silk and sunsets

i LOVE these printed linen shorts from j.crew and think they're the perfect building block for a summer day or night look.  i've put together an easy night look above, using the shorts and a few other items.  first, i'd pair the shorts with a cute silky top from madewell to dress them up a little bit.  then to give the outfit a little bit of edge, i'd throw this incredible Twenty8Twelve leather jacket over the tank.  finally, i'd keep the accessories simple with black strappy sandals from Zara and a bright clutch by ONE by Kayu to really pull out the bright pink in the shorts. 

isn't this the easiest outfit ever?  how would you wear these shorts?

skort-ing the issue

last week i finally took the plunge and purchased the oh-so-popular white zara skort.  i literally tried it on two months ago in the store and loved it, but was trying to be conservative with my spending and let it go.  sad day (needless to say).  well, i couldn't resist any longer and added it to my bag, along with these gorgeous tan heels.  hopefully i'll get a chance to wear both soon!  unfortunately not this weekend though, as i'll be on the water all weekend.  i can't wait...three days off, kiteboarding lessons on saturday, and a mini-vacation sunday and monday on a nearby island that boasts much warmer weather than san francisco.

when i am finally able to wear said skort, i'm thinking i want to dress it up with a cool graphic tee (maybe my home tee, or one of these manifesto tees that i'm loving right now), a black blazer, heels, and one of my bauble bar x honestly wtf necklaces.  one of the reasons i decided to finally cave and buy the skort is because it's so versatile.  while it is very popular right now, every single way i've seen it styled is different.  here are a few of my favorite ways i've seen it styled so far...

i love this neutral outfit paired with metallic strappy heels seen here on BettyStyles

alicia of Cheetah is the New Black pairs the skort perfectly with this amazing tie-front blouse and neutral strappy sandals

i love this sporty look from VintageVirgin too-the sweatshirt is totally awesome and the clutch is so fun!

i seriously can't wait to wear it, and i promise to do an outfit post on it (did i mention how i just learned that my boyfriend took photography all through high school? photographer: check!).  do you like any of the looks styled above? how would you style it?

nailed it

if you follow me on twitter or instagram, then you already know that i tried Sally Hansen's Insta-Gel Polish Starter Kit for the first time last week.  it was so easy.  the kit itself came with everything you need, including the polish, gel strips, LED lamp, nail file/buffer, cuticle stick, and nail cleansing pads.  the instructions were super easy to follow too.  first you shape your nails and clean up your cuticles (while i've given myself probably hundreds of self manicures, i never really push my cuticles back/trim them because they're never that bad...so this was definitely the trickiest step for me!).  next you buff your nails and clean them off with the cleansing pads, and then apply the gel strips.  i thought this part was going to be really difficult, but it was actually really manageable.  you use the nail file to get rid of the excess strip, then coat each nail with the gel polish and keep it under the LED lamp for 30 seconds. one more swipe of the cleansing pad, and voila! you're done!  my only issue came from not being the best at cuticle maintenance...so a few days later i could see that the polish was starting to peel off at the base of my nails so i just removed it all.  note to self: get better at that.

now that i've conquered at-home gel manis, i'm moving on to bigger and better things! ok, not really, but i am trying to decide how to paint my nails next.  these are a few options i'm considering; would you try any of them? i'm kind of loving the white statement nail that Danielle from weworewhat is rocking in this pic (especially with the black nails...totally on trend right now)...but anyway, here are the other options!

LOVING this floral + glitter mani by Emily at cupcakes + cashmere

in case i'm feeling really festive for memorial day weekend, this mani could be fun

basically the reverse of Danielle's mani, but with a skin-tone neutral + matte black

link love

just a little taste of things i'm loving lately!

1.  DIY Jeweled Statement Earrings after picking up these gems recently, i have a new love of statement earrings, especially pairing them with my every day tees and sweatshirts.  this DIY is an easy way to customize pairs of your own.  (apairandasparediy)

2.  Keaton Row this great new site offers an array of styling options for every occasion! the stylists create custom lookbooks for you based on your styling need that offer multiple options to choose from. (keaton row)

3.  I Tried Gwyneth Paltrow's Diet  i kind of love Gwyneth Paltrow and have tried a few  of her recipes (and even one of the cleanses...after getting it doctor approved), and this hilarious article describing one woman's journey through some of her menus had me crying i was laughing so hard.  trust me, you'll enjoy it!  (The Cut)

4.  Emme Halter Dress  ok ladies, tibi has some amazing pieces out right now.  i not only love the cut of this dress, but the graphic floral print is stunning.  i think it's slightly reminiscent of the 90's, which i adore.  also a plus, they're having a friends and family event where all new items are 25% off right now using the code FRIENDS25! (tibi)

5.  Salt & Vinegar Chips Topped Chocolate Cake i admit, this sounds like a strange combination, but it's two of my absolute favorite guilty pleasures rolled into a delicious looking cake.  i'll have to try it soon, and just hope i can find some volunteers to help me eat it.  (chasing delicious)

6.  Olivia Palermo's hair this last one is a little random, but i've been debating chopping off my ends for a shorter look.  miss palermo's hair has always been a favorite of mine, but now i have a few different looks to choose from as some of my favorite bloggers (seen here on Julia of Gal Meets Glam, here on Molly from A Piece of Toast, and here on Liz of Sequins + Stripes) have taken the plunge!  now i just need to work up the courage to do it myself. (pinterest)

nom nom

my three day weekend has officially begun and i am beyond excited...because it's not just any weekend, it's BOTTLEROCK! this will be my first ever multi-day music festival and i'm pretty confident in making this my first.  i mean, i don't think it can get any better than great bands, warm weather, wine, and cheese.  it's like the perfect storm!  it's supposed to be crazy crowded, so luckily i have a good friend who has graciously allowed our group to stay at his house, where we can walk to the venue.  as a little thank you, i decided to bake a few treats to bring up to the house.

since the shows don't start until around noon each day, i aimed more for the breakfast/snack group as we will probably getting ridiculously expensive food at the concert.  the two recipes i decided on were morning glory muffins and "bummer bars" from Gwyneth Paltrow's new cookbook, "It's All Good."  i've made a few different versions of the morning glory muffin, but this one turned out beautifully, and it was super easy to make.  i love these muffins because they're so good for you.  yes, there is brown sugar, but it can easily be subbed with amber agave.  otherwise, you have a delicious combo of fruits, veggies, and whole grains!  

inspired by Liz's post over at Sequins & Stripes, i went to my local bookstore and picked up Gwyneth Paltrow's new cookbook.  i've already done her goop 7-day detox twice, so after briefly browsing some of the recipes, i knew i'd be able to give some of them a try.  these "bummer bars" were my first attempt and they're pretty delicious.  the only issue is that when i tried cutting them into bars, some of them fell apart.  i decided to wrap them tightly individually and stick them in the fridge overnight to see if they harden up...cross your fingers! on the plus side, while i was cutting them i was able to sample (aka eating every single piece that broke off the bars) them and they were scrumptious.  plus they're vegan and healthy! #winning

these will both be a great way to start the day on a healthy kick over the next few days, which i think will be greatly needed.  hopefully both recipes will be a hit with the group, otherwise i'm stuck eating it all...which wouldn't necessarily be a bad thing (yum).  i'll be posting more pictures and updates this weekend from the concert on twitter and instagram, so be sure to check everything out!

eeek i'm getting so excited! have any of you been to a festival before? any words of wisdom??

grey day

Alice + Olivia Fleur Bustier Flare Dress

the fog officially rolled in last night and i woke up this morning to grey skies.  normally i enjoy a day or two of clouds and maybe even rain to break up the sunny cycle, but after the amazing week of weather we had last week, all i want is blue skies and warmth again!  so when i get this itch, i infuse my wardrobe with bold colors and pretty prints to brighten up the day.  and how perfect is this Alice + Olivia dress to do just that? i spotted it when browsing Shopbop's new additions yesterday and am now trying to justify buying it when i live in a city dominated by cold and windy weather.  wedding coming up? no.  special event? no.  warm day in the upcoming forecast? YES...hmm.  it's just too adorable to pass up; the colors are gorgeous and the flared skirt and halter add a little retro-cool to a modern and feminine piece.  

what about you? do you brighten up your outfit on an otherwise blah day?

bauble bar x honestly wtf

early last week i stumbled across some wonderful news: bauble bar and the ladies behind the insanely awesome blog, honestly wtf, were teaming up to release a jewelry collection that would debut at the end of the week.  needless to say, i pretty much had this date (and maybe time...nbd) etched in my head so that i wouldn't miss out on any of the pieces! let me tell you, i was not disappointed.

inspired by their love of vintage pieces, the honestly wtf duo comprised of Erica Chan Coffman and Lauren Kolodny created this collection that is a perfect mix of glitz, glamour, and a little edge.  every piece is just a little over the top (in an oh so good way), and pairs perfectly with a cocktail dress for a night out or as a way to spice up your every day tee and jeans (cut to me tomorrow in this exact outfit). after seeing the collection, i couldn't resist picking up a few pieces and ended up with these beautiful gems...

Ice Selene Pendant Necklace

Primary Aztec Drop Earrings

Ice Pave Disco Necklace

not only are these pieces beyond beautiful, but they're also a great and affordable way to add a little sparkle to your wardrobe.  i highly suggest signing up for a bauble bar account (it's free!) so you can check out this crazy awesome collection and all of the other goodies on the site! 

tgif

i'm so happy it's finally friday! we've been having some amazing weather in the bay area, and i'm currently taking advantage of it by sitting outside in the warm sun writing this post.  anyone who lives here will tell you that you must take advantage of high temperatures when they're here, because it's totally rare.  luckily, we've been experiencing this for over a week (i hope i didn't just jinx it...please stay, please stay, please stay!), and after an incredible trip to Maui, i couldn't have been happier to come home to weather similar to what we had there.

i've also been able to extend the life of my vacation wardrobe (yay!) , which has been awesome.  the only bad thing is that with this little tease we're having, now i feel like we're going to have a real, hot, sunny summer, and of course, i want to buy sun dresses and sandals and shorts to go along with that.  sadly, i know that in reality that's definitely not happening in san francisco, but i can dream, right?  

so in my dream summer, i would totally pick up a few pairs of these beautiful shoes...to go with all of those sun dresses and shorts, of course!

clockwise from top left: L'Agence Dani Plexi Heel, Coach Terri Heel, Pour La Victoire Shanna Heel, Loeffler Randall Amelie Wedge

as for the rest of the weekend, the boyfriend and i are leaving bright and early tomorrow morning to head down south for a little surfing.  we both took lessons in Maui and i'm a little obsessed now (blue crush, anyone?), so i've convinced him to keep it going and suffer in the cold water up here.  i'll reward him with some delicioso Mexican food for cinco de mayo.  wish us luck!