Atlanta Content Creator Inspiring [life] style

Monday, April 29, 2013

Lookbook: Tex[tured] in the City

These photos were actually taken a week ago after a beautiful brunch day with friends in the city. We ate at Epic Roasthouse because it's located right on Embarcadero with a lovely view of the Bay Bridge and the sailboats on the water. It was some of the best weather that I've ever experienced in San Francisco.While sipping on white wine sangria and munching on French toast, I was fortunate enough to see three older gentlemen riding bikes in the nude. And what goes better with brunch than old men in the buff?When I first tried on this dress I didn't like the fit at all. It made me look frumpy. But then I realized that all I needed was a good belt and my opinion of this dress completely changed. Don't you just love the texture? 100% cotton, baby! And I never wear white, by the way, so this was a pretty big deal for me.| Rory Beca floral lace blazer | H&M textured jersey dress | Glint & Gleam knuckle rings c/o ShopLately | Thrifted woven belt | Michael Kors Jet Set tote | In Pink Art Deco choker | La Mer Spring garden charm wrap watch | Glint & Gleam ammo glam bracelet c/o ShopLately | Prabal Gurung for Target flat sandals | What do you think of this look?
And check out my Facebook page to see who won the Chicnova giveaway!
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Friday, April 26, 2013

Inspiring Style: Adventures in Outfit Posts

A lot of work goes into an outfit post. If you're a fashion or personal style blogger then you definitely know what I'm talking about. But I thought it would be kind of fun to show everyone exactly what I mean when it comes to  my lookbooks in particular. Take a look at my adventures in outfit posts.
Pick the Look ~ This is easy if you have something new that you want to share or if you're showing how you would wear a certain trend. Otherwise, it can be a bit tough if you have a closet full of nothing to wear. Sometimes I know what I want to wear a week in advance while other times I pick out my look five minutes before the shoot.
Determine Time & Place ~ The next thing I think about when it comes to outfit posts is both the time and the place. I used to love taking photos at golden hour (just before sunset), but now I've become a big fan of taking photos early in the morning. You get the same good lighting without the pressure of losing daylight. Usually I take pictures in my neighborhood, but every now and then I take pictures on location wherever we happen to be at the time.
Playing Around ~ I've noticed that I tend to do certain things in all my shoots: touch my hair, play with my sunglasses, knock my knees, bow my legs, put my hands in my pockets, or lift my leg. Posing ain't easy, but somebody's gotta do it. This is an anatomy of an outfit post.
What's your thought process when it comes to outfit photos? Do you think about or do any of the same things that I do?
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Wednesday, April 24, 2013

Makeup & Muses: Online Beauty Love

Every now and then I find some cool and interesting beauty, hair and nails stories and products online that I never remember to share on the blog. I don't bookmark things like I should, so I decided to just share these beauty stories with you muses right here in this post.

The awesomeness that is Organix Hair Products. They have so many different flavors of shampoos, conditioners, shine sprays, split-end menders, nourishing milks, biotin, keratin, argan and much more.One of my favorite nail polishes is actually from Forever 21 because it's ginger scented. What's cool about these Revlon Scented nail enamels is not only do they not have regular nail polish scent, but they also smell like something much better...fresh fruit!Bringing some technology to our nails, China Glaze created an iPhone/iPad app that allows you to match your complexion, clothes or whatever to the perfect nail polish. Take a photo of what you want to match and the app will find the corresponding color and even allows you to use the try it on preview before you buy the polish.And last but not least, this super cute Vestige Lipstick Holder by Anthropologie. The holder is aesthetically pleasing as well as completely functional. It'll probably work in keeping your lip glosses organized too! So tell me, are you diggin' any of my online beauty favorites? And let me know if you came across any beauty loves that you'd like to share!
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Monday, April 22, 2013

Lookbook: Anniversary High, Sunset Low

Bon Anniversaire! Or I suppose I should say Feliz Aniversario since I wore this on my anniversary at a Peruvian restaurant a couple weeks ago. I wasn't amazed by the food, but in all honesty, I didn't go there for the food. Why do you go to a restaurant if not for the food? For the view!We went to La Costanera, which is located right on the beach with views of the Pacific ocean, the crashing waves, the cascading mountains and the sunset. We were running a little late (because the restaurant is not near where we live and we left during rush hour), but we still managed to snap a couple shots and catch the pretty sun set over the horizon.via La Costanera| H&M blazer | Sway Chic kabuki necklace | Thrifted woven belt | Forever 21 high-low racerback dress | Target cross body bagForever 21 t-strap velvet sandals | Jewelmint mod moons bracelet |

What do you think of this look?
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Friday, April 19, 2013

Giveaway: Get Chic with Chicnova

Earlier this week I wore this red penguin print shirt in a lookbook post on the Muse. The top is from Chicnova and I love that I've been able to add it to my growing collared shirt collection. Now you have a chance to own whatever you'd like from Chicnova by entering this great giveaway! Above are just a few of the pieces I'd like to get my hands on. The two-tone double pocket shirt is so creative, and the satchel blue floral dress are perfect for the season. 

Use the Rafflecopter widget below to enter the giveaway for your chance to win $30 to spend on anything on the Chicnova website. 


~~~
Giveaway is open to U.S., Canada and International followers
Ends April 26, 2013
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Wednesday, April 17, 2013

Featured Fashionista: Michelle

Featured Fashionista

Michelle from New ZealandRecently I found Michelle's blog (I don't even remember how) and I was totally blown away by the photography, the styling and her love for Albert Camus--hence, the title of her blog and the inspiration for her creative life and style.

Blog: The Stranger
What do you think of Michelle's look?

Want to be a part of Featured Fashion? Then leave a comment letting me know that you want me to feature your style on the Muse!
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Monday, April 15, 2013

Lookbook: Polka Dots Are the Poo

Let me just say, I think I'm going to start taking all my outfit photos in the morning whenever possible. I'm absolutely smitten by how well these images turned out, and the shoot was actually a lot of early morning fun. It's so much more relaxing when you're not worrying about losing daylight.After the photos we had a doggy date with some friends and ate a nice lunch of french comfort food, which means we had yummy crème brûlée. Then later in the day we had some drinks and saw a very funny comedy show. By the way, I have no idea where I got this clutch from but isn't it awesome? Flowers and leopard print...wwhhaatt!

| Red penguin print blouse c/o Chicnova | Target Mossimo blazer | Spike & chain collar pin c/o Chicnova | Target dot jeans (similar) | DSW Luxe810 Gucci nameplate pumps | NYC City Duet 2-in-1 Empire Lilacs lipcolor | Modcloth Through the Wire headband (similar) | Classic Winchester lady watch c/o Daniel Wellington | Kudos to the hubs for climbing in a tree to get that overhead shot. And don't you just love how easy it is to spice up an ordinary shirt with only some red penguins? That's what drew me to this collared blouse from Chicnova. This site is a great option for some fab fashion finds so check them out if you haven't already.I got some blogger inspiration from Fashion Is Evolution when we were both featured in IFB's Links a la Mode last week. She did a great post on Freelensing (detaching the lens to change the focus) so we tried it out and were fairly successful.

What do you think of this look?
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Friday, April 12, 2013

Movie Review: The Place Beyond the Pines

FYI, I'm writing this post at one in the morning.

Literally writing this movie review of The Place Beyond the Pines in the wee hours of the night after just getting back from the theater. I know it comes out at regular times this weekend, but this is a Ryan Gosling movie and I simply couldn't wait that long.

This movie is divided into three parts. Act I is all about a skilled motorcyclist named Luke (Gosling) who is trying to find a way to provide for his son. After being gone for a year, Gosling returns to New York only to find that his one-time fling Romina (Eva Mendes) has a baby that he fathered. He wants her in his life, and he wants to be a father to his son, but he doesn't have the means to make ends meet. All he has is no education and a body full of ill-advised tattoos that probably don't get you very far in life (aside from the ones that are intricately placed across his knuckles and read Hand on one side and Some on the other).

This film is directed and co-written by Derek Cianfrance, who also did Blue Valentine.

So he figures his skill set can be put to better use if he becomes a bank robber. And this is how we get introduced to Act II where we meet Avery (Bradley Cooper), who is also a father to a young son and a lawyer-turned-cop in upstate New York. Avery is trying to deal with some dirty cops in his precinct when his and Luke's worlds collide after a robbery gone bad. This sets the stage for everything that occurs in Act III.

By the third stage of the film, it's years later and we're following the lives of teenagers AJ and Jason. AJ is Avery's ill-adjusted son, and Jason is the wandering offspring of Romina and Handsome Luke. The drama from the first two acts comes together in the final scenes of the third act and makes you tense your body and hold your breath. 

And all you're hoping is that the movie won't end in the way that it's been leading you to believe...but you'll have to see it for yourself to know if that's true or not.

Overall, The Place Beyond the Pines is about how the decisions you make, or don't make, can affect you now and in the future. It's beautifully played by Ryan and Bradley and the score goes so well with the visual direction. 

Who am I kidding? Ryan Gosling is in this movie and that's all the reason you need to see it. He's only got a couple more movies coming out before his acting hiatus so please go and enjoy his beautiful, asymmetrical face on the big screen.

No one does sexy-vulnerable-cool quite as good as he does. Ryan's the poo...so take a big whiff. 

My Rating:
♥♥♥♥♥ 
The Place Beyond the Pines"I want to do something with him that’s his first time. I'm going to look in his face when he tries ice cream. Every time he has ice cream for the rest of his life, he’s going to see my fucking face."
~~~
And I was featured in IFB's Links a la Mode this week!

Picture Perfect

Whether it be styling the right outfit, looking good in glasses, or finding treasures in your closet, ultimately as fashion bloggers we share our fashion story. Through words or through photography, this roundup takes a closer look at making life more beautiful, fashion icons like Lilly Pulitzer who passed away over the weekend, Coco Chanel and Elsa Schiaparelli.. and the downward spiral of the house of Saint Laurent. What are we going to do to keep the world beautiful? Sustainable fashion and shopping our closets? And how will we document it.. there are fantastic photo tutorials in the mix to.
Enjoy!

Links à la Mode: The IFB Weekly Roundup, April 11th

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Wednesday, April 10, 2013

What I'm Loving In April

April is a pretty cool month in this household. Last week was my mom's birthday, and my mother-in-law's birthday was a few days ago. Today, the hubs and I celebrated our three-year wedding anniversary, and the hubs will be edging closer to 30 as his birthday is at the end of the month.

So since all of this is happening in this month, you can see why these are the things I'm loving in April.| Loving Can't Hold Us by Macklemore and 212 by Azealia Banks. They both have such brilliant flow | Ryan Gosling in The Place Beyond the Pines - His last movie before his acting hiatus (review here) | These pieces from the H&M Conscious Collection that I totally adore. My fave is actually a patterned dress with a rhinestone bodice not pictured | My April natural hair blowouts that you might have seen on Instagram | Planning excursions for my all-inclusive vacation with the hubs and some friends to Jamaica. I'm going bobsledding! |

What are you loving in April?
~~~

And check out the Layered Muse Giveaway that Couture Carrie is hosting on her blog for a chance to win a $25 gift card to shop the site!♥ 
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Monday, April 8, 2013

Lookbook: In Love With Stripes

Are you all striped out? I sure hope not because I haven't done stripes all year (unless you count this sweater in January). This dress was a total impulse buy and I'm not ashamed to admit that. I saw the black version on In Love With Fashion's site and thought it looked spectacular. Then I saw that it came in blue and was like...total swoon!Wore this over the weekend for an early wedding anniversary celebration. It started with brunch, then pictures, then some fun with tapas and wine. We wanted to see Ryan Gosling (our first love) in The Place Beyond the Pines but decided to put that off until later this week.| In Love With Fashion skater dress (similar option) | Jeffrey Campbell solitaire heels (similar) | Michael Kors Jet Set tote (similar) | Shop Suey Boutique Amber sunglasses c/o Shoplately (similar) | Poshlocket Shelly fabric choker necklace | Forever 21 bracelets |

What do you think of this look & how was your weekend?
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Friday, April 5, 2013

Inspiring Style: So...About My Shoe Game

This is my update of an FBFF Shoes post that I wrote on the blog back in May of 2011. So let's see how I feel about my shoes two years later. I'm going to tell you the questions and give you the answers that I had for this post back in 2011 to see what has changed and what has stayed the same.
1. My go-to pair of shoes in 2011 were Charlotte Russe lace flats or Simply Vera Vera Wang flats. In 2013, my go-to shoes are these Toms Pink Let Love Rule flats because they are super easy to put on and always feel good, even after my dog chewed up parts of the inside. L to R: Prabal Gurung, Charlotte Russe, Elie Tahari, Shoedazzle, Forever 21, Fibi & Clo }

2. I bought shoes based on comfort but was looking to get more colorful in 2011. Now, I still buy shoes based on comfort. Why would you buy shoes based on anything else? This is why I go for flats and wedges most of the time. But I did add some color to my shoe game recently, and I'm still looking to get a bit better with that. Although, I don't really have any closet space for more shoes. L to R: Jeffrey Campbell, Charlotte Russe, Shoedazzle, Rachel Roy, Charlotte Russe, Luxury Rebel, Gucci }

3. The majority of  the shoes in my closet were black in 2011 and that's certainly still the case in 2013. Black is the new black and everything looks better in black and everything goes with black. So bet on black.{ L to R: Herve Leger, Vera Wang, Coach, Zara, Vera Wang }

4. My favorite designer shoe brand in 2011 was Louboutins, and I can honestly say that I don't really know why. I think you can tell by my Charlotte Russe shoes that I don't buy shoes simply because of the brand. But after seeing these creatively designed pairs of shoes by this brand on DSW Luxe810, I'm getting into Giuseppe Zanottis, especially since they're about half off right now.
5. If price wasn't an issue in 2011, I'd own a pair of $1,200 Lanvin chain embellished suede pumps. I don't have any more closet space for shoes so I think I'll try to stick with what I have for now. But if I really didn't give a crap then I would go with one of the Zanottis above.
fT34zJ on Make A Gif, Animated GifsWhere I Got This Gif Idea From
What's your shoe game like?
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Wednesday, April 3, 2013

Featured Fashionista: Serena

Featured Fashionista

Serena from Atlanta


So...I simply can't get enough of Serena--from her amazingly awesome curls to her bright spring looks! And she always has the right bag for the occasion. Check out her blog to delve into her style story.

What do you think of Serena's look?

Want to be a part of Featured Fashion? Then leave a comment letting me know that you want me to feature your style on the Muse!
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Monday, April 1, 2013

Lookbook: Why You Acting Spicious?

Happy April Fools' Day! This is no joke. It's shorts season in the bay. And the jacket was actually a last-minute call, but I think it works. This is my first time wearing this magenta beauty, but I think it might be just a bit too big on me. If you think you'd like it for yourself, then you might be in luck because I'm thinking about putting it up on Layered Muse for you muses.

If you follow me on Instagram, then you know that I spent the weekend with friends in Austin. We went to S. 6th Street, the Alamo theater, Juan In A Million, saw hundreds of bats, came in 3rd place at trivia, saw the James Franco movie Spring Breakers and much more. Keep Austin weird.
So this look is part of the Blogger Week at Shoplately that lasts from April 1-April 4. I'm featured highlighting my favorite accessories by XVII.| Forever 21 open back top | Boy Meets Girl coup d'oeil shorts | Charlotte Russe twisted floral wedges (similar) | XVII chop chop ring c/o Shoplately | XVII cross my heart bracelet c/o Shoplately | Nastygal Dakota drape jacket | XVII swallows ear cuff c/o Shoplately | XVII hollow pyramids necklace c/o Shoplately | Michael Kors sunglasses |By the way, thanks for all the feedback from my last blog post on blogger insight. I'll get to your blogs shortly (I just had to catch up on The Walking Dead finale and the Game of Thrones premier first).

What do you think of this look?
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