For working girls who wear suits on the daily, I know that it’s always SO refreshing to find a modern take on suiting classics. This navy pants suit has all the requisite business formality, but with a slightly oversized-fitting blazer and track-style pants, it packs a sartorially relevant punch as well.
The perfect combination of formal and comfortable, the wool suit pants with grosgrain ribbon at the elastic waist transition beautifully from workweek to weekend. I recently wore them sans suit jacket to Sunday brunch with this tank and these espadrille sandals (both are legit amazing and on major sale today!) and the pants looked as casual as can be.
I also have to mention the super lightweight seasonless wool of this suit, which not only has a beautiful drape, but also seems magically impervious to wrinkles. These pictures were taken after a long day of meetings and hours at my desk, but you’d never know by the looks of the suit.
Since I now live and work in the more casual San Francisco startup world, I paired the suit with this favorite t-shirt and ankle strap sandals. If you work in a conservative environment, I’d probably opt for classic heels or flats.
FYI, today is the start of a fantastic Shopbop sale, and I’ve rounded up some sale favorites below! I’m snagging this airy white dress and this absurdly cute skirt for our upcoming travels in Europe. Happy shopping and happy humpday!!
These photos were snapped during an early morning coffee run to my go-to coffee shop in our neighborhood—The Jane on Fillmore Street here in San Francisco. As illustrated, a blazer and jeans has been my workwear uniform of late, and certainly makes for a perfect casual Friday getup. You may recognize my blazer from this recent post where I styled it with other blush-hued pieces for a monochromatic look. Today, I’m all about the easy day-to-night look and paired the blazer with white skinny jeans and a silk tank with fun back details. Once the workday is over, I can ditch the blush blazer and head to happy hour with a sleek all-white look.
On a totally unrelated note, I feel it’s my civic duty to share some insanely good finds that I recently stumbled upon while shopping for some upcoming travel: First off, apparently everything (actually) at Ann Taylor is 50% off right now and I dare you to find a dress that’s cuter than this one, this one or this one. Triple dog dare. ALSO, I haven’t shopped a ton at Madewell in the past (no idea why!), but stumbled upon their site when looking for some new denim shorts, and fast forward 20 minutes, my shopping cart had 13 items in it. Wish I was kidding. The box arrived today and I guess Madewell is officially my new favorite store. I basically hoarded all of their high-waisted denim shorts, these sandals, these tanks, this romper, and a slew of other things that you’ll be seeing quite a bit here and on instagram in the next few weeks!
Kicking off the workweek with this classic short-sleeve sheath dress—a simple, comfy, no-brainer look for a Monday morning. If you’ve been following Memorandum for a while, you know this is one of my favorite silhouettes, so whenever I spot a short-sleeve sheath dress with a hint of stretch and a midi length… well somebody’s gotta hold me back. If you’re in the market for a similar workwear staple, check out this adorable polka dot version and several more below.
If you work in a creative or a casual office, this kind of shorts suit might just be your new BFF. Especially with bermuda-length shorts, the look still has strong professional vibes, while being warm-weather friendly and incredibly versatile. To mix things up and get mileage out of the pieces separately, throw the jacket on over a navy sheath dress for a more conservative workwear alternative, or pair it with white jeans for casual Friday. Similarly, the the shorts can fly solo just as easily with your favorite warm-weather tank.
I recently found myself online shopping (surprise, surprise) and after placing a few items in my cart, my lovely husband looked over my shoulder and said, “Hmm. Don’t you already have a dress that looks like that? And a skirt that looks kinda like that?” After vehemently rejecting his assertions, I quietly realized… he’s right. I’m in a RUT.
Yep, even I, someone who lives and breathes fashion, have days where I’m sartorially stumped and constantly gravitating towards the same things. Since a girlfriend of mine recently mentioned how much she loooooves Trunk Club, I decided it was a good time to give the service a try. Welp, I received my first trunk last week, and I’m thrilled to report that I was legitimately blown away by the entire process. Trunk Club officially drop-kicked me out of my fashion fog and I am, as they say in the business, UHBSESSED. Today, I wanted to share details on my experience and how the service works because I think it’s an absolutely spectacular resource. You’ve gotta hear me out on this one…
Whether you’re stuck in a style rut, in need of guidance in refreshing your work wardrobe, looking for pieces for an upcoming vacation or just too darn busy to shop for summer, you gotta check out Trunk Club. Here are the top five ways Trunk Club completely surprised and convinced me:
1. This is not a subscription.
Trunk Club is an on-demand service where you receive a box only when you request one, and you only pay for what you choose to keep. I ignorantly assumed they were some kind of monthly subscription service. Wrong. There’s no monthly fee to belong, and there’s no monthly delivery of stuff you don’t want or need. There’s a small up-front deposit when you sign up that is applied towards your first purchase (SO worth it! You’ll see why below!), then Trunk Club only sends you a box when you request one.
2. Your stylist ACTUALLY gets to know your style. (For real.)
Once you sign up and complete a short quiz about your style, favorite retailers and sizing, you get a personal phone call from a real. human. being. You know like the kind with a pulse and everything? I couldn’t flipping believe it. My stylist carefully evaluated my style and then discussed my specific needs and preferences with me on the phone. This isn’t another one of those services where some mystery “stylist” (aka a computer) just sends you a box full of random garbage based upon a dopey three second style quiz. Trunk Club stylists are the real deal.
3. You can be as specific or as vague as you want about product selections.
Again, it’s not like, SURPRISE! Here’s a neon green tulle skirt that we randomly selected for you based upon your “style profile”(a.k.a. a combination of our crappy algorithm and our waning inventory)! With Trunk Club, you can be as general as Hey, I want some fresh pieces for summer, whaddya think? Or as specific as I need some new neutral summer sandals that go with this particular white dress, and if you send me anything with rhinestones on it I’m going to light myself on fire. The trunk is your oyster.
4. You get to PREVIEW your stylist’s selections before they’re sent!
I actually yelped (not like the website, but like the sound a dog makes) when my stylist told me about this. Especially if you have fairly particular taste (*cough cough*), it is SO nice to be able to preview the selections your stylist has made before you receive a giant box full of stuff that you potentially hate. At the outset, my stylist took such care in understanding my style when reviewing my style quiz and chatting with me on the phone that she already had it pretty much nailed, but the preview functionality is what knocked the whole experience out of the park for me. With the preview, you click through and approve or reject your stylist’s selections before they ship and have the opportunity to give as much or as little feedback about why the item doesn’t work for you. Your stylist can then further understand your tastes and make new selections before sending the trunk to you. Genius!
5. There’s free shipping both ways, you only pay for what you keep, and everything is returnable.
In a typical trunk, you receive twelve to fifteen pieces of clothing, shoes and/or accessories (again, depending on what you request) and not only do you pay nothing for shipping the trunk to and from your home, but you only pay for what items you keep—again, no subscription or stylist fee. Once your trunk of goodies arrives (a.k.a. Christmas morning), you have ten days to play dress up before having to make decisions and send whatever you don’t want back. The initial deposit you paid when signing up is then applied towards your first purchase, so you’re actually getting all of the super personalized, on-demand styling services FO. FREE. Ahh but are the clothes marked up then? NOPE. The prices you pay are the exact prices you would pay if shopping on your own in-store or online. But what if I keep something and then change my mind and want to return it? You can. Return anything at any time even after your trunk has been sent back.
Soooo basically Trunk Club is the best thing ever.
For working women who have a vacation or an event coming up and don’t have time to shop, #TrunkIt (if that isn’t a real hashtag, it should be). If you’re just starting your first job and need some direction in creating a collection of staple workwear items, again, get in on the Trunk Club action. For my first trunk, I asked my stylist to send a mix of summer workwear pieces as well as pieces that might be good to take on my current trip to Europe, and well… she crushed it.
Ok, one last surprise factor that I have to share: Have you ever been shopping with someone who picks something up off the rack and insists that you try it on even though you are 10000% convinced it’s HORRIBLE and then you try it on and you’re shocked at how much you love it? That happened with multiple pieces for me. I would’ve never picked them out, but they arrived, I tried them, and I was in LOVE. Not only did my stylist Jen help get me out of my rut, but her fresh perspective really opened my eyes to pieces I would’ve never found on my own.
Personally, I prefer online shopping to in-store shopping, so absolutely loved receiving the trunk at home where I was able to try everything on with things already in my closet. However, if you live in Chicago, Dallas, Los Angeles, Washington DC, or New York City, Trunk Club has “clubhouses” where you can work with a stylist and go through the process in-person. I’m happy to report that they will also be opening a clubhouse here in San Francisco this fall, and can’t wait to check it out!
Happy Friday everyone!!
Thank you Trunk Club for partnering with me on this post and for being legitimately all-around AWESOME.
Hello from Portugal! As you may have guessed from last week’s post about Trunk Club and how much I love the service, the olive pants and white blazer that my stylist sent were hardly out of the box before I threw them on to wear to work. A white blazer is always a classic summer staple for me, and I was in need of a fresh version so this jacket was an easy keep. As for the pants… well they’ve been worn at least six times in the past two weeks that they’ve been in my possession, soooo yeah. I’m a HUGE fan. You can see that they look great paired with a blazer and heels, but as I’ve found while traveling, they’re just as perfect (SO comfy and light as a feather!) with a tank and sandals on a hot summer day.
Hope you all had a wonderful Fourth of July! I’ll be traveling for the next week and a half so apologies for the sparser-than-normal posting, but stay in touch on instagram and snapchat!
Happy Monday! I wore this look last week to speak at a conference in Nashville. Between the billowy, lightweight blush wide leg pants and breathable eyelet shirt, it was the perfect summer work look for that Tennessee heat and humidity.
We have a couple days left here in Portugal and then are heading to Copenhagen for my best friend’s wedding this weekend! Keep in touch on instagram (@maryorton) and snapchat (username: maryorton). Hope you all had a great weekend!
In honor of our arrival in Denmark today, I thought it fitting to share this favorite cherry red sheath dress. The silhouette makes it perfect for a professional setting, yet the bright hue and unique split sleeves make the dress transition to special occasions just as easily. If you’ve been following along on instagram (@maryorton), you know that I’ve been all about this vibrant color recently (examples here, here, here and here… whew!). Check out more of my favorite bright red dresses below! Happy Hump Day!
P.S. Check back here tomorrow for all the details on the BIGGEST SALE OF THE ENTIRE YEAR. Cross my heart, you don’t want to miss this bus… hasta mañana! Xx
There are few things in this world that would keep me up, in Copenhagen, on the eve of my best friend’s wedding weekend. I mean come on, I need my beauty rest, my future God child will be looking at these pictures one day. HOWEVER, one of them is the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale. It starts TODAY and it is the sale. of. all. sales.
Here’s the deal: This sale is all brand newPre-Fall items that are extremely marked down. It’s not the junk that’s no longer in style or just plain isn’t selling from seasons past. This is brand spankin’ new, latest and greatest, not even hit most retailers, fall GOODNESS. Trust me, come September you’re going to want those perfect over-the-knee boots, but—plot twist—they’re back to full price. So, let’s plan ahead and thank ourselves later.
Nordstrom card-holders will have Early Access to everything starting today through July 21st. If you’re not a Nordstrom card-holder, you can still preview everything, but won’t be able to buy until July 22nd when the sale is open to the public. Things do sell-out (and quick), so act fast… I still wake up in the middle of the night thinking about the leather jacket I didn’t buy in 2012. #regrets
Five tips to help you navigate:
1. SPLURGE ON STAPLES.
Your everyday pieces from last year probably aren’t looking as polished and professional as they should. Go for staples from lust-worthy brands at crazy discounted prices that you’ll wear constantly: that versatile, wear-everywhere bag, a crisp sheath dress for work, dark jeans, black or brown boots, a fresh fall everyday coat… you get me.
2. TRY NEW TRENDS.
Under normal circumstances, those cool, trendy pieces you’ve been lusting over may not always make sense at full-price. Right now is the perfect time to dip your toe into block heels, frayed denim, bomber jackets, or chic sneaks when they’re on major sale.
3. ACT ON ACCESSORIES.
I always remember to peruse the shoe and handbag section of these killer sales, but often forget to check out jewelry, sunglasses, scarves, belts, watches, etc. Whether it’s getting a head start on Christmas shopping by snatching up that watch for your mom, or taking this opportunity to test the waters of chokers and neckscarves for yourself, don’t forget about these little details that often make your outfit.
4. EMBRACE ALL THE BEAUTY BARGAINS.
Beauty is yet another department I forget about during these sales. In general, I often wait until I’ve run out of something before perusing the beauty aisle, and don’t experiment nearly enough when staring at those full-price products I want to try. Now’s the time to stock up on the products you know you love (like a fresh Beauty Blender, this Clinique Moisture Surge set or amazing YSL lip set) but also test the waters on that Clarisonic cleansing brush or Nars cheek palette or you’ve heard so much about. No better feeling than fresh beauty products.
5. PERUSE THE BEST OF THE REST!
Rich needs some fresh pieces for fall like this Barbour jacket, I’m snatching up this baby gift, and I’m eyeing this white marble tray for my office and this copper bar tool set for my kitchen. Thankfully you have until August 8th before prices go up, so attack in stages and don’t miss out!
I will be posting sale outfits and more of my picks (both workwear and off-duty) throughout the sale period so stay tuned and happy shopping!
After lots of travel hiccups on our return from Copenhagen, we’re finally home in San Francisco (still missing all of our luggage…) and back to the workweek grind! This outfit was a comfy, yet polished ensemble for my first day back in the office and you may recognize this black and white plaid peplum top from my recent post about Trunk Club. It was one of the many gems sent my way, which I thought worked well with this favorite pair of flowy wide leg pants. Speaking of wide leg pants (one of my favorite year-round workwear staples) this amazing pair is included in the current Nordstrom Anniversary Sale for a major discount. If you haven’t canvassed the sale yet, it’s time to get cracking! You can check out my complete sale guide here!
GUYS, today is the LAST DAY of early access for the Nordstrom Anniversary sale. For Nordstrom cardholders, this means you have one day left to finish your shopping before the floodgates open to the public tomorrow and things start selling out super fast. For those of you who aren’t cardholders, get your Wishlists ready so you can attack first thing!! The sale opens up to the public tonight at midnight PST, when I’ll be publishing my list of the top 21 very best things in the sale. With so many good items across so many categories, it can be overwhelming to navigate, so check back here at midnight or first thing tomorrow morning for my guide to the best of the best!
Today I’m sharing the outfit I wore on our first day exploring Portugal. We began our trip in Lisbon, and spent day one walking through the Alfama, Baixa, and Bairro Alto neighborhoods. I’ll be doing a full post on our Portugal itinerary in response to the comments and emails many of you have sent requesting my tips and recommendations, but until I get the chance to compile all of that for you, I thought I’d share this outfit featuring some of my very favorite pieces for the trip.
This new red flare skirt that I picked up right before the trip had me swooning from the moment I saw it, so it’s no surprise that it was the first thing out of my suitcase to wear on day one. I’m 5’10” and it’s a few inches above the knee on me, but if you’re slightly more petite, I think it would certainly be long enough to even wear in the office. Nothing like a perfect staple that goes from workweek to weekend, with on-trend cutouts to boot!
This lace-up blouse has been a spring favorite (you may remember it from this workwear post a couple months back) and was worn many times during our trip. I’ve found several similar styles here, here and here and with the weather in Lisbon in the high 60s/low 70s, I was thrilled to have this lightweight long-sleeve option.
Again, if you follow me on instagram, you know that this boater hat was worn about every other day. I’ve only discovered Janessa Leone in the past few months, but absolutely love the craftsmanship of this classic hat—a piece I’ll have for years to come. One of the best things is that her hats come in multiple sizes (big head alert), so the one-size-fits-all versions at other retailers don’t work for me. If that isn’t an issue for you, I’ve also spotted this more affordable option too.
Happy Thursday everyone, and remember to check back here late tonight/early tomorrow morning for some more Nordstrom Sale finds for the epic public access opening tomorrow!!
The Nordstrom Anniversary Sale is now open to the PUBLIC!! This means that all of the peasants like me who don’t actually have a Nordstrom card can HAVE AT IT… slash stop borrowing someone else’s card (the check is in the mail, Mom). Below, I’ve listed my top 30 favorite things from the sale, and hope this helps get your wheels turning on all the great stuff available so you can act FAST on your wishlist. So many things have sold out already, so if you have your eye on a certain item, hop to! You can also read up on my top five tips for navigating the sale here, which helps break down what I think is the best approach to the otherwise overwhelming amount of goodness available.
Click product images above for more information!
If there’s only one sale you pay serious attention to all year long, this. is. IT. Especially for those staple items that you’ll have for years—like a Theory suit, a Marc Jacobs tote bag, or Stuart Weitzman boots (HELLO!)—you’ll be so glad you made the investment when these beauties go back up to full price. Remember, this isn’t stuff that hasn’t sold in seasons past, this is brand spankin’ new fall 2016 merchandise that hasn’t even hit other retailers yet, and will be full retail price come August 8th.
I know, I know. Shopping for fall is tough to do in July. However, whether you score a fresh pair of jeans (how are these J Brands so on sale?!), the beauty products that are allegedly responsible for Jennifer Lopez’s immortality, and/or a killer leather jacket, the prices are too insane to miss. So cuddle up with your laptop, get your fall fashion on, and count down the days until you can order a pumpkin spice latte. Apparently they’re supposed to be popular at Starbucks this fall? Who knew.
If you follow me on snapchat (username: maryorton), you know that I was pumped to receive my first box of purchases from the ongoing Nordstrom Anniversary Sale on Friday. Yesterday, I sported these favorites, all from the sale, for a day of errands and getting together with friends here in San Francisco. These neutral basics are perfect all year round, so I’m thrilled to have snatched them all up while they’re so on sale. If you’re just checking out the Nordstrom sale for the first time, take a peek at my list of the top 30 best sale picks here, and my #NSale strategy guide here.
This ivory Vince blouse is so simple, yet soooo wonderful. It can go in or out of the office, is the perfect length for wearing untucked (or tucked in!), and actually has a double layer of fabric which adds a cool finishing touch to the bottom, while also helping to make it less see-through. There are a ton of other great Vince pieces included in the sale, and pretty much anytime there’s a discount on Vince stuff, I’m there.
Do we even need to talk about the jeans? I mean… next season’s J. Brand distressed skinnies at 35% off? What the WHAT?! Also, I think you guys know that I’ve got a thing for frayed-hem denim, so these babies were especially calling my name. I wore the cuffs down yesterday, but they’re also really cute folded up once.
You all know the Halogen brand at Nordstrom right? I’ve snatched up their super affordable basics over the years, but to be honest, was nervous to try their shoes for fear that the quality would be aligned with the super low price tag. Wrong! I decided to take a chance on these nude lace-up flats, and plot twist, they’re AWESOME. The photos don’t do them justice. They’re the perfect shade of blush/nude, are fantastic quality, and I’m a huge fan of the subtle gold stud accents. Plus, they come in a casual SIX different colors. Big wins all around.
As an aside, there is a similar pair of Stuart Weitzman lace-up flats that are also included in the sale at a whopping 40% off which come in three gorgeous colors. If you’re a lover of Stuart Weitzman like me, you know this is a run-don’t-walk situation; I just snagged them in black. There is a pair of perfect fall suede booties also included in the sale, along with some other great SW styles here. Merry Christmas, one and all.
Like everything else in the sale, this pale nude/blush Kate Spade bag may technically be a fall collection item, the color is great for anytime of year, certainly summer. There are a ton of awesome Kate Spade pieces on sale including several bags in this perfect seasonless hue.
My nude leather jacket is unfortunately sold out already, but there are several super similar jackets on sale, including this gorgeous suede one. Dangerous.
As promised on snapchat (maryorton), these are some more favorites from the current Nordstrom Anniversary Sale. I purchased this skirt in white two years ago, and after wearing it constantly, I was thrilled to see the navy version come available during the sale. Similarly, this top? No brainer. With the lace peter pan color finishing off the perfect ivory shortsleeve knit, it makes for a piece that’s as good in the office with a pencil or midi as it is with shorts on the weekend. Last but not least, these block heel pumps make for a super comfy and très trendy heel whether you’re wearing them to work or for a night out with skinny jeans. Speaking of skinny jeans, did you see yesterday’s post? My all-time favorite distressed skinnies (on sale, of course).
I’ve received so many requests to share details on our trip to Portugal in the past month, so I’m really excited to share part one of our trip to today with all of the details on what to see, where to stay, where to eat and (of course) what I wore. Since we covered a ton of ground, today I’m sharing a recap of the first half of our trip to Lisbon, Sintra, The Algarve and Évora, and tomorrow will be posting details on the second half spent in Óbidos, Coimbra, The Duoro Valley, Amarante and Porto. We had an absolutely incredible time, so if you’re thinking of spending your next vacation in Portugal, I can’t recommend it highly enough!
I consider Lisbon to now be one of my very favorite cities in Europe, with beautiful architecture, fascinating history, and picturesque streets at every turn. We stayed at the Olissippo Lapa Palace at the recommendation of a friend, and our hotel experience alone was one of the great highlights of the trip. The rooms, the service, the incredibly friendly staff, the gorgeous lounges and pool, the FOOD, the picturesque setting—everything was perfect and made for an incredible start to our travels. I also have to say that the Pastel de Nata (the custard-filled pastry that Portugal is famous for) I had in their gorgeous late night lounge/bar while listening to their incredible pianist and sipping champagne, was by far the best of the trip.
As mentioned previously in this post, we spent our first full day in Lisbon exploring the Alfama, Baixa, and Bairro Alto neighborhoods, starting at the medieval Castelo de São Jorge.
One of our favorite things about the trip was that Portugal didn’t feel overloaded with tourists, even though we were supposedly there during the “height” of their tourist season (first two weeks of July). To us, much of Portugal still had that “untouched” feel, which is so hard to find in western Europe. However, this means that there aren’t quite as many travel resources out there. We found Rick Steves’ guidebook to be helpful along with recommendations from friends, but I wanted to especially thank so many of you who sent me recommendations after seeing my instagram posts about the upcoming trip. There were so many things we did throughout our trip that were based upon your suggestions—Memmo Hotel Rooftop bar in Lisbon, Graham’s Port wine tour in Porto, the list is long. It was so incredibly nice of you guys to take the time to send us recommendations and tips; I’m so so grateful!
Our second full day in Lisbon was spent exploring Belém, including the incredible monastery there, along with the National Coach Museum and (of course) the Casa Pastéis de Belém (where Pastel de Nata originated).
The rest of our time in Lisbon was spent walking around exploring all of its beautiful little streets and amazing architecture—especially the azulejos, the incredible tilework (often blue in primary color) that adorn so many façades throughout Portugal.
In terms of eating and drinking, we had three favorites: Memmo Hotel‘s Rooftop Bar at sunset which offers amazing views of the city as well as great wine, cocktails and food. The second, probably our favorite, was A Travessa with absolutely top notch wine and cuisine, spectacular service and an absolutely idyllic setting—the cloister of an old monastery. Last, but not least, Cantinho de Avillez had a more relaxed, local feel in the Chiado neighborhood but again, top notch food and service.
We rented a car on our last day in Lisbon, and drove 30 minutes up to Sintra before heading down to the Algarve for a few days. Sintra is basically the castle capital of Portugal, and we explored their two most noteworthy attractions—the Moorish Castle (Castelo dos Mouros) and Pena Palace. As the photos suggest, both were absolutely jaw-dropping, making you feel like you just walked into a Disney movie.
The southernmost coastal region of Portugal, called The Algarve, is spectacularly beautiful. Tons of gorgeous beaches with the most incredible rock formations (which make for awesome hikes, too) and loads of cool history. Of course in the Age of Exploration (15th-16th centuries) this southwestern tip housed an important School of Navigation and was believed to be the End of the World (because the world was flat, remember?). Watching sunsets over these incredible cliffs made for some truly unforgettable nights.
We stayed for two nights at the Pousada do Infante in Sagres, and the location and views can’t be beat. The hotel and rooms themselves are a bit outdated, but with a large balcony and an unobstructed ocean view, we were happy campers. Plus, when you’re in this spectacularly beautiful area, a hotel room is the last place you want to spend time.
We spent a full day exploring Lagos, relaxing on the beach in the morning and doing an afternoon sail and grotto tour with Bom Dia Boat Trips that was absolutely incredible later in the day. For this, we first got onto a larger sail boat that took us down the coast, then once we were close enough, we got into a small boat that took us through the caves along the coastline which are only accessible via water. Afterwards we hiked around the famed Ponta da Piedade ending with some time swimming and relaxing a little on the beach.
After our days in the Algarve soaking up the sun and eating all the fresh fish we could get our hands on, we started our trip through the interior region of the country, stopping first in Évora for a night. Here, we stayed at another Pousada(historic inns throughout Portugal), this one being a converted 12th century convent (pinch me). We absolutely loved this hotel (much more updated than the Pousada in Sagres), and when you walk out your front door to find epic Roman ruins from the first century A.D., you know you’ve hit the jackpot location-wise.
This city is unbelievably charming and picturesque. We spent the day doing Rick Steves’ walking tour, exploring the little shops and streets, and touring the beautiful churches including the formidable Capela dos Ossos (Bone Chapel).
For dinner that night, the concierge at our hotel recommended BL Lounge, and it proved to be one of our favorites of the trip. Wonderful wine, absolutely delicious Alentejo cuisine with a modern twist, and amazing service. It was especially charming when the owner come by our table to say hello, chit-chat for a minute, and even share some of her favorite recipes (I begged for the secret to their chocolate cake)! Absolutely wonderful experience.
Tomorrow I’ll be sharing details on the rest of our trip with detail on Óbidos, Coimbra, the Duoro River Valley, Amarante and Porto. Te vejo amanhã!
Today I’m continuing my recap of our adventures in Portugal with the second half of our trip spent in Óbidos, Coimbra, the Douro River Valley, Amarante, and Porto…
STOP 5: ÓBIDOS
Time Spent: 1.5 Days, 2 Nights
Hotel: Pousada Castelo de Óbidos
Favorite Places to Eat: Pousada Castelo de Óbidos Restaurant, Tasca Torta
Óbidos was one of our very favorite cities of the trip, although we laughed about saying that upon arrival at each new destination—ok this is my favorite! No, now THIS is my favorite! One of the best parts about Portugal is that the country is so small and easily navigable, you can cover a ton of territory and have a wide breadth of experiences in a short span of time. As illustrated in yesterday’s Part 1 of our trip to Portugal, in the span of one week, we went from a bustling urban center in cosmopolitan Lisbon, to sunny beaches and cliffsides in the Algarve, to Roman ruins and rich history in small-town Évora. Having such widely varying experiences from city to city made for an exciting trip, as every stop throughout the country presented completely different things to do, see (and eat!).
The old town of Óbidos sits atop a hill encircled by the fortified walls of its 12th century medieval castle. The medieval castle itself has been converted into one of the Portuguese Pousadas, which are historic hotel throughout Portugal that I mentioned in yesterday’s post. Some pousadas are converted convents (like the one we stayed in in Évora), monasteries, old aristocratic estates, or in this case, medieval castles! We got to stay in the far tower of the medieval castle which overlooked the entire town of Óbidos and it was basically like real life Game of Thrones… with wifi, running water, and fewer gruesome deaths. It was an absolutely unforgettable experience.
We spent much of our time wandering the medieval streets of Óbidos with the most charming whitewashed homes and shops accented in blue or yellow trim to match the city’s coat of arms. As indicated by the photos, bougainvillea in bright pinks, reds, and purples seemed to overflow from every corner.
Before dinner on our last night, we walked the perimeter of the city via the medieval wall that encircles the city. It was so much fun, but a bit of a harrowing experience as they don’t have the typical railings and safety precautions you might see in America. If you’re afraid of heights or have children in tow, I’d highly recommend you just admire the wall from below. However, if you do make it up to do the wall walk, you’ll find some of the most breathtaking views of the city, the castle, and the surrounding area.
Our time in Coimbra was short, but wonderful. We spent the day walking around the city touring Coimbra’s Old University (Velha Universidade), wandering the winding streets filled with fado music, eating pastries and drinking coffee in the picturesque town square, and making our way over the Santa Clara Bridge to take in a gorgeous view of the city from across the water.
While our time in Coimbra was short, we had one of the best, most memorable dinners at Fangas Mercearia Bar. It’s Portuguese tapas-style with super friendly staff, a very authentic-feeling environment, and absolutely top notch food. I still dream about the mackerel salad and cod with hummus that we had there accompanied by the most delicious sangria.
STOP 7: DOURO RIVER VALLEY
Time Spent: Daytrip!
From Coimbra, we drove up to the Douro River Valley, the birthplace of port wine, and spent hours just driving around with lots of pit stops to get out and take in the absolutely unreal scenery. We had made plans to stop for wine tasting at Quinta da Pacheca near Peso da Régua in the afternoon, but when we showed up, they happened to be closed for a private event (#buzzkill). By this time it was nearing the late afternoon when most quintas closed, so we grabbed provisions at a grocery, and hopped back in the car to drive around and enjoy more of the absolutely insane views before driving up to Amarante.
There’s a reason that highway N-222 along the Douro River has been named the world’s most beautiful drive, as it cuts through the heart of the port wine country, offering breathtaking views of the vineyards’ terraced hillsides. My photos really don’t do it justice!
STOP 8: AMARANTE
Time Spent: 2 Days, 2 Nights
Hotel: Casa da Calçada
Favorite Place to Eat: Largo do Paço in the Casa da Calçada
If you ever make the trip from the Douro Valley region to Amarante, you MUST drive the route up A24 to Vila Real then A4 west to Amarante. It’s the most insanely picturesque drive. When leaving the Douro Valley, I had my laptop out ready to get some work done on the 45 minute drive to Amarante. Needless to say, the laptop got quickly tossed in the back seat as we passed through the Serra do Marãos offering breathtaking vistas at every turn.
Amarante, like many little town dotting Portugal, is the most picturesque, quiant little town. It’s quite small, with not a ton of touristy things to do or see, but we absolutely fell in love with its charm and our hotel, Casa da Calçada—so much so that we actually asked to stay an extra night! The rooms, the service, the FOOD, the rooftop pool/garden area that overlooks the river and the whole town… it made for two days and nights of sheer bliss.
The hotel is located right in the center of Amarante, and its beautiful terrace overlooks both the river, the historic bridge and and the town’s main square. Incidentally, the Euro Final between Portugal and France was played on our second night in Amarante, and in the main square of the town, a huge screen was erected and everyone, young and old, gathered there to watch together. The hotel staff set up a table for us to have dinner on the terrace, overlooking this square where we were able to watch all of the drama unfold—from the raucous lamentations when Cristiano Ronaldo was stretchered off the field, to the eruption of cheers and celebrations when Portugal won. By the end of the game, we of course had to run over and join in the excitement.
I wish we could have spent more time in Porto, because it’s a magical city. We stayed at the Guest House Douro, which I honestly can’t recommend highly enough. In terms of location, the hotel can’t be beat, as it’s situated right on the river in the center of the Ribeira. The rooms were beautiful and immaculately clean, and we were lucky enough to snag a room with a balcony overlooking the water. After walking around the city all day it was tons of fun to hang out on our balcony with a glass of wine watching the people pass by. The husband and wife owners, Carmen and João, are the sweetest most welcoming people, and made us feel completely at home from the second we walked in the door. João is also the house chef, preparing us the most incredible breakfast in the morning. If you’re hoping to stay at Guest House Douro, be sure to book far in advance as the hotel is small and very popular (now we know why!).
We spent our time in Porto walking all over the city, in and out of beautiful churches, the Palácio da Bolsa, the Bolhão market, and tons more. We then made our way over to Graham’s Port Lodge for a tour of their cellars and port wine tasting. It was a wonderful tour, offering a great overview of port wine history along with a walk through their cellars with seemingly-endless rows of port wines aging in vats, casks, barrels and bottles.
After drinking copious amounts of port wine, we walked from Graham’s and made our way over the beautiful Ponte Luís I bridge, enjoying the view of the city from over the water.
At Carmen’s suggestion, we enjoyed our last meal in Portugal at Terreiro, just steps outside of our room at the Guest House Douro and ate the most mind-blowingly delicious octopus we’ve ever had (and we’ve had a lot!). Seated outside with a bottle of vinho verde, a view of the river and street musicians playing in the background, it made for the perfect ending to our unforgettable trip.
For those of you planning a trip to Portugal, I hope you found these recaps helpful! If I missed anything or you have any questions about what to see, where to go or what to eat, let me know in the comments below!
It’s back to business as usual today with this look I wore to speak at a conference in Nashville a couple weeks ago. In the intense Tennessee heat and humidity, a light silk blouse and culottes were the perfect pieces to look professional, while keeping cool. I also thought this emerald shade of green was really pretty and quite unusual! With navy and white accents, it paired perfectly with my favorite pair of ivory culottes and go-to navy pumps.
If you’ve seen any of my snapchats recently, you know I re-discovered Abercrombie (yes! Abercrombie!) several weeks ago, and have been on a rampage ever since. Before you fall off your chair, lemme give you the low-down: About two months ago, a friend of mine was wearing this gorgeous black maxi dress to drinks one evening, and I (naturally) demanded to know where she got it. Much to my surprise, she said Abercrombie & Fitch (say whaaaaaaaat?)! To be completely honest, I hadn’t checked out the brand since I was in middle school. Sooooo, I thought that either I was time traveling or this was a cruel joke. But then again, real friends don’t joke about where to find perfect black maxi dresses, so I knew it couldn’t be that. Time traveling it is. AMAZING.
But then I got home to my apartment that night to find that my dishwasher (which had inexplicably stopped working that morning) was still busted, at which point I realized, wrong again, Mary, you’re still very much living in the present. Cool.
I was left with no other choice but to go online and sleuth for myself, at which point I pulled up Abercrombie‘s website. To my devastation, the perfect black maxi dress was sold out in every size except a petite extra small—soooo that was a real slap in the face. BUT, on the flip side, I started checking out some of their new stuff and before I knew it, I was rabidly filling my cart—an experience that both exhilarated and terrified me. Abercrombie?! What is happening?! Is this a quarter-life crisis??
Turns out A&F has done a massive rebranding, complete with a new creative director and a new team of designers. And let me tell you, they are kill. ing. IT. The coral maxi dress that I wore in Portugal (you can see it in this post) was one of my scores from that late night Abercrombie binge, along with several other pieces that were amazing for our trip. Needless to say, LFO’s 1999 hit Summer Girls has been on repeat ever since. You know the song… I like girls that wear Abercrombie and Fitch, I’d take her if I had one wish…
Yep, that’s now going to be stuck in your head for the next four to seven days. You’re welcome.
(Between Abercrombie and LFO, this is turning into one heck of a #FlashbackFriday…)
Ok, so let’s just talk about these jeans for a hot sec. Before I write a post about a specific brand, I often order a large amount of clothing from the brand to test out many items and make sure I can genuinely give the lot my stamp of approval. I was really thrilled with the items from my first order (that gorge coral maxi dress, et al) but was dying to get my hands on some of their pre-fall goodness. Last week, I ordered three pairs of jeans—these white straight legs, a pair of dark wash straight legs, and this amazing cropped pair and holy smokes, each one fits like a flipping DREAM. I anticipated inspecting each of the three pairs to get a fulsome understanding of their denim before returning two of the three. Wrong. Definitely keeping all three. I also have to give A & F major props because tons of their items are available in petite, regular, and tall (including today’s jeans), which is a major win for me.
In addition to the three pairs of denim, ordered this sweater, this sweater, these sick track pants, this suede pencil skirt (perfect for work!) and of course the striped shirt and red parka you see today. (Previous use of the term “binge” was not hyperbole.) I loved every single item (though I found the track pants run about one size large). This red parka in particular is basically what San Francisco dreams are made of—that perfect extra layer that’s not too light and not too heavy for our erratic summer weather. It also has a hidden hood that you can whip out when necessary.
Ok, last thing before I leave you to your Friday: After waxing on about my re-discovery of Abercrombie on snapchat a few days ago, I got over a hundred snap messages back from you guys with similar stories. Thank you all so much for sending them!! Here are a few:
“Yes! Just re-discovered them and bought that coral maxi too!!”
“Their new stuff is incredible. You’re definitely not the only one that’s obsessed!”
“The fit of their jeans is the best. I’ve never found jeans that fit me as well as theirs.”
With the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale ending on Sunday (yikes!), I thought it was high time to share what I think are the sale’s best kept secrets—all of the really great things that fly under the radar and typically get overlooked in the frenzy of designer handbags, shoes and clothing which receive the most attention. Today, I’m talking about the amazing gifts, killer fitness gear, great home decor pieces, beautiful bedding, and awesome steals for the men in your life. Also, I know it seems like Christmas is lightyears away (did you just try to virtually punch me for even bringing it up?), but it’s really not. You will be SO glad you took advantage of these prices come December.
Before I get into my list of the sale’s best kept secrets, I also wanted to make sure you know that some of the super popular clothing and accessory items I talked about in this post and this post have now been restocked! So, if you spotted a few favorites from my Top 30 List but didn’t snag them in time, it’s a good idea to check back and see if they have your size again. For example, the distressed J. Brand skinny jeans that I wore in this post last week are now back in a bunch of sizes, along with these lace-up heels, and these awesome Nike sneakers.
Now for the best sale steals that most people overlook…
1. HOME DECOR AND KITCHEN
Ohhh where to even begin. Well first thing’s first: If you’re a margarita lover, this serving set is about the cutest/most functional thing I’ve ever seen. Second, take it from a girl from the cheese capital of the world, if you don’t own one of these cheese slicer boards, you’re just plain wrong. Trying to use a cheese knife (especially with semi-soft cheeses) is a fool’s game. Also, we got one of these Nambé chip and dip serving pieces for our wedding and it’s been our most-used serving piece. I’m also obsessed with these marquee lights for a kitchen, kid’s room or even an office. Lastly, we have several of these sheepskin shearling rugs in our home and I’m sad to say I deeeeefinitely didn’t find them at this price. Ouch.
2. HIM
Real talk: men don’t understand sale shopping (or any shopping?). I have no idea how this jacket is still available in every color, how these jeans (or any of these) are still available, or how these shoes are still available in every size and color. And what about this mountain of Peter Millar stuff? Ladies, it’s time we help those who can’t help themselves. The dudes in your life need you.
3. BED & BATH
We’ve been in need of some fresh sheets, so I just scored these in white and also bought these adorable turkish pestemal towels in blue stripe (so many cute colors!) which we love for picnics on the beach. If you follow me on snapchat, you know I recently discovered these Nordstrom pajamas. I actually forgot pajamas during our trip in July, and had to run out to Nordstrom in Nashville where I snagged these guys in black. I’ve been buying the same Victoria’s Secret pajamas for years and never thought I’d buy anything else, but this happy accident has me totally converted. They’re the SOFTEST PAJAMAS EVER. I just bought two more pairs in grey and navy during this sale.
4. FITNESS
If you’re in need of a new pair of running shoes, you’ll be hard-pressed to beat these Asics. Also included in the sale are my favorite sports bras and these awesome North Face pullovers that make for the perfect extra layer on cool San Francisco days. Lastly, if your collection of workout leggings is in need of a refresh, check out these and these. They’re called ‘legendary’ for a reason.
5. GREAT GIFTS
Before the sale ends, make sure you’ve ticked off your gift list for upcoming birthdays, engagement parties, or even baby showers! I also always like to have a couple gifts on hand like these great candles which make for great last minute hostess gifts. Speaking of hostess gifts, I gave this adorable picnic set when staying at my husband’s parents’ beach house for the first time a few years ago, and now that I’m seeing it again, I kind of want to snag it for nights when we bring a bottle of wine to the beach for sunset. (Who said the gift section can’t include a couple gifts for yourself?) Also, check out this picnic basket and all of the other options by this brand. They’ll make you never want to eat at a table indoors again. Lastly, I’m trying to think of the right person to give these to, but I’m kind of obsessed with these mustache pilsner glasses.
This black pinstripe tie-neck dress was definitely one of my favorite purchases from the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale, so it’s no surprise that I immediately put it on for work yesterday after tearing it out of the box. The dress is still available in just about every size (how?!) and is one of those super versatile pieces that can go from work, to drinks, to dinner with girlfriends without skipping a beat. Of course, DVF is one of those brands that you always want to check out during the sale, and holy smokes there is a mountain of good stuff from the brand. Again, someone please tell me how this gorgeous camel coat (which also comes in a burgundy) is still available in every size. Also, HELLO perfect little black dress. I’m Mary.
While we’re on the subject of versatile black dresses, check out these beauties also included in the sale:
BLAZER: Oasis (very similar 
SEERSUCKER SHORTS: c/o 
TOP: 
SWEATER: 
SHIRT: c/o 
