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Return from A Much-Needed Break

January 29, 2017

Hello, loves!
I posted a little bit about this on Instagram, but haven’t fully shared all of the things that have gone on in my personal life recently. Let’s start at the beginning, and obviously, the most life-affecting. Mark and I both said a final farewell to our grandmothers in the last month. We traveled back east to for his grandmother’s services, and she gifted us with snow, the first I’d ever seen fall from the sky. My grandmother’s services were in San Diego, and focused around her love of music and her faith.
After that, I came down with a horrible case of the flu, laid up for a full week. We also experienced something I NEVER anticipated in Southern California, a roof leak due to the quite intense rainy season we experienced this month. Renter’s insurance apparently doesn’t cover ANY of it, making me ask the question, what do we pay for?? Grrr.
Moving forward to today, I’ve finally gotten to a place where I’m not sad and I’m not angry. And to be honest, that took a while. I cursed the world for having taken two phenomenal ladies from us. I cursed my landlords and nature and myself for feeling materialistic that my things were ruined from mold damage. Lastly, I cursed my work for exposing me to any kind of illness you could think of!
But I realized a few things.. People in this world will get taken from us. Sometimes, it’s expected, sometimes not, but it’s inevitable and we will get through it. We will always have the loving memories and wisdom that they’re passed on to keep with us. Second, nature happens. How could I possibly be mad at the rain when it’s providing much-needed water for my area? Lastly, I need a job, that part is what it is. There are a lot of little things that I would change if I could about my workplace, but I am so grateful to be employed. I feel quite secure in my position and am a hard worker, which is something I can feel proud of.
Overall, it’s been a rocky beginning of the year, but I am currently feeling so enthusiastic about my passions. Mark is of course one of them, along with my fur babies, but I’m also wanting more than ever to share my love of fashion and styling with my followers and readers! It brings me a lot of happiness, being able to express myself on this little blog and through pictures. It’s a silly little thing, but it really does bring my joy.
That is all for now, thanks for reading, and look forward to lots of fun new happenings!
Love to you all 😀

Fur Vest and LBD

The Versatility of an LBD

September 24, 2016

Hi loves!
I’d like to talk about something I think that everyone, and I mean everyone, should have in their closet, the little black dress! They can be worn for pretty much any occasion, from work to play, to a wedding or a funeral, to cocktail parties or for date night. With the addition (or sometimes subtraction) of accessories, shoes, and jewelry, almost every LBD can be worn to multiple events, on the same day if necessary!
When looking for versatility in an LBD, I search for one with a few key factors…
Length – at my work, nothing shorter than knee-length will fly. If you’re in a more casual work environment, or your day doesn’t consist of heading in to an office, a shorter hemline is fine, just keep the taste level in check.
Neckline – the same goes in this respect for keeping it classy. You can always add on sparkly accessories and sky-high heels for after-hours, but a plunging V isn’t usually going to work for at the office, limiting it’s versatility.
Fabric – I shy away from anything particularly delicate if it’s a piece I want to get tons of use out of. Also, less sturdy fabrics have a tendency to wrinkle more easily, and it kind of takes away from the day-to-night appeal if you have to steam your dress in-between!
Embellishments – I love a beaded neckline or fun trim, just picture which accessories will pair well with a dress that already has a bit of it’s own personality.
Waistline – It may sound like a funny thing to take in to consideration, but I generally search for dresses that will look great when worn with a belt. A drop-waist or empire-waist dress wouldn’t work with a belt, so I avoid those styles.

Here, I’m wearing a gorgeous dress from the new London Times Curve Fall Collection. This style and other great LBD’s are now available online. This one was love at first sight, because I adore the mixed textures, the high neckline (to truly highlight a statement necklace), and you all know lace is pretty much my favorite thing. I could easily pair it with a bright cardigan and flats for work, layered under a trench coat with tights and booties in cooler weather, or with metallic accessories and a bold red lip. Perfection!

What’s your favorite way to style an LBD?
I’d love to hear in the comments below.

Dress c/o London Times // Heels / Ivanka Trump // Belt / Steve Madden // Earrings / vintage // Cocktail ring / Alexis Bittar // Gold rings / Forever 21

Shot by Holli Zenko Photography.

This post is sponsored by London Times. Items in this post were provided to me for reviewing purposes. Any thoughts/opinions are my own. By clicking on the links in this post, I may be compensated. This is part of what helps me continue doing what I love to do, sharing styling tips and trends with you! 😀

July Stitch Fix

August 27, 2016

Hello, loves!
I’m so excited to bring to you another awesome Stitch Fix! I was quite impressed with all of the gorgeous things I was sent, and to be honest, kind of wanted to keep it all! I forgot to send in a request to my stylist this month so it was definitely all up to her imagination (and her knowledge of my personal style from past fixes), what items I would receive. I have to admit, I felt a little tinge of disappointment when I realized that I hadn’t given her suggestions about what I wanted this month.. I had thought asking for another colorful crossbody bag, embellished pair of sandals, colored jeans, and a fun, printed tank top. My stylist and I are definitely on the same wavelength, because I received 2 of those items! Here, the rest of my July Stitch Fix.

Tank ($48, kept) / Stitch Fix // Jeans / MaviUSA (also from Stitchfix a couple rounds back) // Wedges / Seychelles from Scarlet Threads Consignment // Bag / Cambridge Satchel Co. from the Box of Style (use my link to sign up and get $10 off your first box!) // Necklace / Luv AJ from the Box of Style // Sunglasses / Amazon

Cowl-neck top ($58, returned) / StitchFix // Cropped jeans / Old Navy // Wedges / Just Fab // Necklace / BaubleBar // Bag / Who What Wear for Target // Sunnies / Amazon

Sandals ($60, returned) / Stitch Fix
These were very cute but a little pricey at $60.00. I just knew that as pretty as they are, they would get dirty and worn-looking after a couple of wears when exposed to the elements.

Crochet vest ($48, returned) / Stitch Fix
This piece did not speak to me at all. It felt very flimsy and Coachella-y in a bad way.

Top / BohoCheri // Jeans ($88, kept) / Just Black from Stitch Fix // Espadrilles / Old Navy // Necklace / BaubleBar // Bracelet / House of Harlow 1960 from Rocksbox (use code dressedfortimexoxo for your first month free!) // Rings / Forever 21

So overall, I ended up keeping the printed tank (which I’m a little upset with, as it shrunk after washing the first time according to instructions), and the raw hem skinny jeans. Next time, I’m going to ask for more lacey items, a maxi dress and some more colored pants. Until next time, I hope you’ve enjoyed reading about my July Stitch Fix!
😀

How to Get Your Legs Sexy for Summer

June 15, 2016

Hello, loves!
Let me start off by saying that I was not always a fan of my legs. As a matter of fact, I hid them whenever I could. It was a combination of my (horrendous) ex-boyfriend telling me he didn’t like my legs and that I shouldn’t show them in public, but also me not being able to accept that they were far from perfect. It took me some time to know that I’m not the only one in the world with cellulite, stretch marks and spider veins. That being said, just as I put makeup on my face to even my skin tone and blur imperfections, I don’t think there’s anything wrong with putting a little extra effort in to making my legs look as gorgeous as they can. Today, I wanted to share how to get your legs sexy for summer and the products I use on my own stems (Clueless reference!) Most of them are very budget-friendly and available at your local Target or Amazon.

Pre-shower, I definitely recommend dry exfoliating with a body brush. Fair warning, your first few times using a body brush are a little intense. You use it before a shower, before stepping in, against your bare skin. Use a circular motion, starting at your ankles and working your way up to your thighs. It’s gross/cool that you’ll literally see flakes of skin just float up and away. The intenseness that I mentioned isn’t exactly “pain” but more of a discomfort, sloughing away all of that dead skin can feel a little rough until you get used to it.
Another option for exfoliation is an in-shower scrub. I LOVE the Tree Hut brand sugar scrubs and purchase them frequently off Amazon. They all smell incredible, from the Mango to the Coconut Lime, I haven’t tried a single scent that I didn’t like. They’re also super cheap as add-on items with Amazon Prime, around $7 for a nice-sized tub.
A good razor is imperative, although I think it’s slightly ludicrous to suggest swapping out after only 3-5 shaves, I would end up spending the same each month as I do in gas! I personally swap out about every 3-4 weeks and don’t ever have an issue with it getting too dull. Truthfully, the only time I ever get irritation is when starting to use a brand new razor!
For shaving lotions, I love the EOS shave cream. It’s about $3-4 at any drugstore, is super smooth and you don’t need a lot to get a nice, clean shave. I’ve used several other pricey lotions (around $15-20) and none have really compared to this really inexpensive version.
Large toiletry bag, BohoCheri.

Moving on to after-shower items, the very first thing I do when I know that I’ll be applying self-tanner is to rub some lotion on my knees and around my ankles/heels and allow a few minutes for it to soak in. There are a few tanners that I adore, of varying price points. The Bath & Body Works Bronzing Self-Tanning Lotion is my out-and-out favorite. It’s a bit pricey, at $15 a tube, but it leaves the most gorgeous slightly shimmery, believable and streak-free glow. The Summer Color “Light/Medium” lotion from Banana Boat is also pretty great, but doesn’t leave the same sheen once it’s dried.
For any nicks that may have occurred while shaving, or if I feel any area is a little raw, I apply Bikini Zone cream to prevent/help with any ingrowns and soothe the area. It has lidocaine in it, so it temporarily numbs any irritation.
On a day-to-day basis, I try to keep consistent with Nivea’s Skin Firming & Toning Lotion. My absolute favorite product like this is from Clarins, their Body Lift Cellulite Control Cream, but I don’t know anyone who can afford to blow $70 every few weeks to keep up with that regimen. The Nivea one is quite effective as well, and SO much less expensive. Working out is of course great for toning, but something for your skin is helpful as well.
For a little fun-in-the-sun sheen, I adore Kopari’s Coconut Body Glow. It looks a little scary orange in the bottle, but it leaves this gorgeous sheen on legs, blurring imperfections and making them look a bit more toned. Any shimmer product will work, but I have a little rule. I prefer to look for more neutral/gold-toned shimmer products for daytime and being in the sun, and more silvery-toned shimmer products for nighttime and going out. The gold particles warm up your skin, while silvery ones can look really obvious and not as flattering, especially on paler skin tones in the harsh direct sunlight.
Large toiletry bag, BohoCheri.

I’d love to hear what products you use and how you get your legs summer-ready!
😀