I've moved!

Thank you all for joining me on this journey with Beantown Blush. I had so much fun curating content as I wrapped up my time at Boston University.

I have started a new blog, Lizzie Dot Calm, documenting my new life and career in NYC.

Feel free to follow along on this new chapter for some fresh inspiration!

Lizzie

School Snack Obsessions

College schedules can be pretty hectic and inconsistent. Some days I'll have plenty of time to prepare and eat breakfast, lunch, and dinner, but other days I feel like I'm out of my apartment from 7am to 9pm. On busier days, I try to pack some healthy snacks to munch on so I'm not absolutely starving by the time I sit down to eat a meal (and more prone to binge-eating everything in sight). Here are some of the foods I've been obsessed with lately:

Fall Finds: Moto Jackets Under $100

Throwing on a good jacket is one of the easiest ways to take your wardrobe from summer into fall. Last year, I wore my L.L.Bean olive green utility jacket to death, and I know I'll be bringing it back out in a couple week's time. This season I found a very similar version (with a hood!) at H&M for only $50, and it also comes in a beautiful blush shade.

One piece that I've been on the hunt for is a good faux leather or suede jacket. Personally, I think it's the perfect piece to layer over an outfit for a night out, and it's definitely more chic than the fleece I've been using for the past few years. Although I would ideally like to invest in a real leather or suede jacket that will stand the test of time, I know I'd just be paranoid about it getting spilled on or ruined at a house party, and I'd be too afraid to actually wear it.

Here are some of my favorite options I've come across in my search, all of which are under $100.

Back-to-School Supplies for College

Another summer has come and gone, which means it's officially back-to-school season. I know some schools have already begun the year (my little brother's high school started on August 14!), but thankfully I have until the Tuesday after Labor Day to get my stuff together. 

Thinking back to my high school days, I remember that many of my teachers had very specific requirements when it came to school supplies- a 1.5 inch binder with 3 dividers plus a composition book for assignments, and so on. College professors, I've found, are much more flexible, and pretty much allow for whatever works best for your learning style. After 3 years, I've developed my own system and narrowed down my supplies list to the essentials listed below, keeping me organized and on top of things without feeling overly-cluttered.

Easy Bronzed Makeup

While I don't tend to wear much makeup in the summer, from time to time I like to switch it up and go for something a little more "done" and polished. The products mentioned in this post have been my go-tos lately for when I want to put a little more effort into my look without sacrificing a lot of time. In total, I'd say this routine only takes about 10 minutes! Keep reading to get a step-by-step breakdown.

Collective Haul + Catch-up!

This post is loooong overdue. The end of July and beginning of August were a bit of a whirlwind for me. I went on a family vacation to upstate New York (which included a visit to Niagara Falls), wrapped up a full-time internship, packed my things, and arrived back home in Florida last week for a bit of R&R before the school year starts back up again. Attempting to keep up a blogging schedule was definitely difficult with a 9-5 job, but after navigating through my internship this summer I know I’ll be that much more prepared going forward, especially come college graduation and full-time employment.

Now that I’ve had some time to unwind, I wanted to share a collective haul of some of the new fashion and beauty things I’ve accumulated over the past month or so. I’ve had a chance to wear or use most of these items, so I’ll include some first impressions as well.

Lake Haus

I can't believe how quickly summer is flying by. I started to put together this post and realized that this trip was already two weekends ago! Regardless, I really wanted to share a collection of photos from a weekend that my friends and I spent at Candlewood Lake in Connecticut. The weather, company, and plethora of activities that lake like has to offer (from paddleboarding to kayaking to tubing to fishing to cliff jumping...and more!) made for an unforgettable vacation. Even though the trip was brief, it thoroughly convinced me that I need to live on a lake at some point in the future. Keep reading to see all of the pictures!

Photo Diary: Weekend in Rockport

This past weekend, I had the opportunity to visit beautiful Rockport, MA. One of my best friends, Kalli, was celebrating her graduation there with her family and decided to invite a few of us to join in on the fun. It was an experience I wouldn’t trade for the world- we cliff jumped at the quarry, explored quaint little shops downtown, built a bonfire, relaxed by the beach, and had a barbecue on property that overlooked the sea. It couldn’t have been more perfect! I’m so glad I had my camera with me to document some of the highlights, and I’m excited to share the scenery with you all in this post. Enjoy!

Picture-Perfect Rockport

Red/White/Blue

The 4th of July is quickly approaching (*Lana Del Ray's 'National Anthem' plays in background*), so I thought I would put together a patriotic look for today's post. This outfit is perfect for your typical 4th festivities: casual get-togethers, barbecues, firework-watching, etc. It's cute, comfy, and put-together, and details like the scalloped skirt hem and the embroidered hat keep things fun/festive without being over-the-top.

Summer Beauty Standouts

Seeing as tomorrow officially marks the first day of summer, I decided to devote this post to some of the products that tend to get more use during these hot months. Especially with the lack of central AC in Boston, I’ve been gravitating toward products that will help prevent oiliness and keep me feeling refreshed. I’ve pulled a good selection of some old favorites and new discoveries. Enjoy!

TBT: Two Timeless Pieces

As it is Thursday, I thought it would be fun to write a little "tbt" fashion post. Back in high school, I took my senior pictures with one of my favorite teachers, who also happens to be an amazing photographer. I remember spending a lot of time thinking about the clothing I would wear, not wanting to look back on the photos in the future regretting my fashion choices. Thankfully, four years later, I still love (and wear!) the pieces I decided on. The floral maxi dress is a perfect spring/summer staple, and the simple silhouette makes it timeless. And you can't go wrong with a little black dress- this one is made of the comfiest cotton, and the v-neck and fit-and-flare style are flattering on so many body types. At the end of this post I've linked some current options similar to these two timeless staples. Enjoy!

Intern Diaries: 5 Things I Learned From My First Week

To continue on with my "Intern Diaries" series here on Beantown Blush, I thought it would be fitting to stray from beauty and fashion for a moment to give a recap of what I learned this past week- my first week on the job. Even if you've had multiple internships before, every company operates differently, so you never really know what to expect until you step into the office yourself. I was definitely nervous leading up to that first morning, but as the week went on I started to formulate some key takeaways...

Tropical Jumpsuit

I wanted to put together one more quick outfit post from my visit to St. Simons Island. The weather was beautiful and sunny, and seeing as I was on an island, I thought this tropical jumpsuit that I found at Marshalls, paired with my favorite J.Crew metallic sandals, was the perfect outfit for the trip. First of all, a jumpsuit is super easy to throw on in a hurry, and second of all, it's a great day-to-night piece- I wore it when we went shopping during the day and also in the evening to dinner. I linked some similar options at the end of this post. Enjoy!

May Pinspiration

One of my favorite things to do when I'm feeling particularly uninspired is to go back through my pins on Pinterest. Aside from Instagram, it's my favorite social media platform, feeding me ideas on anything and everything. I'll visit the site searching for a couple pictures to give to my hairdresser before an appointment, and wind up spending hours browsing pictures of chic celebrities, impeccably organized laundry rooms, and adorable bunnies. Regardless,  I've accumulated some great summer inspo lately, so I thought I'd share my favorites from the past month in this post. Enjoy!

Wishing I had an occasion to wear a dress like one of these...

St. Simons Island

Over Memorial Day weekend, I got the chance to visit St. Simons Island, GA. As I had only been there once before for a brief day-trip, I had such a wonderful time exploring the Island, biking to the beach, and eating some great seafood.

Affordable One Piece Swimsuits

With Memorial Day Weekend officially kicking off the summer season, I thought it would be appropriate to share some of my top swimwear picks. One pieces are everything right now, and I'm definitely looking to try the trend when I hit the beach over the next few months.

1 // 2 // 3 // 4 // 5 // 6 // 7 // 8 // 9

DIY Moisturizing Hair Mask

I get weirdly excited about haircuts. I just feel so much lighter and more refreshed after my hair has been thoroughly conditioned and my dead ends have been snipped off. So when I got a call yesterday from my hairdresser saying he had to reschedule my appointment, I was pretty bummed, especially because I was looking forward to having a fresh cut for my Memorial Day weekend vacation. Knowing I wouldn't be getting the salon treatment before the trip, I decided to make a little DIY moisturizing hair mask using ingredients I had in my kitchen to attempt to make my strands look a little less like they haven't been trimmed in 4 months... It turned out to be surprisingly effective!

Intern Diaries Vol. III: First Week Fashion

It's safe to say that the first few days of a new job or internship are the most stressful. You'll likely be occupied with things like navigating the office, figuring out your role, and meeting your coworkers, just to name a few. The last thing you want to be worried about is how you look. It's so important, especially in that first week, to wear something you feel 100% comfortable and confident in. For me, I've learned that my fool-proof outfit, especially if I'm not entirely sure how formal the office will be, is a dress (I particularly love shift and fit-and-flare silhouettes) paired with a structured blazer and comfortable, broken-in leather flats.

Clockwise from top left:

1 // 2 // 3 // 4 // 5 // 6 // 7 // 8 // 9 // 10

Testing No-Churn Unicorn Ice Cream

I feel like unicorns have been everywhere lately, particularly after the huge "Unicorn Frappuccino" craze at Starbucks. While scrolling through Pinterest the other week, I stumbled across some "unicorn" recipes, and this colorful DIY ice cream from Popsugar particularly caught my eye. Because it requires only a few ingredients, I wanted to test it out and see if it was as tasty as it is pretty.

Fun Finds for Summer

Now that I'm back home in Florida, I've been shopping around for some new pieces for the summer season, from clothing to swimsuits to accessories. For me, summer is all about tropical prints and bright colors, so I wanted to round up some of my favorite items that are more playful and unique than your everyday basics (without being too over the top).