Free People

It should be no surprise that I love me some Free People! Their clothes have that lived in cozy feel, but at the same time bohemian chic(I've always wanted to use "chic" to describe something). I took a look through my closet the other day, and, I have ALOT of Free People in there:) In fact, I probably wear it at least 3 times a week. This top is one of my new faves for the summer. It's super light weight and the little ruffle detail on the back is adorable! Not to mention the black and white color is classic and regal, in my opinion. Here, I paired it with some bright neon shorts to do some running around. Later, I threw on a grey skirt and heels for dinner with friends. Side point: I went to a murder mystery dinner and Al Capone asked me: "what's with the stripes?" Ha! Obviously I felt super cool and special at that moment. Oh, AND I guessed "who done it" (just call me JB Fletcher! Love her) This Free People piece is clearly very versatile and gets noticed. That's why I love it so much!(you know I love a two-fer). I'm already thinking of ways to transition it through the fall. You'll see:)

DV Dolce Vita

I don't know about you but this heat wave is killing me! I'm sweating just sitting here typing! As a rule, I don't like to sweat unless I'm exercising. So you can imagine my face right now. Yes, I am one of those people that complains of the heat ALL summer. Sorry(not sorry). For me, graphic dresses are a MUST during these hot days. (Primarily because I sweat like my father and the print masks the fact that I'm melting). That's why when I saw this DV Dolce Vita crewneck I had to have it! The print is really edgy and cool with nice neutral colors, perfect to throw on with any sandal. This could easily go from day to night as well, just by simply switching out flats to heels. My favorite part of the dress is the soft easy fabric. Making it super duper comfortable! Also, the top is double lined, which makes it more flattering for us larger chested girls(always a plus). You will definitely be seeing me many more times in this dress. Its one of those pieces that you don't have to think about. You just grab it and go. Exactly what I need this summer, cuz I can't think in all this heat!

Paris bike tour

This week I've been feeling very nostalgic & full of wanderlust. So, I decided to write about my recent trip to Paris. I was fortunate enough to go with my dad:) Who, BTW, had the time of his life! It was so great to travel and see my dad see things for the first time. While in Paris we took a private bike tour. Not just any bike tour, an electric bike tour! When I first learned we were going to do this, outwardly I smiled and showed excitement, but internally I was hyperventilating and having a panic attack. The reason being, I am deathly afraid of riding bikes. I mean I love spinning and can ride a stationary bike like no ones business! But riding out in the street, park, sidewalk, etc, completely scares me. I've thought a lot about this, and I think it's from a bad fall as a kid. Also, I get super nervous as a driver when I have to share the road with bikers. So, you can imagine my terror when we met our guide and he ecstatically told us what we were in store for and how far we were going to ride. I listened intently, then immediately pulled him aside and shared my fears. He put me at ease and told me to ride next to him, for he would let nothing happen to me. I went from screaming "HELP" to anyone who made eye contact, to screaming "this is the best day of my life" & taking selfies!(It was 4.5 hours) We got to see the secret places of Paris. So so SO amazing!  Stepping outside our comfort zone can bring such happiness. I'm thankful we did this and I got to experience it with my dad(who taught me how to ride a bike). I'm missing this day as I write this, but so grateful it's part of my story. A MUST if you find yourself in Paris. Oh, ask for Olivier(he's THE best). Also, I advise wearing overalls, a striped top, red lipstick and a scarf. It made me feel very Parisian;)

Summer Leather

Black leather is finding its way into my closet more and more. It can make an outfit edgy, classic, pretty, fun and so much more. I love it! I find leather to be extremely versatile, which is why I decided to do a few looks for summer with it. You can totally wear it during the day and not sweat to death by doing what I did in my first 2 looks. I wore leather shorts with a thin breezy top, and then I wore a leather bustier with shorts under a thin chambray button down. Both looks kept me perfectly cool. Lastly, for more of a night time look I wore leather sweats with a flowy top and nude pumps. I'm seeing pieces like these more and more in my favorite stores like Tj.Maxx, Marshall's, Piperlime, Shopbop, etc. Whats better, I was able to use a gift card I had to finish off a couple of my looks. This is why I'm loving Raise.com. A site that specializes in buying and selling gift cards to our favorite stores! I'm participating in their Closet Swap Campaign. So, showcasing my favorite summer trend with them was a no brainer:) Plus, who doesn't have a gift card they won't use? MEEE! (maybe because its at a store we never go to). Well, you can sell it and keep the cash(and go buy something HOT! Or, get one for a store that you actually like). Btw, I love gift cards;) (hint hint). Check it out and go add some LEATHA(I know it's misspelled, but that's how I like saying it) to your summer wardrobe:)

1.Top-RD Style, shorts-BCBG, shoes-Pour la Victoire 2.Bustier-Express, Shorts-Forever21, Shoes-Schutz 3.Top-Tj.Maxx, Sweats-Blank, Pumps-BCBG

Sunset Orange

Today I wore orange! The reason for my excitement is because I NEVER wear orange. Ever! I don't even think my mom put orange on me as a baby. I have no idea where my phobia of orange came from, but I've always steered clear of it. I guess apart of me always felt it just did nothing for my complexion. So, since I'm trying new things, I decided to give this pretty color a shot. This dress from Splendid was perfect. The color is called Roja, but it's more of a orangey red. With that in mind, I  picked up a new lip color in Sunset Orange from Bobbi Brown. I love that its an art stick that comes with its own sharpener(I'm not a fan of traditional lipstick). Orange is a fun and happy color. As a matter of fact, everyone I know who's favorite color is orange, are all really happy bubbly people. For example Rachael Ray;) (love her). I'm happy I now have this color in my wardrobe. Oh, please excuse my very pale and scraped up legs(they don't get out much and I'm clumsy). Tomorrow I self tan.

Silver & Snake

I was excited to finally have a hot sunny day so I could break out these fun silver Coconuts! I love these sandals! The gladiator style is different from all the other ones I've seen, these are dressier and in my opinion, just prettier. My M.A.C clutch with silver hardware looked great with them. The snake skin print with a hint of purple,teal and blue made me smile every time I looked at it. Accessories can turn any normal and otherwise basic outfit into so much more! Pretty things make me happy, so why not wear them? These sandals, and this handbag definitely make me happy. So, my simple tank and cute shorts were spiced up with silver and snake skin. I'm already thinking of what to accessorize these babies with next!;)

Tank- Victorias Secret, Shorts- American Eagle (I cut jeans), Watch- La Mer , Bracelet- Tai, Ring Bracelet- BCBG