More Travel with Golden Tote

This is the last post from our recent trip to Israel. As I've mentioned, it was our first time in the Middle East. I have never been anywhere else with such a sense of place. You truly feel as though you're standing in the bedrock of history.

These photos were all taken from rooftops above Jerusalem. As we toured the four quarters it was, at the same time, both easy and impossible to imagine that life has carried on here in more or less the same manner for thousands of years.

 Golden Tote Dress / Similar Hat

This dress is another pick from my first tote with Golden Tote. If you're not familiar with Golden Tote I highly recommend you check them out. Part personal styling service, part boutique, it's a fun way to mix up your wardrobe by selecting one or two chosen items and letting their stylists do the rest for you. Jump online, fill out a personal style profile and let them select the perfect items for both your sense of style and body type. You can even add on items from the boutique at a discount (as I did with this dress for less than $40!). It was perfect for our day in Jerusalem when I wanted to dress as respectfully as I could while still feeling comfortable and put together. 

You can sign up for the service for free here. One tip is to wait for tote day for the best selection (the first day the monthly tote becomes available online). 

Never Met a Stripe I Didn't Like

 J. Crew Factory Dress / J. Crew Factory Sandals / Similar Hat

It's true. I love stripes. Look in my closet and you might say I have an addiction to stripes. If you did, you would not be wrong. 

This dress was the perfect option for sightseeing on our recent trip to Israel. Previously, I packed for practicality, thinking I was being responsible by planning to wear tennis shoes and shorts. I think it was a holdover from college summers spent backpacking around Europe when I literally had to carry everything I brought on my back. Today, I pack whatever is currently on rotation at home with an emphasis on comfy dresses like this one. On this trip, I carried a long scarf with me so that I could cover the rest of my legs whenever we visited religious sites.

Spiritually, it was incredible to be in a place with so much history and religious significance and I hope we get the chance to return to see more of the Middle East.

Vacation Mentality

ASTR Caftan / J. Crew Factory Bikini Top and Bottom / Old Hat (Similar here and here) / Ray-Ban Sunglasses

Summer is quickly approaching, but we really couldn't wait for it one second longer. We needed to jumpstart our vacation mentality so we hopped in the car and headed down to Laguna Beach to spend the weekend at a friend's vacation home.

It's good to have good friends with homes in beautiful places. 

If you're looking to get a jumpstart on your summer wardrobe, check out this caftan from ASTR and classic striped bikini from J. Crew Factory. The caftan is too sheer to wear on its own so plan on using it as a coverup or grab a slip to go under it. Even if you're nowhere near a beach, the flowy piece is enough to give you that island vacation mentality wherever you might be spending your days.

Festival Fashion

Free People Dress (similar here here and here) / Shoes / Jacket / Deux Lux Purse (very similar here) / Ray Bans / Bangles / Necklace is vintage

Festival season is upon us and while a music festival is basically my worst nightmare (too many people, usually overly hot and dirty, major FOMO when there are multiple stages, etc.) I'll certainly take the fashion any day.

This dress from Free People is currently available in store at Off Fifth, but if you don't live near one of Saks Fifth Avenue's outlets, I've linked to a number of similar dresses on Free People's website. The vintage pink turquoise necklace was my grandmother's. Everything else you can easily grab online before heading out to the desert for Coachella or if you're just in the market for a few spring pieces.