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Rent the Runway Gowns

July 21, 2015

I recently received word from Rent the Runway that they wanted me to pick any two dresses off the site to enjoy and take some pictures.. And let me start by saying that it was not an easy task! RTR offers hundreds of gorgeous dresses ranging in formality from poolside hanging to Oscar party. I went with a couple of fancier choices, as I don’t often have the occasion to wear gowns, so why not!

Gown – Nha Khanh c/o Rent the Runway
D’orsay pumps – Sam Edelman
Clutch – vintage sunglass case (I added the crystals)
Crystal link bracelet – J. Crew – similar
Rings – LA finds

I love when my photographer tells me a joke in the middle of shooting 😛
Overall, this dress fit me perfectly, everywhere except the length! I would have been happier if it was maybe 2-3″ longer. I believe they do offer this dress in a longer length, and in that case, it would be extraordinary for a fancy holiday party.

Next up, was this gorgeous and surprisingly comfortable ruby red gown from Badgley Mischka. It flowed so beautifully as I walked and I almost didn’t want to take it off! I actually ended up wearing it out to dinner with the boyfriend after this shoot!

Gown – Badgley Mischka c/o Rent the Runway
Bag – vintage
Necklace – LA find – similar

Photos shot by Holli Zenko.

I will of course disclose that Rent the Runway sent these dresses to me to wear at no cost. I have been using their services for over a year now, and am a member of their Unlimited membership program. More on that here. Any time I’ve had any type of issue (from a dress that doesn’t fit to shipping delays), their customer service associates have always been incredible. Their selection is amazing, as I mentioned, and includes day-to-day and date night pieces, along with those drop-dead-gorgeous gowns.

Nordstrom Anniversary Sale Picks

July 20, 2015

I’ll be honest, I’ve never really gotten in to the Nordies Anniversary sale, at least not to the level that some shopaholic ladies I know do… This year, however, there were too many good deals to pass up! I had been debating on getting the camel-colored bag since seeing it on Sequins & Thing’s and the many ways that Alyson Haley styled it.
Jewelry, clockwise from left:
Kendra Scott necklace
Kendra Scott cuff
BaubleBar Geometry Set
Kendra Scott cuff
Gorjana bar necklace

Shoes clockwise from top left:
Halogen Olson Pointy Toe Flats x 2
Halogen Olson Pointy Toe Flats – Calf Hair
Jeffrey Campbell Rodillo Hi Wedges

MAC Look in a Box in Pretty Neutral

Accessories from top left:
Street Level Reversible Vegan Tote
Sonix Clear Lolita iPhone 6 Case
Linum Home Textiles Herringbone Throw
Street Level Vegan Leather Bucket Bag

Prices go back up August 3rd so don’t wait too long.
Don’t forget to use ebates for an additional 3% cash back!
😀

Simply Stylist – Social Media

July 19, 2015

This post should have been completed long ago, my apologies for not getting it up sooner! I’ve been really enjoying the events being put on by Simply Stylist, ever since attending their Fashion & Beauty Conference earlier this year. Recently I attended the monthly session focusing on social media, hosted by the extremely personable, entertaining and knowledgeable Ashley Torres of Pursuit of Shoes. She touched on every major social channel and how to make the most of each, and got in depth on photo editing. I learned so much and have been implementing these tools every day since! After the session, the boyfriend and I headed to lunch at The Little Next Door, a cute little French place not too far from the Grove, then for shopping at the Santa Monica promenade, and finally, to the Grand Tasting at the Santa Monica Pier.

With our extraordinary guest speaker, Ashley Torres from Pursuit of Shoes.

Dress – Rachel Roy (rented)
Floral bomber – Forever 21
Heels – Matisse Footwear
Clutch – Ela Handbags
Midi rings – Forever 21
Square ring – similar
Pyramid bracelet – Banana Republic – similar
Wire-wrapped bracelet – The Crowned Crane – similar
Cage bracelet – Nectar Clothing – similar
Dragonfly necklace – Kyle Chan Design– similar
Stone necklace – Kyle Chan Design – similar

Near the end of her presentation, Ashley announced that we would be practicing the fine art of the #flatlay. I grabbed a couple of items from TopShop and arranged them with some of the things that I brought with me, to the keep the color palette simple. I didn’t win the contest for “best flatlay” but I was pretty happy with the outcome.

After the session, I met up with Mark and we headed over to The Little Next Door, a casual brasserie located on West Third. I can’t say many good things about the service, which at times ranged from lazy to just plain rude and insulting, HOWEVER, the food was incredible. I would go back for the food alone and just ask for a different server 😉

Ahi tartare with pita slices.

Fresh, crusty bread with olive oil & balsamic, and a cup of carrot ginger soup. Yum.

We had some time to kill after perusing the vendors on the Santa Monica Promenade, so we stopped in to the Ristorante al mar for a couple of cocktails. Not a bad view, right?

After a quick outfit change, I was all ready for the Grand Tasting. Not my favorite dress that I’ve rented from Rent the Runway, but it was perfect for the warmer temperature.
Dress – Badgley Mischka (rented)
White sandals – Steve Madden
Tassel necklace – LA find

After the tasting, we still weren’t feeling satiated, so I hopped on my handy Yelp app and scouted out an awesome spot called Bacaro LA. It was the sweets that we were after, but will absolutely be back to explore the rest of their menu.

Presenting the brown butter cookie dough and homemade bread pudding. OMG yes.

Overall, it was a fantastic day with my love. Improving my craft, enjoying some fantastic food, and taking in the sights with my favorite person.
😀

Subscription Review – Box of Style

July 7, 2015

I was so disappointed to have missed out on the first Box of Style (with that gorgeous Miansai cuff), that I decided to pay for a whole year of them back in April so I wouldn’t miss out on another great deal again. Well, my friends, it has been a LONG and impatient wait since then until today, when my summer shipment arrived. I am VERY impressed with the products that Rachel Zoe and her team selected this season. It contains beauty, fashion and styling items that I can’t wait to add to my closet and makeup regime. I hope you all enjoy!

First off, let’s start with this box. I will definitely be holding on to it, to store tights or whatnot, because it’s nice and sturdy and quite pretty too.

Everything comes wrapped up in black tissue paper, with a little guidebook to tell you more about what you’re getting.

The first thing I unwrapped is this uber colorful printed scarf/sarong/wrap from Mara Hoffman, created exclusively for Box of Style. It’s lightweight but not completely sheer, and the print is really interesting. It’s a bit floral, tropical, and tribal without being overwhelming. This will definitely be coming with me to Palm Springs later this week. Retail value:$98

Too Faced Sun Bunny Bronzer – I like that this bronzer has a hint of shimmer to it, and that you can use just the lighter shade to highlight. Most of the bronzers I use are totally matte, so this will mix things up a bit. Retail value: $30

Too Faced La Crème Lipstick in Spice Spice Baby. I have one of these in a gorgeous nude shade called Naked Dolly that I am obsessed with. Nice, soft scent, beautiful shiny (but not overtly so) finish, and it lasts for hours. Excited to try this neutral shade as well. Retail value: $22

O.R.G. Skincare Organic Mineral Face Peel
I’ve never heard of this brand, but, like Rachel and her team, I’m obsessed with exfoliating in the summer. Feet get all cracked, elbows and knees get ashy, facial skin gets dull.. Exfoliation cures all of these things! Along with proper moisturizing, of course 😉 Retail value: $44

Bristols 6 Nippies
I won’t lie, these were a little jarring to see in my box at first… Then I realized how useful they could be in summer when I start breaking out all of my strapless, racerback, and sheer tops. Retail value: $26

Last but not least, the “hero” item, this lovely white leather bag from Cambridge Satchel Company. I missed out on their after-Thanksgiving blowout sale last year and thought that maybe it wasn’t meant to be that I owned a bag from this brand. I love that they chose summer’s “it” shade of white for the bag, and also a bag of moderate size to really carry everything you should need. Mine arrived with a slight indent on the right side in the front, but the boyfriend has assured me that it will soften out with wear, so I’m not worried about it. Retail value: $150

Total value for all items: $370!
So not to say that this awkward-quarterly (July, September, December and March) service is cheap.. But it’s a great deal for all of the expertly curated, useful items that you get. A one-time purchase goes for $100, while an annual subscription will set you back $350. Yes, it’s a lot of money. But for me at least, I know that I’m saving money overall by not feeling like I need to go buy a new lipstick or pool accessory or handbag because I got this box of gorgeous things that I unwrapped like Christmas presents. I haven’t had to deal with their customer service department, so I can’t speak to how they deal with customers, but that’s not a bad thing to say that I haven’t had a problem. I have to give this service a very enthusiastic thumbs up!
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