[not] just for guys. the 5 panel cap.

mini-he and i have been on a hat kick lately.

between the two of us, we have acquired eight new hats in the last month (#sorrynotsorry). the latest is this floral 5-panel cap from The Union. while most hats are constructed of six panels, each panel of a 5-panel cap is made to fit the shape of the head for a slim and sleek fit. over the past few years, it has been gaining popularity and has gone from a niche market to a necessity in every guy's (and girl's) closet.

you can find 5-panel caps in a plethora of prints and textures. rock them forward or backward, up or down, curve the bill or keep it straight...but main thing? keep it casual.

The Union was started a couple years ago by three young entrepreneurs. the company releases new products every season, and they sell out fast. if you want to support a small business that appreciates each and every one of their customers, head over to their website and grab one of these hats for the guys (or girls) in your life. christmas will be here in no time!

what's your hat style?

have you heard of the 5-panel hat?

*this is NOT a sponsored post.

(The Union 5 panel floral cap;

JustFab boots (similar); Ray-ban aviators)

leather and lace.

i hated that this leather tank was just sitting in my closet during these warm months, so i summer-fied it by pairing it with some lace shorts and open-toed sandals.

braided hairstyles usually have romantic or boho connotations. but lisa, from stilettos and diaper bags, recently rocked a kick-a$$ braided hairstyle that was totally rocker chic...and this leather tank called for just that. while she braided one side all the way down for a faux undercut look, i braided both sides just past my ears, then pinned them under the rest of my hair for a mullet slick-back look.

what kind of braided hairstyle are you rocking this summer?

or what braided style would you like to try?

(Lulu's top; Patty's Closet shorts; Sole Society shoes;

Ray-ban sunglasses; 9th & Elm monogram necklace)

get the look:

a week of summer shorts + shoes pairings. inspiration.

a few inspiration boards for this semi-wordless wednesday.

the idea this week is to dress up those summer denim shorts and create outfits that transition well from the beach to wherever your day takes you. i love button up shirts because they are dressier than tees and double as beach cover-ups.

knee length + high heels

gap popover tunic; hudson viceroy shorts; hermes ibiza espadrille; gorjana necklace; ilia lipstick; scoop raffia bag; havianas slippers; mara hoffman swimsuit; sole society fedora; nappa beach tote

mid-thigh + mid heels

madewell oversized shirt; american eagle shorts; gorjana mika pendant; j.crew bikini & briefs; roxy out to sea 2 bag; havianas slippers; ray-ban sunglasses; butter london lippy; coach cleecker mini bag; nine west shoes; bite beauty lipstick; gorjana mesa ring

[oomph.] on polyvore

in case you missed it:

monday's knee length shorts + high heels

tuesday's mid-thigh + mid heels

product links:

the linen blazer.

we all know that blazers are a great way to pull an outfit together, business or casual. make sure to have a linen blazer in your wardrobe for spring and summer, because it is generally thin and cool and makes a great lightweight layer.

i was looking for a royal blue nail polish and found this one by Wet n Wild. if you haven't tried this megalast line ($2.59), it's awesome. in addition to having that super wide brush that i love, it claims to be chip-resistant for five days...and it certainly is. i'm on day six, and it is barely showing some wear at the tips. the only other polish that lasted this long for me was essie ($8). 

do you pair blazers with shorts?

have you tried wet n wild megalast nail color?

wearing Wet n Wild megalast nail color in coast to coast.

(i couldn't find this one online, but check your local drugstores.)

(Patty's Closet blazer; DIY shorts; Lulu's tee;

Sperry topsiders via Delia's; Ray-ban sunglasses (buy))

east vs west [coast] style. festival.

festival season is almost upon us. while i've never had the privilege of attending one, i've seen pictures...and boy does it look fun. this week, the girls and i are rocking our festival looks with the help of Lulu's and Capwell + Co. the first things that come to mind are flowy dresses, denim shorts, and boots. turns out, the rest of the girls think so, too! my main concern at a festival (besides looking cute!) would be comfort, and from what i've seen, anything goes!

by our looks, it's obvious that comfy shoes are a must for all the walking we'd be doing, as well as light layers to keep us cool/warm throughout the day. what would you wear or have you worn to a festival?

don't forget to visit the girls.

east

Jackie / Living After Midnite / New York

Meaghan / District Sparkle / D.C.

Tracy / TheRightShoes / New York

west

Ashley / Pursuit of Shoes / California

Ashley / Golden Divine / California

Becks / oomph. / Hawaii

i'm wearing my trusty denim shorts and ankle boots for comfort as well as a lightweight sweater that's cool enough during the day and warm enough at night. i definitely want to be hands-free, so a just-big-enough bag is a necessity. for fun, i threw in my bobby glam hair extensions for some length, added some loose waves, and pinned up the sides.

this beautiful necklace is perfect for a festival look. i layered it with a feathered necklace to create a fun boho vibe.

(triple baguette & bauble statement necklace c/o Capwell + Co. (buy))

(Lulu's top c/o (buy); DIY denim shorts;

Sole Society boots; aldo bag; ray-bay aviators)

you might like these:

in case you missed it:

east vs west style . varsity

experimenting with extremes. lace.

happy st. patrick's day!

here's a remix of the lace shorts i promised last week. i swapped out the flowy blue shirt for this pretty, minty-green, lace top from Patty's Closet. the scalloped hem worked perfectly with the scalloped lace on the shorts. it's been a while since my last 'experimenting with extremes' post, so i'm considering this as one (even though i like to think 3+ items is extreme). the result of all this lace is super girly and a bit out of my comfort zone, but definitely fun. i truly would love to rock these shorts with a gray sweatshirt and sneakers next time.

just for fun, i've included the leprechaun names i posted last year. tell me in the comments what your name is. i'm sprinkles o'lyin! i'm a bit 'o' irish, so i love to celebrate by wearing green...and we had corned beef and cabbage last week. so yum, couldn't wait!

lastly, the east vs west coast style collaboration is back.

stay tuned tomorrow for our spring 2014 debut.

are you irish?

what's the craziest green thing you've seen on this day?

(Patty's Closet top/necklace (808-235-2924), shorts (808-625-6441);

Lulu's shoes; JustFab bag; ray-ban aviators)

you might like these:

in case you missed it:

experimenting with extremes . stripes deux

*     *     *

enter to win a $500 amazon gift card

second winner gets $100

ain't laurent.

the big news around here is the giant surf hitting hawaii's north shores this week. the expected waves of 40-50ft high, biggest this decade, were deemed too dangerous and deadly even for professional big-wave surfers. oh how i wish i was at the beach house this week...these huge waves are such an awesome sight to see.

another jeans + tee combo wearing this parodical tee from Patty's Closet. in case you were wondering, the saying was meant to be somewhat of a spoof on the renaming of the legendary fashion house, yves saint laurent. the brand's most recent designer chose to drop 'yves' and work under saint laurent. the iconic interlocking YSL symbol is what many of us associate the brand with, and some people were not happy with the loss of Y. the result? this tee. what are your thoughts on this?

stay tuned tomorrow for another awesome giveaway.

healthy bbq chicken plate lunch.

mint on mint.

i might have been feeling minty.

i stumbled upon this mint top at Patty's Closet last week and loved the [faux] leather shoulder accents. i wanted the overall look to feel...soft, so i paired the top with these JustFab pearlescent denims in a slightly lighter shade of mint and these bone-colored heels from Lulu's.

a while back, i mentioned that my camera lens stopped auto-focusing...which is tragic for a self-photographing blogger! i apologize for the sub par photos recently, but i'm not quite ready to dish out $700 for this canon 18-200mm lens that

i really want...so bear with me.

do you have a dslr camera?

what lens is on your camera right now?

early morning walk at ko olina...

...followed by halloween shopping and lunch with the minis.

curried quinoa salad. 

(Patty's Closet top (call for availability 808-625-6440);

JustFab denim c/o; Lulu's shoes (only $22! buy); ray-ban sunglasses)

a few to try:

style me. striped maxi skirt.

reader request:

my sister bought a black and white striped maxi skirt similar to this one and needed ideas on how to wear it to work.
"style me!!" she said. so here are my thoughts:
since she is in a management position, she should continue to look professional even on casual days. my suggestion is to pair her striped maxi skirt with a shrunken blazer that is structured and short in length. the shorter length balances the maxi and keeps the look from being too frumpy. i might also pair it with silky button-ups or crisp white shirts that are tucked
in and belted.

her skirt has thin stripes and almost looks solid black from afar, which works out better for the office. this is the only striped maxi skirt i have, but you get the idea.

maxi + tank + blazer

maxi + crisp white shirt

maxi + long-sleeved dolman tee

maxi + peplum top

maxi + peplum top + blazer

tips for keeping your maxi skirt office appropriate:

- avoid loose oversized tops which can look sloppy and too casual

- skirt should cover shoes without touching the ground

- keep the outfit simple and unfussy

- stick to [dark] basic colors

- avoid large prints

try these:

*need ideas on how to style an item? email me.