LONG SLEEVE TSHIRT DRESS

DRESS H&M || SNEAKERS Converse
 WRISTLET Louis Vuitton || SUNNIES Ray-Ban
 NECKLACE J.Crew || WATCH Daniel Wellington || RING David Yurman

Hi, friends. How are things?

Today I'm sharing one of my closet staples — the t-shirt dress.

I absolutely love how easy and carefree throwing on a t-shirt dress is.

No matter the season, it's a versatile piece and can be styled dozens of ways.

I'm especially fond of the long sleeve t-shirt dress. I've found that these can be a bit harder to come across than their sleeveless and short-sleeved counterparts. There's just something about long sleeves on a dress that I've always been drawn to — I think it's such a flattering silhouette!

So, when I stumbled upon this navy number the other day, I knew I had to have it.

And would you believe me if I told you it was under $18?

I've said it before and I'll say it again: H&M is the place for inexpensive basics.

I'll usually pop in once a month or so to stock up on basics or just to browse. 

H&M is my favorite place to pick up "trendier" pieces, because it's less overwhelming than 

Forever 21 but still offers a large selection at relatively inexpensive prices.

This navy dress also comes in black, and runs a touch large. Be sure to size down!

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PREPPY CASUAL IN J.CREW

CHAMBRAY Gap || TOP H&M || SKIRT J.Crew || SNEAKERS Converse

NECKLACE J.Crew || WATCH Daniel Wellington || SUNNIES Ray-Ban 

WRISTLET Louis Vuitton || RING David Yurman

Hey, friends — thanks for stopping by!

Today I'm sharing one of my favorite preppy casual looks for spring. 

I find myself in some variation of this outfit quite often. It's great for weekend wear or for a laid-back office environment. With a few minor tweaks, it could pass in a more conservative office, too!

Rarely will you ever spot me wearing shorts in the summertime. 

I'm much more comfortable sporting a sundress or flow-y skirt. 

Shorts? They're just not my thing.

One downfall of opting for anything but shorts is that I'm often left pocket-less in the warmer months. Finding dresses and skirts with pockets is often a tricky task, and when I come across a piece, I'm usually bummed to discover that the pocket structure and placement adds unflattering "bulk" to the thigh area. And we really can't have that.

So when I find a comfortable, flattering piece, I feel like I've hit the jackpot! 

And then I buy it in every color...

I have this great little J.Crew miniskirt in a handful of colors and fabrics. 

The particular skirt I'm wearing today is the winter wool blend, but I've also picked up a few of the same style in the summer linen blend. My cost per wear on these skirts has got to be incredibly low, because I've had them for a few years (and they've held up impeccably!) and wear them all the time. They're so versatile, they go with everything and are, of course, comfortable.

An all around win I'd say.

On a completely unrelated note, I'm looking into booking a few weeks of travel to Southeast Asia! It's an area that I've been itching to see, and later this year, I'm hoping to have enough time to make it happen. Any suggestions from destinations, to cultural tips to surviving the flight are welcome!

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LATELY - APRIL

Hi, friends. Can you believe it's already the end of April?

This is an especially exciting month around here because April marks Keynotes' one year anniversary! It's really crazy for me to think that I've officially occupied this little corner of the internet for an entire year — I'm glad you're here and I can't wait to have you along for the journey through this next year!

With that said, let's get right into this month's installment of the "lately" series!

DENIM Articles of Society || BOOTS L.L. Bean || SOCKS J.Crew 

BAG Rebecca Minkoff || VEST J.Crew || SWEATER H&M (similar linked)

DENIM Articles of Society || BAG Rebecca Minkoff || JACKET Lucky Brand (similar linked)

HEELS Aldo || RING David Yurman || BRACELETS Tiffany & Co. + Swarovski

DENIM Articles of Society || SCARF Club Monaco || BAG Longchamp Le Pliage

SUNNIES Ray-Ban || SWEATER Forever21 (similar linked) || SNEAKERS Converse

DENIM Articles of Society || CARDIGAN Gap || TOP J.Crew (similiar linked) 
SNEAKERS Converse || BAG Louis Vuitton || BRACELET Tiffany & Co.

WEARING: If you've been keeping track, then you know that I've been wearing this pair of white denim nonstop lately. I bought this pair on a whim, expecting to return them for one reason or another, because the perfect white denim is so hard to find. Surprisingly, I really like them. They've got a hint of stretch, but not so much that they create unforgiving lines. They're also pretty opaque, which is definitely an important factor! My only qualm is that they have "fake" front pockets, but it's something I'm willing to overlook with this pair.

WATCHING: A few weeks ago, I finished the new season of House of Cards. I've been a religious watcher of the series ever since it came out my sophomore year of college. It's really interesting to watch it now that I live in D.C., because I know exactly where everything takes place. My office building is even shown in the opening credits!

CONSUMING: As a tea lover, I've been a fan of kombucha ever since I tried it a few years ago. I tried a ginger + rosemary homemade recipe the other day and I've been thinking about it ever since. So, if anyone has a good recipe, send it my way.

I've also recently started eating avocado toast for lunch (rather than breakfast). I'll bring two pieces of bread to work and lightly toast them. From there, I add a slice of turkey to each piece, add the mashed avocado and top with black pepper. It's a quick "meal" to throw together in the morning and is just filling enough for lunch!

COVETING: I'd love to get my hands on a bezel-set diamond solitaire necklace! I've had my eye on one for quite some time now, but sadly, I think that may have to wait just a touch longer. Otherwise, I've been loving flowy, laid back dresses for summer. Head on over to Pinterest to check out my favorites here.

ON MY RADAR: May travel! I'll be heading up to New York City early in the month to visit a friend in SoHo. Sex and The City is seriously my favorite show ever, so I'm really excited to #brunch and play Carrie for the weekend. I can't wait! Then, at the end of the month, I'll be making a trip back home for Memorial Day weekend. So far, I'm really making good on my "travel once a month" resolution since moving to D.C. I've also got some trips lined up for June and July, so stay tuned!

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Thank you to Lawrence Cheng Photography for shooting this post

SPRING IN WHITE + NAVY

WHITE DENIM articles of society || SNEAKERS converse || TOP striped long sleeve (old, similar linked) || CARDIGAN gap navy cardigan || TOTE louis vuitton neverfull gm || SUNNIES ray-ban aviators || BRACELETS tiffany & co. and swarovski

Hey, there. I'm glad you stopped by!

I'm so glad spring is finally rolling around because I've been stuck in a "winter" clothes rut (aka wearing all black all the time) for too long. In the warmer months, I tend to ditch black for navy and wear white at every chance I get. 

I wore this super laid-back look the other day running around the city and it was the perfect look for a mild spring day. I've been sporting my favorite white denim nonstop lately and I know it'll be one of my most-worn pieces through the summer. And speaking of most-worn pieces, I have to give a shout out to my Converse sneakers. Y'all have truly been through it all. I love these so much and seriously wear them with everything. Sadly, the time has (just about) come to retire them, and I'm thinking of getting some white Jack Purcell's as a replacement. Here's to hoping I care for a pair of white canvas sneakers a little better the second time around!

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RECENT SPRING PURCHASES

Hey, y'all! How have you been?

Today I'm sharing some of my recent spring purchases and what I think about them so far. 

This post is a bit longer than normal, so stay with me!

First up are shoes. For the most part, I used to stick with a pair of two of shoes per season — I'd wear them nonstop until it was time to come up with their replacement. 

I was never much of a "shoe girl" (I'm sure some friends + family are rolling their eyes as they read this, haha!) but I think I'm starting to become one!

I picked up these Aldo Cicci Block Heels (last seen here) a few weeks ago. I haven't gotten much wear out of them because it's not quite sandal season yet here in Washington, D.C. 

I'd been searching for weeks for a great dupe for Stuart Weitzman's NearlyNude Block Heel Sandal, and this pair seems to be the closest I've found. I was especially drawn to the designer pair because of the moderate heel height, something I've not been able to find in comparable dupes. I will say that the Aldo pair is not the most comfortable shoe I own, but it gets the job done (as long as you're not walking too far.) This shoe fits true to size.

Next, I picked up these Steve Madden Lecrew Flats. I've been seeing the lace-up flat trend everywhere. As most of you know, I'm not one for trends. My taste is minimalist and classic, and I typically hesitate to run after trends. But sometimes I'll step outside my comfort zone, and that's exactly what I did here. I chose a super versatile neutral color — it goes with everything in my closet and helps to tone down the "boldness" of the strappy style. At just under $70, they're at a great price point for a piece that may go out of style. With that said, the price definitely reflects the craftsmanship and materials used — I can't really see these holding up for more than a season or two. Overall, I'm happy with this purchase and have been wearing them on repeat! The shoe fits true to size. 

And now onto my favorite! Enter: these Coach Pipher beauties. I came across these while on the hunt for those Stuart Weitzman dupes. I was immediately drawn to this shoe because of the moderate heel height — I could explore the city all day in these sandals! This sturdy shoe features a leather upper, lining and sole. I had the chance to sport these for a few days while in Texas for Easter, and I already know these will be my most worn shoe this summer. This shoe fits true to size.



I should probably cool it on the shoe buying, don't you think?
After months of lusting, I finally picked up the diptyque 'Roses' candle and have been loving it. I'm a sucker for anything rose scented and let me tell you, my entire apartment smells like a luxurious bed of roses with each burn. I love the pretty + simplistic packaging and can't wait to add a few more scents to my collection.


And for the grand finale of recent spring purchases — Louis Vuitton.
It's actually quite funny, because I totally had no intention of buying any Louie within the near future, but it sort-of just accidentally happened. Oops. How does one accidentally buy Louis Vuitton? I don't really know (just go with me on this one.) I picked up the Neverfull GM in the Damier Ebene canvas and the Key Pouch in Monogram. These are two pieces I've had my eye on for (seemingly) forever and I'm glad I finally made the splurge. I know they'll make great travel companions!

What's your most exciting recent purchase?

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PLUM PRETTY SUGAR

ROBE heatherington eden kimono || NECKLACE tiffany & co. pendant

Hello, friends! How are you?

You may (or may not!) have noticed the brief blogging hiatus I've been on — between work, travel and life, it's been a struggle to keep up. So, whether you're new around here or a regular, I appreciate your patience and understanding. I'm glad you're back!

Have you heard of Plum Pretty Sugar? 

It's an apparel company that started out by focusing on delicate bridal + bridesmaids robes, but has since expanded inventory to include tops, bottoms and dresses. 

I first ran across the company on Pinterest while browsing for pins to add to my wedding board (#guilty). I lusted over the delicate and feminine designs for months before deciding to splurge on a piece for myself.

I ended up choosing the Knee Length Kimono Style Robe in the Heatherington Eden print. I was immediately drawn to the soft blue hues and understated pattern of the print and just knew I had to have it. The robe is constructed of cotton voile, a featherweight fabric that's light, airy and perfect for travel. I typically wear mediums in most clothing, but after consulting the sizing chart, purchased the robe in a size small. I will say, however, I probably could've gotten away in a medium, too. So, if you're in between sizes, I'd recommend consulting the sizing chart and then considering what type of fit you prefer (i.e. a perfect fit, slouched, relaxed) and going from there.

Funny story, but I seriously lusted over this robe for months... I hinted to my parents, grandparents, friends and family that it would make a great gift for an upcoming holiday. Well, of course, I couldn't wait for a holiday, so I purchased it myself. And then, naturally, I received the exact robe I purchased as a gift a few months later (go figure!). The lovely customer service folks over at Plum Pretty Sugar made the exchange process a breeze and now I'm stuck with the daunting task of choosing a new item — which is proving to be fairly difficult, because I'd like one of everything, please! Check out the widget below to see what I've got my eye on.

Note: this post is not in partner with or sponsored by Plum Pretty Sugar — I just love the brand!

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