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3 Ways to Wear a Sarong

June 29, 2016

Summer is officially upon us!
Welcome the days spent poolside and at the beach, backyard BBQ’s, picnics and music festivals. One thing I’ve always wanted at my own house is a pool. Growing up, my weekends were spent at the association pool, along with everyone else in the community. We’re just renting right now but I would eventually love to have a place with it’s own pool, or at least to make friends with the neighbors so we can use theirs! As for now, you can find me crashing friend’s houses and hotel pools to get my time in the water (and sunbathing next to it).

I wanted to share 3 ways to wear a sarong, because you need to mix it up a little bit throughout summer to keep your look fresh. Sarongs (or pareos or wraps) are the ideal poolside topper because they’re so versatile. Aside from the obvious swimsuit coverup, they can also be used as scarves or even as a makeshift blanket to sit on in a pinch.

Sarong / Mara Hoffman // Bikini top & swim shorts / JcPenney // Wedges / Kork-Ease / Sunnies // Amazon
This first look offers a bit more coverage. You take an oversized scarf, (this one is from last summer’s Box of Style), hold two of the ends and wrap them across your chest and tie at the back of your neck. Depending on your size and the amount of material in your scarf, this can actually act as a dress for a pool party, or for hitting happy hour after a dip.

Swimsuit / JcPenney (similar) // Sarong / Pool to Party c/o BohoCheri // Sunnies / Amazon
Next up, a more classic take. This works with a longer length scarf, or an oversized one folded in half. I love that you can still show off the upper half of your suit. The one-piece I’m wearing here (my fave swimsuit that I own) has a drape neck and cut-out, which are features I wouldn’t want to hide.

Swimsuit & Sandals / JcPenney // Scarf / Forever 21 // Sunnies / Amazon
Lastly, I was really excited to come across this style on a YouTube video recently. You take opposite ends of the scarf and tie a knot so there is a huge loop in the middle. Put the scarf over your head and slip your arms through so the fabric is behind you and you’re now wearing the scarf like a vest! It’s a great casual cover-up and I loved using a more silky scarf for this look because it drapes beautifully.

Shot by Holli Zenko Photography.

What’s your favorite type of coverup? A little sundress? A sheer caftan? Share with me below 🙂

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.

One Vest, Three Ways – Working Class

June 8, 2016

Hi loves!
I hope everyone is doing excellently well. I wanted to mix it up today and try this sleeveless suede vest in not only a work look, but also as a layering piece. When putting together outfits that I would wear to work, the first thing I always consider is “how can I layer this?” In Southern California, it can jump from 60 degrees at 7 am to 102 around 2 pm. In my office, it can range from slightly chilly to comfortable to having to fan myself in the middle of the day!
I definitely have to think about having pieces I can remove or add on as the day goes on. I’ve made the mistake before of wearing a long-sleeved lightweight (or so I thought!) blouse and suffering through half of the day, so I try to stick with a pretty basic formula for dressing now. I almost always start with a slim basic tank or camisole, like these from Gap. They’re frequently on sale and I have about 10 total in white and black. Next, I’ll wear a sleeveless or short-sleeved top in either cotton or a sheer fabric for coverage, but also to stay cool. To top it off, I’ll grab anything from a barely there cardigan to a more substantial open sweater or blazer. I’m also a huge fan of the lightweight trench for integrating into your work wardrobe. I’ve linked several options below that I think would be great additions. Look for a lightweight material, preferably unlined, and also with roll-up sleeves to adjust between temperatures.
I wanted to keep this look pretty tonal, so I added some black heels that have a white stripe accent; grey, gold and black jewelry; a faux snakeskin work bag and a black suede knee-length skirt fro StitchFix that I’m just in love with right now.

Suede vest / BohoCheri // Tank / Everlane // Trench / H&M // Skirt / StitchFix // Heels / Jimmy Choo // Tote / JustFab // Open bracelet & necklace / LA finds // Cage cuff / Nectar Clothing // Sunglasses / Amazon
Other great trench options here, here and here.

Shot by Holli Zenko Photography.

One Vest, Three Ways – Pops of Color

June 6, 2016

Hi loves!
I hope everyone is doing well. Today, I wanted to talk about something that’s near and dear to my heart and that is shopping local. I say it’s near and dear because I grew up in a house that was not only where my family lived, but it was also the workplace of my mother. She owned a gift basket business (still does) and nearly our entire first-story was dedicated to components for making these gift baskets and a little home office. Seeing her balance two teenage girls and the demand of hundreds of orders going out every month, each one customized, was something that I truly admire.
This is one of the many reasons I love supporting small businesses. I’ve seen the struggle that they go through to keep the doors open. They also have unique, hand-crafted, or limited quantity products that you can’t find anywhere else. One of the things that my mom was kind of famous for was for taste-testing every product that she put in her baskets. She took so much pride in what she was creating, she wanted to make sure that the items were fantastic, because they were a representation of her. With so many of the little shops and boutiques around me, I see the same attention to detail and you can tell that someone sat and chose each and every item they’re presenting. I also love that they try to support local designers and creators. When I walk in to a boutique and see a little jewelry line that I know that someone has put so much effort and soul in to, it warms my heart and makes me want to buy something cute that I’ll cherish, knowing I’ve helped that person keep on creating. Here are some of my favorite local boutiques I’d love for you to check out!
BohoCheri Orange St. 342 Orange St, Redlands, CA
Nectar Clothing 12 E. State St. Redlands, CA
DenM 18 E . State St. Redlands, CA
Kith 5 E. Citrus Ave. Redlands, CA
MP Couture 34646 County Line Rd., Yucaipa, CA
Layered by Cake 1911 Commercenter W., Suite 409, San Bernardino, CA
And some of the delightful small businesses I’ve come across..
Gaia Bags
Martin & Co. Candles
Kindred Supply Company

This look is my second in the series One Vest, Three Ways – Pops of Color! I wanted to make it very playful, and what better to add some fun to a look than with stripes and bright shades. All of the accessories that I added I got at an extreme discount… The Kendra Scott wristlet ($12) and Sole Society wedges ($23) were Nordstrom Rack finds, and the cuff from J.Crew Factory I picked up while in Florida for the astonishingly low price of $6! I got it in coral as well, but for some reason TSA grabbed it when they searched my bags! 🙁

Suede vest / BohoCheri // Tank / Everlane // Pencil skirt / 7 For All Mankind // Wedges / Sole Society // Cuff / J.Crew // Clutch / Kendra Scott // Necklaces / LA finds

Shot by Holli Zenko Photography.