Stay Gold :: monochrome white + shades

I've worn monochromatic white looks multiple times this summer and the reason why I'm so drawn to this no-fuss color scheme is simple. Monochrome allows you to be creative by eliminating that dreaded fear of color mismatching. When color is erased from the equation, you're free to experiment with texture, proportion, accessories, and statement pieces. Trust me, all-white is anything but vanilla. 

This caged midi skirt from Loft was built for crop tops. In the past I've paired it with a brighter color palette (checkout how I styled it here), but there's just something so appealing about white on white that I can't resist. 

I'm kind of in love with this look; it's so my style! I love mixing casual pieces with dressier, more feminine ones and this outfit embodies that spirit perfectly. I would wear this kind of thing every day if I could. 

The layered look is super hot right now and although I do own my fair share of pre-layered necklaces, like this one here, I actually created these layers from three separate necklaces. The process is easy, I just found three gold necklaces, all different lengths, and piled them on. This trend gives your outfit an organic, effortless vibe. 

Ray-Bans are the unofficial shades of summer. They're chic, versatile, and undeniably cool. I love how I can wear mine with jeans and a tee or with heels and a skirt and feel equally stylish. 

"Stay gold Ponyboy. Stay gold" is a quote from The Outsiders, which I regrettably have neither read nor seen (but I hear the book is great). I admit, I looked up this quote on SparkNotes and it has a pretty deep meaning. Let me try and sum it up in just a few sentences..."Stay gold" is a reference to a Robert Frost poem in which Frost writes, "Nothing gold can stay," meaning that all good things must come to an end. By the end of The Outsiders, the main characters apply this idea to youthful innocence. Stay gold, stay young at heart, and stay innocent from the harsh realities of life. Beautiful, huh? 

I may be wearing all white, but I threw pops of turquoise into the mix for a refreshing splash of summertime color. 

These two-toned Sam Edelmans were a happy accident, a serendipity if you will. My mom and I meant to order the all nude pair but wound up with these at our door instead. I decided to keep them and I'm so glad I did. They go with everything, just like nude does, but they're way more interesting than pure nude. Plus checkout that shiny rim! 

Photos by Dan Harper 

[crop top: Brandy Melville (another graphic crop top here) // skirt: Loft (similar one here) // heels: Sam Edelman  (all nude ones here) // shades: Ray Ban // earrings: Kendra Scott (similar here) // teal & gold bracelet: Banana Republic // cream bangle: Kate Spade (similar here) // initial necklaces: fine jewelry (identical one here) // layered necklace: Piperlime (I also like this one) // gold chain necklace: fine jewelry // heart bracelet: Tiffany & Co. // lipstick: Clinique's Melon Pop

I had a lot of fun buzzing around my hometown taking these photos with my dad before I left for New York. As soon as we took them, I knew I wanted to wait until August to post them. For some reason this bunch of photos just screams end-of-summer to me. I think maybe because these pics have a laid-back feel to them and they were taken during golden hour, which gives them an extra warm glow and August is the hottest month of all.  

Speaking of hot, there's no air-conditioning in my apartment at the moment and so my roomies and I are experiencing a true NYC summer - including humidity, sweat, and all its glory. But honestly (you will all think I'm crazy), but I am not a fan of AC so I'm actually doing okay. Just give me a fan and I'm good! 

Stay cool (and gold) everyone! 

SHOP ::