My 5 Shoe Must-Haves

Hey friends! I wanted to pop by - I know it's been a while, but honestly life has been so incredibly crazy lately. I moved out of my apartment and into a house closer to work, my puppy is growing up so fast (and crazy as ever), and Turner and I are in the middle of looking for a new home. But through all of this, I promise I have not forgotten about Grace + Twine. 

I wanted to take a few and share my top 5 must-have shoes of the moment. I was going to do my top 10, but decided against - and it was incredibly hard to knock it down to 5 shoes because I am a shoe addict (no shame). Enjoy and leave me a comment below with your current fav!

1. Sam Edelman Felecia Flat - Turner was telling me the other day that he literally never sees me take the shoes off. Honestly, they go with everything and they're SO comfortable, why would I want to take them off? I wear them to work 2-3 time a week. They are the perfect neutral flat and the comfort is totally worth the price. I believe that everyone should own a nude flat.

2. Molly Black High Heel Ankle Bootie - I purchased these babies right before Christmas and absolutely LOVE them. You can dress them up or down and still look very put together. I'll wear them to work, to the movies or out to dinner. They are pretty tall though - just FYI!

3. Tory Burch 'Minnie' Travel Ballet Flat - Y'all - I am absolutely and completely in love with these shoes. I purchased them as a "treat yo'self" gift for myself recently and love them. They're comfortable and I always get so many comments on them. They are definitely pricey, but I think they're totally worth it.

4. Sam Edelman Yaro Ankle Strap Sandal - Okay, so I don't own these shoes but I die every single time I look at them. Everyone needs a good ankle strap heel. I own a pair of strappy Sam Eddie's with a block heel pretty similar to this one, and they are absolutely the most comfortable heels I've ever owned. So I can only imagine how great these would be. And the beading detail on the heel is TO DIE FOR.

5. New Balance for J.Crew 620 Sneakers - I love myself a good sneaker. I find these to be best for lifestyle wear - they look great with a slouchy tee and white jeans. They're perfect to travel and look put together in! And I absolutely love the gold detailing.

What are your current must-have shoes?

Happy Shopping, Friends!

Gift Guide: Gifts for the Home Body

We all have that one friend that would rather stay at home and read a book instead of going out (I may or may not be raising my hand right now). There is no shame in going home, getting in your PJs, and watching 16 episodes of Friends in a row. Absolutely no shame. I wanted to make a quick gift guide for this person in your life - or if that person is you, you can share this with your friends and fam!

1. Treasure&Bond Over the Knee Socks - I am a sucker for some over the knee socks. When I get home from work, I put on a pair of spandex shorts, a t-shirt and OTK socks. You might totally think that socks are an awful present, but if you wanted to get me some socks I would totally be okay with it. Plus, I'm always losing socks so I can never have enough!

2. Rose Gold Manicure Set - Rose gold is the most beautiful color on earth. Most of my jewelry is rose gold - I'm not much of a silver gal at all. Every girl needs a manicure set, so this gift is great and the color looks ultra chic. You can't go wrong with this gift.

3. Capri Blue Petite Volcano Candle - This is my absolute favorite candle. It smells so heavenly. It's a great year-round scent. If your friend is a candle lover and you're sick of smelling pumpkin or peppermint scents every time you go to their house, grab on of these candles and gift it to them. I haven't met a person that doesn't love the smell of this candle. There tin also comes in a few patterns, so you can find one to easily match your friend's home decor!

4. Lush 'The Experimenter' Bath Bomb - Y'all, I love these things - I think they are so cool! Lush has tons of bath bombs, but I loved the look of this one. Most of these bombs have some sort of biodegradable glitter in them, so you can feel like you're taking a bath in the middle of the milky way. 

5. Nordstrom Pom-Pom Throw - I need this blanket in my life right now! It is so freakin' cute! I love the large pom-pom details. It just looks so warm and cozy. I can totally see myself cuddled up on the couch under this blanket while reading a book. I can also see my puppy totally tearing up these pom-poms, soooo maybe not the best gift for a new dog mom...

6. UGG Australia Oversize Cable Knit Throw Pillow - Sweaters are up there in my top 5 for favorite clothing items. When I saw this pillow, I knew that it was going to be on my wish list. It is perfect for that friend that loves to decorate their home for the holidays. If we're being honest, I might keep this pillow out year round. It just looks so comfy!

The holidays are fast approaching and if you're like me, you're probably going to wait until the last minute to find gifts for your friends and family. I'll keep posting these gift guides to make things a bit easier on you when you're searching for gifts a few days before Christmas ;)

Happy Shopping, Friends!

Gift Guide: Top 5 Stocking Stuffers

I heard from a few people that loved my Christmas gift guides last year, so I figured I would give you all some ideas (and give my boyfriend some help) for gifts to give this year! These few items are absolutely perfect for that preppy/girly girl in your life. I've heard that the best gifts to give are something that you really want, because odds are, someone else probably really wants the same thing. Especially if it's something super popular at the moment. 

1. Kendra Scott Elle Earrings / Burgundy: These earrings just scream Christmas to me. I have a pair of these in light pink and I wear them all year long. These are wonderful for Christmas time. I mean come on, who doesn't love burgundy? Especially around the holidays. Bevello sells these in lots of colors though, so if she already has them in burgundy, it's alright!

2. Too Faced 'Merry Kissmas' Melted Lip Set: I am a huuuuge fan of Too Faced lip products. These babies are wonderful! They are advertised as "long wear lipstick" and I'm going to go ahead and confirm that this stuff really does stay on forever. I love that this set comes with a matte color as well. I know that is super trendy right now.

3. Kate Spade Monterrey Watch: I love a good watch - they really are timeless accessories (see what I did there?) I received a Kate Spade watch for Christmas last year and loved it. I adore the marbled face of this one and let's be real, I'm a sucker for black and gold.

4. Sheila Fajl Fav Hoops: I recently received these earrings as a gift and have worn them almost every day. Seriously, I had to tell myself to put in a different pair of earrings this morning. They just go with everything. I have the gold hoops, but I loooove this rose gold color. I promise you can't go wrong with these!

5. Essie Winter Collection Mini Set: I am a sucker for nail polish. Although all of the nail polish that I own are different shades of reds and pinks. I could definitely use some different colors and I love every single color in this holiday collection. I think that I can definitely see the Satin Sister color in my future.

Let me know if there are any specific gift guides that you all would like to see. You can shoot me an email or leave me a comment if you'd like!

Happy Shopping, Friends!

Fall Outerwear Essentials + An Announcement

First of all, Happy Halloween! I hope you're all enjoying your day full of costuming and fun frights! The only thing truly frightening that I've had to endure today is coming back to work after a week of vacationing in the beautiful mountains of North Carolina. The amount of emails I had this morning was just plain scary.

Secondly, in case you all didn't know, it's fall y'all! Which means that it's my absolute favorite time of the year. I love all of the versatility that comes with a fall outfit. It doesn't get very cold in Wilmington until late December. For instance, it's 75 degrees today - so of course I didn't opt for my boots and sweater today! I will tell you though that I love a good jacket. I'm a cold natured person. The thermostat in my office could say 76 degrees and I'd still be sitting there shivering. But when I get off of work, I don't want to have to go to dinner in boots and a sweater just because I was cold in my office. Enter the light jacket. Literally the saving grace of cold-natured people like me living on the coast. Jackets and vests are also great for colder weather too, of course. It's all about the layering, people! I thought I would share a few of my fall outerwear favorites and pray that it will get cold enough in Wilmington to actually wear some of these outside of the office soon!

1. Cupcakes and Cashmere - 'Alexander' Drape Front Jacket - I am a huge fan of drape front jackets. They're like cardigans but designed to keep you much warmer. This jacket it so darling. I love that it has a cinch waist - I find that when things have that fit and flare look, I love them so much more.

2. Tuckernuck - Camel Woven Cape Jacket - Y'all - this is the year of the cape. I'm calling it right now. I need one of these beauties in my life ASAP. I'm a big poncho fan and this cape is just a more structured poncho in my eyes. This would look great paired with a pair of jeans and loafer flats. It just screams Northern Prep to me. Love it!

3. Cupcakes and Cashmere - 'Mackenzie' Faux Suede Drape Front - Okay, so I might have splurged on myself this weekend and bought this jacket in brown. And I might be wearing it right now as I type this sentence for you all to read. It is so soft. Like SO soft. And a great closet staple if I do say so myself. I love the black option too - if I would have seen it in the store, I might have had to buy both!

4. Ralph Lauren - Faux Leather Trim Quilted Jacket - I love the preppiness of a quilted jacket. I purchased a navy one from the Crown & Ivy line with Belk last year and probably wore it a bit too much. I love the look of this Ralph Lauren one - the pockets are great and the faux leather lining really pulls it all together. 

5. Free People - 'Not Your Brother's' Utility Jacket - Who knew this utility jacket trend would still be going strong? Personally, I'm a huge fan of the utility jacket. You can find them just about anywhere now. I love that they are so light and they style great with so many different things. I personally love to wear mine with a striped long-sleeve t shirt and some cute booties! You can't really go wrong with one of these.

6. Patagonia - Los Gatos Fleece Vest - I've always been a sucker for a good vest. I ran across this vest last week and knew that I wanted to have it for my trip to the mountains. Of course, when I got to the mountains, it was too warm to wear the vest. But hey, it'll get colder in Wilmington eventually and I'll be able to bring this beauty out of my closet. Saying that this vest is soft would be an understatement. It's like wearing butter in a totally not weird way.

I am going to try to post up here more often, but I have been working on a different project lately that I am very excited to debut. Of course, it will be a while (probably the beginning of 2017) and I'd hate to spoil it but let's just say that Grace + Twine will be getting somewhat of a makeover. I love blogging and I know that I have gone back and forth on whether or not to keep at this thing or just let it go and focus on my big girl job, but let's be honest, my big girl job is not as fun as this and I'm hoping that one day I can turn my blog into my big girl job! And that definitely won't happen if I just keep giving it up for months on end. I've also had so much feedback from friends and family letting me know that they loved my blog, especially during the holidays because it helped them get some gift ideas for their friends and family. So while I'm working on this other project, I have decided to keep at Grace + Twine!

I am so thankful for those of you who do read this little ol' blog of mine. I truly, truly appreciate it.

Happy Shopping, friends!

#SummerInLilly

Lilly Pulitzer Top // White Pants (similar) // Sam Edelman Sandals (similar w/o heel) // Sunnies

Happy Monday, ya'll! I hope you all had a wonderful 4th of July - I definitely did! I'm back at work today after a week long vacay in Topsail Beach, NC. It was so nice to just relax and enjoy some time off of work, but now it's back to the daily 9-5. But hey, today is going to be a great day!

I wanted to share this beautiful shirt with you all. I love Lilly Pulitzer - always have and always will. I'm okay with paying a pretty penny for something that I know will hold up. And let's be real, I'm a sucker for bright prints! I have a few of these Essie tops. They're so comfortable and they're perfect for work! I paired this top with some white pants and my favorite Sam Edelman strappy sandals and voila! If you're not a fan of heels, Sam Edelman makes a similar flat sandal that is just as wonderful as the heel I'm wearing.

I purchased these white pants from Ivy & Leo back in May and love them. I've always had a hard time finding pants that fit me and these are great! Ivy & Leo also has some adorable clothing - you can use the code 'MORGAN10' for 10% off of your order online and in stores!

Happy Shopping, friends!

A Floral Affair

Photos by Kelsey Yokovich

White Top // Skirt (similar style) (top in same print) // Shoes // Necklace // Sunnies

It's Firday and I'm so excited! I just have to get through this day and then I'm on vacay until next Sunday - can I get a hallelujah?!  mean come on, I live at the beach and if we're being honest, I'm kind of pasty. I'm ready to soak up some sun for a week. Anyways - I'm loving this outfit. This skirt is from Francesca's boutique and it as purchased about a year ago, but I'm still finding so many items in this exact same print so I'm sure it won't be hard to find! Just this past weekend, I was at Bevello in Raleigh, NC at Cameron Village and found a shirt in the same print. It's still out there people, I promise! Also, these shoes are my absolute favorite. I love a good strappy, chunky heel. Any y'all, these heels are seriously so comfortable. I love heels but sometimes I have a hard time walking in them. With these, I can strut my stuff with no problem at all. I also know that I've shared this necklace on the blog before, but Half United is a great cause. For every time purchased, you give 7 meals to those in need. There's nothing better than a beautiful piece of jewelry that can be purchased for a good cause! And the business was all started in my town of Wilmington, NC.

I hope you all have a fabulous 4th of July weekend!

And as always, Happy Shopping, Friends! Seriously though... there's so many sales this weekend.

Maggie + Logan: A Rustic Wedding

Happy first day of Summer, friends! It has been a crazy few weeks for me. My birthday was about a month ago and of course I spent the first two weeks of my 23rd year of life sick as a dog. Seriously - I was so, so sick. It was awful! But thanks to my mom's orders to stay in bed for a few days and not go out on the boat (even though I really wanted to), I am alive and well today!

I wanted to share with you all some photos from my twin sister's wedding from March. It was an absolutely beautiful rustic barn wedding. Just looking back at the photos makes me cry. When I first got all of the photos back, I had to close my office door as I looked at them because I didn't want my co-workers thinking I was crazy. These breathtaking photos were taken by Vanessa + Thaniel, a photography duo based out of Durham, NC. They were amazing and really captured the entire essence of the wedding. They take a photojournalistic approach to photographing events so that the photos really tell a story. The photos that I am sharing are only a fraction of the photos that we received back from them. They were amazing - check out their website here!

So without further ado...

Warren Wedding: March 19th, 2016

I still can't get over how beautiful this wedding was. Can you believe that a very large portion of it was DIY? My beautiful grandmother worked so hard to make so many beautiful things for this wedding. She made all of the boutineers and bouquets, she made the flower girl dress, she worked endlessly to make this wedding everything that Maggie had envisioned. Of course, the rest of the family helped too! We were there the day before stringing all of the gorgeous lights, setting up tables, etc. We made this wedding a big family affair and I wouldn't have changed a thing. It was so fun seeing how the entire event came together! And we could not be happier that Maggie chose to spend the rest of her life with the man that she loves.

Here's to you, Maggie and Logan. May your love prosper and grow for eternity. I love you both!

Also, I'm now the proud Auntie of a beautiful chocolate lab, Finn. Isn't he adorable?!