Jackie Flares

Y’all!!! Flares!! They are back, and I am so happy about it!!

It took me a little while to find the perfect pair (since my legs are so incredibly short), but this pair from Free People was only $78, and I am beyond obsessed.

Since it’s exam week and I’m not exactly inspired to get dressed up, because let’s be honest, who is there to impress in the library? This flare jean and comfy/baggy tee is perfect for day-long study marathons.

I always used to tell my mom I was born in the wrong era.  The late 60s, early 70s…that’s where all the fun happened.  Good music, good fashion, good times all around really. This outfit combo really helps me live out what I wish were my glory days.

Anyways, I can sit here all day and go on about how I wish I was a flower child, but that would be what others refer to as procrastination.  Considering I have an exam tomorrow, I better get back to it.  ONE MORE, before I’m off to Asheville for the weekend to be a bridesmaid in my best friend’s wedding!! Can’t wait to share the outfits I have planned. [Hint Hint: LOTS and lots of Rose Quartz 😉 ]

Until next time, thank you so much for reading, and happy studying!!

xo,

Liv

 

Jeans | Top 1, 2, 3(MAJOR SALE)  |  Clogs (SALE) | Cup | Earrings | Bracelet

Thankful Thursday

Even though exams are kind of buzz-killing the fact that tomorrow is Friday, there’s still so much to be thankful for.  Here’s what’s keeping me sane this week…

Lunch with a view.  Sunny and 75, the day after Thanksgiving has me thanking the man upstairs that he made me a Carolina beach girl. I don’t do well without salt air and water in my life.

The beautiful view I mentioned above…well, ibid. (History paper citations are getting the best of me right now.)

My team. Especially for the laughs we shared over the NC State fans and their heckling us during the game on Saturday, which by the way, made our win that much sweeter. #ourstate … Can’t wait to cheer on our boys at the ACC CHAMPIONSHIP this weekend, GO HEELS!!!!

Decorating our tree with these guys, for the third year in a row. Hoping we can keep the tradition alive in the Big Apple next year. [fingers crossed!]

This divine cup of marshmallows with a tiny bit of hot chocolate–Rudolph may have been eyeing it, but my sweet treats are one thing I do not share ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ ….

Surprise! Surprise! My team, again….my second family, really.  And more importantly Linda’s for catering our halftime breaks during football season, and for hosting our FLAWLESS Christmas party every year. If you’ve never been, four words…

Mac. &. Cheese. … GO.

Hope everyone is having a fantastic week thus far, thank you so much for reading!

xo,

Liv

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Wearable Blanket

Exam season is upon us in Chapel Hill, and much like the rest of this college town, I’m drowning.  Between football games [yes, our team is still playing!! YAY!], basketball games, preparing for exams, and trying to not let my excitement for the holidays contribute to my inevitable productivity slump…it’s been so difficult to get myself out of bed in the mornings, much less prep myself for blog posts.  Life is tough y’all!

But I’m making time for this particular post because, well, I need a break from the hectic life of a student athlete, and because I hold this segment is close to my heart.

Small businesses, they’re asset to my personal style, and really just a huge part of me.  Being born to two entrepreneurs, I know the time, effort, and grit it takes to go out on a limb and start your own company.  I have a lot of respect for those that can do this at all, successful or not.  However, being successful makes small-business owners that much more legit, and quite frankly, heroes in my book.

When I say small businesses have a major influence on my personal style, I’m referring to boutiques.

The only thing I love more than traveling, is discovering boutiques wherever I travel to.  I adore boutique shopping mostly because whatever I find, it’ll be unique to me. While I’m all about sharing my outfits with y’all…here comes the honestly part I promised you…I love being different.  I thrive off of wearing something that no one else will find because I discovered it in the back of some cute little boutique in Annapolis, or wherever it may be! Granted, I’ll tell you where I found it, but I can’t promise that the same products will be there when you are.

While I adore the green, red, and cream-colored blanket scarves as much as the next girl, I am loving this high-low blanket vest even more!  I found it at Lilac Bijoux, the Annapolis-based boutique I mentioned last week, and I cannot get enough of it!

Walking around Chapel Hill in this thing, I feel like I’m wrapped up in my favorite blanket that is normally set aside for ‘Sex and the City’ binge days…I know you know what I’m talking about.

It’s perfect for those dry shampoo, pony-tail, leggings, and oversized sunnies type of days, to hide from anyone you may run into on the street (as shown below)….aka, my life in the coming weeks.

Since it’s from a boutique, and duplicates are hard to run across sometimes, I’ve linked a few similar options below!

I hope everyone is surviving the exam and pre-holiday madness! Thank you so much for reading.

xo,

Liv

Vest 1 ON SALE!! , 2, 3  | Earrings

Thankful Thursday

HAPPY THANKSGIVING Y’ALL!!

My belly is officially stuffed and my heart is so full.

A special day set aside to give thanks, share love and laughs over a turkey, binge on football, and in the Lanier household, watch Chevy Chase’s Christmas Vacation.  It is tradition afterall.  None of the above sounds incredibly taxing on the mind or body, and somehow, I’m exhausted.  I’m blaming it on the turkey, who’s with me?

This little bit of time at home was a great time of reflection, and a reminder to me, to be thankful for the little things.

Here are a few,

A positivity-inspired & spontaneous coffee date with a new friend, Jillian.

The Christmas spirit on campus that gets me warm and fuzzy inside.

My niece, Ava Marie, with her sweet hugs and super awesome cartwheel skills.

My nephew, Hinton Thomas, with his deep belly laughs.  True joy.

Alex, and my nieces, Chloe & Grace, and their games of Hide&Seek together. Those smiles though….Does it get any better?

And finally, the glimmer of mom in each and every one of my nieces and nephew, and the family around the table today as well as those that were out of town.  While her flesh may be gone, her spirit resides in all of us.  We lit a candle at Thanksgiving dinner, to give us a concrete reminder that she is always with us.

I hope everyone had a wonderful day as well, filled with food, family, and lots of love. Thank you so much for reading.

xo,

Liv

Go Navy

Last weekend, Alex and I visited one of his high school buddies who goes to the Naval Academy, right after he’d received his assignment as a Naval Pilot–so cool!!!

It was really great to get away for a weekend and to see this beautiful campus, where so many men and women have gone and after their time there, commit their lives to serve and protect our country.  It gives me serious goose bumps.

My favorite part of campus was the chapel. It’s such a popular destination for weddings that each party is given 45 minutes for a ceremony, before the next wedding party is out of the bus and antsy to get inside.  That means no time for pictures–how crazy is that?

After touring campus and learning only a small portion of the incredible history rooted in this beautiful place, we went on a little shopping spree! (yay!)

The downtown area of Annapolis is so cute and has so much personality.  It’s right on the water so it can get a little chilly, but with a hot coffee in hand, and the goal to buy something cute, I managed.

Lilac Bijoux was the best boutique by far.  They had a great selection of clothes as well as jewelry and for reasonable prices.  I snagged the perfect gold hoops, and an oversized vest that I cannot wait to share with you all soon.  Not to mention, I’ve already picked out a few jewelry pieces for Santa to bring next month. (Hopefully I’ve been good enough.)

While the scenery, history, brunch (Teavolve Cafe & Lounge, you MUST go if you’re ever in Baltimore!! ), brews and shops were all wonderful additions to the trip, I’d have to say the best part was the company.  Brock and Gigi were incredibly hospitable, and I had so much fun taking trips down memory lane, learning about Alex in high school, the good, the bad, and the super embarrassing; remembering the “old days,” as my parents would say, while making new memories and forging new friendships.

Love and friendship are difficult relationships to make and even more difficult to maintain, but this weekend was a reminder to me that I have been blessed with both. As for now, it’s time to drive home and I’m SO excited to see my dad!

With Thanksgiving tomorrow, I’m refusing to be naïve.  I know it will be tough, the first one without mom.  However, I’m also trying to remind myself that she’s always there, in each and every one of us surrounding the table, and that I still have so much to be thankful for. God knows she’s having a bigger and better feast than us!! 😉

Thank you so much for reading, I hope you all had a wonderful and blessed weekend.  See you tomorrow for Thankful Thursday!

xo,

Liv

Blushing Leopard

The weather is finally getting cooler in Chapel Hill, and that means, FURS!!!

This outfit has all of my favorites! Leopard fur, sangria, blush details, and bae’s shirt! (Shhhh, don’t tell on me!) I mean, does it get much better?

I haven’t been able to find a white button down that I love enough to pull the trigger and add to my closet yet, so I decided to steal Alex’s. (If you have any suggestions, I’d love to hear!)

As for this fur jacket, I JUST picked it up at Forever 21. 30% off, and under $50!! Can you say AMAZING?!?  And finally, the reappearance of my Anthro sangria hat that I promised y’all would be my fall staple. The blush crossbody/wallet hybrid and leggings to match are just the icing on top!

Here’s a secret: this outfit is such a great Thanksgiving ensemble too. The oversized button down can be made fashionable, but it’s such a great tool for hiding the food baby that I’m definitely going to be rocking come Thursday!

I hope everyone is having a wonderful and rewarding weekend thus far. I know I’m enjoying our weekend getaway with great friends in Annapolis.  And how about those Tar Heels? ACC Championship, HERE WE COME!! Until then, I’m going to cuddle up on the couch, binge on a little tv with a warm hot chocolate in hand, with a lot of marshmallows!

xo,

Liv

photos by: Noah Granger

Jacket | Shirt | Hat | Boots | Bag | Earrings | Belt | Bracelet 1, 2, 3 | Initial Ring | Lip color

Thankful Thursday

So I realized something really pretty cool while preparing for this week’s ‘Thankful Thursday’ post…

Yes, I’m capturing the moment to remind myself that there’s so much in this life that can be considered a blessing, and that’s awesome.  But the part that I’m most excited and happy about, is getting to tell those that I’m sharing a special moment with that I’m especially thankful for them! Something that I’m not very good at, but have made it a goal to work on.

And Thanks to Thankful Thursdays, I’m getting better!

This week, I was thankful for….

My friend Annie.  She is such a joyful person, her smile is so contagious and I’m beyond thankful for her friendship and constant laughter.

Wine and Chipotle, but most of all, sharing it with my friend Alexa.

Teammates that go shopping with me & remind me to act like a kid.

This delicious pre-game meal with my roommate, Edith, and laughing about the night before (Thanks to our other rooms Mad Cav)!

My fellow senior teammates, for making the last four years on the sideline an adventure of a lifetime, especially the cold & rainy nights this year.

My dad.  He only missed 1 home game my entire college career. And considering the circumstances he’s been dealing with for the last two and a half, he deserves a gold metal. The real MVP.

And finally, Alex, for giving me someone to cheer for and drive crazy.  But most importantly, for never saying no to dorky pictures.

Thanks for reading everyone! Happy Friday Eve! 

xo,

Liv 

Weekend Warrior

Friday afternoon I didn’t have much going on, but I knew it was the calm before the storm. With a football game, basketball game, Alex’s family coming to town, and my family coming to town I had to mentally prep for the big weekend ahead. And by mentally prep, I mean fashionably prep!

The best way for me to tackle any big and potentially stressful occasion is to dress in all black. This particular ensemble is sleek, super comfy, affordable, and needless to say, pretty bada$$!

It’s everything I needed to transform into a weekend warrior, ready to tackle the weekend.

This ribbed turtleneck is versatile and something I’m likely to wear to bed it’s that comfy!

While I’m always looking for a deal at big name stores, I love to shop local too.  As an Entrepreneurship minor myself, and having been born to two small-business owners, I find it extremely important to support small businesses in the community.  Especially those that are associated with fashion.  They have one-of-a-kind pieces that can’t be found anywhere else, and I don’t know about you, but I want to write my name all over that in red permanent ink!

That’s why I like to pop my head in at a local thrift store in Chapel Hill, Rumors, where these sunnies were only $8…can I get an amen?! Additionally, this Allie Beads necklace can be found at Uniquities on Franklin St., OR you can follow them on Instagram and contact them that way!

And last but absolutely not least, my favorite part is my new lipstick: Antique Velvet

It is amazing!!! It goes on smooth and buttery but as it dries, gets really matte. OH. And it’s long lasting! I’ve had trouble with dark colors in the past, particularly getting it all over my face while eating lunch (don’t act like you don’t know what I’m talking about), but this one stayed put! I got so many compliments and it’s the perfect final touch to transform any Fall/Winter outfit.

How do you prepare yourself to be a weekend warrior?

I hope everyone had a fun and rewarding weekend! How about those Tar Heels huh??

xo,

Liv

Sweater | Jeans | Necklace | Sunnies | Boots | Lipstick | Bracelet 

Thankful Thursday

In early September, I shared with you all my difficulty to remain positive and thankful.  Needless to say, that battle has only become more difficult and prevalent in my life in recent weeks, since my mom’s passing.

One of my goals that I shared to help me remain positive was to write down at least 5 things that I’m thankful for, every day. I’m not going to lie to you…I have failed at that every day task.

Over the course of the last week, I’ve challenged myself to find activities, people, and moments that I am extremely thankful for every day, and taking it one step further, to capture it, whatever it may be, as best I can in a photo.  In order to hold myself accountable, starting today, every Thursday will be “Thankful Thursday” on LivFashionably.

I’m a little nervous about doing this, due to the mere fact that I may fail, again, but I guess it’s worth a shot!

So here’s what I’ve been thankful for this week…

My teammates, health, and sport, all giving me the ability to inspire children and make them smile.

photo c/o JD Lyon 

Early morning walks with Riggins and Alex.

The yummy coffee and tranquil atmosphere at Caffe Driade. And of course, my constant companion, Riggins.

The opportunity for an education at the oldest public university in the south, and probably the most beautiful. 😉

My sorority house, for the delicious food and a quiet place to study.

A cozy place to read.

Lots of laughs with friends over a dinner date, and planning for highly unlikely worldly trips. But one can hope!

What is everyone thankful for this week? I’d love to hear! Thanks so much for reading!

xo,

Liv

Citrus Beyond Summer

Does anyone buy an article of clothing during the summer that you inevitably get super attached to, and then get slightly depressed when fall rolls around and you can no longer wear said favorite article of clothing? Or is that just me?

If you are like me, I have some good news…this citrus skirt was my favorite thing to wear this summer.  Its fall, and I’ve found a way to STILL wear it! YAY!

I don’t know what it is about a touch of leather and a pop of neon but I am loving it lately (remember this?).

The waist of this particular skirt climbs far up past the belly button for a look that is super slimming and very sexy.

I have a secret for y’all. I’m not a Victoria’s Secret model, SURPRISE!!!

I have super short legs and a super short torso, but I love this skirt because it exaggerates my silhouette and makes my legs look long and lean and it appears as if my mid-section is teeny tiny even though I may or may not have binged on Toppers Stix at lunch yesterday, oops!

These leopard fur pumps are also a favorite of mine that you will see me wearing time and time again this season, but I’ll talk more about those and my other favorite fur things later this month! So stay tuned.

I hope everyone is having an awesome and productive week so far. I’m not sure if this sun is here to stay, but Riggins and I sure are taking advantage of it while it lasts.

xo,

Liv

Skirt | Pumps | Top | Jacket | Bag | Keychain | Necklace | Sunnies