Score! Going for a Little Dip

I'm still away on vacation but should be back very soon. I may or may not be wearing one of these, but either way, I'm soaking up some sun.


Scored this Shoshanna bikini for $20!!!! In what world do both pieces ever cost that much? I was very excited to find this because she makes swimwear that goes by cup size (underwire is an essential component for those of us with a bit extra up top). Check out her swimwear for a discount on Bluefly.

So Easy A Cavewoman Can Do It!!!

Thanks to the very talented and stylish Linda of the Little Tin Soldier blog, I have had the instructions on how to create a simple and cute skirt. Now I have to confess that my sewing skills are quite rusty (I took a beginners class ages ago, so many I can probably count on two hands) and I don't have a working sewing machine (broke the needle when I got ambitious with denim), so this was all hand-sewn. I can barely get a straight line going with a ruler, so these stitches are in no way straight, but I used this left-over fabric to make a practice skirt.

Look what I can do!!! Now the bad news is that I can't wear this skirt. I made the waist too big, the stitches need to be straighter and I'm not crazy about this fabric. But this was practice and I know it is quite possible to create one. Check out Linda for illustrations on how to properly do it and I'll definitely showcase another skirt in the future once I work out the kinks.

Outfit of the Day- Button to the Top

I have to keep this post nice and short as I'm knee-deep in packing. Although I am 80% done, there are still lots of little things to remember. Who wants to be hundreds of miles away from home and realize that they forgot underwear, the curling iron, or their Visa? Not that I have done any of those things, but I want to make sure that it definitely doesn't happen before my brain is done for the evening.

This dress is one of my rarely worn pieces, but for some reason I can't get rid of it. I feel like such a traitor if I dare think to part with something from one of my favorite designers, Marc Jacobs. I thought it would be the perfect companion to these shoes (which suck by the way, just say no to strappy shoes that cut into your foot) and my new purse! As much as I would love the highly coveted Mulberry Alexa, my Forever 21 version will have to do until $1000 magically appears in my wallet. Does anyone know the whereabouts of the magical purse fairy?

P.S. Please excuse the fact that I am a wrinkle monster. This was after a very long day filled with lots of sitting.

Outfit Details:

Grey dress- Marc Jacobs

Pink heels- Seychelles

Blue turnlock bag- Forever 21

Blue studded bracelet- Hollywood Intuition for Target

Digital watch and crocodile ring- Forever 21

Outfit of the Day- Monday Blues

Coming up with today's outfit was an exercise in discovering the holes in my wardrobe (gray shoes, cuter blue shoes, a new striped shirt, etc., etc). I was seriously on the verge of having way too many colors all in an effort to make sure I got to wear this purse (I just didn't want to change my purse from yesterday). And so began my case of the Mondays, but even the beginning of the week couldn't keep a smile off my face. I'll be heading down south to warm weather and palm trees in just a few days. This vacation is long overdue!!

Outfit Details:

Gray/white striped top- J Crew

Navy cotton pants- J Crew outlet

Metal necklace and orange bracelets- Hollywood Intuition for Target

Orange belt- Target

Navy patent heels- Pour La Victoire

Blue with orange trim handbag- Rebecca Minkoff Morning After Clutch

Outfit of the Day- Romping Around

I've always been hesitant to try out the romper/jumper trend. It seems like something that would be out of style in a second and it is hard to pull off for most women. I kind of hesitated when I came upon this when I saw it on the racks and then thought what the heck as I took it to the dressing room. Surprise, surprise, I actually liked it. The material gives it a much dressier vibe and despite the fact that my boyfriend kept teasing me about wearing my onesie all day, I still look forward to wearing it again in this super hot summer heat.

Topping off the afternoon with my absolute favorite, cupcakes!!!

(Banana split & chocolate dipped peanut butter)

Outfit Details:

Black romper- Forever 21

Black studded sandals- Cynthia Vincent for Target

Black metal bracelets- Accessories & Beyond (via Shopbop)

Gold watch- Nixon

Red studded bracelet- NYC street vendor

Black studded bracelet- Hollywood Intuition for Target

Black/white giraffe bracelet- Forever 21

Outfit of the Day- 1 Spot, 2 Spot, 3 Spot, More!

I saw this top in TJ Maxx over a month ago and thought "OMG, somebody is knocking off J Crew" and then I proceeded to buy it, lol. I've been trying to add more tops, prints, and things with interesting details to my wardrobe and this fit all three criteria. Even though I was this close to returning it (missed the return deadline by a couple of days), I'm glad it is staying because there is something about a ruffle that makes an outfit fun.

Outfit Details:

White/black dot ruffle tank- ??? (via TJ Maxx)

Black crop pants- Zara

Initial disc necklace- Leila (via Revolve Clothing)

Pink patent belt- J Crew

Black sandals- Zara

Outfit of the Day- We Are Over!

I decided to have another date with my linen shorts and we both discovered that this relationship is just not going to work. I thought I came prepared by working in my new drapey cardigan from Forever 21 to do some camouflage action, but nope. These shorts are now destined to spend some time at the bottom of my drawer until next summer when I'll cry about needing shorts, discover them again, and start the linen hate cycle all over.

Can I just rant about how much sunblock sucks. This is me making a face when I discovered the white film all over my legs from that stupid lotion. Why can't these sunblock companies get it right?

Fresh out the door in the morning and the wrinkles started already!!

Outfit Details:

White tank- Gap

Purple drape cardigan- Forever 21

Tan linen shorts- Banana Republic (secondhand)

Yellow belt- Forever 21

Handbag- Louis Vuitton (secondhand)

Tan woven sandals- Belle by Sigerson Morrison

Outfit of the Day- Back to the Maxi

I have never been accustomed to having a huge amount of closet space. I grew up in an older house and apparently walk-ins or space for shoes and bags weren't huge concerns for the girls of yesteryear. I actually got an upgrade in space when I went off to college and over the years have enjoyed increases in rack size throughout the years, but I am by no means invoking envy from Mariah Carey or Carrie Bradshaw at this point. I generally know what's in my closet since I have only so much in there (my dresser drawers on the other hand are a different story), so it was quite a surprise to me that I found something hiding in there that I totally forgot about. I bought this maxi dress last year and was reminded of the ease of putting on a dress when I threw it on in joy of solving the dilemma of what to wear. I evoked a bit of boho style with a few layered necklaces, a woven belt and a braid.
Yesterday, I continued to go back to the past by enjoying a bit of the 80's with an outdoor, sunset movie. Up on the screen this week was Back to the Future and considering how long it has been since I've seen it, I kind of felt like I was watching something new. And I was quite surprised at the amount of cursing, lol. I'm really looking forward to next week when they'll show Gremlins.

Outfit Details:

Black maxi dress- Forever 21

Tan woven belt- H&M

Tan wedges- Cynthia Vincent for Target

Orange handbag- Rebecca Minkoff Morning After Mini

Necklaces- Leaf (shorter), Forever 21; Giraffe (longer), J Crew Outlet

Outfit of the Day- I'm Going to Outshine You Sun

Yay, it's Friday! Let's all cheer!! I would have made the worst cheerleader, my kick needs much work. I tried to shine as bright as the sun today, but I was a few points short. I couldn't match that intensity and warmth. And it meant serious business, I swear I produced gallons of sweat today (yuck!).
I hope you all have a great weekend. Get out and do something fun. I'm hoping my weekend includes a cold drink and some outdoor movie time.

I love the retro-ness of these shoes

Outfit Details:

Yellow draped blouse- Zara

Denim jeans- J Brand

Tan shoes- Miu Miu

Tan bag- Miu Miu

Outfit of the Day- Lazy Days of Summer

Although today was a good day in some aspects (payday!), I desperately want to fast-forward to the weekend. I realized that summer is almost approaching third base. How did it all go by so quickly? So, I want to spend the rest of my time grumbling about the hot weather, enjoying all of the wonderful fruits in season, indulging in the icy summer treats and soaking in the lazy days and sunshine.

Outfit Details:

White/pink button down- J Crew

Brown ankle pants- Robert Rodriguez

Turquoise flats- Hollywould

Pink studded belt- Matthew Williamson for H&M

Gold feather necklace- Hazel & Harlow (via Hautelook), available here

Outfit of the Day- Hearts & Pearls

Pearls usually conjure up the image of ladies who lunch or the preppy set for me and I have a much more relaxed style. Yet when I saw these in the store, I felt compelled to buy them not only for a touch of class every now and then, but also because of the length. Chunky, layered makes noise when you move kind of jewelry is just my cup of tea. For the sake of the co-workers who sit near me, I try to keep it to a minimum. But today, I clacked all through the office. :)

Channeling some Charlie's Angels with a little Farrah Fawcett-esque flip

Just a hint of other jewelry to let the necklace have the show

You guys like my little Corvette? (LOL, definitely not mine, but I'm working my way up to that)

Outfit Details:

Green tee- Nordstrom (B.P.)

Black cotton blazer- The Limited

Gray pants- ??

Pearls- Marc by Marc Jacobs (NYC Accessories store)

Silver heart ring- Adina Reyter (via Hautelook)

Black quilted flats- Scoop NYC

Black bag- Foley + Corinna City Tote

Outfit of the (Sun)Day-Stripes Up High

These pictures were taken on Sunday when the sun was nice and bright. There is nothing more that I hate than to wash, blow-dry and curl my hair and it is even worse when the weather is hot. I decided to let my hair out and use the sun as my dryer. I can't say how it ranks next to a T3 or Conair, but the less heat I subject my hair to and the less time I spend tiring out my arms, the better. Gives me more time to enjoy the outdoors!

Outfit Details:

Blue sleeveless top- Mexx

Denim jeans- Joe's Jeans

White canvas bag- Forever 21

Striped scarf- Arden B

Tan bracelets- J Crew and gifted

Sunglasses- Ray-Ban

Tan wedges- Cynthia Vincent for Target