Men’s Fashion

Who’s ready for summer!? ME, ME, ME!!! If you’re shopping for some extremely cute, yet affordable swimwear for summer keep on reading! Forever 21 is my one stop shop for all things summer and swim! I had the pleasure of partnering with them a couple of months ago to show off one entire summer look from F21 that won’t break the bank. This entire look consists of a hat, sunglasses, cover-up, bikini and a necklace that are all under $100 total! Most tops I see are over $100 alone, so this entire look is definitely a steal!

This shoot was beyond fun! More like, let me hurry up and change in the car to be in the freezing cold! And on top of that, it started pouring! Definitely wasn’t expecting to have to be in the pool, but totally jumped right in and quickly realized we didn’t have at towel on hand! The rain did not help that situation out at all. You can actually see the rain in a couple of the shots, which is pretty awesome looking!

Sizing info – If you are planning to shop Forever 21 swimwear, I would plan on ordering a size up.  Their suits are cut pretty small and I like things to be covered up for the most part! This one was a tad small for me, if you can’t tell! ha!

Overall, I would definitely recommend anyone buy swim and accessories from Forever 21. I’m not one to want to splurge on swimwear or any of the accessories because I will, most likely, not be wearing swimwear that often unless I am on vacation or going to the lake. Which means, everything is going to get dirty. There’s no way I want to spend hundreds of dollars on something I won’t get that much use out of. You can literally get anything and everything at F21 – swim, accessories, beach bags, towels, etc.

Outfit Details:

Swim Top – Forever 21 // Swim Bottoms – Forever 21

Wedges – BP // Hat – Forever 21

Cover-up – Forever 21 (Similar HERE and HERE)

Necklace – Forever 21

Sunglasses – Forever 21 (Similar HERE and HERE)

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Say hello to my new favorite swing dress from ILY Couture. Actually, say hello to my ENTIRE outfit from ILY Couture!! I went a little overboard shopping for some cute, neutral, summer looks online last week! I do have to say that I definitely got some amazing summer staples!

Starting with this awesome fedora! If you’ve been following me for a while, or even for a couple months, you know I have to have a hat or beanie on my head! I’m a little overly obsessed, I think! I couldn’t pass this one up either! It’s got a really cool braided leather strap around the top too! It’s a must-have in my book!

Second, I LOVEEEEEE these sunnies!!! And they were outrageously affordable!! $22?! Yes, please! I’ll take multiples! They fit my face perfectly, which is normally a challenge with sunglasses since my head is so small! These are easily adjustable since they have a metal nose piece. Also, a must-have!

Third, this dress!!! Swoon! I fell in love with the color and then I saw the pockets and HAD to have it!! So, of course I obsessed over the color. I live in black, grey and white! I’ve tried to throw in some blues on the feed lately if you haven’t noticed! Getting some color in there! Anyway, the color is amazing, the pockets are even more amazing and the fabric is beyond soft!! It is the perfect length for any height and can we worn with heels, flats, or my favorite, GLADIATORS!! It’s a perfect dress for Spring and Summer with the flowing fabric that actually breathes. At just under $70, it is an essential for anyone looking for a great basic piece. It’s even more perfect because you can layer and add pops of color to the grey! Extremely versatile.

Outfit Details:

Dress – ILY Couture // Hat – ILY Couture

Sunglasses – ILY Couture // Shoes – Vince Camuto

Bracelets – Chan Luu, My Intent, David Yurman, John Hardy

Watch Bracelet – Matters

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Welcome to the gorgeous Bellavista B&B! I had the pleasure of staying at this gorgeous caribbean abode while vacationing in St. Thomas for my 30th birthday.

I had been browsing for the best beach vacations online and I came across the Travel and Leisure 27 Affordable Beach Resorts. Bellavista B&B immediately caught my eye!

I mean, look at that amazing view. That is literally what sold me on visiting St. Thomas; I was hooked! Wendy, the owner of Bellavista, was absolutely amazing and beyond hospitable. She catered to everything we could have ever needed and cooked all of the guests a homemade breakfast every single morning. She even made her own soaps for guests to use! I’m having withdrawals not being there!!

Location was key when booking our stay. Not only did we love the view at Bellavista but it was in a prime location. We could essentially walk to the shore and to all of the restaurants and shops down the road. It was amazing to be able to walk through the city and neighborhoods to see the culture of St. Thomas.

Gorgeous scenery and amazing food! I HIGHLY recommend visiting St. Thomas and staying at Bellavista Bed & Breakfast. I know for a fact, you will not be disappointed!

Here’s a little about how Bellavista got started – 

In 2001, Wendy left her job in guest relations at the Ritz-Carlton, St. Thomas, and opened the Bellavista Bed & Breakfast, a 1930’s West Indian–style villa overlooking Charlotte Amalie harbor. The four rooms are done up in floral prints and bright hues, some with a canopy bed. Guests spend most of their time outdoors on the sun-drenched front balcony or lounging along nearby Magen’s Bay, a stretch of calm water that’s perfect for swimming. At breakfast, order the banana–sour cream waffles served with a pineapple–passion fruit frappé.

What else made this vacation even better? The fun beach clothes!! It was still cold and rainy in Texas so I was beyond excited to dress for the warmer temps! One of my favorites was this Cooper & Ella dress.

This dress was the perfect fit and perfect length without having to head to the tailor. Actually, everything about this dress is perfect. The back detailing is beautiful and the gathered waist is so flattering. It has the just enough flow to give nice movement and allows the fabric to breathe. I have actually worn this dress quite a few times out and about in Austin, so it is definitely very versatile. This dress has made the perfect event dress. It was a tad chilly so I threw a cropped leather jacket on over and instead of wearing summer wedges, I wore lace up high heels from Sole Society. I would definitely recommend investing in this dress. I promise you won’t regret it!

Outfit Details:

Dress – Cooper & Ella // Shoes – BP // Sunglasses – Forever21

Hat – Nordstrom // Watch – Chanel J12

Bracelets – Hanai Jewelry

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Super excited to share some other photos from my St. Thomas vacation! These photos were taken at Sapphire Beach, which is one of the most gorgeous beaches in St. Thomas, along with Magen’s Bay, among others! I wanted to sport some color while we were out and about so this Wayf dress definitely fit the bill.

I’ve been asked by more people to talk about my clothes and outfit choices in the view of a wardrobe stylist. Why did I pick this, the color, the cut, etc. So, I am going to try and do my best with each post to talk about the versatility of each piece.

At just $70, this dress is beyond versatile. The cut is flattering on practically everyone. This dress is not too tight and it has the perfect amount of flow. You can pair this with flats, sandals, gladiators, wedges AND heels. Throw on a blazer if you want to dress it up and throw on a leather jacket if you want to edge it up. The color is ideal for Spring and Summer and you will definitely get a TON of complements!

On a side note – you wouldn’t know if from these pics, but I was deathly ill during this mini shoot at the beach. This beach trip was the first time I had been outside in 4 days because I got beyond sick during our trip to St. Thomas. BUT I had so much beachy content to shoot, I tried to suck it up and get out there to have a good time. The fun lasted about 2 hours before I was rushing back to the room to get in bed.

Outfit Details:

Dress – Wayf // Shoes – Lulu’s (Similar HERE and HERE)

Hat – Nordstrom // Necklace – Beaded by W // Sunnies – Forever 21

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The moment Austinites have been waiting for! SXSW is finally here and has taken over the city one musician, fan, designer, techie and blogger at a time!

I have partnered with SkinnyPop to share with everyone my SXSW essentials for those long, event-filled days! If you haven’t heard of SkinnyPop you are definitely missing out! It’s by far my favorite snack at home or on the go. SkinnyPop Popcorn is a scrumptious ready-to-eat popcorn that is free of GMOs, artificial ingredients, colors, flavors, preservatives and all major allergens including peanuts, tree nuts, dairy and soy! I mean, how perfect could it get. Not only is it extremely healthy, I can eat an entire bag in one sitting… Not the snack bags either… But those big ole’ bags! Anyone who has eaten this yummy popcorn can totally attest to my addiction!!

Anyway, I am getting off topic thinking about yummy popcorn!!

I have brought you all here to share my SXSW essentials; what I need to survive not coming home for an entire day!

First off; the most important thing for me is a SNACK! I can’t even begin to tell you the days I went without eating anything because restaurants are way too packed, too expensive or it’s just a hassle to get anywhere besides the events I am supposed to be at.  This SXSW SkinnyPop has been my absolute best friend. I carry 6 snack bags with me and eat them throughout the day if I can’t make it to get a full meal. And even better?? There’s a SkinnyPop pedi-cab that is handing out free snack bags to any of their passengers! There’s nothing better than that! Actually, there is… SkinnyPop rides are FREE!!

Second, I HAVE to have a portable phone charger.  Ventev is my go-to for portable charging devices and it has saved me the past 6 days and nights while I am out and about! I can’t worry about having to find an outlet with a long cord and then sit by my phone waiting for it to charge. That’s just not practical anymore. This is the tech age and everyone needs to stay connected; especially at SXSW!

Dressing cute and appropriately is the next most important essential. Since being enthralled in the fashion world I am definitely more conscious of what I am wearing when I am in meetings or speaking engagements. I have to still look put together but still be able to walk miles a day! Carrying a backpack or tote is my definite must-have. I can store a pair of flip flops after an event and then quickly change shoes and put my wedges or heels in my bag. I always suggest that people bring a light jacket if they are heading out early in the morning. Austin has some chilly mornings since we aren’t full fledge in the summer temps yet. But definitely have something to put your jacket in or tie it around your waist because you will be quite toasty in the afternoon Texas sun!

Next, I always suggest bringing some sort of water bottle. Stay hydrated, y’all! It gets hot out there and most places only want to serve you alcohol. No one needs a headache, or even worse a hangover!!

ALWAYS WEAR SUNSCREEN!!!

Lastly, I always have my camera with me. You never know when you’ll see something photo-worthy or need some outfit shots of yourself!

Flatly Outfit Details:

Top – CottonOn // Shorts – Silver Jeans Co.

Shoes – Vince Camuto // Sunglasses – ASOS (Similar HERE)

Phone Case – Case Cavern // Necklace – Hightower Collection

Bag – Danielle Nicole // Portable Charger – Ventev

Walking Outfit Details:

Top – Kit & Ace // Shorts – Target

Shoes – Lulu’s (Similar HERE) // Tote – BP // Watch – KLARF

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I partnered with Macy’s to share my “must-have” of Spring! Of course I chose a black, mesh fit and flare dress with gladiator wedges! If you know me, you know that fit and flare dresses are my jam. I mean, thats all I wear. Not only to they mask my longer than life torso, they elongate my legs, especially while wearing heels or wedges. Speaking of wedges, these lace-up gladiators are under $60!!

This LBD isn’t just perfect for Spring. It’s an amazing transitional piece to add to your wardrobe. You can still wear this in colder climates with a leather jacket or coat and then wear sleeveless during the warmer months. The material is light weight and fits perfectly!

What is your favorite trend for Spring? What are you excited to wear? I can’t wait to wear chic, summery clothes with a variety of super cute shoes! Come on warmer weather!!

Outfit Details:

Dress – Guess // Shoes – American Rag

Bracelet Stack – Chan Luu, David Yurman, John Hardy, Loren Hope

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How cute is this little white dress? Perfect for spring and summer and just over $100! The deep V on this dress gives it a sexier edge than your average LWD! And notice the intricate lace detailing. AMAZE! Not only can you wear this as a casual, summer look but you can also dress this up to go out on for a night on the town! It is extremely versatile, which is why I love this dress so much!

Along with sharing this amazing dress find; notice any new bling on my wrist?? I have partnered with WiseWear to show how you can sport your wearables without having to wear the standard rubber bracelet. I’m sure you’ve seen the lovely Iris Apfel as WiseWear’s brand ambassador? I mean, if she loves them, we HAVE to obsess over them.

A couple of weeks ago, some of my favorite gal pals; Olivia from Livvyland Blog and Dani of DaniAustin got together for the most FAB brunch at Henri’s Cheese and Wine off of South Lamar! Can you say, Rosé all day?! Yes, please!! Anyway, more importantly, Dani was introducing us to WiseWear and shoot some fun social media content! Not only was it such a fun shoot, we all got to catch up after a long holiday season!

So what exactly is WiseWear?

We create innovative smart accessories that empower you to live the healthy, balanced lifestyle you deserve. Technology is a beautiful thing, and wearing it should be too. We create our products with the belief that the beauty of our technology can only be concealed inside beautiful accessories. The end result? A seamless blend of fashion and function, so you’ll never have to sacrifice one for the other.

Outfit Details:

Dress – Wayf // Shoes – Sole Society

Bracelet – Wisewear // Phone Case – Case Cavern

Sunglasses – ASOS

Photos by Lyda

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Hanai. A word most of you probably haven’t heard of before. “HANAI” is a Hawaiian term for “someone that is so close to you, they are like family”. Could there be a word anymore perfect and inspiring?  I had the opportunity to partner with Hanai Jewelry while on my trip to St. Thomas and we immediately hit it off. I was extremely passionate about working with them from the get-go and then found out they have ties to Austin, so I fell even more in love! How could I pass that up?!

A best friend duo, Amy Bruno and Jill Rogers, shared the same love for beautiful jewelry and decided to create their own. While visiting Hawaii together with many friends and family, a local Hawaiian friend introduced Amy and Jill to the term HANAI, describing their sisterly-bond. Their friendship began working in the corporate world together. As a fun hobby, they began to make jewelry. Encouraged by friends and family to begin selling their pieces, they were inspired to pursue their dream of turning their hobby into a business. All of HANAI’s jewelry is designed by the owners and carefully hand-made with love, using the finest quality semi-precious stones.

As you’ll notice over the next few weeks of outfit posts on the blog and Instagram, my jewelry choices don’t really change too much. I was living in my Hanai jewelry! Not only do the stones go with any color combination, they are comfortable. Comfortable? Yes. Who likes bracelets that are cutting off circulation or falling off because they are too big? These bracelets are stretchy, non-constricting, don’t snag and come in MULTIPLE sizes.

Even better? They have men’s and children’s collections too! I’ve listed all of my jewelry details below with clickable and shoppable links!

Jewelry Details:

Bracelets – Zuma, Shores, Makaha, St. Pancras

Necklace – Greystones and Aviara Gold in Chalcedony

Outfit Details:

Spotted Dress – Cooper & Ella

Striped Dress – Urban Finesse

Black Swim Top – Atelier 2.2 // Round Towel – Beach Lulu (25% w/code SPRING2016) // Sunglasses – Quay

White Tassel Dress – SheIn

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Excited for my first post from St. Thomas to go live today! I had the pleasure of partnering with Teva showing that their new Terra Float is perfect for any Spring/Summer escape!

Teva holds a very special place in my heart so I was overly excited when they reached out for a collaboration. I was a HUGE tomboy as a child (still am for that matter) and used to be outdoors any chance I got. My dad would take me on some amazing, long distance road trips to the mountains to bike, hike, ride dirt bikes and just chill outside. Teva was my absolute go-to shoe for my childhood years. When I think back to those days, I remember the exact pair of Teva’s that I wore over and over again in all the adventures my dad took me on.

Now, Teva is back with new designs and I couldn’t be happier! I loved taking them on my beach trip and couldn’t have imagined the trip without them! They definitely saved my poor, little feet after hiking the streets everyday. I mean, how are you supposed to climb walls, rocks, hills and go to the beach all in one day with any other pair of shoes??

I definitely love them even more because you can wear them extremely casual with activewear or wear them with super cute clothes and not look ridiculous! They come in so many fun colors now that they will go with anything and everything! Teva is the true, all around, lifestyle shoe that will keep you protected and comfortable!

Outfit Details:

Shoes – Teva // Shorts – Joe’s // Top – Wayf

Hat – Nordstrom // Sunglasses – Wildfox // Bracelets – Hanai

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Introducing, Schoola, an online clothing consignment shop that gives 40% of proceeds to schools. Think of a hybrid of an e-commerce online thrift store (who doesn’t love that?!) and a fundraising platform for schools to raise money to support their school and creative programs within.

We underestimate how important creativity in schools actually is. Creativity is one of the most important aspects of an emerging child’s education but unfortunately these programs are being cut back due to lack of funding. Thankfully, Schoola is here to help.

Creativity played a major role in my career choices as a young adult and even into my 30s. I was always passionate about art at a very young age. I would be designing houses and building them out of paper and popsicle sticks, to the point my parents had to store most of them in the attic. Once I was able to choose electives in middle and high school, I quickly utilized that time spent in art class, which obviously ended up being one of my favorites.

Art was such a passion of mine, I would finish one project and ask for another to do while everyone else completed theirs. I was drawn to the creativity, something that would allow me to let my mind go. This creativity followed me all the way to college, where I graduated with a degree in Architecture and Business Management. My creative mind allowed me to start my own business and follow my dreams because I wasn’t drawn to the norm.

It is devastating to me to see these programs getting cut in school. I wouldn’t be the person I am today if it weren’t for those classes in middle and high school. The time before I even knew what I wanted to with my life, ended up shaping who I am today.

Like I said before, art and creativity are 2 extremely important things that mold us into who we are today. It can make the difference of who will pursue their dreams to be a creative and who will conform to the day-to-day life of someone trapped at a desk with no creative freedom. I understand that being a creative is not for all of us, but my hope is that more and more schools will realize that this is such an important aspect of a child’s life. Just think, if we didn’t have creatives, we wouldn’t have talented musicians, artists, writers, even bloggers! Let’s not rid the world of children’s creative minds! Let them free!

Click HERE to see more on how Schoola works.

As a wardrobe stylist and blogger, I have accumulated many clothes over the years, even over the last few months. Being a minimalist, I am continuously cleaning out my closet to make room when more projects arise. Before I knew about Schoola I would take everything to Goodwill. This always made me hesitant because I knew that these clothes weren’t helping people as much as I would have liked. I found Schoola after much research on thrift stores and hit the jackpot when they popped up! Not only do they help within the schooling system, I even got to choose the school I wanted proceeds sent to.

I requested a bag HERE, and they immediately sent one out to me to fill. The only concern I had was shipping this heavy bag of clothes back, but found out that they even pay for the shipping!

Once the clothes are received, they will carefully inspect each item and whatever is fit to be sold will be added to their online shop. For every $5 you spend, $2 goes back to the school of choice!

It’s a win, win. I can’t express enough how amazing this cause is. It gives me hope for some of the less fortunate children out there who don’t get access to creative classes!

I urge you all to check Schoola out and request a bag to start cleaning out that closet and help a child gain that creative freedom they are longing for!

Now, for the really fun part! I actually found some really cute clothes on their site and had to snag a few cuties for transitioning into Spring! I found a BRAND NEW lace dress that I have been on the hunt for, for months! Can you say, Spring ready!? I ended up purchasing three items total; 2 dresses and a faux leather jacket and the quality and condition were immaculate!

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