Lets talk Leopard

Does leopard print make anyone else feel like they are in the jungle? Maybe I am alone on that one, but it does make me feel more spunky. I love throwing on a animal print, especially when it is leopard. Such a great way to add excitement, texture, and fun to an outfit. I honestly feel more fierce in leopard print, or any animal print really. It is almost as exciting as sequins for me, which is obviously a lot. I went with some distressed jeans and simple black heels because I wanted to focus on the fabulousness of the shirt, as well as bring attention to my top bun. The pink clutch (which I made, to see how see here) adds some much needed color.

{Blouse: H&M}{Shoes: Old via Target}{Jeans: Virgos via Nordstrom}{Sunnies: Nordstrom}{Handbag: Myself, see here}

Sun Glasses 101 {Summer 2012}

Currently Craving: Lets face it, cat eye sun glasses are quite literally taking over. I am seeing them everywhere, and I do mean everywhere. Which is quite okay by me, actually. Usually I am not one to jump on a trend this quickly, especially when it is sun glasses. But this trend has me so excited, I just can't help it.

 

Currently Crashing: Aviators definitely took their turn in the spot light, but recently they are slipping down in the ranks of fame and finding themselves in the shadows. Don't get me wrong, aviators are great if you still love them. But be aware, they are definitely on the outs, I suggest trying something new this summer!

 

Currently Cut-off: Bug eye sun glasses. If you are still wearing these, you need to take a deep breath and throw them away. It will be okay, I promise, there are better sun glasses out there. There was once a time when everyone was wearing these large and in charge (of your face) glasses, but looking like a  bug and hiding your entire face is no longer fashionable, and I, for one, am very happy about that.

Back to Reality

I feel like I am slugging through thick mud today. After a long, relaxing weekend, coming back to the grind of reality is just not pleasant, but so it goes. I hope you all had amazing weekends filled with bbq's, sun and, friends... I know mine was. I ended up going to a street fair in a part of town I never normally venture to, so that was fun. There were so many small store fronts that had the cutest things. Here are some pictures of my weekend, hope you enjoy. And good luck getting back into the reality of things this week, people! It's not easy, but the least you can do is dress better than you feel. It totally perks up my mood!

Coral Ruffle Party

{Dress:J Crew old}{Shoes: Forever 21}{Art Candy: H&M, Forever 21, Nordstrom}

I kind of feel as though this dress slightly resembles a potato bag that just happens to be belted, I really love it. Maybe it's the color, or maybe it's the comfort factor, but either way, I just can't get over it. I love the double ruffle on the top, and the fit of it. The baggy fit is not only comfortable, but perfect for a hot day (which is really way this day). I belted it to add a little definition to my waist, but it works without it as well for a more beachy look.

{DIY} Over Sized Clutch

I am so excited to share my first DIY with you all! I have had my eye on some seriously cute over sized clutches from American Apparel lately. They come in a very large assortment of colors and sizes. Basically, I have been craving several of them for some time now. I just can't bring myself to buy one because of the price. $60 for a clutch that isn't even fancy? No, thank you. So, because I can't keep these bags out of my mind, I decided to make my own! Time to get my Martha Stewart on. Here is what you'll need:

I purchased all of these supplies except for the vinyl at my local fabric store for under $5. I already had scizzors, so thread, needles, rudler and zipper were all very inexpensive. The hot pink pinyl I found on Amzon by simply searching "hot pink vinyl fabric". It was about $6 + shipping/handling. But it comes with more than enough to make several bags. (gift idea, anyone?) I will also be showing another type of clutch to make with my left over fabric soon!

You want to turn your fabric upside down and trace a large magazine twice. You will end up with a large rectangle. I try to leave 1 half of an inch along all the sides for when you sew. Make sure the magazine works with the zipper size you got.

Cut out the rectangle and make sure all the cuts are straight, and even. This is where the ruler comes in handy, when marking along the magazine.

Next, fold the vinyl in half and pin it together to stay in place. Make sure all the corners match up, so you have a nice shape when done.

Now, begin to sew the sides of the fabric. You can use a sewing machine, but if you are like me and don't have one, it only takes a few minutes to sew the sides up. Just make sure to do small, close together stitches.

When you are done sewing and feel that it is secure, gently pull the middle towards the opening and turn the bag right side out. You are almost done!

Finally, sew on the zipper. Some people like to do this as the first step, becore sewing the sides up, but I think that is more difficult. It is a but tricking to sew the zipper at first, but try pinning it in place before attempting to sew. Make sure to use the same color thread as the fabric, so it blends. And there you go! I hope you all enjoyed this DIY, let me know how it worked for you :)

To the Max

{Dress: Forever 21}{Hat: H&m}

I don't know what it is about maxi dresses, but they make me so happy. Maybe it's because I feel a bit more glam, while being really casual. Or, maybe it is because there is not a lot of effort that goes into them. A maxi dress on a hot day it a pretty simple outfit to put togehter. Either way, this dress is amazing. It's an oldie but goodie. I got it about two years ago for $10 and Forever 21 on an emergency stop in Arizona. I am not going to lie, I wore it a couple times that summer and never thought about it again. Well, now I am thinking that was a mistake, this dress is a beauty. Not to mention uber comfortable. It was perfect for the hot weather we had the other day, it will definitely not make it's way back to being forgotten again.

Orange Crush

{Shorts: Jcrew}{Shirt: Old H&M Mens wear}{Shoes: Urban Outfitters}

Although I kind of feel like my shorts resemble a table cloth that my grandmother might own, I really, really, love them. I have a new found crush on orange. It is so bright and festive for the season. What I love about these shorts, other than the table cloth look, is that they are so versatile. Seriously, they are! I dressed them down here, with tennis shoes and a white button up, but add some wedges, a white blouse and you can wear there out on the town this summer.

{Insiration Wednesday} Mary Kate and Ashley Olsen Style

Sometimes I just need a little inspiration. While turning to magazines, blogs, and celebs is usually helpful, once and a while I still can't find anything I want to try. When this happens, my go-to inspiration is actually two people. The Olsen twins. Yep, I mean they are basically perfect. I love that their styles are so different at times, and dead on the same at others. I love the variety of ideas I get from their personal style. They are fab, I love them, and this post is dedicated to how much I want to find thier closets and live in them. The picture directly above is probably one of my favorites ever, the black pointy toe stilletto with the rolled up denim, and black blazer. It is so simple, classic and chic, I just can't help but want to copy it. I hope you find these pictures inspiring!

pink + white

{Shoes: Target} {Clutch: Gucci} {Shirt: J Crew} {Vest: Old Navy} {Pants: H&m} {Watch: Invicta}
 
Lets just talk about how much I am in love with this J Crew button down. Again, it's pink, and we know how my love for pink has grown so much recently. Anyways, this outfit was perfect for the weather conditions, it was sunny and warm, but too windy for a skirt. White pants and this pastel pink button down did just the trick. I felt a little too light on the color palette, so I added the green vest. throw on a clutch and some flats, and bing bang boom, there you have it. A perfect spring outfit!