, this top is from the brand Chaser & I am super impressed with the quality of their items & how soft each tee is. How cute is this lip print tank!?

jeans: Citizens of Humanity flare leg jeans

shoes: Sole Society leopard pumps (one of the best leopard prints I have seen on a shoe yet!)

necklace: LOVE necklace c/o Sheer Addiction Jewelry

purse: "Carly" convertible purse c/o Gigi New York (told you I would be wearing this purse a ton! See how I wore it as a clutch in Monday's post)

All Photos | Catherine Truman Photography 

Here is the problem with my budget shopping ways: I usually purchase things when they go on super sale, & then by the time I receive the item, photograph it, & write up a post for this here blog, the specific items are typically gone! Which is sadly the case for this adorable striped peplum tee (original link here in case they restock it - fingers crossed!).

But what I love about this top is the shape, so I have found several similar tops with peplum details for you. The peplum style this year is slightly less structured than the manifestations we have seen in previous years (some brands are even calling it a "flounce" instead of a true peplum), so pair it with more fitted bottoms or skirts for a super polished look!

Ladies - don't throw out your skinny jeans, but jean styles for Spring/Summer are popping up with more and more bootcut/flare leg options! I have had this pair of flare jeans since college (see all the ways I've worn them on the blog here) & I love how they look with a pointy heel!

If you have abandoned your wider leg options since their last round of popularity, I am linking my favorite premium styles below. These are all from denim brands I have worn & loved like Hart Denim & BLANK - with a couple of them under $100! And this style I found at Old Navy looks extremely similar to the style I am wearing today & they are only $30 (with most sizes in stock).

So what goes around really does come back around - if the resurgence of the 90s clothing I wore as a kid weren't enough of a reminder - it now time to embrace the peplum & flare leg styles once again!

What old-is-new again trends are you planning to rock for Spring?

Bloggers Who Budget: Holiday Layers for Less

hat: J.Crew Factory felt fedora

coat: J.Crew lady day coat  (currently 30% off)

sweater: Old Navy cable knit turtleneck (no longer available, but this similar style from J.Crew Factory is under $50)

jeans: Citizens of Humanity flare leg jeans (loving the wash on this pair, and this similar pair is now on sale!)

shoes: Sole Society leopard wedges

purse: Pour La Victoire (several years old, but I found this similar style for $44)

lipstick: Nars "Heatwave" (one of my all time favorites!)

All Photos | Kate Davis Photo 

Sharing My Sole| Lou What Wear | Let It Be Beautiful | Here&Now | Pearls & Twirls | Stylin in St. Louis | Living in Color Style | The Pumpkin Spot | The Style Letters

Coats can be a major investment in your closet & is a difficult piece to find within the budget. My only tip for finding your dream coat, at a price that doesn't crush said dreams, is to buy your jackets in February/March. Many retailers slash prices on coats at the end of the season, and graduate school Jessica managed to snag this J.Crew jacket (usually $300+) for close to $100 by stalking it until it was reduced + additional discounts.

I am going to be doing a round up post of my must have coats in the coming weeks, the ones that are worth the splurge and the ones that probably aren't. If you are in the market for a nice new coat you should totally put your dream coat on your radar now so that you can stalk it for the next couple of months!

Make sure to check out the other Bloggers Who Budget, because this month we are dishing on our must have layers, all at budget friendly prices!

What is the most expensive coat in your closet?

Any tips for score deals on pricey outerwear?

Bloggers Who Budget: Holiday Style for Less

jacket: oversized wool blend coat ℅ Chicwish (LOVE this coat - see how I wore it last year)

shirt: striped J.Crew Factory turtleneck (very oversized, order a size down for a more true to size fit)

jeans: Citizens of Humanity (super old from college, find similar styles on my Lyst below)

heels: leopard pumps ℅ Sole Society

accessories: hat, scarf, gloves, purse all ℅ Vera Bradley (love the chic studs!)

All Photos | Kate Davis Photo

Sharing My Sole| Lou What Wear | Let It Be Beautiful | Here&Now | Pearls & Twirls | Stylin in St. Louis | Living in Color Style | The Pumpkin Spot | The Style Letters

The Bloggers Who Budget are back, showing off some of our holiday style! This month we've also teamed up with Lyst for some holiday style inspiration, which is perfect for this time of year because Lyst will send you sale alerts for your favorite items - when they go on sale, or get re-stocked!

Never used Lyst before? Let me fill you in on what you have been missing!

From their website: Lyst is a shopping experience unique to every user.  The more you use the platform, the more it learns about you and your shopping habits so you start to only see things you love! In addition to making a tailored shopping experience, users can also 'lyst' items to plan their wardrobes, create "wish lists", and also be alerted when anything they lyst goes on sale or comes back in stock. 

I think of Lyst as my most helpful shopping buddy! Showing me similar items, allowing you to create new outfits, and the sale/restock alerts are so clutch! For example, some of the pieces in my outfit are way old, so I took to Lyst to find budget friendly similar items that are available now. Shop my look (+ some items on my wish list) on my Bloggers Who Budget Lyst.

Be sure to check out all of the other budgeting bloggers' Lysts (links to all of their posts above). And stay tuned for another fun Bloggers Who Budget post coming on 12/14! 

{Shop this post}

Bloggers Who Budget: Stripes For Less

{ What I Wore to weekend: J.Crew Factory striped tee // Loren Hope necklace via Rocksbox* // Citizens of Humanity flared jeans // Steve Madden heels // The Lip Bar red lipstick }

*I was provided a complimentary subscription to Rocksbox, but am truly hooked! Sign up using my code and get your first month free! "HEREANDNOWLIFEXOXO"

All Photos | Kate Davis Photography

It's time again for Bloggers Who Budget! This month we are sharing our favorite striped pieces! This is hands down the most obvious section in my closet. I just counted and I have almost 20 striped pieces. However, I do have a favorite striped child, and it is this top! Currently on sale at J.Crew Factory for only $24.50! Be sure to check out these other striped ladies below!

Sharing My Sole | The Style Letters | Let It Be Beautiful | Here&Now | Pearls & Twirls | Stylin in St. Louis | Living in Color Style | The Pumpkin Spot

The most common theme in my closet - stripes!

Some of my favorite striped items have been heavy hitters on the blog. Including this Old Navy wide stripe dress, this fit & flare striped dress, my J.Crew Factory striped skirt, & then this breton stripe top that I am wearing above. It is my current go-to outfit starter. I love the cut, the fabric, & the weight! Totally one of my top 10!

Speaking of The Top 10 Remix. I am still on the bandwagon (see the first post here). 

Curious to know what my top 10 items are? See below & click to see how I've worn these  pieces in the past.

1. Panama Hat

2. Silk button downs

3. Flare leg denim

4. Wrap dresses

5. Breton Strip Tees

6. Polka dot blouses

7. Black Pencil Skirt

8. Colorful cardigan

9. Knife Pleated Skirts (own it in mini, midi, and maxi lengths)

10. Pointed Pumps

Again, these aren't necessarily the things I wear most, but the things that feel the most ME every time I wear them.

What are your top 10?

Check out the Top 10 Remix visionary's blog here: Sarah's Real Life

Shop my favorite striped tops for less:

Shop my favorite flared jeans (at all price points):

boho baby

{ What I Wore: Le Tote tank* // jacket ℅ Chicnova // H&M felt hat // purse ℅ Yes Walker (love this splurge worthy one!) // CoH flare leg jeans  (similar) // ShoeMint leopard heels }
I received a free subscription to Le Tote, it is a brand that I truly believe in & love supporting. Check them out!!

all photos | Zipporah Photography

My fiancé is from the great Northwestern part of the United States (Oregon) & always makes fun of me for pulling out my umbrella, even in the slightest drizzle. Apparently people of the NW don't use umbrellas (WHAT!?), but I also don't think that they experience anything close to the drenching thunderstorms of Tennessee (or Arkansas, where I'm from originally).

So, in an attempt to acclimate myself to the norms of a place I may call home in the future, I've been forgoing my trusty umbrella in instances of light rain… & let me just say, I don't know how you NorthWestern women do it! Is there some secret hair spray that you use? Because my hair goes from manageable to Medusa in 0.1 seconds of rain exposure. 

While I've been ditching my umbrella, I have been enjoying my floppy hat instead during the past few weeks of Winter-Spring-confused-weather-drizzles… if I am going to be getting rained on, I best be doing it fashionably!

So, are you a dedicated umbrella user? Or more of a duck & runner in the rain?

P.S. Today is the last day to enter the Total Betty Society giveaway for a fabulous statement necklace.

Enter here!

the art of staying put

{ What I Wore: J.Crew Panama hat // tunic c/o LookBook Store // Citizens of Humanity jeans (get the look for less here) // Target wedges }

When I started this blog back in October of 2011, I named it "Here & Now" because I needed a daily reminder to stop looking & wishing for the future. I had found myself in a new environment, grad school, that was completely different than what most of my college friends were doing (i.e. full time employment making way more money & working way less hours).

How easy it was to wish to either be back in the care-free days of college or to fast-forward to the time when all my blood, sweat & tears as a student would finally pay off. 

So I came here, to this little corner of the internet every night. Letting all of my girlie talk about fashion, trends, shopping & what nail polish I was currently craving melt my stress away (wine helps too).

I met women in similar situations as me, found a receptive audience that is always stimulating me with new conversation, & grew to find "blogging" a much loved part of my life. 

Now just shy of my 2 year "blogiversary" I am finally finding myself living up to the motto that I chose for myself: Here and Now.

So much of our culture is about growing. Getting more. Rising above all the rest. Working, working, working for things & stuffs. But I am finding myself wanting to stay right here.

I recently read this article on IFB (6 signs you are ready to quit your day job & blog professionally) & it literally scared the bejesus out of me. I like my hobby blog, the one that lets me get away with saying what I want, wearing what pleases me & sticking to my grad school budget. Sure the wonderful brands that I have gotten to work with are a fabulous bonus. Hosting giveaways & meeting new followers never fails to bring a smile to my face. Waking up to see that you guys liked the 1,000th picture of my pug as much as I do, starts my day off unbelievably right. And I just know that I have best friends in the making all around this great country & some spread into far corners of the world to boot!

But I want to cultivate this moment. 

Bloom where I am planted if you will.

And that is right here. Right now.

Woah - that might have just gotten a little heavy for a Tuesday morning, but I wanted you all (y'all) to be on the same page as me. 

Sometimes I have to make myself not feel guilty if I want to make spontaneous Monday night plans out instead of curling up on the couch with my girls (that's you fine folks!).

Have you ever had trouble balancing your L.I.V.I.N. with your B.L.O.G.G.I.N.?

Tell me your secrets for finding more balance & doing it all!!

P.S. Don't forget to win the giveaway for a pretty pair of earrings from Jojo Loves You {here}