Neutral Wedges, Platform Sandals & Espadrilles

Now that it is (un)officially summer, it's time to update our wardrobes with the perfect neutral wedge, platform sandal or espadrille. I think it's important to invest in one pair of summer heels that you absolutely love and can go with all of your dresses, no matter the color or pattern. Plus, neutral heels elongate your legs and make you look taller and slimmer! Here are my top picks - which pair do you like best?

Yves Saint Laurent 'Tribute' Sandal in Nude - $795. If I had a fatter wallet, these would be the sandals I'd go for! I think they are perfect in every way, but for now, they will be just a dream...

GUESS Ohmarla Platform Sandals - $115. Here's a more affordable platform sandal option with a chunky heel for those of us who can't spend $800 on shoes. :) 

Dolce Vita Orla Cutout Wedge Sandals - $190. I looove the unique cutout detail on these strappy wedge sandals, don't you?

Twinkle Lights, Lanterns and Candles

For some reason I'm quite sure of, I'm always attracted to twinkling lights, lanterns and candles. Every time I pass by a restaurant with candles all over their patio or a garden decorated with string lights, my eyes open wide and I get really excited. :) I recently strung some tiny lights up around my living room windows and I like turning them on at night...it brings a bit of magic to my little apartment! In case there are a few of you out there who love twinkling things as much as I do, I wanted to share some of my favorite twinkling photos with you.

image link

What I'm Dreaming Of...

As May comes to a close, I wanted to share some of the things I've been dreaming of over the past month...


a ride on an old tire swing...

image link

a trip to Positano, Italy to sit on this patio and drink champagne...

image link

this amazingly girly kitchen to bake all of my cupcakes in...

My weekend in Instagram

Hi everyone - I hope you all had a great Memorial Day weekend! Here a peek at what I did this weekend through my Instagram shots - you can follow me at 'amybreckenridge.'

enjoyed a beautiful summer night on the roofdeck! I'm wearing an H&M tank,

LC by Lauren Conrad lace shorts and Dolce Vita pumps

received some pretty peonies as a gift :)

Friday Inspiration: Quotes I Love

Happy Friday and a very happy Memorial Day weekend to everyone!

image link

A Peaceful Place

Sometimes when you are stressed or overwhelmed, all you need is a beautiful, peaceful place to sit and clear your mind. In case you don't have a place like this nearby, I've compiled some of my favorite peaceful photos so you can take a mental break. :)

image link

Shopping List: Pastels

A few weeks ago, I did a style inspiration post on runway pastels. Now I wanted to share my pastel shopping list with you - I'm taking the runway to real life! In addition to choosing pretty ice-cream colored pieces, I also made sure to include other current trends in my picks like lace, peplum, colorblocking and bows. Which piece needs to be in your closet now?

ASOS Salon Pencil Dress - $130.46

SOLD Design Lab Soho Skinny in Pink - $118

French Connection Lisella Lace Skirt - $158

Feminine Art

Happy Monday everyone! I've seen some really pretty art floating around Pinterest and I wanted to share some of my favorite pieces with you. If only I could draw like this!!

found here

copyright Carol Hannah 

Friday Inspiration: Quotes I Love

Happy Friday all! My 26th birthday is on Sunday so the first quote is definitely my favorite :) I plan to to spend today with family, tomorrow with friends and Sunday with my boyfriend. It should be a beautiful weekend!!

Statement Necklaces

I've been really into statement necklaces lately - I found a gorgeous mint green one at H&M and now I can't stop looking at more! I love how a big bright statement necklace can take a simple outfit from plain to fabulous in about 5 seconds. You can really transform a neutral dress or jeans and a white tee to something unique and head turning with one beautiful necklace!

Here are some of my top picks right now - which is your fave? There's something on my list for every price point!

ILY Couture Sunburst Ombre Bubble Statement Necklace - $49. (This necklace comes in tons of other fun colors as well - check out ILY Couture's Etsy shop!)

Design Darling Dabney Bib Necklace - $175

House of Harlow Pyramid Station Necklace in Mint Green - $75

Creamsicle Cupcakes with Candied Orange Slices

This week, I wanted to bake some cupcakes for a coworker's wedding shower in the office. I decided on these orange creamsicle cupcakes that I saw on Homemade by Holman. Creamsicles bring back memories of summers as a kid, so I thought these would make for a nice afternoon treat! I garnished them with homemade candied orange slices which are much easier to make than you would think, completely edible and make for very pretty toppers!

my instagram

While these cupcakes weren't difficult to make, they were a bit more time consuming than some of the other recipes I've posted as there is lots of chopping, squeezing and zesting of oranges. (Just wanted to give you a fair warning!) But judging by my coworkers' reactions today, it was definitely worth the time I put in!

Review: Sula Roll On Perfume Collection

A little while back I ordered the Sula Beauty Roll On Perfume Collection from Amazon. I knew I liked the scent Butterfly Kiss because I had smelled it at Shake The Tree in the North End, but I also wanted to try out some of Sula's other fragrances without committing to a full bottle, so I thought this set of mini roll on bottles would be perfect! There are six scents that come in this pretty little box and each is a unique blend of only 3-4 different notes. I definitely think there's a scent for every personality in this box, so you are sure to find one that suits you perfectly. This would also make a great gift for a perfume lover! I wanted to share my thoughts with you on each in case you're also interested in trying one of them out.

Style Inspiration: Met Gala 2012

Ahhh, how I love the Met Gala - every year we get to see some amazing and beautiful dresses on Hollywood's most gorgeous stars.  There were a lot of great looks to choose from so it was hard to narrow it down, but I wanted to share my favorite looks with you! Let me know which is your favorite in the comments below.

Dianna Agron in Carolina Herrera. This is my favorite dress by far - everything is perfect from the color to the ruffles to the belt..I love it all! I think her retro waves, classic makeup and minimal jewelry compliment the dress perfectly.

photo link

Kristen Wiig in Stella McCartney. I am obsessed with the feminine lace and length of this dress and the color is perfect on her. The neutral clutch and shoes keep the focus on the dress, not the accessories.

photo link

Girly Cupcakes

As you all know, I'm a huge fan of cupcakes! While I'm much better at baking than decorating, I really admire beautifully designed cupcakes, especially girly ones! These are some of my favorite feminine cupcakes - they'll definitely inspire me to work on my decorating skills.

(Unfortunately, I found these images on Pinterest and most were pinned from sites like The Berry and Tumblr which don't credit the original source. I wish I knew who made all of these gorgeous cupcakes so I could give them credit!!)

Friday Inspiration: Quotes I Love

Hi everyone! I hope the first weekend of May is a great one for all of you!

image link

Style Inspiration: Runway Pastels

Out of all the trends this spring, pastels are definitely my favorite. These light shades of pink, peach, mint, blue and lavender are uber feminine and romantic but also fresh and chic at the same time. Here are some of my favorite pastel runway looks - they are all so beautiful I couldn't resist sharing! I'm going to use them as inspiration when I pick up a few new pieces this spring - I've noticed that H&M is carrying a lot of great pastels at an affordable price. :) How have you been incorporating pastels into your spring looks?

Alice McCall Spring 2012

Elie Saab Spring 2012

Blueberry Pancake Cupcakes

If you're on Pinterest, I'm sure you've seen this Blueberry Pancake Cupcake recipe by Your Cup of Cake floating around - it's been pinned by Lauren Conrad, among thousands of others!

When I found out my close friend Cordy was changing jobs, I knew I wanted to make her these cupcakes for her going away party in the office. And I have to say, they turned out fabulous! Everyone loved them and I know I will definitely make them again. They're perfect any time of day, so they would be great for a baby shower or a brunch party - the blueberries balance out the sugar so they are not overly sweet. They really do taste like biting into blueberry pancakes with maple syrup and cinnamon sugar!

Gift Guide: Mother's Day!

Mother's Day is next Sunday, so you still have plenty of time to shop for that perfect gift for the most special lady in your life - your mum!! I've rounded up a list of some of my favorite gift ideas in case you need a little inspiration. :) No matter what you give her, don't forget to make her a card!


Flowers - prices vary. If nothing else, you should bring your mum some of her favorite flowers (or send them to her if you aren't going to see her next weekend!) There are tons of gorgeous flowers in bloom this time of year, so you're sure to find her favorite!

Gift Card for a Massage, Facial or Mani/Pedi - prices vary. Don't all of our mothers deserve a little pampering? Buy her a gift card to her favorite local spa for a massage, facial or mani/pedi. Every woman needs a little rest and relaxation but doesn't always spend the money on herself, so this would be the perfect treat for your mum!

LA Burdick's Springtime Collection Gift Box - $36. Even if she's on a diet, it's okay for her to indulge every now and then! I love this gift box from LA Burdick which includes Chambord liquer truffles, Grand Marnier truffles, four of Burdick's signature chocolate mice and a bonus 3-inch mini bee round with honey bees and rosehip tea bonbons, all wrapped up in a pretty springtime box. Perfect, right?

Hair Inspiration: Modern Braids

I absolutely love the fact that braids have come back in style! Whether they are messy or neat, fishtail or waterfall, braids definitely look chic and polished no matter what you're wearing. I need to get better at braiding my own hair - I'm trying really hard to master the fishtail braid by following this awesome tutorial by Running on Happiness, but I'm not quite there yet. Until I can get it right, I'm going to use these looks as inspiration.

Do you braid your hair? What's your favorite type of braid?

image link

image link

image link