Camo trend

Here is my take on camo trend: all the color, none of the print! The color of my utility pants matched the color of the top pretty well in reality.

Refreshing mint?!

Seriously? After three years straight seeing this color for spring I am a little tired of it. However mint for spring is like a severe case of acne (in my opinion): It is persistent, it pops up everywhere, it doesn’t look good on me despite my best efforts, it is sticking around way more than it should…. I can come up with a dozen more reasons why I am so tired of it. Yeah, had no choice really! Had to wear it today!

Pop of orange

This outfit combo of jacket, pants and shoes is from last year but I couldn’t resist adding a bit of a bite to the whole thing, like a taste of orange!

Burgundy mania

I love cranberry and burgundy but didn’t get a chance to wear this color much this Fall-winter. I had to get at least one wear out of this dress before spring starts and it’s too late!

Ecru and indigo

Ecru is not one of my favorite colors (actually far from it!) but I bought this ecru colored Hue jeans legging at a great price and have to get some wear out of them. The temptation to match it with this top was too much to resist: the stitches on the top are the exact color of the leggings. So this outfit was born despite the warmer weather (and it being totally uninspired!). I guess it was good enough for playing bookworm in the library the whole day. Plus, I was sick….a sick bookworm? Now, that’s scary!

Baby pink

I think the color scheme was pretty much unavoidable since I had girlie things on my mind today, manicure, baking cookies, buying flowers, choosing candles and…

I was going to pair a light pink shirt with the blush jeans but my florescent pink shirt jumped at me at the last minute. Despite its being hard to match with anything, I’ve developed a soft spot for this shirt, maybe because it’s so bright!

Stocking up

I wasn’t home just one week but it looks like it has been years! So many chores need doing, the bare fridge and pantry need restocking, the closet reorganizing, the laundry pile is as big as a mountain… and the list goes on. It’s enough to make a person regret traveling!

Chaos reigns

My arrival home was not a happy one, a couple of bad news, a trip to ER, a whole day of chaos and stress…. were waiting to greet me. Too much going on in this outfit, just like my day!

Sometimes I wish I could fast-forward life!

Spring trends: Pastels

I know it is a bit early to talk about wearing spring trends since most of the country is hit by storm Pax, but in AZ the temperature is in 80s. Pastels are always in for spring, but I warmed up to them in the past couple of years. I still believe they wash me out and I have to remedy the extra paleness with strong makeup.

This spring I am focusing on pink and sky blue. Pale pink, rose and blush pieces are slowly finding their way into my wardrobe but I am actively looking for sky blue items and am developing a bit of obsession with blue oxford shirts!

Return trip

Two outfit from last two days on the road. I still haven’t recovered from this trip!

Short Hair: an adjustment

My hair is really short now for the first time in…. ah, maybe ten years! I’d usually gone for a jaw length bob and called it short but this time I went all the way. My hair is pixie short like Ann Hathaway’s. It is a bit of a challenge style-wise since recently I’m into Chanel-esque jackets. My neck is a little long and with no hair fanned out around it, there is just too much empty space around my head and shoulders!

Ways to improve:

-long and dangly earrings. Good thing big statement earrings are becoming trendy again.

-bold eyes. I usually wear a subtle kitten like eyeliner but with this new cut I went all out and tried real thick cat eyes. My hairstylist mentioned the big mistake many people make after getting a dramatic cut is not adjusting their makeup. She said it makes their look dated and ages them.

-orange lips. I’m so glad that orange lips are trendy for this spring. Now I can make them the focal point of my look. I’ve assembled a little wardrobe of orange lip pencils.

-collard tops and jackets. As much as I like collarless boxy jackets, I need to go back to the more classic shapes. I’m thinking about tuxedo jackets. And of course, I have a weak spot for button downs. These days I’m collecting oxford blues like there is no tomorrow!

Looking forward:

The tail end of a journey is the hardest part in my opinion. On one hand, there is this long list of stuff you didn’t get to do and lots of regrets for the time you wasted, on the other; there is the anticipation of going home and the looking forward to your more sedate pace of life. It is bitter-sweet, especially if you are saying goodbye to your favorite city again.

Travel Shopping:

Sometimes you find amazing bargains that are hard to pass. Sometimes you buy items to wear right away.  Whatever the case it is great when you find stuff at incredible prices when traveling. Those purchases are more precious (and useful) than vacation photos. The best kind of mementos!

The LA story

Another long trip and playing tourist in Los Angeles. For a day full of traffic and walking and varying temperatures, something comfortable and layered was needed. Good thing I bought that little top the night before!

My first ever crop top which I got a couple of size larger to preserve my dignity!

What I liked this week:

-Lace dresses. Not that I've found the perfect one but… something in a simple cut, a fit and flare style maybe, not too form fitting, and in a light color like light blue or lavender or mint green. Something for casual everyday wear, light and springy. Is it too much to ask?!

-Nars velvet matt lip pencils. After resisting the siren call of Nars for so many years, I finally gave in and bought my first one: Red Square! It is a gorgeous orangey-red color and stays on forever without drying my lips. Sold!

-Godiva cake truffles. So very yummy! 

Travel light?

You know what’s delicious? Getting compliments on your travel outfits. Also the fact that people don’t think you are a tourist! I packed for this trip at 12 midnight the night before and had everything fitted in a carryon bag. So no wonder that with each compliment I high-five myself mentally!

What I didn’t skip on were the shoes. I brought along five pairs, one of the benefits of having your car along as extra wardrobe!

Loving yourself

I think love starts with self-love, with accepting and treating yourself well. As an expression of self love, I decided to show myself some kindness today, starting with a hair appointment with my amazing stylist. How much I’ve missed her these past eight months! She works miracles and is amazing with both cut and color.

Then a great lunch, spending time on the beach, a delicious hot chocolate and a great dinner with wine and chocolate for dessert. What more one would want on a valentine day?!

 

Yes, and no red or pink in sight! this outfit worked well for 80 degree weather.

Homecoming

Another long drive and back to more familiar ground. Coming back as a tourist to your old city is weird and nostalgic!

Sights and walks

Going for lots and lots of sightseeing and basically walking the whole day. Exhausted but happy!

On the road

Looking for something cool and comfortable for a very long drive, I ended up with whatever was at hand! Not that stylish, but it was 100% comfortable!

A quick change and going out to dinner!

Wardrobe Obsessions:

"If the shoe fits buy it in every color!"

 Yes! I have taken this sage advice to the heart and developed a bit of hoarding mentality. When something looks good, is high quality, works well in my wardrobe and becomes a staple, I buy it in multiples and in different colors. It saves time and energy and lots of heartbreak in the long run. (How many times your favorite pair of jeans got ruined and you couldn’t find a replacement which fitted as great as the old one? It is an all too familiar scenario. I prefer to avoid it!) 

When I bought my first LOFT striped tee, I wasn’t sure how it would hold up or how the fit would be. But after one wearing I fell madly in love with it. As soon as I could I went back to buy it in other available colors and one extra in black stripes. These tees are thin and great for layering and their boatneck is very flattering (on me!). I still don’t know how they would look after washing but I’m willing to hand wash them even. They are that good!

Sunshine and clouds

Running errands and getting ready for a week long road trip. My mood was exactly like today’s sky: one minute sunny, the next gray, then again… I guess my outfit choice in the morning was a forecast!

Lust Objects:

There are items you fall in love with as soon as you see them. But then you look at the price tag and go into shock! Here is one example:

 From Here!

Leopard and utility

We started by thinking about just getting lunch but ended up going to ghost town and walking a wilderness park trail! This outfit was too fancy among tees and shorts wearing tourists!

Saturday formal

It’s weird, isn’t it? Wearing such a formal outfit on a Saturday. The black and white color scheme, the tuxedo jacket, the silk top, the pumps? Yes, I agree! However I wanted to test drive my new track pants and the only way to go with these pants is to dress them up. Or at least that’s my rule when wearing an overtly casual piece, I balance it with formal pieces. The reverse is true too, balancing a formal item with casual pieces in the rest of outfit.

Blushing pretty

I had a different color in mind for today, either purple or yellow, just to give those ignored colors a chance before the winter ends and …. Yup, I’m wearing pastels with blush as the dominant color. How did that  happen?! At least everything on this outfit is on trend for this spring!

Forever green

I took stock of the colors I’ve been wearing this winter and you know what? Almost no green! I tried to remedy that with wearing a brilliant emerald green coat today!

Winter blues

They are here, they are real! No, seriously! After a week of gray skies and chilly weather, you start to feel depressed. Since blue is one of my comfort colors, I thought it would work as a cure. Still waiting for its magic!

“Orange is the new

...black” *

I started liking orange one and half years ago and then last summer went totally to orange side (maybe because I was missing Orange County!) . Despite my new found attraction to pink these past couple of weeks, orange is still very close to my heart! It feels comfortable and warm. 

* No, I don’t watch the show. I just couldn’t resist naming this post in its honor!

Rosy Monday

A gray and cloudy day full of chores and errands, going from place to place, trying to check everything on my To Do list. To survive the day, I had to put on rose colored glasses or better yet a rose colored coat and scarf.

Vive le rose!

Despite the fact that I’m the-glass-half-empty kind of person, I look at the current cold weather and low temperature in AZ as an opportunity to wear my new pink coat. Vive le froid!

Snow leopard

I am relatively new to leopard print. To be honest with you, none of my clothes have the actual leopard print, what I’m attracted to is the more stylized pattern.  Case in point, this snow leopard shirt with a pattern which looks like it’s drawn with watercolor brush. Pretty muted in my opinion!

What I liked this week:

-Blue shirtdresses. Those that are exactly like men’s shirts, but longer, in a simple straight cut. And no, I haven’t been able to find them in my price range (below $200). Pretty fancy price tag for such a basic item.

-Converse All Stars, of course! I am currently liking patterned ones or a simple navy pair.

-French caramel and chocolate cakes. SOoooo good! These babies are addictive, be warned!