Overtime Casual Dress

Simple simple simple. That was the key word for last week's outfit. I knew I wanted to wear a very busy, large necklace so I knew the rest of the outfit had to be toned down. I also chose to play with proportions since I usually stick to either a loose top and fitted bottom or vice versa. The blues in the top bring out the blues in the necklace which is a nice touch. Do you guys have any rules you go by for playing with proportions or trying to keep the outfit simple yet put-together?

 Not sure the billowy sleeves do anything to help my figure but they are SO comfortable!

 Such a pretty statement necklace. It reminds me of a dream catcher and I have a hard time saying no to all things dream catcher- like.

Random cute shot I got of my precious maltipoo. I melt when I see that face... :)

Top: F21
Tank: F21
Pants: H & M
Shoes: Nordstrom Rack
Necklace: F21

BBQ Goodness

My mouth starts to water just from looking at these photos... I just finished lunch but I might be up for a lil more. Crossroads BBQ in Culver City CA is definitely a unique place given that you can order from either the BBQ restaurant or the mexican restaurant. Seating in either restuarant will give you the chance to order from either menu. Oh what difficult life choices to make....

My friend's GINORMOUS taco plate and sides. Fries and Mac & Cheese.

Pulled Pork, beef, hush puppies and mac & cheese. Drool.....

Crossroads BBQ

2927 S Sepulveda Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90064

Rethinking Pinstripes

     Hmmm... definitely not a favorite outfit. In fact I think that these pictures made me realize just how unflattering this skirt is. It sits a little lower than my natural waist, is too long for me and flares out just at the bottom portion and so my hips are emphasized. Definitely will have to toss this skirt into the donate pile. No worries though.. the bigger the donate pile the more room my closet will have for lovely new finds. :)
     Besides the skirt, I love everything else about the outfit. The color of the sheer top, the comfy leather ballet flats and my new favorite leaf ring given to me as a gift from my bestie! Come to think of it, if I swap out the skirt for a pair of jeans I will have a comfy new outfit for the weekend. :)

 Since the skirt sits right below my natural waist, it emphasizes my midsection. Not very flattering. I find that I need skirts to either sit at my natural waist (the smallest part of your misection), or at the top of the hips (usually an inch or so below the belly button). I would love to know what rules other people go by when it comes to the fit of a skirt? :)

Top, belt: F21
Necklace: Rosebowl Flea Market
Skirt: Ross
Flats: Nordstrom Rack

Mint Condition

     My new FAVORITE dress. It's a lace, minty green, flattering dress. What's not to like? I wore this to a family dinner where we were celebrating a new addition to our extended family! This dress also has a bit of give so that I can actually eat! Score! I paired this dress with a black trenchcoat and vintage pin. I decided to lighten the outfit up a bit with some neutral accessories and shoes. I will definitely be wearing this dress again and soon!

 Not much other jewelry was needed for such a pretty dress.

I opted for simple gold earrings since the dress had it's own "bling".

 A sweetheart neckline, rhinestones, lace and satin. Doesn't get any girlier than this.

 A closer shot of the lace and pale purplish gray lining underneath. The details in this dress are amazing.

My trusty Kate Spade purse and vintage scarf.

 A new vintage find from a store in Long Beach. Forgot the name!

 Shoes with bows and a heel of gold...

Drool...

Dress: Covenant Garden
Earrings: Francesca's
Shoes: Payless
Purse: Kate Spade
Scarf: American Vintage
Coat: H & M
Pin: Vintage
Belt: Foreign Exchange

Yellow Scarves and Zoo Animals

     This outfit was COMFORTABLE. I was dressing for work and wanted to use my newish yellow scarf. This scarf is newish because I've had it for a while. I just forgot about it since I tucked it deep into the back of a drawer. oops. It's such a bright "highlighter" yellow that I thought the only way to complement it would be with a shirt covered in neon zoo animals. I was wearing mostly black but the neon pops of color definitely made it a little more interesting for me. Don't you think?

     Now I'm off to find some animal crakcers... preferably not neon but I'll take what I can get. :)

I used one of those "sock" things to put my hair into a clean bun... it's as clean as possible and I may have forgotten the hairspray.

This new necklace is very cute but tangles up constantly. I felt like I was untying my shoelaces every ten minutes.

Alright this is not me but I wanted to include my maltipoo in his adorable onesie and sweater.

LOOK AT THAT FACE!! ugh...

Cardigan, Necklace, Scarf: F21

Earrings: Anthropologie

Top: Covenant Garden, Boutique in the Culver City Mall

Pants: Ross

Shoes: Nordstrom Rack

Hair Sock: Chinatown

~ These Are a Few of My Favorite Things ~

Currently can't get enough of these things... sigh*

d.Ra clothing has such a simple, clean, comfortable look that is still so stylish. ugh...  

 mmmm... taffy.

 Lattes with a bestie. A heart and .... hmmm... ?

 Who DOESN"T need a smores rack?!

 A lovely and very rad blog I recently discovered.

I LOVE this picture of the couple running the blog.

They travel everywhere in their winnebago and run a little

Etsy shop shelling beeswax candles that are uber uber cool.

 Frankie magazine. It has such beautiful artwork, photography, design and fashion tidbits. Super inspiring. I just wish its pricepoint was a little more within my range. bummer. Guess I'll just have to be an admirer from afar. Peep the pictures below for a little peek into their mag.

Have a Happy Weekend!!! :) 

Houndstooth Shift

     One of my go to outfits for days I am fashionably uninspired and tired. The tights were more for warmth than for creating a contrasting pattern but I like the outcome. These flats have been resoled and are definitely one of the comfiest shoes I own. Since this shift looks like a maternity dress on me I had to belt it to save myself the time of answering that I do not have a due-date and am not expecting at all. Even though I am not totally in love with this outfit I'm sure it'll repeated another time due to it's ease and comfort.
     What can I say? Sometimes you just need to take the quickest easiest route. I need time to do the important stuff like packing a ham & cheese sandwich for lunch. Lunch is vital.

Dress: H & M

Belt: Thrifted

Tights: Target

Shoes: BCBG via Nordstrom Rack

Earrings: Anthropologie

Vday at the Office

     Woops. Forgot to wish everyone a Happy Valentine's Day. Happy BELATED Valentine's Day!! I'm going to go buy some flowers today since they should be cheaper and only a day old... I'd like to think of it as being cheap budget savvy. Uh huh.
     This vintage dress I wore was definitely very RED and had a sheen to it so I knew it had to be paired with toned down accessories. Simple heart earrings, a black belt and shoes completed my outfit. Oh I should mention that the dress is just a tad big but nothing a belt couldn't fix! :)

I love the bow at the neck. Instant cuteness.

Sorry the lighting is so poor. These earrings are "bedazzled" on the lower half of the heart.

Here's a closer shot of the texture and sheen on the dress.

In case you were wondering.

My maltipoo dropped this toy by my feet while I was taking outfit photos.

I think he was trying to tell me to hurry up and come play.

Dress: Vintage
Belt: From another dress
Shoes: F21
Earrings: Gift
Dragon: Petco

Wide-Leg Trousers

   Wide-leg trousers. In my opinion, a hot topic. Why do you ask? Probably because if done right they're not only super chic, they're super comfy. Yes. Chic and comfy does exist.. on rare occasions. Although I don them in this latest outfit post I think I can do better. Being able to step back and look at a photo of me wearing a pair I thought was chic definitely reminded me that I need better fitting trousers. They are definitely a little too big on me. BUT... I was so comfortable I probably forgot about the ill fit. :)

Some of the pointers I'm keeping in mind on my continual hunt for chic wide-leg trousers is:
1. Fit's well from the waist through the uppermost portion of the thighs.
2. A fabric that does not wrinkle easily
3. Minimal pockets on the front and back to continue a smooth, sleek line through the pant (elongating legs?)

Does anyone else have suggestions for finding the perfect wide-leg trouser?

Top: Anthropologie
Pants: Ross
Belt: F21
Shoes: Steve Madden
Necklaces: RoseBowl Flea Market, F21