Surprises + Sunflowers

Every year around this time, I find myself scrolling past fields of life-size, bright yellow sunflowers on Instagram. Awestruck, wanting to see them with my own eyes, I promise myself that I’m going to travel to see these bold beauties. And every year, I let work, weather and other random commitments get in the way of making this happen.

But, this year was different.

This year, I chose a weekend, cleared my calendar and double-checked the weather. I was finally going to get lost, waist-deep, in a 30-acre stretch of sunflowers. As the weekend approached, I grew ecstatic. “Look where I’m going this weekend!” I texted my best friend who is currently spending her summer as an intern in New York City. Like myself, she’s a sunflower enthusiast who is happiest when the windows are down, the music is up and open fields are on her left and right.

Over the years, we have learned to maneuver life as long-distance friends. And, unfortunately, that usually means experiencing life's little joys, like flowers in full bloom, without each other. "Can you FaceTime me when you go?" she joked, only half-kidding.

What I didn’t know was that she had already secretly planned to come home for the weekend -- a just because I miss you visit. As we chatted about our weekend plans, she claimed that she was going to spend the day exploring Brooklyn with her roommates. And, I believed her.

But much to my surprise, Kristina and I were able to spend a Sunday afternoon in our ultimate happy place together -- twirling in the warm sunshine and loving every minute.

Look Good, Feel Good

Surprises and sunflowers. What could be better? Surprises and sunflowers and my first-ever style post!

Lately it seems like style bloggers are a dime a dozen. And as someone who scavenges the sale racks, makes the most of her current closet and doesn't have an online shopping addiction, giving fashion advice didn't really seem like the right niche for me at first. I'm the girl who Snapchats an outfit to her friends for approval, follows trends but isn't a trendsetter and would rather spend her hard earned cash on experiences rather than things.

But, while all of that is true, I am no stranger to the way a cute outfit can feel like a boost of serotonin and a shot of confidence. And the truth is, I'm easily inspired by that. So as style posts begin to pop up here and there on the site, it's not about shopping till you drop, showing off my latest finds or owning a designer this or a designer that. It's about the outfit inspiration that helps you look good, and makes you feel even better, because that's a pretty unstoppable combination.

Clothes aren't going to change the world. The women who wear them will. -Anne Klein

Shop the Style

Bright white, bohemian style dresses were the obvious choice for our frolic among the flowers. Not only are white dresses a classic summer look, I knew they would contrast beautifully with lush green fields and let the sunflowers steal the show.

I hit the jackpot when I found this lightly-used, sunflower-patterned dress for $8.99. I popped into Uptown Cheapskate on a whim, hoping to find something for my upcoming excursion. Second-hand clothing stores can be pretty hit-or-miss, so when I stumbled upon this textured shift dress (similar here and here) that was perfect for the occasion, it felt meant to be!

Meanwhile, as Kristina planned to crash my photo shoot, she raided the closets of her roommates in the city. When she showed up in Maryland with this chic, two-piece dress (similar here, here and here) in tow, I was instantly reminded why we're best friends. We're always on the same page -- sharing a common vision and thinking alike. Naturally, the styles of our white dresses varied a bit, letting our differences in personalities shine through, but they complimented each other so well. You could say it's a bit symbolic of our friendship, and I just love the way the photos turned out because of that.