The Most Crisp Fall Outfit

The Most Crisp Fall Outfit by aduchessandablog featuring mens scarves

One of my dearest friends introduced me to Free People over the last few weeks. I originally was not a huge fan of the brand, finding a lot of the pieces to be a bit to trendy for the price paid. However, on a recent trip to Rochester, she showed me some of their new releases at Macy's and I fell in love. I found that a lot of their apparel is actually made in the USA, which I am sure adds to the price tag. I built a crisp, neutral based fall outfit around a cowl neck top that can be worn many ways. I love that each of these tops has its own unique color washing. Have you had experiences Free People in the past? What are some of your favorite pieces?

XOXO, 

A Trip to Rochester

I was so excited to take a trip up to Rochester, New York to visit my very dear friend from nursing school. We had a very fun filled and power packed 3 days. I arrived late on Sunday, and the first thing I did was dive in to a piece of Jenna's mom's delicious authentic homemade lasagna. Words cannot even begin to describe how delicious it is- tastes as good as if not better than the lasagna I had in Italy. 

We woke up early the next morning to go to the Blue Ridge Grill for a delicious breakfast...my favorite meal. It lived up to all of my expectations. 

The next day, we went to Wickham farms to pick out pumpkins. Such a cute farm with corn mazes, fresh pies and goats! 

And because one cannot have fresh carved pumpkins and baked seeds without cider....

we went to Wegmans and ended up picking up cider and another pumpkin. 

Believe it or not, this was actually the first pumpkin I ever carved! I am lucky I did not hurt myself. We were simultaneously drinking spiked cider and enjoying a delicious cheese spread. 

 The next day involved lots of shopping. While I did not indulge in (or any) of the goodies I would 

have loved to purchase at Von Mauer, I did enjoy looking at all of the Louis Vuittons. What beauties these are! 

We stopped for house margaritas and absolutely delicious ahi tuna tacos. I wish I could find these again at another Champs sports grill. I think they just changed their menus, and hopefully these are here to stay. 

The following day was enjoyed with a trip to Park Avenue where we consumed hard cider and champagne mimosas with caramel cinnamon sugar rims. I need to make these myself, they were out of this world. 

The Park Avenue sandwich was of the Gods...house chips, and three slices of grilled rye with delectable shaved turkey, pastrami and corn beef with Russian dressing and swiss cheese. It was divine and I wish I could find this again....however, this sandwich was called the Park Avenue, and I think it can only be found on Park Avenue in New York. 

We went shopping at TJ Maxx and ended up accidentally trying on the opposite of the same outfit...great minds must think alike. 

 Our last night was spent together at a fancy but delicious Italian Grill called Grappa. I enjoyed a Peroni and a tasty pepperoni pizza (because it is my goal in life to try pizza at every place possible). 

Side note...when we were shopping at the Victor mall, I discovered my new makeup obsession. The Stila Stay All Day Liquid Lipstick  is in my opinion even better than the Tarte liquid lipstick option I shared a few weeks ago. I purchase the Stila product in "Baci" and the color is absolutely perfect for my paler skin tone. It is a creamy, rosier version of a nude lipstick. Having compared two high end makeup brand versions of essentially the same product, I have to give the big thumbs up to the Stila product. My lips are chafing due to the cooler time of year, and the Tarte lipstick definitely accentuates that. Pieces of my lip make the Tarte formula crumble and clump. The Stila formula glides on, truly nourishes my lips, and is a much smoother wear. When the Sephora associate told me how "comfortable" it was, she was not lying. I did the ultimate makeup test and started drinking glasses of water after and I mean to tell you the Stila formula did not rub off. The Tarte lipstick will start to wear from the outside in and leave a weird outer ring of lipstick on the edge of your lips. Overall, this $24 price tag comes with an 18 hour wear. I was not endorsed for this post, so you can trust my honest opinion. 

Enjoy the rest of your week...and go Cleveland Indians!

XOXO, 

True Grit Frosty Tipped Pile Pullover

I was so excited to pair up with Country Club Prep to do a review of the True Grit Frosty Tipped Pile Pullover Half Zip. All opinions are my own. 

I have been hearing a lot of rah rah about the True Grit pullovers. I am a huge fan of chunky sweaters, cozy knits, and Patagonia fleece in the fall and winter. I was hoping that the pile pullover would live up to the expectation (and the price tag!) and I was not disappointed. 

True Grit Pile Half Zip Pullover in "Frosty Putty" / Country Club Prep 

First of all, in order to even begin to enjoy your half zip, you must carefully read the size chart. These half zips run HUGE. They are actually all men's sizing. I usually wear a small, and I sized down to an XS. It should also be noted that I have very long arms, and the XS still has sufficient arm room over my wrists. It also has a nice loose fit and hangs below my waist.

I absolutely love the lush, plush feeling that this pullover has. It is constructed out of polyester but has the feeling of a silky smooth fleece. It almost has the look of a high class fleece. I love the "Frosty Putty" color scheme because I feel like it will transition the most effortlessly from season to season. While cozy and warm, it also has a light feel to it without adding to the bulk of the top. I am planning to put mine under my Barbour jacket for extra warmth come winter! 

This pullover can definitely be paired with jeans, pulled over a simple terrycloth dress, or over a button down. The $150 tag that comes with this extremely high quality half zip does not even begin to cover the quality that you are getting with this cozy pullover. I paired my pullover with a pair of leather-front dark jeans and over the knee leather Vince Camuto boots for a contrasting look. 

To be honest, I have no cons that have been discovered as of yet. I just hope the construction of this pullover lasts throughout many washes and for years to come without matting the fabulous texture of the pile fabric. Truly, this is a timeless wardrobe staple! You can shop this pullover and many other colors in the True Grit line at Country Club Prep. 

Visit by clicking on the link above or by the button on my right sidebar! 

XOXO, 

Hocking Hills Getaway

We recently took a quick trip to Hocking Hills, Ohio and it was a total blast. Who knew Ohio was so beautiful? I always take for granted livingin the Northeastern Great Lakes region and was glad we were able to explore other gorgeous parts of my favorite state. 

We ended up stopping at Devil's Kettle BreweRyan and getting flights. We also brought home a growler. None of these activities were part of the plan haha. The brewery looked like a garage outside but was actually a very surprising and chic bar on the inside. I am sure only locals regularly attend this bar but I was thoroughly impressed with the selection of beers on tap. For such a small brewery, the owner knew what he was doing. I would recommend this little hole in the wall to others, but be warned they only have chips and salsa to snack on. You can bring in your own food. 

Other activities we ended up doing at the spur of the moment included visiting 

 Hocking Hills winery to buy a bottle to go, and stopping at the Tanger Outlets in Columbus on the way home. I also highly recommend the Millstone Tavern right outside of the parks for dinner....we ate there twice. Both times I had the pulled pork and both times it was divine. I am very picky with my pork butt and was impressed.

Hocking Hills itself was a dream. I purchased this selfish stick prior to the trip knowing we would want wonderful pictures of the two of us but did not want a skinny arm in all of my photos.

Currently no longer available, but they have lots of similar styles and brands. 

It was so helpful to have. This stick even has a snapshot button connected to your phone by Bluetooth meaning you don't need to reach up to actually take the photo. It was a cheap investment I highly recommend to capture the magic. We went during theach week and there were not a lot of people around so there is no way we would have been able to take these kinds of photos without it. That being said, I recommend going during the week when it is quiet!

Ash Cave

Rock House

The Cliffs at the 2.5 mile hike at Conkle's Hollow

Cantwell Cliffs (again) 

Conkle's Hollow (again) 

Ash Cave

Rock House (again!) 

There are just way too many photos to share! This is the perfect fall activity for a quick getaway. 

XOXO,