Hello! I'm Erika, a 24 year old attending a masters program for Clinical and Mental Health Counseling in Pittsburgh. Im about to start my practicum working with kiddos and their new families during the adoption process. I'm a nerd, a whovian, Harry Potter fanatic, an archer, an artist, a traveller of the world, a dreamer, a tree hugger, and a cynical optimist. I'm in a sorority, but I'm not a sorority girl. I'm a Christian, with a love for Buddhism and a respect for other religions. I used to be a dancer, a fencer, and a runner and I am trying to journey back to those things. I'm a country girl with big city dreams. My life is a paradox within itself, but somehow it works. Have a question? Ask me :)
Sorry that I’ve been so inactive lately, I’ve been struggling with some personal things in my life. But I wanted to take the upcoming holiday as an excuse for a post! I wore this gorgeous silk dresswhen I went to see my favorite musical- Hamilton! This stunning dress was the perfect dress for a night out in the city and I think it would also be the perfect dress to spend the day…
Went on an adventure today in the mountains in my new collared pullover! This tricky little number is actually one piece, which I personally like because I don’t have to keep pulling the undershirt down and readjusting, like I often do when I wear two pieces to get the same sweater/collared shirt combo. It’s well made, so it’s not noticeable that it’s one piece and even have slits up the side to…
I had the incredible opportunity to see the Pittsburgh run of the Broadway production of “Aladdin” last night in the historical Benedum Theatre ! If you have a free night before the cast moves on to a new city on the 10th, this show is a must see.
I am a huge musical buff and I have to say, this is by far one of the best productions I have seen in years. Between the…
But honestly who doesn’t love a good floral patterned dress? Add an open back and some lace and you have the perfect trendy outfit for your summer vacation! It seems that all the top fashion bloggers are rocking open back dresses as they jet-set a cross the country this season. But even if you’re like we and ballin’ on a budget at your nearest tourist beach, you can still have the high quality…
I received a box from the recently launched Stylestarter clothing company and I couldn’t be happier about the content inside! So I wanted to share my experience, because if you’re like me and love new clothes, but are too busy chasing goals to go to a store and shop, you have to check them out! They’ll help you build the perfect style to show off who you are, without interrupting your busy…
I had an amazing Valentine’s Day and I hope you all did too! But regardless of whether it was good or bad, we all survived it and made it through! Being post breakup, I was nervous that the day would be hard to get through, but I am in such a great place personally right now that it just reinforced that I am on the right path. My best friend Cody is in grad school with night classes and I didn’t…
This budget buy is the perfect way to shake off the winter blues as we impatiently wait for summer festival season! With the flattering bodysuit and leather fringe skirt, it had me feeling like I was ready to dance the day away in the sun or star in a James Bond movie. This piece is very versatile and can be worn to any occasion where you want to stand out and feel great about yourself!
The fringe trend wasn’t to be left in the 20’s on flapper dresses, but came back into style full force last summer. It looks like this summer will be another fringe friendly one as boho trends stay in style and music festivals become more and more popular.
This piece isn’t just perfect for warmer days though, with the black material and leather fringe, it is a great statement outfit to wear right now in the winter with a wine colored bomber jacket or pairing it with a felt-rimmed hat to look effortlessly perfect among the fallen leaves in the fall.
Fringe Fashion
Photographer: Josh Gates This budget buy is the perfect way to shake off the winter blues as we impatiently wait for summer festival season!
Styling by: @reeka_22 We have finally made it through January, which seemed to drag on forever, only to come out on the other side in a jungle of heart, flowers, and fuzzy pink things! If you are like me, I have never been a huge fan of Valentine’s Day, even when I am madly in love with someone. In the past if I was single, it just helped me rationalize my irrational fear that my personality was…
All of these random warm days have me day dreaming of bright colors! One trend that I think is here to stay and will continue into the rest of 2018 is the jumpsuit. Let’s face it, it doesn’t matter what time of year it is, a jumpsuit is adorable and comfortable! This jumpsuit is a perfect transition piece to have in your closet as we move towards those warm Spring days most of us have been waiting for. As the weather begins to warm up, you can pair it with a trendy faux fur jacket or a neautral color faux leather jacket, if you want to tone down the colors.
Want to know the best part? The jumpsuit is only TEN dollars and eligible for prime! The jacket is also budget friendly at $24, though sadly isn’t eligible for prime. I will say that I personally am very happy with the look and quality of the jacket, especially when comparing the price to others that I’ve seem.
What trends to you plan on carrying over into the Spring with you? I know I am going to keep rocking the space buns and chokers for far too long, but I can’t help it, I love both of those trends!
Jump(suit) Into Spring
Photographer: Liquid Lights Studio All of these random warm days have me day dreaming of bright colors!
I recently started a joint journal and sketch pad all rolled into one, as a way to express myself and experiences through two different outlets. Journaling and art can be such great tools to therapeutically externalize your feelings in a way that is laid out there in front of your eyes to see. Once they are visually in front of you, it is then easier to sort through the emotions, honor the…
Fashion is funny because it’s constantly moving forward and looking to the future. So right now the fashion world is already focused on Spring, while we’re still here shivering our way through winter in this Game of Thrones level storm! With that being said I wanted to share a wonderful new discovery of mine: fleece lined faux leather pants— with POCKETS!! If you are like me, most of the time you…
First dates are awkward whether you are meeting for the first time or have been friends for years. So it is my advice to keep things simple to try to eliminate unnecessary anxiety! There’s nothing worse than going to a location that you’re uncomfortable at, with someone you’re not comfortable with yet. Everyone is different, but from my personal experience here are places that I would suggestion…
Need an affordable gown for a night out with your prince? Or you know a cost efficient bridesmaid dress that you won’t want to shove in your closet and never look at again? Well, whether it’s to celebrate your own love, someone else’s love, or just the love of yourself in a gorgeous dress- here is the perfect option! This Amazon steal comes in silver, black, burgundy, ivory, navy, pearl pink,…
The end of 2017 was a rough time for me, filled with a lot of transitions, so I decided to bring in 2018 feeling confident in myself! So I splurged on a new dress, courtesy of a Black Friday promo code, from Lulus.
I have zero complaints about this number and suggest it for anyone who is going to a fancy event and wants to channel old Hollywood vibes for the night! The material was thick and of good quality, though the sequins did come off some, but that is too be expected. I am almost 5’8 and had to wear heels for the skirt to fall at the right height, so my shorter glitter lovers would have to get it hemmed. Another perk of the length- I wore extremely comfortable bootie heels so that I could dance the night away without my feet hurting, since they were invisible for the most part.
Now for my NYE fail! I wanted a fuzzy pink jacket to keep me warm, while still being fashion forward, so true to form, I ordered this style from Amazon. Despite looking adorable when thrown over my shoulders, if you actually tried to wear it as coats were intended to be, it was extremely unflattering. The coat sleeves landed about three inches above my wrists (though again I am tall), but it was also extremely boxy and despite being a small size, set unflatteringly away from my body.
I ordered two more styles (thank goodness for prime returns) to continue my hunt for the perfect trendy fuzzy jacket! I will keep everyone posted with the findings.
Hope everyone’s New Year has been as glamorous as I felt on NYE! Have a safe and healthy week.
New Year, New Dress, and a New Return
The end of 2017 was a rough time for me, filled with a lot of transitions, so I decided to bring in 2018 feeling confident in myself!
But honestly who doesn’t love a good floral patterned dress? Add an open back and some lace and you have the perfect trendy outfit for your summer vacation! It seems that all the top fashion bloggers are rocking open back dresses as they jet-set a cross the country this season. But even if you’re like we and ballin’ on a budget at your nearest tourist beach, you can still have the high quality…
I received a box from the recently launched Stylestarter clothing company and I couldn’t be happier about the content inside! So I wanted to share my experience, because if you’re like me and love new clothes, but are too busy chasing goals to go to a store and shop, you have to check them out! They’ll help you build the perfect style to show off who you are, without interrupting your busy…
I had an amazing Valentine’s Day and I hope you all did too! But regardless of whether it was good or bad, we all survived it and made it through! Being post breakup, I was nervous that the day would be hard to get through, but I am in such a great place personally right now that it just reinforced that I am on the right path. My best friend Cody is in grad school with night classes and I didn’t…
Styling by: @reeka_22 We have finally made it through January, which seemed to drag on forever, only to come out on the other side in a jungle of heart, flowers, and fuzzy pink things! If you are like me, I have never been a huge fan of Valentine’s Day, even when I am madly in love with someone. In the past if I was single, it just helped me rationalize my irrational fear that my personality was…
I recently started a joint journal and sketch pad all rolled into one, as a way to express myself and experiences through two different outlets. Journaling and art can be such great tools to therapeutically externalize your feelings in a way that is laid out there in front of your eyes to see. Once they are visually in front of you, it is then easier to sort through the emotions, honor the…
Fashion is funny because it’s constantly moving forward and looking to the future. So right now the fashion world is already focused on Spring, while we’re still here shivering our way through winter in this Game of Thrones level storm! With that being said I wanted to share a wonderful new discovery of mine: fleece lined faux leather pants— with POCKETS!! If you are like me, most of the time you…
First dates are awkward whether you are meeting for the first time or have been friends for years. So it is my advice to keep things simple to try to eliminate unnecessary anxiety! There’s nothing worse than going to a location that you’re uncomfortable at, with someone you’re not comfortable with yet. Everyone is different, but from my personal experience here are places that I would suggestion…
Need an affordable gown for a night out with your prince? Or you know a cost efficient bridesmaid dress that you won’t want to shove in your closet and never look at again? Well, whether it’s to celebrate your own love, someone else’s love, or just the love of yourself in a gorgeous dress- here is the perfect option! This Amazon steal comes in silver, black, burgundy, ivory, navy, pearl pink,…
