What To Wear - Summer Weddings pt.1

Now that Summer is in full swing, so is wedding season (Bridemaids, run!). Weekends are being booked up like crazy with day, evening, black tie, casual, local, and destination weddings and I could see how a guest might not know what to wear. What you wear depends on the type of event, location, and time. And I must stress, please don't wear white, no need to upstage the bride, intended or not. Here are some outfit inspirations that I hope will give you an idea on what to wear to a summer wedding. Part two of this series will up very shortly!

Earrings Bracelets Shoes Purse Ring Dress

Clutch Flats Earrings Bracelet Dress



Are you going to a wedding this summer?
What's your favorite part about weddings?

Star Spangled Chic

Fourth of July is only one week away! Next Wednesday is America's Independence Day and there will be barbecues, fireworks, and lots of celebration. This summer I've seen old glory is a new light. Shops are carrying American flag inspired apparel like denim shorts and tops. Whenever I think of the American flag on a t-shirt I think it's kind of tacky, cheesy, and boring but not anymore!

With the new amazing and stylish patriotic inspired style, we can wear our stars and stripes even after July 4th and look fabulous in it.

ASOS Fashion Finder: Festival by Chloe_Jay

ASOS Fashion Finder: I Love NY by Nickey

bag tank top watch sneakers shorts blue bracelet red bracelet

denim jacket skinny jeans necklace ring heels bracelet blouse

How do you show your patriotic spirit?

Which look is your favorite?

What To Wear - When You Rather Be Naked

This week I experienced my first summer "I-wish-I-could-just-be-naked-it's-too-hot-for-clothes" moment. I live in CT which means not only can the mercury rise, so does the humidity and the yuck. Unfortunately, sporting the birthday suit in public is frowned up (but not you Ryan Gosling!). On scorching hot days, I stick with flowly light fabric dresses. Fabrics like chiffon and cotton does wonders and helps the skin breath.

Here's 8 hot dresses destined to cool you down.

 Hot Pink

1. Asos' Oasis Stripe Maxi Dress  2. Urban Outfitters' Sparkle & Fade Silky Chiffon Shirtdress

 Print-tastic

1. ASOS Halter Summer Tropical Print Dress  2. Modcloth Confetti Caper Dress

 Mellow Yellow

1. Forever 21 Essential Blushing Shift Dress  2. H&M Sleeveless Chiffon Dress

 Mouthwatering

1. Modcloth Pull Up A Cherry Dress  2. Modcloth It's A Sher-bet Dress 

Which one is your favorite?

On sweltering days do you stick with dresses or top and shorts?

The LBD Upgrade

Every girl has that one little black dress they cherish but how would you like a high tech LBD? Seems too good to be true, right?  Emily Steel has designed the Little Slide Dress which fuses light, classic cinema and media, and technology. Steel created the dress for her Wearable Technology project from Victoria University of Wellington's School of Design (New Zealand). LED lights are used to bring the individual slides life and are controlled through a light sensor which is then connected to an Arduino Lilypad. The light sensor detects the amount of surrounding light; when there is lots of light, the LED lights remain off  and the dress appears textured and shiny. When little light is detected the LED lights switch back on showcasing the slides. I'm not sure what the slides broadcast, whether it's classic movie clips or personal home movies from the persom wearing the dress.

In this article Steel shares her inspiration,

"The Dress draws inspiration from classic movies and the ‘magic of film’ to create a wearable piece of technology and art… light is so important in the creation and viewing of images [in film] and this was one of the driving forces behind the dress’s creation. With film [we] only see what [is] really going on once the lights go out. For this to work there needs to be a balance of projected and ambient light, something the Little Slide Dress tries to emulate".

 

 

 

Would you wear this?

What's your opinion on the merge of technology and fashion? 

 

Happy June 20th!

Happy first day of Summer! Today is the longest day of the year so I hope you'll get the chance to enjoy the extra sunlight. I've always looked forward to this time of year: sundresses, sun kissed skin, drive in movies, strolls on the boardwalk, kayaking, not wearing a jacket at night time and just being able to enjoy nature more. Summertime brings in feelings of easy living, love, laughter, and relaxation. Oh the magic of Summer!

Songs that make me think of Summer

What does Summer mean to you? 

Is there a summer that you'll never forget?

Trend: Gingham & How To Wear It

What do you think of when you see gingham? Does images of picnics and Dorothy from Wizard of Oz pop up? It's understandable because it sure does for me! This season designers and chic bloggers have been able to breath new life into gingham and style it uniquely. Here are some outfit ideas by a few of my favorite bloggers on how not to look like a picnic table.

Emily Schuman of Cupcakes and Cashmere (post)

She infused a '70s vibe with light colored flared denim, Ray-Ban aviator sunglasses, vintage scarf, platform shoes, and a Mulberry bag

Gingham on gingham by Rags For Riches (post)

Blue gingham blouse paired with pearls, neutral skirt, and black accessories by The Pink Peonies

  

Liz Cherk of Late Afternoon (post)

Liz dons a matchy red outfit with contrasting patterns (stripes & gingham)

Tips

• Use it as an accent piece - wear one piece of gingham
• Don't be afraid to stray away from blue and red (try yellow or mint)
• Add punches of gingham through accessories and shoes
• The smaller the gingham pattern, the less tablecloth-y the look
• Keep it looking sharp and tailored
• To stay away from the country bumpkin look, mix in modern pieces
• Try mixing patterns and colors for a more dimensional look
• When wearing a gingham dress, add a light faded denim jacket and killer nude heels 

 Are you into gingham?
Does it belong in your closet or on the picnic table?

Margiela for H&M

For the past few years H&M has been collaborating with famous designers to create afforable and chic collections. Now H&M has done it again! Margiela has announced its collaboration with the much loved international store. The one-off Belgian collection will be available worldwide on November 15 and is to include clothing and accessories for men and women.

Do you appreciate H&M for its collaborations with internationally famous designers?

Summer's White Dress

This summer is going to be white hot and what's better than suffering enjoying the heat than wearing white? Not only will you stay cooler but it'll help you look tanner angel. I've heard of colors representing certain characteristics and having specific meansing so when I looked up white and I found out that it represents purity, cleaniness, fresh beginnings, and neutrality.

The only issue I have with wearing all white is that I have to be so careful while eating and well doing anything because I'm always spilling stuff on myself and accidentally writing pen marks on my arms and legs. Can we say klutz? I blame my Grandma, she's the same way :)

My goal this summer is to wear a white dress and end the day without a single mark, spill, or drop. Maybe if I add more white into my closet it'll add more clarity and calmness into my life. Oh who am I trying to kid? By the third month, all my whites will end up an eggshell or cream (keeping it real).

Victoria's Secret Crisscross Dress

What style of white dresses do you like?

Are you afraid of wearing white?

Music In My Life - Childhood Crushes

This is my second post of the Music In My Life series. You can catch the first here! As a child, my first crushes were singers, sadly most of them had already passed on before I was born. But that didn't stop me from daydreaming and wishing I was alive while they were so I could have been one of their lucky ladies or at least see them perform live. Where is a damn time machine when you need it? Is there someone working on it? Seriously let's make this happen.

The talented men who stole my heart through their song were: Elvis Presley, Desi Arnaz, and Frank Sinatra.

Elvis Presley, Desi Arnaz, Frank Sinatra (most handsome men)

Besides their gorgeous looks and great heads of hair, they had real talent. No auto-tune, no computer fixes, nothing but pure vocal chords and instruments.

Who were your childhood celebrity crushes?

DIY: Pottery Barn Lamp Knock Off

Now that school is over for me, I've had more time to devote to a passion of mine: DIY projects. Because I live in a small rented apartment, there is very little I can do that I wish I could do in terms of DIY home projects but that doesn't mean I can't go small scale. While on Pinterest (LOVE THAT SITE) I saw an easy and awesome Pottery Barn knock off lamp project. The original post came from The Hand Me Down House. Basically, take a vase, mod podge (made by the saints of arts n' crafts), food coloring, and a make-your-own-lamp kit (Home Depot) and you can make a similar lamp for less than 1/2 the retail price.

$99                                                         $25

Supplies

1. Matte and glossy Mod Podge
2. Paper towels
3. Thick and wide paint brush
4. Food coloring (blue + green)
5. Vase or jar
6. Lamp kit

1) Mix matte mod podge with 3 drops blue and 4 drops green

2) Paint first coat all over vase (not the inside!)

3) Do one more coat (then crumble piece of paper towel and dab on vase for texture - OPTIONAL)

4) Let dry then follow the make-your-own-lamp kit's directions and then viola!

RESULTS! ($22)

 The color is on the darker scale but I also have pretty bad lighting in my living room. I got the vase from Savers ($10) and the shade is from another lamp I have. I'm not too thrilled with the shade and I'm on the hunt for the perfect shade, maybe another run to Target? I got the lamp kit from Home Depot but they can also be purchased from almost every arts & crafts store. The whole project took me about 1.5 days to complete and it IS easy!

Are you into DIY crafts?

Would you rather scrimp and save for the original or DIY?

Lindsay Lohan As Elizabeth Taylor

Lindsay Lohan will be staring in Lifetime's original movie, Liz and Dick, along with Grant Bowler. The movie is about Elizabeth Taylor's romantic relationship with Richard Burton. When I first read about the casting of the movie I was honestly shocked! I could perhaps see Lohan playing Marilyn Monroe (her idol) but not Taylor. There were rumors that Megan Fox was also a possible option. However, after seeing some of the still shots of the movie, I could be wrong. According to People magazine, the movie's costume director, Salvatore Perez, said when Lindsay came on set in costume for the first time, "There was an audible gasp. You’d swear it was Elizabeth".

Although Lohan is mostly known for her stints in the tabloids, she is a pretty good actress and I'm very curious to see how the movie plays out. As an admirer of Elizabeth Taylor I do hope that Lohan does the role with justice and dignity.

Here are some still shots of Lohan as Taylor.

Lohan recreating the famous 1950s photograph of Taylor

Taylor in the original

Lohan and Bowler as Taylor and Burton

Lohan

Burton and Taylor

Lohan

Lohan

Taylor in similar beach get up

What do you think of Lifetime's casting of this movie?

Which glam icon would you like to see portrayed in a movie and by who?

What To Wear - Summer In The Office

Summer is sooo close I can smell it. Sadly for many of us we don't get three months off to frolick in the sun (one of the BEST things about being a student!). For us office drones we still must punch the clock and endure either the really hot and stuffy or the freezing AC-is-on-too-high work space. I want to share with you what I recommed as stylish, trendy, and comfortable summer work appropriate outfits.

 As a reminder Summer 2012's trends include: neon, pastel, florals, peplum, and bold jewerly


Here are outfits from ASOS Fashion Finder that I thought were just perfect for summertime working gals.

Yellow Blazer Outfit by nettevartanin

Sugar free by FAKE LEATHER

Blue my mind by Classy Fabulous

Summer Work Appropriate Pieces

1. Buy here 2. Buy here 3. Buy here 4. Buy Here 5. Buy here

1. Buy here 2. Buy here 3. Buy here 4. Buy here 5. Buy here

1. Buy here 2. Buy here 3. Buy here

1. Buy here 2. Buy here 3. Buy here 4. Buy here

1. Buy here 2. Buy here 3. Buy here 4. Buy here 5. Buy here

Accessories

1. Buy here 2. Buy here 3. Buy here 4. Buy here

1. Buy here 2. Buy here 3. Buy here 4. Buy here

1. Buy here 2. Buy here 3. Buy here

1. Buy here 2. Buy here 3. Buy here 4. Buy here 5. Buy here

What is your favorite piece?

Do you shop for each season? 

Arizona and Nevada 3

The last half of the trip included jet skiing for the first time and experiencing the famous Vegas nightlife. Unfortunately, I don't have many photos of the night time adventures; what was I thinking?!

My family, Johnny, and I rented a couple of jet skies and had a blast on Lake Havasu. When John tried to do a donut, we fell off the jet ski and it was quickly moving away from us. My uncle had to jump into the lake, swim to our jet ski and manually turn it off. It was such a funny situation, I was laughing my ass off during the whole ordeal. My Aunt had no problem going the fastest speed possible but Johnny and I were a bit of scaredy cats. We went fast but not nearly as fast as she did. I can't wait to do it again, I promised myself I would go faster.

If you ever get the chance, you've GOT to try jet skiing! It's such a fun and thrilling experience. The warm sun cascading on your skin, the water lightly spraying your face, and laughing with friends is the best.

Our night time adventures were really fun. I participated in an Anthony Cools' hypnotism show. I'm too embarrassed to tell you what I ended up doing, let's just say Johnny actually bought the $45 DVD as a form of blackmail (smart but cruel, Hell, I'd do it too).

Here's the last of the photos, enjoy!

Aunt & I Getting Ready (Uncle photo bombing in the back)

Getting Excited

That's Right, I Drove First

Had To Listen Carefully To The Instructor

Ready For Our Night On The Town

We're Also Charlie's Angels

MISC PHOTOS

Me, Aunt, and Grandma Up On Vegas' Eiffel Tower

Johnny & I In Vegas' Eiffel Tower

Me, Bumblebee (Transformers) and Aunt

Vintage Motel Sign In Phoenix, AZ

 What's your favorite water sport? 

Would you ever volunteer for a hypnotist show?