Style Envy: Jenna Lyons

"There's a sexiness in not trying to be sexy. Sexy for J. Crew is something more natural, not when everything is firing on all cylinders. There has to be something that's a bit undone. You can't have perfect hair, and clothes, and makeup- you need an element of imperfection to make you feel like there's a person behind it." 

-Jenna Lyons for Into The Gloss. 

Oh, Jenna. You are perfection, even more so when you're touting the importance of imperfection.

Three Travel Essentials (For Every Trip)

There's a million packing guides out there that show you what to bring when you're backpacking, when you only want to pack a carry on, when you're traveling in winter, when you're on your honeymoon, etc. But there are a few things that I think you should bring no matter where you're headed.

Zippered tote. The most important thing here is the zipper. Not only is it better for protecting your belongings while exploring, but when you have to stuff it under the seat in front of you, you don't have to worry about all your souvenirs falling out!

 A soft scarf. Can be used to easily change up an outfit when you're packing light, cover your head from a sudden downpour, or curl up with on a chilly plane ride.

 Comfy shoes. These could be whatever best fits your lifestyle, from basic ballet flats to a cute sneaker. Even if you're going to spend most of your time at the beach barefoot, or at fancy galas, eventually you're going to want/need an easy and tolerable shoe.

{tote // scarf // tennies}

Insta-Istanbul

It's been over four months since I got back from Turkey, and I still haven't gotten around to going through and editing all the 400+ photos I took there. Ah, life. Always getting in the way of the fun stuff. Of course, I did take plenty of instagram shots while I was there, so I thought I could get started by at least sharing some of those. Here are a few of my favorites from my travels in Istanbul, Izmir, and Cappadocia.

Met my mom at this cool restaurant, Faros, in Taksim after getting off the shuttle bus from the airport.

The Blue Mosque; absolutely stunning.

Galata Tower in the distance.

Wandering around the neighborhood of Bebek.

Outside the beautiful Sabanci museum.

Saw palm trees for the first time in ages when we traveled to Izmir.

Beautiful sunset over Izmir bay.

Probably my most favorite part of the trip- visiting the ancient city of Ephesus.

All of these ancient ruins- up close and personal.

Like living in a movie.

Was so happy to find these amazing kilim loafers I'd been dying for since before I left.

Sidewalk shopping in Cappadocia. If I had all the money in the world...

Went on a great tour of the village. Lots of hiking! Found this little nook to take a rest at.

One of the most beautiful places I've ever been- Dolmabahce Palace back in Istanbul.

 Strolling around my mom's neighborhood.

A proper glam send off- dinner at The House Hotel.

{all images via my instagram}