Autumn Layering with Modcloth!

Hi there, lovely people of the internet!

So I was away last week, in the lovely (amazing, wonderful, beautiful, gorgeous, lustworthy -and I can go on-) city of New York. But I am back now, back to the usual business.

Fall was in full swing in New York and at times it felt a lot more like winter, and you know what that means: layers, layers, layers. And if there's a city that knows how to do them in style, it is most definitely NYC. So I jumped at the chance when Modcloth asked if I was interested in creating a post about layering in these chilly Autumn months.

If Modcloth is known for something, is for making clothes that look wonderfully retro but chic and modern at the same time, and that is simply a winning combination. And that is the theme I had in mind when I put this outfit together:

My favorite version of layering is one that involves something flowy and something structured, lending a very sophisticated touch to the overall look, which is why I paired the beautiful Love Ballad Tunic, which is girly and fun, with the Corner Coffee Shop Cardigan. As soon as I saw this number, it made me think of an Audrey Hepburn movie: it is elegant but simple, and I love the touch that the three buttons and stand-up collar bring to it. Underneath, simply wear a cute undershirt like the Poet to be True Top, and you are set.
I also opted for some slim jeans to complement the tunic, and these 50-inspired Better Shake Up Pants instantly caught my eye. Of course, I had to add a little hat to finish off the retro look, and isn't this Train and Simple number adorable? So very, very chic! Finally, for shoes some booties were the way to go and my favorite ones for this outfit are the What May Come Booties, which are every bit as elegant as the rest of the elements. The whole look is feminine, timeless and versatile, all key elements when I'm getting dressed.

I stuck to a very neutral palette of black, tan and brown, all of which complement each other very well and are perfect for the colder seasons. They can easily be dressed up or down, and are appropriate for a variety of occasions. It's actually kind of hard not to look put together with this color palette, as it screams sophistication and confidence, and I have to say, these colors are slowly taking over my closet.

I would love to know what you think of this outfit I put together, and do tell which colors have you been wearing the most as the days become shorter? And if you loved the cardi I showed here, make sure you check out the whole collection here, where you can find one to suit every style and wallet! :)
Love you bunches!


(As a little side note, you should know that Modcloth is currently having a 25% off sale on tops, bottoms and lots of other goodies, so make sure you snatch some warm and cozy sweaters up. This is also a great way to get a head start on your Christmas shopping, you early bird: if there's any woman at all in your life, you'll find something for her here!). 



This is a sponsored post by Modcloth. I am not affiliated to the company, and all opinions are my own.

OOTD: My Birthday Outfit

Today is my birthday!!  Yay!!!

I am one of those people that has always loved birthdays. I think they're great and even though they mean I'm one year older (I'm now officially in the second half of my twenties! yikes!), I try to see the glass half-full: presents! Just kidding. But really, it's as good a time as any to treat yourself to something nice. It doesn't have to be anything expensive, either: even a hot bubble bath with some good chocolate is a nice way to celebrate all you have accomplished.

Last week I decided to treat myself to this gorgeous pastel wartercolor dress. It is spring-y, feminine and delicate. But my favorite thing about it is the cut. It fits my body perfectly.

It wasn't cheap so when I saw it and immediately fell in love with it I was praying that it would look terrible on me, but then I tried it on and it was basically made with me in mind, (perhaps they knew my birthday was coming up?), so you know, I had to get it. Am I the only one who has ever had those "oh-God-help-me-'cuz-if-this-looks-cute-on-me-I'm-definitely-getting-it-even-though-I-can't-afford-it" moments? I certainly hope not!

I wore it yesterday for the first time as I had a special pre-Birthday dinner date with my husband, and as soon as he saw me his eyes went wide open and he said: "wow... That's a nice dress!" When he adds the "wow" before anything I know he really means it, so the splurge was totally worth it.

I kept the accessories simple as I wanted the focus to be on the dress, so I threw on a whimsical silver necklace with matching earrings, and basic nude pumps and I was ready. Brownie points to the dress for looking so put together with minimal accessorizing efforts.

I can already see myself wearing the heck out of this dress. It is super comfortable, and I love how delicate it looks thanks to the mesh detailing on the back. I think it will be perfect for multiple occasions: it is rather formal on its own but can easily be dressed down too for a more casual affair, like with some nice sandals. Even some tights would look great with this dress if the weather starts chilling down a bit.

Again trying to kept the main focus on the dress, my makeup was nothing too over the top. I wanted to try the lavender trend, which is all the rage now, and it pairs wonderfully with the dress. For the eyes, I used Stila In The Light eyeshadow palette, and for the lips I used the Dior Addict Lipstick in Tulle 214.

All in all this was the perfect Birthday outfit, an awesome start to a new year of life for me! Here's to many more awesome birthdays, and awesome dresses!


P.S.  I took my fair time getting ready, so by the time I wanted to take the pictures, all the light was gone and it had started raining!!  So I had to take them indoors, with very little light. They will have to do. Sorry about that!

How I Stopped Being "Basic"

So in case you have been living under a rock and aren't familiar with the term "basic b!tch", it means basically  (see what I did there?) to not go to any troubles to stand out or make any sort of statement through beauty and/or fashion. To me this is a rather offensive term, to label someone as "basic" for their clothing choices, when they could very well have a complex mind and life. But for the purposes of this post, let's stick with that shallow, too-Hollywoodesque definition.

All through my school and even college years, I was the walking definition of basic:

- Wearing everyday makeup for me meant applying powder, blush and lipgloss.
- On special occasions I'd go all out with some mascara.
- The first time I owned a respectable hair straightener was three years ago, one my Mother-in-Law gave me.
- I bought hundreds upon hundreds of tops and t-shirts. But I hardly ever purchased any accessories.
- I wore the same ol' gold chain my boyfriend at the time had given me. Statement necklaces? What's that?
- I got by with two or three bags that I switched depending on the occasion and didn't see the need for more than that.
- My skincare routine simply involved a scrub, sunscreen and makeup-removing wipes.
- I could spend well over a month with bare nails and would be totally fine with that.

Now don't get me wrong: I think there is absolutely nothing wrong with that. I was too preoccupied with my studies and  social activities to pay much attention to becoming "un-basic". I am now, however, the complete opposite. I love makeup, and clothes, and have developed quite an addiction for statement necklaces and bags. But that's not what made me "un-basic". It was much more than that:

- I dress exactly how I like now, without wondering if I'm being judged or not.
- I feel more comfortable in my skin than I ever have before. That, in turn, made me a much more secure person in many areas of my life.
- I used to dress for other girls: to conform to what I thought they required me to dress like. Now I dress to appeal to myself, period. On occasion, to appeal to my husband too, of course, but he just couldn't care less if I was wearing a garbage bag, to be honest.
- I feel sexy when I apply a red lipstick, or layer necklaces, or wear a nice pair of diamond stud earrings. And I am certain I do it not because of some Hollywood standard I need to adhere to, but rather because it makes me feel good and confident. I am a sales manager, and whether I like it or not, my personal image does impact the way people perceive me. I want to be perceived as professional and serious, so now I dress the part. I have thrown away the hundreds of Aeropostale and Abercrombie t-shirts I owned in favour of a more "grown-up" wardrobe, and I completely love it.
- I used to second-guess every outfit I put on. Now, if it makes me feel good and comfortable, I will wear it without a second thought.
- A few years ago, the idea of posting an outfit of the day would have petrified me, for fear of what people would think of it. Now I have done it more than a couple of times, and some people probably have thought I look hideous but I don't care. Those are outfits I love, and that's what matters to me now.

In my opinion, being basic doesn't necessarily have a lot to do with wearing ugg boots and the same gold necklace every day, but rather with your attitude towards it: If you are ignoring your style and the clothes that truly define you for fear of being judged, that's pretty basic. If you are dressing a specific way because everyone else is too, that's as basic as it gets. Start being honest with yourself and discovering which way you feel more "you", truer to your essence. I have to admit that a few years ago, whenever I bought anything, I would carefully consider whether my friends, classmates, etc. would wear it before even asking myself if I would. It doesn't get much more basic than that! I found that resources such as Pinterest, Instagram and the thousands of beauty/fashion blogs out there are great sources of inspiration to start discovering what styles you relate the most to. Make mood boards, take notes and find out exactly how you feel your best.

And don't forget to get out of your comfort zone a little, too! Then you'll really start having fun and I guarantee you will look, if not like the biggest fashionista, at least the truest version of yourself which in itself is no small accomplishment!

Weekend Wardrobe: Spring Edition

Sadly, there are no seasons where I live, but like I say time and time again, that is no reason not to get in the spirit right?. Specially when it's spring! Everyone's spirits are high, and fun, and free and some of the freshest trends start appearing. This year I am really loving two of them: pastels and florals.

From a casual day to a formal work affair, there are a ton of ways to incorporate these trends into your outfits without becoming boring or predictable. I used to be very afraid of mixing prints but now I'm getting out of my comfort zone and finding new ways in which to freshen my look.

The first outfit is very casual: a regular print tee, which I have been obsessed with lately, and of course a cute floral skater skirt to make the whole look more girly and feminine. This is perfect for a coffee date with friends or an afternoon at the mall. This casual-chic look is complete with a pair of simple cream pumps.

This second outfit is more formal. A pastel top in a flowy fabric for the pop of color, and faux leather pants for the formal vibe make this a work-appropriate option, yet still fun and unexpected. Being a busy working mom, one of the things I look for in any outfit is its ability to make me look put together with minimal effort, and this one does exactly that. Surely this will become a staple for me this season.

What is your favorite spring trend? And what is your favorite thing about spring?

My Style: Sunday Layers (In Hot Weather!)

Hello and welcome to another style post!
I haven't done these very often, but I find them really fun and intend on doing them more frequently from now on.
This week my pick were layers. You might be thinking: "Have you gone insane!? layers in a city that is perpetually 90º F  (30 - 35 ºC)!!!!?" And for the most part, you'd be right, but the thing is, when the weather is so preposterous, every single place blasts their air conditioning. So I've identified those places where I immediately freeze upon entering, and yesterday I knew I was going to one of them (our mall) so I decided to layer it up.

Graphic tees are everywhere now that people are getting into spring mode, and I love me a good graphic tee, so I wore one with little wolves and birds, and on top I wore a green button down shirt that I "stole" from my mom (and when I say stole, I mean that I mentioned it was cute once, and she let me keep it). And then I just wore my black zippered tights.

Accessories were kept simple, with a vintage statement necklace, and outside I also wore a hat I've had since forever (can't even remember where it's from!). My glasses are from Detour by the blogger Zoella, and you can get them here.

Once inside, my hair was a lot more under control:

This was a perfect option for a Sunday outing. The button down shirt was very lightweight for this weather, but perfectly comfortable inside too, and when it got too warm I just took it off just and left the sleeveless tee. Finally, the outfit was completed by my all-time black pumps, and voilà.

OOTD: Chilly Evenings

When the weather starts getting chilly, I have a sort of "uniform" I love to wear: a girly dress, basic tights and boots. It is very simple, yet you look tidy and put together without too much effort, while being warm enough to be outside. It isn't exactly chilly here, but I was very much in the mood to wear this (albeit for only 5 minutes), since I haven't been able to wear my boots for many, many months.

I like keeping accessories simple and feminine with this look: a little chain and matching earrings from Forever 21, and a stone bracelet I bought last month on our trip to Mexico. 

I have a big obsession at the moment with all things coral, and I like the pop of color this dress brings to the entire look. Keeping everything else in neutral colors ensures that the focus stays on the dress. I also love how the color of the dress complements the sunset and the green lot we were visiting. 

After a while, Tommy wanted to be featured too. He enjoyed being the centre of attention when I did his photo shoot last week and didn't want to be left out this time around:

Another great thing about this look is that when the weather starts warming up, it can be turned into a summer outfit in three easy steps (which I did a minute after the photos): pull your hair up in a bun, take off the leggings, switch the boots for some comfy flats, and done!

Toddler Lookbook: 2014 Edition

Hey there!

As you know, I have this little rad man in my life. Also, I am not very good at taking lots of pictures (I forget, mostly!), and decided to change that this year (I guess that qualifies as a resolution?). So I started snapping away some pictures of him, and this is the result. Without further ado, I present to you A Toddler Lookbook, encompassing his five "coolest" looks:


Look at this sneaky little fella! Feeling all badass in his Despicable Me t-shirt:

Just chillin' mom. Just chillin'...

Yes, I am half New Zealander. And yes, I have awesome Spider Man sneakers that light up:

Oh mom, if only you knew what I have in mind... ha ha ha!!

Some quality time with my mama...

Oh, Tommy, you are so delicious! I particularly love how much he enjoys the little things in life, and I am quite proud that it was so well portrayed in this lookbook! That truly is how he lives his life: smiling and laughing, and not taking himself too seriously.
I still have a great deal to learn from him...

Let me know if you liked this lookbook, and if you would like to see more every once in a while :)

My Savior Products!

We all have several distinct categories in our closets. Allow me to explain:

First there are the products that you don't even know are there. One day you are spring cleaning and next thing you know you are wondering how on Earth did you end up with a couple of suspicious-looking frogs playing musical instruments.

Then there's stuff that you know it's there but never wear. You don't give it away though, because you are sure you'll wear it when you get invited to the King's granddaughter's christening/ a pig's birth / a pillow fight at the Renaissance fair. There's really no way to say this nicely: you won't. Give. It. Away.

Then there's a whole other bunch of stuff that you wear/use every now and then.

And finally, there's that stuff that you simply can't live without. You know what I'm talking about, right? That top that just goes with everything, or that cardigan you'll wear regardless of the weather because it makes any outfit look so cute, or the pants that you can dress up or down and have been known to wear (gasp!) three times in one week. Yeah, we all have them. Those garments or items that get you out of trouble; those that when you are running late and don't have time to pick the perfect outfit, you can just throw on and you know you look put together. My own stash is composed of these seven treasures items:

1. Large owl necklace from Forever 21:
This one goes with basically everything. From a casual top and jeans to a classier dress, this adds a little something extra. It is cute, fun and versatile, so I love it and wear it all the time.

2. LUSH's Dream Cream Body Lotion: I know this isn't a clothes item, but I'm telling ya': this little pot is a true savior when I am running late, and basically, whenever my skin is rebelling against me: it goes on really smoothly and absorbs immediately, barely has any scent (so it doesn't compete with my perfume), and is really soothing on dry and irritated skin.

3. Printed jeans: My go-to pants for when I'm feeling lazy: I simply put this on, grab a nice top and I'm good to go. The bonus is that the print makes it a lot less boring than your old jeans-and-t-shirt combo, so it gives the impression of having put a bit more thought to the whole outfit.

4. My Kleenex box: Another non-clothes item, but allergies hit me so very hard and when I least expect it, so a good supply of tissues is a must for me. But on top of that, the box they come in is so cute that it adds a nice little touch to my dresser and I even use them everyday to dry my face, instead of using a face cloth, which might carry bacteria (and God knows how my face would react to that!)

5. Good ol' black leggings
The most basic of basics. The possibilities are endless: you can wear it a hundred different ways, so no one has to know that it's your fourth time already this week.

6. Dress from Desigual
Boy, is this practical for when I'm late for work! This dress with some black pumps, a messy hair bun, a nice lippie and you are set for the day. And not only is it appropriate for work: I have worn this to go to the mall, a friend's house, a barbecue and all sorts of social situations.

7. Matte gold flats
What would I do without these!? Since they are matte, they are absolutely perfect for daytime, and the color allows itself to be paired with almost whatever else you are wearing. And don't even get me started on how comfortable they are! A well-deserved treat for my poor feet after enduring high heels all week. I wear them so often, that they are a little worn by now, as you can probably tell:

Now over to you: what are your lifesaver products?

Sweather Weather Tag

I have been seeing this tag floating around the internet lately (such as here), and I thought, why not do it? I'll tell you why not: we don't get fall here in Colombia! We are right on the Equator, so we don't have any seasons. Whatsoever. Except maybe two: the rainy, and the not-so-rainy. But hey, at least I can get in the fall spirit, even if it is currently 92F outside, can't I? sort of a glass-half-full mindset, if you will.

Anyway, let's get started on my not-exactly-sweater-weather tag:

1. Favorite Candle Scent?
My favorite candle scent will have to be Leaves, from Bath and Body Works. It smells so good and so autumny, that just by turning the ac on, I can pretend it is really fall. I have some trouble describing scents, but just believe me when I say that you won't regret getting it. The website says it smells of "golden nectar, red apple and spiced berries". Can't get much more autumny than that!

2, Coffee, tea or hot chocolate?
Definitely coffee. I will drink a warm cuppa coffee anytime regardless of the weather.

3. What's the best fall memory you have?
My best fall memory is from 2005 in Germany. I would bike to school every morning, enjoying the crisp air and just marveling at all the beautiful leaves on the ground. It was my first ever true fall experience, and I was completely awed by it. It was incredibly beautiful.

4. Which makeup trend do you prefer, dark lips or winged eyeliner?
I wrote a whole blog post on dark lips last week. I am currently digging the deep red or deep oxblood lip. I specially wear it on date nights or for parties. I believe it looks appropriate and sexy for those occasions, even in the terrible heat.

5. Skinny jeans or leggings?
I like skinny jeans, but lately I have been obsessed with leggings. They are way more comfortable than skinny jeans, no question about that, and I love how they can be dressed up or down, and you still look put together. They can be worn with dresses, tops, skirts, you name it, they are so versatile!
Some of my favorite leggings looks (from Pinterest):

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6. Hats or scarves?
Well, I'd have to be crazy to wear scarves over here (how I miss them!) so I'll go with hats. Well, beach hats, to be exact.

7. Combat boots or uggs?
Combat boots by far. When I was in New Zealand I loved wearing them. Although Uggs seem so comfy and cozy, I have never owned them, I always just went with really thick socks and warm fuzzy slippers instead.

8. What is your favorite thing about fall?
The display of colors is breathtaking. And the fashion is still fun, yet more sophisticated than in summer, so I love it too.

I definitely look forward to many more real autumns, though. There is something that feels magical about it, and to someone who has only experienced a hand full of them, it is all the more exciting and enjoyable!

If you do get fall where you live, what is your absolute favorite thing about it?

Lipspiration

Dark lips are perfect for fall; they send a message that you are confident, sexy and not afraid to go out of your comfort zone. However, I might still be a little too traditional to go all vamp and wear a deep plum or wine lip color. But a deep red or oxblood I will wear. This trend is also perfect for the holiday season approaching. Don't be too safe this year and try it!

Pixiwoo has a wonderful tutorial here, where she pairs red lips with soft eye makeup, creating a lovely look that you can easily recreate.

Here is a collection of some amazing looks with red and oxblood lips I found floating around the internet:

Image from Vogue.co.uk

Image from Lucky Magazine

Image from Rebloggy

Image from Jada Beauty

Image from Mase TV

Image from The Budget Fashionista

If you notice, none of these looks have dramatic eyes. The lips truly are the stars of the show, so let them shine and wear subtle eye makeup to complement them, not compete against them.