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My Perfect Summer Dress – Worn Two Ways

August 22, 2017

Hello, hello, my loves!
If you’re reading this after seeing my post on Instagram, you will already know the news… these long locks are no more! My photographer brought to my attention, actually the afternoon of my big chop, that I still had one last post to share before the big reveal. She asked me if I was going to look back at our shoot, this shot in particular, and regret my decision. More about that in my next post!
For now, I just want to rave some more about this perfect maxi dress that I discovered while browsing around on Amazon’s prime day. It wasn’t included in the deals, but that didn’t matter, because it was still under $30! It comes in like a bagillion colors, OK, closer to 35, but I fell in love with this one because the print reminded me of something Reformation would create. I have neither the budget for that brand, nor am I even sure that they carry my size, plus there’s Amazon Prime soooo.
I wanted to share a couple of different ways to style a dress like this, because first instinct would be to throw on a pair of flat sandals and call it a day. For the first look, I chose some brand new white sneaks, a denim jacket, little crossbody bag and delicate layered necklaces. This is so perfect for brunch with the girls or a date where you know you’ll be walking a bunch. Later on in the post, I paired it with some mixed-metal mules, my favorite O-ring bag, and some oversized sunnies. I’d definitely wear this to go shopping or grabbing a quick dinner with the boyfriend. I hope you enjoy the looks!

Dress / Amazon // Jacket / JustFab // Sneakers / Superga USA // Bag / Shaffer LA from the Box of Style // Necklaces / LA Finds

Look Two

Dress / Amazon // Mules / ASOS // Bag / Nordstrom // Both necklaces / Gorjana from Rocksbox // Ring / Rocksbox (use code kristinbff320 for your first month of Rocksbox free!) / Sunnies / Lauren Conrad for Kohls

Shot by Holli Z Photography.

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Mesh & Brushstrokes

June 16, 2016

Hi, loves!
I’m so excited to share this fun look with you today!
I found these crazy brushstroke print TOMS at Nordstrom Rack during the last “Clear the Rack” sale (side note, another sale starts today!!) and have been waiting to find the perfect outfit to wear them with around town. Best thing is, they’re so comfortable! I love how platforms (or flatforms) give you height like heels, but don’t kill your feet. A strap across the ankle helps as well to hold you in and to alleviate pressure. These particular wedges are sold out, but the black & white brushstroke version is still available here.

On another, wildly different note, I’ve been working on editing my closet. I wouldn’t necessarily call it a purge, but I’d been noticing that there are lots of dresses, tops, shoes, etc. that I just haven’t been reaching for and basically, no longer care to keep around. If you’re interested in shopping my closet, check out my Poshmark account, where I’ve been posting a lot of goodies (at a fraction of retail.) If you don’t have an account, feel free to use my code “PTVAA” when signing up and you’ll get $10 off your first purchase. Full disclosure, I also get $10 when you buy something, but I wouldn’t recommend it if I didn’t love it already!

I’m also putting together a “how-to-organize-your-closet” post, but it’s difficult to find ideas that don’t sound cliché or that you haven’t heard a thousand times before. Turn the hangers when you wear something, use the “have you worn it in 6 months” rule… Then there’s the Marie Kondo method of thinking – does it spark joy. I read her book with such excitement and motivation after the completion of each chapter. I, of course, could not wait before reading to the end of the book before I started off on my cleaning exploration. I did end up clearing out a lot of things that I wasn’t using anymore, but the “sparking joy” part was much more difficult for me. It actually made me kind of sad! I would hold up a top I bought 2 years ago, tags still attached, and ask myself “does this blouse spark joy for me?” The truth is that I had bought the top even though it didn’t fit me at the time, and it still doesn’t fit! Did it go in the toss/donate/sell pile? Nope. It stayed right where it was. Partially because I do think that I will eventually lose the weight to be able to fit into it, but I’ve also learned that I love to collect beautiful things. Even if they don’t serve a practical purpose, and even if I can’t wear them out of the house right now, I like to have pretty things around me. So it made me sad because I realized I could never be one of those people with the gorgeous, minimalist, and streamlined closets with 2 coats, 4 t-shirts, a pair of pants and 3 pairs of shoes. I’m a girl who loves having options, and as superficial as it sounds, I enjoy shopping my closet each morning. So yes, I’ll hold on to the things that might not fit currently, or the things that might be considered not on-trend anymore but they fit really well. So instead, my post will be more about organizing what you do have and making it so you’ll be excited to get dressed every morning and taking some of the stress out of it. Until the post us up, feel free to check out the Pinterest board I’ve created of some of the most inspiring closets around 🙂

Button-down / StitchFix // Skirt / ASOS // Platforms / TOMS // Sunnies / Amazon // Bag / vintage // Bracelet / Fab.com // Necklace / Kyle Chan Design

Shot by Holli Zenko Photography.

April Stitch Fix

May 5, 2016

Hello, loves!
I hope everyone is doing well and settling in to this warmer weather that crept up. I would have been doing a lot better had I not locked my keys in my trunk during the hottest part of the day earlier this afternoon! Luckily, Mark (and AAA) were just one call away to rescue me.
I wanted to share with you all today my April Stitch Fix experience. This time, I actually remembered to leave feedback for my stylist. I asked for a summery print maxi dress, something with lace, colored jeans, and a chambray-like button-down. I think my stylist did pretty well with the styles, however, I had asked for the prices to be more moderate with each piece. I was sent a pair of $98 peach jeans. They were cute (albeit a bit too snug and long), but $100 for trendy jeans that I likely wouldn’t wear past August seems like not the best investment. I want something I’m either going to wear to death throughout a season or an old faithful piece that I can pull out at any time and know it’s going to look great.

So, initially, I thought this dress would be tricky to wear due to all of the horizontal stripes, but it actually hugged me in all of the right places and was figure-flattering. I didn’t feel the print was versatile enough, in terms of being able to dress it up or down, so at $78, it was a pass.
Sunnies / Amazon // Necklace / LA find // Clutch / Cambridge Satchel Co. from the Box of Style

Next up, this chambray-like top, as requested from my stylist. I loved the idea of keeping it super casual with a little tank and leggings. This one was pretty great, with it’s subtle pinstripe fabric, that also happens to be super soft. At $64, it was a touch on the pricey side, but I knew I would wear it often enough to make it work.
Sunnies / Amazon // Tank / H&M // Crossbody / Shaffer LA from the Box of Style // Slip-ons & Leggings / ASOS // Necklace / Kyle Chan Design

Here are the aforementioned peach jeans. Cute, but limited in terms of wearability. They were also about 3 inches too long, so I cuffed them up and added my favorite nude open-toed heels. I really liked the idea of pairing it with aqua tones, kind of a play on a coral & turquoise color story. Regardless, their longevity in my wardrobe was non-existent, and therefore, they were returned.
Sunnies / Amazon // Tank / H&M // Necklace / Anthropologie // Pumps / Miu Miu // Clutch / Gap

Lastly, and you may have seen this look already in a recent Gwynnie Bee post, but it was probably my favorite outfit that I put together from this fix. The skirt from Gywnnie Bee I knew that I was going to purchase as soon as I unwrapped it, but figured I would pair it with a white blouse and colorful heels. When I saw this pink blouse in my fix, the colors were just so harmonious, that I flipped that idea around and paired the colorful top with neutral heels. I may have considered purchasing the top, as I believe it was just around $45, but it actually had a stain on it, front and center. I know that part of the hazard of sending things out to people to try on is that you may get them back in not-pristine condition, but I just wish that the people who packaged my fix up would have inspected the items a bit more thoroughly.
Sunnies / Amazon // Clutch / Cambridge Satchel Co. from the Box of Style // Skirt / Gwynnie Bee // Heels / Dolce Vita

The last item I unfortunately do not have a picture of. It was completely unwearable, as the “Large” was genuinely like a Small/Medium and I could barely get it over my head! It was a top with white crinkly fabric and several patchwork-like strips of material running down the front. So not my size or my style.

Overall, I just kept the chambray shirt from this round, and I’m quite happy with my purchase! For my next fix, I’ve requested another shot at a maxi dress, a colorful crossbody bag and something in the on-trend blush shade. I can’t wait to see what my stylist chooses for me next! I really do look forward to coming home to that box at my front door 😉
If you’re interested in signing up for a box of your own, feel free to use my link here.

Sheer Print ASOS Maxi

March 23, 2016

Hello, loves!
Today, I want to talk about spring & summer maxi dresses. My ideal maxi for warmer months has either loose, floaty sleeves or thinner straps, perfect for layering under a denim jacket or little sweater when nighttime rolls around. It has a hemline that doesn’t drag on the ground, because who wants to have to wear heels (or even wedges) every time with an easy, breezy maxi? Kind of takes the casual-ness out of the look. I like a dress I can throw on with some flat sandals and head out the door. It needs to be in a light, airy fabric. I love either a stretchy jersey or cotton, like the striped version from StitchFix I wore on my birthday cruise last year, or sheer material over a slip, like the dress from ASOS I’m wearing here. Lastly, I love a fun print. I feel like solid maxis tend to accentuate little lumps and bumps, of which I have, ahem, a few. Prints like these make the eye bounce around and are overall more fun for me to wear. I’ve linked some of my favorites below, all under $50.
If you’ve been following me on Instagram, you may have seen that I attended the Simply Stylist conference in LA this past weekend. I had SO much fun and enjoyed meeting many bloggers that I’ve followed for years, as well as some fantastic new ones (more about the event and who I met in a future blog post!) I’m not sure if it was our slightly seedy hotel room (should have listened to Trip Advisor) or just my sinus infection coming back, but I’ve woken up with a sore throat every day since! Super annoying. Fingers crossed for me that there’s just something in the air and that it goes away quickly! 😀

Dress / ASOS // Sandals / Target // Lariat necklace / Gorjana via Rent the Runway // Bag / Forever 21 // Sunglasses / Amazon / Rings & Bracelets Forever 21 & LA finds

Shot by Holli Zenko Photography.