Ray Ban Wayfarer Eyeglasses

It’s been a few years since I’ve purchased new eyeglasses, it wasn’t a necessity since I prefer to wear contact lenses. I am too active to worry about breaking or losing a pair of eyeglasses and my “at home” eyeglasses are still in great condition (minus the expired prescription). However, that quickly changed when my closest friend came out to visit sporting her new eye wear. She was wearing the new Ray Ban Caribbean eyeglasses, an updated version of the Wayfarer’s. I love the thick rimmed Buddy Holly look but never thought I could pull it off (my face is small). But after trying on hers, I just had to get a pair for myself – they are so chic.

Smart look, smart outfit

Instead of going with the basic black color, I chose the avana transparent – a black faded avana/beige. Out of all the options available, that looked best with my complexion, hair color and hazel eyes. These eyeglasses are definitely a statement piece and need to be coordinated with my outfits. I love changing my look and these are a great accessory to have. For my first outing with my new eye wear on, I thought a blazer would be appropriate. All business here.

Oakland Chic

-Ray Ban Caribbean Eyeglasses (click here)

-7forallmankind blazer

- Sam Edelman Louie booties

- Guido & Mary jeans

- Free People striped top

- Matt & Nat hobo purse

Flowing

When I think about summer, I can’t help but get excited to wear the gorgeous maxi dresses hanging in my closet. I am often told I am lucky to be able to wear maxi dresses, being so tall and thin. But I think just about anyone can pull off a maxi dress, there are so many style options, don’t let height be a deterrent.

Easy Breezy Beautiful

Warm summer days are sporadic in the bay area, which brings me back to how important layering is in order to stay comfortable. This is actually a sleeveless maxi dress and looks great by itself but since it was a bit chilly, I decided to change up the look.  I purchased this white beach sweater from Free People last year knowing it was going to be a piece I will hold onto for a number of seasons. It’s on the long side so I tend to knot it off to the side to give it a more form fitting feel. I love adding a jean jacket as the final layer, it’s the prefect piece for chilly spring and summer days. Plus it looks cute with day time dresses.

Passing by

I can’t wait for a hot day to just wear this amazing dress with a fedora and sunglasses.

- striped maxi dress

- Free People beach sweater

- Mea Shadow wedged sandals

- 7forallmankind jean jacket

- Matt & Nat hobo purse

- Betsey Johnson sunglasses

- House of Harlow 1960 earrings and rings

The Addison Story cut out silk tank

The Addison Story clothing brand has really caught my attention in the past couple of months. While on the hunt for new spring and summer tops, I’ve come across a number of their pieces that I had a hard time resisting the urge to buy. After a little more research into this clothing brand (click here), it’s obvious why I am attracted to the clothing.  It’s designed for that downtown-cool girl who wants her clothing to reflect her wit, dynamism and individuality. Hmmm, I can’t agree more.

So downtown chic, you nailed it Addison Story!

Silk is my favorite fabric to wear in warmer weather. I love the breathe-ability, the way it feels on my skin and how classy it makes me feel. That brings me to how I found The Addison Story, they have quite a collection of gorgeous silk tops. And they don’t just stop at tops; skirts, dresses, and pants. Everything I’ve seen that I like happens to be silk. Sadly, I am on a budget and need to stay focused with what my closet needs, more tops.

Summer is finally approaching

This pink cut out silk tank was a no brainier for me, I love just about anything with geometric shapes. It’s a delicate and versatile piece that fits perfectly within my current wardrobe. The only downside is the tank is a little on the short side in the front, which means it looks better with high waisted bottoms unless you don’t mind baring your stomach. Also, a nude strapless bra is the only way to go, especially with such a light color – I prefer to keep the eyes on the beautiful neckline.

The look with all accessories

I paired the tank with high waisted flared jeans from Guido & Mary, Mia Shadow wedged sandals, Free People cardigan, Betsey Johnson sunglasses, Hat Attack fedora, House of Harlow 1960 earrings and rings, and a Matt & Nat hobo purse.

Comfy and cute

What’s your go to look? Mine is rather basic but chic and well put together – a comfy draped cardigan, skinny jeans and booties. Effortless and prefect for a spring day in Oakland and San Francisco (layers are your friend!).

Dressing down doesn't have to look like you are dressing down

Throw on a pair of sunglasses and jewelery, grab a cute purse and you instantly look like a million bucks without trying (accessories should be your friend). Extra bonus if you put on a fierce color of lipstick.

Ready to conquer the day, even if I am not feeling up to it

- Guido & Mary skinny jeans

- Free People draped cardigan

- Sam Edelman Louie booties

- French Connection top

- Betsey Johnson sunglasses

- Skunkfunk wallet

- House of Harlow 1960 earrings & rings

Funky Fresh

Every so often I get in a mood where I want to throw on something a little more attention grabbing then I am normally use to. This typically happens when the the weather turns for the worse, and we’ve experienced several days of rain in the bay area. (I need to wear something bright and up lifting)

Red & leopard print, a classic combo

To be honest, I am still up in the air on this outfit. I think what ruins it for me is the red skinny jeans by Domino – they don’t fit as well as my other colored skinny jeans. Towards the end of the day, my size 26 jeans feel like a size 28. This is rather frustrating and has turned me off from purchasing any other jeans from their line.

Just a little too baggy for a skinny fit

What I do like, is the red jeans and leopard print coat combination. I typically wear red & leopard print when I am dressing up in my Rockabilly attire; so it was fun to change it up and create an urban cowgirl look. My Louie Sam Edelman booties are the finishing touch to this outfit, I especially love the fringe.

- Chilli Pepper colored jeans from Domino

- Whiskey colored Sam Edelman Louie booties

- Leopard Print Coat by Tulle Collection (XS)

- Brick Red Zipper Hobo from Tano

Urban color blocking

If you haven’t noticed already, I sure do love my denim and stripe tops. I especially love wearing denim jeans with a denim jacket, but stray away from wearing the same color of denim on the top and bottom (that always looks off in my opinion). I pretty much wear jeans on a regular basis, and while I love dresses and skirts, it’s not always conducive to my lifestyle. I walk and/or ride my bike every single day. Not to mention, Oakland and San Francisco are quite chilly in the spring and require layers at all times. So in order for me to feel stylish; either my top, shoes, jacket or purse needs to be a statement piece.

Easy breezy

One of my favorite color combinations is mustard yellow and brick red. I have warm tones in my skin and tan easily (I am not one to try to seek out a tan since I am already fighting the war of aging), which makes me a good candidate to wear those colors. I definitely do not go overboard and always wear them as accent pieces.

Step up

Wearing a bootie with a small heel (2 -3 inches for walk-ability), gives an outfit like this a nice feminine touch and I don’t feel under dressed if I decide to go out for happy hour.

Chill-axing

I am wearing a Go Couture Vintage Stripes Dolman Sweater, Mavi Serena jeans, Luxury Rebel booties, 7forallmankind jean jacket, Tano zipper hobo purse and Betsey Johnson sunglasses.

Vertigo Vamp Boot from Restricted

There are times when a pair of boots can bring me complete and utter happiness, especially when they look this good on. Restricted Vertigo Vamp boots do not disappoint, I feel like the sexiest woman around when I slip these babies on.

These boots are made for walking

I found these boots online at Free People and was surprised by how quickly they went on sale (I had them saved in my cart and was waiting to see if they would go on sale). A number of women complained they were not loose fitting around their calves like the model and they were much too long in person. Since I am tall (5’9) with thin calves, I figured why not give these a try?

These boots are made for posing

What initially caught my eye was the whiskey colored pebble grain leather, the line detailing and wooden heel; it has a rich, fun retro look. Free People has the heel height listed at 4 inches, but this is more like a 3 1/2 inch heel and very comfortable to walk in.

Beautiful and comfortable to boot

All in all, I am absolutely thrilled with my purchase and am seriously considering buying them in black as well. I paired the boots with super skinny jeans from AG Adriano Goldschmied, Free People sweater, BCBG leather jacket and a brick red Tano zipper hobo.

Pop of color to brighten the day

Cobalt blue is an incredibly hot, trendy color right now and I wanted a piece in my wardrobe; preferably as a skinny jean.  I adore colored skinny jeans, but I am also incredibly picky when it comes to picking out a pair. I dislike colored jeans that have a thinner fabric, not enough stretch, or too much of a stretch that borders along the line of jeggings.

Feeling blue?

I’ve spent a couple of months looking for the right pair of cobalt blue skinny jeans in the $60-$80 price range. Most of the jeans I found in my price range were either sold out of my size or were not the right fabric combination, fit, length…etc. I didn’t want to spend more than $80 on something I may only wear one season. Then it dawned on me, I hadn’t looked on eBay.

Funky fresh with cobalt blue

I was thrilled to find these brand spanking new GLG Jeans on eBay for $30. I wasn’t familiar with this brand initially but after I spent some time googling it, I decided to make the purchase. They are 98% cotton and 2% spandex; the basic mix for a skinny jean and just the right amount of fabric thickness for my liking. I also really liked how vibrant the color looked online and every model I saw wearing them showed they fit well. My only dislike is that I have to wear a skinny belt; the waist does stretch a bit after a couple hours of wear which is pretty typically with skinny jeans.

Spring is here!

I paired the jeans with a striped henley sweater that has beautiful lace detailing around the collar from Free People, taupe Dolce Vita Jamieson booties and a brick red Tano purse. I love the simplicity of this outfit, it doesn’t look like I am trying too hard with a statement piece.

Looks great with a leather jacket

The Occasional Dress from Betabrand

The dresses from Betabrand’s new women’s line are absolutely adorable; the patterns, colors and prints compliment spring perfectly. One of the most recent dress releases is the teal Occasional Dress; a raglan cap-sleeved dress with a beige floral pattern lace over a teal satin lining. This dress is even more stunning in person; the lace pattern is a little thicker than what I’ve normally seen with lace dresses, giving it a higher quality look and feel.

Stunning lace pattern and beautiful detailing in the back

The gold rim buttons on the back, on-seam pockets on the side and removable satin sash are beautiful extra features. I really like how hidden and non bulky the pockets are. I obviously wouldn’t fill them up but it’s a nice feature to have if you want to stash a lip stick or lip gloss.

The on-seam pockets are an extra bonus

There were 2 other women already photographed in this dress, so I was the third and final look.  Since the high heeled look was already covered, I decided to try something different with a pair of wedged boots from Steve Madden (flats & sandals also looked amazing but those are an obvious choice) and a matching clutch from Big Buddha.

This dress is so beautiful it should be a illegal

I am 5’9 and found the length of this dress to be spot on, not too short or too long. One of the other models is on the short side and while it almost hits her knees, it is still quite flattering (I like how it was paired with flaming red heels & necklace). Betabrand does a great job finding models in all sorts of shapes, heights and sizes; it really shows how well the product looks on just about anyone (not only the standard model). I also like the versatility of this dress, with a few simple changes in accessories you can make this as informal or formal as you would like.

Giddy in the Betabrand Occasional Dress

For more information, click here.

I was thrilled to be part of Skunkfunk’s fashion soiree at the Mission store in San Francisco, CA for their 2012 spring – summer line.  It was a lively event with models, a DJ, adult beverages and fabulous clothes. I have been a fan of Skunkfunk for many years; loving their hip and fashion forward clothing and accessories with an added bonus, a conscious. (click here and here for previous posts on Skunkfunk)

Live mannequins in the store front window

When I arrived at the store, I was led to a room in the back where the sample pieces were hanging.  I couldn’t wait to try them all on; everything was gorgeous. Sadly, all the sample sizes were a size 2 and I am normally a size 0 in their skirts, dresses and shorts. After trying on most of the pieces, I looked for what fit me the best (I was envious of what the other female model was able to wear, she fit all the sample sizes perfectly).

The first outfit I chose was my favorite look of the night;  a gorgeous turquoise turtle neck tank with a purple sheer fabric that hung beautifully across the chest. It was paired with turquoise shorts and a fabulous printed bag. I brought a pair of black patterned stockings and Jeffrey Campbell booties to finish off the look.

Casual, chic and incredibly gorgeous - what a beautiful outfit!

My second look was a sleeveless printed dress with triangle cutouts around the collar as well as on the bottom. It was paired with a short sleeve cardigan and a red &  turquoise purse. The cut of this dress is so flattering, it will look good on any shape and size. It is currently available on the store floor in solid colors, I love it even more so as a printed dress.

A fun, flirty, versatile dress

The third look nailed one of the hottest current trends, colorblocking. I absolutely adored this turquoise tank dress with diamond cut outs. It looks a little big on me, but with the right sizing this dress is actually very flattering. It was paired with a bright orange shrug cardigan (to give the colorblocking effect) and a printed purse.

Colorblocking to the fullest

The forth look is another printed dress. All the colors they chose for the spring-summer line are bright and playful, just as it should be. It is a sleeveless dress that has a tie around the waist. We decided to tie it in the front to give it a unique look, although it looks equally flattering tied in the back. This dress was paired with a long sleeve green and blue cardigan and a gray purse with yellow accents (my next must have purse).

Front and center in this fabulous printed dress

I absolutely adore this purse

For my final outfit of the evening I wore a reddish pink dress evokes a 60′s feel with a lowered tapered waist. It is a sleeveless v-neck dress that has turquoise and black accents. This was paired with a turquoise vegan pleather motorcycle-style jacket and a red & turquoise purse.

A hip & casual dress

A piece that I didn’t model in the show but is part of the new spring-summer line is this purple asymmetrical jacket. The fit was spot on; it is slimming throughout the torso and a perfect length (although I definitely need to size down), and I loved the pattern and color. Once this hits the store floor, I am definitely getting myself one.

A unique piece that I must have in my closet!

Honestly, I could have spent hours trying on all the clothes in this store. Everyone I met was really warm and welcoming, making it really easy to model and enjoy myself.  At the end of the night, I ended up picking out a dress to take home.  I can’t wait to wear it and take pictures for an upcoming post (it’s from their previous season). Sadly, I have to wait for the spring-summer line to hit stores so I can find my favorite pieces from the fashion show in my actual size.

Click here for more information on Skunkfunk. 

Model headed to the store front window

Strike a pose! The mens wear is full of style

Funky fresh

Werk it