The Rainbow Connection: How I Infuse Disney into my Everyday Wardrobe

"Someday we'll find it
The rainbow connection
The lovers, the dreamers, and me
.

All of us under its spell, we know that it's probably magic"

Fashion is a form a self-expression, and for someone who is just slightly obsessed with all things Disney (OK. A lot obsessed. I make no apologies!), combining the 2 is an obvious choice. Since I live 8 hours away from the nearest Disney park, I like to infuse a little piece of that magic into my everyday wardrobe. But we’re not talking full on princess gowns and literal costumes here (though going for a Target run in a glittering Belle ballgown would be quite a sight to see!). You can dress in Disney using even the subtlest of details – but I definitely will not judge you if you go full throttle Mickey, either!

Sprinkling your wardrobe with a little pixiedust can be as easy as putting pieces together in your favorite character’s color palette or accessorizing with a Disney inspired clutch or necklace. There are so many Disney products out there, it can be hard to pick & choose which pieces to add to your collection, but even if you don’t own an arsenal of Disney Dooney bags or 30 shirts with Mickey’s face plastered all over them, you can still easily (and more subtly) dress with Disney in mind.

Do It For The 'Gram: Most Instagrammable spot in Disney World

These days, social media is pretty heavily ingrained in modern society. Our generation is notorious for wanting (nay, needing) to document everything from the clothes we wear or places we travel, to the food we eat, and yes, sometimes we can be totally obnoxious about it, like making your husband wait before taking a bite out of that totally Instagram-worthy ice cream sundae, just so you can get the perfect shot (guilty). Instagram culture has become a way of life. Some people do it because they want to be #instafamous or to keep up with the Joneses, some do it because they want to educate or enlighten, and some people - like me - do it just because IT'S FUN. Even speaking to an audience that may only be a handful of people (is anyone reading this?), I still enjoy everything that goes into making an Instagram or blog post (hello, outfit planning!). I'm kind of just throwing my hat into the ring (er...out into the huge vaccuum of the internet) and seeing where it lands.

I've always had a love affair with photography. My weekends as a teenager were usually filled with DIY photoshoots, vintage clothes & costumes, and having adventures around town with my friends. I took photos because it was a creative outlet for me, a way to express who I was, what I was feeling, and stories I wanted to convey through the medium of photography. These days, I'm the one in front of the camera instead of behind it, and I take those stories and ideas and funnel them through Instagram and my blog. Combined with my love of Disney, it has become one of my favorite hobbies.

A Golden Afternoon: A Perfect Spring Look

"You can learn a lot of things from the flowers
For especially in the month of June
There's a wealth of happiness and romance
All in the golden afternoon"

Nothing screams summer like bold, vibrant colors, and with summer officially here (though in TN, it's been summer for approximately 2 months now), it's time to bust out the neons. I'm all about that hot pink life, so this open back number pulls double duty as a breezy/functional top, as well as being perfect for a casual-dressy night out (is that a thing? I just made it a thing.) I was headed out for tacos & cocktails, so I wanted to look put together, but still comfortable - you know, like I actually put some effort into it - unlike most days where my uniform is more top knots & sweats, or literally just pajamas: a little too comfortable for a night out on the town. Somehow I don't think sauntering into a trendy downtown bar in satin strawberry PJs would turn heads in quite the way I want.

Rooftop Hop: Rooftop Bar Hopping in Nashville

If cities were women, Chattanooga is a crunchy/outdoorsy back country roads kind of girl & Nashville is her trendy/hipster southern bell of an older sister. I definitely consider myself to fit more into the latter category & if given the choice between rock climbing/hiking/(insert various other outdoor activity here that requires sweating), I'd much rather post up at a brewery or restaurant & imbibe (hey, I'm outdoorsy! I drink my rosé on the patio like a classy dame!)

One thing Chattanooga lacks, but Nashville has an abundance of, is the quintessential rooftop bar. There's something about enjoying a strong cocktail with a side of city skyline that just makes you feel like the pinnacle of cool. Enter the rooftop lounge at the chic Bobby Hotel. First off, there's a pool. And a bus. And they are both on the roof (but the pool isn't ON the bus, because that would just be ludicrous, right? Or...best idea ever?) While the pool is reserved for guests of the hotel - which will set you back a measly $400/night but NBD - anyone is welcome to stop by the lounge for a drink (& play pretend that you're on vacation.)

Squeeze The Day: A Lemon Look to Love

Ah, sweet summertime - it invokes imagery of backyard barbecues, splashing around in the pool, & catching fireflies in the early evening - or at least once upon a time that's what summer meant. These days, it's more drive-thru BBQ, squeezing into the baby pool with Lilly, and getting eaten alive by mosquitoes. Summer may look a little different, but there's one thing that remains the same: the sundress.

A great sundress (or 20, in my case) is an essential piece of any wardrobe. You can never have too many & I tend to go for fun prints & bright colors (give me all the seersucker & neons!). When I came across this lemon print dress, I knew it would be perfect for daytripping in Nashville. I paired it with my favorite lace up wedges & a lemon clutch from Tartan+Twine to complete the look (because I'm never one to pass up a good theme).

Thirty, Flirty, & Thriving: A Colorful Birthday Look

Flashing back to when I first saw Thirteen Going On Thirty, I remember thinking, "30 is old!" & picturing myself as a 30 year old just felt weird. I could only see the general idea of it, blurry & out of focus. What would 30 be like? What would I have accomplished by then? 

If you asked 20 year old me what I envisioned for 30, she would have said something like: living a fabulous life in a fancy high rise apartment & making $BANK$. She'd have a wardrobe straight out of the pages of a fashion magazine & jetset around the world, all the while chronicling her adventures through photojournalism & gossiping about her adventures over mimosas & brunch. Girl needed to slow her roll because apparently she thought I was going to grow up to be Carrie Bradshaw.

A Most Peculiar Mademoiselle: Disneybounding as Belle in Nashville

Let's talk books! These days, it's hard for me to find the time to read. Between taking care of Lilly, and simultaneously working my 9-5 office job, plus keep up with my side business, Second Star Co. (& now adding a blog into the mix!), I stay pretty busy trying to maintain my status of #girlboss. But now that it's almost summer, that means vacation - and for me, vacation is synonymous with reading. Although the first day of summer isn't until mid June, and my mini beach vacation isn't until July, I've already got my summer reading list ready to go (& all my vacation outfits as well. Shout out to all my fellow outfit planners!) You know homegirl is counting down the days until I'm sitting pretty on a white sand beach with a strawberry daiquiri in one hand and a juicy novel in the other. 

But since I'm still a good 5-6 hours away from the closest beach, the next best place - and probably more obvious - for a photo sesh inspired by the written word is the stunning Nashville public library. Can you guess who this look was inspired by? Major side eye if you can't instantly tell...