a week of spring dressing. dark florals.

who says spring has to be all about the brights? if you tend to shy away from bright florals, take on spring with neutrals. remember, it's more important to feel comfortable and confident in what you're wearing, so go on and rock black this spring! i'm all about spring lips, tho...wearing creamy lip pencils 'toots' with a bit of 'shambolic' from LAQA & Co. if you prefer more shine, they just released four new lip lubes which have a high-gloss and lightly pigmented formula...perfect for summer when we tend to lighten up our makeup.

today is mini-he's birthday. of course, i was up all night making friggen cupcakes for his class, but i think they turned out alright despite the color printer malfunction. he's all about that minecraft, so these are supposed to be dirt/grass blocks in case ya didn't know. yeah, yeah, they're supposed to be dirt on the bottom, grass on the top, but this mama ain't got time for green frosting!

how do you feel about wearing black this spring?

7 years old today!

(Patty's Closet top; Forever 21 skirt;

JustFab shoes & bag; LAQA & Co. fat lip pencils)

happy valentine's day.

rocking peach...and leopard, of course.

hope your day is filled with love. and chocolates.

hugs and kisses to you all!

(Patty's Closet outfit; Charles David shoes)

tell me all about your plans for today!

the ultimate valentine.

...outfit, of course. the ultimate valentine's outfit.

i said i've been loving peach as of late, but in the spirit of the day, here's an all out, in your face red and pink valentine's day outfit.

i've also been loving these fat lip pencils from LAQA & Co. they are super creamy and pigmented and glide on with ease. they aren't too drying and are even a bit glossy. plus, they don't require a sharpener...bonus! i've been wearing 'palate cleanser', a deep blood red, from the Fat Lip Pencil Fiver set. if you find that dark colors make your lips look smaller, try extending the color slightly past your natural lips for a fuller pout.

(LAQA & Co. fiver c/o)

(top via [oomph.]; enzo angiolini heels)

get the look:

valentine's florals.

valentine's florals for this semi-wordless wednesday.

speaking of florals...ladies (and men!), do you like to receive flowers and chocolates on valentine's day? if not, what would be the ideal gift? let me know your thoughts. 

(Sheinside blazer; Lulu's skirt; Charles David heels; JustFab bag)

shop the look:

OMG Nail Polish Strips review + a bold lip.

a bold lip speaks volumes.

as does a great manicure.

throwing out some valentine's vibes with red on my lips,

love on my shirt, and hearts on my nails.

what kind of valentine's vibes are you giving off this week?

(Lips: LAQA & Co. 'Palate Cleanser')

(OMG Nail Strips - Hearts Pink & Black c/o)

OMG Nail Polish Strips review

if you're like me and don't have a good chunk of time to sit and do your nails...then wait for them to dry, you'll love these nail polish strips from OMGNailStrips.com.

nail polish strips [are different from nail wraps and stickers in that they] are actually made with nail polish but without the drying time. they are thin and stretchy making them easy to mold to your nails. no heat is needed.

the strips feel like nail polish on your nails (slightly tacky like almost-dry polish, but it IS dry...weirdly cool!), and it is recommended that you apply a topcoat.

i loved that i was able to get things done while doing my nails. i applied a couple nails, threw some laundry in the dryer, applied a few more nails, stopped to make lunch, finished off my nails...

pros: only $7.99/set of 14, fast and easy to apply, no heat needed. if you have short nails, you can cut the strips in half and get two nails out of each sticker - doubling its value.

cons: other than wishing they had more designs, i don't have any cons specific to OMG Nail Polish Strips. like any other nail stickers, they needed to be trimmed to fit my tiny nails, and that's what took the most time. if you have short nails and have to trim the stickers, consider the design you choose. you may want to choose smaller and/or repetitive patterns vs a single design that may end up being cut off. 

current special, pick any 5 sets for $25 + free shipping with code: 5pack

have you tried nail polish strips?

(Express top; BCBG skirt; Jessica Simpson shoes via Lulu's; JustFab bag)

get the look:

greenish.

yesterday i wore red.

today i'm going green.

mint, neon, hunter...

(neon raglan tee via [oomph.]; Lulu's skirt;

i love sexy nude heels; Paula & Chlo necklace)

reddish.

an easy way to elongate and create the illusion of length is to go monochromatic. unless you have a matching set, it might be difficult to find two pieces that are exactly the same color, and that's fine. i actually prefer when the colors are slightly different shades; it adds interest to the outfit while still appearing seamless.

would you rock a monochromatic outfit?

if so, what color?

(studded v-neck via [oomph.]; patty's closet skirt;

i love sexy nude slingbacks; libi & lola necklace)

sweatshirt + pencil skirt.

during these summer weekends, i live comfortably and casually in swimsuits, denim cutoffs, and loose tees, tanks, and sweatshirts...and when monday comes, i can't help but try to squeeze in a few casual days at the office. i swap out clingy silk blouses for comfy cotton tees and sweatshirts, like this leopard one. paired with a pencil skirt, it still feels weekend-comfy yet looks office appropriate.

a few weekend snaps below.

how was your weekend?

what are you looking forward to this week?

beautiful day at the beach.

USA volleyball cup - USA vs. Brazil (USA won).

it was too hot to NOT get shave ice.

(leopard top via [oomph.]; bcbg skirt; i love sexy nude shoes;

patty's closet bag; libi & lola ombre bracelet; shop lately necklace)

full of yourcelf.

as personal style bloggers, we are fairly comfortable with having our picture taken. heck, we even take them ourselves. but i'm not talking about self-photographing outfit photos with a tripod. i'm talking about selfies. the shameless photos we take of ourselves with our handheld devices while we are out and about, documenting what we're eating, seeing, or doing at the moment...for the blog's sake, of course! blame it on social media if you like, but we're all guilty of this. at least, i am. #sorryimnotsorry

wearing a designer inspired tee from Patty's Closet. and for those who aren't in the know, (don't feel bad, i wasn't either until i googled) a celfie is a selfie that is taken specifically with your cell phone.

do you celfie?

what would a celfie post be without a celfie?

...or two.

or three or four or five...

wait, here's more...

shameless.

(tee c/o Patty's Closet (808-235-2924); Patty's Closet skirt (808-625-6441)

nine west shoes; h&m bag; honey love necklace)