What Nicole Wore

style + beauty blog in the dc metro area

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Wedding Ready with Rent the Runway

While I was in Chicago, I got to visit the new Rent the Runway store. Rent the Runway is a rental company that allows you to rent designer dresses, separates and accessories for events. They have two stores in New York City as well as stores in Washington D.C., Las Vegas and the newest store, Chicago.

browsing at RTR x Chicago
I really hadn’t decided what kind of dress I wanted to wear; I knew the ceremony was in a church and the reception would be outdoor, which in Kentucky during the month of June could really mean anything.

my first and final choice! (ignore my mismatched socks)
I danced around the store before ultimately settling into the more casual side of the store. I pulled a couple dresses before ruling out the mostly white and anything black or too sparkly; I didn’t want to wear anything that would be too loud or draw attention from the wedding.

Michelle was with me so we had a casual debate about the small side cutouts and whether or not they were inappropriate before we decided they weren’t. The dressing rooms are super cool — the mirrors allow you to change the lighting in the room so you can see how you’ll look in fluorescent and outdoor lighting.

tahari scallop flats {sold out, similar (on sale)} + milly dress (on sale) via rent the runway + kate spade clutch {similar} + nail polish (on sale)
I’m the worst fashionista ever — I hate any shoe with a heel. My feet are babies and I treat them as such. I debated on wedges with this outfit before pulling on my black scalloped flats. Cute, comfortable and I was never the girl with her shoes off at the wedding.

Wanting a small purse, I took the strap off my kate spade juliana and carried it as a handheld clutch.

eye shadow + mascara + blush (on sale) + foundation + eyebrows + ashiana london necklace c/o rocksbox {similar} + milly dress (on sale) via rent the runway + watch {similar} + kate spade clutch (similar) + iPhone 6 case 
My dress got to me Wednesday afternoon which gave me time to try it on and see what items I may want to pair with it and I stuck it back in the mail using the pre-paid label on Monday. I would highly recommend Rent the Runway as a way to change up your wardrobe for weddings you attend, graduations, parties, family events, proms, etc. The company is easy to use and has a wide variety of options to choose from.

xo, Nicole

As Seen on Instagram: What I Wore

Happy Friday! Hope you had an awesome week. I feel like I spent a lot of mine looking over to do lists and thankfully crossing things off.

milly dress (on sale) via rent the runway, available for rentals + sunglasses {on sale} + kate spade clutch {similar} + tahari scallop flats {similar} + ashiana london necklace c/o rocksbox + watch {similar}

This was my first experience with Rent the Runway and I loved it! Next week, I’ll have a whole post dedicated to the company and my experience at their Chicago store, if you have any questions about it!

I picked this dress out for the wedding I attended last weekend — I loved the colors and picking out accessories was easy and fun. My clutch is actually my Kate crossbody minus the strap. This Ashiana London pendant got returned to Rocksbox this week but got quite a bit of wear; don’t forget you can sign up for the service and start with a free month when you use code whatnicoleworexoxo at checkout.

-I’ve been compensated by Rocksbox in the form of two free 3 month subscriptions. All opinions are my own.-

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Nicole’s Soup for the Soul: 6.24.15

Alright I’m going to mix up the format of this a bit — let me know if you like it, love it, or hate it!

What I loved this week:

  • The U.S. Treasury announcing a woman will be on the face of the new $10 bill. About dang time. We won’t know who will be our new $10 icon for awhile so I’m excited to see the speculation and suggestions.
  • My new steamer. Y’all. Game changer. MVP. Best in class. You get the general idea. I would easily win  a competition for worst ironer of all time. I’ve burned clothes before, it’s that bad. I’d heard of steamers before but hadn’t used one before starting my new part-time retail job; they are so easy to use and work so well! We use this Jiffy steamer at work, but I couldn’t quite justify spending ~$200 for one. Luckily Target had the Conair on sale (& it’s even cheaper on Amazon right now!) so I can now live a wrinkle free life.
  • Twitter chats! I joined an Influenster one at the last minute and loved the interaction so I jumped into the #CreateLounge and #NectarChat last week as well. The last two focused on blogging, engaging readers and creating unique content on top of launching new ideas; it was a great sounding board and I really want to continue to hop into these to talk with other creatives and get inspired.
  • Make It Rain by Ed Sheeran. My mom’s a big Sons of Anarchy fan and finally finished the show last week. I’d never watched an episode but got suckered into watching two episodes with her, including the one that has this gorgeous song in it. New fave for sure.
  • This beach towel. Fun fact, going to public pools is a lot less intimidating when you’ve made peace with the way your body looks. Not saying I think I’m the hottest chick on the block or anything, but I feel comfortable in my skin and rarely find myself thinking negatively about my body.

What I needed to hear:

  • “Expand your comfort zone.” Hi, I’m Nicole and I hate trying new things, going to new places and meeting new people. All the experiences better me in numerous ways, but a year ago you’d never catch me volunteering for the opportunity.
  • “People who are proud of themselves tend to have passions in life, feel content and set good examples for others.” In the past year I’ve joined an advising board for my sorority, committed to instablogging regularly, started my website, and learned to be kinder to myself. I think it’s important to pat yourself on the back when you’re able to push yourself and get better. For me, a lot of the things I’ve done, from going to Chicago to meet people I only knew through Instagram to joining a gym all by my lonesome, have given me the confidence to continue trying new things. Please be proud of yourself — it’s vital.

Happy Wednesday,

Nicole

 

Where Nicole Went: Top 5 Things to Do In Milan

Happy Travel Tuesday! This post is going to be a little different than my normal recaps but I hope you’ll enjoy it nonetheless.

Before leaving for our trip, we all did a ton of research on things we wanted to do in each city, any possible day trips we may want to take out, etc. I found myself reading a lot of “top things to do in ______” and wanted to write my own for Milan.

  1. Visit the Galleria Emanuele II.

This is one of the oldest shopping malls in the world, houses two Prada stores and a Louis Vuitton and famously refused to renew McDonald’s lease because it wasn’t upscale enough.

ceiling of the galleria
ceiling of the galleria

Everything about this place is grandeur. The building is arcade style and four stories high, topped with a beautiful glass ceiling. The floor is beautiful and floor mosaics are scattered throughout the mall.

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Must Have Monday: Beach Bag

My Beach Bag Picks

 

It’s finally hot as hail which means time for the pool and/or beach.
Let me start this post by admitting I am a hoarder. I need to constantly have all of my things to feel comfortable and so an “oversized” bag is probably just right for me. Working on a “What’s in My Bag: Pool Edition” for you guys so never fear.
I’ve got a handful of bags linked for you above that range from $12 – $125; I’m torn between the cute striped pineapple ones and the Beach Please — not that I need another pool bag at all.
vera bradley beach towel {available in different colors} + donut floatie via five below {not sold online – check your local five below to get one for $5!, similar, also available in pink} + vera bradley large colorblock tote {sold out, smaller size}
I made my first trip to the pool last week. I went to a friend’s wedding this weekend and desperately needed to tame my crazy tan lines from Lake Como. It was so nice to just lay out, read in the lounge chairs, admire the lifeguards and float around on the donut.
I’m so glad summer is here even though it’s five hundred degrees around these parts. What fun prints are you taking to the beach or pool this summer?
xo, Nicole