Sayonara, Summer

{top: old navy (similar, similar,  | jeans: j brand (similar) | necklace: nordstrom (similar) | watch: marc by marc jacbos (similar) | sandals: urban outfitters (similar - on sale, similar}

There comes a very sad time in every teacher's life where she has to say farewell to summer, on a yearly basis, and is bombarded by 2 weeks' worth of trainings, meetings, laminating, and bulletin boards. This time has come for me. Cue the tears and violins.

I wore this Friday to a Beginning Teacher Support and Assessment induction, and then to a brief grade-level intro meeting. My first official full-time job has hit full-force… here goes nothing!

…at least I can look cute while doing it? This blue and white top makes me feel really happy - it reminds me of Santorini or Capri, and has me clinging to daydreams of a European island vacation! A girl can dream, can't she?!

"I Climbed Into Bushes to Take These Photos"

{tank: express | shorts: i have no clue! (similar, similar) | sandals: birkenstock via zappos | sunglasses: target}

I'm fairly certain the title of my post says it all. ;) I climbed into bushes to take these photos, and I'm glad I did, because it was quite the tropical background for my look today. 

I spent another day sunning myself beachfront, and then spent the rest of the afternoon developing my sunburn. (Yes, burn. My entire body is burned. I apply SPF 50 like it's my job, so this is quite the disappointment. I'll need to stay in the shade tomorrow!) 

After a day in the sun, we drove to Lahaina for some delicious dinner (and malasadas - Portuguese donuts - for dessert) at Star Noodle!

Photos of Hawaiian landscape will never get old, right? Good...

{can you see the rainbow in the center?!}

And on another note...

{my overly ambitious summer reading stack! by tomorrow, i should be about 2.5 down!}

{udon + pad thai!}

More to come… I have another 5 days here!

Aloha!

{dress: forever 21 | sandals: birkenstock via zappos | purse: sole society}

I'm in Hawaii for the next week on one of my wonderful mother-daughter trips, and I figured, if I don't share the absolutely beautiful scenery and vacation wardrobe with you all, I'd be committing a blogger crime! ;) 

We arrived mid-afternoon Tuesday, settled in, and made sure to grab some Hawaiian-style shaved ice - I got passion fruit orange/guava/mango flavor over vanilla ice cream with fresh mochi! YUM! 

We spent Wednesday sunning and reading by the pool, overlooking stunning Kihei Beach and Maalea Bay, and then went out for yummy Mai Tais and tasty Hawaiian gelato last night! (I got the "Sandy Beach" flavor - peanut butter gelato with coconut candy & graham cracker crumbs! Yummmm.)

Can't wait to keep you all posted with my resort wear (haha), cloud photos, and tasty treats!

(Don't forget to follow along on Instagram - @dailydaniblog!)

Unseasonable Sunshine

{vest: j. crew (similar) | dress: sosie (similar) (similar) (similar) | necklace: caroline g. | sandals: urban outfitters (similar) | sunglasses: target}

So, Southern California's winter has been nothing short of schizophrenic this year. 3 days of cold, 3 days of rain, 3 days of sweltering heat, 3 days of comfortable sunshine... rinse and repeat. Not only are my allergies very confused (sniff sniff cough cough), but my wardrobe can't figure it out either! This does not seem like something I should have been able to wear in the winter! I actually wore this outfit last June (when it's supposed to be 90+ degrees...) to the Temecula Balloon & Wine Festival with my gal pals, but since I never took outfit photos, it gets to make its blog appearance now!

School Spirit

{sweater: target | jeans: gap | sandals: urban outfitters}

The ever-growing collection of royal blue pieces in my wardrobe (Thank you, spur-of-the-moment Target purchases!) is certainly paying off for school spirit Fridays at work! It's really a shame that I can't be entered in the spirit raffles to win pizza and ice cream with the principal. ;)

I almost never wear my hair up, but apparently that was the plan on the morning after my 5-hour grad seminar! I actually think this little side pony made this classic but casual outfit feel a little more dressed up... I'll need to try my hand at some more creative hairstyles in the near future!

Minty Fresh

{dress: forever 21 (similar) (similar) | cardigan: old navy | sandals: old navy (similar)}

I feel like I kind of missed the mark on styling this. It was another random outfit choice at 6am kind of morning,and I didn't add any fun statement pieces because I was thinking the studded shoulders were a big enough statement. Except that I don't think the sun ever came out on the day that I wore this, so I wore the cardigan all day, so I just looked kinda boring. A statement necklace sure would have done this outfit good...

In my current no-paycheck, shopping-fast state of being, I put together a statement necklace wish list to torture myself. Whaddya think? Which one is your fave?

{1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5 / 6}

Friday's Fancies: Transition Time

{tank (similar) (similar) / necklace / sandals / cutoffs (similar) (similar) / scarf / sweater (similar) (similar) / watch / tights / booties (similar) (similar)}

I will keep pretending that Fall is creeping up on us, even though it is still a good 100 degrees outside! Yipes! Either way, somehow someway, the weather is (or will be!) getting cooler, and it's time to transition your wardrobe from summer to fall! I wanted to give you all an idea of how you could take your cutoffs into colder weather! While you've been wearing them with your sandals and tanks for summer, add a pair of tights and some cold-weather accessories like a scarf and booties to a cozy sweater, and you can take those jean shorts right on into winter!

Friday's Fancies: Labor Day Weekend

{necklace / purse / dress / hat / feather bangle / arrow bracelet / sandals}

As I started work/school already, Labor Day really is an official "goodbye" to summer for me and many others! So, bid your favorite summer pieces (i.e. a maxi dress, fedora, and sandals) a fond farewell as you trade them in for cozy sweaters, beanies, and booties! Now, if only the weather here would drop below 90...

Don't forget to enter my big ASOS Giveaway - winning it would surely make your Fridays especially Fancy!

Farewell, Summertime!

{t-shirt: target | skirt: old navy (similar) | sandals: urban outfitters | necklace: nordstrom (similar)}

Over the weekend, I said sayonara to summer with a big family BBQ at my cousins' house. My cousins from New Jersey were in town, along with the cousins I grew up with here in Southern California, some family friends, and my Nanny Franny! We sipped on some "Pink Bikini" cocktails (strawberry lemonade, coconut rum, & amaretto - YUM!), barbecued some burgers (or rather, watched people barbecue burgers, and then ate them), and got to catch up and enjoy some family time!