Style: Summer Faves with Raise.com

When Raise.com contacted me to participate in their summer interactive campaign, I was intrigued, 1.because the concept of their website is fabulous, and 2. because sharing my summer favorites with you guys sounds like a blast!

Raise is the first online marketplace to buy and sell gift cards, where you can buy gift cards (at a discounted price, mind you) for your favorite stores, or sell those pesky ones that grandma keeps sending over for Christmas (Talbots again? Really?!?) for cash. The website stocks gift cards that fit a wide variety of wants and needs, and the fact that you can get a $100 value JCPenney gift card for only $80 has me sold! Also, their Careers page has me sold, but that's an entirely different story!  Now, without further ado, here's a peek into my summer clothing and accessories essentials (and all the links for some sweet gift card deals you can use to purchase your favorites):

Decree at JCPenney crop top. Crop tops are such a great summer staple, especially with high-waisted skirts or shorts (as seen here). Add a body chain underneath for an unexpected peek, or just layer it on top for a rebel vibe.

Forever 21 high-waisted shorts. These are so versatile! They can be dressed down with a casual tee and sandals, or up with a fancy top and heels. I loved wearing these on the beach with a simple blue crop top here. 

Forever 21 Greek maxi dress which is perfect for a quick outfit- just add chandelier earrings for evening or understated jewelry for day. Even though the neckline is strong on its own, I love pushing it further with a statement necklace, like here.

A bold lip color is a definite must for the summer. Sometimes, makeup can be the best accessory, keeping everything else understated. You can purchase this item with a Walmart gift card, and still have funds to spare on more brights! 

This Bella Jack bracelet from TJ Maxx is by far my favorite summer purchase! An oversize jewelry piece is a great way to update a basic outfit, or add to an already statement-making look. In this post, I stack this bracelet alongside understated jewelry to elevate my simple day look.

Last, but not least, I love this DIY body chain made with supplies from Michaels. Thanks to Rihanna, I've been inspired to rock body jewelry and elevate simple beach looks, such as here. Body chains are a great way to get noticed- they can be worn under a dress for a more subtle look, or over pieces for a bolder statement. 

It's not too late to stack up on more of my summer faves, and thanks to Raise, I can get more bang for my buck via gift cards!

Thank you so much for stopping by! Now if you'll excuse me, I'm off on a gift card purchasing spree!

Outfit: Black One-Piece and Ombre Shorts.

Photos by Aidan Bradbury-Aranda

sunnies: Kenneth Cole Reaction @ TJ Maxx

body chain: DIY

bathing suit: Calvin Klein @ Ross Dress for Less

shorts: Decree @ JC Penney

Hi, everyone! 

I'm excited to bring you guys my first-ever swimsuit post! I feel that a lot of people are under the impression that bikinis are the only way bathing suits can fall into 'hot' territory, but I'm here to argue on behalf of the good ol' one-piece. 

I'm team bikini at heart (you get a better tan, you don't feel like you're wearing too much, etc), but this trip was all about the understated flirty look (didn't want to overdo it with boyfriend's parents present, ya know?)! Hint: my bikini collection involves items that are appropriate for A. college pool parties, or B. a couples' getaway. 

Anyway, a classic black one-piece with a whole lotta cleavage is a whole lotta timeless on its own. Add current, trendy pieces like a simple body chain and ombre shorts, and you've got yourself a beach bombshell outfit! Switch the shorts with a pastel skater skirt, add a headscarf, and the entire vibe changes! The little black one-piece is definitely a worthy summer investment! 

Thanks so much for stopping by! 

Outfit: Peter Pan Collars and Ombre Shorts.

Photos by Aidan Bradbury-Aranda

sunglasses: Kenneth Cole Reaction @ TJ Maxx

earrings: Rue21

necklace: thrifted

top: Princess Vera Wang @ Kohl's

bralette (underneath): Rue21

bag: thrifted

shorts: Decree @ JC Penney

sandals: Merona @ Target

Disclaimer: I fully understand my party pooper status as a result of not posting a patriotic outfit for the 4th of July.

The thing is, I don't want to lie to you guys. I don't just get dressed, post on the blog, and change clothes. Everything I've ever posted has been me getting dressed up for the day- and staying that way. 

I had the perfect patriotic look in mind for today- a cute blue & white striped crop top and a full, red skirt. But the truth is I'm not feeling it. I will be going out later in the day, but my outfit will be flowery and summer colored. I guess I'm doing the style blogging thing wrong, but it's just my way of maintaining my integrity- and I just wanted to share that with everyone reading! 

That said, I love patriotic gear, and the red-white-blue color scheme is one of my favorites, so I'll be rocking it at the randomest of times!

Now, about the outfit I'm actually wearing- I've been eyeing this top for at least a year, and it finally went on sale at Kohl's for about $11. But here comes the happy part- I had a $10 off coupon for Kohl's and managed to get this top for less than $2 with tax!!! Is that a great deal or is that a great deal? Definitely my type of shopping experience!

Thanks for stopping by, and have the happiest, most firework-filled 4th of July!

Outfit: Tights and Distressed Jeans for Winter.

Photos by Aidan Bradbury-Aranda

beret- thrifted

earrings- thrifted

necklace- Topshop

bag- thrifted

chunky sweater- thrifted 

blouse- thrifted

tank (underneath)- mother's

tights- Charlotte Russe

jeans- Decree at JC Penney

shoes- Graceland

After packing for back-to-school, I didn't have many bottom options besides these incredibly distressed jeans that my parents really aren't fond of. To me, these have always been more summer music festival material, but I managed to make them work for the current weather conditions by pairing them with mustard colored opaque tights. Having the bottom part all figured out inspired me to choose a thrifted peasant blouse that complemented the tights color. 

When stuck on everyday outfits, simply find one item that you're keen on wearing that day and the inspiration will flow. Try focusing on items that haven't been worn in a while, just to figure out whether or not to keep the item in the future. If you find yourself postponing on wearing a certain item three times in a row, then maybe it's time to donate or DIY it into something more desirable. 

Thank you so much for stopping by :) 

Outfit: Bright Maxi + Striped Crop Top.

Photos by Aidan Bradbury-Aranda

earrings: Charlotte Russe

scarf: Charlotte Russe

cropped jacket: Charlotte Russe

cropped top: Decree at JC Penney

maxi skirt: Charlotte Russe

sandals: Charlotte Russe

clutch: unknown

Just a quick experimental outfit post. As I've mentioned before, I'm currently in the process of experimenting with bright colors. Here is one of the brightest outfits I've ever worn!

Thank you for stopping by!

Outfit: Strapless Peplum + Polka Dot Tights.

Photos by Aidan Bradbury-Aranda
necklace: Icing by Claire's

peplum: Charlotte Russe

shorts: Decree at JC Penney

tights: The Gap

boots: Dollhouse at Ross Dress for Less 

Just a quick outfit post on what I wore to an Afrojack concert last weekend. I was going for something relatively uncovered, but falling under the category 'quirky' rather than 'skanky.' Personally, I feel like my goal was achieved. This outfit was also incredibly comfortable!

Thank you for stopping by! 

Outfit: Blue Shorts + Striped Crop.

Photos by Aidan Bradbury-Aranda
hair flower: unknown

earrings: unknown

bag: thrifted

necklace: Rue21

crop top: Decree at JC Penney

shorts: Poema

wedges: unknown

Back in the day when I was obsessing over Tumblr, I came across this picture of a girl wearing a strapless top, matched with a necklace made with golden leaves. I reblogged it as inspiration, but never actually expected to come across something similar. Fast-forward a couple of weeks, and there it was- the Tumblr necklace's silver twin, shining at me inside a Santa Fe Rue21 store. I'm not one to spend large sums of money for costume jewelry, so it was a relief to see that the price tag was only $2! Rue21 has some of the best sales in terms of costume jewelry. I have a lot of statement necklaces from them, most of them purchased for $2-$3 a piece on sale. It's the perfect place to shop for accessories as a poor college student, as the cute, trendy pieces can give any wardrobe a quick upgrade. 

My favorite piece from today's look is this pair of wedges that I managed to convince mother to let me have. A couple of years ago, one of my aunts bought comfortable wedges for basically every woman in my family except for the only one that actually wears heeled shoes a lot- me. They've been laying around the closet ever since, so I decided to try them on, and, surprise! They fit like a dream/match a bunch of my clothes/ are incredibly comfortable! I don't even understand why I go shopping in stores sometimes. A trip through all my family members' closets seems much more appropriate for my current financial situation.

Thank you for reading!