Style: SAG Awards Favorites.

For some reason, awards season is really tickling my fancy this time around, and not even only on the red carpet. One of my silly New Year's resolutions was to actually watch the ceremonies and be less clueless about celebrity life. (Because I may or may not be somewhat interested in celebrity PR as a future career. Don't judge. We're all friends here!). I had never seen the Screen Actors Guild awards before, so the viewing experience was something new for me. I thought the actor pride they showed was really humanizing- we tend to look at celebrities as superficial and puppet-like, but watching Uzo Aduba and Patricia Arquette become so emotional at the recognition of their hard work made them so relatable as humans. 

From a fashion perspective, the red carpet did not disappoint. Although I did not personally identify with their outfits, the cast of Orange is the New Black slayed in terms of risks and color/texture usage. And, let's be honest, they basically slayed the entire awards ceremony.

On my part, here are my favorite looks of the night (in no particular order), with a wee bit of commentary, as per usual!

Maria Menounos is just a clean and crisp Greek goddess and I love it. She always chooses to be simple on the red carpet, and it always works in her favor.

Felicity Jones is a wonderful human being and actress. If you haven't seen Like Crazy or Breathe In (both in which she is stunning and a bit insane), you better get on that. Her usual gown choices tend to be classical- a little on the elderly side, even. But this dress is classic and modern and ladylike and everything I would ever imagine Felicity to be in real life.

I'm too invested in monochrome looks to fully appreciate printed gowns on the red carpet, but Lupita Nyong'o always picks the most special, princess-worthy looks and accentuates them with impeccable hair and makeup choices. This one doesn't disappoint. 

Claire Danes is one of the most gorgeous people on this planet to me. I swear, this woman never shows signs of aging. Nope, she's still Juliet! She's also one of the people who always makes interesting fashion choices with surprise elements (THE BELT!!! AHH!!!). And that's not even the reason I'm absolutely in love with this look! Let's all just take a moment to appreciate Queen Claire and her ability to make her complexion/hair color absolutely GLOW through her color choices.

Sarah Hyland looked like a stunning princess. I loved this dress' mix of elegant and sexy and found it to be really on point for someone in her 20s. The deep cut of the dress is also very tastefully done, while still maintaining that sex appeal factor. That's a pretty important point, given the look of cleavage conscious dresses today (whaddup Jen's Globes!).

Lastly, I'm not even sure what Emma Stone is wearing, but she's Emma Stone and her look is just on point and unique every single time and I absolutely love it! The classic colors and red lips never fail me. Teach me your ways, Emma! 

AND HAI MATT MCGORRY YOU ARE A BEAUTIFUL MAN AND YOU'RE ON BOTH MY FAVORITE SHOWS AND YOU ARE THE ONLY CELEBRITY WHO I RELIGIOUSLY FOLLOW ON SOCIAL MEDIA BECAUSE YOU ARE GORGEOUS AND TALENTED AND PERFECT. HI!!! 

Sorry, I really couldn't contain myself on that one! Thank you so much for stopping by!

***All photographs are from Getty Images.

Outfit: White Sweater + Skinnies.

Photos by Aidan Bradbury-Aranda

earrings: Icing

sweater: Wet Seal

bag: mother's

jeans: Love Culture

booties: Sketchers

Good evening, everyone! I wish I would have worn something quirkier for my trip to Austin during winter break, but the weather was so unreliable during that time that sticking with the basics seemed appropriate. 

On the upside, this was the perfect outfit to be a tourist in! It was comfy to walk in all day, and although it ended up being quite warm outside, the loose sweater allowed for air to enter freely- basically, I didn't feel like I was in a sauna. 

I had such a great day in Austin, visiting the Cathedral of Junk and the Graffiti Park. It's definitely one city that I wouldn't mind relocating to after college!

Thank you for stopping by!

Outfit: Denim Jacket + Red Skinnies.

Photos by Aidan Bradbury-Aranda

hat: thrifted

earrings: Forever21

scarf: made by grandmother

backpack: Walmart

denim jacket: thrifted

watch: Michael Kors

sweater: Buffalo Exchange

jeans: Old Navy

booties: Sketchers

Hello, friends! Welcome to part 2 of Ada tries to do winter weather and ends up being severely under-dressed for the occasion. I'm not sure in what world I found a denim jacket to be appropriate for the under 55 Farenheit weather, but at least it looked cool with the red jeans, amIrite? 

I got this beauty on one of my $5 big brown bag thrifting adventures, which probably means its individual cost came to about 50 cents or less. I'm so happy to give it some screen time finally!

Ever since college started, I've gotten stuck in this sweatshirt/sweatpants/comfy crap rut (Especially mid-semester, when everything gets really busy. That is a sight to avoid!), but lately I've been making a conscious decision to show more of my purchases some love. And of course, there's the New Year's Resolution: less purchases, more cost-per-wear!

Lastly: this backpack is from Walmart, of all places. My mind is blown.

Double lastly: can we just take a moment to appreciate the beautiful location, though?!? I wore this out on winter break in Boerne, and, although the place was a bit seasonally confused (all of the fall colors in late December!), it was nothing short of gorgeous!

Thank you for stopping by!

Outfit: Cropped Sweater + High Waisted Capris.

Photos by Aidan Bradbury-Aranda

hat + scarf: Wet Seal

earrings: gifted

coat: Charlotte Russe

sweater: Wet Seal

bag: mother's

pants: American Eagle Outfitters

boots: DSW

Full disclosure: I don't do winter weather. My body doesn't do winter weather; my wardrobe doesn't do winter weather; my hair doesn't do winter weather; and my skin REALLY doesn't do winter weather. 

In a typical year, the places I interact with are southern New Mexico, Los Angeles, and San Antonio, none of which are known for cold winters. This time around, though, San Antonio decided to mess with me.

I'm happy I picked up this black and white coat from Charlotte Russe. Coats have always terrified me a bit, as I feel they swallow up my frame. However, the belted waist and fairly body-skimming shape made it a winner in my eyes!

Thank you so much for stopping by!

Outfit: Leggings + Neon Studs.

Photos by Aidan Bradbury-Aranda

earrings: Eve's

necklace: Icing

top: Self Esteem via Ross Dress for Less

leggings: Forever21

bag: Nine West

booties: LC Lauren Conrad via Kohl's 

Hi, everyone! Today I'm sharing one of my winter break outfits. I wore this for a stroll downtown with my little brother and boyfriend- a comfy little number for wandering around different stores. The earrings are one of my favorite finds- from the cheap jewelry store in Las Cruces (Eve's). I got them for a dollar and they're just precious! 

Also worth noting are the leggings, which I've been wearing an obscene amount lately (mostly because nothing else fits me after the Christmas/New Year's Eve feast). Not to worry though, now that I'm back at school I'm definitely working on that. 

Thank you so much for stopping by! Hope everyone has a happy and healthy new semester!

Lifestyle: How to Start off the Semester Right.

Good evening, everyone! Tomorrow is the first day of my last spring semester of college (say that 10 times fast), and I thought I would share with you some of the things I like to do in order to start off the semester without feeling overwhelmed.  I might be a bit late with tips for the beginning of this semester for some of you, but don't worry! These are tips that can be recycled every school year! Think of it as a little checklist of things to do. Here it goes: 1. Arrive on campus early: Although it may be difficult to part with homemade food and days upon days of Netflix, as soon as housing reopens (or at least 3 days before classes start if living off-campus), head on back to school! This will allow you to get used to being on your own again (cooking, doing chores, etc.) as well as give you the opportunity to solve any issues you may have with your school (financial aid, scheduling conflicts, etc) before campus gets crowded again and the lines are too long to deal with. 2. Purchase basic school supplies and groceries: Don't worry about books until you are sure that you'll actually be using them in class, but make sure to have a pencil + eraser, pen, and notebook by the first day of school. I tend to purchase multi-subject notebooks based on my schedule, so I'm not walking around with a handful of notebooks every day (e.g. I bought 3 2-subject notebooks: one for my two online classes, another for my Mo/We, and one more for my Tu/Th). Make sure to have at least a couple of weeks' groceries in case there won't be time to run to the store as soon as you would like to. For non-perishable items (rice, pasta, etc.), take advantage of parents' Costco or Sam's Club memberships and buy enough to get you through the semester. 3. Clean/scrub/rearrange: Do any tedious chores you might be thinking about putting off before your classes actually start. Thinking about dusting/vacuuming/cleaning out the shower? It'll be that much more satisfying to come back from the first day of class and admire the cleanliness you've created. Any type of room rearranging should also happen at this time. It's the perfect "new year, new me" thing to do before starting classes again!
4. Get in touch with old professors (and make plans to meet the new ones): Before heading into the new semester, pull up a list of the professors that know you by name and view you as a strong student. The professors that have given you letters of recommendation or allowed you to use them as a reference are of particular importance. Make sure to shoot them an email wishing them a happy new year, letting them know what you've been up to, and inquiring about their lives. Stop by office hours for the professors that are on campus and ask how they've been! If you have the syllabi yet, make plans on going to new professors' office hours to introduce yourself properly.  5. Have some materials for jobs/internship hunting: Take some time to look over any resumes, cover letters, portofolios you may have or begin creating these materials if you have not done so yet. They may come in handy for classes that require them, career fairs, or even spontaneous opportunities that might arise. These materials can always be perfected, but having the rough draft can be so satisfying!  6. IMPORTANT! Verify the requirements for your graduation- check degree audits- make sure you are on the right track and have a tentative plan for the future: This is so important! I can't tell you how many people I know that have gotten- pardon my french- screwed over by the university system. Every beginning of the semester, you should double, triple, and even quadruple check your graduation requirements and make sure you're on the right track. Do not rely on any graphs in your degree audit. Do it all by hand. It is tedious, but it will be worth it when you won't have to stay another semester for some random fine arts credit you didn't know you needed. Also, take some time to reflect on what the next step for you might be after graduation. Start looking at grad schools, or places you'd be interested in moving to post graduation. Of course, this doesn't have to be set in stone- life is pretty fluid- but just make sure you're not completely unprepared.  I hope I have given you some items to think about while you're starting off this new semester! Let me know of any important tips I have forgotten to mention! Thank you for stopping by, and good luck! 

Style: Golden Globes Favorites.

Hello, gorgeous people! Other than the VMAs- which I've been watching religiously since I was about 7- I don't usually sit through entire award show ceremonies. This year I'm trying to get all up in that pop culture life (in real time, that is. I've always followed up, just never watched live).  So, Golden Globes. I have some opinions about the way the Sony/North Korea situation was tackled, but I'll spare you the rant.  In terms of my style favorites- just a mini rant. I chose my favorites not based by post-broadcast popularity, but based on my personal taste as well as other criteria. Chances are, dressing nicely is a pretty financially effortless endeavor for celebrities that have most things at their finger tips, but there are some things money can't buy.  The knowledge to dress age-appropriately and the charm and personalities that shine through each outfit are things that I find priceless. Therefore, this top is a representation of my understanding of garment beauty, age-appropriateness, and celebrities' charm and personality.  What are your favorites + your criteria for putting together a best dressed list?  As usual, thank you for stopping by! 

Emily Blunt//Kate Beckinsale//Ellie Kemper

Emily Blunt looks flawless and posh. This may be a weird association, but if her voice was a dress, it would be this one. 

In a sea of plunging necklines and lots of boob tape, Kate Beckinsale's look is the only one that did it for me. Both JLo and Jessica Chastain's dresses were beautiful, but my boobs hurt just looking at them. Those dresses did NOT look breast-friendly,

Ellie Kemper's look is just classy and gorgeous. Her lip color and hair compliment her dress so nicely! 

Naomi Watts//Helen Mirren

Naomi Watts never fails during award season- I even dig her snake necklace and Lord knows I'm terrified of snakes!

Like anyone and everyone who saw Helen Mirren on the red carpet last night, I want to be her when I grow up. The woman is 69 years old and just SLAYS in that gorgeous curve-hugging dress.

Quvenzhane Wallis//Anna Kendrick//Lupita Nyong'o

Quvenzhane Wallis looked adorable and totally age appropriate! I love the bow detail and princess skirt and her hair, and, most importantly, her adorable smile!

I'm not usually a fan of Anna Kendrick's outfits, but last night she did this kind of sexy but totally innocent princess dress and I was totally loving it.

Lupita Nyong'o is a risk taker and a goddess. There really are no words. I worship her looks the same way most of the female population worships Kerry Washington.

Emma Stone// Amal Alamuddin Clooney

Emma Stone looked comfortable and Emma Stone-like. She rocks a pair of slacks like none other.

Amal Alamuddin Clooney strikes me as the Kate Middleton of the red carpet- poised, timeless, powerful.

Lorde//Gina Rodriguez

I love the fact that Lorde is not afraid to be herself. I would never be caught dead in that outfit, but it works so well with her personality, her music, and her body, that it's just made for her.

And finally, there's Gina Rodriguez. The only thing I'm not feeling about her look are the shoes she chose to wear with this lovely dress- a bit too much going on for my taste. But the beautiful thing is that I'm barely looking at the shoes- because her skin is glowing, her smile is breathtaking, and her dress is gorgeous! 

*All images are from Getty Images

Outfit: Pleated Skirt + Chunky Sweater.

Photos by Aidan Bradbury-Aranda

earrings: gifted

necklace: gifted

sweater: Charlotte Russe

skirt: unknown

coat: Forever 21

bag: mother's old

tights: Charlotte Russe

boots: DSW

Greetings, everyone! Today's look is one of my favorites as of late- both in photography and composition. I'm getting some great use out of the DSW boots purchased on clearance and a bunch of items that have been stuck inside my closet for longer than they should have. 

I wore this look while being touristy at the missions in San Antonio and (surprisingly) nailed it both weather and comfort-wise. The boots can carry me for miles, and while it was windy and chilly, the coat and tights pairing did wonders. 

In terms of accessories, I swear my entire jewelry box is going to consist of stuff from my boyfriend and his family. The necklace is a Christmas gift from his parents (and handmade by his aunt), and the earrings are a gift from his grandmother! I love them both, and they will definitely be making more appearances on the blog! Shoutout to Aidan's family for always spoiling me! I really appreciate you guys :) And while we're at it, shoutout to Aidan for taking my photos- my cousins always feel bad for you for having to deal with me. 

To everyone else, thank you SO much for stopping by! :)

Outfit: Oversize Blazer + Tulle Skater Dress.

Photos by Aidan Bradbury-Aranda

jewelry set: garage sale

oversize blazer: Forever 21

dress: H&M

clutch: unknown

shoes: Payless ShoeSource

Hello, everybody!

Well, here it is: the first outfit post of 2015! I have a bunch of stuff lined up for the blog this month, but I thought it would be appropriate to start off with the New Year's Eve outfit! I celebrated with my family and boyfriend at the parents' house, after realizing that the cold in Downtown San Antonio was not something we wanted to deal with- neither was trying to find a hotel room super last minute. 

Speaking of super last minute, I had no idea my 'rents would be into dressing up for the occasion, therefore this is the result of me quickly pulling out stuff from the clothes I had left at home and creating an outfit in 5 minutes. I suppose it wasn't too shabby. I got the LBD at the Hollywood H&M for (NO JOKE) 5 bucks. The catch is that it happened forever ago- remember when you could walk into a store and buy incredibly inexpensive items rather than pretending that a $15 (orig. $16.99) item is a good sale? Yeah, me neither. 

A special shoutout is in order for this garage sale'd shiny set that I've been unable to get enough of lately! Thanks for that one, mom!

And thank YOU for stopping by my blog today! :)