happy halloween + DIY costume

happy halloween y'all! though i may be too old to go door-to-door trick or treating like in the good ole days, i'm not too old to play dress up! because as kate spade says, "playing dress up begins at age five and truly never ends." so, after many costume considerations, this year i decided to be audrey hepburn as miss holly golightly from breakfast at tiffany's. and no, not the typical pearls and black dress holly, but the sleepy but still fabulous holly, eye mask and all.

(source: calder clark)

since i had the grand idea to be miss audrey just this morning (i had originally planned to just be a cat), i didn't have the time to order the mask. instead, i found this DIY from martha stewart and got my crafty skills going! i think it really turned out well and also had the bonus of costing under $15 and being easy to make! 

stay tuned tomorrow for the full costume reveal! 

xoxo,

clp

almond butter banana muffins

today, in my quest to do anything but study, i whipped up some muffins! i had some bananas that had turned quite quickly so i wanted to use them in something rather than just freeze them! i came across a few recipes until finally settling on this easy, quick and healthy one! they are grain-free and oil-free as well as having no butter! i plan on topping mine with some truwhip or cream cheese frosting tonight for dessert, but these are certainly healthy enough for breakfast or a snack!

almond butter banana muffins

1/4 cup almond butter (or nut butter of choice)

2 ripe bananas

1 egg

1 tbsp honey

3/4 cup oats

1 tsp vanilla

1/2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp cinnamon

1. preheat oven to 375 degrees and spray six muffin cups with cooking spray.
2. combine all ingredients in blender and blend until smooth. 
3. pour batter into muffin tins, evenly distributing between all six.
4. bake for 12 minutes, or until toothpick comes out clean. 
5. allow to cool before removing from pan, store in airtight container for up to one week or freeze. 

(recipe adapted from running with spoons)

bake and enjoy! 

xoxo,

clp

my take on business professional

well, i'm always one to stand out when it comes to my clothing choices. today for an important, nerve-racking presentation for one of my classes we were required to dress business professional. when i was told this, my first thought immediately was "oh yay! a new fancy outfit!" last weekend, with the help of my favorite personal stylist at j. crew green hills, katie, i was able to snag this gorgeous tweed dress! so while everyone else was in the typical black business suit, i chose to stand out in this lovely little number. better yet, it will be a great dress for glitzing up with accessories for the coming winter months!

j. crew mixed tweed dress, steve madden pumps

its bama weekend y'all! here's to hoping for an upset! go vols!

xoxo,
clp

fall fashion finds

fall break wouldn't have been complete without a trip to my favorite place, and hopefully future home, nashville. driving into nashville felt like coming home. anyway, a stop at LEONA was necessary and a walk around green hills mall was essential. (p.s., mom and i ate at Table 3 right near the mall - so good! delicious food and we felt like we were in france the whole time!) needless to say we did some damage on 12 South and at the mall! scroll on for a few of my favorite finds from friday that i can't wait to wear and some i hope to see in my closet soon!

LEONA trouble free t

LEONA long sleeve hello darlin' tee

j. crew asymmetrical zip pencil skirt in wool 

j. crew regent blazer with beaded collar

tory burch macy vest 

c. wonder southern belle novelty slipper

shop happy my friends! 

xoxo,

clp 

recipe: white chicken beer chili

fall weather has officially arrived and with that, comes a new chili recipe! we made this last night for the UT vs Ole Miss game and served with some jalepeno cornbread along side it. if you haven't noticed, i rarely make chili without cornbread. whip this up in the morning, set it on low and hours later, and a few hours later, dinner is served!  

white chicken beer chili

3 cans diced tomatoes

3 cups chicken broth 

3 large chicken breasts, cooked and shredded

2 cans white beans, drained

1 can chipotle peppers in adobo 

handful cilantro + more for serving 

2 tbsp chili powder

1 tbsp cumin 

1/2 cup chopped onion 

1 12 oz lager beer, such as Corona

diced avocado, cheese, etc. for serving

1. in a food processor, combine 1 cup beans, 1 can tomatoes and 1 can peppers (peppers and sauce). process until smooth and add to crockpot.
2. add all other ingredients to crockpot and stir. 
3. cook on low for 6-8 hours. 
4. serve hot with cilantro for garnish, cheese and diced avocado. 

serves 6-8

(recipe inspired by fine cooking)

xoxo,

clp

lovely LEONA: october

have you checked out the newest releases from LEONA's fall winter collection?! they. are. to. die. for. i seriously don't know how lauren does it! the colors are just lovely, and two of my favorites: eggplant and emerald. the silhouettes are classic yet modern, and the styles can be worn at so many different occasions and accessorized in some many different ways. i happen to be going to LEONA Nashville this coming week so hopefully a few of the new pieces may come home with me (as well as the nashville exclusive items!).

necessary blouse with sweet skirt

super shift in eggplant chevron

perry dress in forest 

(i love that you can wear the bow at the waist or at the neck!)

i should honestly just post a link to the site and tell y'all to go there for my favorite pieces... everything that lauren designs goes on my "LEONA wishlist"! happy shopping y'all! its finally boots, scarves and vests season! 

xoxo,

clp

"me before you" review

last week i finished the book "me before you". and this week has been so exhausting, i am just now getting around to telling you all about it. me before you by jojo moyes is the story of two individuals who couldn't be more different brought together. lou and will learn things about themselves and each other, in a heartbreaking, hilarious, never predictable novel. you will laugh, you will cry, and you won't be able to put the book down. moyes writes a complex love story with characters that capture your heart and stay there. it is a book you may want to read with tissues and in the end will leave you wondering what really is the "right" thing to do.

i'm sorry for the short and to the point post, but other academic (i guess those come first) things have me busy. this past week was filled with homecoming hours, homework and group meetings. luckily, come wednesday the minute my test is over, i will be headed home. a quick break will be nice. hopefully i will have some time this week to post some but if not, everyone have a fabulous weekend and cross your fingers for a "W" today! go vols!

xoxo,
clp

first fall day OOTD

topshop for nordstrom crop top and skirt, j. crew necklace, ivanka trump booties

xoxo,

clp

judah and the lion concert + OOTD

if you aren't listening to the band known as judah and the lion, you should be. i have been hooked ever since i first started listening to them. judah akers, the lead singer, played on my brother's college baseball team and if you saw him playing on the baseball field a few years ago, you wouldn't recognize him today. but its a change that has been for the better. formed just two years ago in nashville, judah and the lion is going places. with a mix of southern gospel, country, folk, pop and really everything in-between, judah and the lion has a sound all their own. following a new album release, the band embarked on their first headlining tour just this week, with the second stop being the square room here in knoxville on thursday. without question, mom and i bought our tickets for the show.

(image via Judah and the Lion Facebook)

what a show it was. it was one of the best concerts i have been to. the energy, the passion, the lyrics: everything that was felt on stage was felt in the audience too. each song has an energy and a story told through the lyrics that could only be told by the band. i must say that i love every song on the new album, "kids these days", as well as their previous albums, and i loved every rendition and stage version of the song last night. it was a concert that, now, days later, i am still amazed at how good it was. from "sweet tennessee" to "everything changes" there is a song for everyone and every mood and every occasion. if you aren't listening to judah and the lion, you are missing out on a band that is going places fast (and quite an attractive lead singer).

LEONA very v blouse, nordstrom leather leggings, via spiga wedges

xoxo,

clp

domestic violence awareness month

i love that october is now often referred to as "pink-tober" because of it being breast cancer awareness month. everything is "pinked" out - from the NFL to fountains in NYC. i love the pink ribbons and the strides made to raise breast cancer awareness.

unfortunately, the pink outshines the purple. many forget or don't even know that october is also domestic violence awareness month. even though it is not as well known or as socially-endorsed, domestic violence awareness is just as important as breast cancer awareness. raising awareness for domestic violence has become more important to me since joining alpha chi omega. as a sorority, we hope to raise domestic violence awareness and help those who are victims. we work to fight against unhealthy relationships and build healthy relationships. as alpha chi omega simply says in regards to domestic violence, "love shouldn't hurt."

the issue of domestic violence is a silent battle and one that unfortunately affects more people (not just women) than we know. i am blessed to have never been a victim of domestic violence, but i know some women that have and their stories are heartbreaking. i see, especially recently, more and more stories of domestic violence in the news. as a young female, i feel that it is necessary to speak out against domestic violence. too many young women are victims and they are fighting the battle silently.

the recent "outbreak" of domestic violence in the news can be seen as both a bad and good thing. though i hate that the women are victims of domestic violence, it has brought the issue to light. now, more and more celebrities and news anchors, from actress kerry washington to TODAY show host tamron hall,  are speaking out against and raising awareness for domestic violence.

so, with this being said, i invite you to join the fight. wear pink and purple this month, and every month after. silence hides the violence so keep the conversation going. speak out, speak up. no one deserves to be a victim of domestic violence. it's on us to end it.

xoxo,
clp