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The Perfect Gift for the Men in Your Life
Can we all admit that shopping for the men in our life can be a major struggle. Yes, I am writing this at the very beginning of the almost holiday season because this year, I am preparing that far in advance. Side note: December includes my husband's birthday, our wedding anniversary, AND Christmas. HELP! Gifting is a gift in itself, and I realized that shopping for this special time of the year should not be stressful and rushed but rather thought-through and meaningful. What do we need for that? Time. Awareness. Notes :) I love listening to what the close ones in my life mention as wish list items or things they need when they don't even realize they are doing it, and I note it! Or when I am shopping with Santa glasses months in advance, the most perfect presents jump out at me!
Enter the foolproof thing to wrap up for your boyfriend, your hubs, your dad, or any close man in your life that deserves a rad gift! The Duluth pack. This present is always a win win because it is so versatile. Are you a dad? Throw all the baby needs in your bag. Do you have trips planned? This is the perfect travel companion. Going on a hike? Take this with you!I cannot wait to give this backpack to two special ones in my life - I am not going to specify who just in case they read this!*thank you, duluth pack, for the gifts![show_shopthepost_widget id="1994419"]
travel tips + bomber look
Happy friday, friends! What do you guys have going on this weekend? Lo is currently in Dallas with her family as her twin sister, Britt, gets ready to welcome her sweet babe into the world- beyond exciting! This past week I went to NYC for work and this weekend Hamilton and I are headed to Deep Creek for my dear friend’s wedding weekend. With all of this travel that Lo and I both have going on this week, it got us thinking about packing and outfit planning. Below are a few tips before your next trip and we would love to hear any packing advice that you have in the comments section. Scroll to the bottom for links to Lo’s super cool, travel friendly outfit // xo melissa
Less is best
I tend to abide by this policy in my home, too. Clutter drives me absolutely crazy, so having fewer things makes it much easier for everything to have a place. Same goes for packing! I always find that I am happier when I don’t have a ton of stuff to pack up and unpack. I used to think that options helped, but I am no longer a believer in that philosophy. All options do are weigh me down and confuse me!
Make a list and stick to it
As you prepare for a trip, make a list of things you need. Also, check the weather and plan outfits accordingly. Once you have a list of items, stick to it! I used to suffer from making last minute changes- literally pulling things out and stuffing things in moments before walking out the door- and it never ended well. Thankfully I have cured myself of this bad habit and traveling has been much more peaceful ever since.
Pack versatile items
If you pack items that can be worn more than once, and possibly more than one way, you will end up packing less. This is a pretty simple tip and it really helps keep the total amount of things packed to a minimum.
Only items that you love make the cut
If you don’t absolutely love wearing an item, do not bring it on a trip! Only items that you love wearing and feel great in belong in the suitcase.
Comfort
Comfort is always important, but extra important when traveling. This is especially true when it comes to shoes. If they aren’t comfy for walking pretty far distances, they don’t make the cut.
Don’t be afraid to re-wear
Sometimes I get weird about re-wearing an item on a trip, but this fear is really so silly! Re-wearing something that you love and that makes sense for the trip is a great thing to do. Re-wear with confidence, my friend.
THE OUTFIT
bomber + similar option| tank (c/o) | jeans (c/o) | boots (c/o) | sunnies (c/o) | lip color
photos by felicia lasala
SHOP SIMILAR ITEMS
A Weekend in Canada
Two weekends ago, Jase and I adventured to Vancouver to visit our sweet friends, Matt and Angela, who's home base is in Los Angeles but are living in Vancouver for the time being! We miss them too much! Side note: Matt is shooting a show called Timeless. It premiered two Mondays ago. Tune in with us! You will be hooked.
So first of all, Vancouver is such a cool city. It is clean and sleepy, which makes it all the more cozy and fun to explore. I am not going to talk too much about this lovely place because the majority of our time was spent in Whistler, but one thing I must say: if you are ever in Vancouver, you must go to The Cross Design. I was utterly inspired + besides the most to-die-for lamps and furniture, art, and bedding, I got completely lost in the stationary closet. #keytomyheart
Road tripping with your besties and your love is definitely one for the books, especially on the lake sides of Canada, accompanied by old school karaoke and the pure joy of time together! We were headed to Whistler, and we could not be more stoked. The most darling town gave it's own warm welcome with it's charming atmosphere, and we arrived at the Four Seasons shortly after on this restful rainy afternoon. The Four Seasons hotels have a special place in our heart because we got married at the one in Dallas, and I must admit, this one might be my favorite. It is lodgey and beautiful and is filled with the glorious smell of pine. The spa was an absolute dream - I felt more relaxed there than I have ever felt at a spa, constantly breathing in lavender in the dimmed light. The four of us spent the morning getting massages and body scrubs (the sugar treatment was Ang and I's favorite), and then we felt rested and ready to explore.
Now on to the adventures. Night one: we bundled up as it was quite brisk, walked through the adorable mountain village, and ended at the gondola. Angela and I may have stopped at Aritzia on the way to buy a warm scarf. Gondolas are so peaceful and serene. The twenty minute ride up the mountain was so quiet and stunning and maybe filled with 40's Christmas tunes (shhh), and at the top, it was SNOWING. We ran around in excitement and shortly after cuddled up in the lodge for some hot tea, creamy hot chocolate and lots of laughs.
After our spa morning the next day, we ventured to Joffre Lake. We couldn't help but make a few stops along the way to snap photos of the views. I also must mention: it constantly smells like campfires and the air here is so crisp and cool here. #yesplease + the water at this lake is surreal. It is the prettiest milky turquoise color, and the deep green trees and snow topped mountains all mixed together are purely stunning. We hiked through the forest along the lake and ended the day at the most peaceful place: Nairn Falls Provincial Park.
This weekend was the most restful quick trip. There is something about slowing down in the beauty of nature that brings much needed restoration to my heart. We cherished every moment, and it was so enjoyable talking to the locals and getting recommendations from you all on Instagram - thank you! We already have our next trip tentatively planned. The to do: a day at the Scandinavian spa, completing the full two hour hike next to Joffre lake, and spending more time relaxing and eating at the local restaurants.
our bedding: serena and lily.
Our sweet friends and family in Dallas held the most special engagement party for Jase and I about three years ago, and there was one piece of advice that my best friend's mom imparted to me as a wife-to-be. I will never forget it. She said to always make your home a sanctuary and restful place for your husband; it should always be an atmosphere that brings peace and comfort after a long and possibly stressful work day.Decorating our first home together has been everything from a test of patience (it's a long process) to one of the most rewarding experiences. It was exciting yet nerve racking to create the vision for our home - it is such a big and permanent type of project that messing up or choosing the wrong piece is yikes! From trial and error, I have learned so much from what piece of furniture to start with in the design process to watching how my interior style has evolved over the last two years - it is fun to already become inspired for the interior of the next home in our future!
Enter the master bedroom. This room can be a tough cookie, right? It has to be the perfect mix of masculine and feminine. I had to let go of my desire to have pretty, feminine Bella Notte pillows and a velvet throw. Exit any floral patterns. So I came to a conclusion: neutrals and white is a clean way to create comfort. It's cozy + the simple palette creates an easy foundation to add in different throw colors and patterns as the seasons change.
I have my list of top favorite online interior shops, and my first stop is always Serena and Lily. It never fails to deliver and inspire. This last month, we decided to get a new set of bedding. There is truly nothing like it! Not to mention, we might have a slight obsession with this duvet cover - one is in our master; one is in the upstairs guest! We also can't live without puffy shams and pillows! Everyone wants a bed that feels like a cloud, right? See below for our entire set of bedding.
items c/o serena & lily
currently loving
Major yay for friday and the weekend, as always! Lo and I love sharing our current favorite things with you guys, and this week's currently loving list is extra good. Read on to get links to things that we have and love // xo melissa + lo
the list
the fall issue of darling mag - melis
could not live without my vitamix ...it is well worth the investment - lo
this workout crop top (perfect for yoga) - melis
this is my absolute favorite fall candle - lo
this concealer from bare minerals - melis
I love this soap + it also makes a great gift - lo
these low ankle socks from madewell - melis
this mask has done wonders for my skin & it's free of all toxins - lo (c/o)
this cozy hoodie from lou & grey - melis
this toner has made my skin much healthier and more hydrated - lo
back in love
Have you guys checked out abercombie lately? Lauren and I hadn't looked at their collection in years (since high school!) but about a month ago we noticed a few of our favorite bloggers rocking a few super cool pieces and they were from a&f. It sparked our curiosity and we got in touch with the incredible team over there to chat about their new collection and new direction. They were so kind and sent us some pieces from their newest collection, and Lauren and I are now back in love with the brand. Their new look is casual, cool, laidback, and not as "branded" as they once were. The effortless aesthetic is very appealing and the clothing items that we received are timeless, comfortable, and versatile. Above are a few style inspiration images & below are links to what we are currently loving at a&f // xo melissa
this grey wrap coat
these olive green skinnies
a classic blue oxford shirt
ankle cropped straight jeans
the coziest fleece jacket of all time
a chic black bomber jacket
casual and cool joggers
a simple grey tee
a water resistant jacket
a puffer coat for cold days
this suede utility jacket
a cool plaid scarf for fall
national handbag day
Today is a big day in my world and yours- it's national handbag day! As you guys know by now, my full-time job is as senior marketing associate for hobo, a quality and cool leather handbag + wallet company. If you want to learn more about hobo, check out our Instagram, read our story, and discover our leathers. At the bottom of this post I have listed my top 10 favorite hobo styles, including this backpack as well as this bag, that Lo has and loves. In celebration of national handbag day, I wanted to share the story of how Lo and I met! We haven't shared the story here on the mag before, and some of you might be wondering how we became friends since she lives on the west coast and I am here on the east coast! We thought that national handbag day would be the perfect time to share the story, as it involves hobo.
I was a follower of Lauren's on Instagram and a reader of lolo mag, so as the person who handles blogger relations for Hobo, I reached out to Lauren via Instagram early on in 2014 to see if she would like a hobo bag. She sent me the sweetest email and I sent her a bag. After that, she hosted a giveaway on her Instagram and we kept in touch via a few emails here and there. In early 2015, I reached out to her in hopes of collaborating with her on a press event in our showroom to celebrate the release of her second book, Your Beautiful Heart, plus our fall 2015 collection. Long story short, she said yes, and we had a small event in our NYC showroom for magazine editors and bloggers where they met Lauren (and her twin, Britt!), chatted with her about her book and her love for hobo, previewed our fall collection, and chatted with us about fall styles and other hobo news. It was such a fun event and Lo and I bonded instantly!
After the event we continued to keep in touch via email and social. Later that year, in the fall of 2015, I saw a post that Lauren Kay Sims was branching off from lolo mag to start her own blog. At that point, I can say with all my heart, that the Holy Spirit instructed me to email Lauren. It was as though it was instantaneous instruction, and thankfully I followed. I immediately emailed Lauren to see if she wanted assistance on lolo mag. The next morning I woke up to the sweetest email from Lo saying that she had been praying to the Lord to show her the next step for the mag and then received my email. Long story short, we talked logistics and plans in the next days and weeks, and then I became an editor on the mag. You might be thinking that this is a big undertaking in addition to my full-time role at hobo, but it has become second nature to me and a part of my lifestyle, and I love it! It's easy to make time for things that you love and feel called to do. I work on the mag early in the morning (like 6am), during my lunch breaks at hobo, at night sometimes around 9pm before I shut the laptop off at 10pm, plus I carve out a few hours on the weekends- typically Saturday and Sunday morning during my coffee time before the day gets going! My life feels significantly more full of joy and more complete since adding lolo mag to the mix. Not only has the experience been so rewarding to my personal growth and knowledge, but the biggest blessing of them all is Lo. Lauren and I have developed a sincere and special friendship that is truly one of a kind and I thank the Lord regularly for crossing our paths!I hope you enjoyed this story & below are my favorite hobo styles! We are having a SALE on www.hobobags.com today only, in honor of the holiday. 20% off fall styles + free shipping on all orders, ends tonight // xo
10 favorite hobos
the river backpack | the costa bag | the fast lane bag | the perfect union
the city girl | the evella | the vale | the fern | the sheila | the raine clutch
blue print furniture just got better.
Fall is already good enough, but I have news to make it even better. The lovely gem of a furniture store called Blue Print in Dallas now has some of their best sellers and antique pieces viewable online. I am giddy over it + major advantage: I can browse from Cali. The place is my all time spot for interior inspiration. Take a look and let me know what you think!
Scroll below for a few of my favorites!!I can't get enough of these bubble chandeliers.
This stunning dining table provides the perfect neutral palette to build on.
This cabinet makes a great first impression in an entry way, and it makes a TV look prettier. It can be used in so many spaces!
A beautiful way to add color into your home.
melissa's trip to italy
Hey guys! Last week I went on the dreamiest trip to Italy with Hamilton to attend a beyond beautiful wedding between two of our dearest friends, Tim & Kristin. It was such a special time and something that I will never forget. We stayed a week in Florence, taking one day trip to Venice. We spent most of our time walking around exploring the city of Florence, going out at night with friends that were there for Tim & Kristin's wedding, eating so much incredible Italian food, and drinking a fair share of red wine! We also did a bit of antique and vintage shopping which was a really special (and successful!) shopping experience. I ended up buying two vintage dresses- one of which is red with white polka dots and the other is a black + tan dress by Isabel Marant. It is safe to say that I am still tickled by those finds! Our day in Venice was so nice as well, and I am really happy we made the 2-hour train trip from Florence to explore Venice. And to top it all off, the weather while we were in Italy was absolutely perfect all week- a high of 80 on average + total sunshine. Scroll down to see some images and here are links to a few favorite places in Florence + links to things that I packed for the trip.
places in florence
hotel | trattoria for lunch | date night dinner | night out | special happy hour
things I packed
black pants | jeans | cardigan | bandana | carry on | bag | crossbody
heels | culottes | a floppy hat (similar) | denim skirt
