I Heart This Holiday

What I'm wearing: Forever 21 dress, Target tights, Target booties, Banana Republic Outlet belt
What Jillian's wearing: Modcloth Dot Through the Heart dress

{Jillian's strawberry cupcakes with strawberry filling}

On Saturday night, my roommates and I threw a small, Valentine-themed party for our friends. We'll take any excuse we can get to deck out the apartment entirely in red and pink. I've always had a love for this holiday, even when I wasn't dating someone. When I was a kid, my mom would make us a "red" dinner on Valentine's day which usually consisted of spaghetti, red cream soda, and strawberry icecream. Cute little traditions like that are what make me love this holiday. I also have been to known to use the whole "I'm single on Valentine's day" phrase as an excuse to indulge myself a little. I can't really use that excuse anymore, but I definitely recommend it. Unfortunately, I'm spending today taking a midterm, working, going to class, and working on a group project, so I'm glad I was able to celebrate over the weekend. Are you doing anything special to celebrate your Valentine's day?

Valentine's Date Night

What I'm wearing: Anthropologie cardigan, J.Crew painter tee, Loft Outlet jeans, Aldo boots, Forever 21 necklace

{The fashion section at the Book Loft}

Last night, the boyfriend took me out on a date to celebrate Valentine's day. We don't take the holiday too seriously, so we opted for a casual dinner and a trip to German Village to visit the Book Loft. The Book Loft is a discount book store that is made up of 30+ rooms of books. It's like a huge maze of books (you could easily get lost) covering pretty much any subject you can think of. The fashion section was obviously my favorite. We'd never been to the Book Loft before, so it was a fun way to wrap up our night out. I'd been wanting to wear my new Anthropologie cardigan for awhile now, but I wasn't quite sure how/when to wear it. I knew date night was a great excuse to finally try it out. I ended up pairing it with one of the J.Crew tees I got for Christmas, and I really like how it turned out. Later in the evening, I came home and did a quick wardrobe change for the Valentine's party my roommates and I were throwing. Look for a post all about the party tomorrow!

Modcloth, Will You Be My Valentine?

Modcloth's If, And, or Bud dress, Modcloth's Sweet Sprite Skirt, Ruche's Meeting Before Dusk lace dress, Modcloth's Red Garnet Glamour dress, Modcloth's Bake Off Champion top

My roommates and I have decided to throw a little Valentine-themed party this weekend, which means I have been scouring the internet for the last week trying to decided what I'm going to wear. Here are some of the Valentine-esque items I've stumbled upon. To say I have a bit of a Modcloth obsession would be an understatement. Although I don't actually own anything from there, I stalk their website pretty frequently. I also love Ruche, and I find that they can sometimes be a little more affordable. I love Modcloth's If, And, or Bud dress, but it's a little out of my current price range, as is the Bake Off Champion top. Have you found any affordable Valentine fashions around the web? Do share, otherwise Modcloth might be running off with all my money!

Retail Therapy

Head Over Heels Heart Top

My mom probably just saw that post title and cringed. But no worries Mom, I haven't pulled out my credit card just yet. Although I AM rather tempted by this adorable top from Ruche. I've had this top bookmarked for almost two months now, thinking it would be perfect for Valentines Day. With my V-day plans (almost) solidified and the only size left in stock being mine, this top is calling my name. But then I pause, like the good shopper I am, and wonder how I would wear it. Considering its the middle of winter, a cardigan would definitely be in order. Jeans or a skirt? And then I remember I still really need to invest in a good black skirt, so jeans it is, I guess. I'm also hesitant about shopping online; there is nothing more frustrating than anticipating a package filled with pretty clothes just to have it arrive and not fit. It is a reasonable price, though. Then again, the Urban Outfitters on campus is having a big sale right now, so maybe I should go spend my (limited) dollars there. Thoughts? What would you do?