How to amp up your casual wear

 Okay, I know I've been slacking on the fashion posts but that shall change! 

Take a look at the above pic of me. Very Plain Jane. A comfy sweat shirt, Jeans and Sneaks. 

Because I was actually going somewhere, my make up was done. I just have a new found obsession with it so whenever I leave the house, I wear it. I don't need a lot but it does help the imperfections and it's fun to play with! 

So, that is the first point! If you like make up, have it and just are too lazy to wear it, put it on!

 Take the extra time to make yourself look good! Not for anyone else, but for you! 

When you look good, you feel good! 

Now, I'm going to go into the big point of this post!

Being a mommy to two little ones, spending my day out and about in full on heels and glam is just not realistic for me! I'm running after a toddler most of the time, pulling strollers and kids in and out the car all day and also nursing at any given moment.

 Let's be honest, in these times, comfort is KEY! 

I for one will not sacrifice comfort for fashion if I'm moving and grooving all day. 

Date night is another story for another day. 

How do you take your sweat shirt and jeans to the nest level and still remain comfy you ask?

ACCESSORIES!

I swear by them! I've always loved jewelry and bags and just any little thing that can add a little character to my look! 

Take a look at this picture below. 

By rolling up my sleeves a bit, adding a floppy hat, earrings and some bracelets I transformed my comfy "mom look" to a "chic mom look."

Looking stylish or dressing stylish isn't always about following trends, having designer duds or even wearing heels and dresses all the time. 

It's simply adding things to your look that are a reflection of your interests and taste. 

That's personal style. 

And here's a style tip just for kickers:

Roll up the sleeves of your sweaters/sweat shirts (when weather permits) to add little character to your look but also show off that arm candy! 

I received so many complements on my bracelets this day by simply SHOWING THEM!

Jeans (old) & Sweatshirt: Forever21 Sneaks: "Chucks" 
Floppy Hat: G-Stage

 Jewelry: Park Lane Jewelry

I hope this post helped! Let me know what you think below and don't be afraid to hit me up on instagram or facebook! I'd love to hear from you! Until next time ladies!

Ciao! XoXo

Fall Favorites: My top 10 fall necessities for 2015!

The fall transition has arrived! yay! the only bummer, SoCal Fall is like a notch below summer. It's still freakin' warm all the time! ugh! Luckily, this fall's trends are wearable no matter where you live! yay!

So, for this post I've rounded up my top 10 fall favorites! As I collect them, I will do outfit of the day posts! So, stay tuned for that!  

1. Bomber Jackets 

 This is a super trendy and stylish layering piece that can bring some edge to your look!

2. Carli Bybel/ bh cosmetics eyeshadow and highlight pallete

I have been dabbling more and more with make up and beauty and I fell in LOVE with this pallate! 

AND it's super affordable! only 12.50! Here's the bummer, because Carli Bybel is so loved and well followed, (over a million followers on IG!) this pallete sold out in hours and is now on back order! 

3. Draped Open-front Cardigans

I am IN LOVE with these! I want one in every neutral color! So simple and chic! Can be easily worn with a bodycon dress, skirt and tank, or jeans and a tee! So versatile!

4. Sleeveless Vests 

I love the color of the one pictured! These are another amazing layering piece! This will quickly add style to your look! 

5. Graphic Tees

Graphic tees have always been a favorite of mine. So easy. Dress it up with a statement necklace and some pumps and you have a quick, stylish outfit!

6. Parklane Jewelry Velocity Ring

The ring speaks for itself! Stylish rings are IN right now! Don't forget the mani!

7. Over the Knee boots

Boots are a fall stable. It's officially fall when you're breaking the boots out! And who doesn't love a good over the knee boot? come on. 

8. Parklane Jewelry Turn it Up Necklace

Layering necklaces is so in! I'm loving this trend! So young and hip! 

9. Parklane Jewelry Velocity Bracelet

Because what's a great ring without the matching bracelet? 

10. Parklane Jewelry Virtue Ring

This ring is one of my favorites! You can wear it as one or you can split it into 3 different rings to add more style to your fingers!

Hope you enjoyed my fall favorites list! I can't wait to style looks for you all to see!

ciao!

*images pictured are google images not my own

*Parklane jewelry items can be purchased directly through me. contact me for info

My challenge to mommies!!

Hey lovelies! 

So I posted this picture on Instagram and Facebook, and the inspiration I got for a blog post was a little deeper than "style." 

Being that this blog is super new, I'm sure you all don't know that I am 33 weeks along in my second pregnancy. That's about 8 months! So I'm pretty close to meeting our next little addition to our growing family! Super exciting! 

But this also means, I get very little "me time." 

Anywho, back to the inspiration. When I took this picture I was on my way to my best friend's birthday dinner and it made me stop and think how important it is to get dolled up and have some girl time! I have been so wrapped up in my growing family, building my businesses, launching my blog and everything baby and toddler related that I often forget to have ME time! NO BUENO! 

We can't forget about ourselves ladies!

The importance in taking some "me time" is crucial! Especially when you have a family depending on you to hold everything together. Taking some time to yourself can refresh you, de-stress you, rejuvenate you and give you some time to miss your loved ones so that life isn't just going through the motions and being taken for granted. You are the lifeline of your family! Take care of you so that you can take care of them with energy and even more love! 

So, once a week, take some time to yourself! Get your nails done, get a massage, enjoy happy hour, have a girls night, visit Barnes and Noble and enjoy a good read and a coffee, host/attend a jewelry party (wink wink). Whatever you love and you haven't done in awhile or before, DO IT! 

Get out! Get Dressed! Get that "me time" you deserve!

Summer Staples... Maxi's & Midi's

Okay... so... unless you've been living under a rock, you know maxi dresses are ESSENTIAL for your summer wardrobe! How could you not love them? They come in standard color or prints, flowy or fitted, pricey and economic. You can find them just about anywhere and they look great on any body type!

So every summer, I am drawn to our beloved maxi dress but the current midi dress trend? IT'S EVERYTHING! I love midi dresses just about as mush as maxi's! They are so easy! and trust me, when you're pregnant, easy is your best friend! 

Rather you are pregnant or not, no matter your shape or size, you can find a maxi or a midi to make you look chic on these hot summer days! I am a huge fan of "less is more" but I'm not into "letting it all hang out." By throwing this quick summer staple on, you're only dealing with one article of clothing, you'll not only look great but you'll feel even better! Not to mention, you wont have to spend an hour trying on clothes and figuring out what to wear for the day! 

I love wearing a simple, standard color dress then throwing on some cute sandals and a statement necklace. That quick i have a stylish outfit that won't cause me to burn up! 

Love maxi's and midi's also? Let me know in the comments! 

picture created by @modamomnbabes on Polyvore

5 tips for Shopping Online!

Ohhhhh.... Online Shopping! This is a true hit or miss and not my particular favorite form of shopping; Mainly because I cannot see or try on the items before purchasing. However, I do have some pointers on how to make online shopping successful for you! Here are my 5 steps to online shopping:

1.) Know your body type and what fabrics/cuts work for you

This is an important thing to know in any shopping you do! Wearing the appropriate sizes can actually make you look more slim as opposed to clothes that are too big/small that result in looking bigger. 

Know what fabrics work for you! For example, cotton is very comfortable and when it is mixed with spandex or lycra, it'll add stretch and comfort! Another favorite fabric of mine is jersey (no i'm not talking sports jerseys, it's almost an extension of cotton). Knowing your body and the fabrics/ cut of fabrics that flatter it will help you minimize returns and wasted money and time! 

2.) Always read the description and reviews! 

This step is pretty self explanatory. By reading these sections, you will gather the fabric information and how the item fits! If a website does not have either of these listed under your wanted item, I'd skip it! You're taking a huge gamble that COULD result in disappointment. :( 

3.) Check if the website has a size guide

Being that you can't try items on from behind your computer, tablet or phone, you need all the information you can get on how the clothes from any specific site or retailer fit. A size guide is a chart showing how measurements relate to the given sizes that a retailer carries. (keep in mind, if a website has various brands they work with, size and fit are relative to brand so the size chart could be very generic).

4.) ALWAYS check shipping prices/times and return policies BEFORE ordering!

This is HUGE! This is probably the FIRST thing I would do when I get to a website before even browsing. If you need an item next week and it takes two weeks to ship, you have a problem! Also, if a site says no returns or exchanges, I'd pretty much run! I once purchased a dress from an "online boutique" I found on instagram and they did not honor returns or exchanges! I paid $50 for a very cheap dress that I could've found at the Alley in Downtown LA for $10! Total waste of money! It was NEVER worn!

5.) Unless a brand has amazing reviews and you feel at ease with it, shop BIG!

By shop big, I mean department stores and big retailers. Now, shopping small has it's advantages. Shopping small stimulates local economy and the shop owners tend to be more appreciative of customers. However, they tend to be pricey and you have to be very careful of craftsmanship. The advantages to shopping big are: you know the fit of the clothes, they usually have great shipping times and returns are easy! Some of my favorite places to shop online are Forever21, H&M, Asos, Karmaloop and Big department stores! 

Hope this post helped someone out there! Please comment any feedback!

image found on google via digitalsherpa.com

Karmaloop is a huge online retailer that has GREAT deals around Christmas! I usually get my husbands casual clothes here!

Trend Obsession: Backpacks

Okay. So, we all know trends come and go right? I mean, that's what fashion is all about! It repeats itself! Well, a current trend I am absolutely OBSESSING over is fashionable backpacks! I've been told I'm a bit more adventurous and sporty this pregnancy due to having a boy so this could be it too! haha! 

But back to the backpacks. I love the versatility of backpacks! It's a super chic bag for the mom on the go! It doubles as a purse, diaper bag and lunch bag! Because how annoying is it carrying a purse AND a diaper bag? SUPER! and although there are diaper brands out there that are making some fashionable diaper bags, it's still...well... A DIAPER BAG! It still feels like it's someone else's tote that you're strolling around with! I guess the backpack gives a little freedom in my opinion! It makes me feel like it's MY BAG and it represents MY STYLE, yet it carries everything I need to function with a toddler on the go! I'm definitely a fan of fashion backpacks right now! What's even better, they literally are EVERYWHERE! You can find them anywhere from Target to Nordstrom! I found a cute every day one for 12.99. SCORE! I have searched the internet for fashion backpacks I love and compiled a list of my faves! (pictured) You can see where to get them below! Happy Shopping!

Pictured Backpacks:

1. gx by Gwen Stefani: currently on sale here

2. Michael by Michael Kors: here

3. Merona Backpack Handbag: here

4. Modalu Agatha Rucksack: currently on sale here

5. Faux Leather Buckled Backpack: here

6. Grafea Hari Backpack: here

7. Alexander Wang Prisma Skeletal: here

8. Rebecca Minkoff Julian: here