the only cookie recipes you'll ever need

have you ever wished for a perfect & simple cookie recipe? like, really simple? one of these recipes is made from boxed cake mix with altered ingredients - can you say effortless? while the web is full of cookie recipes, these two are my favorite, tried and true, consistently delicious and easy.

first, chocolate chip, the classic. this recipe might be a little familiar to most - its the one on the back on the nestle tollhouse chocolate chip bag! i swear to you, you do not ever need another recipe. don't google chocolate chip cookie reipes. this is the holy grail, and rightly so. these cookies are always just the right amount of soft and crusty.

• 2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon (or a little more) vanilla extract
• 2 eggs

• 2 & 1/4 cup flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 bag chocolate chips

preheat the oven to 350. mix together flour, salt and baking soda in a small bowl. in another, larger bowl, beat together softened butter and sugars with an electric mixer. add eggs and vanilla extract. once incorporated, slowly add flour mixture in batches until combined. add chocolate chips. spoon onto greased cookie sheets and bake for 9-12 minutes or until golden brown.

this second recipe is even easier and delicious! these taste really impressive, but the secret is that they barely took any effort at all. lemon and white chocolate is also a killer combo. who knew?!

• 1 box of lemon supreme cake mix
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• one bag white chocolate chips

mix all your ingredients up, and voila! instant cookies. bake at 350 for 9-12 minutes. note that following this directions is different than what it says on the bake of the cake mix. that's how you're getting the cookie texture.

these are way too simple not to bake. get to it!

style transition: college to professional

if you're a college student or you know one, you know the wardrobe. down here in alabama we've got it down to a tee - literally, ha ha. t-shirt, nike shorts, sandals/nikes = you're ready to go just about anywhere. and yeah, during my college years, i indulged in the blissful unawareness of what real people wore. and it felt so, so good. and i had an excuse.

while i'm no catwalking fashionista, i have my own style that has been ever evolving, especially since i graduated. for me, i like making affordable pieces work and really going all out with accessories. the right bracelets and bag can make an outfit, and that includes work appropriate attire. i like wearing basics and prints and adding interest with jewelry or outerwear.

keep in mind that this depends on your work setting. tighter cut pants, certain colors, etc. might not be great for your workplace. i'm blessed to work somewhere really casual! either way, you can incorporate some of these tips into creating a tasteful but expressive wardrobe that's perfect for you.

♥ the right cut & fit -  this is so, so important. always wear clothes that are tailored to fit your body and flatter your shape. a great place to pick up more professional slacks/work pants is ann taylor loft, which offers petite sizing in addition to regular lengths. i don't wear slacks that much anymore because my office is casual, but my best fitting pants are from here. also, forever 21 has a ton of collared tops that come in prints and solids - they are surprisingly well fitted and professional!

♥ blazers - sounds boring, right? not if you do it correctly. the key is finding a style and fit that is chic, but flattering for your body type. my favorite is the boyfriend blazer. the next step is to get this blazer in every color imaginable! (i'm still working on this!) black is of course your first staple. next, i'd invest in a white blazer - this goes great with work appropriate dresses and summertime outfits. from there? color color color! pinks, blues, neons: the possibilities are endless. pair a bright blazer with a modest but tailored little black dress = instant workplace chic!

♥ unique and outspoken accessories - in my opinion, this is what brings it all together. i love stacking bracelets, adding necklaces and wearing earrings to add interest to an otherwise basic work outfit. statement necklaces with neutral blouses are a great way to do this! its also easy to add animal print or a printed shoe with a basic outfit.

♥ prints + neutrals - my favorite combo is a printed pant and neutral top. for some, this outfit might only be acceptable on casual friday. don't be afraid to incorporate print and color into the work wardrobe beyond the basic printed top. the key is to pair it with a neutral, simple top. on days when i'm a little tired of wearing neutral bottoms, this is a nice change up and keeps it fresh. adding print with scarves, cardigans and even statement shoes is also an option.

so far, i've really enjoyed putting my thought into my daily clothing choices. and while the oversized t-shirt felt great, something about being put together day-to-day is truly satisfying. is that, like, real adulthood calling?

photo diary: july & august edition

floral frocks is now on facebook! if you're a reader, mind giving it a like? click here!

hey hey hey. life's pretty great around here. while i'm already prepped for scarves and boot weather, i've been trying to enjoy the the remnants of summer, which includes the amazing weekend i just spent in fairhope + pensacola beach with corey & my parents. living in central alabama has reminded me that i took the beach for granted. just looking at this photo makes me want to move to florida.

it truly is that stunning and perfect every day there. we battled through some thunder showers on the way from fairhope into florida, but they passed quickly and left a gorgeous day in their wake. 

i saw beyonce in concert on july 13th. i had a great time in nashville and ate at some fabulous places (i review things on yelp now, ugh, i need a life): watermark in the gulch, and city house near germantown. so good. i'll be thinking about that southern belle cocktail from watermark for a looooong time. and queen b of course.

i actually had some out-of-town business in nashville the week following the concert, so i spent a week in brentwood exploring the area. i stopped by green hills mall, opry mills, the parthenon and bits of downtown. i need to plan an nashville girls trip one of these days - i'd forgotten how fun it is!

i've also spent some time in tuscaloosa & huntsville. bingo night at houndstooth will always be a favorite - where can i hit up bingo/trivia in birmingham?! i miss lots of people but i'm lucky enough that t-town is only 45 minutes away. speaking of which, i've got tickets to see the ole miss game on september 28th - stoked!