Instagram lately: sneakers style + DIY chocolate strawberries

Nike Free sneakers (also sold here) sz 6 - runs small, J.Brand jeans sz 24 (hemmed) H&M scarf (similar - 50% off), Gap jacket (similar in petite), Talbots tee, Goyard bag
Rounding up some photos & answering questions from my Instagram lately - I don't think I've ever blogged an outfit in sneakers (except for Nick's spycam proposal photos where I was in pretty much the same outfit) but I'm reaching for them more and more outside of working out. My go-to lazy day outfit is black leggings or skinny jeans with these sneakers, which help visually lengthen the legs a bit despite being in flat shoes. I haven't seen this particular color combo on sale anywhere but they've proven to be well worth full price for me. And if you don't have a staple camel scarf by now, this Topshop one just went on markdown for half off with free shipping!

Ann Taylor dress c/o necklace (on sale!), Talbots tee (similar), Manolo BB pumps
Just got this dress back from the tailor, whom I had slim the hips about an inch or so. I want to echo from my prior review it's a solid quality piece and I'm loving the subtle piping detail. It's currently on sale for 40% off with all sizes in stock, and my necklace is still available on extra clearance! There's so many layering possibilities with a classic crewneck neutral sheath dress - you can do collared blouses, long-sleeved tees like shown here, tie-neck tops, cropped sweaters, etc.

Oh my goodness, we might've over-indulged in these just a bit but they were SO good. They also make great little Valentine's Day gifts boxed up - my friends kept asking where they were from! I have a history of more Pinterest fails than successes, so if I made these at home I'm pretty sure anyone can. Here's a few tips after my initial struggles (needed a hot shower after being covered in chocolate):

- This

YouTube tutorial was my favorite! Toothpicks kept sliding off my berries, so I just hand-dipped then placed on parchment paper to harden.

- Since very few ingredients are involved, quality ones are key. Strawberries are sadly not in season here but I splurged on some juicy looking ones at WholePaycheck err Wholefoods. We had both Ghiradelli and Nestle chocolate on hand which were equally tasty.

- Make sure your berries are bone dry before dipping, since a drop of water in the melted chocolate could make it seize up. I washed mine ahead of time and laid out to dry on paper towels.

- Use large pieces of chocolate, or big chips or chunks found in the baking aisle for melting. I accidentally had a bag of mini chips which would not melt smoothly.

- I tried both a double boiler and microwave for melting my chocolate and they came out the same. Microwave was a lot easier so I stuck with that method. Make sure to have your power level on half and heat up in 30-second increments, stirring in between, to avoid burning your chocolate. Reaching that silky consistency is key for easy dipping. I had to re-heat my chocolate several times whenever it started to thicken up.

- The ones that you mess up dipping are perfect for covering in nuts! Or eating immediately : )

Ending this post with Nick's colorful fruit & yogurt bowl...quite yummy even though I'm not the biggest fan of yogurt from some childhood trauma. My mom and grandparents LOVE making their own yogurt (which my friends eventually lovingly dubbed "couch yogurt"). This involves an incubation process at a lukewarm temperature, which they found the living room couch with all its cushions and throw blankets to be the perfect vehicle for. One too many times I tiredly plopped my butt on the sofa only to find a yogurty surprise underneath...