Just a brief post to say hello! My blog has been quiet for a looooong while as last year was one of the hardest of my life. As many of you know my dad passed away, and it wasn’t a quick and painless goodbye. To watch a parent suffer with cancer and slowly waste away – his last weeks are something I mostly wish I could forget though I know I never will. I spent a couple of months quietly grieving and trying to decompress. Even now the grief comes in waves and I miss him everyday. Couple that with the fact that all of last year was an adjustment in terms of being a new mom. It’s a 24/7 responsibility and it’s no joke. To top it off, I couldn’t even relax over the holidays as I had to plan and prep for a two month trip to Europe. Sounds great, but not when you’re location hopping in foreign countries with a feisty one-year-old and all her gear. I spent most of the year feeling anxious and overwhelmed. Not depressed but seriously burnt out. Although I love blogging, it wasn’t the first thing on my mind…
Category Archives: Outfit Inspiration
On The Way To Old Baldy
I’ve blogged before about Mount San Antonio, the highest peak in Southern California, standing tall at 10,064 feet. I live in the suburbs outside LA right at the base of this lovely mountain, more affectionately known as Mount Baldy. It’s a 20 minute drive from my house to Mount Baldy Lodge, where you can grab a bite to eat or rent a cabin for your weekend getaway. Drive a bit farther and you’ll enter the Angeles National Forest where you can hike for miles along a mountain stream. Keep going and eventually you’ll reach the ski lifts – great for a quick ski day after a winter snowfall. Because it’s so very close I head to Baldy often. Usually for lunch at the lodge on their outdoor patio (or inside near the fire if it’s wintertime). When the weather is good I’ll hike the famed Ice House Canyon Trail, though I’ve never made it the full eight miles, not just because the hike is long but also because it’s a strenuous uphill battle. On this particular day I was heading up to the lodge for lunch when I was struck by beautiful yellow flowers covering the mountainside. We were blessed with heavy rainfall this past winter, which has brought so much color to our desert landscape.
Mod Mini | Victoria Beckham For Target
I find the designer collabs for Target interesting. For each collaboration there tends to be a lot of hype, then items sell out very quickly once they hit the shelves. Yet I have almost no luck. I don’t know if it’s because I’m petite, but I pretty much always find the sizing is off. When it comes to the Victoria Beckham collection, I checked out all the photos in advance and narrowed down the items I liked, but I didn’t make it into the store until several days after launch, so there was almost nothing left. This dress was one of the only items in my size and I’m NOT usually a fan of shift dresses. The silhouette is bad for my body type. Sure enough the XS was a bit loose and boxy, though in this case it worked in my favor, as it didn’t cling awkwardly to my curves the way shift dresses do. For one thing I love bright colors, and in the case of this dress I like the scalloped detail, so I bought it – which is rare for any Target collab.
Springtime Is For Dainty Dresses
Spring is easily my favorite season. The weather warms, flowers bloom, and fashion gets fun! Don’t get me wrong – I love fall fashion with its chunky sweaters, tailored coats, and boots galore. But spring fashion is much more bright and colorful, not to mention light and breezy. When spring styles start hitting the stores, I start thinking sunshine and tropical vacations. It literally makes me FEEL good, like a breath of fresh air. Speaking of air, blue is a major color story this spring, and it’s an especially popular color for dresses (mostly lighter shades or subtle stripes). Unfortunately for my wallet, I have a thing for blue dresses. I won’t even tell you how many I own in various iterations, however I didn’t own a lace version until now. I’ve seen multiple takes on the blue lace dress this spring, and this particular dress was the right style at the right price. I wore it for Easter brunch last month, but it could easily be worn for a Mother’s Day event or a spring/summer wedding.
Spring Style Mashup: Outfits & Exposés
True story – a few months ago I got braces, and I haven’t posted since because I hate the way I look. It’s pretty sad because I’ve shot plenty of outfits, but I haven’t been able to bring myself to post them. I feel like my whole face looks different. My mouth definitely does, and it’s just too weird. So I’ve been staring at these photos on and off for months, wondering what to do. I straight up contemplated giving up blogging for the next year and half, but the problem is I like it too much and I’m not eager to quit. So I’ve concluded that I have to suck it up and deal with my new look if I want to keep going. This isn’t easy for me because I’m image conscious (duh!) and I feel so awkward with braces – they’re ugly, and my mouth looks all poofy, and I feel like I’m 12 years old. PLUS if I want to get glammed up and wear lipstick, it draws even more attention to the problem. And that’s just the superficial side of things – I’m not even addressing all the pain and discomfort at this point! That being said, I’m absolutely loving what’s new this spring, and I don’t want to miss out on the fun…
Winter Wrap Dress + Fuzzy Uggs
I know that Uggs are controversial. Some “fashion people” really don’t like them. They’re either too clunky, or too casual, or simply too mainstream. I do not fall into that category. I dig them because as far as I’m concerned they’re super practical when winter comes round. I’m not a fan of running around in heels when it’s cold and rainy outside. Though you’d never catch me in sneakers or ballet flats, boots are my one exception to the no flats rule. I love wearing them with leggings and a chunky sweater, but I’ll also rock my Uggs with a dress.
Casual Cool Sweater Dress Style
Winter is for sweater dresses. At least that’s my motto. So of course I own lots of them, and every fall I like to invest in one or two new ones. This past year I had to wait it out because LO was born in September, and although I was dying to shop right away, things didn’t fit quite right. So this cozy Free People sweater dress was a more recent find, and to my delight I got it for a fabulous price. You guys know how I love sales!
Style Me Senseless 