Outfit: Leopard print cross & red flats.

leopard cross Dolman top - Urban Outfitters, cardigan & jeans - Old Navy, flats - Wet Seal, earrings - Primark, watch - Target

Apologizes for the dodgy webcam shots today, just felt like blogging!  This tee has been making it's rounds on Youtubers and when i saw it in the UO sale, i had to snatch it up.  I think it's different than the ones i've seen as it is one of those 'one size'/Dolman sleeve/super massive tops, and the other ones seem to be more of a tank top style & a bit more fitted.

The cool weather seems like it is finally here to stay and i couldn't be happier tbh!  I've been wearing a variation of this lately, a cardigan with a top underneath, jeans, and flats/boots.  I'm usually not too adventurous when it comes to jeans & pants - i like to stick to these dark wash skinnies (this is my third pair) and if i'm feeling daring, black jeans haha.  Last year, i would basically only wear leggings so whenever i try to wear them now, i feel like i'm just going back to that time and i cringe a little bit & change into jeans!  I don't know if it's only me, but i've actually gotten rid of so many clothes that remind me of my early (and very cringey) high school years because they just remind me of bad times!

Anyway.... haha.  Overall, this outfit kind of sums up everything i've been loving lately: leopard print, crosses, pops of red, black, watches, and cardigans.  I've been stocking up on sweaters & i can't wait to bring 'em out. :)

♥

Aztec print & hair wraps.

Aztec pullover - Pacsun, cross necklace - thrifted

Just a quick post today...  I got this sweater yesterday - i saw it in the store about a month or two ago, but didn't want to pay $50 it, until i saw it on a customer at work and thought, 'right, that looks so awesome on her, i'm getting it!' and voila, it's mine!  Turns out it was 30% off, so i got this & a t-shirt for around $40 including tax. :)  I tweeted about this already, but i am loving Pacsun.  It has a bit of a reputation as being 'skater' & 'middle school', but i really like it.  I'd say it's more of a laid back & fun style, not chic & sophisticated or anything, but i think it has a little something for everyone.

Faye posted recently (love her blog, it's so gorgeous & girly!) about hair wraps & braids and i was inspired to do a bit of my own!  I followed the tutorial that she linked and although it was a bit hard to get started, it was easy once i got the hang of it.  Since this was the first one i've done, it's not very good!  Next one i do will definitely be in different colors (not really loving the purple + gold combo) and will choose a strand of hair in a different location - this one is in a bit of an awkward spot.  I put a wooden bead with an L on it as well, kinda like it actually!

Had a nice two days off work, not ready to go back tomorrow, haha. :/

Hope you're all well. ♥

♥

Ready for autumn.

top - Ralph Lauren, thrifted

jeans - Old Navy

booties - ALDO

bag - H&M

rosary - Forever 21

nails - Revlon Lilac Pastelle
(Again, these were taken after i came home from a long day at school so my makeup has been trashed & my face is very blah!)

Can you tell i'm ready for autumn to roll in?  Bringing out the plaid, jeans, & leather boots - woop!  Fall is by far my favorite season in terms of weather and i love the clothes you get to wear because of it.  Definitely feel most comfortable when i'm a bit covered up tbh!  I have a feeling i'm going to be living in this outfit in variation.  Love these boots so much, the jeans are amazing, and i do love a bit of plaid flannel shirts.  Bit crazy that just a couple days ago it was 90 degrees & it's been in the 60s-70s the past two days.  Supposed to get back up to around 80 this week, which i am so disappointed with!  Sooo ready for a cold front to come through (bring on the hot chocolate, blankets, & football games!).

I became an Eyeko Embassador yesterday, so if you are ordering anything from Eyeko, definitely go ahead & enter in my code 'E17720' at the checkout!  If you spend over $20/£15/18 euro, you get a free gift. :)  If you're not ordering anything right now but might in the future, go ahead and click the link to Eyeko's website in the sidebar of my blog & my code will automatically be entered.  Just thought i'd add this bit in... sorry for the shameless plug! ;)

P.S. Those of you who do/read outfit posts - how do you title this type of post?/what titles do you prefer?  I never know what or how to name them!  Haha, i would do song lyrics like many people do, but idk.  I suppose i'm just doing whatever atm... so yeah, what do you like to title these posts?

P.P.S. This has been stuck in my head all day; My Body - Young the Giant.
P.P.P.S.  I did a blog post yesterday on my trip out to Versailles, but for some reason it's not showing up on anyone's dashboard, here is the link. <3

♥

Back in the swing of things.

top - H&M, necklace - Forever 21, earrings - Primark, rings - etsy & H&M, bracelets - Primark & various places

(these were taken when i got home so plz excuse my face & unpainted nails ;P)

Today was the first day back at school - a day i've been dreading for months now!  It's sad to think summer is over, it's so hard for me to let good things, like the feeling of complete bliss & freedom (minus work & summer hw) go.  Had so many good times this past summer!  It feels SO strange to be sitting in a classroom again, i did not miss it at all really!  It's so strange to think today was my last first day of high school.  Next year i'll (fingers crossed) be packing up & moving into college dorms.  So crazy to think about - wish time would slow down a bit :'(

We had a late start to school (freshmen had this orientation thing in the morn') so my friends & i went out to breakfast.  I had some super syrupy pancakes, crispy bacon, & some delish cinnamon raisin toast!  I do like a big breakfast :').  It was boiling out today so i just wore one of my new fave tops from H&M, which i tucked the front of into a pair of light wash denim cutoffs (also H&M), i carried around a bright red cardigan from my grandma to cover my shoulders/legs with as our AC system in the school is so dodgy - it's freezing in the morning & fluctuates between hot & cold the rest of the day.

As far as classes go, i'm taking a ton of really different classes in comparison to previous years since we had so many hours to fill each semester.  This semester i'm taking orchestra (if there's one thing i miss about high school, it'll be this class!), AP calculus, anatomy, approaches to critical reading, AP Spanish, world literature, and sociology.  My schedule is pretty good i think & i'm happy to have at least one friend in every class!

Hope everyone else who started school recently is doing okay!  Best of luck everyone, we can make it through this year. ;)

♥

Summer wardrobe.

Quite a while ago, i got a suggestion on Formspring to do a post on my favorite summer clothing items, i quickly got to making a little list, but never took the time to actually take photos.  (Sorry girly!)  Well, i finally got around to doing so.

I didn't exactly pick out my 'favorite summer clothing items' to show you guys, but i wanted to kind of give a little insight into what kind of clothes i've been wearing during these warmer months.  So i split this post into categories based on trends or types of pieces (ie. crop tops, sheer tops, etc.) and picked pieces that i thought did well reflecting each category.  I didn't include accessories or shoes, i might do accessories in a different post, but i didn't do shoes because i've literally been faithful to one or two pairs of shoes & i just wear flip flops by the pool/at the beach!  I did include bags though, because i view those as an essential, just like a shirt or bottoms. :)

My style is generally kind of 'effortless' & not incredibly dressy or anything, so this summer is no different.  I do like to dress up a bit don't get me wrong, but i don't like to look like i've tried too hard.  I also just feel more comfortable in generally more casual clothes.

With that being said, here is a little glimpse of what i've been wearing this summer. ♥

Crop tops

I've been quite liking wearing crop tops this summer, particularly with print or typography on them.  I generally wear longer crop tops as i don't think i can pull off shorter ones!  I typically wear a little cami or tank top under them, like if i'm going to work or something, so my belly's not hanging out (haha, problem area :P).

They look great thrown on with a pair of denim shorts & sandals or flats.

birdcage & 'weekend warrior' tops - Forever 21, triangle print top - thrifted

 Sheer tops

I like wearing sheer tops year round really, but i think they look particularly appropriate during the warmer months.  There's just a romantic and effortless feel to them, making them really easy & comfortable to wear.  For the summer, i like to stick to lighter shades - they just feel more summery & also don't absorb as much light/heat!  Again, these look great with shorts or even with dark wash jeans for cooler days or at night.

Peach long sleeve top - H&M, floral two-layer top - New Look, white pussybow blouse - H&M

Color & patterns

Summer is the one time of year i can wear super bright colors & bold patterns without making a spectacle of myself.  And with the sun shining & no clouds in the sky, who wants to wear dark or boring clothes anyway? ;)  If i'm wearing a top with a bold color or pattern, i like to keep everything else fairly neutral so that piece really gets the focus & it's not too overwhelming.

Bright yellow top - Primark, tribal print top - Forever 21, hot pink pussybow blouse - Primark

Dresses & rompers

If i'm going somewhere that i wouldn't be able to wear something casual (like jean shorts) to or if i just feel like it, i'll throw on a dress or romper like the ones above (they're all dresses, but rompers like the one in this post!).  I love anything floral, but mixing it up with tie-dye or another pattern is always nice & summery as well!  I typically like my dresses to be cotton dresses (one on the right) or a flowy material (one in middle), i find they're more suitable for the weather.  Again, they're something you can just throw on & go!

Both floral dresses - New Look, tie-dye dress - thrifted

Shorts

I'm definitely more of a shorts person than a skirt person as i feel more comfortable in them.  I ordered about four pairs of shorts from Forever 21 but have only really worn two pairs of them because i'm quite picky about the fit of them!  I think everyone needs a pair of denim shorts in her wardrobe, they're super versatile and always in style.  (I've been wanting a pair of studded ones for months now!  So edgy & 'cool').  Just as with skirts, it's fun to play with patterns & colors of shorts. :)

Jean boyfriend shorts - H&M, tribal print shorts & pinky/khaki shorts - Forever 21

Crochet/lace vests

If i feel a bit exposed & just want to cover up a bit or want to add a nice detail to an outfit, i'll throw on one of these.  I think they're really cute & add a bit of texture and interest to an outfit.  I've just realized within the past couple weeks how important texture is in an outfit - if you have a outfit where every piece is solid & flat, it's a bit boring really, and trust me, i've had plenty of outfits like this but just couldn't figure out why they were so uninteresting!  These offer a bit of coverage without compromising style and without making you really warm.

Crochet vest - Kohl's, lace vest - thrifted

Denim jackets

I love love love myself a denim jacket!  Something about them just shouts 'badass' to me.  They're perfect for summer nights as they aren't incredibly, incredibly thick & cozy, but they still offer a bit of warmth.  I've acquired four denim jackets just in the past few months in different washes, but the two above are my faves.  Love light to medium washed jackets, that are also a bit cropped, but not too much, and of course with the sleeves rolled up.  These look awesome over literally everything, and i think as long as the washes aren't too similar, you can pull off wearing them with jeans (for example, i'd wear one of these jackets with dark wash jeans).

Medium wash jacket - thrifted, light wash - Primark

 Cross-body bags

No one wants to lug around a big, heavy shoulder bag during the summer (at least i don't....), so a cross-body or messenger style bag is definitely suitable.  They'll hold all (or at least most ;) of your 'stuff' and are lightweight so they won't drag you down.  Most of them are smaller as well, so it'll force you to only take the essentials.  Most of the time i'll take the fringe bag on the left - definitely one of my favorite bags i own, but if i'm going to work or generally have to take more things & bigger things with me, i'll opt for the satchel on the right which has a much bigger capacity.  Both are fantastic!

Fringe bag - Primark, satchel - Target

♥

Monday.

About to pop out to the mall soon, but thought i'd do a quick bloggy blog.  I'm going to the mall in attempt to find something to wear for senior portraits tomorrow - just want to get them over with tbh!  Already know what i'm going to do with my hair & makeup (hair - straight w/ volume & ends curled in a bit, makeup - everyday neutrals), but i'm a bit confuzzled with what i should wear.  I'm going to keep it simple & timeless, nothing too trendy, but still cute obv. ;)

Today i'm just wearing a crop top with little birdcages on it from Forever 21, denim shorts from H&M, & my new favorite dream catcher earrings i found at the thrift store.  Haven't washed my hair in a few days so i just threw some dry shampoo in & fishtail braided it - looks decent to me!

Hope you're all doing well & having a nice start to the week. :)

♥

Crop tops & crosses.

crop top - Forever 21

tank underneath - American Eagle

jeggings - Old Navy

necklace - thrifted

rings - Charlotte Russe & etsy

bracelets - Primark & Summerfest

Please excuse the mess in the background and the mirror photo... you know i can't resist a little Myspace shot. ;)

I played around a bit with a tripod i found in my dad's closet (part of my interest in photography has come from him :) yesterday as i had some time before i had to go to work, so thought i'd share some of the photos i snapped.  This is one of my new favorite tops i got on my last trip to Forever 21, can't believe almost walked out not getting it.  It was cool enough yesterday to wear it with my trusty jeggings, which i rolled up a tad so i wouldn't be too warm.  I wore this top to Summerfest as well last Saturday to see The Flaming Lips, but with denim shorts.  The phrase 'weekend warrior', besides being my new mantra, also reminds me of the song Weekend Wars by MGMT (no idea why... hm) - i was obsessed with them last summer... Twisted diamond heart, I'M THE WEEKEND WARRIOR. ;D

Not too much to report other than that, i've just been enjoying my free time when i get it and trying to soak in summer as much as i can.  On a bit of a side note, i'm super jealous of all of you who went to see Deathly Hallows Pt. II already.... I had no one to go with for the midnight showing (majority of my friends aren't into HP... crazy, right?!) so i ended up just watching Half-Blood Prince by myself after i came home & changed into my pj's.  I'm quite busy for the rest of this month (senior pictures, trying to get some driving sessions in, work, etc.), but will try to make a trip to the movie theater asap.  Oh, and this video basically sums up my feelings on the subject of Harry Potter.

Let me know if you like these kinds of posts and i will try and keep them up! (:

xoxo

♥

Crochet & turquoise.

Still feel like a bit of a loon taking pictures of myself!  I think it's just that i feel a little pretentious knowing that i intend to post the photos in a blog post like "ooh, look at my face"... hence the "let's just get this over with" look in my eyes haha.  Why do i do these posts you ask?  Well, i do like seeing other girlies' faces of the day because they show the products 'in action', if you know what i mean.  Like, sure, you can talk about a product all you want, but it's always nice to see it put to use!  I also think it's nice seeing the different combos people come up with.  If i like, say, an eye look i see on someone, i steal the idea & try to incorporate it into my own makeup - i'm sure i'm not the only one who does this... that is the point of these 'face of the day' posts (in my opinion), isn't it? :)

This is basically how i do my makeup on a day-to-day basis, with different eyeshadow combos & such, but they are all essentially the same neutral kind of look!  I also tried out a lip stain that i got from CVS the other day for the first time - not sure what my thoughts are on it yet!  I toned it down a lot so it probably doesn't look like much.

I am in love with the top i wore as well, it a crochet sort of thing that is so breezy, yet still cozy.  I adore the length of the sleeves, and although it kind of hangs in all the wrong places, it's oh, so right!  It came with a tank top, but i just cut it out - much better this way, it was all polyester and cringey.  This was a little thrift store gem i found, but i know crochet is a big trend this season, so similar tops & such are out in stores atm!

I've also been loving little delicate necklaces lately & with the top, i wore this gold chain with a little turquoise stone in it - another thrift store find!

I wore this out to work & then out to a casual dinner at TGI Friday's with my girlies, so i just wore dark wash  skinny jeans on the bottom (rolled up into capris with flats for work & as full length jeans with sandals for dinner).

So here's my face/kind of-outfit.....

Crochet top & necklace - thrifted

Eyes

Barry M Dazzle Dust in Tan

GOSH Quad in Driftwood - medium brown in crease/darker brown in outer corner

Urban Decay e/s in Polyester Bride - highlight

Clinique Gel Liner in Black

L'Oreal Voluminous mascara in Carbon Black

GOSH Velvet Touch Eyeliner in Black Ink

Revlon Brow Fantasy in Dark Blonde

Face

Bare Escentuals Prime Time

MAC Studio Finisher concealer - on blemishes

Benefit Erase Paste - under eyes

Bare Minerals Original Foundation

Bare Minerals Warmth - bronzer

Sleek Contour Kit

Clinique blush in New Clover

Bare Minerals Mineral Veil

Lips

Revlon Just Bitten Lip Stain in Passion (faded a lot)

♥

Outfit: 5/6/11

Hello again. ;)  The other day i actually felt up to taking photos of what i wore to show you all (i usually just can't be bothered, they never turn out, something is always wrong in them to me :P).  Most of the pieces i'm wearing are things i bought while in London and from my new favorite store, Primark, nonetheless.  I tweeted about this the other day, but they NEED an online store.  I don't know what i'll do for clothes now that i'm Primarni obsessed!

I promise you i'll try to get that haul up with everything i got, i really want to show you guys!  I filmed a vloggy-type video with me talking about the trip, but it's so long and i don't know if that's something you'd all be interested in watching, but i'll edit it down when i have the time and see how i feel.

Onto the clothes!

dress - New Look

cardigan, floral & tribal bracelets, earrings, and ring - all Primark

silver cuff bracelet - Tudor bracelet from Shakespeare's Birthplace gift shop

watch - Anne Klein

nails - Barry M 318 Peach Melba

One of my go-to outfit combos is a dress and leggings, with a cardigan layered over top.  It's an easy way to be comfortable, yet still look put-together at the same time.  This specific cardigan has to be my absolute favorite that i own!  It got it two sizes too big (as it was the only size left really, besides like size six, which i suppose was fate!) than i am, which i quite like as it has a more casual look i suppose.  I usually wear my trusty black Old Navy cardigan, which i am slowly but surely getting sick of, but i've been into color and lighter fabrics this spring/summer, so this light grey is perfect.  It's also not to heavy and thick to wear during the warmer months.  I'm in love!

I really LOVE this dress as well.  I went kind of flower-crazy in New Look and bought three floral dresses and floral top... but they are all so lovely!  I think i've found my new favorite style of dress as well, with the waist defined where it is.  I used to think i couldn't wear this style of dress, but i've gotten a few comments from people irl that the cut is super flattering on me, quite a self-esteem boost & not a compliment i'm used to getting!

I wanted to wear my trusty fringe sandals with this outfit, but i had a bit of an accident that involved half of the nail on my big toe being ripped off (lovely image there, no?), and this problem cannot be solved with nail polish!  So i ended up wearing black flats with it, which i thought added a bit of a damper to the outfit, but the rest of the outfit looked quite nice i thought. :)

Hope you all have an amazing weekend & Mother's Day (if you live in America :)!

♥

two new loves

Feel very pose-y in this photo...

I went to the mall with my mom the other day to spend a store credit from Forever 21 from when i returned a few tops i didn't want a long while ago, as well as Back to MAC for a lipstick.  I'm not too impressed with the stock at Forever 21 at the moment.  Well, actually i love a majority of the clothes they have in right now, but i don't suit any of it!  There are a lot of tops & dress with drop-waists that would be perfect if i had a different body shape & figure.  I do not suit drop-waists at all, which is sad (well, for me) as i love the way the look.
Also, i really hate that whenever i find something i do like & something i think would actually suit me, they don't have my size.  Really frustrating to be honest.  I've been stuck in a fashion rut, but whenever i try to get out of it, i can never find something that fits, suits me, and i actually like.  Blah :(

I suppose that's besides the point!  On the same shopping trip, i stopped by my trusty Boston Store (department store where both my mom & sister work) in search for a top that suited the criteria mentioned above.  In the Calvin Klein part of the store, i spotted this top.  Usually i would feel guilty about spending a larger sum of money on a top than usual, but i was just feeling so crap about myself that day that i needed a little mood booster!  And with it being on sale & with my mom's discount, i suppose it wasn't that much of a splurge...

 This top is gorgeous - i love how flowy it is, but i love that it has shape.  The seams and sinching make it both comfortable & chic.  I also love that it is a tad sheer, which is what i was also looking for.  The print is a bit different, it's not exactly animal print, but not exactly any other sort of print - abstract animal print maybe?  Hmm... haha.  The fabric is also gorgeous, quite light and so soft.  All of the things mentioned just screams quality to me.  You get what you pay for, you know? :)

Lovely flowy sleeves that come in at the forearm.  Bracelets were a gift, American Eagle, and from a festival (respectively).

These sunglasses are from Forever 21 and i love them!  They are similar to sunglasses i got last year from F21 as well, but these are larger & have a slightly more cat-eye silhouette.  Love the tortoise shell effect to them.  Look really nice on as well, only thing is that i feel like they don't shield my eyes from the sun as much as other sunglasses do.

Currently on repeat: Home by Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros

♥