H & M

Boho-chic will release your inner hippie

 in Bay Area Fashion / General Fashion  tagged chloe / free people / H & M / outfits / summer 2016 by

summer pants under $10 silver circle chokerhm summer pantshow to channel your inner hippiesmall chloe faye in blacksuede fringe vest for summer

Pictured: Earrings: Ippolita / Sunglasses: Chanel / Lipstick: c/o Dolce & Gabbana Dolce Rosa / Necklace: sold out, also love SAVE or SPLURGE  / Vest: Free People (on major sale!) / Tee: H & M / Ring: Kendra Scott / Nail Polish: Chanel Cavaliere / Handbag: Chloe / Pants: H & M / Shoes: TopShop

Have you ever wondered how to release your inner hippie? I’m not sure how to do it in a theoretical sense, but I know how to release my inner hippie from a fashion standpoint! Peace 😉

As the 1970s trend matures, the hippie look, or boho-chic look, is maturing with it. Designers have shown boho-chic looks on the runways, adorned their designs with fringe, and have offered an anti-establishment vibe in their collections for the past several seasons. Since this trend is showing no sign of slowing down as we head into fall, it is perfect to wear now.

Lately, I have felt the urge to really push my own style envelope. I grew up in Marin County, which is arguably the most liberal pocket of the country. As a child, I was surrounded by aging hippies. I saw hippie vans, men with long hair, protesters, and the 1960s refusing to die despite it being the 1980s. Due to this environment, I find something nostalgic, and calming, about the boho-chic look.

Although I am far from being a hippie, I absolutely love the boho-chic look! I love fringe, loose clothing, long silhouettes, and natural hair. Perhaps inside my conservative persona, there is an inner hippie trying to break out!

This outfit feels good, and it makes me feel tall. I love feeling tall! Especially since I am short. Ha! I love the weight of this vest, it feels cool; and I love how it moves. I cannot wait to pair it with jeans, cut-offs, and long skirts this summer season. It will also flow well into the fall season.

If you want to release your inner hippie through the boho-chic look, why not try this vest as your summer go-to topper? It definitely adds a little bit of hippie to any ensemble. You can find this vest (on major sale!) online here.

I also need to give a shout-out to these pants. They are super comfortable! Plus, they were under $10. How fabulous is that!? I love the print; it is very boho, which is the perfect look when you are trying to bring out your inner hippie. They are also perfect to wear as a swimsuit cover-up at the beach, or with a tank top on a hot summer day. They will transition easily into fall when paired with a long sleeve tee, or lightweight sweater. Love!

Are you still feeling the 1970s trend? Do you find yourself drawn to the boho-chic part of this trend? Weight in with a comment below!

Casual New Years Eve outfit

 in Fitness / General Fashion  tagged casual style / fitness / gap / H & M / jill milan / new years style / outfits / swarovski / valentino by

new years eve outfit idea casual new years eve outfit idea vegan handbag on sale casual holiday outfit

Pictured: Sunglasses: Chanel / Lipstick: Chanel Melancholie / Earrings: Kendra Scott / Necklace: Tasha (on sale!) / Sweater: H & M / Jeans: Gap / Handbag: c/o Jill Milan (on sale!!) (vegan!!) / Bracelet: Kendra Scott / Nail Polish: Chanel Vamp / Shoes: Valentino

 New Years Eve for me, over the years, has gone from full blown formal party, to casual New Years Eve for me. When I was in my 20’s and single, my friends and I used to wear sparkling dresses, and attend parties or events to ring in the New Year. Now, as a Mother of three, I keep New Years low key by either spending it with family, or attending a casual house party.

It can be hard to navigate that fine line between over dressed party attire, and too casual, daytime attire; when putting together a casual  New Years Eve outfit. I was thrilled when I found this sparkling sweater at H & M, Santana Row. It is a basic v-neck sweater with side slits that can be worn with jeans, leggings, or a slim black skirt. I decided it was perfect for the holiday season!

In addition to being perfect for casual holiday gatherings, I plan to wear this sweater on Christmas, and also as my casual New Years Eve outfit to celebrate 2016! It is a thin sweater, so it is easy to wear in a heated home with a simple tank top underneath. Love that!

As we head into 2016, I want to share with you my New Years Resolution! Now this may sound cliche, and I guess it kind of is, but my New Years Resolution is to lose fifteen pounds.

I never shared this struggle on the blog when it happened because this blog was still a hybrid online magazine slash blog. Now that I have transitioned it to my personal fashion, style, beauty, and runway report blog, I want to share with you more personal aspects of my life.

In 2012, I was sick and placed on bed-rest following a miscarriage, for three months. I was depressed sitting on the sofa over the beautiful, warm summer months. While my children played in the pool, I sat on the sofa inside watching them. The only time I got up from bed, or the sofa, was to sit at my desk and write a blog post.

Bed rest was difficult for me. I am used to working out at the gym five days per week, playing tennis with my friends, swimming for fitness and fun, and running around with my children. So, to ease the pain, I ate ice cream. A LOT of ice cream. Well, thirty pounds in three months later, I was on a mission to regain myself.

I counted calories, and worked out diligently. I lost the thirty pounds and was back into a size four. It was fabulous! Then, in the fall of 2013 I started homeschooling my middle child. She has ADHD, DMDD, Dyslexia, and a 170+ IQ. Needless to say, a traditional public school is not the right environment for her.

There are schools out there for kids like my daughter, but they all start at sixth grade. So, I decided to homeschool her until sixth grade, at which time, we will decide where to send her for school, or if we should continue homeschooling her.

She is extremely artistic and would like to be a fashion designer when she grows up. She already has a sketch book, and a business plan!

Since I started homeschooling my daughter, I have not been a regular visitor to the gym. Instead of five to six workouts per week, plus tennis and swimming, I am down to three workouts; if I am lucky. Due to this change in my activity, I have gained fifteen pounds, and gone up to a size six. I believe most of this weight is in my thighs. Ugh!

In my quest to get back to my normal weight, I will be talking about fitness routines, and fitness gear here on the blog in 2016. This will not reduce the amount of fashion, style, and beauty posts I publish each month. The fitness articles will be in addition to my current content; and an added bonus!

If you are working on losing weight, or you are a fitness guru, I would love to connect with you! Please let me know in the comments below or on social media. Thank you so much for all your support over these past few years, and I look forward to bringing you the trends from the runways, beauty reviews, and Silicon Valley style, in 2016!

Thank you for reading, and stay fabulous 😉

H & M topper for fall

 in General Fashion  tagged casual style / fall 2015 / H & M / mansur gavriel / outfits by

70s style fall outfit H and M casual fall outfit h and m topper fall outfit hm topper casual fall outfit hm topper outfit mansur gavriel small lady bag in black

Pictured: Earrings: Ippolita / Lipstick: Chanel Melancholie / Necklace: c/o Kendra Scott / Tee-Shirt: James Perse / Topper: H & M (under $50) (Also love this one for under $70) / Nail Polish: Christian Louboutin / Handbag: Mansur Gavriel (larger version online here) / Bracelet: Kendra Scott (obsessed! I’ve been wearing it everyday!)/ Cuff paired with watch: c/o Kendra Scott / Jeans: COH / Boots: Tory Burch (super comfortable!)

One of my favorite fall fabrications is suede. Of course, suede can be hard to care for, and expensive! So when I spotted this faux suede topper at H & M at Santana Row, I had to have it!

This H & M topper for fall is perfect for our autumn weather here in the San Francisco Bay Area. It is medium weight; making it easy to wear during foggy mornings, and during sunny afternoons. The three-quarter length sleeves offer the perfect balance between long and short sleeves when the weather changes drastically throughout the day. I also love 1970’s styling!

Right now, I have been pairing this H & M topper with short sleeve tees. When the weather cools down in November, and December, it will be easy to pair my H & M topper with long sleeve tees, and lightweight sweaters, to keep cozy during the cold months.

I can also picture this H & M topper with wide leg trousers for a dressier look during the week, or at the office. It can also be a great alternative to a heavy coat over a boho-chic dress. So many possibilities!

Do you have any great finds for fall under $50? If so, please share in the comments below!