Disclosure: Affiliate links are used throughout this blog. This post contains paid placement. Thank you for supporting Story of My Dress! All thoughts and opinions are my own!

With less than a week until our wedding, S and I are crossing our final T's and dotting our final I's in preparation for our Big Day! Our endless to-do list is beginning to shrink down to just a few last items to take care of and friends and family are starting to arrive in Seattle! We are down to the nitty gritty details and beginning to pack up everything we might need to get hitched, including the oh-so-important Wedding Day Emergency Kit.

If you've ever been a bride or bridesmaid it's likely you're familiar with the Wedding Day Emergency Kit. This kit contains all those just-in-case items needed to avoid mishaps and make sure your dream wedding goes off perfectly! Kept close at hand in the bridal prep area and throughout the ceremony and reception, these lifesavers make sure you're ready to handle anything.

I recommend packing up the kit in a tote bag, tackle box or the Sterilite Stack & Carry Tray Organizer Storage Tote (which is what I'm using). If you're not the DIY type or too busy wedding planning (seriously, I get it!), the Sheemergency Kit for Brides by Pinch Provisions is a great option. Priced at less than $40 with 50 travel size products, this kit is ready for any emergency and also perfect for packing for your honeymoon!

If you're more of the minimalist and interested in a mini kit with just the absolute must have essentials for mishaps, Wedding Wire recommends 7 Things You Actually Need in Your Wedding Day Emergency Kit. It's also perfect as a starter kit and you can create the rest of your kit with exactly what will meet your unique needs.

However since I'm one that tends towards the better-safe-than-sorry, a Wedding Day Emergency Kit with all the essentials is a must-have for me. I've listed below everything I'm including in my kit. Because as much as I've spent the last 12 months preparing and creating a perfect day-of itinerary, I know that hiccups are bound to happen.

~ What To Include In Your Wedding Day Emergency Kit ~

Happy National Thrift Shop Day! 5 Items I Always Look For When Thrifting

Thank you Value Village for partnering on this post and graciously coordinating a shopping excursion to my local Value Village to score some finds in honor of National Thrift Store Day! Affiliate links are used throughout this blog. Thank you for supporting Story of My Dress! All opinions are my own!

Aritzia Wilfred Top thrifted! | APC Denim Cutoff Shorts (DIY, similar) thrifted! | Jimmy Choo Kitten Heel Pump thrifted! | Moorea Seal Anniversary Tote c/o | Cole Haan Aviator Sunglasses | BZR Amethyst Sunglasses | Target Faux Fur Jacket (similar) thrifted!

Happy National Thrift Shop Day! I've long loved the thrill of visiting a thrift store and finding that "unicorn" item. Most of my outfits typically include at least one thrifted item and on many days my entire outfit is thrifted (recent outfits featuring thrifted items: here, here here and here)!

Since my early childhood days of thrifting at the local island thrift shop with my Mom to the discovery of Value Village as a teenager and all the Abercrombie and J.Crew I could fill my cart with (at a fraction of the cost compared to the Abercrombie at the mall on my measly summer camp counselor salary), I have always loved to thrift for not only the economical reasons, but also the environmental, fashionable and stylish ones!

With nearly 96% of retail items at Value Village priced under $10, shopping secondhand can seriously benefit your closet and bank account. However shopping secondhand also has a huge impact on the planet. It can take 700 gallons of water to make one new cotton t-shirt and the average American throws away 81 pounds of clothing each year. Thrifting can help your lower your clothing footprint. (Here are 5 steps to Give a Sh!rt and lower the ecological footprint of your closet.)

In additional to the economical and environmental impacts of thrifting, shopping secondhand also provides unlimited opportunities for creating unique outfits and discovering vintage and designer fashion. Whether it's finding that vintage band tee from the 70s or a designer item from a sold out past collection, there's just nothing like the thrill of the hunt (and the find!) for these treasures. My vintage Bottega Veneta Bag, Chloé sunglasses, vintage Levis, Rag & Bone Boots and favorite vintage Tees are some of my favorite items in my closet, and all are thrifted!

In fact, almost the entire outfit I am wearing in this post is thrifted! That Aritzia Wilfred top? Found at Value Village for $3.99! Those DIY APC denim shorts I'm wearing? Yup, thrifted at Value Village! Jimmy Choo kitten heels? Thrifted! Faux Fur Jacket? Thrifted! I only added a few accessories of sunglasses (both received as gifts) and my Moorea Seal Anniversary Tote c/o. This whole outfit cost less than $100! Seriously, I love thrifting!

In honor of National Thrift Shop Day, I'm heading out to my local Value Village in search of 5 items I'm pretty much always searching for when I visit a thrift store. While I might look in other departments (and I promise to share some of my favorite thrifting tips shortly!), these are the 5 items I always focus on, especially if I'm short on time or feeling overwhelmed with a cluttered secondhand store.

Romping Around Alki Beach in Summer

Disclosure: Affiliate links are used throughout this blog, which means I might make a small commission if you click on a link. This post contains paid placement and products sent for consideration; Items gifted are marked c/o. Thank you for supporting Story of My Dress! All thoughts, as always, are my own!

7 Charming Sisters necklace c/o (sold out, similar) | Aritzia Jumpsuit (sold out, similar) | mywalit verona backpack c/o | mywalit double flap purse/wallet c/o | Target dv Kenli Perforated Mule Booties | Forever 21 Cardigan Sweater (sold out, similar) | Timex Originals Watch c/o

Alki Beach is one of my favorite spots in our West Seattle neighborhood. Known for the only sandy stretch of beach in Seattle, a boardwalk, and gorgeous views of the Seattle city skyline; it tends towards a California vibe with summer weekend volleyball tournaments, sunset beach bonfires and coastal beach boutiques.

Just around the bend from the main stretch of Alki the crowds dwindle a bit (especially in summer when Alki can get PACKED) and the less crowded path is perfect for a romp, walk or jog. Marination Ma Kai, one of my favorite Seattle restaurants is on this stretch and I highly recommend the sexy tofu tacos or pretty much anything on their menu for some delicious Hawaiian-Korean cuisine. A perfect spot as a break or destination.

For a recent jaunt to Alki Beach I grabbed my favorite and oh-so-comfortable Aritzia jumpsuit from my closet (sold out, similar). I truly believe jumpsuits are the perfect alternative to a dress or any kind of decision related to matching or not matching; just accessorize and you're good to go.

Photography: Studio Underground
Makeup: Marisa Peltier

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Engaged in Seattle

Disclosure: This post contains paid placement. All thoughts and opinions are my own!

It's almost the one month countdown until S and I say I DO! I can't believe we've been engaged for almost 11 months and soon we will get to call each other husband and wife! This past Saturday S and I, along with my Dad and Stepmom, headed up to Whidbey Island for our cake tasting, wine tasting and a visit to the farm providing our flowers; seriously such a fun day! As all the details begin to fall into place for our wedding, the love between S and I only continues to grow and we get more and more excited about celebrating with so many of our closest friends and family!

However, with so many things to consider in the planning of our big day it can also get easy to get lost in the details. S and I have made the intention throughout our wedding planning process to have fun, laugh a lot and find small moments to step away from wedding planning and just enjoy being engaged. One of the moments and days we have most enjoyed as an engaged couple was our engagement photo session.

Paying Tribute to Brooks Heritage

Thank you Brooks Running for partnering on this post! Affiliate links are used throughout this blog, which means I might make a small commission if you click on a link. Thank you for supporting Story of My Dress! Items gifted are marked c/o. All thoughts, as always, are my own! 

Brooks Vanguard Heritage Kicks c/o | Grana Mini V-Neck Silk Dress c/o | Longchamp Small Le Pliage Shoulder Tote | Cole Haan Aviator Sunglasses | Moorea Seal Hat c/o (sold out, similar)

What better way to pay tribute to an iconic Pacific Northwest collection than a visit to the quintessential Seattle Pike Place Market. On a recent summer afternoon I headed to the market in search of fresh flowers, wearing a little black silk dress and retro Brooks Heritage kicks from Brooks Running.

As a runner I have been running in Brooks Running shoes for years. I am a big fan of their running gear for both trail and road runs, which I find to keep me warm and dry on wet and stormy days and cool and protected on hot and sunny days. Seriously so good, one long sleeve shirt from Brooks I've had for over 10 years, has seen hundreds, if not thousands of miles and still looks brand new!

In 2014 Brooks Running launched the Brooks Heritage line to commemorate it's 100 years in business. Brooks Heritage collection celebrated Brooks rich running history with an ode to the classic footwear and retro styles that catapulted us into the running boom of the 70s and beyond. Featuring luxurious materials and detailed craftsmanship, the nine models in three years delivered by Brooks featured remastered sneakers from the 1970's, 1980's and 1990's. As a runner and lover of all things retro (particularly the 70s), I (alongside other retro sneaker fanatics) was immediately in love with this line.

For my afternoon at Pike Place Market in search of flowers I chose the Brooks Heritage Vanguard Sneaker to pair with a little black silk dress, an oh-so-70s floppy hat and a Longchamp Le Pliage Tote I've had for over 10 years that I purchased at an Airport Duty Free when my bag broke mid-flight.

The Brooks Vanguard Heritage Sneaker was originally introduced in 1976 and captures the essence of of the 1970s running boom with clean design lines, classic styling and the iconic T-toe. The signature shoe of the 2014 Brooks Heritage launch, the addition of this shoe to my wardrobe made both myself and my closet happy.

The Brooks Vanguard Heritage Sneaker was thus the perfect choice to pay tribute to Brooks Heritage because after a strong second run, Brooks Heritage styles have headed back into the vault.

“We seized Brooks Running’s centennial as a moment to celebrate the company’s past footwear milestones in a contemporary way. The Brooks Heritage Collection gave us the opportunity to authentically pay tribute to that history and take it to new heights, allowing us to explore design, express our brand and deliver beautifully crafted footwear for the consumer seeking something new. After exploring premium interpretations of Brooks’ most iconic sneakers, we put the Heritage Collection back into the vault having given a nod to Brooks’ past while looking to its future.”

- Shane Downey, Global Director of Heritage

But don't worry, Brooks Running is still around delivering the best in running shoes and gear, they're just putting the Heritage line back in the vault! And remaining Brooks Heritage Collection stock is still available at exclusive retailers and at brooksheritagecollection.com. Grab it quick before it's gone!

xoxo

Photography: Karya Schanilec 

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