when fancy is free

It's safe to say I've been trying to master the "beach wave" on my thin, pin-straight hair every since my 15-year-old eyes first discovered Gisele Bundchen. Flash forward nine years and the struggle still remained. That is, until this past Wednesday. Only using a super lightweight mousse (Pantene Pro-V, $5.15) and my five-year-old curling iron, I think my stubborn, boring hair may have made a new friend (tutorial to come). I think the biggest, most important piece of wisdom I didn't understand is that you have to be messy. Beach hair, meet Ohio.

when fancy is free

 leaves beginning to change

how cute and cozy do these apartments look?!

 giving my best, "oh wow, you caught me admiring the weather" look

minnie mortimer dress and shop pashmina

 loafers in leaves

my spot at the park

My favorite, most special moments are not when I score a deal at a department store or click the "submit payment" button on my preffered e-commerce site; rather, the moments that are most special to me are when I make someone I love smile, or cook a meal that inspires me for days, or feel the sun capture my heart and warm my soul. These moments are my kind of fancy--the kind that's free. Amazing, genuine, decadent moments that remind us of how beautiful life is. I love style. I love shoes and clothes and organic chicken(it really is delicious), but I sat on that bench in the sun and experienced ten times the amount of happiness that those pair of wanna-be-Tod's-Talbots loafers gave me when I bought them (but don't they really look like Tod's?!). Moving on. I'm excited for this part of my blog. Because fancy should always be free. xo