July Favorites

Hi beauties,

I apologize for not posting as much or as regularly this month. I've been out of town three weeks this month (the first two in Alaska and Canada, see those posts here and here). I was in North Carolina all of last week touring colleges and visiting family. And tomorrow, I'm off to New York City! I can't tell you how excited I am. I will be posting photos of NYC on Instagram. You can follow me at @marthafab. I will be in the city from Thursday to Sunday. Now on to my July favorites!

Nail Polish:

The blue polish is Essie 'Butler Please', an all time favorite of mine. The lime green is OPI 'Did It On 'Em' from the Nicki Minaj collection.

Clothes:
This month, I've been gravitating towards loose and flowy shirts paired with textured shorts (crochet, embroidered denim, and frayed edges). I'll usually add a long chain necklace with a pendant or a scarf, as well as a pair of strappy sandals. With all of the heat we've been having here, I have needed an outfit that will keep me feeling cool and looking chic. In Alaska, I wore my military green cargo jacket from J.Crew almost every day. I love that jacket so much!

Shoes:

I got some good use out of these bright red beauties in Alaska! They are the Hunter 'Tour' boots, a pair of travel friendly, light-weight, foldable rain boots. Definitely more comfortable than the original Hunters, and they held up well, too. If you're interested, I purchased them from here (they are also available in several other colors). 

Beauty:

I finally tried my Benefit 'They're Real!' mascara this month, and I love it! It really darkens and lengthens lashes, and was very easy to apply. I definitely recommend trying it out! 

The Dove Clinical Protection deodorant has been a lifesaver this month. It smells great and works exactly how it says it does!

Bag:

My Coach Swingpack has accompanied me on all of my travels this month, and I am so thankful for it! I've been able to go hands free when exploring while still being able to bring essentials like sunscreen, lip balm, and my phone everywhere I go.  

New Purchase:

I just got these adorable heart-shaped shades from Nordstrom BP. today. This summer, heart sunnies have been popping up everywhere, and even celebrities like Lana Del Rey have been seen wearing them. I also love this pair.

Blog:

Photo is from www.thepinkpeonies.com

I discovered Rachel Parcell and her blog, The Pink Peonies, earlier this year (in the spring). She is a charming, and quite fashionable, Utah-based blogger who shares her style, recipes, and tidbits of her life with her dedicated readers. Reading her blog is so refreshing and has been making me very happy and inspired this month. Go check her out!

Music:
Bravado by Lorde
Paper Doll by John Mayer
First Time by the Jonas Brothers
We Can't Stop by Miley Cyrus (love the song, hate the video)
Stars Dance, Undercover, Love Will Remember, and Slow Down by Selena Gomez (I love the whole album, but these are my favorites!)

As you can see, I've had a Disney singer throwback month. I also discovered Lorde (Ella Yelich-O'Connor), a sixteen year old singer from New Zealand, this month. She has an incredible voice and writes her own songs. I also love John Mayer's new song, Paper Doll (even though it's about Taylor Swift) because it's so clever and emotional.

TV Show(s):
Pretty Little Liars (season 4 is so intense and amazingly good)
Keeping Up With The Kardashians (love the family vacation episodes; this season it's Greece!)
The Real Housewives of Orange County (need I say more?)

Event(s):
I've really loved traveling this month! Both trips were great. In Alaska, I really enjoyed visiting Denali National Park, as well as visiting Martin Buser's Happy Trails Kennels and holding Alaskan husky puppies that are future Iditarod champions.

Picture is from my Instagram, @marthafab.

In North Carolina, I toured Duke University, which was an eye-opening experience. The campus is beautiful, and Duke Chapel was especially magnificent.

Picture is from my Instagram, @marthafab.

I had quite a few favorites this month! It's been a crazy, busy, and exciting month. I can't believe July is already over! In just over two weeks, I'll be headed back to school (sigh). I'll probably be doing a few back-to-school type posts in early August. I hope you lovelies enjoyed this post and I'll blog again after NYC.

Juneau, Skagway, & the Yukon

Hi beauties,

This is my second post about my Alaska/Canada adventure. If you missed my first post, you can read it here. The second stop we made in Alaska was in the port of Juneau, the state capital. There, we explored the city and shopped before taking a taxi to Mendenhall Glacier (we had to hike to the actual glacier) and a salmon hatchery. Both experiences were very fun and fascinating. We also got to see a parade since it was the 4th of July!

 I did NOT get a good picture of my outfit in Juneau, but oh well. Sorry!

Mendenhall Glacier from a distance.

Iceberg formed from a piece of broken glacier.

Beach view.

Happy 4th of July!

The next day, we journeyed to a little Victorian village known as Skagway. We then took a tour of the Yukon territory of Canada, stopping to see Carcross and Emerald Lake.

Denim: Paige. Shirt: Rubbish (old, but I love this one). Coat: Lost (old, but similar here, here, and here). Shoes: Børn (old but similar here). Bag: Coach. Sunglasses: A.J. Morgan. Watch: Betsey Johnson. Ring: vintage. Nails: OPI 'Russian Navy'. 

Carcross.

It was a cold beach!

I set foot in the world's smallest desert.

I'm sorry I wasn't able to get decent outfit pictures. I literally had time for one or two quick shots at each stop, and some days the shots weren't even worth saving. I will have one or two more posts about this trip coming this week. Right now, I am in North Carolina visiting family and touring a few colleges. I am enjoying the time I have to relax and am working on a few little projects that I'll share with you all soon. Thanks for stopping by and reading my blog!

*All photos are owned by me.*

Ketchikan

Hi beauties,

Sorry I've been away. Last Saturday, I got back from a two week trip exploring Alaska and Canada and I've honestly just been too tired this week to blog. If you'd like to see pictures of my adventures, follow me on Instagram. My username is @marthafab. I flew to Vancouver for two days before heading off on a seven day Alaskan cruise. After that, I went on a five day land tour of Alaska before flying home. This trip was my first time experiencing jet lag! I still haven't recovered fully from the time change and am on a rather wacky sleeping schedule. I am going to post in chronological order from the trip, but I don't have my Vancouver pictures yet so that will be out of order. If you just want to see the pictures of my outfit, skip to the end of this post.

Ketchikan was the first port we stopped in during the cruise. It's a small, run-down tourist trap in southeastern Alaska. It's very close to good fishing, hunting, and camping locations and is a port that many ships, boats, and yachts pass through on their way to great outdoor activities. On the docks, we saw a pod of killer whales up close, although I didn't capture any National Geographic-worthy pictures. Totem poles are scattered throughout the town and I really enjoyed the Popcorn Emporium and its free samples. :)

Exploring the town.

Path to a famous street of brothels in the 20th century.

Two gorgeous Russian pocket watches.

My family and I went on an excursion while we were in Ketchikan. We traveled by floatplane to a breathtaking place known as Misty Fjords. Secluded high up in the coastal mountains, Misty Fjords is untouched by humans other than the floatplanes that land in the water for very brief periods of time. When I got out of the plane, it was silent. All I could hear was the occasional bird chirping and waterfalls flowing down the mountainsides. Seeing nature this way was an amazing experience that I will truly never forget. 

Isolated and untouched. 

Now the part you've been waiting for... my outfit!

No need for sunglasses today...

Cloudy in Ketchikan.

Raincoat: Cole Haan (similar here). Denim: Paige. Shirt: Splendid (similar here and here). Shoes: Børn (old but similar here). Purse: Coach. Scarf: Tasha. Watch: Betsey Johnson. Ring: vintage. Nails: OPI 'Russian Navy'. 

Thank you for reading my first travel diary! I hope you enjoyed it and my outfit. I tried to mix practicality and style into my wardrobe for the trip, especially since the weather in Alaska is very unpredictable. It changes every ten minutes, I swear. I'll be posting more about my trip very soon!

*All photos are owned by me.*

Style Spotlight: Rachel Zoe

Hi fashionistas,

Today I am spotlighting another fashion star, Rachel Zoe. My last Style Spotlight featured Olivia Palermo, and you can read that post here. Rachel Zoe is a huge role model for me, both in her career and her personal style. I look up to her as an amazing stylist with great taste and as a successful and creative designer. She is known for making "boho" style chic and for her love of furs, both real and faux. Rachel is obsessed with vintage finds, jewelry, and maxi dresses. She always wears heels. Always. She loves to style her clients in color, but usually sticks to black, white, and brown with her own wardrobe. She does wear color and prints for special occasions, though! I dream of raiding her closet, and I hope she has a daughter to inherit her extraordinary collection. Rachel has also coined phrases such as "I die for [this]" and "That is so maj". She wrote a style book a few years ago, which I included in a fashion book post. I've read her book, Style A to Zoe, cover to cover and definitely recommend it. She's also had five seasons of a Bravo reality show, The Rachel Zoe Project, documenting her journey through life and the fashion world.

Here are a few of my favorite Rachel Zoe fashion moments:

 Rocking a printed maxi, leather blazer, and Hermès 'Kelly' bag.

That coat is so maj.

Black, White, & Ruffles.

 Looking glam in a sophisticated white dress with black accessories.

Black out.

I couldn't resist adding this one. Let's face it, only Rachel could pull this off. It totally works for her!

I actually have an entire photo album on my computer dedicated to Rachel Zoe looks, as well as a Pinterest board, which you can view here. I will definitely feature her in a Style Spotlight post again because there are too many great photos to put in one blog post. I adore Rachel Zoe and her career and style inspire me so much. Thanks for reading!

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the images of Rachel Zoe used in this post. All photo credits go to their respective owners.

girl in flight: my airport essentials

Hi beauties,

Today is another scheduled post that I wrote before I left for vacation. I thought I would share with you what I brought in my bag for the airplane (the bag you put under the seat, not your carry-on). I'll show you the outfit I wore on my flight when I return from my trip. Also, I wanted to announce that my new summer travel series will be titled "Bon Voyage 2013." There is a new label for the series in the right sidebar.

My airport essentials:

I brought gum, my Ted Baker wallet, a Kate Spade pouch to hold my iPad mini, sunglasses (in a super cute case), my phone and iPod, headphones, a brush (for fixing my hair after the flight) and an umbrella (because it might be raining when the plane arrives).

Obviously, the liquids had to be in a plastic bag when I went through security, but these are the beauty products I brought to have on hand during the flight. Concealer, mascara, a travel-size perfume, lip balm, and a lipstick are all I need to freshen up at the end of a long flight. I also packed lotion in case my skin became dry and hand sanitizer because airports are filled with germs.

Lastly, for my entertainment I packed a book (the white edition of Twilight) and my iPad mini (which I am very attached to). I have a bunch of movies, TV shows, and music on my tablet, as well as Candy Crush, which is my new obsession.

I put everything into my trusty Longchamp tote, and was ready to go!

I flew to Vancouver on Sunday, which was my first time in Canada. By the time you read this, however, I'll be in Alaska! I've realized that I won't have access to the internet while on this trip, so I won't be able to post my outfit pictures or travel diary until I get back. Meanwhile, I have a number of scheduled posts that should go up every few days. I appreciate your patience and I look forward to sharing parts of my trip with you when I return!

To follow me on Instagram, please click here (my username is @marthafab).