Y’all, Steeplechase this weekend was an absolute blast! I love an opportunity to get all dolled up, and I always have so much fun people watching and seeing everybody’s outfits! Steeplechase is seriously one of the most fun events in Nashville all year long! Since I’ve already done a full Steeplechase blog post here, I wasn’t planning on sharing this outfit on the blog, but I decided that this Draper James dress (c/o) needed to be shared! It is seriously so good, and the material is super lightweight so it is PERFECT for summer and warmer weather! Draper James pieces are definitely a bit of an investment and more than I would typically spend on a piece, but let me tell you… they are SO worth it! They’re classy, well made and super flattering, and I’ve found that they are always a great go-to event outfit. I shared this bag in my last post, but I wanted to share it again because it has seriously become such a favorite— I literally have not used another bag since! It’s perfectly roomy and fits everything I need and then some, and I am obsessed with the fun pop of blue it adds to any outfit!

Speaking of favorites, I thought I would share some random things that I have been LOVING lately! These are honestly all super random, from wine to podcasts, but I love them, so I thought you guys might like them too!

Monday Favorites

Seche Power Pack Duo - I picked this up last time I was at Sally Beauty and oh. my. gosh. it has CHANGED the game. I used to NEVER have my nails painted because it would always take too long to dry only to chip off immediately or get dented before it was even dry so I would get frustrated and either go get them done or just give up and have boring nails. Not anymore. This base/top coat combo makes my nail polish dry so much faster and it will seriously last 5-8 days before needing to be re-done! And even though I honestly suck at painting my own nails it seriously makes them look professional every time. I am so obsessed and can promise that this has become a staple that I’ll be buying and re-buying for years to come, especially at only $8.
Victoria’s Secret Featherweight PJ’s - I shared these on Instagram in this post, but these are seriously some of the most comfortable PJ’s EVER! They’re so soft, and they’re super lightweight so if you’re a hot sleeper or just looking for some new summer PJ’s these are PERFECT! Andddd they’re on sale for only $26 right now! SUCH a good deal!
Chicwish Eyelet Maxi Dress - Y’all know that I am obsessed with anything that I can throw on and be comfy while instantly looking put together, and this dress (shared in this Instagram post) does exactly that! I love paring it with wedges or sandals and bright earrings for an easy pulled together look! It would also be perfect for a bride to be if you’re looking for something to wear to a bridal shower, bachelorette party or brunch!
These $8 Sandals - If you’ve been following me on Instagram, you’ve DEFINITELY seen me wear these sandals on repeat! They are so cute and look a lot like the $80 Steve Madden ones that everybody loves but they are only $8! They are super comfortable (I walk EVERYWHERE since we don’t have a car anymore and these are my go-to when I know I’ll be walking) and they go with everything!
L’Oreal Infallible Primer and Foundation - While I LOVE my Estee Lauder Double Wear and Smashbox Primers, sometimes you don’t wanna drop $45 on foundation and $36 on primer. I’ve been wearing this primer/foundation combo for like 2 weeks now and it stays put! I set it with Coty Airspun and it’s a makeup match made in heaven! Just an FYI, the foundation colors are a bit deceiving on the tube. I wear shade 302 (the second lightest shade I think) and it looks nothing like the tube color.

Kitchen Favorites

(Alllll the Trader Joes finds… And some other random faves!)

The Delicious Monster 2018 wine - I originally bought this for the label because I mean come on, it’s so cute! But it’s actually really good, too! It’s only about $7 and is the perfect crisp and refreshing white to drink on your patio this spring/summer!
Shell House Sparkling Hard Seltzer - This is basically Trader Joe’s version of white claw and Jerry and I have been obsessed with it lately! I went grocery shopping yesterday and now our fridge is STOCKED with this stuff! It’s less than $7 for a six pack, so it’s super affordable and I love the design of the can. Clearly I’m a sucker for cute packaging.
VAVA Milk Frother - Not a Trader Joe’s find, but this has seriously saved me so much money on coffee and made me much more of a morning person! My go-to coffee in the morning is 2 N’espresso pods (I use these!), 2 pumps of Torani Syrup (my favorites are Hazelnut and Caramel) and frothed whole milk (I know, I know. I feel like real milk is a sin these days but honestly whole milk just froths wayyy better than anything else!). It tastes just like something you’d get at Starbucks and costs next to nothing per drink! I also use the frother to froth milk (on the cold setting) to make scrambled eggs! I’ve found that if you froth the milk first you get fluffier, moister (ew but what other word would I use) eggs!
Cutwater Spirits Canned Cocktails - I love a good Margarita or Moscow Mule, but I hate having to buy like 6 ingredients just to make one drink, so I have been loving these for when I’m in the mood for a mixed drink but don’t feel like buying all of the ingredients and going to the trouble of making one! So far I’ve tried the Vodka Soda, the Paloma Cocktail, the Margarita and the Moscow Mule. They’re honestly all good, but my two favorites are the Margarita and the Moscow Mule! These are also great for enjoying a cocktail at the pool or beach!
Vegetable and Soba Noodle Stir Fry Kit - I tried this for the first time yesterday, and it is SO good! It’s super quick, easy and mess free, which for me is important because I HATE cleaning up after myself when I cook! I sautéed some large cooked frozen shrimp with soy sauce (I use the cooked kind because I’m scared of screwing up seafood and giving Jerry and I food poisoning lol) and then added the veggies to the pan and followed the instructions on the bag and it was such a good, healthy one pan lunch!

IMG_2381 (2).jpg — Everything Else!

Random things I’ve been loving without a category of their own

Podcasts - I have been OBSESSED with podcasts lately! Honestly, a big part of the reason I haven’t been on Instagram stories as much (working on getting back into it! Whoops!) is that I am never NOT listening to a podcast lately! My current favorite are My Favorite Murder and The Secret Life Of Weddings. I know My Favorite Murder has been around for a while, so you may already listen to it, but if you’re into true crime and DON’T listen to My Favorite Murder, you NEED to! Karen & Georgia are hilarious (Karen used to be a writer for the Ellen show!) and do a really good job of taking really dark subject matter and telling the stories in a way that show respect to the victims while still mixing in humor in order to make it less dark and nightmare inducing than most true crime podcasts/shows. I have been binging it like crazy and am seriously so hooked! The Secret Life Of Weddings is a much more lighthearted podcast that focuses on all of the crazy things that happen at weddings. If you’re planning a wedding I highly recommend listening to this podcast! It’s hilarious, and has really helped make wedding planning less stressful because I know no matter what goes wrong at my wedding, it definitely won’t be as bad as some of these ones! It also really makes me appreciate my future in laws! Some of these MIL’s sound absolutely nuts, and after hearing these stories I feel so lucky to have the amazing future in laws that I do! They’ve welcomed me and treated me like family since day one and I am seriously so grateful for them!
Music - One of my new favorite artists right now is Ashley Mcbryde. All of her songs are good, but I am in LOVE with Girl Goin’ Nowhere. It’s so well written, and I am obsessed. It’s one of those songs that just kind of stops you in your tracks because it is so good! Another favorite artist right now is James TW! I’ve loved his music ever since When You Love Someone (seriously such a sad, beautiful song) first came on my Ed Sheeran Pandora station. He just put out his new album, Chapters and it’s so good! Also, I’ve been LOVING the song Who Are You off of Megan and Liz’s new Muses EP. The whole thing is good, but Who Are You is definitely my fave!
These Pineapple Tumblers - See, I told you this was going to be a little bit of everything. I found these at TJ Maxx a while ago, and bought 8 of them! I plan on giving them to my bridesmaids for my bachelorette party! I think they’re so cute and fun for summer, and at $7.99 for a set of two you seriously can’t pass them up!
James Patterson Crazy House - I read this in Hawaii and it was so good! I literally finished the whole thing in about 12 hours. I don’t have time to read very often, but whenever I do James Patterson is always my go-to! If you’re looking for a good page turner, I absolutely recommend this one! I’ve seen it compared to the Hunger Games, which I actually haven’t read so I can’t really say much there, but I feel like it also kind of reminded me a bit of Handmaids Tale. It’s not the same, but they live in a similar society where they are kind of at the mercy of the people in charge and breaking rules comes with extreme consequences. Another James Patterson book I’ve read this year that had me hooked was The President Is Missing. Seriously so good and had me on the edge of my seat from start to finish.

Okay, I think that’s everything for now! Told you it would be a little all over the place! If you end up trying any of the favorites that I mentioned, tag me on Instagram stories and let me know what you think! I hope you have an easy and productive Monday!

XOXO,

Olivia

Off to the Races: My Steeplechase Outfit and Some Monday Favorites!

Monday Favorites