kate spade saturday

(via)

i'm currently loving kate spade's new, more casual (and affordable!) line, kate spade saturday.  there are so many cute dresses and tops, and the patterns, colors, and cuts used are so fun for summer (although as you'll notice below, i've gravitated toward neutrals yet again).  i have quite a few items that are on my wish list (possibly even lingering in my cart...) that i'd love to snatch up and add to my closet.  admittedly, a lot of them are dresses, but how can you resist when throwing on just one piece of clothing means you're completely done thinking about your outfit?!  they're just too easy to pass up! plus, i'm purging my closet of so much unworn/old/out of style pieces that i have some room to fill up!  let the online shopping browsing begin!

Neat Pleat Dress...this may be my favorite piece on the entire site.  yes, i know i raved about the colors and patterns above, but i couldn't resist the simplicity and elegance of the black.  you may not be able to notice here, but the entire dress is pleated, which i can only imagine sways beautifully while you're walking.  and isn't the length perfect??  dress it down with flats, dress it up with heels. done and done.

Apron Tank...how cute is this white tank? the geometrical neckline is gorgeous and super flattering.  i'm already imagining it paired with my white zara skort and nude heels for a crisp summer outfit.

Squared Sunnies...i practically gasped out loud when i saw these.  they look strikingly similar to some elizabeth & james and karen walker glasses that i've been eyeing forevvvver but are literally about a sixth of the price.  so obviously i'll need to get them in both black and tortoise, because i'll still be saving money!

Call Me Dress...one last dress! this color is so perfect, and i love the idea of this dress going from day to night.  it's a little nicer than your average t-shirt dress (better fit, and a little shorter) and with the right accessories it can be taken from running errands in the afternoon to dinner and drinks that night. 

so, what do you think of the new line? are you loving it as much as i am? 

i hope so...happy shopping! xx

minted

Bauble Bar Celadon Theda Bib Necklace / J.Crew Collection Featherweight Cashmere Drop-Shoulder Boyfriend Sweater / Parker Selita Mix-Print Dress / Erin Featherston Marylene Blazer + Apertif Shirt / Rebecca Minkoff Dylan Tote

lately i've been loving all things mint-hued.  i recently painted my toes with Revlon minted polish and am now slightly obsessed.  i like the color even better when mixed with black and white (like the parker dress and the j.crew sweater/pant combo above...i want, i want, i want!).  the color is great because it literally looks amazing on every skin tone and with every hair color.  seriously-if you don't believe me, go try something on in this hue and try to not buy it after seeing how gorgeous you look in it! 

tell me, would you wear something in mint? would you choose it as a part of your outfit or as an accessory?

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??