Inspiration by S

Taking a Stroll

2012-02-29T20:59:00.000-05:00

Berries

2012-02-22T22:03:00.000-05:00

Entire Outfit -- H&M

California Coast

2012-02-16T19:45:00.000-05:00

Seeing Red

2012-02-08T23:32:00.000-05:00

Blazer and White Shirt - H&M, Scarf - Street Vendor in NYC, Pants - American Eagle, Bag - Thrifted, Shoes - Forever21

Went to California this past weekend to visit my college roommate and the boyfriend and visited the Palace of Fine Arts which was absolutely beautiful. It was also nice not having to carry a heavy coat around too. :) I could definitely live in San Francisco during the months of November-April. Hah.

Oh, keep a look out for more pictures of the California coast, where Brett and I stayed for a night, as well as some more outfit posts! Back to studying ... booo. :(

Snow Day

2012-01-23T19:08:00.000-05:00

Hat - Forever21, Sweater and Scarf - H&M, Wrap - Urban Outfitters, Boots - Aldo

I'm Baaaaaack

2012-01-03T11:51:00.000-05:00

I'm so sorry for the long hiatus! Between finals time and holidays it was hard to find time to blog or even things to blog about. I figured you guys wouldn't want to see me in the library or in pajamas the entire time (so I thought it'd be best to spare you, haha) but I promise not to take a long hiatus like that ever again so thank you for asking where I was and checking up on the blog from time to time. You guys are awesome. :) On a happy note, I survived my first semester of law school! Woooooo! I also had an amazing time with family around the holidays and now it's time to catch up with friends before starting a new semester all over again in just a week! I'm excited but I'm not looking forward to not having a life again. For now, I'll comfort myself by looking back on happier times like

Thanksgiving! SO much yummy food.

Lights in Downtown Jersey City

Christmas Decorations in South Street Seaport

Christmas in NYC can't be beat.

Washington Square Park on a chilly day

I love NYC <3

Grunge

2011-12-02T16:24:00.000-05:00

Poncho - H&M, Shirt and Shorts - Forever21, Tights - ASOS, Shoes - Urbanog

Giving Thanks

2011-11-24T16:20:00.000-05:00

Grey Cover up- Thrifted, Sweater - Victoria's Secret, Dress - PacSun, Tights - ASOS, Shoes - Qupid

Happy Thanksgiving! :)

4 Year Anniversary Pictures + Hana Air Review!

2011-11-14T23:53:00.001-05:00

So Misikko recently asked me to do a review of one of their newest hairdryers (the Hana Air) and I must admit, I was a bit skeptical at first, NOT because of the hairdryer but because of my ability to use it. I consider myself a bit incompetent (to say the least) when it comes to beauty products in general but I decided to give it a go anyway and I was pleasantly surprised with the results.

The first thing that impressed me was the packaging. Misikko definitely thinks about all the stuff they include in the package they send out and I loved little touches like the purple flowers that now adorn my desk. :)

After trying it out and using any and all of the products sent over to me, I can honestly say this is one of the best blow dryers I've tried. I've tried a couple in the past that didn't cut it and left me looking like a lion because of my naturally curly hair but this hairdryer actually did wonders with my hair. I only had to straighten my hair with my straightener just to make it so I had less volume but the results were pretty great so I decided to take some anniversary pictures with the boyfriend while showing off my hair this past weekend ..

Oh and best boyfriend of the year award definitely goes to B this year. I love my new present!

Happy Monday!

The times they are a changin' ...

2011-11-07T23:51:00.000-05:00

Trench, Pants, and Shoes - H&M, Shirt and Scarf - Forever21, Cardigan - Express

Apple Picking

2011-10-23T23:00:00.000-04:00

Scarf, Pants, Bag, Shoes - H&M, Sweater - Forever21

Sorry for the lack of blog posts! Life keeps getting in the way. This past weekend, Brett and I went apple picking with his sister and her boyfriend and it was so fun! There weren't many apples left as it was towards the end of the season but it was still a beautiful experience. :)

Wanna Be Free as a Bird

2011-10-10T00:55:00.000-04:00

Shirt, Bag, Shoes - H&M, Blazer, Necklace, and Jeans - Forever21, Ring - Random NYC Street Vendor

Toning it Down

2011-10-03T00:02:00.000-04:00

Hat and Bag- H&M, Rings - Asos, Forever21, H&M, Shirt, Maxi Dress, Shoes, and Sleeveless Trench - Forever21

Autumnal

2011-09-24T01:06:00.001-04:00

Shirts - Old Navy and H&M, Pants - H&M, Necklace - Forever21, Bag - Thrifted, Flats - Random Store, Heels - Qupid

It is OFFICIALLY Fall and although I am always really sad to see summer leave, I cannot wait for the leaves to change color and for the upcoming holiday season. As soon as seasons start changing, I start changing my style up a bit by incorporating different colors. In this case, I can't help but lean towards beige's, browns, deep reds, purples, oranges, and blues. I'm even looking for a pumpkin scented candle and Brett and I are planning to go apple picking one of these upcoming weekends. I love love looove fall smells and activities.

Hope you guys have a great weekend! Brett gets back from California for good in just 9 short hours and I already know I'm going to have a tough time falling asleep because I'm so excited. I cannot wait to have him around every Saturday since he'll be a 45 min car drive away rather than a 6 hour plane ride away! I'm looking forward to a low key Saturday spent watching all of our favorite shows that recently premiered followed by an overdue date night. :) Sleepless night startsss ..... now!

Transitioning

2011-09-18T18:20:00.000-04:00

Scarf and Rings - H&M, Sweater and Bracelets - Forever21, Pants - American Eagle, Shoes - Aldo, Bag - Francesca's Collections

It's already chilly on the east coast! I don't know if I'm ready to let go of summer just yet so I've decided to incorporate touches of summer (like this turquoise color that was big during the summer) into my fall wardrobe. Who says we have to let go of all aspects of summer just because it's fall now? :) Okay, now back to studying .... I hope you guys had a great weekend!

San Fran Sights

2011-09-15T00:01:00.000-04:00

The Painted Ladies :)

I'm so happy I got a nice, clear picture of the Golden Gate :)

I'm so happy it's almost the weekend! )

Coldest Summer Ever

2011-09-08T00:33:00.001-04:00

Jacket - American Eagle, Shirt, Scarf, Shoes, and Pants - H&M, Necklace - Forever21, Bag - Thrifted

Got back from a weekend in San Francisco 2 days ago and I'm already missing it, although, I could have done without the cold temperature! It was the coldest summer I've ever experienced. These are some pictures from a nearby park near Brett's hotel when we went for a walk after dinner. I'll be sharing more pictures from my trip in an upcoming post so stay tuned! :)

OH! And the winner of my giveaway is Sam from Fitness, Food, and Faith! Email me at stefanyovalles@gmail.com to claim your prize!

Happy Thursday!

Currently loving ....

2011-08-30T00:21:00.000-04:00

perfect jewelry box to organize my rings :) sucks that I won't be able to wear them once it gets cold but I love having them on display.

New Forever21 necklaces

perfect colors for any season

I can't to start to bring out the chunky cardigans and scarves

quirky things that remind me of my boyfriend :) (he always arranges these penguins so they're kissing one another, haha)

Law school is kicking my butt! Fortunately for me, I will be taking a much needed vacation to California to visit the boyfriend for Labor Day Weekend. I cannot wait to show you guys pictures from that trip. :) I leave in 3 days and I still have no idea what to pack. I can't wait to see the Golden Gate Bridge, the Redwoods, my boyfriend and my college roommate who now lives in San Francisco. I heard it's a bit chilly over there so it will be nice to get a taste of Fall before we officially get it on the east coast.

What are you guys currently loving? :)

PSSSST ... GIVEAWAY STILL GOING ON!

Simple

2011-08-18T23:06:00.001-04:00

Shirt and Rings - H&M, Jeans - Mudd, Shoes - Random Store, Earrings and Necklace - Forever21, Bag - Francesca's Collections

There is seriously nothing better than a white tee and jeans with pops of color here and there. I've been obsessed with this teal bag ever since I got it and I can't help but pair it with my outfits when I feel like I'm missing a little bit of umph. Also, please excuse my mini hiatus. I just moved into my new place where I'm a block down from my law school and between orientation, unpacking, and being exhausted most nights, I haven't found the time to blog but thankfully tomorrow is Friday! Woohoo! What do you guys have planned for the weekend? I am taking it slow and catching up on some work before I officially start law school on Monday. Wish me luck!

Don't forget to enter my giveaway!

In the Woods

2011-08-10T23:11:00.000-04:00

Floral Cardigan - TJ Maxx, Dress - Target, Shoes - H&M, Necklace - Etsy, Bracelets - H&M, Rings - Forever21

Too tired to actually write something so I'm gonna keep it short. Law school is already kicking my butt, I really need to stop procrastinating (read: I should probably be outlining for a practice exam instead of blogging right now, haha). I cannot wait for the weekend to get here. Oh! And I booked a flight to Berkeley, CA to visit Brett in 3 weeks for Labor Day weekend. Does anyone have any recommendations for food/things to see/do in the area? :) I would love any input! California is a bit overwhelming in size and there seems to be so much to see that it becomes a little difficult to narrow it down.

Don't forget to enter my giveaway! :)

SUMMER GIVEAWAY!

2011-08-08T00:00:00.002-04:00

Hello there lovelies! As promised, here is my second giveaway. Since I recently turned 22, and because it's been a while since my last giveaway, AND because I want to thank you all soooo much for the continued love and support, I decided to treat you guys to a couple of my favorite things for the summer to fall transition. Because of my love of all things blush/pink, (as seen here, here, and here) one of the first things I picked out was Essie eternal optimist. To spruce things up a bit, I included my new favorite necklace from Forever21 and Stiletto lipstick from Victoria's Secret.

In under a year, I have somehow made it to over 200 followers and I truly appreciate each and every one of you and this is my way of showing how extremely humbled and grateful I am for that support. :)

To Enter:
You MUST follow Inspiration by S on Google Friend Connect and leave a comment below

Increase your odds -- leave a comment for each

-- Like Inspiration By S on Facebook --

-- follow @steFANYovals on twitter --
-- tweet about the giveaway (please include @steFANYovals in the tweet) --

-- blog about this giveaway and make sure to leave a link below! --

and there you have it! the giveaway will run for one whole month.

a winner will be chosen at random Wednesday September 7, 2011 at 12:00 a.m. Eastern Time!

giveaway is open to domestic and international bloggers! :)

Happy Monday!

Something Blue

2011-08-04T22:53:00.000-04:00

Skirt, Shirt, Shoes, and Ring - H&M, Bag - Francesca's Collections, Necklace - Forever21

These pictures were taken before dinner in Hoboken with one of my good friends and I loved how easy and effortless the look was. The pops of blue were something added spontaneously literally minutes before rushing out the door but I think it was definitely what the outfit needed so that it wouldn't be bland. :)

Tomorrow means we are one day closer to the weekend and marks the end of the first week of my law school orientation. I cannot wait for the weekend to get here because although this week has been quite fun and a bit nerve wracking, it has definitely been more exhausting than anything else. I have to physically and mentally prepare myself for school once again and I'm finding that it's going to be just a taaaad bit difficult. This weekend will include sleeping in (I cannot even begin to express how much I'm looking forward to that), shopping with Brett who will be leaving to California to work for a whole month in a week or so, having one last hoo-rah with the family on Sunday and hopefully lots of relaxing. What do you guys have planned for the weekend?

Birthday Girl

2011-08-02T00:00:00.000-04:00

Hat, Dress, and Shoes - H&M (obviously I shop there too much) Bag - Thrifted, Ring - Forever21

I am officially 22! It feels weird even typing that number out. Sadly, the one thing I have to look forward to age-wise is being able to rent a car at 25. Awesome. Haha. Well and being a real grown-up and having a job, getting married, starting a family, and all that stuff that comes with getting older. All in all, my birthday celebrations thus far have been so much fun despite a minor mishap after a night of going out on Friday. This past weekend, Brett's car broke down on Friday night (at 3am mind you) so we spent all of Saturday at the shop getting it fixed but on Sunday we were able to go into the city and have a picnic in Central Park and go on the rowboats. Seeing Central Park from a different perspective was absolutely beautiful as you get to see little undiscovered corners and mini islands that you wouldn't be able to see on foot. On Monday we lounged around all day while watching Entourage and Game of Thrones until I went out to eat with one of my good friends at one of our favorite italian spots in Hoboken. I'm definitely going to miss having a social life once law school officially starts.

I love walking around Central Park and seeing all of the performers and interesting people with interesting talents. Giant bubbles?! Yes please.

LOVED THESE MINI CUPCAKES!!!! :)

^ Reason why I love NYC. Best.sign.ever.

Happy Tuesday!

Friday Fancies: 22nd Birthday Outfit

2011-07-29T10:28:00.001-04:00

22nd birthday outfit

TFNC ruffle dress, $72
Sigerson Morrison flat sandals, $425
Rebecca Minkoff black leather handbag, $250
Vintage style ring, £37
Feather earrings, $11
Steven Alan straw hat, $135

Happy Friday! I'm so happy it's the weekend, as per usual, but especially excited because it is my birthday weekend! Oh you guys didn't know? I only mentioned it here and here. :) I'm going out tonight with a couple of friends, followed by a trip to Central Park with Brett on Saturday, and participating in restaurant week with my mom on Sunday. My actual birthday is next Tuesday but that will also mark the first day of law school orientation so there isn't going to be much celebration that day, haha, at least not during the day.

I saw this dress and because green is my favorite color AND the color of my birthstone (peridot), I figured it was only fitting that I would incorporate it into my dream birthday outfit. I originally started picking out black accessories and realized I needed another splash of color and that's where the orange came in. I think it gives the outfit a bit of a tribal feel with the contrasting colors. What do you guys think? Oh, and I can't get enough of panama hats after I've seen them everywhere so naturally I went out and bought myself one and also took the liberty of putting it in my dream birthday outfit.

As always, vote for my Friday Fancies here if you'd like. :)

I hope you all have a grrrrrrrreat weekend!

Breaking All the Rules

2011-07-27T00:02:00.000-04:00

It is finally the middle of the week and I am already counting down the hours til Friday. This week is my last week of work before I start orientation for law school and it also brings me days closer to my 22nd birthday. I'm a bit excited if you can't tell, although I've been told it all goes downhill after 21. I can still pretend I'm not an adult, it's fine. :)

This entire outfit is from Forever21 and although I didn't plan the outfit knowing that, I think that just goes to show how much I shop there. I can make whole outfits from pieces in my wardrobe, haha. Though it was usually considered a fashion faux-pas, the idea of brown and black together appealed to me and I think it adds some character. Granted it's not really that bold as it's just a black pattern on an otherwise beige shirt, but it makes me a little fashion bad-ass (excuse my French). Come to think of it, if mixing brown and black together in an outfit makes me feel like a bit of a bad-ass, I'm obviously not the bad-ass-est (yes I did just make up my own word) kid on the block, haha.

Photos by Rain Embuscado.

Oh p.s. I promise the giveaway is happening soon! I just want to get some birthday celebrations out of the way. If it all goes downhill after 21, it might as well go downhill while I'm partying it up!

Grecian Green

2011-07-25T00:02:00.001-04:00

Dress and Top - Random Store, Shoes - TJ Maxx, Necklace - Etsy, Earrings - Flea Market

Soo sad the weekend is over but a bit excited for this week because temperatures will hopefully cool down a bit (it has been ridiculously hot in NJ, even hitting a record of 108 degrees in some places!) but mostly because that means I'm days closer to my 22nd birthday! Plans include dinners with friends, a picnic with my mom, and rowboats and adventures in Central Park with Brett. I'm so excited! Oh, and as a birthday present to myself, I decided to upgrade my laptop and purchased the new Macbook Pro. I was in dire need of a new laptop as my computer is on the verge of dying and felt this was probably the best time to upgrade considering I'll be starting law school in just one short month!

With this scorching heat, there is nothing better than a flowy dress and simple accessories to try and stay cool. To beat the heat a bit, Brett and I stayed indoors most of Saturday and watched Game of Thrones (i'm addicted!) while it was 100 degrees outside (seriously) and then on Sunday I walked around the city with Vida and discovered Limelight Market on 20th and 6th Ave which was seriously the coolest place I've ever been to. If you guys are in the area, you should definitely check it out and don't leave until you've eaten some gelato! (cappuccino crunch = swooooon!)

What are you guys looking forward to this week .... besides Friday that is? :)

Photos by Rain Embuscado.

Garden Dress

2011-07-20T00:00:00.000-04:00

Dress - Free People, Shoes - Kenneth Cole, Earrings - Flea Market

Wearing this dress makes me feel a little like I'm wearing a garden and it reminds me of all the flowers my mom used to have in the house when I was younger that let me know spring had arrived. There would be a different bouquet as a dining room centerpiece every week and even though I thought taking care of flowers, watering them, and even talking to them (yes I caught my mother doing that once) was a hassle and a wee bit crazy, I loved being able to look at them as they instantly made me feel a bit better. Now that I'm older, I can appreciate flowers a lot more and I'm determined to have a different bouquet of flowers somewhere in my house all year round if I can. Who knows, maybe I'll even end up talking to them and encouraging them to grow. I'm more and more like my mother everyday. A little scary, but it might be a good thing. :)

Happy Wednesday!

Picnic in the Park

2011-07-18T00:04:00.003-04:00

Vest - Random Store, Dress - Forever21, Bracelets - Forever21

This past weekend we had one of my cousins over and it was so nice to catch up and have some girl time before I start school again and it becomes harder to see friends and family. Because it was scorching hot on Sunday, we decided that a picnic lunch right by the lake was ideal followed by ice cream! It was national ice cream day yesterday and I hope you guys celebrated! Me, being the good citizen that I am, (read: ice cream lover) knew that I needed to celebrate this holiday by indulging in too much ice cream. It would have been wrong of me not to, right? Right.

I'm already sad that the weekend is over and now comes another week of work. All my Monday posts include how much I hate Mondays, haha. It would only be right for me to continue the tradition by also complaining about this horrid day in this post. I'm already looking forward to Friday.

Now I just have to shake the Monday blue's and think about all the fun stuff that I can look forward to like finally watching Harry Potter, meeting up with friends for happy hour, and seeing the boyfriend for a couple of days. There we go, all better now. Who says self soothing doesn't work? :)

Oh and recognize the dress? I wore it in this post as a skirt!

Happy Monday!

Friday Fancies: Blog Party

2011-07-15T00:01:00.000-04:00

Dress - Anthropologie, Shoes - Aldo, Accessories - Ruche, Clutch - Francesca's Collections

I have made it to my 100th post! So what does that mean? Party obviously! It's a virtual blog party and you're all invited! I wanted to dedicate this Friday Fancies to celebrate the fact that I have actually had enough material to make it to 100 posts, haha. I sometimes start things and then tend to get bored with them so I'm not very consistent but I have actually stuck with this and it has become my favorite hobby. Now I can only think of clothes as entire outfits and I've been able to not only expand my closet from the countless inspiration on a daily basis that has led to too many shopping trips, but also use the stuff I already own in a different way. I want to thank you guys for reading (or stumbling upon) my little corner of the internet and commenting or following. I cannot express how humbled I am that I have made it to over 200 followers and I cannot wait to share more outfits, moments, and random tidbits with you guys! Big, big, biiiiiig thank you to every single one of you! Now here's some virtual champagne and cupcakes! I wish I had real dessert to offer all of you for being ridiculously awesome, but alas, a virtual substitute will have to do for now.

What are you guys doing this weekend? My cousin is coming over for the weekend and I'm happy I get to spend some much needed girl time with her that includes lots of food, retail therapy (what better way to celebrate a blog party than by shopping right?!), and LOTS of sangria. :) I hope your weekends are all amazing!

As always, if you'd like, please click here to like my Friday Fancies outfit!

Happy Friday!

Beach Bum

2011-07-13T00:00:00.001-04:00

Top - TJ Maxx, Shorts - Necessary Clothing, Rings - H&M and Forever21

This week has gone by way too slow and I cannot wait until the weekend rolls back around and I can kick back and relax again. I guess it's a good thing I saved these pictures from my trip to Florida for a day just like today when all I want to do is reflect back on a more relaxing time. I wore this outfit for a rather gloomy day at the beach where I watched my boyfriend bury my little cousins in the sand and had a long talk with one of my favorite aunts while watching the waves crash against the sand. Why is it that vacations never seem to last long enough and weekdays/workdays go by so slow? Maybe I'm just antsy to get to this afternoon already because I'll be catching up with my roommate who'll be moving to the other side of the country (damn you cali for being so far away!) and watching a movie under the stars with my boyfriend. I would say my hump day is looking pretty good so I can't really complain about the slow start to the week. Now to survive Thursday and Friday .....

P.S. My 100th post is coming up VERY soon (and by very soon, I mean the next post haha) and my 22nd birthday is coming up in three weeks. So what does that all mean?! New giveaway comin' up! I know you're all dying from the anticipation (or playing it cool and pretending not be dying from the anticipation, you know, whatever you're into) but stay tuned for that! :)

Happy ~~Wednesday~~ Hump Day!

Inspired by the Sunset

2011-07-11T10:06:00.001-04:00

Top - TJ Maxx, Shorts - Forever21, Shoes - Random Store, Bracelets - Forever21 and H&M, Rings - Forever21 and H&M, Earrings - Flea Market, Belt - Forever21

My mom and I always take long walks around the park when it's getting close to sunset because not only does it cool down significantly, but it offers the prettiest colors to gaze at while we're walking around. The way the sunset reflects on the water has to be one of my favorite things in the world.

Looking at these pictures, I realized I dressed with similar colors to my surroundings. Pinks, blues, and light beiges. Best colors to mix and match and are accented beautifully by the sunset. Only bad thing about the sunset, it meant we were one day closer to Monday ... yuck.

My weekend was relatively low key and it felt kind of good not having anything to do. I watched at least 4 movies and basically snacked and lounged around all weekend. :) Bliss.

Oh and I now have a twitter! Follow me at @steFANYovals :)

Happy Monday!

Friday Fancies: Out and About

2011-07-08T10:32:00.000-04:00

Dress - Lulu's $41, Shoes - ASOS $94.81, Bag - Francesca's Collections $58, Hat - American Apparel $40, Bracelets - Forever21 $7.80

I am overwhelmed with happiness because we are merely hours away from it being the weekend! What are you guys doing this weekend? I am leaving to my college for a night to meet up with some friends for some bar hopping and I think I'm going to relax the rest of the weekend seeing as it's my first weekend without any official plans. It feels a little weird because I have been busy every single weekend since I got home and now it feels like I should be doing something, anything. Who knows, maybe I'll go watch a movie and take a long walk in the park with my mom. This whole spontaneity thing might not be so bad. I hope you guys have a fantastic weekend and that it's filled with lots of relaxing and sunshine. :)

Oh and p.s. if you'd feel so inclined, please go here to like my Friday Fancies! :)

p.p.s. I have a Facebook page!

Fourth of July Weekend

2011-07-07T00:08:00.001-04:00

I know this post is a little delayed, but better late than never right? :) My Fourth of July weekend consisted of walking around Brett's town, lounging around, seeing beautiful views from Brett's dad's boat, and seeing some pretty epic fireworks of course.

Shoes and Crochet vest - Random Stores, Dress and Earrings - Forever21, Bag - H&M

Thank goodness it's already Thursday! I'm still reflecting on a better time (read: last weekend, any weekend .... no work days or waking up early .... you catch my drift). I wore this particular outfit while walking around Brett's neighborhood which is absolutely beautiful! I mean, look at all that greeeeeeeeeeen. I literally wanted to frolic in the woods forever. Although, had I tried that, I'd probably end up eaten by a bear or lost so maybe it's a good thing I restrained myself from all that. Making a fool out of myself didn't really matter that much but getting eaten by bears ... now that matters. While I may have no standards when it comes to public humiliation, I do have some good judgment. Yay survival skills!

Happy Thursday!

By the Pier

2011-07-05T09:55:00.001-04:00

Dress - American Eagle, Shoes - Kenneth Cole, Bag - Random Store

These pictures were taken by the pier in Florida. I loved that the pier literally went far into the water and it felt like you were in the middle of the ocean by the time you reached the end of it. We saw jelly fish and watched as the town and the beach area seemed to disappear behind us. I loved that I also seemed to match the color scheme of the beach/pier with this dress. I purchased it when it was still winter time dreaming of a perfect summer day to wear it and this day definitely fit the bill. And, I mean, you seriously cannot go wrong with stripes. :)

How are your Tuesdays? Mine is feeling too much like a Monday and I'm having a mild case of the Monday Blue's and I'm trying to find a way to shake them. We should get an extra day to recuperate after holidays, haha.

Happy Tuesday!
p.s. I wanted to do a Fourth of July post today but I have to organize my pictures a bit so expect a rather late but patriotic post soon! :)

Friday Fancies: Independence Day

2011-07-01T00:25:00.002-04:00

Dress - Lulus, Bag - Rebecca Minkoff, Bracelet and Ring - Forever21, Shoes - DSW, Hat - American Eagle, Nail Polish - Essie Mesmerized

IT IS OFFICIALLY FRIDAYYY! I'm doing a little happy dance as we speak, even if no one can see. (That's when the best dance moves come out anyway). I'm so ready for this long weekend. In my town, they celebrated Independence Day last night by having fireworks at a park overlooking a river so I decided to go with a couple of friends. It was definitely a perfect summer afternoon/night.

Luckily for me, the festivities don't end there as I'm heading to Brett's town for the weekend where the fireworks are literally above your head. Double dose of fireworks? YES PLEASE. I know I'm going to come back a little deaf but it's completely worth it. In Brett's town, everyone gathers on blankets on the football field of a nearby highschool and have little picnics while they wait for the fireworks to start so for this Friday Fancies, aside from being patriotic, I wanted to make it "picnic/sitting on grass for a long period of time" friendly and what is better than a pretty dress? I love this dress and didn't think twice about incorporating it into my Friday Fancies. The tough choice was choosing whether to accessorize with red or blue. In the end, after seeing the ombre American Eagle hat, I knew I needed to accessorize with blue. I usually don't have only one color that I accessorize with but considering how busy the dress is, sticking to one color was probably the better choice. :) What do you guys think?

What do you guys have planned for the weekend? Hopefully it includes BBQ, fireworks, and perfect summer nights. I cannot waitttt to get my picnic onnnn. Oh and I'll make sure to also show some pretty pictures of Brett's town. It's seriously the complete opposite of the city. They have barns and woods that seem to go on forever. They even have bears! The city isn't necessarily known for having many wild animals (well, unless you count the insane number of pigeons we have for some unknown reason) so this was a pretty big deal for me when I first heard of this, haha.

HAPPY FRIDAYY!!!!

Oh and p.s., please go here, if you'd like. :)

St. Augustine Fiend

2011-06-29T00:15:00.002-04:00

Hat - TJ Maxx, Shirt, Bag, and Ring - H&M, Necklace, Ring, and Bracelets - Forever21, Skirt - Lulu's, Shoes - Random Store

One of my all time favorite places is St. Augustine, FL. Sure, the amusement parks in Orlando are fun but St. Augustine is definitely the highlight of every trip I make to Florida (aside from seeing my family, of course), and this time was no exception. It seems that there is beauty in the ENTIRE town. What other place could you say that about? The waterfront area is beautiful, the historic block where the first school was is absolutely charming, but my favorite part is being able to walk around the neighborhood and find little undiscovered charm in the city like the last picture. I love how the trees seem to hug the block they're in. The town looks like it belongs in a fairytale and I can't help but swoon a bit when I think back to it's beauty. The city has me more and more in love every time I go. I'm even already thinking of a way to somehow afford a house down there that I can escape to from time to time. Yes, it's that serious.

The outfit that I wore to St. Augustine ended up being perfect for all the walking around that we did. I love outfits that are easy and effortless but very chic and this skirt is the epitome of that concept. Plus it allows for some breeze too, like my own little personal fan. A skirt that can do it all! That's multitasking at its best, my friends.

Can you guys believe it's already Wednesday?! I'm so excited for this weekend and being able to see some fireworks! :)

Happy Wednesday!

Downtown Girl

2011-06-27T00:25:00.001-04:00

While in FL, Brett and I headed to downtown Jacksonville on a random day with my family to hang out by the water. Though their downtown isn't nearly as busy as other downtown's (especially on the weekends), it's still such a pretty part of the city and it offers really pretty views and some good restaurants (and a random Hooters, haha)

Dress - TJ Maxx, Bracelets - H&M, Rings - Hell's Kitchen Flea Market & H&M, Vest - Forever21, Shoes - Random Store, Bag - Thrifted for .75 cents!

I loved this look because it was ridiculously comfortable and so breezy which was fantastic considering how hot it was in Florida while we were there. We literally showered at least 3 times a day, haha.
I'm so sad the weekend is over but reminiscing on better days, especially vacation days, already makes me feel a little better. No case of the Monday's here! And well, looking forward to July 4th and having a long weekend also helps although my plans are still kinda up in the air. I'm also excited that this week means catching up with some friends and hopefully getting some good books. I have definitely been slacking on my summer reading and my goal was to read 5 books before the summer is done. Yikes.

Happy Monday!

oh p.s. Brett and I's "love story" (if you could even call it that haha) was featured on the Ruche blog! Go check it out. :)

Friday Fancies: Parisian Nautical

2011-06-24T00:01:00.000-04:00

Shirt - Forever21 $5.50, Shorts - Ruche $34.99, Shoes - Lulu's $37, Purse - ASOS $46.55, Necklace - Forever21 $5.80

I am back from Florida and it's officially Friday! Did you guys miss me? I know I missed you! I checked in here and there and kept updated on some of my favorite blogs but I know I need to play some catch up so I'm in the middle of doing just that. For this Friday Fancies, I decided to explore my love for stripes and choose an uncommon color pairing. I love how the pink just pops with the navy. Because the ensemble had so much color in it already, I decided to pair that with a white bag and shoes to tone things down a bit. Oh, and because this outfit felt a little French to me (it could be the stripes, is it just me?) I knew that I needed something French in there and was very excited when I saw the necklace on Forever21 and knew it was the perfect touch. What do you guys think?

I'm in the middle of organizing and editing all of my Florida pictures so expect a quick recap and outfit posts next week! I'm so happy it's almost the weekend. What do you guys have planned? Tonight, my cousin and I are taking my mom and my aunt to a drag queen show to celebrate their birthdays. We took them to a drag queen show two years ago to celebrate their birthdays since they're only 18 days apart and knew it would be pretty difficult to top that so what better way to top a drag queen show than by attending another one? Needless to say, I'm already very excited. Then, tomorrow, the boy and I are going to a family BBQ followed by a relaxing Sunday. It's a little gray and dreary but hopefully we can make the most of the weekend. I wish it would stop raining so that we could have a picnic on Sunday but maybe we can have an indoor one. :)

Have a great weekend and Happy Friday!

Guest Post: A Fashion Love Affair

2011-06-20T11:03:00.000-04:00

Last but certainly not least, Cara from A Fashion Love Affair! Thank you Cara! :)

My Style: I would describe my style as a combination of Bohemian, Classic, and Eclectic with a bit of California Surfer Girl mixed in for good measure...my style certainly changes from day to day depending on the weather, where I am going and, most importantly, how I am feeling! The most important thing for me is that I feel comfortable and confident, so one day I can been seen rocking boyfriend shorts with a sweater and the next a long vintage maxi dress and the next an a-line skirt and fitted blouse...I wake up and choose my clothes going by the way I feel.

Favorite Designers/Stores: My favorites at the moment are Jeffrey Campbell, Free People, BB Dakota,Elizabeth & James, Jen's Pirate Booty, Gypsy 05, J Brand, Joie, Winter Kate, Pamela Love, Dannijo, Erin Wasson, Diane Von Furstenberg, Opening Ceremony, H&M and Zara...and my all time favorite is absolutely anything Chanel.

Inspiration: Right now I am inspired by celebrities including Rachel Bilson, Mary Kate & Ashely Olsen, Kate Bosworth, Erin Wasson, Clemence Poesy, Kate Moss, and Gillian Zinser, however I draw my daily inspiration from fellow bloggers, including Jules from Sincerly Jules, Elizabeth from Chic Heroin, Jenny from Jenny from the Block, Diana from Diana Kang, Cindy From Come Over to the Darkside, We Have Candy, Sandra from 5 Inches and Up, Ashely from Purse n' Boots and Liz from Late Afternoon.

Favorite Magazines: I have a confession...I am a major magazine addict! There truly aren't many magazines I don't get each month, but my favorites are Vogue, Lucky, LouLou, Elle Canada and Flare. I also draw inspiration from fashion books, the latest additions to my collection have been I Love Your Style by Amanda Brooks, Parisan Chic by Sophie Gachet and The Elements of Personal Style by Elle Editors Joe Zee and Maggie Bullock.

Blogging: I started blogging in January 2011 after being inspired by both Cupcakes and Cashmere and Chic Heroin. I loved (and still love) checking their blogs daily to see check out their latest outfits or new pieces and got so much inspiration and styling ideas, I wondered if I could do the same for others...Since January I have truly enjoyed sharing my daily thoughts and outfits and hope I have inspired others!

This Season: This Spring/Summer season I will be living in maxi dresses, crochet tops and lots of bangles!

A big thanks to Stefany for having me as a guest on her blog.

Guest Post: Cornflake Dream's Friday Fancies

2011-06-17T00:00:00.001-04:00

another guest post from one of my favorite blogs! enjoy and thanks Jill!

hi! it's jillian from cornflake dreams and i am super excited to be guest posting for stefany while she is in florida (lucky!) i am a huge friday's fancies fan (i have been linking up for months!) but believe it or not this is my first friday's fancies guest post. this season it's all about the maxi dress... perfect for when you want a chic and comfortable look.

dress $120, sandals $128, bag $42.50, bracelet $36, sunglasses $286, ocean photo via

a huge thank you to stefany for inviting me to guest post! feel free to stop by cornflake dreams any time for daily fashion, travel and design inspiration.

xo,

jillian

more Friday Fancies at {long distance loving}!

Guest Post: Chelsea from Zipped

2011-06-15T00:01:00.000-04:00

Today I have Chelsea from Zipped. I've followed this girl since I first started blogging so I'm really excited to have her post for you guys and a big thank you to Chelsea for guest posting! :)

Thank youuuu Stefany for letting me guest post! I know you are going to have an awesome time in Florida. For the rest of us...

...it doesn't get too hot in Washington state, so I can usually get away with my favorite summer look: rugged shorts paired with a light-knit sweater.

With Free People's easygoing beach vibe, it's easy to see they are the top knitwear designers for summer. I love soft pastels or creamy whites, which pair perfectly with a glowing summer tan.

They are super easy to layer for cooler nights on the beach, or strolling the flea markets in the breezy early morning with an iced coffee. I love how they are cozy while still airy enough to keep cool!

The perfect ripped shorts can come in any wash or length, but some of my favorites are high-waisted and light wash. I love this faded black pair by Citizens of Humanity as well!

Current/Elliot, Citizens of Humanity, Ksubi

Though this is one of my favorite summer looks, there are all kinds of combinations to come up with for warmer weather and so much variety within each combination. Summer is the perfect time to experiment, so go crazy!

Giving it a Twist

2011-06-13T00:07:00.001-04:00

Earrings - Flea Market, Shirt and Bag - Forever21, Skirt - Local Store, Shoes - Thrifted, Rings - Forever21 and H&M

How was everyone's weekend? Mine turned out to be not as busy as I originally planned, but that turned out to be a blessing in disguise because I spent a big part of today doing nothing which turned out to be exactly what my body needed after a night of festivities.

I wore this outfit when it was ridiculously hot last week and picked my hair up because it was seriously unbearably hot. It even went up to 100 degrees! Now don't get me wrong, I absolutely love the heat, but 100 degrees might be a bit much. It's cooled down since then but I know it's only a matter of time before we have hot summer days again. It's interesting that I've actually never posted an outfit where my hair is up considering I wear this hairstyle quite a bit now that I think about it.

On a completely unrelated note, I'm going to Florida in two days!!!!! I cannot wait to see my family, go to Harry Potter world in Universal Studios, go to the beach, and visit St. Augustine as much as possible. Brett and I leave Wednesday morning and come back the following Wednesday so I won't be back into the blogosphere til then. No worries though, I have some amazing guest bloggers lined up for you guys to entertain yourselves with while I'm gone. Since this is the last post I'll have before I leave I just want to say have a great week and I cannot waitttt to catch up on your blogs when I come back and share pictures with you guys! I'm already thinking about what outfits I'm going to bring and places I want to take tons of pictures in, haha. :)

Happy Monday!

Friday Fancies: A little Tribal

2011-06-10T11:41:00.000-04:00

Cardigan - Ruche $42.99, Dress - Lulu's $33.00, Earrings and Clutch - Etsy $61.54 and $140.00 respectively, Shoes - Aldo $90.00

I have been wanting to get these Aldo wedges for quite some time now but I cannot bring myself to spend $90 on them so I decided to incorporate them into a Friday Fancies post instead! :) I love the colors and the tribal feel and how lovely they would look on my feet ... but I digress. This outfit would be so easy and comfortable and perfect for all the crazy things I'm doing this weekend. What am I doing that's keeping me so busy you ask? Welllll ... tomorrow I'm heading with my cousin to the NYC Block Party (weather permitting) and then to an engagement party to then have to go back to NYC to spend a night partying and then on Sunday I'm going to the Brooklyn Renegade Craft Fair and then having dinner with a group of my friends. Whew. That was a mouthful. I'm exhausted just thinking about all the back and forth I'm going to do this weekend but I'm excited! I have to take advantage of my busy social life now because come law school, it will most likely be non-existent.

Have a great weekend and Happy Friday!

Am I the only one that gets the song "Friday" by Rebecca Black stuck in their heads every time Friday rolls around? Just me? Damn ...

As always, more Friday Fancies at {long distance loving}!

Roosevelt Island

2011-06-08T11:23:00.000-04:00

Hat - NYC Street Vendor, Jean Jacket - American Eagle, Shirt - Forever21, Skirt, Ring, and Bag - H&M, Shoes - Local Store

As mentioned in my previous post, on Sunday, my boyfriend and I took my mom out for her birthday in Roosevelt Island. It was definitely an interesting experience and it feels like you're in another world when on the island. There are basically two main streets and you can see water on both sides of the island, one side facing Manhattan and the other side facing Queens. There are a total of 4 restaurants, one of which is a Starbucks and they had no movie theater. It was sort of weird but calming in a way because you could easily escape the hustle and bustle of New York City but still be part of it. You can be in New York City without being in New York City. That probably doesn't make sense but the island didn't make much sense so I guess it's fitting. They did however have a beautiful community garden as well as a pretty lighthouse and lots of green. There were more parks than people. Seriously.

It was definitely beautiful and even a little strange and although I probably won't go back anytime soon, I'm glad I was able to visit a place in New York I had never been to before.

Happy Wednesday!

The week is almost over and I couldn't be happier. By this time next week, I'll be in Florida! More details on that soon! :)

Pearly Whites

2011-06-06T00:04:00.001-04:00

Cardigan - Urban Outfitters, Dress, Bag, and Ring - H&M, Necklace and Ring - Forever21, Shoes - Kenneth Cole

This weekend, including Thursday and Friday, turned out to be ridiculously busy so please excuse that there was no Friday Fancies post! Bad blogger, I know. Between hanging out with my roommates two nights in a row, attending my cousin's graduation party, and celebrating my mom's birthday, I hardly had any time to do anything! I'm not complaining though. I love being busy even if I'm feeling the terrible effects of my busy-ness now. I wore this outfit to my cousin's graduation BBQ and I ended up matching many other guests who also wore white to the event which wasn't entirely surprising. There's just something that can be so refreshing about white attire in the summer and wearing it only reminds me of sunny days even if it was a little cold when the dress is worn. Well, colder than it was last week which means not 90 degrees, haha.

All in all, this weekend was fun. We celebrated my mom's birthday on Sunday by taking her to Roosevelt Island off of Manhattan which I'll blog about Wednesday. It was an interesting experience to say the least so stay tuned!

I'm so sad the weekend is over but I am glad I was able to see this face for the entire weekend. :)

Happy Monday and Happy Birthday, Mom! Love you! :)

Secret Garden

2011-06-01T20:47:00.001-04:00

It is ridiculously hot today and although it's a little too humid, I love this weather. I'm a summer person to the max and I find anything under 50 degrees to be freezing. I should probably move to California, haha. This summer, it seems that my go to outfit is going to be a skirt and a flowy shirt. Anything that will allow breeze in because by the looks of it, we are going to have a really hot summer.

Shirt, Shoes, and Bag - Forever21, Skirt - Local Store, Ring - Charlotte Russe

On this particular day when these photos were taken, it wasn't too hot and was even a little cold if you were by the water. This was the beginning of a trail in a nearby park that I had gone to when I was younger but never went back since. When we first started walking along the trail, I was kicking myself for not going to this place more often. However, after spending about 15 minutes on the trail, I began to realize why I never came back. There are mosquitoes everywhere! Brett was eaten alive and it was a little funny seeing him practically running towards the car. Before the panic ensued though, I was glad I was able to get a couple of outfit shots because the trail is truly beautiful even if we'll possibly avoid it for a whiiiile.

Can you believe tomorrow is already Thursday?! Thank goodness for four day weeks. I think we should always have Mondays off, at least in the summer. :)

Happy Wednesday and Happy June!

A Tad Bit Patriotic

2011-05-30T22:30:00.001-04:00

Shirt - Urban Outfitters, Pants - Forever21, Belt - Random NYC Street Vendor, Shoes - Local Store, Bag - H&M

Happy Memorial Day! Though I didn't plan this outfit with the holiday in mind, it ended up being perfect for the occasion. But, I must admit, I didn't wear it today. Blogging about it today counts though, right? Haha. I spent this weekend relaxing and enjoying lots of time outside. I'm always a bit happier when the warm weather rolls around, even if I do feel like I have to shower 6 times a day to avoid feeling all types of gross.

I wore this outfit for an errands day and I loved how comfortable it ended up being. The high-waisted shorts were so comfortable and allowed for me to move around from place to place looking for things to make moving back home a little more organized after we moved to a new place. I still haven't entirely unpacked everything but I've at least started to and I'm hoping to be done within the next week or so. Work and hanging out with friends haven't allowed for much time to organize.

Happy Monday!

Hopefully the rest of the week goes as quickly as the weekend did. I'm ready for more BBQ's and more fun with friends and family. :)

Friday Fancies 10: Colorblock Me

2011-05-27T11:46:00.000-04:00

Shorts - Ruche $38.99, Shirt - Urban Outfitters $69.00, Bag - Melie Bianco $63.00, Sandals - Aldo $40.00, Earrings and Ring - Forever21 $3.80 and $5.80 respectively.

It is officially Friday! Yay!! I'm so happy that it's finally starting to feel like summer and more especially, that I have my boyfriend here to take in this beautiful weather with me. On Wednesday, we decided to have a dinner date in Hoboken followed by a trip to a candy shop where we selected some treats that were devoured later on that night and the following day. We're big on candy. Thursday was my best friend's graduation (congratulations Samantha!). I'm so thankful I was able to partake in her special day. And well, today, the boy and I are going to run a couple boring errands, walk around a bit, and have a date tonight so for this Friday Fancies, I wanted to pick out an outfit that could go from day to night (since we're probably not going to have the chance to come back and change) and still look good for both occasions. Plus, I've always wanted to experiment with some color blocking so I thought this might be the perfect opportunity for that. I am crazy for all things teal/turquoise/mint green and I have always have been so I think I'm a bit obsessed with this particular color blocking combo. I have even incorporated this obsession into my choice of accessories.

These are the two rings I purchased from Hell's Kitchen Flea Market last weekend. I love the detail on both of the rings and that I was able to negotiate the price down to something I wanted to pay. Then again, I probably would have bought them anyway, haha. I also have tons of blue/teal/green earrings that I love!

What are you guys doing this weekend? Brett and I are going to Ikea tomorrow to shop around a bit for things to organize my desk area and watch the planes from Newark Airport take off since it's right across from Ikea's foodcourt. In other words, we're probably staying in Ikea all day. We walk around all of the showrooms and pick out things that we would want in our future apartment someday. It's a little fun seeing what things we both love and seeing what things we completely disagree on. I know I'm going to love being able to decorate with him once we get our own place. I.Cannot.Wait. Then, we have a ice cream double date with my friend and her boyfriend in Hoboken at night. Sunday, we're going to Rutgers for one of the last times to hand in our keys to our college houses and Monday we're going to my family's house in New York for a Memorial Day BBQ. I missed the smell of BBQ and summer. :) Hope you all have a FANTASTIC weekend.

Yay Friday!

More Friday Fancies at {long distance loving}!

Keepin' it Casual

2011-05-25T00:02:00.000-04:00

Hat, jeans, bracelets, and ring - Forever21, Shirt - Thrifted, Bag - Local Store in Pittsburgh, Shoes - Steve Madden found in Housing Works Thrift Store for only $20!

As you guys may remember from last Friday's post, I went to Hell's Kitchen flea market with one of my friends and I can honestly say I was pleasantly surprised. It had tons of cool stuff and plenty of things I would have bought if I had more funds.

They had tons of vintage cameras everywhere, little fun gadgets from ages ago, and a beautiful assortment of jewelry. How beautiful are all the colors of the necklaces in the third picture? LOVE. I even snagged up two rings for myself but I forgot to take a picture of them. You guys will definitely see them soon though considering I'll probably be wearing them as often as possible.

As for what I wore, I decided to keep it casual by wearing my favorite jeans, a loose fitting top, and a hat to hide what the humidity has done to my hair, haha. I was a bit under dressed and even a little cold by the end of the day but I was definitely comfortable! I guess you could say that this is my version of my own Friday Fancies post, minus the hefty price tags.

I wish I could just fast forward to 6pm later tonight because that's when I get to see the boyfriend and have a date night! I'm so excited. :)

Happy Wednesday!

Grown Up

2011-05-23T00:08:00.003-04:00

I'm so sad the weekend is over! This weekend was so relaxed, very much needed, and well spent despite minor mishaps (read: the weather). On Saturday, one of my roommates came over to my house and we originally decided to go to Hoboken and walk around. However, mother nature had other plans. So we decided to go to the mall instead. Haha mother nature! Couldn't outsmart us! :) Before we left Hoboken to escape the downpour though, she and I decided to snap a few pictures in the beautiful train terminal where it's like Hoboken's own mini Penn Station. Interestingly enough, right after we took these pictures, we were approached by policemen (apparently we weren't supposed to take pictures there, oops). The conversation was ridiculously awkward as he asked "So what were you guys taking pictures of?" to which I responded "Um .... of me" and then I had to explain that I blog and I take pictures of myself for the blog. It was really weird, haha, but that weird encounter was worth it considering how beautiful the terminal is.

Sunglasses - NYC Street Vendor, Earrings - Local store, Blazer, Bag, and Shoes - H&M, Dress, Bracelets and Black ring - Forever21, Other ring - ASOS

There's something about a blazer that makes me feel like a grown-up lately. I guess it doesn't help that people have been recently asking how grown-up I feel now that I graduated college. I'm sure I'll never actually feel grown-up. Being a kid, even if its at heart, is way cooler, haha. Oh and if you were wondering what nail polish I was wearing (if you weren't well then now I bet you are. I can be so sneaky sometimes :)), it was one of two recent purchases in Walgreens. Nail polish has seriously become my new obsession.

Happy Monday!

I'm actually looking forward to the start of this week because it means I'll be another day closer to seeing the boyfriend again! Yay. :)

Friday Fancies 9: Weekend Thrifting

2011-05-20T12:43:00.000-04:00

Weekend Thrifting by stefanyovalles featuring a straw hat

Jeans $30 H&M, Shirt $190 Musthaves, Hat $135 Net-a-Porter, Earrings $20 StoreEnvy, Bag $3,075 Net-a-Porter, Sandals $40 G by Guess, Bracelets $23 Warehouse

Hello there lovelies! :) How are we all doing on this wonderful Friday? It's nothing but dreary here in NJ but I'm glad I'm able to stay home today and watch chick flicks that I can't watch with my boyfriend or even my mom because they both hate romantic comedies. I think the only "girly" movie my mom has ever watched with me was Sex and the City 2 and it was simply because we decided to randomly go to the movies and that was the one movie that was playing close to the time we wanted, haha. Plus this allows for some me time anyway.

Anywho, Does anyone feel like this week has gone by really fast? I'm so excited the weekend is here though because unlike many of my past Friday Fancies posts where my weekends usually involved studying and spending my days in pajamas, this weekend (and next weekend and the weekend after that!) I actually have plans! I know you were all thinking I didn't have a social life but I promise I do! ..... sometimes, haha. Tomorrow, I'm going to a bar in the city with friends during the day and Sunday I'm going to Hell's Kitchen flea market for the very first time and I'm also going to explore the city for good thrift stores with my friend. I'm so excited! The outfit above is what I would wear (sans budget) for a thrifting date/blate. Does it count as a blate if we were friends before we started blogging? Probably not, haha.

I first fell in love with the bag and how earthy it felt and having a messenger bag while browsing through flea markets is ideal because it means your hands are free to look at more goodies. I kept it casual with a loose shirt and boyfriend jeans because there is seriously nothing more comfortable in the world. I topped that off with a straw hat (just in case its sunny!), flat sandals for all the walking, and some cute red accessories to add a pop of color. What do you guys think?

Check out more Friday Fancies at {long distance loving}!

Happy Friday!

Favorite Spring Trends

2011-05-18T21:39:00.000-04:00

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12

The weather here has been terrible to say the least. We've had rain since Saturday and it seems like it's not ending until next week. Between work and the terrible weather, it's been a bit difficult to get outfit pictures in and that has me focusing on trends I've recently been loving and can't wait to get more of and wear once the weather gets to be a little nicer.

Stripes - I have always been a huge fan of stripes although I usually saw the pattern in boring colors like black and white and mostly used in tops in the past, but now they seem to be everywhere today and on everything. From tops, to dresses, and skirts, stripes now come in all colors and all widths. I love the big, wide stripes of the dress/tunic, the grungy look of the top, and the contrasting stripes of the skirt.

Bright Nail Polish - I have been stocking up on bright nail polish lately and my obsession started with a coral looking color from Essie. Since then, I have a teal, a light blue, and a fuchsia color but I am now on the hunt for an orange-y nail polish. How cute is Essie Capri?!

Florals - While I avoided this girly pattern like the plague when I was younger, I can't help but feel drawn to anything floral recently. I love the details of the dress, the little flowers of the top, and the big and bold flowers of the skirt.

Neutral - I am obsessed with anything in this beige/taupe/blush color and i love that the color looks so feminine even when used in trousers. The ruffles in the dress are absolutely beautiful and delicate looking and the detail on the shoulders ooze femininity.

What are your favorite spring trends? :)

Happy Wednesday!

City Lovin' & A Big Day

2011-05-16T00:03:00.002-04:00

Sunglasses - NYC Street Vendor, Blazer, bracelets, and ring - H&M, Sweater and Dress used as skirt - Forever21, Bag - Thrifted

As you all may remember from my previous post, Brett and I went to New York City last week and we decided to go to the West Village and save a trip to South Street Seaport for a warmer day. We ate cupcakes from Magnolia Bakery, hot dogs from a random street vendor, walked around at least a billion times just to see all the pretty brownstones and find some cobblestone streets, and ended the day with a very satisfying dinner before heading back home and watching hulu for the rest of the night. Day dates are definitely underrated and can easily turn into evening dates! :) Plus, we always have so much fun when we go into the city and we always find a new place as we explore and this time was no exception. While wandering around the West Village, we stumbled upon Hudson River Park (I really don't know why I had never been there before considering how often I go to the village) which offered views of Hoboken and Jersey City but also a pretty nice view of the Empire State Building. I'll admit though, I was possibly a little more excited about seeing the Jersey City and Hoboken skyline, haha. It's rare for me to see the skyline of my town since I'm always in it rather than looking at it but the view of the Empire State Building was stunning nonetheless. It is, after all, quintessential NYC. :)

I bought this pale pink blazer from H&M recently and I'm already in love. My craze for blush/coral/pink obviously has not subsided and every time I find an amazing piece in this color, it only fuels my obsession. Oh blush/pinks/corals, where have you guys been all my life?!

Oh, and yesterday was my college graduation! Although a little stressful and ridiculously hectic with over 10,000+ graduates, it was definitely a memorable day. Toni Morrison was our commencement speaker which I was so happy about, especially because as an English major I've read at least 4 of her novels (Is anyone as obsessed with Beloved and Song of Solomon as I am?!) anddd we even got a special shout out from Mario Batali because he also graduated from Rutgers. As exciting as it all was, it also means I'm officially a Rutgers alumni now. Ahh, that still sounds weird or well ... reads weird? You guys catch my drift, haha. Care to see a sneak peek of my grad pictures? I'll be sure to post more once I have all of them. :)

Happy Monday!

Sorry for not posting in a while! Between moving back home, getting ready for graduation, and blogger actin' all types of crazy this past week, I found myself short on time and energy but I am back to my normal schedule, especially now that I don't have much to do this summer except work Mon-Thurs so definitely expect a Friday Fancies post next Friday. :)

Backyard Schoolgirl

2011-05-11T00:04:00.000-04:00

Blue Button Down - H&M, Belt - Forever21, Skirt - Forever21, Shoes - Gift from Mom, Earrings - Flea Market in Jersey City

Excuse the ridiculously wrinkly shirt in these pictures. My mother would definitely kill me if she saw this post (sorry mom!). Today is an AMAZING day. Why? Welllll, if you must know, I took my last final EVER!! Well ... until I get to law school. Ok so let me revise that. I took my last COLLEGE final! I'm practically giddy with excitement and to celebrate, my boyfriend and I went on a Redbox and supermarket run and picked up some snacks and rented Tron and Little Fockers. I can't wait to do nothing for the next couple of days. It actually feels weird not having to study for something. I might have to compile a summer to-do list just to keep myself busy ... or actually finish packing. Making a list sounds more fun.

Oh, also excuse my squinty eyes in this post. My allergies have been killing me lately and irregular sleep schedules haven't helped.

This outfit reminds me of my elementary school days, specifically 7th grade, because I had to wear a light blue shirt and a beige bottom. Thankfully, I no longer have to wear uniforms and I can wear these colors because I want to. :) I'm so glad we've had such nice weather lately, I have a whole skirt collection that was dying to come out and see the outside of my closet and this lovely skirt is one of them. What do you guys think?

Happy Wednesday!

Monday Blue's

2011-05-09T00:23:00.000-04:00

Two finals to go before I graduate! Am I excited about finishing college? Am I sad about leaving college? YES. It's all so bittersweet and now that I'm so close to the end (I graduate in less than a week!), I'm feeling a little sad/overwhelmed/excited. I'm sad that I'm going to have to say goodbye to my roommates and that I won't be able to see my boyfriend everyday which I've become so accustomed to. Buttt, I am excited that I'll be home and that I'll be closer to my family and my friends from home. See where the overwhelming feeling comes in? Gahhh, I don't know what to feel!

Shirt, necklace, shorts - Forever21, Knee-high socks and rings - ASOS, Shoes - Lulu's, Bangles - Borrowed from roommate, Nail Polish - Barry M Cyan Blue

I'm definitely not looking forward to having a long distance relationship with my boyfriend and not being able to grab a quick lunch with him whenever I want but he only lives an hour and a half away from my house so I know I shouldn't be complaining much (although I'm allowed to complain a little right?). But I know that there are couples who have it way worse so I'll just keep that in mind and appreciate the fact that we don't live in separate states or something.

The pictures and the actual text in the blog post offer an interesting juxtaposition as I'm smiling in most of these pictures but I'm writing about sad things, haha. Sorry for the mini rant! It's the lack of sleep and the sugar crash talking, haha. Hope you all had a great weekend! I'm looking forward to being done with finals in 2 short days and having a date with Brett in the city all day Wednesday. We're still deciding if we should go to South Street Seaport or the West Village. What do you guys think? South Street Seaport does offer riverfront views and cute cobblestone streets but West Village has amazing restaurants andddd Magnolia Bakery. Mmm I love me some cupcakes. This is going to be a difficult decision, help!

Happy Monday! :)

Friday Fancies: Pleated Skirt

2011-05-06T20:30:00.000-04:00

Skirt - ASOS $71.72, Shirt - American Apparel $36, Necklace - Forever21 $6.80, Shoes - Lulu's $46.00, Bag - Rebecca Minkoff $495, Earrings - Forever21 $4.80, Belt - Ruche $23, Hat - American Apparel $40

I really have it bad for all things coral right now and when I saw this pleated skirt on ASOS, I knew that I wanted to build my Friday Fancies post around it. Sorry for the lateness of this post, I had to do a 12 page paper today which I actually managed to finish in 3 hours. Last paper of undergrad! Woohooo! What are you guys doing this weekend? I'm packing up to go home since we have to move out of our college house in 3 weeks and then I'm going out to eat with my mom on Sunday for Mother's Day. I'm so excited to give her the gift I got her! I hope your mothers all feel loved on their special day. :)

Sorry this is such a quick post. I'm watching Iron Man with the boyfriend. :)

Happy Friday!

Be sure to check out more Friday Fancies at {long distance loving}!

Maxi Shmaxi

2011-05-04T12:20:00.000-04:00

One thing that I'm currently obsessing over are maxi dresses. I now have one in olive green, black, and this beautiful print one and I'm lusting over a coral one after seeing one that my roommate got from H&M. Maxi dresses are probably one of the easiest, most versatile pieces to style and I know I'm going to wear them very often this summer and I'm probably going to add like 79384 more to my collection.

With this maxi dress, I decided to dress it down a little by using it as a skirt and pairing it with gladiator sandals. I love the bohemian/aztec/tribal print that it has and the colors were the first things that drew me to the dress. Purples, blues, and browns are so rich and so tasteful.

Turban Amazon, Necklace Life is Good, Shirt and Maxi dress Forever21, Sandals Thrifted

How do you guys feel about maxi dresses? Love 'em, hate 'em, can't get enough of 'em?

Happy Wednesday!

Lady-like

2011-05-02T00:02:00.001-04:00

Hello Monday! Now usually, I'm not very excited about Monday's because they mean that the weekend is over but this Monday is actually kinda special. It is my last day of classes at my university forever! This time next year, I'll be in a completely different chapter of my life finishing up my first year of law school and my undergrad years will just be a memory. Of course, I'm not entirely looking forward to tomorrow. It still means I have to wake up at 9 (how cruel) but I know I'll feel a little better knowing I've completed 2 out of the 4 papers that I have to finish for this week. All my blog posts are about school. Blehh. I can't wait until they're about exciting summer stuff rather than homework and classes. So sorry if they seem kinda boring lately! The life of a college student isn't necessarily exciting.

Well moving on to something not related to school, I love that this outfit makes me feel lady-like. I don't know why but I feel like I should be riding a horse or something with this on, although, I don't know how practical riding a horse would be with a skirt and sandals. I might have to revise that idea. Either way, I love how elegant it makes me feel. Nothing like a crisp button down and a pretty skirt to make everything better. Although, the floppy hat also does help.

Hat - Forever21 Shirt - H&M Belt - Thrifted Skirt - Forever21 Sandals - Local Store

I also want to take this opportunity to say thank you for all the awesome comments and the new followers I have ever since I started my blog. I wish I could give you all a big bear hug but maybe a cyber hug will do so ... *hug!* You guys seriously don't know how much I appreciate you visiting my little corner of the internet. I also want to say thanks to my boyfriend, roommates, and friends that have to put up with me and my incessant "ooh wait can you take a picture of this for my blog?" haha so a big thanks goes out to them too and well ... I'll give them real hugs because I actually see them and annoy them as often as possible. :) And now for one of the people that takes some of my pictures, my friend Jane. I should probably post about all my photographers, haha. Luckily my other photographers are also fellow bloggers (with the exception of the boyfriend) Vida, Nisha, and Meg. Do I think I'm extremely lucky to be living with bloggers? Why yes, yes I do.

Isn't she absolutely gorgeous?! I'm so happy to have this lovely lady living a lot closer to me in the summer and I'm excited for all the adventures we're going to have in the city especially now that it's finally getting to be beautiful out.

Yay sunglasses and floppy hats! :)

Happy Monday!

Friday Fancies: Royal Wedding

2011-04-29T11:05:00.001-04:00

Monique Lhuillier Dress $2500-5000, Philip Treacy Fascinator $659 Euros, Le Regale Clutch $85, Christian Louboutin Shoes $1,195, Juicy Couture Earrings $58

For this Friday Fancies, I decided to kick it up a notch in honor of the royal wedding although I must admit, I didn't wake up at 4am to watch it. (Oops). I actually wasn't even that excited about the whole thing buttt, I sure like an excuse to put a glamorous outfit together a la Gossip Girl if you will since the outfit is a little flashy. Blending in with the crowd is overrated anyway. What do you guys think? As you can tell, I'm really into coral and pink these days considering my last Friday Fancies also had pink. And believe me, coming from a girl that has maybe like 2 pink things in her closet, this is a big deal. Who knows, I might be falling for pink!

What are you guys up to this weekend? Today, I'm off to watch my boyfriend present his undergrad research and this weekend will be spent in the library (as usual). My procrastination has reached an extreme so I'm hoping I get everything done this weekend. Blahh. Senioritis never fails to prevail.

Happy Friday!

In Full Bloom

2011-04-27T00:45:00.002-04:00

The warm weather has hit NJ and it looks like it's here to stay! Well, according to the 5 day forecast, it's here for the next four days at least. Hopefully we're going to see more and more sun and no rain. Rain makes my hair ridiculously frizzy. It was really frizzy while these pictures were taken but thankfully it's not that noticeable.

Because of this warm weather, I knew that the first thing I wanted to do was give my legs some much needed Vitamin D and show them off by wearing this skirt I bought in SoHo. Bright flowery skirts? Always good in my book.

It's already the middle of the week and I feel like I haven't done anything. Plus, my allergies are seriously killing me which is probably why my eyes look so small in all of these pictures. Definitely not the best start to the week. Graduation day can't get here soon enough.

OUTFIT DETAILS

Sunglasses - Random street vendor in NYC
Shirt - Forever21
Necklace - Flea Market in Jersey City

Skirt - Necessary Clothing in SoHo

Shoes - Forever21

Lipstick - #100 in Inglot
Nailpolish - Over the Knee by Essie

Happy Wednesday & Happy Humpday!

I'm sorry that this is such a quick post. The boyfriend needs some attention and I don't know how long my Itouch can distract him, haha. Although, he does seem rather focused on an intense game of Unblock Me right now ..

Geometric

2011-04-25T12:34:00.001-04:00

Hello there lovelies. How are we all doing on this Monday morning/afternoon? I'm definitely having a case of the Monday's but I have to get some energy in me because this is the last week of classes which means everything is due within the next 6 or 7 days and graduation is only 20 days away. I don't think I've entirely grasped the fact that I'm actually graduating just yet. Maybe it'll hit me when I'm wearing my cap and gown.

After seeing Sex and the City 2 for a hundred times, I knew I needed to buy a turban and when I saw this beauty on Amazon for only $10, I immediately proceeded to add it to my bag. Damn you Amazon for allowing me to buy things without even having to pull out my wallet. 1 step checking out might be the death of me ... or the death of my funds.

OUTFIT DETAILS

Turban - Amazon
Glasses - Forever21Earrings - Gift from Aunt

Shirt - Necessary Clothing in SoHo

Pants - Forever21

Shoes - Shi by Journey

Happy Monday!

How were all your weekends? Mine was spent studying and spending some much needed time with my mom and my boyfriend watching movies and eating too many chips while it poured outside. Best way to take advantage of a rainy day. :)

Friday Fancies: Easter Sunday

2011-04-22T13:05:00.001-04:00

Dress - Kohls $21.99 Blazer - ASOS $116.55 Earrings and Necklace - Forever21 both $2.80 Shoes - Ruche $38.99 Bag - Kate Spade $495

So seeing as this Sunday is Easter, I made this Friday Fancies with the holiday in mind. For my very first Easter my mother dressed me up so that I looked like a snowball walking down the street. I had a puffy white dress with a white fur coat and white shoes with frilly socks; the works. I laugh every time I see that picture because you can't even really see me, all you see is white. From there I upgraded to dresses with green or pink trimming until one day I put my foot down and said I didn't want to dress up for Easter anymore and my mom stopped buying pretty dresses for me. Looking back now, I wish I still dressed up for Easter. Now I love the idea of a cute spring dress to wear (maybe not with the frilly socks though, sorry mom!). Isn't that how life always works? You hate something when you're younger and you miss it when you're older. We're really never satisfied.

Well, this Easter Brett and I are going to my mom's house to celebrate with her and if the weather was nicer (it's supposed to rain all weekend) I could see myself definitely wearing this outfit. I love lace so when I saw this dress, I literally squealed a little (and maybe purchased it). Because it's not ridiculously warm out just yet, I paired the dress with a white blazer and added pink/peach accessories to add a pop of color to the outfit. What do you guys think?

What are you guys doing this weekend? Today and tomorrow will be spent doing homework so I can't wait for Sunday to roll around so I can see my mother and eat some of her delicious food! :) Did I really wish for Sunday to come? I might be losing it, haha.

Happy Friday and Happy Easter!

Pink me Up

2011-04-20T09:44:00.001-04:00

Hello there lovelies! How are you guys doing on this wonderful day? Thankfully we're right in the middle of the week and that means only one more full day til Friday! And given the date, that means I only have a week and a half left of classes which I'm ridiculously excited about. I go back and forth between wanting to fast forward time to graduation and wanting to slow down time because I don't want to say goodbye to my roommates. I do know that I'm kind of over this chapter in my life so I guess I just want to jump to the next one already.

This is another outfit that my friend shot for me that she's going to use for her class assignment. We went to another beautiful part of our campus where there's an abandoned little brick house. It truly looks like something out of the 3 pigs story that the big bad wolf blew down but left the structure. That was probably the most immature comparison, haha. Although I'm almost 22, I think it's safe to say I mostly think like a 12 year old. But now I bet you can't get that image out of your head!

I love this top because of the detail in the back. Plus, it's ridiculously flowy and adds a touch of elegance to any outfit. And it's in the prettiest shade of mauve. Win, win, win.

OUTFIT DETAILS
Hat - Forever21
Shirt - Forever21
Pants - H&M
Shoes - Forever21

And now I'm off to start my day, go to class, and start some research papers. I have to write 4 lengthy papers that are all due in a week. Fast forwarding time would be so handy right now.

Happy Wednesday!

Oh! P.S. You guys need to know about a website called Zestii. You basically sign up, choose what store you want to shop at and then you can receive a certain percentage of whatever it is you spend which you can redeem for gift cards to a whole bunch of places. They have stores like DSW, The Container Store, and Lulu's. You name it, they probably have it. They are missing a few stores (my obsession = Forever21) but they do add stores all the time so I know it's only a matter of time before more stores are added. So seriously check it out! You guys can use my invite if you'd like. I love websites like this because they just fuel my shopping obsession, haha.

'Cause I'm a Gypsy

2011-04-18T00:13:00.002-04:00

This weekend was spent quite lazily. On Saturday, we had a crazy thunderstorm that had us immobile for most of the day. I think I watched TV for 7 hours straight. Damn you House marathons for being so addictive! Today on the other hand, was a little more productive. I headed over to the prettiest part of our campus to snap some shots with one of my friends who asked me to be her model for her class assignment. I was more than happy to oblige. Awesome outfit pictures? Yes please! :) After that, Brett and I caught a late brunch and spent the rest of the day at the computer lab doing homework. All in all, a good weekend. I can't wait for the day I stop associating Sunday's with library/homework though, haha.

This bridge is known as the kissing bridge. Isn't it absolutely adorable?! I'm not entirely sure why it's called the Kissing Bridge though. I'm gonna have to look that up.

I love that I'm able to bring out some of my spring clothing and actually put them to use! My spring pieces were definitely rotting away in my closet and I know that they are happy to see the light of day.
Oh, and excuse all the random settings on each of the pictures. I've been messing around with effects on pictures and it's still a work in progress.

OUTFIT DETAILS

Headband - Flea Market
Shirt - Necessary Clothing in SoHo
Pants - Forever21
Shoes - Lulu's
Rings - Lulu's and H&M

Happy Monday!
I hope you guys have an awesome start to the week. It's supposed to rain until Wednesday here unfortunately, but hopefully a good cappuccino will cheer me up! :)

Friday Fancies: Rainy Day

2011-04-15T12:13:00.000-04:00

This week has had sporadic weather. It's gorgeous one day, cold the next, 74 degree weather one day, 50 degree weather the next. It rains one day and it's sunny out the next day. Needless to say, I never know what to wear. I've worn flats on rainy days and boots on sunny days and I've realized that the best thing to do is wear layers and check the weather constantly to make sure I'm wearing the right shoes so I've decided to dedicate this Friday Fancies to sporadic weather/rainy days.

Jacket American Eagle $49.50, Plaid shirt Urban Outfitters $39.00, Bag Marc Jacobs $478, Leather Leggings ASOS179.30, Hoops Forever21 $3.80, Shoes Jeffrey Campbell $242, Ring ASOS $10.76, Turban Amazon $9.99

Happy Friday!

What are you guys doing this weekend? Today is Rutgersfest at my school which means bands perform and chaos and madness ensue. I'm excited to see all the bands perform and party it up with my friends. Have a great weekend guys! :)

Be sure to check out more Friday Fancies!

IMAT's + Haul

2011-04-13T13:05:00.000-04:00

So I wanted to share some pictures with you guys from the IMAT's show as well as all the goodies that came home with me. I'm definitely a minimalist when it comes to makeup and at first I was unsure if I wanted to wake up early on a Saturday morning to go to something about stuff I don't know much about (read: don't know anything about. I mean, I even have an irrational fear of mascara, seriously) but I'm definitely glad I went. While I might not know anything about what brushes are good and what blush goes best with my skin tone, I do love lipsticks, nail polishes, and eyeliner and Inglot, Essie, and Obsessive Compulsive definitely helped fuel my obsession.

There were so many vendors and so many people that it was a little hard to take good shots of the actual makeup as there as was usually a huge group of girls trying to see everything but the event space was absolutely phenomenal and quintessential New York.

Hardwood floors, floor to ceiling windows, industrial pipes, exposed brick. SWOOON.

They had a student makeup competition where the theme was tribal and the makeup artist that did the above model's makeup only won 2nd place. I didn't even see the 1st place winner but I can only imagine that it looked amazing if this only won 2nd place, right?!

And noooow for the goodies I've recently purchased from the show and other little shopping excursions. :)

I have #127 from Inglot which is the red lipstick I wore in the last outfit post and I love it so much that I knew I needed more Inglot lipsticks in my life. They seriously last all day and they go on really well. I ate, drank, and ate some more all day and my lipstick stayed in tact until I washed it off so if you're looking for lipsticks, I HIGHLY suggest Inglot.

Since I've only tried their lipsticks, I wanted to try their eyeliner as well because that's the only other thing I wear and I loved this teal color that I figured would be perfect for Spring and Summer.

There were brushes everywhere and I was ridiculously overwhelmed by how many brushes there are to do specific things for your face. I do want to learn about makeup, but I had no idea what brushes were good for what so when I was this travel case full of brushes, I knew it could be the perfect starter kit for me. Plus, the $10 price tag didn't hurt as much as spending $10 on one brush.

Nail Polishes from Essie. I'm currently obsessed with Boat House that I've worn for a week and a half with no chipping! Yay. :)

New wallet and new rings from Lulu's. Remember the ring on the right from my last Friday Fancies? :)

And there you have it. Have you guys purchased any awesome goodies lately? I want to expand my ring collection. Up until recently, my accessories mainly comprised of earrings and necklaces but I now find myself looking for (read: obsessing over) rings everywhere!

Happy Tuesday!

Sunny in SoHo

2011-04-11T00:05:00.002-04:00

As mentioned in my previous post, I went to the IMAT's event in SoHo with my roommates Nisha and Vida on Saturday. I love going to SoHo because it is seriously one of my favorite neighborhoods in NYC. There are cobblestone streets everywhere, lofts galore, and tons and TONS of stores. Needless to say, I didn't come home empty handed (but I'll save that for a different post). The IMAT's show was a blast where I got lots of goodies and it was a beautiful day to go out and walk around because thankfully it was absolutely gorgeous out.

I thought layering might be my best option for the day since I wasn't entirely sure how warm or cold it was going to be. Damn you April with your all over the place weather. Luckily for me, this knit sweater does the job even if it isn't long sleeved. It turned out to be perfect for the weather. I got a little hot while at the show (87384734 girls all in one area trying to fight over lipstick will do that to ya haha) but otherwise, I was perfectly fine for the whole day.

While at the show, we took a break to eat some lunch in the cutest restaurant down the block from where the event was held. I loved these red chairs in a corner of the restaurant. Apparently, they do shows there some nights. Also, the place had some of the best sangria I've ever tasted! We definitely left with satisfied bellies, I'll tell you that much.

After the show, we proceeded to walk around SoHo a bit because everywhere you go provides the best backdrops for pictures. (Parts of my school's campus definitely does not have the same trait unfortunately)

All in all, it was an awesome day. Who doesn't love shopping and eating with your girlfriends on an all day excursion? :) Now if only we could do that every weekend and have the gorgeous weather we had this weekend. Asking for too much? Nahhhh.

OUTFIT DETAILS

Earrings - Gift from Aunt
Top - Forever21
Skirt - Forever21

Tights - ASOS

Shoes -Shi By Journeys

Bag - Aldo

Necklace - Forver21

Rings - H&M and ASOS

Happy Monday!
Be sure to check out my next post where I'll show you some pictures of the event as well as the goodies I brought home. :)

Friday Fancies: Picnic in Central Park

2011-04-08T13:02:00.005-04:00

Ruche Dress $87.99, ASOS Bag $53.79, Forever21 Earrings $3.80, Nordstrom Shoes $99.95 , Forever21 Hat $10.80, Lulu's Ring $13, Tory Burch Sunglasses $165

One of my favorite things to do in the summer is have picnics in Central Park. Brett and I get strawberries, grapes, cheese, crackers and any other junk food we might be craving and hop over to Central Park to relax and people watch. Sadly, we don't do it often enough as most weekends are taken up in the summer with family get togethers or jobs. That's why this summer I made a goal to go to Central Park at least 5 times. It may seem like an easy enough goal but sometimes life gets in the way and before you know it, it's August and summer is almost over so I'm hoping we reach that goal. *fingers crossed* :)

I first saw the dress from Ruche and knew that I needed to incorporate it into my Friday Fancies and immediately envisioned myself taking a walk through Central Park with it. While the shoes might not be so practical, I felt that they were the perfect compliment to the outfit and couldn't help but putting them in there. Realistically, I'd probably wear black sandals with the outfit but I digress. And how perfect is the bag from ASOS?! It's perfect to carry all your picnic goodies and anything else you might want to throw in there (i.e. flats to switch into when you're tired of walking in heels). Haha.

One of the picnics we had last summer. How I wish to be in shorts and a tank top. Summer, get here already!

Happy Friday!
What are you guys up to this weekend? Tomorrow, my girlfriends and I are going to IMAT's in SoHo and grabbing sushi for dinner. I can already smell the sushi. Yumm. I'll definitely make sure to snap some pictures of the IMAT's show for you guys!

Have you guys ever had a picnic in Central Park? Or what's your go-to picnic outfit?

As always, don't forget to check out more Friday Fancies at {long distance loving}!

Remebering Parts of 2010: DC Cherry Blossoms

2011-04-05T12:32:00.002-04:00

So I intended to do an outfit post today but I walked out to a monsoon happening outside of our house and let's just say, my reaction wasn't necessarily pretty. So instead of doing an outfit post, I decided to look back to my time spent in DC. At this time last year, I had lived in DC for 3 months already because I was interning at the Mexican Embassy for a semester. One of my all time favorite things in DC were the Cherry Blossoms. I had the date marked for the festival since January last year because I was that excited to see them. Little did I know that Brooklyn Botanical Gardens also has a Cherry Blossom Festival but hey, might as well see the cherry blossoms draping over the Potomac River while overlooking the Jefferson and Washington Memorials right?

Hah. I just realized I even matched the cherry blossoms. I forget if that was intentional or purely accidental. Brett came down for the weekend and we spent the entire day just walking around the river edge and having a little picnic while trying to avoid tourists which was literally impossible. There were tons of people EVERYWHERE. (I didn't count myself as a tourist because I was technically living there, even if it was only for 3 months, haha. makes sense to me, no?)

It was a beautiful day and I'm glad I was able to get pictures of it so I have a tangible memory of them. Ever since DC, I've been obsessed with cherry blossoms. I even have the cherry blossom body wash from Bath and Body Works. And I definitely need to see them every year but I NOW know that I can travel 25 minutes to Brooklyn rather than 4 hours to DC. I didn't even know Brooklyn had a Botanical Garden until some time last year! New York never fails to surprise me.

Have you guys ever been to DC for the Cherry Blossom Festival? Go to this website and you see can see all that's being planned if you want to venture out there for a weekend! Believe me, It's definitely worth it.

And now I must venture off to the library to study for an exam that I have in 6 hours. Wish me luck!

Happy Tuesday! :)

Friday Fancies: Tropical Escape

2011-04-01T17:56:00.001-04:00

Maxi Dress ASOS $116.55, Shirt Modcloth $58, Bracelets Forever21 $5.80, Bag Fossil $198, Hat Ruche $17, Sandals Lulu's $32

It's gray and dreary here in NJ so I want to escape to a sunnier place, somewhere tropical where I can drink Margarita's on the beach and take a stroll with sandals in hand and feel the sand in between my toes. I wish I could just have a little weekend getaway to somewhere warm and come back Monday morning with all my homework done. In a perfect world, this wouldn't be so difficult. But, on a better note, IT'S FRIDAY!!!! Weekends always make me happy even if most of the time I don't have anything planned. Today, I'm going to relax and do some schoolwork while laying in bed. It's a perfect day for that.

What do you guys think of my Friday Fancies outfit? Love it? Hate it? I'd love to know! And be sure to check out more Friday Fancies at {long distance loving}!

HAPPY FRIDAY! :)

Make Art, Not War

2011-03-29T15:29:00.000-04:00

So I went through a punk phase in my life where I had my lip pierced and wore chucks like it was my job. I still miss my lip piercing (and I'm secretly finding a way to get my lip re-pierced. Who says you can't have a lip piercing when you're a law student?) .... and I'm still obsessed with my chucks so I guess you can say I never really left the phase. Well there goes that.

I love this shirt. I purchased it years ago and still wear it as often as I can. It's the perfect shirt for the days when you feel like you have nothing to wear because it pretty much looks good with anything.

I planned this outfit with the shirt in mind and the yellow cardigan was the final touch. You can never go wrong with a mustard yellow cardigan. :)

OUTFIT DETAILS
Cardigan - Thrifted in Queens, NY
Shirt - Thrifted in NYC
Jeans - American Eagle
Shoes - Shi by Journeys
Bag - Urban Outfitters

... & now I must rush off to class. I have a paper due in an hour and an exam tomorrow that I haven't started studying for. Yay Senioritis. Happy Tuesday! :)

Pop of Color

2011-03-27T13:01:00.004-04:00

Yesterday, B and I went for a walk through the park near his house. I love having a park so close as it's the perfect way to relax. We didn't stay for very long but I was able to capture some outfit shots. Boyfriends really do make the best photographers. Thank you B. :)

My outfit choices have changed a little now that it's getting a little warmer out because I find myself wanting to wear brighter colors and flats even though the weather doesn't really call for it. Either way, I love adding pops of color to an outfit and transforming it from a rather monochromatic palette to one with a little bit of umph.

And now I'm off to have brunch with B and study all day. My Sundays are always library days. I can't wait until I can actually relax on Sundays. Isn't that what people do in the real world? Sleep in, grab a late brunch, get fruits/groceries, make dinner, watch movies/shows with a glass of wine. No? Or .... maybe that's just my ideal Sunday, haha.

OUTFIT DETAILS

Hat - Forever21
Scarf - Boutique in Greenwich Village
Cardigan - Local Store
Shirt - Thrifted

Pants - Forever21

Flats - H&M

Key ring - ASOS

Earrings - Wet Seal

I hope you guys have an awesome Sunday! Is anyone dreading Monday as much as I am? Booo.

Friday Fancies: Neutralizing

2011-03-25T12:17:00.002-04:00

Happy Friday! I hope you're all having a fantastic day thus far. Anyone doing anything fun this weekend? As of now, I have no idea what I'm doing this weekend for once. The only thing I know for sure is that I'm most likely studying all day Sunday. But I don't want to think about the end of the weekend already and seeing as it is Friday, I decided to do another Friday Fancies.

Skirt - Forever21 $19.80, Top - ASOS $44.83, Earrings - ASOS $17.93, Blazer ASOS $89.63, Shoes - Steve Madden $99.95, Bag - Urban Outfitters $198

I think this outfit would be perfect for a nice dinner out at a place where you can eat outside with your group of friends or your significant other. When I was younger, I had this notion that you could only wear colors like black, red, or gray when you went out. Most of the heels I owned until recently were these colors until I realized I could wear other colors and still look like I'm going out. I also hated the color pink until recently. And then, something amazing happened. I found a pair of Steve Madden's Caryssa Blush for $18 when I went to Bloomfield to visit one of my best friends. I checked for them online and they were $70 so I know I got a good deal. Only problem is, now I've been obsessed with all things blush/pink. So I knew that I was going to feature the color for this Friday Fancies. Plus, I recently bought that Forever21 skirt and I wanted to see how I could dress it up and I actually really like the outcome. As much as I hated pink in the past, I loved neutrals and I've come to realize that a hint of pink here and there isn't so bad. Now if only my friends and I had time to dress up and go to nice restaurants more often. This whole school thing is really cutting into our social lives. :)

How do you guys feel about the color pink? Hate it? Love it? Would you wear this outfit out? I'd love to know! And go check out more Friday Fancies at {long distance loving}. :)

Sunny Side Up

2011-03-23T17:14:00.003-04:00

I took advantage of the only sunny day we're going to have this week and brought out my Spring wardrobe. 70 degrees? Perfect for a skirt right? Probably not but I decided to whip it out anyway. I'm not going to lie and say that I stayed in a skirt and heels all day, but I enjoyed being able to wear it for an hour or so. I have classes all day so I can't necessarily trot around in heels all day. My feet will hate me.

The weather was gorgeous and thennn it all went downhill. I woke up to snow this morning.

And now Stefany is going to start her rant about the weather. Just kidding. I've had enough of those posts. I'll just reminisce on a happier, sunnier time and look forward to the time where we'll have plenty of days like yesterday.

And now, I'm going to cook dinner with B, aka really he's cooking dinner and I'm sitting on the couch watching NCIS. He definitely spoils me. :)

OUTFIT DETAILS
Earrings - Boutique in Dominican Republic
White Top - H&M
Cardigan - Urban Outfitters
Skirt - Forever21
Shoes - Steve Madden

Ring - H&M

I hope your Wednesday's have been a bit warmer and sunnier. And even if it isn't, life is good; enjoy the little things. Go out and rent a good movie, have a good dinner, eat an amazing tub of ice cream, or well, you know ..... something healthy like vegetables. If you must. I, personally, like the ice cream idea a bit better.

Ten Swoonworthy Accessories for Spring

2011-03-22T00:18:00.003-04:00

So, I'm pretty much IN LOVE with any types of accessories. It's a bad, bad obsession. You name it, I probably own it. But there are some things I'm currently swooning over that I have to get my hands on one way or another. With Spring officially here, I think it's a perfect time to blog about accessories that would be perfect for the season and one's I'm sure I'll end up purchasing before the season is over.

1. Feather Earrings

Ever since I saw huge feather earrings on Pretty Little Liars, I've been obsessing over them. It is now my mission to find the perfect pair and I love that these (found on Etsy) are the perfect amount of edgy with the skulls but still have a bohemian feel to them. How cute are they?

2. Fabric Flower Necklace Bib

Talk about a statement necklace. I must find out how to make this. Also found on Etsy.

3. Watches that are also Bracelets

Found on Urban Outfitters. I love the pastel color of the watch too. So perfect for Spring. I don't have a watch which is terrible considering I'm in my 20's and I still have to take my phone out to see what time it is. I should probably look to invest in one. Definitely wouldn't mind investing in this beauty. :)

4. Floppy Hats

I already own a floppy hat in black, but I love this natural colored one found on Forever21.

5. Bright Plastic Bow Rings

How cute is this coral plastic bow ring? The color reminds me of Spring and it's a steal on ASOS right now.

6. Bright Bags

Perfect compliment to the bow ring! Wouldn't you agree? :)

7. Quirky Twist on Headbands

Adorable headband made by Ilene of Much Love, Illy. She makes GORGEOUS headbands that you can find on her Etsy shop.

8. Nautical Themed Jewelry

Okay, so technically I already own an anchor necklace, but I need more nautical themed jewelry like this baby above found on Etsy. Plus, the necklace I currently own is navy blue, this is more of a aqua? Haha (I can pretty much justify anything I want and turn it into something I NEED haha, bad habit).

9. Anything with a Mustache

How cute are these Etsy studs? It's a perfect, subtle way to add some quirkiness to your outfit.

10. Charm Bracelets

One of my best friends gave me a charm bracelet on Christmas a long time ago. Unfortunately, the charm bracelet has since rusted away and I've been recently feeling a little nostalgic and it didn't help when I stumbled upon this charm bracelet on ASOS.

And there you have it, are you guys swooning over any accessories lately?

I'm so excited to have SUN tomorrow. It was gray and dreary all day and tomorrow will be one of the few days with sun as the rest of the week looks dreary too. Yay for 56 degree weather and sun. I already have my outfit planned. Happy Tuesday loves! :)

A Stroll on the Boardwalk

2011-03-19T21:12:00.000-04:00

First of all, let me just apologize for being away from the blog for so long! With working all week and catching up with friends from home, I barely had any time/energy to dedicate to the blog. This week has gone by way too fast and I'm not ready to go back to school. To make matters worse, on Friday we had a beautiful, sunny day and it gave us all a taste of spring/summer. Brett and I decided to take advantage of this gorgeous day and headed down to Jersey City's boardwalk. As much as I blog about NYC, there is one city I don't blog about enough: my hometown, Jersey City.

Our boardwalk gives us a panoramic view of NYC and even goes to Hoboken. Brett and I literally spent hours sitting and walking through here on Friday. :)

Brett using my camera case as a hat.

It's so peaceful just to look at the water hitting the rocks.

I love wearing pastel colors during the Spring. I kinda look like an Easter egg. :)

Unfortunately, the beautiful weather didn't stay for long. The weather today was back in the low 50's. I'm still glad I was able to enjoy a taste of what's to come. Spring, HURRY UP!

Back to school tomorrow. Blehhh. I hope you've all had a wonderful weekend thus far!

Ten Lovely Things For The Home

2011-03-15T01:50:00.000-04:00

So while this is primarily a fashion and photography blog, I have a dirty little secret (maybe not so dirty), I'm obsessed with interior design. It all started when I stumbled upon this channel HGTV (some of you may have heard of it). Well, it's safe to say I was hooked after 10 minutes. My roommates make fun of me because I watch it that often. It's even DVR'd. Yes, my obsession has come to the point where I have to record House Hunters and I'm genuinely disappointed when there aren't any new episodes. With that said, I love finding awesome things for the home so for this Ten Things Tuesday, I decided to round up a few of my favorite etsy/ikea finds.

1. Chalkboard for the Kitchen

This is going to be really weird but when I was younger (aka really in high school), I loved it when I was able to write something on the chalkboard. I really don't know what it is about chalkboards but I love them and I love the idea of hanging one in a kitchen letting everyone know what's for dinner or leaving a note for someone. When I saw this lovely one on Etsy, I literally ooh'd and aaah'd.

2. Ottoman

How cute is this ottoman?! Unfortunately it doesn't open up to store stuff, but it was so cute I could not resist posting about it. :)

3. Wooden Blocks

I love how quirky these wooden blocks are. I could see them looking perfect on my bookshelf.

4. Calendar

What else is there to say? Keep calm and carry chocolate. Everyone should abide by that rule.

5. Living Room Storage

I love the shape of this bookcase/storage system. Two of these on either side of a TV would look perfect in any living room.

6. Room Divider

I know you've all seen the scene in a movie where a girl is usually talking to someone else on the other side of the divider (usually a guy) and she's undressing and you only see her shadow and the guy really likes her so you can read his nervousness on his face, etc. No? Just me? Well, that is what this room divider reminded me of. It looks so pretty and would be perfect for dividing a bedroom area in a studio from the rest of the space.

7. Organizers for Drawers

It's green and it organizes stuff aka I love it.

8. Nightstand

I love that it's such a simple nightstand but looks like it has tons of storage. Best part is, you can clutter up the nightstand because no one will have to know what's in there.

9. Kitchen Cart

City apartments usually have small everything and that means limited counter space in kitchens. With a kitchen cart, not only does it add some counter space, but it also doubles it as storage. And, you can also roll it around if you need to. I would say a win, win, win.

10. Chandelier

This isn't much a chandelier as it is a candelabra but I love how elegant it looks. It could warm up any room.

I want to buy all of these things. I might have to start with the drawer organizer and the chandelier, which one(s) is your favorite(s)? :) Happy Tuesday!

Also, a much needed prayer goes out to Japan. May those affected find some peace in a terrible, catastrophic time. I read on Oh Hello Friend that there will be a blogger's day of silence for Japan on Friday March 18 so I will not be posting on Friday and I hope you'll join me for this day of silence as well.