It's because I think too much

(Indi)Go-Getter Manicure

2012-01-27T08:06:00.000-08:00

I ran out of eyeliner this week so I had to stop by Sephora to pick out a replacement. As you are probably well-aware, going into that store is straight-up dangerous to your wallet. It's way too easy to walk out of there with way more than you came for.

But I was determined to buy only a new eyeliner. After wandering around the store testing every eyeliner, from Bare Escentuals to YSL, I manged to make my way up to the register with just one Buxom Lashliner. Go me!

That's where they got me with their display of glittery "Jewelry Top Coat" polishes. When I saw this bottle of Indi-go With the Flow with it's mix of fine and chunky steel-blue glitter, it absolutely had to be mine--get on my nails!
And get on my nails it did!

To achieve this look, I swiped three coats of Essie's Lapiz of Luxury on all of my nails. After that was good and dry, I blinged up my thumb and ring finger nails with three coats of Sephora by OPI's Indigo With the Flow. Voila!

I'm so thrilled with this mani, it's been on my nail for three days already!

What is your most recent beauty impulse purchase? I'd love to know!

The Polka Dot Blues

2012-01-26T08:10:00.000-08:00

About this look...
The minute I walked into Forever 21, the big, bold polka dots caught my eye. I knew immediately, it was coming home with me. The polka dots, the sheer panel, the colorblocking--it was all just too good! As I was getting dressed, I found the hardest thing to be which outfit to wear--there were just way too many options!

After trying on a few options, I finally settled on cobalt jeans and my blue suede pumps! My orange MAC seems to go with just about everything I wear these days, so of course I grabbed that!

Thought of the day...
I realized the other day that I have a LOT of perfume samples. They're all over the place in my apartment and at my desk at work. As I find them, I've been collecting them in one spot and it's clear I need to find a storage solution. A bit of Googling gave me ideas of storing them in ammo boxes, a calligraphy nib holder, or a jar of sand. None of those ideas really seemed like the one for me, so now I turn to you? Do you have any ideas for how I could store the many, many little vials of perfume samples?

Just Like (t)Hat

2012-01-25T08:04:00.000-08:00

About this look...
Dressing for the rain is one of the hardest things for me to do. I have the cutest pair of rainboots, but I never know if I should wear them. And I don't own a raincoat (oops). I have lots of cute umbrellas though! Anyway, I digress...

When I woke up to another rainy day, I knew just what to do. It was time to finally break out the floppy hat I purchased at the Forever 21 grand opening in San Francisco. To stay nice and warm, I reached for the orange-red and tan striped sweater Lands End Canvas sent me earlier in the season. The rest of the outfit came pretty easy.

The funny thing is, by the time I took pictures, the rain had moved on and the ground had dried right up! Good thing I didn't wear the rain boots!

Song of the day...
I've been pretty hooked on the song home by Ok Sweetheart for a month or so now. Probably because I can relate a little bit to what she is singing about--home isn't a place, it's a feeling.

I can't stop listening to it, so I thought I'd share it with you! Enjoy!

Glitter Manicures x4

2012-01-24T08:54:00.000-08:00

#1. Teal and Rose Gold Glitter Gradient
A couple of weeks ago, I spotted an image of a gorgeous teal dress with rose gold sequins on Pinterest. Immediately I knew I wanted to translate it to a manicure! To get the look, I used a teal lacquer from H&M as the base coat. The rose gold glitter is Revlon's Rage at the tip and Sephora by OPI's Don't Be Eggnogious in a gradient top layer.

#2. Nails Inc. The Donmar Collection
A little while back, I won a nail art goodie bag on the Pose app. One of the items in it was this set by Nails Inc. The base coat is a deep plum color, but with the holographic green Donmar top coat, it looks black. I'm a big fan of this look!

#3 CND Blue and Gold Mani
I finally got around to trying these lacquers from CND's Fall/Winter 2011 collection; Midnight Sapphire and Sheer 24K Sparkle! It reminds me quite a bit of my Galactic Manicure!

#4. 49ers Nails
To support the 49ers in the NFC championships last weekend, I polished my nails in the team colors. I did I base coat of Revlon's Golden with a bit of Nicole by OPI's Disco Dolls for a bit of added sparkle. Instead of using french tip guides like I usually do, I used hole reinforcements to tape off the half moon. Then I swiped two coats of Sephora by OPI's Sample Sale. The hole reinforcements weren't great; the red leaked under the sticker and I had to do quite a bit of clean-up.

What are the best manicures you've seen lately? Please share!

Layers + Caffeine

2012-01-23T13:26:00.000-08:00

About this look…
Shiver-inducing weather is a great excuse to pile on the layers so I took the drop in the thermometer as my cue to wear my leopard print jacket under a blazer. For my base layer, I turned to my green silk Madewell blouse. I loved the green-orange color combination the last time I wore it, I knew I needed to rock it again--and soon! Of course that meant carrying my burnt orange Rebecca Minkoff MAC!

Thought of the day…
I’ve been trying to wean myself off caffeine over the last few weeks and I’ve been semi-successful at it. I don’t drink soda anymore, I try to do only one cup of coffee a day, and if I need an afternoon pick-me-up, I opt for a cup of tea. The trouble is I’m not sure how to wake up on the days when I’m extra sleepy. Any tips? I’d love to hear what works for you!

Fixed up in Fur

2012-01-20T08:51:00.000-08:00

About this look...
I don't wear dresses quite as often as I used to and I decided to do something about it. I scored this dress nearly a year ago at Ross for only $7 and it hasn't had much play. That's why it made perfect sense to pair it with this Miilla suedette jacket I snagged from my latest Stitch Fix (Pssst... have you signed up yet?). The simple base of the outfit made it so I could pull out not just my fur trim gloves, by my fur stole as well! For a bit of color, I grab my new favorite handbag!

Thought of the day...

When the topic of movies comes up and someone asks, "Have you seen the movie _______?" my answer is more often than not a sheepish, "No."

Why?

I'm not sure actually.

For one thing, I have a hard time turning on older movies. I've forced myself to rent "classics" on Netflix and when they arrive, they just sit.

For months.

And then I send them back.

It's not that I don't enjoy watching movies, because I surely do! And if someone I'm with wants to watch a movie I haven't seen, I'll probably watch it with them. I just don't make much of an effort to do it on my own.

It took me ages to see movies like "Pretty in Pink", "The Breakfast Club", "Dumb & Dumber", "Dirty Dancing", "Breakfast at Tiffany's" and a slew of other movies that might surprise people.

But what will probably shock you more is the list of movies that I have not seen. I don't really want to take the time to list them all right now, but let's just say that "When Harry Met Sally" is on the way from Netflix. What do you think, will I actually watch it?

And, just for fun, let's play a little game. Leave a comment with a classic or cult-fave movie and try and guess if I've seen it.

Good luck!

Gadget Girl

2012-01-19T09:01:00.000-08:00

About this look...
Oh hey Winter! Thanks for stopping by the Bay Area. I'd say "it's nice to see you", but I'd probably be lying a little bit. Instead, I'm going to thank you for giving me a reason to wear a fur vest layered on top of a leather jacket. Oh yeah.

And--hey! My iPad has a new outfit! Isn't it beautiful?

Thought of the day...
I remember the day I got my very first Android phone; a G1, back when it was the only Android phone. For years, I was the lone Android girl amid many, many iPhone owners. About a month ago, I finally got tired of people taking ages to make apps for Android and made the switch. That's where you come in. I'm pretty sure I've downloaded most of the usual suspects and I know I could Google it and find a plethora of "top iPhone apps" lists, but I want to hear from you--what apps should I be sure to download? Let me know your personal faves!

Feeling Sentimental

2012-01-18T12:09:00.000-08:00

About this look…
Obviously my favorite outfit combination this season has been wearing sweaters over button up blouses. I realized that I hadn’t worn my sheer bird print blouse so I pulled out that and my Banana Republic cashmere sweater. Boom—easy outfit!

Thought of the day…
Bear with me, this is going to be a senti moment. As you may know, I moved to the San Francisco Bay Area about two and a half years ago for my job. I didn't know anybody and it was a really big change for me. My work family, as I like to call them, were a really big help in making me feel welcome here and introducing me to all that the Bay Area has to offer. As time goes on, more and more of these family members have moved on to new opportunities, but what I love about it is we’ve remain connected. When we get together, I leave feeling so revived and energized! I just love them I want to thank them for all they've done to make this place feel like home.

A Photo a Day Keeps the Doctor Away

2012-01-17T08:07:00.000-08:00

About this look...
I feel like too many of my outfits are coming together in this fashion--last minute without a lot of thought. This ensemble is one such example. Running late, I quickly threw together a handful of tried and true pieces and flew out the door. Had I spent more time thinking about it, I might have opted for a different shoe or a different bag. However, I was quite pleased with the green and orange pairing. And with so many bright colors, I decided I needed a nude lip so I pulled out an old tube of MAC lustre lipstick from the Wonder Woman collection.

Thought of the day...
I've always been fascinated with the photo-a-day projects floating around the web. I've never taken part in one before because I knew I would forget. But ever since I downloaded the My365 iPhone app, I haven't missed a day! Are you participating in any photo-of-the-day projects? I'd love to hear how it's going for you!

Manicure Round-Up

2012-01-16T08:01:00.000-08:00

It's time for another round-up of manicures from me and readers of IBITTM!

For Christmas, my roommate gave me the Nicki Minaj's OPI minis set. I have been obsessed with the blue color called Fly and finally got around to using it. I achieved the look you see below by doing one coat of Revlon's Golden, one coat of Nicole by OPI's Disco Dolls. After that was good and dry, I taped off the half moon with french manicure guides and painted a coat of Fly.

Helpful tip: If you don't have any french manicure guides, you can just use a bit of tape, just make sure to press the tape to your skin first so the tape doesn't pull up your polish.

A couple of months back I spotted these jewel stickers in the scrapbooking section at Michael's and thought they were the perfect size for a manicure. So I snatched them up! The trouble is I completely forgot about them until just the other day!

The jewels came in two sizes and have an adhesive back so applying them was super easy. Honestly, the hardest part was picking a color to use under the jewels. That color ended up being Nails Inc's Chelsea, a deep plum black color. And you can't forget about the topcoat for a mani like this. My usual suspect? Seche Vite Fast Dry, of course!

I was also thrilled to have my sister send manicure photos of the designs on her's and her best friend's nails.

Have a manicure you'd like to share, feel free to send it to me!

Black and Blue All Over

2012-01-13T08:11:00.000-08:00

About today's look...
I scored this blouse from a Stitch Fix package a couple of months back. I adore the sheer shirt with the lace panels, but my favorite part is the row of buttons down the back. It's basic, but at the same time, it's so not basic! One of my favorite winter color combos is black and navy. That's why pairing it with my trusty navy trousers was a no-brainer! Of course, I just had to wear the Alexander Wang pumps again--I'm obsessed with them!

Thought of the day...
Does anyone ever get their handbags cleaned and conditioned? If so, where does one go to do that? How do you know who to trust? I've got a couple bags that could probably use a little sprucing up.
If you have any experience, I'd love to hear your thoughts!

The Cold Shoulder + A Resolution

2012-01-12T08:04:00.000-08:00

About today's look...
I try really hard to keep my outfits in line with the current season despite what the thermometer says. And where I'm at, most days, that temperature is pretty warm considering the season. As much as I want to bundle up in layers, I also don't want to overheat. So this outfit was my compromise.

Instead of a regular button-up blouse and blazer, I opted for a cut-out button-up with a blazer vest. And instead of boots, I rocked my new Alexander Wang heels that I scored during Shopbop's killer sale recently. Boom, winter outfit with a warm-weather twist!

And my thought of the day...
I'm not much of a resolutioner, I think we should be setting goals and striving to better ourselves all year long. However, I did make one resolution for 2012 and that is to finally get out of the South Bay and into San Francisco.

I'm not going to lie, apartment hunting in San Francisco intimidates me. Everyone I know who has done seems to have endless interviews and open houses, are hunting for months, and have to basically stalk the neighborhood to find a place.

But I'm going to do it. Mark my words!

And if you have any apartment hunting tips, especially for city dwelling, please, please, please share! I'll love you forever!

Olive + Orange

2012-01-11T08:07:00.000-08:00

I had already tried on an armful of clothes and was making my way to the register when I spotted this jacket.

I'll admit it, it was an impulse purchase.
But one I'm super glad I made!

It's such a good lightweight jacket for the Bay Area weather and the texture adds a lot of dimension to this pretty basic ensemble.

I'm also thrilled with the color pairing in this look. The olive and orange combo really surprised me; I'm gonna have to try and rock it again!

And now it's time for a brief glimpse into this overworked brain of mine...

After a brief conversation with my roommate before walking out the door this morning, my commute was consumed with thinking about the dollars we all walk around with on a daily basis. I found myself mentally adding up original price of all the things I was wearing, carrying and using at that very moment. I started wondering who in their right mind thought it would be a good idea to trust me with that much money.

So yeah, take that and chew on it for a while. See if you end up as flustered as I was walking around with all those dollars.

Good times with this brain of mine, I tell you what!

Easy Like Friday Morning

2012-01-10T08:03:00.000-08:00

Whenever I'm feeling lazy and want an effortless outfit, I reach for my black maxi tank dress. While the weather in the Bay Area has been incredibly nice lately, I knew I wouldn't be warm enough without a couple of extra layers. So I grabbed my favorite striped sweater out of the closet, but before throwing it on, I decided to layer in some color with my sheer fuchsia blouse! Add a few pieces of jewelry and my trusty brown wedge booties then I was out the door!

What is your go-to piece when you want ease and comfort?

Manicure Round-Up

2012-01-09T14:02:00.000-08:00

I have a few manicure snaps that I want to share so I thought I'd put them all together!

The first manicure is one with Laqa & Co's Fancypants as a base coat. I taped off a single chevron stripe and filled it in with Cult Nails' Living Water. I didn't like how the taped-off stripes look, so I went over it again with a detailing brush. I finished it off by filling in the triangle with OPI's Spark De Triomphe. I'm quite pleased with how this one turned out!

More recently, I was wearing the Mod About You Sally Hansen strips. As the ends started to wear off, I extended the mani by taping off the half moon and polish the top with Essie's Midnight Cami. I think I'm going to love this new way of extending the life of your manicure!

While I was visiting my family in Utah over the holidays, I had a great time giving my sister as mani manicures as we could fit into our schedules! One of the manis she wanted was inspired by one of mine from September. We chose a pink from her own arsenal and used OPI's Alpine Snow for the polka dots and Essie's Luxe Effects in A Cut Above on the glitter accent nail.

Finally, this mani comes from an IBITTM reader. She followed my Galactic Manicure tutorial and shared her results with me on Twitter! Thanks for sharing, @_NikkiKnack_! It looks great!

As always, share your mani photos with me and you may see them featured in a future post! ;)

San Francisco's New Forever 21 Grand Opening

2012-01-09T07:59:00.000-08:00

Over the weekend, I had the great opportunity to help Forever 21 celebrate the grand opening of their brand new location on Stockton Street in San Francisco. I arrived in an uncharacteristically quiet Union Square bright and early on Saturday morning to shop the store before it opened.

The store was big, bright and shiny-new with fun fashions as far as the eye can see.

And since it's located in the heart of San Francisco, they have a fabulous view!

They gave me "Blogger Crush" signs to post next to some of my top picks. Since I was wearing this adorable animal print jacket, I had to mark it as a crush!

I've been wanting to get my hands on metallic basics lately so when I saw this silver moto jacket, I had to tag it! The only trouble is they didn't have it in my size; sadly, it did not come home with me.

Not only did I love all the necklaces on this rack, but I was wearing the geometric panel necklace hanging on the right. Tagging this table was a no-brainer.

This second I saw this stack of hats, I snatched one up to buy. Boom, blogger crush sign!

This shimmery bandage skirt is a recent purchase of mine so I happily placed one of my signs by the stack of skirts!

After walking around, I had an armful of things I needed to try on!

And this is what I ended up coming home with! A floppy wool burgundy hat, faux leather pants, a sheer sequined open jacket (shown above), a cropped knit jacket, curb chain bangles, and a zig zag hinge bracelet!

And one of my favorite things about the day was when one of my friends posted this photo of two of my friends on Instagram! They had gone to the store and found all of my signs! Love them!

Thanks to Forever 21 for letting me be a part of this fun celebration!

She's So Lucky

2012-01-06T08:15:00.000-08:00

I've been feeling like a really lucky girl lately. I have a lot of reasons to love my life; my family, my friends, my fella, my job, etc. As if that wasn't enough, I've been on a winning streak lately A little while back I won Diane Von Furstenberg's new fragrance DIANE (which actually smells great!). And most recently, I won a prize in Pose 's 12 Days of Christmas Giveaway. The prize I won? The Hello Giggles nail art gift bag! Perfect for me, right?

Adding to all of my awesomehappyupbeat feelings is the fact that the burnt orange Rebecca Minkoff M.A.C. clutch I snagged in the after Christmas sale arrived today! Naturally, I immediately moved my belongings from the purse I was carrying!

So, should I follow my coworkers' advice and buy my first lottery ticket?

A DIY + Tales of Shopping Adventure

2012-01-05T08:03:00.000-08:00

When I was getting dressed this morning, I knew I wanted to wear a tie with my green silk blouse. The only trouble is that I don't own any ties. So I went to my craft box to see what ribbons I had. I considered a few options but ended up using the pretty ribbon from a Net-a-Porter package. The ribbon was too short to tie around my collar, so I just knotted it onto the metal collar ring I own (similar one here).Ta da--instant DIY'd neck tie!

My mani of the day is brought to you by my impulsive trip to CVS where I spotted tons of new Sally Hansen nail strip patterns. Snakeskin print, love letter, florals, tweed, argyle, Valentine's-themed.
Seriously.

Before I even knew what was happening, I had $80 worth of nail strips in my hands. After I calmed myself a bit, I managed to narrow my options down to the "Mod About You" pattern you see below and a Valentine's Day-themed XO pattern. But in all honestly, I probably would have walked out with a lot more if my sane sister wasn't on the phone with me at the time and convinced me that I really didn't need more than two. Thanks, sis!

Sally Hansen Salon Effects Nail Polish Strips in Mod About You

My final note of the day is for my Bay Area readers. As you may know, Forever 21 is opening a new location in San Francisco on Stockton Street this week. I'll be there on opening day to shop in the shiny new store and share my favorite picks with Bay Area shoppers. If you live in or will be in San Francisco this Saturday, stop by and look for my blog logo around the store to see what I love and enjoy 15% off your purchase of $40 or more with the coupon below.

If you're not in the Bay Area, have no fear! I will be posting photos on my Facebook page so make sure you're a fan!

A Little Bit Rusty

2012-01-04T08:08:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year everybody! I'm back from Utah and my unintended blogging break! I hadn't planned on an internet hiatus, but I just had so much fun hanging out with my loved ones, polishing my sister's nails, and playing with my niece and nephew, I just sort of forgot to take outfit photos!

But I'm back now with a bit of post-holiday blues and my first outfit post of 2012!

I scored this rust-colored dress at H&M a couple of months back, but haven't worn it really until now! I adore the length of the hem and sleeves, the cutout on the sleeve, the color, and how soft the material is. Too fun!

And my mani of the day!

Base - M.A.C in Wham, Bam, Glam | Glitter - Deborah Lippmann in Today Was a Fairytale

Now be honest, do you still have your Christmas tree up? Because I sure do!

Glitter Moon Mani

2011-12-28T23:07:00.000-08:00

I was absolutely mesmerized with Oui from Orly's holiday collection the moment that I put it on my nails. The way the purple-gold shimmer changes as you move your fingers is just beautiful! When I was ready for a polish change, instead of taking it off, I simply taped off the moon and brushed a coat of Laqa & Co.'s Those Meddling Kids. Voila! Super fun NYE mani!

Holiday Nails X2

2011-12-24T23:07:00.000-08:00

My sister spotted a a cute holiday mani from The Beauty Department and asked me to recreate it on her nails. Of course, I happily obliged!

As for me, I stuck to a plaid mani in Christmas colors!

Hope you all had a very lovely Christmas!

The Christmas Sweater

2011-12-24T16:52:00.000-08:00

I was challenged by Meghan of Voila, Rebecca of Thirty-Five Inch Inseam, and Krystal of This Time Tomorrow to rock a Christmas sweater. Here is my look!

Winter Midi

2011-12-22T00:33:00.000-08:00

This midi skirt made many appearances in my summer outfit posts--it was definitely a favorite piece! Since fall hit, I haven't been wearing it and I missed it. That's why I decide to rock it out with tights and ankle booties. I added a little bit of winter to the look by pairing it with a plaid flannel top. I knew I had done it right when someone told me that I looked like Christmas.

Winter win!

The Joys of Traveling

2011-12-21T00:00:00.001-08:00

This outfit is brought to you by my half-packed suitcases.

I leave this week to spend nearly two weeks in Utah visiting my family for the holidays and that means I need to pack a lot of stuff.

I dread packing so bad. I procrastinate it as much a possible because it's overwhelming to have to plan that many outfits that far in advance. Making it worse, I've got to pack a lot of stuff to stay warm in the desert's below-freezing winter climate. PLUS Christmas gifts for the fam.

I tried to get a jump on packing by throwing a bunch of my favorite pieces into my suitcase a few days in advance. The trouble is, since these pieces are out of play this week, I was having a hard time finding something that I wanted to wear. Digging through my closet, I found this old zebra print cardigan that I haven't worn in ages!

Score!

What tips do you have for efficiently packing for long trips? I would love to hear them!

Starting Out Right

2011-12-20T08:15:00.000-08:00

I'm not sure if I should blame it on the cold weather or something, but I've been sleeping very heavy lately. I've been having crazy dreams and having such a hard time waking up. And this Monday was no exception.

So, to stop myself from waking up with a case of The Mondays, I decided to start my week off right by getting all dressed up. That meant pulling out my pleated, lacy frock, my new jacquard tights, and my black ankle boots. And of course this ensemble prompted the guys at work to ask if I had "a date or something." Heh.

No, guys. I just like to play dress-up.

How do you start your week off on the right foot?

Mustard + Olive

2011-12-18T23:51:00.000-08:00

I've always loved the color combination of mustard yellow and olive green so when I was looking for something to wear over my mustard-colored dress, this military anorak came to mind right away. Adding the vest layer seemed like a fun way to add depth to the outfit. Topping it off with two chunky necklaces was the perfect finishing touch!

What are your favorite color combos when it comes to your wardrobe?

Mani Hunting at PhotoboothSF

2011-12-18T20:54:00.000-08:00

Last week's holiday party at PhotoboothSF brought a whole lot of stylish people out for a fun-filled evening of Polaroid snapshots, browsing the Mira Mira pop-up shop, and great conversation!

Of course, I couldn't help but notice many fabulous manicures throughout the crowd. See some of my faves of the night.

Santina of Style by Santina was rockin' a enviable green glitter gradient.

Angie of The Hotness Your Momma Warned You About rocks golden digits (and a great ring, too!).

Margot of MSB Chic and her juicy pink nails with a glittery accent nail.

Jackie of The Hourglass mixes gorgeous rings with a chic silver mani.

Carlina of Allergic to Vanilla and Poshmark with her glossy black and orange mani!

Monica of Mimi's Muneca sports a white mani with a orange polka dot accent nail.

Tracy of Poshmark with pretty purple nails!

See a few more snaps from the party on It's because I think too much's Facebook page.

Pastel Snowflake Nails

2011-12-17T22:17:00.000-08:00

When Refinery29 posted their slideshow of holiday nail art earlier this month, I immediately knew I wanted to try their snowflake tutorial. I finally got around to doing it last week and I gotta say, I love it! I wanted it to feel a little Christmas-y, but kept it from being too traditional by opting for pastels.

Colors used: Green - Revlon "Moss", Pink - Essie "In Stitches", White - N.Y.C. "French White Tip"

If you want to tackle this mani for yourself, the one tip I have is to touch the brush to your nail, but move your finger to paint the lines; you have more control this way.

Sorel Challenge

2011-12-16T12:52:00.000-08:00

Earlier this week, I was challenged to style the Sorel boots I was gifted. The problem is I took my plaid Milano Breve boots to Utah (where the tread and weatherproofing will really come in handy) when I visited over Thanksgiving. I left them there to use when I go back for Christmas and New Years. Since I can't wear them in real life today, I thought I'd show you the type of look I will wear them with when over the holidays in Utah!

Sweater - Whistles Tori Fairisle Crop Sweater $200 at ASOS, Jeans - Rag & Bone at Shopbop $165, Sunglasses - Karen Walker Number Two Sunglasses $220 at Shop Les Nouvelles, Vest - BB Dakota Ladonna Faux Fur Vest, Boots - Sorel Milano Breve in Plaid $150 at Zappos, NARS Velvet Matte Lip Pencil Train Bleu $24 at Sephora, Kate Spade Gumdrop Stud Womens Earrings $38 at Piperlime, Gold/Black Glamorous Necklace $10 at Forever 21, Michael Kors Runway Time Teller Watch $225 at Shopbop, Essie Carry On $8 at Zappos, Alex and Ani Russian Gold Expandable Wire Bangle Set $78 at Couture Candy

See how Maria of Kitties + Couture, Meghan of Voila, Rebecca of Thirty-Five Inch Inseam, and Krystal of This Time Tomorrow styled their Sorel boots!

Running Errands

2011-12-15T00:22:00.000-08:00

Some days you just have to get dressed up to go out and run your weekend errands. This was one of those days.

It was cold, overcast, and my day off--I really just wanted to curl up on the couch and light a fire. But I had stuff to do so this is how I encouraged myself.

How do you psych yourself up to do the things you really don't want to do?

Emerald + Stripes

2011-12-13T22:12:00.000-08:00

I mentioned a few posts ago that I scored a really great emerald silk blouse from Madewell (at an even better price)! Today I debut said gorgeous green top! To let it really be the center of attention, I paired it with a neutral sweater, boots, and jeans.

Neon Fair Isle + Sparkle Manicure

2011-12-13T08:00:00.000-08:00

Every time I see a fair isle sweater, it grabs my attention and, more often than not, I have to stop myself from buying it. And colorful neon versions of the patterns were just begging to be turned into a non-traditional winter manicure!

Photos via: hat, scarf, gloves, sweater, cardigan

And the final result!

I love how it turned out, but this mani didn't even last two days before it started chipping off! So I was sort of bummed. I may try to do it again with more traditional winter colors. We shall see!

Desaturated

2011-12-12T08:00:00.000-08:00

Last week I attended Stitch Fix's holiday tag sale where they had killer deals on awesome clothes. After sorting through the options, I ended up going home with this muted watercolor Jack by BB Dakota maxi dress. I love how long and swishy it is! Topping it off with the grey knit sweater made for a perfectly comfortable and neutral ensemble! I gave a small pop of color with my trusty orange-red lipstick!

And here a couple of snaps from the party!

The "Snow + Ice" Manicure

2011-12-11T09:30:00.000-08:00

Maria of Kitties + Couture let me polish her nails last week. We pulled out the bottles of polish that we both had on us and she picked Nicole by OPI's 'It's All About the Glam' and Deborah Lippmann's 'It's All About the Glam.' I used her options to give her a glitter gradient manicure that resulted in looking like she had snow and ice on her fingers--a perfect winter manicure! I love how it turned out so much that I had to take a few pictures to share!

What other cool winter manicures have you seen?

Mani Hunting at Madewell

2011-12-10T08:30:00.000-08:00

[My own mani of the day: Nicole by OPI's Khloe Had a Little Lam Lam with Sephora by OPI's Don't Be Eggnogious tips]

Earlier this week, I attended DailyBuzz Style's holiday soiree at Madewell in San Francisco. I had a great time meeting the stylish ladies behind DailyBuzz Style, chatting with fellow Bay Area bloggers and fashionistas, as well as shopping the fab merchandise. I picked up a great green silk blouse and a plain white tee on major sale--stay tuned to future outfit posts!

While making the rounds, I spotted a couple of fab manis that I thought I would share!

Santina of Style by Santina's glitterific nails!

Eli of Thrifteye with her colorful french tips!

Jesica of Ryzenberg On donning a gorgeous greige!

The one mani I totally regret not snapping a photo of was the one Mandy of Color Me Blue was rockin'! She did an awesome job of recreating Refinery29's snowflake mani tutorial. See her own snaps on her blog!

Breaking the Ban

2011-12-09T00:07:00.001-08:00

I went a little overboard with sweaters this season so I've been on a self-imposed sweater ban. No more buying sweaters for me. But when I spied this mustard-olive sweater on the racks at Poshmark HQ, I fell in love with not only the color, but the thick, chunky knit as well! It just had to be mine. So I quickly made the purchase and took it home with me that night.

There are so many awesome ways to rock sweaters that it took me a while to settle on one. I stood in front of the mirror trying on combo after combo until my bed was littered with the discarded options. Finally I settled on the ensemble you see here!

Tortoise "Number One" sunglasses - Karen Walker (shop similar) | Lips - Illamasqua in Growl | Rose gold cone studs - F21 | Geometric panel necklace - F21 | Mustard knit sweater - Ecote via Poshmark (shop similar) | Rose gold large chronograph watch - Michael Kors | Gold rhinestoned bangle - J.Crew via Poshmark | Black mini skirt - H&M (shop similar) | Black "Everyday" tote - Rebecca Minkoff | Brown lace-up wedge booties - Deena & Ozzy via Poshmark (shop similar)

This sweater is oh-so-cozy, I just know you'll be seeing a lot of this one!

Touch Gloves + DIY

2011-12-08T15:58:00.001-08:00

The temperature outside may be low enough to make my fingers painfully cold, but, let’s be honest, it’s not going to stop me from playing on my smartphone when I’m outside.

That’s why I was thrilled to find out about conductive thread. A few stitches of this stuff on the pointer finger and thumb of any pair of gloves you already own and you've got an accessory that will give any smart phone addict toasty digits all winter long!

Don’t want to mess with a DIY project? Check out these supercute ready-to-wear touch gloves!

Counterclockwise from upper right corner: Sweaterknit Techno Gloves $10 at Old Navy | Echo Cheetah Touch Gloves $38 at Zappos |Echo Red Leather Touch Gloves $68 at Zappos | Ruched Camel Touch Gloves $38 at Zappos | Echo Blackberry Gloves - $27 at eBags.com | Laundri by Shelli Segal Grey Knitted Gloves $31 at Zappos | Echo Pink Bow Gloves $32 at Zappos | Lime Touch Gloves $10 at Target | Blue Sweaterknit Techno Gloves $10 at Old Navy

P.S. These would make a great gift for anyone who just can't put down their smart phones! ;)

Sequins + Red

2011-12-06T23:23:00.001-08:00

I haven't rocked my trouser pants from Gap in quite a while so when I spotted them in my closet, I put them on right away. I knew I wanted to wear sparkle to last night's "Holiday Sparkle" Posh Party so I pulled this sequined tee out next and topped it off with my red blazer! Ta da!

P.S. I listed some glittertastic items last night so be sure to look my up on the Poshmark app. I'm triplyksis, of course! ;)

10 Most Wanted

2011-12-06T08:24:00.000-08:00

Clockwise from upper left corner: Kelsi Dagger Evonna $130 at Piperlime, Marc by Marc Jacobs Amy Watch $175 at Shopbop, Ponti Pencil Dress $61 at ASOS, Deborah Lippmann Stairway to Heaven $18 at Zappos, Yves Saint Laurent Arty gold-plated glass ring $250 at Net-a-Porter, Karen Walker Super Duper Strength Sunglasses $210 at Shopbop, TOM BINNS Barricade Babe Barb Wire Studded Earring $55 at Shopbop, Dolan Midi Wrap Sequin Skirt $275 at Shopbop, Milly Leather shoulder bag $198 at Net-a-Porter, Kate Spade Gumdrop Stud $38 at Piperlime

Obsessed: Black Booties

2011-12-05T12:09:00.000-08:00

I've been looking for a replacement pair of black ankle booties for a while now. When I was in Utah visiting my family over Thanksgiving weekend, I found a pair at their new H&M store! I had been considering several pairs, but I ended up with a pair that looked almost exactly like the pair I had worn out. And they make their debut on the blog today!

I can't stop looking at black ankle booties when I'm shopping. I have a feeling I'm going to end up with another pair, perhaps out of leather, with a chunky heel, and that laces up!

P.S. Stalk some of my latest obsessions on the newly launched currentlyobsessed.me! I have a limited number of invites available, just use the password Its_Because_I_Think_Too_MuchObsessed

Storm Cloud

2011-12-02T14:55:00.001-08:00

Weather can be very fickle, especially when there is wind involved. I flew into Vegas yesterday and it was the roughest flight of my life. Our takeoff was delayed an hour due to bad winds so I fell asleep waiting. The takeoff was so wobbly that it scared me awake! The flight was pretty shaky the whole time and I'll spare you all the gory details, but lets just say it was not a happy time for some of my fellow travelers.

Luckily, we landed safely and I'm currently enjoying myself in Las Vegas! However, some story winds wreaked havoc on my hair-do in these outfit photos!

Have a fantastic weekend, my friend!

Revisiting the Glitter Gradient Manicure

2011-11-30T08:30:00.000-08:00

My go-to mani lately has been the glitter gradient I posted about a while back. The thing I like the most about it is that looks like I spent a lot more time on it than I did. It’s also a very handy technique to quickly make a chipped manicure look fresh again. If there are chips and wear at the tips of your nails, simply swipe on a quick gradient of glitter on top. And it never fails to get compliments.

I tried the new Designer the Better color from OPI’s Muppets collection, but forgot the topcoat. Two days later I had a bit of wear, but I didn’t have time to remove the lacquer and re-polish, so I dabbed a bit of Excuse Moi from the same line. Voila! Brand new mani!

Covering up chips isn’t the only use for a glitter gradient. You can use it to dress up that new shade of polish you just got. For instance, I really wanted to try the mustard-colored lacquer I picked up at H&M a while back, but, as much as I liked it, something was missing. Add a bit of gold glitter a la Nicole by OPI’s Disco Dolls in an inverted gradient and the problem is solved!

What is your signature mani? I’d love to know!

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Growl

2011-11-29T08:41:00.001-08:00

I've been on the hunt for a nice deep plum lipstick for a couple of weeks. I finally settled on one from Illamasqua in the shade called Growl.

When I got it, I was a little unsure if I could pull it off. But I just went for it. And to add a little extra sparkle, I brushed a bit of MAC's 'Wonder Women' Reflects Bronze on top. And that's it.

I'm hooked!

What beauty product has taken you outside your comfort zone lately? Do share!

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Neon Punch

2011-11-28T08:18:00.000-08:00

On overcast days, it's really easy for me to veer toward the side of my closet with all the blacks and greys. I knew I wanted to wear these trousers with this blazer, but in an effort to punch up the color in this ensemble, I chose to rock my neon yellow t-shirt. I could have worn many different shoes options with this look, but in the end, I went for these sky-high platform pumps!

How do you stop yourself from getting down when the sun isn't shining?

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Paint Splatter Manicure

2011-11-25T07:19:00.000-08:00

I saw a tutorial for splatter manicures a while back and thought it looked super cool! I got around to giving it a try and had a blast doing it.

Essentially, you dip the end of a straw into some polish and blow a puff of air through the straw to splatter the polish onto your nail. The tutorial I read suggests taping off the skin around your nails, but I simply just used a polish corrector pen when I was done.

The hardest part of the manicure was picking out colors to use. After much deliberation, these are the lacquers I ended up using:

Colors used: Essie Glamour Purse, Urban Outfitters Navy lacquer, Essie Carry On, Deborah Lippman Brick House, Seche Vite Fast Dry Top Coat (not pictured)

And the finished product:

I think I'll be repeating this technique with different colors in the future! How about you?

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Getting My Fix

2011-11-24T06:57:00.000-08:00

I had some pretty great stuff in my Stitch Fix this month! I didn't get a chance to document it because I've been so swamped! This black ponte dress with v-back and zipper was easily my favorite piece. It's a basic black dress with a twist. It was so popular at my house that my roommate wants one of her own! This is going to be a super easy pick to remix over and over again, I can tell!

Tortoise "Number One" sunglasses - Karen Walker | Lips - Revlon Siren | Leopard & sequin scarf - Badgley Mischka | Grey cardigan sweater - TJ Maxx | Black ponte dress - La Classe Couture via Stitch Fix | Armour ring - c/o LYLIF clothing | Nails - Nicole by OPI in Khloe Has a Little Lam-Lam | Rose gold "Large Layton" watch - Michael Kors | Black wrap bracelet, rhinestone panel bangle, studded bangles, spike bracelet & triangles ring - F21| Studded ring trio - nOir via Gilt | Red mini MAC - Rebecca Minkoff | Black tights - HUE | Black chelsea boots - F21 (shop similar)

What article of clothing in your closet gets remixed the most? Do share!

P.S. If you haven't signed up for Stitch Fix yet, you're totally missing out. And it's just going to keep getting better!

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Three Can't Miss Black Friday Sales

2011-11-23T06:31:00.000-08:00

With Thanksgiving tomorrow, I can't help but be super excited for all of the Black Friday deals hitting my inbox this week. Here are three online sales you won't have to wait in line for!

LYLIF Clothing
LYLIF got an early start, with their sale starting on Monday. All apparel--that's tops, jackets, pants, skirts, and dress--is 50% off! They're also offering free shipping for a limited time! Can't beat that deal, right? Sale ends November 28th at 11pm PST

Rebecca Minkoff
Starting November 25th at 12:00 am EST, Rebecca Minkoff's sale boasts free shipping on orders over $100 with addition exclusive promotions being announced throughout the day on their Facebook and Twitter. If it's anything like sales of the past, this one is not to be missed! Sale ends November 28th at 11:59 pm EST.

Cult Nails
Lacquer-lovers can rejoice in the deals Cult Nails is offering starting November 25th. All individual polishes are $7.75 and collections are prices at $31 per set. With every purchase made, you'll receive a QR code with an opportunity to win a the complete set of Cult Nails polishes, a gift set with polish and file, or a necklace and t-shirt with a bottle of best-seller Unicorn Puke! Sale ends November 28

Happy shopping, my friend! Please let me know what you get!

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Behind the Scenes of a Posh Party

2011-11-22T15:00:00.000-08:00

Last week I co-hosted a superfun Posh Party with Maria of Kitties + Couture. See some snaps from behind the scenes at our "Bold Accessories" party!

The Poshmark team had plenty of delicious nibbles on hand.

The playlist was all cued up with danceable tunes!

Of course, we couldn't help but browse the various racks of fabulous fashions!

Angie of The Hotness Your Momma Warned Ya About was also kind enough to stop by for the festivities!

I can't stop thinking about these Deena & Ozzy boots that are listed for sale on Poshmark. What do you think? Should I get them?

One of the things I find the most fascinating about Posh Parties is that it's perfectly acceptable to sit around on your mobile devices. ;)

The lovely Carlina!

Angie and Maria getting their Posh Party on!

The gorgeous LyAnn waves hello in between postings!

Pretty typical for me, juggling my devices!

Poshmark founder and CEO, Manish, imparts his wisdom!

I feel this shot does a good job of summing up the Poshmark team!

And here are few snaps of my outfit of the day.

Thanks, ladies! I had an awesome time and I can't wait for the next party!

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You're Invited!

2011-11-22T12:45:00.000-08:00

Just found out about a fun holiday party for Bay Area folks! I just RSVP'd will you be there?

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Birthdaoke!

2011-11-21T08:47:00.000-08:00

To celebrate my birthday this past weekend, a small group of us went out to Pandora in San Francisco for a little birthdaoke! Many songs were sung and good times had.Here are a few snaps from the night!

Why yes, that is Angie of The Hotness Your Momma Warned Ya About!

Lips - MAC Spitfire | Lace dress - Shoshanna via Rent the Runway | Rhinestone collar necklace and rhinestone panel bangle - F21 | Triple stone ring - H&M | Leopard envelope clutch - ASOS via Poshmark (not pictured) | Black "Javi" wedges - Sam Edelman (not pictured)

I had a great time even though Pandora had next to none of the songs I wanted to sing! Thanks to all who came! Love you guys!

P.S. If you haven't checked out Rent the Runway yet, you totally should. I'm obsessed with them right now. Especially with all the holiday parties coming up!

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Win this Sparkly Wristlet from Express!

2011-11-18T00:00:00.000-08:00

Exciting news! Express kindly offered up this super-fab metallic wristlet from their 2011 Holiday Gift Guide to one lucky It's because I think too much reader!

Want to win this sparkling beauty? Here's how!

You must follow me on one or more of the following:


Follow @triplyksis

Then, submit your information here to complete your entry. Each place you follow equals one entry for a total of three chances to win! One winner will be randomly selected via random.org and notified via email on Dec. 1.

This piece would be the perfect accessory for your holiday party look! So hurry and enter now because you only have until 11:59 pm PT on November 30th to enter!

Good luck my friends!

Now, spread the love and tell your friends you entered!

Nail Bliss Bling

2011-11-17T08:32:00.000-08:00

It seems that pretty much everyone is turning out nail strips these days and I'm more than happy to try out each and every pair I come across. When perusing the lacquer wall at my local beauty supply shop, I spotted a new addition--a display filled with Nail Bliss strips. I only let myself buy one set so I chose this fun pink and purple gradiation design and applied it on top of Essie's Cocktail Bling.

So what did I think? Let me break it down for you!

Size selection
Pretty decent! I found something that worked for each of my nails. The only trouble is you have to choose a size that is smaller than your nail so you can seal it in. As you can see by my thumbnail, that makes for a bit of a gap. B

Application
Super easy! It was great to just pull them off the plastic sheet and place. They are thick so you don't have to worry about ruining them before you even put them on. If you misplace you can gently lift off to adjust. A

Shaping
As I mentioned earlier, the gap between the edge of the applique and my nail is mildly distressing, but what can you do? Filing of at the end of my nail was more difficult than any other strip I've tried, but that was simply because of the thickness. Not a deal breaker. B+

Staying Power
Here's the thing, I generally don't leave a manicure on my nails for more than two or three days, so I don't ask for much. By the end of my mani attention span (read: three days) the edges were starting to lift. While this isn't a problem for me, I would not recommend these for people hoping to get a week or two out of these strips. They would be super great for a special occasion though! A-

The Verdict
So would I try this brand again? Absolutely! In fact, these are the two I'm thinking of for next time!

Silver Diamonds $5

Silver Gems $5

One More Reason to Shop (You're Welcome)

2011-11-16T08:42:00.000-08:00

I've been hearing about this movement called Small Business Saturday. Sandwiched between Black Friday and Cyber Monday, on Saturday, November 26th, the force behind this movement wants you to shop locally.

I'm actually really into this idea and while I will be in Utah visiting my family on the second annual Small Business Saturday, I think I'll still participate! I like the little shop Miya by my mom's house so I will have to stop there!

So what do you think about Small Business Saturday? Are you in?

P.S. Don't forget to join me and Maria tonight for our Bold Accessories PoshParty. It doesn't matter where you live or what you're wearing--everyone is invited because the party is in the app! Get the deets here!

Getting to Know LYLIF

2011-11-15T08:35:00.000-08:00

When Amanda from LYLIF asked me to pick an item from their site to incorporate into my wardrobe, I was pretty stoked. I'm already a fan of this new online shop so picking one item proved to be easier said than done. Finally, I landed on a rad armour-inspired ring, as seen in this outfit post!

Amanda was also kind enough to answer a few of my questions! See what she had to say!

Q: What does LYLIF mean/stand for? I've been curious since we first connected on Twitter.
A: LYLIF is passionate and believes in promoting individual style, and self-expression. We encourage women everywhere to Live Your Life with In all aspects of Fashion. It’s all about being yourself and staying true to who you are, no matter what your style!

Q: What makes LYLIF unique from other online shops?
A: LYLIF is setting ourselves apart by focusing on bringing the online shopping world a wide range of AFFORDABLE merchandise no matter what your choice of style is- classic, edgy, boho, etc. We have it all and more! In addition to the unique selection and prices, we are all about the customer experience. On top of offering free shipping, we strive to provide a rewarding shopping experience for our customers. We have a point system in place so that you can earn a point for every dollar spent, 5 points for every honest review written, and for every item that you Facebook "like" on our site. The points are cash redeemable for any future purchases. We believe that everyone should be able to find unique and great products within an affordable price range, all while receiving rewards for doing so!

Q: I'm fascinated that your founder and CEO is a male. What is it like to have Alan as your fearless leader?
A: Having a male CEO is unique isn’t it!? Alan’s family has been in the retail industry for over 25 years and he was really driven to bring a new, exciting shopping experience to everyone, so he teamed up with our super talented COO/Creative Director Christina Wang and hence LYLIF was born. They are great leaders to our small team, and everyone has key roles to make LYLIF a success. We all work really hard to make LYLIF what it is and provide a great overall experience to everyone!

LYLIF sure seems like it's got a great foundation and I'm eager to see where their innovative minds take the company!

Skirts and Sweaters

2011-11-14T10:46:00.000-08:00

These outfit photos are actually a bit old, from about two weeks ago. I'm not sure how they got missed, but here they're are now. The ensemble combines two of my favorite articles of clothing (skirts and sweaters) with one of my favorite layering techniques (button-ups under sweaters). I sort of love how the blue silk, ivory knit, leather, and leopard look all mixed together. The rhinestone necklace and Sam Edelman wedges were the perfect finishing touches!

Tortoise "Number One" sunglasses - Karen Walker (shop similar) | Gold diamond-shaped earrings - F21 | Lips - Kate Spade Supercalifragilipstick in Adventurous Red | Vintage blue silk button-up blouse | Rhinestone collar necklace - F21 | Ivory knitted sweater - Blue Bird via StitchFix (shop similar) | Leopard print envelope portfolio clutch - ASOS via Poshmark (shop similar) | Leather and chain bracelet - Target (shop similar) | Rose gold "Large Layton" watch - Michael Kors (shop similar) | Metal faceted ring - F21 | Gold nugget ring - Belle Noel | Faux leather full skirt - H&M (shop similar) | Black "Javi" wedges - Sam Edelman

Hope you have a lovely Monday!

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Come Party with Me!

2011-11-11T00:19:00.001-08:00

Super exciting news, friends! Next week, I'm teaming up with Maria of Kitties + Couture and Poshmark to host a PoshParty!

What is Poshmark?
It’s a free iPhone app that I like to call eBay meets Instagram. But really, it’s so much more than that. On this app, you can shop a blogger’s closet, a boutique’s inventory, and an indie designer’s creations all in one place. Even better, you can join in the fun by listing stylish items you don’t wear anymore!

I’ve already made a sale and a purchase on Poshmark and I’ve got to say, it’s quite addictive. The whole process is so fun and painless; I don’t know why this hasn’t been done before!

Where is the PoshParty?
Come on party people, the party is anywhere YOU are, right? But seriously, a PoshParty is a virtual party, so grab your iPhone (or iPod Touch or iPad) wherever you are at 8pm PT next Wednesday, November 16th and join me, Maria and the Poshmark team for “Bold Accessories” themed party (just like the necklace I'm wearing in this outfit post)! I promise it’s going to be an hour full of stylish goodies and crazy antics!

Make sure you follow me on Poshmark at @triplyksis! Can't wait, see you there!

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Madeline

2011-11-10T08:30:00.000-08:00

Remember those Madeline books by Ludwig Bemelmans from when we were kids? I sort of felt like a grown-up fashionista Madeline in this outfit. All I needed was a hat with a ribbon tied around it, right? Well, that and eleven other fashionistas lined up into two straight lines. Who's with me?

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Texture Tangle

2011-11-09T14:28:00.000-08:00

When peering into my closet, looking for something to wear, I was suddenly drawn to these three items. The idea of pairing my new elbow-patched knit sweater with cords seemed like a given. Then mixing in polka dots? A totally texture win!

What textures do you like to pair together? Spill!

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Lust-Have Statement Necklaces

2011-11-09T14:27:00.000-08:00

Lately, I can't seem to get enough of blingtastic neck pieces. I've purchased a lot of new ones already (and even got featured on the NYTimes Fashion site wearing some), but I still want more. Here are fourteen hot statement necklaces that I've had on my mind lately.

1. House of Harlow 1960 Chevron Five Station Necklace in Rose Gold $225 at Boutique to You
2. Dannijo Lislia oxidized multi-strand brass necklace $995 at Net-a-Porter
3. Clash Chain Links $54 at BaubleBar
4. Janus Chain Links $52 at BaubleBar
5. Belle Noel Layer Pave Necklace $88 at ShopBop
6. Classic Collar Necklace $11 at Forever 21
7. Pamela Love Navajo Breastplate $425 at Bona Drag
8. Sparkling Box Chain Necklace $8 at Forever 21
9. Ursula $295 at Dannijo
10. Geometric Panel Necklace $5 at Forever 21
11. 4...3...2...1 Necklace $325 at TomTom Jewelry
12. Amarna Necklace $168 at Anthropologie
13. Spiked Rhinestone Choker $8 at Forever 21
14. Tova $345 at Dannijo

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Marc by Marc Jacobs Velvet Chevron Mani

2011-11-04T14:39:00.000-07:00

I've been sort of obsessed with the velvet chevron pieces from Marc by Marc Jacobs. I feel like I need them all. But alas, it's probably not meant to be.

So I did the next best thing.
I made out a manicure inspired by these lust-haves!

Dress, Bag, Clutch, Skirt

With these colors and a layout inspired by this manicure from Sugar Coated Nails, I knew exactly what to do!

Grey - Zoya Tao | Red - OPI Bogota Blackberry | Gold - Revlon Golden

The end result:

I think this will hold off my craving for a while! What do you think?

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Fall Colorblocking

2011-11-03T11:31:00.000-07:00

Although summer is long gone, I haven't wanted to give up the season's hot colorblocking trend. I really love mixing up lots of color into my outfits right now--quite the departure from the somber color palette I frequently rocked last fall and winter. I have yet to amp up my winter wardrobe with colorful new picks, so until I do, I'm mixing and layering other pieces to make them work for fall.

What spring/summer trend do you find yourself holding onto? Do share!

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Fall Shorts

2011-11-02T12:04:00.000-07:00

It's about to get cold in the Bay Area. Finally.

So I thought I would rock my shorts without tights one last time, but I made up for it by piling on the extra layers up top, including my leather collar blazer that I got from Stitch Fix! Hooray!

Tortoise "Number One" sunglasses - Karen Walker (shop similar) | Lips - Kate Spade Supercalifragilipstick in Adventurous Red | "Ellis" blazer with leather collar - BB Dakota via Stitch Fix | Grey raglan tee - Old Navy (shop similar) | Jeweled collar necklace - F21 | Rose gold "Large Layton" watch - Michael Kors (shop similar) | Brown braided belt - Thrifted (shop similar) | Pleated shorts - H&M (shop similar) | Faceted silver ring - F21 | Chunky gold ring - H&M | Lion head ring - Jan Michaels (shop similar) | Leopard print envelope clutch - ASOS via Poshmark (shop similar) | Red perforated peep-toe wedges - Lulu's

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The Mistress of Disguise

2011-11-01T09:08:00.000-07:00

I could say that I'm obsessed with Halloween, but the truth is I really just love going all out for every holiday. I even love all of the build up and preparation as much as the big day.

But this year, I didn't have much spare time to indulge in the month leading up to Halloween. So I did the actual holiday in a big way by wearing not just one, or even two, costumes--I actually wore three!

On the actual day of Halloween, I wore my Cheetah Cat costume to work.

Cheetah ears and tail - Spirit Halloween (shop similar) | Tortoise "Number One" sunglasses - Karen Walker (shop similar) | Lips - Revlon in Siren | Charcoal silk blouse - Equipment | Gold matchstick collar necklace - F21 | Black belt - H&M (shop similar) | Rose gold "Large Layton" watch - Michael Kors (shop similar) | Bracelets - H&M and handmade | Leopard print nail decals - Sally Hansen | Leopard print pants - F21 (shop similar) | Black "Everyday" bag - Rebecca Minkoff (shop similar) | Black "Javi" wedges - Sam Edelman

Over the weekend I donned two other costumes.

Friday night I opted for a store-bought flapper costume because I've been really into the 1920's lately. It was lots of fun to do and I sort of wish I could dress like this every day!

And saturday night I rocked my DIY'd Voodoo doll costume! I had to explain what my costume was too most people, but the cool part about this one was my friends didn't recognize me when I showed up to the party!

What were YOU for Halloween?

P.S. Check out my guest post on Stitch Fix's blog today as well as my feature in DailyBuzz Style's Top 9!

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Layers Upon Layers

2011-10-31T15:57:00.000-07:00

I've found one more way to wear my fall style, the button-up blouse, and I've been rockin' it like crazy lately. Layering button-ups under sweaters is definitely going to be one of my go-tos over the next few months. The

Then I took the layering one step further and layered my spike necklace with my rhinestone necklace. All of this made for great conversation starters at the SF Blogger Meetup I attended that evening!

What is your favorite layering technique?

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Mixed Prints Mani - Halloween Edition

2011-10-28T08:56:00.000-07:00

As it turns out, one Halloween manicure isn't enough. I saw so many cool Halloween manicures around the web this week that I had to take all of that inspiration and put it into one mixed prints manicure.

Jack 'O Lantern: Sephora by OPI in Hi Def with OPI Spookettes decal
Frankenstein: Urban Outfitters neon yellow-green from, Sephora by OPI in What's a Tire Jack?, and Essie in Pretty Edgy
Crime Scene: Wet 'n' Wild in White and Cult Nails in Quench
Candy Corn: Butter London in Cheeky Chops layered with Deborah Lippmann in Yellow Brick Road, Sephora by OPI in Hi Def, and Wet 'n' Wild in White
Spider's Web: OPI in Baby It's "Coal" Outside with OPI Spookettes decal

Now I want to know, what is the best Halloween-themed manicure you've seen around the interwebs?

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Sweater Weather

2011-10-27T10:46:00.000-07:00

When Lands' End Canvas asked me to choose and style one of their sweaters, I was immediately drawn to the red-orange and the back buttons on this cozy option. When it arrived, I wanted to wrap up in it right away, but as I mentioned earlier this week, the Bay Area weather has simply not been cooperating.

Finally, this week we had sweater weather (read: below 70 degrees) so I finally got a chance to rock it!

What design elements never fail to drawn your attention when shopping?

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Ladylike Menswear

2011-10-26T12:55:00.000-07:00

Much like I like to pair frilly with tough, I'm also beginning love pairing fall's menswear-inspired trend with ladylike pieces. So when I was thinking about how to wear these plaid tapered trousers, this sheer fuchsia blouse and my nude pumps came to mind right away.

Pretty chic, if I do say so myself! ;)

How do you like to wear the menswear trend?

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Bootie Hunt

2011-10-25T16:49:00.000-07:00

When I put this outfit on, it all came together so perfectly! Except for the shoes.

I really wanted to rock this look with black ankle booties. But the black ankle booties I have are so worn out by now that they really should just be retired. But I was cool and put them on anyway.

By the end of the day, I had decided that I really need to buy a new pair of black ankle boots to replace them. So I've been scouring the web for black ankle boots. I've compiled a pretty decent list of possibilities, but I need help narrowing down the selection. Care to take a look and give me your opinion? And if you have a better suggestion, please leave a link in the comments!

Wish me luck in my bootie hunt!

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