Outfit: Polka Dot Dress + Color Block Cardi.

Photos by Aidan Bradbury-Aranda

cardigan: JC Penney

necklace: Topshop

dress: Wet Seal

bag: garage sale (orig. Tommy Hilfiger)

shoes: thrifted

Hi, everyone! Today I'm sharing two of my favorite items, which happen to be old and somehow not presented on the blog as of yet. Actually, I lie. I've rocked the dress before during my first attempt to take my own blog pictures (see here). The shoes, however, I've hidden from the world very well.  I got these while thrifting my freshman year of college, after roommate observed how 'me' they were. I love them so much that I took time to fix the heel when they got worn out! 'Tis a gesture I've only ever imitated with my maxi dresses by shortening them for a better fit. Taking time out to customize my purchases is the best way I know to show my love towards them.  Currently I'm chilling at home for spring break after a short trip to Vegas with my roommies. With a little over a month left to go, I'm so close to summer and it's both terrifying and exciting to me! I still have so much planning to do for this summer, but everything will be worth it.

Thank you so much for stopping by! Have a great rest of your week! 

Outfit: Faux Moto + Socks + Booties.

Photos by Fernanda Teixeira

earrings: gifted (Forever 21)

faux leather jacket: New Look via Wet Seal

ring: unknown

bag: Nine West

top: JC Penney

cami (underneath): Forever 21

jeans: Love Culture

socks: Merona at Target

booties: LC Lauren Conrad via Kohl's

Good evening, everyone! How goes it? I just woke up from an unexpected nap, complete with super attractive drooling (a.k.a. I got knocked out without even realizing it cause I had exams two days in a row and was a walking zombie by that point). Now I'm counting down the minutes (55 at press time) until the new Law & Order: SVU episode starts because my habits are really unhealthy, guys. 

Today's look is simple and non-fussy and just ready for a long day of school and work. My mom used to do that half ponytail thing to my hair back in the day, and it was feeling very flat the other day, so I decided to go down nostalgia road and pretend I'm 5 again.

I've been meaning to mess around with those super cute socks since I bought them about a semester ago, but it just didn't feel right- until yesterday, that is. These LC Lauren Conrad booties have been worn so much lately on their own, they were just ready for a bit of an update, and Target happily delivered. Overall, I was just in a comfy and cozy state of mind so a comfy and cozy outfit was the way to go!

45 minutes until Law & Order: SVU! Have a beautiful evening, party people!

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: Feathers in the Summertime.

Photos by Aidan Bradbury-Aranda

earrings: Rue21

bag: Tommy Hilfiger (@ garage sale)

cardigan: JC Penney

top: Wet Seal

jeggings: Savage Art (@ Ross Dress for Less)

shoes: Dolce Vita (@ Plato's Closet)

Hello, friends! 

I haven't been really proactive in my outfit picture-taking quest, as most of my wardrobe is in Texas now and all I'm left with is a carry-on. But, not to worry! Soon enough I will be in possession of some pretty beachy outfit pictures and, of course, I will be sharing. By soon enough, I mean in like two weeks. 

I just realized how long that sounds! Since summer started, I've been good about posting three times a week, and have enjoyed every second of that, but in one day, I'll be off to do some beach bumming and internet ignoring in Mexico with my boyfriend and his family. I apologize in advance for the lack of posts, but I'll be returning full force on the 2nd of July. 

Now, about this outfit- first of all, $2 cardigan alert!!! This baby was purchased by my mom at JC Penney's for next to nothing about a month ago, and naturally, I had to steal. How adorable is the color block on it?!? Secondly, this outfit was shot a while ago, but I just found it going through my camera and it made me super happy! The feather earrings and cardi is one of my favorite combinations and I'm glad to be able to share it on here.

Thanks for stopping by, and see you in a couple of weeks!

Outfit: Polka Dot Sweater and Comfy Leggings.

Photos by Laura DeMouche

jewelry: handmade by boyfriend

jacket: thrifted

sweater: Worthington at JC Penney

clutch: thrifted

leggings: G by Guess (thrifted)

shoes: Wet Seal

Out of every single outfit I've ever posted, I can truly say this is as me as it gets. The color scheme, the mix between mall pieces and thrift store pieces, the comfort aspect, this outfit is everything I love about clothes. Back in middle school/first half of high school, 3/4 of my wardrobe was full of thrifted gems! I miss the days when people were impressed with my (read: my mother's) mad thrifting skills, and sometimes wish I wasn't so addicted to the mall setting.

This jacket is one of my all-time favorites- a versatile piece, which can be dressed down or up (as can be seen here). It even came with a skirt, so I'll definitely be wearing it in other combinations in the future. At the beginning of every month, my local thrift store has an offer where you can fill an entire large brown paper bag with whatever items you can fit in for $5. This little beauty occupied about 1/1000 of the bag, so I probably paid around 25 cents for it. What's not to love?

As always, thank you so much for stopping by :)

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 :)