Corduroy Party Look & a 30 Before 30 Update

corduroy-party-look

One of my favorite ways to dress up an otherwise casual outfit is by adding a totally fabulous statement piece. The more sparkly the jewelry, the more festive the outfit. I’ve long-loved the combination of moss green and rose pink – the moment you add sparkles into the mix, the outfit instantly goes from casual to the cutest corduroy party look!

I actually wore this look to a little fiesta with my MBA class a few weeks ago, but I just know that I’ll be wearing it through the holidays (especially given the color of these pants!).

ann-taylor-strappy-off-the-shoulder-top ann-taylor-floral-necklace aldo-party-clutch j-crew-toothpick-cord white-cold-shoulder-top bow-tie-neck-necklace pink-suede-heels-from-ann-taylor dark-forest-corduroy-pants

What I’m Wearing:

Top: Ann Taylor / Pants: J.Crew / Clutch: Aldo / Heels: Ann Taylor
Necklace: Ann Taylor / Earrings: J.Crew / Ring: BaubleBar

As we’ve now reached / passed the middle of October (the 16th was my half-birthday!), I think it’s about time that we do a 30 Before 30 update… don’t you? The past three months have been an absolute whirlwind with travels and school. I already cannot wait to see what the next three months will have in store for me!

4. Read 30 books

Progress: 21 out of 30
I’m seriously so close to being done, I can almost taste it! I read five (!!) books this quarter: The Taming of the Queen by Philippa GregoryLuckiest Girl Alive by Jessica KnollAn Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir, The Accidental Empress by Allison Pataki, and The Last Woman Standing by Thelma Adams.

I really liked the books I chose to read over the past few months because each one was so different from the last! One was about Tudor England and one was a really dark thriller set in modern day; one was fantasy with hints of Ancient Rome; the fourth was set in the 1800s in Austria and the last one was set in the 1800s in the Old West. There was so much variety so I was never bored. I particularly loved Luckiest Girl Alive by Jessica Knoll and The Last Woman Standing by Thelma Adams – definitely add both of those to your reading list!

22. See 30 operas 

Progress: 13 out of 30
The summer months are typically slow in the opera world unless you’re able to attend an opera festival; unfortunately my schedule didn’t allow me prolonged stays at either of the ones I attended. This summer, I saw Central City Opera’s production of The Ballad of Baby Doe (meh) and Santa Fe Opera’s Roméo et Juliette. The latter production was seriously incredible (read more about it here).

Over the course of the next few months, I look forward to reading a few more books (my goal is to get to at least 25/30 by the next update!). Next month, I’ll be voting in an election for the first time (!!). In December, I plan to completely unplug/check out for 24 hours straight while I’m in Cuba. Oh, and I definitely have a few more operas on the calendar (Dallas Opera’s productions of Eugene Onegin and Moby-Dick, Austin Opera’s production of The Flying Dutchman).

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