Spring 2016 Inspiration

With spring right around the corner, I wanted to create an inspiration board of what I’m currently loving or lusting over for spring.

My inspiration for the upcoming season has come in many forms, via feminine florals; bright and fresh scented candles; chunky, heeled sandals; dainty gold accessories in the hair & around the ankles; bandanas & baseball caps as fun, punchy ways to perk up an outfit; and long (but light) cardigans to throw over nearly any outfit.

1. Longline Cardigan

2. Colorful Bandana Scarf

3. Rose Print Romper

4. Striped Baseball Cap

5. Jo Malone Nectarine Blossom & Honey Candle

6. Delicate Gold Hair Pin

7. Chunky-Heeled Sandals

8. Gold Chain Anklet

[Disclaimer: I did not take these pictures. All images were taken from company websites via Google Images]

Favorite Fall Hat

Every once in a while, an item comes along, that is so inexpensive, and so easy to wear, that you wish you had bought duplicates, in case said item gets ruined or goes missing. This hat is one of those items.

I bought this hat on a whim at Forever 21, and am still in awe of how much wear I’ve already gotten out of it — especially since it came in under the $15 mark.

I’d be lying if I said it was the “best quality for the price”, but to be honest, it does exactly what I want it to doL  and it really was a bargain.

I’m in San Diego, and so we don’t really get to enjoy much seasonal weather, but luckily my family has a cabin up in Big Bear that we venture up to, in order to experience real fall.

Both times I’ve gone to Big Bear this season, I wore this hat, and found it to be the perfect finishing touch on an otherwise basic outfit.

My boyfriend calls it my “Indiana Jones hat”, and I’m actually 100% okay with that.

Fall Fashion Favorites

I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t totally enthralled with all things 70’s-inspired in stores right now.

Fringe. Suede. Jewel Tones. Busy Prints. Jumpsuits. Chunky Heels. Patchwork.

I am on board with all of it, although I am doing everything I can to be somewhat particular about what I choose to invest in. For example, so far this season I’ve invested in a nice(er) pair of boots (see below), and a few flashy, lower-price items (i.e. faux-suede shift dress & a oxblood overall-inspired dress).

I thought I would do a round up of a few other things I’m lusting over this fall season (see my other round ups here, here, here and here), as a way to realize what aspects of the trend I like best.

1. Handmade Waistcoat: Zara

2. Jacquard Set: Zara

3. Suede Dress: Zara

4. Wide-Sleeve Sweater: Forever 21

5.Suede Jacket: Forever 21

6. Loose Fitting Floral Jumpsuit: Zara

7. Leather Boots: Zara

8. Printed Blouse: Zara

** No, this post is not sponsored by Zara, I just happen to love everything they’re doing for this fall! **

** All images used for this post were found on Google Search or on the brand website **

Buffalo Plaid

Not only do I love this time of year because of all of the holidays and festivity, but I also love the clothing and trends related to the fall/winter seasons.

My favorite this year: buffalo plaid

..Or buffalo check, whichever you prefer..

This print is nothing new or ground-breaking, but I absolutely will forever and always love the look it gives. I think it provides the perfect amount of that lived-in, lumberjack grudge, while still feeling (and looking) ultra festive and winter wonderland-esque. I also think that when styled correctly, it ties in really well with feminine flare (see skirt below). Oh, and did I mention how much I love it on home furnishings too??

What can I say, I’m somewhat obsessed.

With all this in mind, here is a small compilation of a few bits and pieces of buffalo plaid that I’m totally loving this holiday season.

1. This skirt couldn’t be any more darling.

2. Love the idea of tossing this throw blanket over a dark leather couch.

3. Madewell does it right with this classic print in a classic shape.

4. I love the idea of this collarless coat paired with a white tank, boyfriend jeans, and black pumps.

5. The sweetest mini appetizer plates, perfect for festive dinner parties/gatherings.

 

Fall Inspiration

Fall: the best season for fashion… if you ask me.

I love everything about fall, from the chunky knits and boots, to the warm, spiced drinks and all of the anticipation for the holidays to follow.

I thought I would create a small inspiration board of a few of my favorite things about the fall related to fashion, beauty, and home. Some of these things I own, and some I lust for!

I hope that this brings you some excitement and inspiration for the upcoming fall season!

1. A deep, warm, woodsy candle.

2. I always love tartan… always — especially in the form of a scarf.

3. Perfect camel booties with a slight heel, and perfect ankle height.

4. I plan to layer boy-ish sweaters  on top of a crisp button-up.

5. A fun pair of socks to pair with booties and a skirt.

6. A nude lip color from this collection with thick winged liner = perfect for fall.

7. Amazing autumn-to-winter mugs.

** I’m thinking I’ll do a similar post for this winter as well, let me know what you think!

The Wedge Sandal

I used to be completely adverse to kitten heels, until I bought my first pair of wedge sandals with just the tiniest wedge. It’s safe to say that I have since been converted, and am now a loyal fan of the subdued, understated lift they provide. They are just as easily dressed down with jean shorts and a tank as they are dressed up with a dress or black skinnies. I also love them because they are just as comfortable as flat sandals, but are consistently more flattering.

I have several different pairs now, and I can safely say they’ve been my most worn shoes lately. Because I’ve been on such a kick, I thought I would compile a round-up of a few great options for wedge sandals that are currently available in stores, at all different price points.

1. Steve Madden ($53.56)

2. H&M ($29.95) (bought these the other day)

3. Tory Burch ($265.00)

4. Chinese Laundry ($89.95) (I love this pink and camel combo)

5. Target ($29.99)

I hope you like this post & find some inspiration on potential summer sandals for the upcoming months! xx

OOTD

Outfit of the Day (OOTD): a social media phenomenon.

Maybe it’s me being nosy, or maybe it’s simply a great source of inspiration, but I love looking at other people’s OOTD’s. Some people (i.e. Emily Schuman and Blair Eadie) are really great and creative with putting pieces together in the most unique, versatile, and chic ways, and I love looking to them for fresh new trends to try. Inspired by such experts, I have decided to compile some of my own different OOTD’s.

Aside from cringing at my awkward selfies and their not-so-great quality, I really liked making this post and reflecting back on my different looks as of lately.

DIY Cropped Tank

As you may or may not know, I am a huge country music fan, as well as a loyal Stagecoach Country Music Festival-goer. This year marks my 6th year attending, and I swear I’ll go every year for my whole life if I can.  As of today, it is only a few days away, so the prep work is in full force.

Eric Church will be performing on Friday night this year (SO excited!), and I decided I wanted to wear something sort of rock-and-rock/grung-ish for that day. I then got the idea in my head that I really wanted to wear a Coors Light shirt, but couldn’t find any that quite fit my liking.

Insert: DIY Coors Light crop top. I bought this men’s shirt from Target, and turned it into something more girly and weather-appropriate. I love the soft material, and the classic Coors logo – it was exactly what I was looking for, but it needed to be… trimmed. So that’s exactly what I did, I cut it up and turned it into a crop top that’s much more me.

I still need to clean up the edges a bit here and there, but I thought I’d share a few pictures of the before and after. All I used was a pair of scissors, as I wasn’t going for anything too perfect. I am super excited with how it turned out, and seriously can’t wait to wear it. I plan to pair it with a black bikini underneath, some jean shorts, a black belt, and of course, my cowboy boots.

Before…

After…

A few tips:

– Start cutting less first. You can always go back in and cut more here and there, but you definitely can’t go back in and add fabric.

– I recommend trying it on after each cut you make. It looks much different on the floor than it does on your body, so definitely check out the way it fits throughout the process!

– Remember: it does not have to be perfect, that’s the whole point of  homemade! Don’t worry about symmetry and straight lines so much — that’s what gives it character!

** Here is another DIY project I did for Stagecoach a few years back, and I still wear those shorts now! **

Nautical Inspiration

I always have, and always will, have a think for a classic preppy, nautical look. Think: stripes, red & navy, ropes, gold accents, lighthouses, anchors, straw hats, denim, etc.

I feel like whenever spring and summer roll around, the nautical trend is just that much more appealing. I truly don’t think you can go wrong with a red & white striped tee and some jean shorts. So with that in mind, I wanted to make another type of inspiration board, filled with just a few simple pieces in my closet that are reminiscent of the nautical look that I think is just perfect for this time of year.

1. A light scarf for summer with a fun anchor print.

2. & 3. Big, chunky gold necklaces to dress up a casual t-shirt.

4. A striped crop top that looks just as fun with jean shorts as it does with black high-waisted pants from here.

5. Perfect nautical-esque maxi beach cover-up from here.

6. Nine West wedges with rope & gold details.

7. Kate Spade wallet — classic & chic, yet playful enough to throw in a canvas tote.

8. A sheer, loose blouse with a playful, sailor-inspired bow from here.

Cute New Suits

For several months now, San Diego has had [pretty] consistently warm weather, with temperatures often in the 70’s.

This type of weather has made me even more anxious and excited for summer to arrive. I’m now anticipating the onset of lazy beach days, country concerts, spontaneous day-cations, and lots of crop tops and flip flops.

As a way of putting the tremendous amount of school work I should be doing out of mind, I wanted to share several of my favorite swim picks for this year – whether it be a favorite brand, cut, or color –  for this upcoming summer season.

[These bottoms though… could they be any sweeter?]

[This take on a tankini is way flattering and super practical for anyone who’s active on the beach/in the water (I’m thinking it’d be great for when I go wakeboarding)]

[Love the sporty, sexy look of this brand’s fun range of styles and colors — particularly in ‘Indiana Ice’.]

[Love the ruffles and color on this top, particularly for those of us who are smaller in the chest region.]

[I’m a huge fan of the bandaging and boning of this top (Love it so much, I already own it!).]

* Disclaimer: I did not take any of the above pictures myself – I found them via Google Image Search or on the company website *