Playing with lines

Outfit: Dress - Anthropologie ($78 originally sale $30), Jacket - Old Navy ($35), Bag - Vintage ($15) Shoes - Target ($15), Belt - H&M ($15)

It happened. I admit it. I am a complete sucker for maxi dresses now. I don't know how it happened or when it happened but in 2 short months my collection of maxi's has grown by four. I think I have now discovered what type of maxi dresses I like so I know what I am looking for.

While I still love my blue paisley maxi dress I wore earlier, what I look for now are thinner, simpler dresses that I can play up and make casual with sweaters, jackets and accessories.  Also, I tend to be more attracted to maxi's that are more straight from top to bottom, with a slight A-line forming at the calf. 

I picked up this dress at Anthropologie recently and I was initially attracted to the colors. Then I noticed the amazing way the stripes are laid out on this dress. Horizontal stripes can be intimidating for a lot of people because they tend to make you look wide. However, on this dress, starting on the hip there is added material with stripes going vertical creating a slimming, lean look. The result is so flattering and quite beautiful the way it falls. I am completely taken with this dress. Additionally it has long sleeves which is great for the coming cool season. You may also notice that my favorite jacket to wear with maxi's is my jean one. I think it is because wearing a long dress can make you feel formal, but adding jean to the mix also make something more casual.

PS - Happy Halloween! I hope you all had an amazing weekend and a great safe night tonight! One of my great friends and I were Wayne and Garth from Wayne's World. What do you think?

Completely Casual

Outfit: Jacket - Old Navy ($25), Moccasins - H&M ($25), Shirt - Foreign Exchange ($12), Necklace - Forever 21 ($8)

While comfortability is not something I specifically search for in clothing, it is a nice bonus (I am always willing to sacrifice in the name of fashion). However, as the temperature decreases I find myself living in leggings. Luckily, I happen to love the way leggings look, so much so that I would probably wear them even if they were uncomfortable. When I am in an extra cozy mood, I immediately reach for my Foreign Exchange wishie top (I refer to dandelions as wishies). It is a beautiful color, perfect length and everyone loves a good graphic tee. Oversized graphic tees are really a closet staple and I suggest everyone invest in them. Pair them with skinny jeans, leggings, liquid leggings, skirts, blazers...the possibilities are endless.

I also predict that I will be wearing my moccasins a lot more this coming season :)

PS - After I took these pictures I was attacked by my puppies. Probably one of my favorite things.

A Fall Color Block Shoe

Outfit: Shoes - Kohls ($30), Skirt - H&M ($25), Top - H&M ($18)

We have seen the very popular color block trend take the world by storm this year. During Spring and Summer this look was achieved with bold primary colors, a look that I, personally, adored. About a month ago I came across these shoes. The colors are so beautiful and basic, I instantly fell in love from across the store when my eyes spotted them. Naturally, I had to have them. Otherwise, I knew the rest of my day would consist of me wallowing over the fact that I left that store without these shoes. 

I love that these shoes achieve a color block with a completely neutral pallet, something I have actually never seen before. Moreover, whoever designed this shoe really knew a woman's body because the strap in front of the ankle is a nude color, which works great to extend the look of legs rather than shorten them. 

These shoes are quickly becoming a staple to my closet. What do you guys think?

Hand - Me - Downs

Outfit: Blazer - H&M ($25), Scarf - Hand-me-down, Dress - H&M ($15), Shoes - Charlotte Russe ($25)

One man's trash is another man's treasure.  

My advice of the day is to never pass up a good hand-me-down. My boyfriend's very stylish mom gave me this scarf last year because she thought the style didn't suit her. While I tried to convince her that she look fabulous in the scarves, she insisted I have them. I just love this one for many reasons. First, the pattern is beautiful, almost like water colored animals. Additionally, I really love that this scarf is purely black and white. I have so many beautiful colored scarfs, but I believe that the fact that this pattern is black and white makes it more interesting. Most times when you see patterns like this on scarves they are more colorful.

I bought this striped dress at H&M a few Springs ago, as a simple casual dress (plus I am kind of obsessed with stripes). My favorite thing to do with this dress is wear it with a different patterned scarf. Stripes are such a perfect base for mixing prints. If you have never mixed prints before, I would recommend starting with a striped top and scarf. From there, I think you will get the hang of it :)

PS - Don't you just love how pairing a blazer with a casual dress can change the entire look?

Everyone Has Animalistic Tendencies

Outfit: Scarf  - H&M ($15), Button up - Forever 21 ($14), Sweater - H&M ($10), Flats - Forever 21 ($20)

Isn't this fox scarf the cutest?

Whenever I wear it I think of the Disney Classic, The Fox and the Hound, which I absolutely loved when I was a child. However, I watched the movie recently and was shocked at how sad it was, I cried like a baby. Still a great movie though :)

Sometimes you go into a store and see a statement piece, like this scarf. You know you love it because it is unique and beautiful. However, the thought crosses your mind, "What will I wear this with?" My answer to this question is always the same, "EVERYTHING!" In fact, my mom and friends make fun of me because they will honestly ask me for advice on what to wear with an item and I always want to respond, "everything" but realize I need to be a bit more specific. 

But in all seriousness, you would be surprised at how a statement pieces matches so many things in a unique way. You just have to be willing to experiment, always. 

Fashion really is a science, you know. I predict it will be a subject in high school but the time my kids are there. Well, one can only hope...then I'd be sure to help them with homework.

Mixing Elements

Outfit: Top - H&M ($13), Shorts - Hollister DIY, Scarf - Urban Outfitters ($10), Blazer - Forever 21 ($20)

Sometimes I look in my overfilling closet and just stand there as my worst fear envelopes me: I have nothing to wear. I know you all have had this feeling as you literally just stand there and stare for countless minutes contemplating. For me, it's an anxiety attack. Then, I breathe and just start grabbing whatever I see. I just start mixing elements. 

In this outfit, I am wearing a business blazer, cut-off shorts, a lace scarf and a studded bag. Now had I have not had the feeling that I had nothing to wear I may have not put together all these elements. However, some how it just works. Sometimes you just have to be willing to throw it all together and I think you will be pleasantly surprised with the result.  I actually just paired this scarf with my outfit because I had never worn it before. Maybe thats another element to the recipe. Or maybe it's the lack of a clothing recipe. Who knows? My point after this rant is that sometimes grabbing items you wouldn't normally think would go together actually create something fabulous. 

So, as I like to say, have no fear in fashion :)

Zanzibar

Outfit: Purple Pants - Boutique ($10), Top - Forever 21 ($15), Scarf - Forever 21 ($7)

One thing I miss about San Diego, besides my friends, the beach, the weather (okay so I could go on and on), is the countless affordable boutiques in the area. Some of my favorite days were when Naz and I would spend the day shopping and lunching at Zanzibar with our puppies in Pacific Beach. Except the one time Chewy decided to go Number 2 it the back of a boutique. Luckily, Naz had a bag in her purse and Chewy's present went undetected (besides the horrible smell). On the main road there are tons of affordable clothing and shoe stores, which I always loved shopping in because you couldn't just go anywhere and buy what these stores held. 

Anyways, I found these purple pants in a store called The Closet for $10. I absolutely love the deep shade of purple they are. Because it is more of a deep color, they go with so much, almost as if they were jeans. Some people tend to stray away from colored pants, however, I think it you find deeper colors like this purple, a forest green, or deep red you may find it easier to pair clothing items with. Now, I am definitely not saying don't buy bright pants because I love those as well, but buying a deeper hue first may be a way for some people to ease into wearing colored pants.

Just a suggestion :)