Cannot believe it’s that time already! Swimsuit season is here! Everyone on Insta and Tik Tok seems to be traveling for Spring Break or escaping to Florida to get away from the cold! It always seems super early to start talking about swimsuits but they are one of the fastest items to sell out before summer even begins. I found the cutest floral and pastel swimsuits for spring break, beach vacations, warm-weather trips and summer travels!

Spring Break and beyond is really time for my blog to shine and makes me the most excited! Swimsuits are a huge summer essential and there are so many cute ones out there. From now until summer, I will be sharing new swimsuits every week or two with themes like red, white and blue for Memorial Day, fun prints like gingham, one pieces, bikinis and classic striped suits! When I break them up like this, my hope is that it makes it easier for you for shop!

Pink Scalloped One Piece // Yellow Striped One Piece (under $30) // White Bow One Piece // Floral One Piece // Pink Gingham One Piece // Blue Striped One Piece // Floral High Waist Bikini Top + Bottom // Blue Seersucker Bikini Top + Bottom // Floral High Waist Bikini Top + Bottom

We are supposed to experience some swimsuit weather on Thursday this week and I am already planning on tanning during my lunch break. The pollen might be horrid (my allergies have been slowly killing me lately) but that will not stop me from enjoying the sun! I keep dreaming of wearing this cute yellow striped swimsuit (only $29.99!) lounging by the pool with a yellow striped Cabana towel and a good book.

Swimsuits can get expensive! I am not one to spend $100 on a swimsuit but I just love this colorful confetti bikini top and bottom from Summersalt. It’s made from recycled fabric and the print makes me so happy! I am planning on ordering a Summersalt swimsuit after seeing rave reviews on Instagram and then I will review it on here once I wear it! I also love this very retro inspired floral high waited bikini top and bottom from J.Crew.

I am obsessed with this pink gingham one piece and love the ruffles. If you have a small chest like I do, the ruffles are a great distraction! How adorable is this classic striped one piece with a plunging neckline (under $50)!? This one looks extra sturdy like it will hold up for outside activities and fun in the sun!

How was your weekend?! Like I mentioned above, my allergies have been slowly killing me. I will have better days than others but for the most part, you feel constantly drowsy like you have a cold and are taking gallons of Nyquil. Sunday I stayed inside all day and did basically nothing since I felt so sick. April is going to be a much better month pollen wise and I will welcome my Birthday month with open arms ha! If you entered the Sunshine Style Co. giveaway, I will be announcing it tomorrow on Instagram.

Shop Swimsuits

Lots of Sunshine,

Katie

The post Floral and Pastel Swimsuits for Spring Break appeared first on Sunshine Style | Florida Fashion and Lifestyle Blog.

Striped shirts are a favorite of mine! I know they are a favorite of yours too because you voted for this style video on Instagram! I love creating content for you and use polls often to listen to what you want to see! The poll was for a new “3 Ways to Wear….” style video. There was tough competition between a striped top and a puff sleeve sweater. Luckily, the striped top won (not by much though!) and I got to work right away filming the video!

Striped tops are so versatile and always a classic piece that can be worn thousands of ways. I purposely bought this top to have a slightly loose and relaxed fit to wear casually. It’s the exact striped long sleeve I am wearing in this post. You can read here all about my hype and review of the Saint James striped shirt!

1. White Jeans and Sneakers

Top / Pants / Sneakers / Vest / Scrunchie

This classic outfit is my favorite “go-to” for cooler months! I wore it to Palm Beach for a day of bike riding and exploring. I secretly find it so amusing and fun to be able to wear jeans and a long sleeve top to the beach, which is a rare occasion in Florida!

Any striped top will always match super well with white jeans. I threw on the puffer vest for extra warmth and slipped on my beloved white sneakers! You can tuck the shirt in if your jeans are high waisted or roll up the sleeves for an even more casual outfit.

2. Denim Shorts and Sandals

Top / Shorts / Sandals / Bag

Say hello to my favorite outfit I styled with the long sleeve striped top. It’s giving me all the spring/summer feels. Try front tucking a striped top into cut off or rolled denim shorts. I added sandals, a beach bag and a hat to add even more summer vibes. Once it warms up, this is a super casual and easy outfit for beach, lake or pool days. Roll the sleeves up for an even more relaxed vibe.

3. Midi Skirt and Loafers

Top / Skirt / Loafers / Bag (50% off)

Pairing a striped top with a midi skirt makes this the dressiest of all the 3 outfits. Tuck the shirt in completely into the skirt for a more elegant and romantic outfit! This reminds me of a classic and simple date night or dinner with friends outfit. Top it off with a clutch and loafers!

I hope you all had an amazing weekend! My sister got married on Saturday and it was of the best days ever! I know everyone always says their wedding was one of the best days of their life and although I’m not married, I know it was one of the best days of my sisters life! We all had so much fun celebrating with our closest friends and family at an intimate wedding! Thanks so much to anyone who wished my sister the best, I made sure to send her screenshots of the sweet and happy comments!!!! Photos to come soon on Insta stories!

My family is still in town this entire week and I can’t wait to spend time with them! I do still have to work and my nieces and nephew have virtual school but you can bet we will be playing a bunch of card games and taking beach walks!!!

Watch the Instagram Reel Here!

Lots of Sunshine,

Katie

The post 3 Ways to Wear a Long Sleeve Striped Top appeared first on Sunshine Style | Florida Fashion and Lifestyle Blog.

For our family Secret Santa gift exchange, one of the items I asked for was a Saint James Breton Striped top! It was the one and only gift I got and I was so excited! The French inspired top is worth the hype and exceeded my expectations! If your like me, you probably love striped tops as much as I do! There are never enough and way to many in my closet at the same time! Over the years, I’ve learned the hard way that quality always exceeds quantity and as cute as a striped top is, they don’t always last the test of time. I wanted to give a full review of this top and why I think it’s worth the investment.

My friend Makayla and I took a day trip to Palm Beach to bike the Lake Trail and walk the beach. I wore this casual outfit and it was perfect for a day outside being adventurous. The Saint James shirt held up so well and I was perfectly comfortable all day.

Sunny Outfit Details

Saint James Minquiers Moderne Breton Striped Shirt / Everlane Jeans (similar here, under $35) / J.Crew Factory Sneakers / LOFT Vest (similar here) / Sunchine Style Co. Scrunchie / Cap

I figured I would divide the review into a few categories to make it easy to read and digest! The specific shirt I am wearing is the Saint James Minquiers Moderne Breton Striped Shirt. It’s a boyfriend/men’s fit and exactly the style I was looking for! I have a very athletic/straight shape with not many curves and I was looking for a relaxed fitting shirt that was casual and could mostly be worn at the beach, rolled up and looks cute with denim shorts!

The women’s’ version of this top is called the Meridame Authentic Striped Breton top in the regular fit. It has a slightly more fitted waist and not as “relaxed” feel yet casual enough in my eyes!

Both are $85.00. Yes, that might sound a bit like a steep price tag. Your probably thinking, “Katie, is that shirt worth my money?” Yes, 100% yes! I have so many striped shirts and this one exceeds them all! See why below:

Relaxed Fit

There is nothing that makes my skin crawl more than super tight long sleeved tops (yes I am weird about clothes and textures ha). These days it’s all about being casual. That also means all my clothes must be super comfortable. I am wearing a Small in the top and it’s long enough to wear with jeans and tucked into shorts and skirts. It’s also just loose enough I can push up the sleeves when it warms up outside. Think of a classic and relaxed outfit for bike rides, beach walks, weekend outfits and resort wear!

High Quality

You know when you try something on and you can just tell it’s made well. This shirts is one of those clothing items! The cotton is thick yet breathable. I own way to many striped tops with super thin fabric and this shirt is not one of them. The fabric holds up well with outdoor activities and can take a bit of wear and tear and still looks brand new. To the touch, it feels slightly stiff but on it feels great on your skin.

Made in Normandy, France

Sustainable fashion is something I am super passionate about. All of Saint James products are made in France and they are known for their craftsman ship, ethics and rich history. I love a good brand story and their dates back all the way to the 1300’s. You can read more about it here. It’s comforting to know you are supporting local businesses and that they pride themselves on quality clothing. They have won several awards and are very well known with the French government!

Shop Saint James Breton Stripes Shirts

Lots of Sunshine,

Katie

The post 3 Reasons Why A Saint James Striped Shirt Is Worth The Investment appeared first on Sunshine Style | Florida Fashion and Lifestyle Blog.

I’ve been so excited to share about my recent collaboration with Bealls Florida! I do run a Florida based fashion blog after all! All of the clothing at Bealls is perfect for tropical fall and winter vacations, including this navy floral jumpsuit! If your traveling to someplace warm during the holidays or after the new year, this post is designed for you! Or if you live in Florida like me or just want a little escape to a much warmer place, welcome!

Bealls was one of my favorite places to shop as a teen. They always had the best selection of swimsuits and surfer brand clothes! Roxy and Billabong were my faves as a middle schooler! Now I love shopping there for their amazing selection of tropical home decor, coastal inspired clothes and shoes! Next week I have a super fun post all about non-traditional Christmas decor that I cannot wait to share in the excitement with you! It might be one of my favorite posts of all time!

Sunny Outfit Details

Bealls Florida Romper (on sale under $52!) / Keds Leather Sneakers / Amazon Straw Bag / Similar Denim Jacket

Bealls was kind enough to let me choose an outfit of my choice. It really was a no-brainer. This floral blue romper will get me through fall and I can wear it into Spring and summer. If your going on a beach vacation anytime soon, it would make the perfect casual outfit for exploring during the day or an outdoor dinner at night.

The open keyhole back totally sold me on the jumpsuit! Do you call them rompers or jumpsuits?! I feel like I totally go back and forth! It’s lightweight and can easy be styled with a denim jacket if the temps drop at night! Right now, it’s on sale for under $52! I found it on sale for $44 at Nordstrom! It has a slight v in the front and ties at the waist.

Have you hopped on the white sneaker trend yet?! I love mine so so much and wrote an entire post on where to buy the best pairs! Bealls has an amazing selection of shoes including Sperry and Keds! Every now and then I will run into the store just to check out what shoes they have and if they are on sale and I am never disappointed! I was thrilled when I found these white leather Keds with gold detailing!

The leather is amazing because it cleans up to well! You can wipe of any skid marks or dirt with a damp wash cloth or towel. I love the clean and classic look to them to! I wish I would have known about these before I bought my canvas pair! Two pairs are better than one! They are extremely sturdy and a quality pair that will hold up for years to come. If your going on a trip, these are a no brainer to pack. They match with striped dresses, sundresses, skinny jeans and even beach cover ups!

Sunny Outfit Details

Bealls Florida Romper (on sale under $52!) / Keds Leather Sneakers / Amazon Straw Bag / Similar Denim Jacket

Is anyone else traveling for Thanksgiving? I know it’s a strange time to travel and not everyone is leaving town. My family and I are traveling to a cabin in Georgia and plan on playing lots of cornhole, eating yummy turkey, hiking, more hiking and just relaxing for a few days! Hope you all have a fun and safe holiday!!!

P.S. Look out for a Black Friday post with some of my favorite deals later this week!

Lots of Sunshine,

Katie

The post What to Wear on a Tropical Winter Getaway with Bealls Florida appeared first on Sunshine Style | Florida Fashion and Lifestyle Blog.

Palm Beach is one of the most beautiful places in Florida! Only last year did I find out about it’s beauty when I met up with Hailey and Emily, two SoFL blogger friends of mine, for the first time to take photos together. Other than quick day trips, I had not actually stayed the night in the colorful, palm tree filled and tropical town. It’s like PB was made for my blog! Did you know I tried to get a job down there before Covid hit?! Maybe one day!

A few weeks back, my friend Ashley and I planned a quick end of summer trip down to Palm Beach for one night to finally experience all of it’s sunny goodness. It was pretty much a marathon sprint of cramming in as much as we could in a 24 hour time span without over doing ourselves! I had to make my first visit worthwhile!

We ended up leaving Melbourne (where we live) and drove down South about 2 hours to Palm Beach. Our first stop was something I had on my Palm Beach bucket list for a while! It was to ride the Lake Trail and it did not disappoint! We rented an AirBnB in Lake Worth and other than the Lake Trail, we mostly planned on lounging on the beach. Which we did!

Palm Beach Lake Trail

The Lake Trail was our first pit stop. We wore our swimsuits in the car and appropriate bike riding outfits. We both wore denim shorts and a lightweight cotton top with sandals. The entire trail is 5.5 miles long one way and you have a water view then entire time of the Lake Worth Lagoon. It’s one of the prettiest bike rides I have ever taken!

We rented bikes from the Palm Beach Bicycle Trail Shop. It cost about $39 for a few hours. They were super helpful and I would absolutely rent from them again! You can park in their parking lot (which we did) and it’s connected to the Royal Poinciana Plaza. I meant to bring a few products to shoot for a client on my bike ride and what do you know…I completely left the items at home. So I grabbed my camera and we hit the trail.

You will be blown away the entire ride. On your left you have the water view and on your right, there are some of the most beautiful (and expensive) homes I have ever seen in my life. There was a smile plastered on my face the entire time.

Where To Eat

After our almost 10 mile bike ride, we hopped on over to Celis Produce for some acai bowls! Every time I have taken a day trip, I’ve eaten here, including after I had a job interview! It’s affordable and refreshing on warm days spent outside. For dinner we ended up eating at Al Fresco which is a restaurant located on a golf course with a terrific water view! It was delicious and I have heard their pizza is amazing!

Worth Avenue

After our big day on Satruday bike riding 10 miles, cooling off at the beach in Lake Worth and having a delicious dinner, we wanted to take it easy on Sunday. We planned on staying until after lunch to really enjoy everything PB had to offer. I will admit, most of my time going to the island for my day trips were spent exploring and taking pictures on Worth Avenue.

In the morning, we went to a beach in Lake Worth and afterwards took A1A to Worth Avenue. My friend Ashley had never been before so it was fun showing her around! It’s quite unlike anything I’ve seen before. There’s luxuries shopping, the flag ship Lilly Pulitzer store, colorful buildings, and photo opps around every corner. The best part is at the end of the “avenue” or road, it opens out to the beach. After we walked around a bunch sweating our butts off, taking photos and looking at the turquoise water, we were ready for our 2 hour drive home.

Blue Heron Bridge

Ocean Reef Park

During my 24 hour Palm Beach trip, I didn’t go to Ocean Reef Park but wanted to include it on this travel guide! I figured it was worth sharing and if you dislike shopping, this park is a great alternative.

My filmmaker and adventurous friend, Makayla, and I drove down to Palm Beach in September to snorkel the Blue Heron Bridge. After we ate lunch, we ventured down to Ocean Reef Park. Again, this beach is incredible! There are coral rock formations, water that looks like it’s straight from the Bahamas and one of the prettiest beach accesses I’ve ever walked on! Makayla ended up taking her drone out and told me to get in the water for some pretty beach and ocean shots. Is that not the prettiest photo ever!? I’ve always dreamed of being able to post fun drone photos on my blog!

Besides fashion, I love to explore new places and travel. I hope you loved this travel guide and much as I loved writing it! Hope there’s more of these to come. =)

Lots of Sunshine,

Katie

Would you prefer shopping on Worth Avenue or riding along the Lake Trail?! I’d love to know in the comments!

The post 24 Hour Palm Beach Travel Guide appeared first on Sunshine Style | Florida Fashion and Lifestyle Blog.

Welcome to week 383783 of quarantine. This is one of the rompers that came in my Infinitely LOFT box a month back and it makes the perfect WFH piece. I am honestly in heaven when I can wear all my weekend/laid back clothes for work. Getting dressed everyday makes it easy when you just slip on a jumpsuit!

LOFT Romper / Target Shoes / Amazon Bag / Statement Earrings

When life resumes and we can travel again, this is one of those classic items perfect for vacations! I really love the structure, slight wide leg and if you scroll below, you’ll see that it has the most adorable tie on the back! The bow is what sold me on the romper! Honestly, I almost never say no to a good fitting romper. Their my weakness.

See the cute bow! I guess I waited so long to post these photos, the romper only has a few sizes left. There are so many adorable rompers out there with bows here, here and here. Their easy to wear around the house, on the couch, sitting at a desk, for outside picnics, when traveling or during the summer on the weekends. I have a feeling I’ll look back on all these quarantine posts and be like, “KT did you really tell these people this was a great outfit to sit on the couch in?” Yes, yes I will ha.

Things That Bought Me Joy This Weekend

I wanted to do something new and thought it would be fun to share small things that brought me joy this weekend! These little things are what really makes me happy deep down. Maybe I can just make this a new blog post and bring some positivity into your life. How is quarantine life treating you?! I’m doing okay but today I am feeling antsy and really just miss seeing lots of people and my gym to break up my days. The boredom is starting to set in a little.

Rarely do I get bored but I have had the weirdest thoughts lately and really just keep looking for new fun ways to entertain myself. Like…buying $67 pure grade acai to make acai bowls (I did not but 80% of me wants to take the crazy risk ha), wanting to drive to a beach an hour away to make it feel like a road trip, wondering if I could drive a remote control boat in my pool and how much they cost. Maybe this week I will make peanut blossoms just because I can and it’s something fun to look forward to.

• Playing Simon Says With My Family On a Walk (this was hilarious and the highlight of my weekend)
• Going “Out to Eat”. My fam and I got take out at one of my favorite local restaurants and ate at a local park
• Being able to take a nap on Saturday just because
• Editing photos for a friend
• Getting a shipping confirmation that my new pajamas are arriving this week! If that’s not a true quarantine statement, idk what is.
• Taking a 30 minute run followed by making dance videos to Brittany Spears Womanizer
• Eating freshly cut watermelon #NOM!
• Shooting new blog post photos!

Lots of Sunshine,

Katie

The post Tie-Back Romper for Spring and Summer appeared first on Sunshine Style | Florida Fashion and Lifestyle Blog.

Now that it’s Spring and the winter days are almost behind us, it’s time to start planning on what to wear for your next warm-weather vacation. Weather your escaping the cold or are like me and live where it’s warm year round, I have a few tips on what exactly to wear on a sunny vacation.

Just got back from a quick day trip to Palm Beach to shoot some photos for a local magazine and now it has me wanting a fun vacation filled with beach trips and bike rides! It’s a two hour drive and I was legitimately craving to go back for a girls weekend trip. I think that would be the best trip for my 30th Birthday next month!

I love living in Florida because we jump from cool to warm days during the early Spring days. Going from jeans and sweaters to summer dresses is kind of my specialty. If you are lucky enough to be heading on a warm-weather getaway soon for Spring Break or planning a summer tip, these are a few coastal pieces I wear almost year round and pack on your next vacay!

Outfit Details

Dress / Statement Earrings / Castaner Espadrilles / Straw Bag

Been trying a new thing on here lately. Wearing my clothes that are “older” in the blogging world may be a faux pas but I can still provide great outfit inspiration. Maybe it’s not helpful or maybe it is. Since this dress is last season, I am going to show similar items throughout the post. If this isn’t something you like, let me know! Without further ado, here’s a very similar striped green dress for under $30!

Causal Sundresses

First up are sundresses! These are a must wear on a vacation! Mini, midi or maxi dresses are all great options! Personally, I usually always have a white dress (wore it a million times in Hawaii) and a more statement and colorful dress on hand to wear on trips. Have fun with your vacay style! Wear open back dresses, low cut or shows some skin! Your on vacation after all!

A Comfy Pair of Espadrilles

Okay, so I bought my favorite Castaner espadrilles when I was teaching. Even thought they were a bit of a splurge, their totally worth it. If you’ve exploring during the day or at the beach, wearing heels to dress up for dinner is the last thing I want to do. The answer?! These espadrilles! It may sound off but they are actually more comfortable than most of my flats!

Personally, I prefer the Castaner 60mm/2.5 inch wedge compared to the Soludos espadrille 3 in wedge. Castaner wedges are a little more pricey, which is the only downfall. I’d pay for shorter wedges any day! This summer, I want to buy an ivory pair to match with all my sundresses! If your looking for a budget friendly pair , I love these chambray ones for $26!

Everyday Straw Bags

If your traveling to someplace like Palm Beach, the Bahamas or a tropical beach resort spot, you will absolutely want to pack a straw bag or two! There are surprisingly very affordable options and will match with all of your vacay outfits. Even during the winter, if my straw bag matches with my outfit, I will still wear them!

Statement Earrings

Last on the list, statement earrings. I’ve talked about statement earrings a billion times on here before. They will completely transform any outfit. When you want to be lazy on vacation or throw on jeans and a tee, they will transform even the simplest outfit. There’s no hiding it, I love wearing them with dresses! When it’s hot out, you honestly want to dress cute with the least amount of layers.

Where are you heading on vacation?! I’d LOVE to know! Leave a comment below!

The post Warm-Weather Vacation Essentials appeared first on Sunshine Style | Florida Fashion and Lifestyle Blog.

Summer is on my mind after putting together the best resort wear finds (just a fancy schmancy name for beach clothes) and I am A-OK with it! If your heading on a beach vacation or warm-weather getaway to escape the cold or just want some early summer inspo, this post is for you!

It was 85 degrees today and I had a mid-week beach trip, so that might help with that summer feeling! There are deff perks of living in a tropical place year round. I might be holding on to the cool days for as long as I can and anticipating Spring (hello allergies that I am already feeling) but before we know it, it will be time to bust out the strappy tanks and high-waisted shorts.

On a budget like me and not heading on a vacation anytime soon?! Use this as inspiration to get excited for summer days! I know I sure am. I always use the early Spring months to take inventory of my closet and to find out what I want to buy for summer. Sometimes I will ask myself questions and go through a monologue in my head to start a running list of what I need. Have you seen that post on social media about people not having an inner monologue?! It’s soooo odd to me!

This might not be that profound of a conversation ha! But I do ask myself, around this time, “Is my swimsuit old, discolored and stretched out from last summer or the year before?”. “Are the swim bottoms I wore last week sagging and falling off…Yes, yes the are”.”Do I need to buy a new one”. “How much should I spend on a cute summer dress I know I will wear every day?!”. This way, I know what I want to shop for way ahead of time!

ONE Top + Bottom / TWO / THREE / FOUR / FIVE / SIX / SEVEN / EIGHT / NINE / TEN / ELEVEN / TWELVE / THIRTEEN

My absolute very favorite piece from above?! How do I even begin to pick a fav. I die over the raffia headband, pineapple high-waisted swimsuit and budget ruffly dress that’s surprisingly a great Amazon find! I would style the dress with my favorite woven shoes that’s under $25 and a straw bag. The shoes will be another most worn

I really would wear these pieces breezy, lightweight and straw pieces all summer long! Another swim brand, Summersalt is one I have been meaning to try since last year. All of their swimsuits are adorable, seems super high quality and are still girly with very flattering styles. I love their one piece with the ruffled straps and slimming mid section.

Shop The Resort Wear Pieces

Lots of Sunshine,

Katie

The post My Favorite Resort Wear Pieces Under $100 appeared first on Sunshine Style | Florida Fashion and Lifestyle Blog.

Palm Beach is truly a hidden oasis right here in Florida. A few weeks back, I had a meeting in Palm Beach and brought my camera along with me! It was actually only my second time visiting the town. If you are looking for a luxurious Spring or Summer vacay spot, I highly recommend visiting the Palm Beach area! It’s filled with flowers, beautiful plants, architecture, creativity, fashion and has a big town feel but small town community!

After my meeting, I stopped at the Royal Poinciana Plaza for the first time after seeing Palm Beach Lately rave about it on Insta, grabbed an acai bowl for lunch and window shopped at all the beautiful designer stores. It was one of the best acai bowls I ever had with a layer of granola mixed with peanut butter. Then I drove over to Worth Avenue, parked in a random neighborhood and bee lined it straight to the beach.

I probably walked a few miles by the time I parked, explored Worth Ave, stared at the beach way to long, snapped a bunch of photos and treckked back to my car. On the way back to my car, I almost forgot where I had parked. Must have been so excited to take photos, I didn’t even look at street names or anything.

If you’ve been following me on Instagram stories, you might have heard I hurt my back in October (not sure how) and have had horrible lower back pain every time I sit. All that walking really saved me and my back on my 2 hour drive home.

Hope these snaps add some happiness to your day!

The post A Few Palm Beach, Florida Snapshots appeared first on Sunshine Style | Florida Fashion and Lifestyle Blog.

During my Christmas break (#teacherperks), my sister, our mutual friend and I took a girls trip to Tallahassee for 3 days. I went to college at Florida State and I have always wanted to go back to walk campus during the winter and explore all of my favorite parks. Cold weather and Tally are like BFF’s. There’s true seasons there and it looks more like Georgia or the Carolina’s than Florida. You truly have to experience it to understand!

There’s been this silly dream of mine travel to Tallahassee one day with my husband/fiance and show him the campus and tell him about my school experience (the good AND the bad…there was tons of growth and bad times in the beginning but that’s a whole other story for another day). And well since that hasn’t happened yet…I thought it was about time to go on my own and see how much campus has changed!

Oh my gosh has campus changed! FSU is like a giant community. Walking is easier than driving and everything is located inside this massive circle aka campus. There’s dorms, classrooms, huge buildings, the famous Westscott fountain, sorority and frat houses, a giant gym called the Leach and restaurant’s all within 30 walking minutes of each other. The entire campus looks pretty similar but what now surrounds it is all completely different.

When I moved away, there was word that a Whole Foods was coming and that was a huge deal! I remembered eating on campus at Chili’s felt like a luxury! Now there’s Earthfare, Wholefoods, Lululemon, Francesca’s, Urban Outfitters (legit a 5 min walk from campus), a billion more restaurants, and truly anything you could dream of within 20 minutes of each other. Like where was all of this when I went to FSU?! These kids have it made now!

Where to Stay

When I booked my trip, I decided an Airbnb was our best bet. Hotels are nice for quick trips but they lack the cozy feeling I long for when I am away from home. If I have a say, I will always pick to stay in a house over a hotel any day. It’s so nice to come home after a day of exploring and be able to truly relax. After a little research, I legit found the cutest Southern house in Tallahassee that we were later told was also the oldest house in the neighborhood (and possibly Tallahassee). The owners treated it like a Bed and Breakfast, serving us fresh pumpkin bread, fruit and nuts in the AM and delivering hot water for tea, complete with a coffee bar. When we checked out, I was legit sad to leave and knew I’d be back to stay when I can live out my husband/fiance dream. Ya girl can dream, right?!

What I Wore in Tallahassee

Similar Sweater / Similar Jeans / Leopard Coat / Similar Scarf / Top Knot Headband / Similar Boots

When I travel, my favorite part is to get out and explore right away. We arrived the night before NYE and then decided to hit the ground running the next day since we were only in town for three days total. Two of those included traveling days. This is what I wore on NYE all day exploring parks, walking campus and celebrating the New Year at dinner.

I felt comfy and cozy all day. It warmed up quite a bit that I didn’t end up needing my coat or scarf until after dark once we rested before heading to dinner. My new cable knit sweater kept me nice and warm and is seriously my new favorite winter sweater. I saved it especially for this trip and am so so happy it was cold enough to wear it! Look how sweet the house doggie was! Every time we would get home, he’d run out his doggie door to meet us! Such a sweet welcome home! Also, can we note the front porch made of dreams?! Next time I’d make it a point to spend more time sipping tea, watching the neighborhood kids and reading!

All these charming houses are located in the neighborhood of the Airbnb! I wore up early one morning, got dressed and snapped these while I was taking a walk enjoying the crisp 50 degree weather. If you know me, that’s a huge feat to be dressed and out of the house before anyone else ha! The exact reason why I wanted to come to Tally in the first place was to see it’s charm and feel the cold on my skin even if it was for just three short days!

Where We Stayed

1890’s Midtown Airbnb – Located right by midtown and within walking distance of Lake Ella

Other Places to Stay:

Governors Inn – When I graduated, this is the hotel my family and I stayed in! If your are looking for a hotel with charm, this is your place!

Aloft – Very colorful and modern!

Hotel Duval – It’s right in the heart of Downtown and has the coolest rooftop deck/bar! The fashion clubs I belonged to at FSU always held fashion shows at this hotel! It was the coolest experience and a fancy place to stay!

Where to Eat

Table 23 – Every time my parents came to visit, we would always eat at this restaurant. They have tons of outside seating, it’s located right in mid-town, has amazing food and there’s lights around this oak tree right in front of the restaurant that is just adorable! This is the restaurant we ate at on NYE! They accommodated even through we didn’t have a reservation (rookie mistake) and had quick service despite such a hectic night.

Kool Beanz – A great lunch or dinner spot with vegan options and a menu that changes daily!

The Best Places to Explore

We started our day walking around the FSU campus! Boy did it bring back a million memories! They were mostly bad memories at first as I walked campus and reminisced. Moving to a city 5 hours away with only a few friends from high school was extremely hard for me. My first semester was brutal. Don’t worry…by the time I graduated three years later, it was like a night and day difference! We ended the trip with a stop at the last apartment I lived at. I legit only had good memories and was so so happy to remember where I started from, how much I grew and how grateful I was for the hard start but an even better ending!

My sorority wall painted! Delta Alpha Chi forever! Once I found my Christian sorority, I was able to truly find a home and make lifelong friends. This helped my school experience get a whole lot better!

Florida State University Campus – Start at Wescott Fountian!

Dorothy B. Oven Park – Tallahassee has the most amazing parks! It truly feels like another world. You will forget your in the capital of Florida as soon as you hit the parks!

Lake Ella – I used to run around this lake in college on the weekends and would come here when I felt alone or needed a quiet place to think.

Goodwood Museum and Gardens

Desoto Site Historic State Park

Tom Brown Park

Thomasville, GA – An easy 30 minute drive outside of Tallahassee to the cutest historic town! Next time I visit Tallahassee, I may just stay in Thomasville because it’s that cute!

Maclay Gardens – On weekends my parents would come visit me, we would always make a trip to this park. When the flowers bloom in the Spring, you have to pinch yourself, it’s such a fairy tale place! All these photos below were taken here!

I am truly a weirdo at heart ha! After so much walking and the sun starting to peek through, I plopped down in this chair and looked like Patrick Star from Spongebob with my sweater sleeves.

The new iPhone camera 11 is insane!!!! Look at that bokeh!!!

The Best Places to Shop

The Market Street District Shops

Miracle Plaza – There’s a Whole Foods (we ate dinner here the first night we arrived!), Francesca’s, Lululemon, FSU Alumni store and a few others!

Any shop located on Midtown Road!

I truly hope you enjoyed this post! These are my favorite posts to write…adventure, travel and fashion all tied together! I loved being able to reminisce with you and even if you never planned on visiting the state capital, I hope I inspired you to go! The town is filled with maple trees, Southern hospitality, beautiful scenery and hills! It’s truly worth a visit or even a pit stop as your travel through the state!

Planning a trip to Tallahassee soon? If you have any questions about food, hotel locations, parks, shopping, etc., leave a comment with your email and I will do my best to answer them!

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