One of the perks of my new job is that my calendar is the same as the college students I work with (I work full time for my sorority). Graduation is this coming Saturday and as sad as I am to lose my seniors, I'm totally ready for summer. 

This Saturday also marks the 142nd Kentucky Derby and is celebrated in my household by the annual pulling out of the summer clothes. I've talked about being a bit old school and waiting until the Derby or even Memorial Day to don my summer apparel, but that's when I lived in West Virginia. The weather is noticeably warmer there than here in Iowa, which I keep forgetting sits directly under Minnesota, a state most people associate with the cold. I've had to pull out some sweaters which means they'll have to be dry cleaned again before they go into storage. At least I no longer live 45 minutes from the nearest dry cleaner. 

Lauren Ralph Lauren cropped skinny jeans: I've been seeing a lot of colorful outfit inspirations over the 'net a lot and there's one in particular that caught my eye and it featured orange pants. I figured it was one of those things that'd be hard to replicate but surprisingly not. I also love that these are a bright, happy orange and not the darker version that was popular last summer.

Ava + Viv maxi dress: I've passed this dress several times at Target and I keep telling myself that one of these days I need to pick it up. It's actually a heavyweight and feels like a french terry fabric instead of just a thin jersey. I think I'll bit the bullet later this week and pick it up, there are just so many pros opposed to cons and you really can't be the $35 price tag.

NYDJ wide leg trouser: Before we go any further, these pants are not gray. They're a heathered navy blue in a cotton/linen blend. That's right, these pants are made of natural fibers. That does mean they'll probably need to be ironed however you may be able to get away with just steaming these to get the wrinkles out. If you don't have a clothes steamer already--get one. It's one of the best fashion-related purchases I've made in years. 

Lands' End Art tee: This absolutely gorgeous shirt is actually a tee which only adds to its appeal. This is a great shirt for those times when you'd like to dress nicely but know you're going to sweat or will be moving around a lot. 

REED x Kohl's Boxer Satchel: After an incredible stint at Coach, Reed Krakoff briefly had his own line and some of them remain on my most-wanted handbag list. So over the weekend when I found out that he was teaming up with Kohl's with similar styles? I think I hyperventilated as I raced down to the mall. 
 
There's a variety of sizes and styles, with the one pictured an almost carbon copy of his popular "Boxer" style that was upwards of $1k. There's also a good selection of colors. I like the one for summer, but there's a solid cobalt and a tan/black/white version I'm eyeing. The price tag on these is pretty decent: this one is currently $90 and another version is $100. Obviously, they're not real leather but the the quality appears to be superb and the styling simply can't be beat. I think this is a more realistic purchase over the full-priced "textured PVC" merchandise brands are trying to push, hoping you'll mistake it for Saffiano leather.