The Sol Compass

June 26, 2017
by thesolcompass 2 Comments

Pool Party

Hello everyone, welcome back! This year for her birthday, Michaela wanted to take things back to our childhood and have a pool party for her friends at our parents’ pool, and everyone was so excited when we first told them about it! We didn’t want to spend too much money, so our first step was to hit up Target for inspiration!

Michaela is a bonafide hospitality nerd, and she loves its symbol (the pineapple), so we decided to have a pineapple/flamingo themed soiree; filled with bright colors.

We picked up most of this table in the dollar section (though realistically it’s $1-$5 section).

We put Starbucks Iced Passion Tea in this big dispenser so everyone could stay hydrated using these adorable pineapple and palm tree cups Michaela ordered online!

B served as the grill master, and whipped up some food while everyone was taking boomerangs on the floats!

Always playing the good hostess, Michaela put out a bucket of sunscreen and sunglasses in case anyone forgot!

All in all, the party was definitely a success without putting too much time or money into it. The floats are always the biggest expense, but worth it to see how much fun people have on them!

xo, C

June 23, 2017
by thesolcompass 2 Comments

Boston Summer Bucket List

After seeing two of my favorite bloggers (Grace and Kendall) write activity based posts, I felt inspired to write my own! Today I’m going to be sharing my five bucket list items to check off in Boston this summer! Whether you’re a Boston native or are considering a trip this summer, check out this list to see if any of them spark your interest!

Boston Harbor Islands. I went to the Harbor Islands a few years ago, but I am dying to go back (and go to more of them!) especially now that Barbara Lynch has taken over the concessions!
Sunset Sail around Boston Harbor. After seeing the Tall Ships at Sail Boston this week, B and I decided we absolutely have to take a sail around the harbor with my best friend and her boyfriend. Due to work schedules and busy summer weekends, we will end up taking a sunset sail, but they offer daytime and even Sunday Brunch sails as well! We have already started the planning process for this one and are so excited about it!
Visit Fenway Park. This one is cheating a little bit since I’ve already gone to Fenway twice this season, but I will gladly go again anytime someone asks me. Fenway is one of those quintessential Boston experiences that everyone I know loves. Whether you go for Mookie Betts, the wave, or just the Fenway Franks; Fenway has something for everyone!
Catch an outdoor movie. There are screenings all summer long at the Lawn On D, Hatch Shell, Boston Harbor Hotel, and more! There’s a full list of outdoor movie screenings here.
Visit a rooftop pool. The Colonnade and Revere hotels both have rooftop pools, which I have promised to go to for the last four summers and failed each time. Hopefully this is the summer I finally visit one of Boston’s rooftop pools!

What are your favorite activities to do in Boston for the summer? Is there anything special on your bucket list this year? Sound off in the comments!

Have a great weekend!

xo, C

June 21, 2017
by thesolcompass Leave a comment

Muted Red, White, and Blue

Hello everyone, welcome back! Today I’m sharing an alternate way to wear red, white, and blue for the Fourth of July weekend, or really at any point during the summer. I love this combination of burgundy and dusty blue to allude to America’s colors, but it’s less expected than bright red and cobalt may be. It’s a great way to incorporate the festivities into your work attire the week before!

Outfit Details – Top: LOFT | Skirt: Ann Taylor (old, similar here, here, and here) | Jacket: LOFT (old, similar here and here) | Heels: Topshop | Nail Polish: OPI California Collection ‘Barking Up The Wrong Sequoia’ | Nail Polish (toes): OPI Fiji Collection ‘Super-Trop-i-cal-i-Fiji-istic

Thank you so much for reading! Have a wonderful day!

xo, C

June 20, 2017
by thesolcompass Leave a comment

B&W

Happy Monday my loves! Today’s post is another variation on the classic black and white color scheme. I last wore black and white together on the blog here and here, so the combination is certainly nothing new.

Outfit Details – Tee: J.Crew Factory | Skirt: Halogen (old, similar here, here, here, and here) | Heels: Adam Lippes for Target (old, similar here, here, and here) | Purse: Kate Spade New York (old, similar here and here) | Necklace: Elizabeth and James | Watch: Fossil | Urban Decay Vice Lipstick ‘Weirdo’ | NARS Lipgloss ‘Turkish Delight’ | OPI California Dreaming Lacquer Collection ‘Sweet Caramel Sunday’ |

Thanks for reading. Have a wonderful week!

xo, C

June 19, 2017
by thesolcompass Leave a comment

Tropical Textures

IMG_9721 (1)

Welcome back, loves! I hope you all had a great weekend. I’m so excited that the weather is finally consistently warm out that I’ve been celebrating the only way I know how – shopping for new clothes to wear on patios and rooftops, clearly.

This beautiful Banana Republic skirt instantly caught my eye. I love the length, the pleats, the pattern, and the colors. I chose to pair it first with a lace top, to add some nice textures to mix up my look. To make it more work appropriate, just add a pair of closed toe heels and a navy blazer!

Outfit Details – Skirt: Banana Republic | Top: Ann Taylor (old, similar here, here, and here) | Heels: Steve Madden | Watch: Fossil | Nail Polish: OPI California Collection ‘Barking Up The Wrong Sequoia’ | Nail Polish (toes): OPI Fiji Collection ‘Super-Trop-i-cal-i-Fiji-istic

Thank you so much for reading. Have a wonderful week!

xo, C

June 16, 2017
by thesolcompass Leave a comment

5 Steps to Great Hair with Amika

Hey everyone, welcome back. Today I’m sharing five tips to help you get the maximum shine out of your hair, and the new products that have helped me take the best care of my hair!

Step One: Cool It. Step away from the blow dryers, straighteners, curlers, etc. I know there are a million reasons why you need them, but they reek absolute havoc on your hair. I try to use mine only twice per week – usually on days of important events or when I’m shooting photos for the blog! When I do use a heat styling product, I make sure to use a heat protectant spray to conserve the shine and texture!

Step Two: Get Dirty. With the invention of dry shampoo, not washing your hair every single day has been easier than ever. Experts recommend only washing your hair three times per week! This is where Amika’s Dry Shampoo and Dry Conditioner come into play. They deodorize your hair while conditioning and adding texture and volume between washes, plus them smell amazing. You can buy them together to save $12 here or check out the travel size trio here.

Amika products use a natural rice starch to absorb excess oil and dirt, which means they do NOT use aluminum, sodium chloride, talc, parabens, sulfates, and phthalates! This is the reason their dry hairstyling products are my number one go to, over some more chemical heavy products.

Step Three: Momma Said Take Your Vitamins. These OLLY vitamins are a total game changer. They are rich in Biotin and Vitamins C & E, so they’re great for promoting hair, skin, and nail health. Plus they’re gummies and they taste delicious!

Step Four: The Cold Shoulder. I always end my showers with a quick cold water rinse. This is not only great for your pores, but great for your hair as well – it helps keep it shiny and strong all day! It’s also best to not take too hot of a shower as that can be really damaging to your hair (see step one).

Step Five: Take The Pressure Off. These hair ties even out the breakage of conventional hair ties by distributing the pressure out evenly. It’s also great for split ends! To all my fellow ponytail girls out there, I highly recommend you giving these a try – the difference you’ll see is incredible!

Thank you so much for stopping by! Do any of you have any great hair tips to share??

xo, C

June 14, 2017
by thesolcompass Leave a comment

Lemon Print Shorts

Happy Hump Day my loves! Last week you may have seen me post on Instagram that I did some major damage at LOFT, including these adorable lemon print shorts. Lemon prints have been absolutely everywhere this spring, and LOFT is definitely in the game with this halter dress, one shoulder top, scarf, sleeveless top and even no show socks!

My two favorite blogger outfits featuring the lemon print trend are Hallie (featuring the aforementioned LOFT scarf) and Blair styling an Anthro dress! I love the way they both mixed stripes with lemon prints and incorporated their own personal styles into the trend!

Printed shorts are a must have for me during the summer. They are absolutely perfect for weekend trips to the zoo on hot summer days! I know these lemon ones will be on constant rotation over the next few months!

Thanks so much for stopping by! Michaela and I are heading to NYC tomorrow so make sure to follow along on Snapchat (@chummer17) and Instagram (@thesolcompass)!

xo, C