Mix n Match

Memorial day has just passed by and July 4th is soon approaching. Traditionally or in the olden days, women wore white shoes only in the summer - after Memorial day and before Labor Day. These days we wear them all year round without fear of committing a fashion faux paus. July 4th is the next holiday coming up and stores have already have begun selling t-shirts, tops and clothing with stars and stripes. Today's outfit is inspired by these two holidays and their respective fashions trends.

I have a mint racer back top with stripes paired with a white and navy stripped jacket and plain white skinny jeans. Though the top and jacket both have stripes, the colors blend very well together. An off-white clutch and white pumps complement the look.

Since I was wearing white, I decided to go with silver jewelry. I love to bling it up and the faux diamond ring looked perfect, although I wish it was a real diamond. Lets admit it, diamond rings look good with everything and the bigger the rock the better ;-)

Top - LC Lauren Conrad $24.99 (similar here and here)

Pants -Papaya $10.00

Jacket - Target $ 25.00 (similar here and here)

Earrings - Gift (similar here and here)

Ring - Forever 21 $5.80

Necklace - Forever 21 $4.80 (similar here)

Handbag - Outrage Fashion - Nicolette Cross Body Handbag $ 39.00

Pumps - Rock n Republic $ 20.00 (similar here and here)

All 'Lace'd up

I have to admit, I haven't worn lace in almost twenty years. The last time was when I was a bridesmaid at my cousin's wedding. It was pink dress with a silk skirt. I did not get to see the dress until the day of the wedding. That's when I realized that the skirt was transparent and not lined . A green slip was all that was available at such short notice. But there was more bad news to come.  At the reception, the voluminous skirt kept flying up a` la Marilyn Monroe style. Needless to say everyone got a good glimpse of the green slip and I could barely dance trying to hold my skirt down. I was so mortified, I buried the dress somewhere deep in my wardrobe and refused to see any wedding pics convinced that my gaffe was captured for eternity in the pics and wedding videos. I recently plucked up the courage to look at them and realized that the photographer was kind enough to omit those embarrassing moments.

This fit and flare lace dress has been around for the past few months. I just could not decide if I wanted it or not. The skirt of the dress is pretty voluminous and I did not want history repeating itself :). But for some unfathomable reason, I could not stop thinking about it and after deliberating for almost 2 months, I accepted defeat and bought it for my peace of mind. It has a beautiful black and tan floral print that is unique and offsets the simple color of the lace.

I  managed to snag these pretty black cutout sandals on sale last weekend. The dress and sandals went so well together that I decided to keep the accessories simple - black stone drop earrings and a flower ring.

Dress - LC Lauren Conrad Fit and Flare $43.99

Sandals - Apt 9 $26.99

Earrings - Forever 21 Gem Drop Earrings $5.80

Ring - Forever 21 $3.80 (similar here)

Sunglasses - Apt 9 $ 10 (similar here, here and here)

Nail Polish - Sally Hansen Perfect Plum $6.99 (available here and here)

The one piece swim suit is back!

Although I am physically fit and work out almost everyday, my naturally shy nature makes it difficult for me to rock a bikini confidently. Speedo's are good for laps around the pool, but the beach definitely calls for something more fun and flirty. I know a lot of ladies feel the way I do when they go to the beach and are intimidated by all the perfect beach bodies. So if you are trying to camouflage some belly fat or hide pregnancy stretch marks or just get a more defined waist,  the one piece is definitely the way to go.

Still undecided ? Read on for some inspiration.

v  Color blocking as a trend has been around since last year but it is still in vogue. Pick up a solid bold colored swimsuit or one that has a mix two or more colors. 

v  Lace and crochet swimsuits are all the rage this season. The see through material on the waist gives you a sensual look without revealing too much.

v  Nothing screams sexy more than an animal print. Pick your fav - zebra, leopard, crocodile or snake. You have to have at-least one of these in your beach wardrobe. 

v  Another great trend this summer is the plunge neckline with a fringe. After the beach, throw on some shorts and you can party the night away to some live music on the boardwalk.

v  Last but not the least, who can ever forget the polka dot swimsuit? This is one fad that will never go out of style. A MUST MUST have!

1.  White and Black Polka Dot - Kamali Kulture Shirred Dot $74 (other options here and here)

2.  Blue Lace Crochet - Mossimo Women's Crochet $29.99 (other options here and here)

3. Blue and Green Polka Dot - Target $29.99

4. White Cutout - Karla Colletto - $150 

5. Snake Skin Halter -  (other options here ,here and here)

6. Color Block - Volcomm jailbird cutout one piece $64.86 (similar here)

7. Red Frill -Nordstrom $ 41.99 (similar here)

8. Leopard Print - Sonia Rykiel $170 (other option here and here)

9. White Fringe - L space Stardust one piece $132 (other options here and here)

10. Solid Teal one piece - Target $34.99 (similar here)

Ready for the Beach

I just got back from a lovely cruise vacation to Mexico. Frolicking on white sand beaches, snorkeling with turtles in the warm green waters of the gulf of mexico and sipping tall glasses of ice cold Margarita's while watching the sunset on the cruise deck - bliss! I made sure to pack lots of colorful outfits for my trip. Bikini's,  wraps, sun dresses, shorts, tanks, flip flops - I had it all.  But my most favorite was the yellow romper. I bought this a couple of months back when I first booked my cruise. A romper basically is a dress with shorts or in simple terms an adult onesie. LOL! Mine was made of cotton and very light weight. I used it as a substitute for a wrap while disembarking for my day trips. I could wear a bikini underneath this romper. The advantage was two fold. I could walk around town, sight see and shop without worrying that my outfit was too revealing and if I wanted to head to the beach, I could easily do so without having to search for a changing room.

The romper had a very lively ethic print and so I wore a tribal necklace and bracelet with it. I also carried a jean jacket in case it got cold at night. My beach bag was a simple blue bag I got as a gift at a conference.

Romper: Target $27.99

Sandals: Jessica Simpson $39.99 (similar here)

Jacket: Papaya $ 24.99 (similar here and here)

Necklace: Forever 21 $5.80 (similar here and here)

Sunglasses: Jennifer Lopez $19.99 (similar here and here), also featured in previous post

Bracelet: Charlotte Russe $19.99 (similar here and here)

Ring: Forever 21 $5.80 (similar here)

Tote: Gift (similar here)

Everyday Pants

 Sometimes a perfect pair of pants can make all the difference to your wardrobe. Pair them with sweaters, tops, camis or a T-shirt, the right pants will come handy all year round. They can also be used to dress up or dress down depending on the occasion. I decided to write this post as an ode to my favorite pants. All my friends will vouch that they see me wear this skinny green denim at least twice a week. Its a wonderful color that goes with pretty much every shade.

Top: Target $19.99 (similar here and here)

Pants: Papaya $10.00

Shades: Jennifer Lopez $19.99 (similar here and here)

Clutch: Gift (similar here and here)

Earrings: Forever 21 (similar here , here and here)

Ring: Forever 21 $3.80

Shoes: Candies collection for Kohls $ 29.99 (similar here, here and here)

Watch: Seiko

Nail polish: Maybelline - Impeccable Grey $2.99

Crazy for White

White dresses are all the rage in summer as they go well with that nice summer tan. I picked up a pretty white floral number at Old Navy a few weeks back. This dress was not meant to be worn to work but with temperatures reaching almost 100 degrees, I decided to go ahead. I paired it with a maroon cardigan and nude pumps to give it the casual office look.

Dress: Old Navy $29.94

Shoes: Target $29.99

Cardigan: Papaya $10.00

Purse: Simply Vera Wang $39.99

Necklace: Outrage Fashion $10 (similar here and here)

Ring: Forever 21 $4.80

Sandy's Summer Essentials

 We have been having unusually warm weather this spring and so I decided that this would be a good time to make a list of summer must haves. I use many of these items for my daily routine even in winter, so they come handy all year round. 

1. First on my list is BB cream - one of the best inventions ever. BB stands for Beauty Balm or Blemish Balm and serves as a hybrid of a moisturizer, primer and, sunscreen. It evens out your skin tone and gives you that little extra glow that you normally get from a tinted moisturizer. I use Olay but you could try out different products at your local pharmacy to see which one suits you best.

Olay Fresh Effects ($10.44) / Rimmel BB Cream ($7) / Garnier BB cream ($11.04) 

2. Concealer – How I wish I had discovered this years ago, maybe around the time I was in high school?  The key to finding a good concealer is to pick a color that is slightly darker than your cheeks. To make sure that you even out the skin color around the eyes, apply it to the upper eyelid as well as under your eyes. You can use the liquid concealers or the cream based concealers. If I am at home, I prefer to use the liquid ones as they provide better uniformity and coverage. However, I do carry the roll on in my purse just in case I need a touch-up.

          Smashbox High Definition Concealer ($22) / NARS Concealer ($24) / Makeup Forever Professional Concealer ($32)

3. Mascara – I used to have a friend in school who loved to wear mascara. At that time, we had only one type of mascara that made everyone's eyelashes looks extra long and spidery. With time, there have been several advances in makeup technology and now you get a variety of different mascara’s for different looks. I prefer the intense volume mascara’s that do not clump. My favorites are listed below.

          Benefit Cosmetics They're Real Mascara  ($23) / Covergirl Lash Perfection Mascara ($ 5.94)

4.  Deodorant - No explanation needed here. I find the sprays handier that the sticks and if you don’t like the women’s selection, do try out some from the men’s range. Axe has the small one ounce deo sprays that can fit into your hand bag. I carry one with me at all times. With the hot summer weather you never know when you will have a deo emergency. :)

Axe Dark Temptation ($ 1.97 for 1 oz) / Axe Anarchy for her ($ 3.99 for 4 oz)

5.  Lip plumper/ Lip gloss – No lady should leave her house without applying a tinted lip balm. It’s the quickest way to look sexy and natural. Find a color that is light and fresh for day time use.

          L'Oreal Infallible Plumping Gloss ($ 7.99 - $8.59) / Covergirl Wetslicks Lip gloss ($5.99)

6.  Body Mist serves as a good alternative to heavy perfumes in summer. Dab some on just before heading out to brunch or the local farmers market on the weekend.

Gap Heaven ($ 22.75 for 3.4 oz) / Bath and Body Works Sweet Pea Fragrance Mist ($14 for 8 oz)