Fashion Friday: Cute Flats!

Happy Friday everyone!

It always seems like Fridays can't come fast enough but for me, that was especially true because it was my last week of classes! Next week is finals week and after that, I have a few days to breathe before I start summer classes. What better way to celebrate than to show you a pair of flats I had been dieing for for the LONGEST time? I picked these up from Fabco shoe store for $21.99:



I haven't worn these yet, but I've wanted an affordable pair of beige ballerina style flats with a black toe for soooo long. When I saw them at Fabco, I literally pounced on them and picked up the very last pair! I checked the website for you guys in case any of you were interested, and it seems like you can't shop for Fabco online, so I found two websites- one with similar styles that are high end, and my other cost effective alternative- Payless!

Click here for a bunch of higher end flats and here to snatch up the Payless ones!

Have a great weekend!

Fashion Friday: Cuffs

Since I have freakishly small wrists, I can never wear bangles or cuffs because they will literally slide right off my hand or go flying and possible injure someone if I gesticulate wildly as I often do. I absolutely love the way cuffs look, and I have been able to find some small ones that fit me nicely. Here are my favorites:

Gold: Charlotte Russe, Silver: Charlotte Russe, Rose Gold: local boutique

I love that while these will jazz up any outfit, they're sleek, simple, and elegant.

How do you feel about cuffs? Where do you shop for your favorites?

Fashion Friday: Fashion Don'ts

Happy Friday everyone! When it comes to fashion, I consider myself in the "classic" camp because those are the types of clothing I tend to gravitate toward. However, I often see things that look great on other people but I wouldn't necessarily rock myself. There are also some fashion trends that I just can't see eye to eye with. Therefore, the topic of today's post will be my personal fashion don'ts.

(1) The "mullet" dress

Side note: I absolutely love Jessica Alba but the dress? Questionable. Maybe if the hems weren't so extreme...?

Image credit: Google

(2) Shredded jeans
I think lightly distressed jeans are cute. They add an easy, low-key vibe to your look. When they are excessively shredded (like the first pair below) it just looks sloppy and unkempt.

Image credit: Google

(3) Cat print... anything

I love animal print- especially leopard in small doses. Lately, I've been seeing a lot of cat print on various clothing items and it's a trend I just can't get behind.

Image credit: Google

(4) Weird print on tights

I like tights from time to time. However, there are some crazy prints out there that should've stayed in the '80's where they belong!

Image credit: Google

What are some of your fashion don'ts?

Fashion Friday: Ray Ban Aviators

I've never owned a high end pair of sunglasses before and frankly, I don't wear sunglasses that often. When I saw these, they melted my heart.. and my resolve. They are the perfect size for my face (I don't look like a fly like I usually do when I wear HUGE sunglasses) and they are just girly enough.
They are the RayBan Aviators in Golden Orange #0RB3025

I love that the lenses are pink, orange and gold. Here I am trying to look ultra badass with them on:

I love aviators as they suit so many face shapes and flatter almost anyone. What are your favorite sunglasses styles? Do you think you'll try something new this summer?

Fashion Friday: Stackable Rings

We finally made it to the weekend! For today's Fashion Friday, I'm bringing the focus back to jewelry. It was my sister's birthday yesterday (Happy Birthday, Vanessa!!!!!)



Image credit: globalanimal.org

So I went to Coach to pick her up a nice bangle. But... you know... if I'm going to get her something nice, and I'm already there, a *small* present for myself wouldn't be too bad right?

These stackable rings caught my eye:

 

It's called the sterling hammered rings set, and it can be found here.

I love the way it makes my hands look slim and elegant, here are some of the ways I like to rock 'em.

Have a great weekend!

What styles of rings are you loving right now?

Fashion Friday: OOTD

Hey all! We made it to Friday- yay!!! Today's post is the outfit I wore today- including some new things I picked up from H&M this week:

I wore:

(1) a cream-colored tunic from H&M - I picked up a size bigger so it would cover my bum when I wore it with leggings

(2) a rose-gold braided belt (also from H&M)

(3) black pair of leggings

(4) black cardigan

(5) nude flats

All H&M items can be found here. I'm loving diaphanous comfy tops and layering right now. Plus, I absolutely cannot live without black leggings or my cardigans. I wear them SO much- they just never get old for me. Do you have any staple items you can't live without?

Fashion... Monday

Hey guys! On Friday, I posted about different ways to wear scarves for spring. I'm not sure what happened, but it was brought to my attention that the usual Fashion Friday post was not there. When I checked, sure enough it was gone. So my apologies to you! So instead of a Fashion Friday, we'll kick the week off right with a Fashion Monday.
As I mentioned, this post is about the different ways to wear a scarf. I love to wear scarves into spring just because the weather fluctuates so much- it may be warm throughout the way and then get super cold at night- so its great to either wear as a functional accessory or toss in your bag.
So here are my favorite ways to wear them.

First up, the classic, easy loop around your neck:

Here's a bit of a fancier way to wear the loop around the neck. All you have to do is weave the loose ends around the looped bit and it looks like a braid:

Next is the infinity scarf look- for this one you loop the scarf around your neck and tuck the ends in:

Or you can leave the ends loose for a different look:

I look angry in this picture because I clearly need a hair brush!

What are your favorite ways to wear scarves?

Fashion Friday: Structured Bags

For the past few months, I have been using my giant Longchamps tote for everything. It's black and brown so it matches with everything and its so huge I can literally fit my whole life in it. I call it my Mary Poppins bag. However, for times when I want to look more put together, I opt for a more structured style- in black of course.
I picked this little number up at Strawberry's (originally $70, reduced to $39.99- yay bargains!) Its from a brand called Midoni:

I love this style for work, meetings, you name it. Plus, the faux leather is feels much more expensive than it actually is. It would also make a really cute laptop bag and the inside has several compartments which keeps all your stuff in order which is great for people like me- my bag is the land of no return.
Speaking of the inside, its got a really cute silver and black lace pattern which is very chic

Overall, I think this bag is a great find. It's an inexpensive way to channel the fashion greats such as Victoria Beckham and makes your outfit look smart and put together.

Image credit: Google

What kinds of bags are you loving right now?

Fashion Friday: Spike Studded Ballet Flats

As the weather is getting warmer, I can no longer turn to my go-to winter footwear- Uggs. Instead, I've been gravitating toward chic flats. I picked these up at Strawberrys Clothing store. I don't remember exactly how much I paid for them, but I believe it was between $20-$25:

These are the "Pewter" style, which describes the color perfectly because they're a warm type of silver (read: neutral). I love that they're a classic, comfortable style but the front is spiky, glam, and edgy all at once.
 Here's a closer look:

I used the flash because the lighting didn't pick up the contrast of the studs and spikes (which are a gunmetal color). I wear these with jeans and they look great, but my favorite way to wear them at the moment is with leggings and a slouchy top. It makes a no-brainer outfit look put together and modern.
If you'd like to order them, you can find them here. I suggest you order half a size- a size larger than you typically are because when I was trying them on in the store, I noticed that these tend to run small.

Are you also gravitating toward ballet flats for spring? Tell me what your favorite styles are!

Fashion Friday: Statement Earrings

Though I'm still on my dainty jewelry kick, I've been gravitating towards more bold pieces as the weather becomes warmer. I feel like statement jewelry, especially earrings, are an easy way to make an outfit more interesting. These are a few of the earrings I've been loving lately:

All of these earrings are classic styles, extremely versatile and best of all, under $10!

These are from Forever 21. I love the fact that they're a gunmetal color and have the chains dangling from them. These will add edge to any outfit and would look really pretty with a casual top knot.

These are also from Forever 21. The intricate style, gold plating, and dangling beads evoke a more Arabic- inspired style. Also love the dressiness of this style.

The classic hoop. These will literally work with ANY outfit. The size is right in between- large enough for the notice-me factor, but not obnoxiously large.

My favorite of the bunch. I love love LOVE these. They are so gorgeous and sparkly- like the classic hoop style kicked up a couple of notches! This style adds instant glam and gives off the appearance of being put together- even when we are not... hence the reason why I have been wearing them all week!

What statement pieces have caught your eye for spring?

Fashion Friday: Rose Gold

My favorite type of jewelery is hands down rose gold. A perfect blend of pinky-gold, it warms up any skin tones and makes you looks glowy. I've been loving it on daintier pieces (like my heart charm necklace) and on bolder pieces like this Michael Kors watch

Rose gold is also functional as a neutral and can add a pretty, subtle pop of color to an outfit, or compliment the metallic trend that's also coming up for spring.
What I also like about this watch is that its a classic style that goes with anything. Its also bolder than some of the watches I wear and even though it looks HUGE against my tiny wrist, I kind of like it

The rhinestones around the face also up the glam factor without being over the top or in your face.


What's your take on rose gold? Love it? Hate it?

Fashion Friday- Jewelry Unboxing!

While browsing around on Etsy, I came across an image of a delicate silver infinity ring that I absolutely fell in love with.

Image credit: Indulgent Designs

Still on my dainty jewelry kick, I figured at $21.00 and only $3.50 for shipping,  I couldn't go wrong. I got the ring in the mail only after a few days and couldn't wait to open it!

I tore into the package....

It came with a little round tin and a shiny golden envelope...

The ring was packaged beautifully in the tin. As you can see from the picture below, under the pink tissue paper there is some crumpled up cellophane so the ring doesn't go bouncing around...

I thought that the printed tissue paper was a really cute touch:

Couldn't wait to try it on-- perfect fit! It looks exactly like it does in the picture on the site, except in real life it's much more delicate. I really love that she makes each ring as a custom order too. She will also make above the knuckle rings if you specify the size you need.

And lastly, the seller, Laura, was really sweet and included a hand written thank you note:

I had an AMAZING experience with this seller. She was really sweet and friendly- she e-mailed me when she received my order, when it was being made, when she shipped it out. She also advised that it would take 7-10 business days but it came in only 4!

I definitely suggest you check out her jewelry- its all hand made, very reasonably priced, and you can expect beyond amazing customer service with her. Check out her jewelry here.

What do you think of infinity rings? Have you ever order jewelry from etsy?

Fashion Friday: Jewelry Edition

For this installment of Fashion Friday, I wanted to show you a trend I'm all over- dainty jewelry. After a fall and winter of bold statement pieces, I find myself gravitating toward more delicate items. At the moment, I'm layering two necklaces:

One is a vintage heart charm given to me by my sister for Valentine's Day (cue loud awwwwww-ing!) and the second is a Tiffany's double heart tag set in silver and rose gold which you can find here.

A closer look:

I'm also loving rose gold because it warms up the skin and looks great on everyone.

What types of jewelry are you loving lately?

Fashion Trend Friday!!

Hey all! This is the second installment for Fashion Trend Friday and will be all about things currently in my online shopping carts!

(1) Liquid Leggings. I love these. They spice up boring outfits, look great for nighttime and add edge to any outfit. Love. The ones below are from target and retail for $24.99

Image credit: target.com

(2) Fur vest. Like the liquid leggings, they add oomph to any outfit. I like the bigger black and grey ones. Faux of course! This one is from Michael Kors and goes for $103.99 on sale from $175.00. The price is a bit more than I'd like to pay for, but I'm sure there are similar styles that are much more affordable.

Image credit: zappos.com

(3) Colored denim. I've seen jeans in a rainbow of colors, but my favorites right now are indigo/cobalt blue, and true red. The indigo is especially great for those who are easing into the trend, or are not as comfortable with some of the other colors out there, like lime green or yellow. Below, the blue ones are from New York & Company and go for $59.85 while the red ones are from Charlotte Russe and retail for $29.99.

Image credit: nyandcompany.com

Image credit: charlotterusse.com

(4) Fitted leather jackets. I love the way they look with more feminine clothing, a jeans and a tee, basically anything! This is a great versatile piece that is also functional for getting through the last bits of winter. Push up the sleeves for extra points! The one below is from BeBe and is $149.00

Image credit: bebe.com

Have you jumped onto the bandwagon for any of these trends? What other trends would you like to try?

Fashion Trend Friday!

Hey everyone! Today I'm starting a new series, Fashion Trend Friday, where I'll talk about my favorite up-and-coming fashion trends. First on the agenda, spring trends.



Spring trends mood board

 In my office, I have a bulletin board where I cut out pictures in magazines that inspire me. It can be anything from a makeup look, a hairstyle, an outfit, a shoe, a celebrity, ad campaign... you get the idea lol :) For this spring, I noticed some definite trends.
1) Flower print anything. Scarves, dresses, bags, maybe a cute pair of flats? Flowers are definitely in.
2)Ikat and tribal prints. Looks especially good on short dresses, sweaters or cardigans
3)Stacked chunky-heeled booties. Dresses up any outfit and balances our other ultra feminine spring trends like pastels, chiffon, or ruffles.
4) Brights. Looks great as a single pop of color, like the cute flats on my mood board and livens up outfits you may already have in heavy rotation.
5)Blazers. The perennial classic is hot for spring in both longer and more fitted styles. It can dress up or down any outfit.
6) Fitted black leather jacket. Looks incredibly chic when worn with a dress or a great pair of dark-wash skinny jeans.
7) Fur vests. Still going strong from a few seasons ago. Love the way they look with a casual outfit (as seen on Jennifer Lopez and with cute dresses like Rachel Zoe)
8) Nails as accessories. My favorite looks for spring are bright pastels like the yellow on my mood board, or intense teals. Galaxy nails (where multiple glittery/shimmer polish shades are sponged onto a black background) are also having a moment. Its really a very easy manicure and looks like you've put tons of effort into it, even when you haven't!
9) Big, high buns. Made popular on the Chanel runways, this interesting take on the classic ballerina bun is both put together and sexy.
10)Liquid/leather leggings. Like the blazer, it can instantly glam up an outfit that might otherwise be boring. If you're feeling extra dangerous (lol) try combining a few of these trends and wear liquid leggings with a cute bootie and a blazer!

What are your favorite spring trends?