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1/31/13

Staples and Go-Tos


Lately I realized that when I can't think of something fun & creative to wear, I turn to my classic go-to winter outfit; a sweater, button down shirt, skinny jeans and boots. The thing is I wear this almost every day but I have so many variations they somehow look different.

Like I collect lipstick & deodorant, I collect staples. Basic items that I know can go with everything. If I find a sweater I like (ahem, J Crew Tippi), I'll buy it in multiple colors. The outfit above consists of things I own in different colors/variations.

Here are my staples/go-tos:

The Sweater. I am a huge fan of J Crew tippis - as noted above, Gap crewnecks and Banana Republic v-necks. H&M sometimes has a good sweater but the quality can be iffy. Buy these with caution!

j crew tippi sweater
how awesome is this light pink color - I want!

The Button Down. Hands down, J Crew makes the best button down shirts but I do often buy from the Gap as well. Theory blouses are amazing for work and for layering but they are usually basic colors. I am a sucker for gingham, polka dot and animal print blouses to add some excitement to my outfits. Hence the name classy with a kick...

gap cat print blouse
Yup, those are cats and I think it's pretty damn awesome!

The Jeans. I love skinny jeans but they MUST have stretch otherwise I won't wear them. My faves are True Religion and Hudson. I want to like J Brand but they don't fit me that well. I have a couple pairs that tend to stay on the hanger more often than not. For colored jeans, I like to buy those cheaper because I am not sure I will wear them long term. Gap and Urban Outfitters have really great affordable options.

true religion skinny jeans
i heart these TRs!

The Boots. I have 3 pairs of Corso Como boots so you probably see them a lot in my posts. I have black, tan/cognac, and dark brown. I love that they are basic, comfy and roomy enough in the calf to wear with almost any pants tucked in. This is key and believe or not, hard to find. Any ladies out there with anything except stick legs can probably relate. PS - to all of you, I have a secret that I will reveal about getting the perfect fitting boots. More to come later..

corso como boots

The Statement Necklace. Although the style changes, I always have one on. Monograms & script necklaces are my new fave. Lace necklaces will always be a top choice and pearls and bubble necklaces work with almost everything.

Lace Statement Necklace by Classy with a Kick

It's like I always say...if you find something you like...stick with it and buy at least 3! :)

if you find something you like, stick with it and buy at least three


What are your staple pieces? Do you buy multiples of items you like or do you like to mix it up?



1/30/13

Getting fancy up in here...

girly leather - silk shirt & leather skirt
J Crew Blouse sold out but I am loving this one!  // Vegan Leather Skirt (similar here) // Gucci Clutch // 

Since we moved out to the beach, I have found my wardrobe getting more and more causal. Living downtown, you can get away with a lot more. Living in a beach city, just wearing leather leggings can make you stand out like you are wearing sparkly booty shorts at the grocery store.

With that said, a girl still has to dress up every once and while, right?

We went out with some friends a little while back and I took full advantage and got fancy. Well, fancy for beach living...

A few months ago, I got this fantastic vegan leather skirt from H&M and this bright silk windowpane blouse from J Crew. It was finally time to put them both together with some booties, tights and pearls. There is something fun about silk & pearls with leather...kind of like a bad-ass school girl kind of vibe.

Of course, as soon as we got home, I went right back to lululemon yoga pants and a hoodie...but at least I was fancy for a few hours. As much as I miss dressing up...having this view every morning...

...and this view every night...


...makes it all worth it!

Does your living situation affect how you dress? What do you wear that makes you stand out?


1/29/13

The Perfect Nude...

Nude Lipstick MAC Viva Glam Gaga NYC Circe


Confession...I am a beauty product junkie. I wholeheartedly admit it. Between nail polishes and body sprays from lipsticks to deodorant*, I am a legit collector.

*Funny story about the deodorant...when I was a teenager, I had collected so many, my mom actually banned me from getting more. I honestly had to sneak them in the house and hide them so she wouldn't see them!

One issue I always seem to have is that I tend to fall in love with products that get discontinued too quickly and then I am left searching for replacement items. Trust me, this is a very dis-heartening situation to be in. There are very few direct replacements out there. However, due to my persistence and my obsessive nature, I have actually found some great substitutes in my search. And when I find them...pure joy!

Take my latest copycat find...NYX lipstick.

Let's start at the beginning. I am addicted to nude lipstick. And when I say nude, I mean most of my lipsticks look like concealer. My main go to is Myth by MAC but last year MAC introduced the Viva Glam Lady Gaga line and the nude shade was pretty much the best nude I have ever found. Of course, I forgot to stock up and when my tubes were done, I found out it was no longer available. Total bummer.

Like any obsessive collector, I did some research and found someone had recommended trying NYX Circe lipstick as a replacement to the Gaga shade. Of course, I ran right out to try it and low and behold...a perfect match!

Here is a pic of both...really close, right? The best part...the NYX shade is not only available, but so much more affordable.

Nude Lipstick MAC Viva Glam Gaga NYC Circe


Since I love nude / pale lips, I tried out a couple more NYX colors that I absolutely love. Both are pinks but very pale so I will actually wear them.

Pink #1 - Gala

NYX lipstick gala pink


This is a perfectly opaque light pink. Not an every day color but great for nights out and for when I have a little more of a tan. Note, this color is very pale and needs a bit of gloss to make it shiny and to make the coverage more even.

Pink #2 - Athena

NYX lipstick athena pink

This is a fab pink frost. Even though it's a little 80's, I have always loved a good pink frost. It;s also not an everyday color for me and also something that will probably look better after my next Hawaii trip. Basically, I need a tan and these lipsticks are just reminding me of that! :)

Here are both on my hand so you can see them on...

nyx pink lipsticks athena and gala

All together, I am so excited about my new finds. I even see a collection in the near future. I just hope my mom doesn't find out this time!

Have you found any great copycats lately? What is your favorite lipstick?



1/28/13

Faux Favorites

Furry Sweater - Local SD Shop // Faux Leather Leggings // H&M Booties - similar here  //  

I don't know about you, but I am loving the faux trend. I mean... #1 You are not harming animals and #2 it's usually much more cost effective.

On Friday, I took full advantage and fauxed it up...faux leather leggings, faux fur sweater and faux MAC lipstick (ok, not really faux but NYX is a great knockoff and 1/3 of the price of MAC lipsticks - more on this later!)

Clad in my faux get up and after a few of my version of a "margarita" (tequila, soda water & lime juice - try it!) & some awesome mexican food, we stumbled into the nearby stores and did some damage. There was an Urban Outfitters nearby so I snagged a super cute gold chevron midi ring and some mint lace shorts which I cannot WAIT to wear!

Chevron Midi Ring Urban Outfitters
Chevron Midi Ring - Not on website but this one is cute! 

Mint Lace Shorts Urban Outfitters

I just wish the stores would hop on this trend and take faux money. Wouldn't that be nice?? :)

What are you some of your favorite faux items? In what instances do you prefer the real thing?



1/25/13

Faves and FOFFs - Just Faves this week...


Hey all...

Happy friday! In today's edition of Faves and FOFFs, I will just be bringing you the week's Faves. Of course there were some FOFFs but I am in a happy mood so you just get Faves. Ok? Ok! Here goes...

#1 Fave - New blogger friends. This week has been awesome. Between some link ups and being able to read more blogs and comment more (no travels this week - yay!), I have met some amazing new ladies. I am so excited to have reached 100 GFC friends. Mostly because I tried to do this organically so I feel my readers are actually interested in this blog! With that said, I am open to suggestions/comments, etc from all of you! I just got photoshop back so my posts will have more images but if there is anything else you want to see, let me know. If you don't speak up, you will just see pictures of these little loves. Beware, I could fill up post after post with these adorable faces!

Kirin Shiba Inu Kona Shiba Tzu
My fur babies, Kirin and Kona - see more of them here!

#2 Fave - Madewell and finding that ONE PERFECT PIECE OF CLOTHING YOU HAVE BEEN DYING TO FIND! Ok, so I have been searching for sequin shorts all winter. I have never been able to find a pair that fit, weren't Vegas booty shorts and were either just a basic silver or gold. I had given up hope when I randomly checked the Madewell sale section and saw these babies...

madewell sequin shorts
Madewell Sequin Shorts - Sold Out (sorry) but these are cute too! 

Not only were they ON SALE and available in MY SIZE only but they were an additional 40%. How much better does it get?? I ordered them ASAP and they showed up this week. As perfect as ever! So happy! I also got these cute emerald green flats. It is the color of the year, you know...so I must have them, right?

madewell emerald green flats

#3 Fave - Vodka. It makes you feel good and keeps you warm during the COOOLD days. I find it does a better job than UGGS, Lululemon Hoodies and heating pads put together. Try it, you'll thank me later!

#4 Fave - Friday. Who doesn't love Friday? Speaking of Friday...remember the Rebecca Black song? If so, you must watch this! Hilarious! And it sort of makes more sense than the real song...


Happy weekend everyone! Be sure to share your Faves and FOFFs below! :) 


1/24/13

DIY Bracelet Storage - Glitter Style!



As much as I LOVE the container store and their creative storage solutions, I have never been satisfied with the options for jewelry storage - specifically bracelet storage. As you probably know, I have everything from dainty bracelets to huge cuffs & bangles and nothing seems to organize and hold them to my satisfaction. However, I have learned in these instances to stop complaining, get creative and make something on my own!

Of course, I looked to Pinterest first for ideas and I stumbled upon this image...




Source: ispydiy.com via Jill on Pinterest

How fabulous is this? The issue was I didn't have any cute champagne bottles on hand. What I did have, however, was that cute starfish cuff, some wine and champagne bottles that needed to be emptied {consumed} and lots of glitter. I mean, who doesn't have 4 bottles of metallic glitter on hand at all times?

Armed with my glitter, mod podge and some {now} empty champagne & wine bottles, I went to work.

Supplies: Mod Podge // Glitter // Foam Brush // Empty Clean Bottles (wine or champagne)

Step 1:  VERY IMPORTANT - Mix the mod podge and the glitter together. This eliminates all that glitter fall off that gets EVERYWHERE! The key here is to mix in enough glitter to get good coverage. I recommend doing this in small batches so you don't waste too much glitter. You will need to to a couple coats anyway. I used both matte and glossy Mod Podge and to be honest, there is not much of a difference. I recommend both.


Step 2: Paint a LIGHT coat of the mixture on a clean bottle. Doing a light coat first is super important for a smooth result. You have to have patience if you want these to turn out fabulous. :)

Step 3: Let the first coat dry for an hour or so. If it's light, it will dry quickly and you can easily see your glitter coverage. This will help you mix up your next batch, noting whether you need to add more glitter or not.

Step 4+: Keep painting on light layers until you have the desired result. If you love the color of your bottle, having some show through will be ok. If you don't you may need 4-5 coats for full coverage. The fun thing is...you get to decide!

Variations: I have yet to experiment but you could very easily paint on the glitter using a stencil to get a cool design or initial on the bottle. Keep in mind the bracelet stacks are only on the top part so you can get crazy with it. Using tape could also make cute stripes or designs...I think I will try that next time I finish a bottle of wine or champagne (aka this weekend).


So there you have it - my DIY bracelet holders that are sparkly and fabulous! Now, what to do next??

What do you do to organize your jewelry?

**Yes, I know I suck at taking pictures...sorry. No excuses...just a bad camera and no photog skills! :)



Linking up with Katie and Stephanie today! 



1/23/13

Love, Lucky and Infinity

Love Bracelet Infinity Bracelet
love & infinity bracelets - local SD store (similar here and here)

My two new purchases over the weekend! I am a sucker for script/symbol jewelry. I have no idea why but they just call to me! In an ideal world, I would make my own pieces with random phrases/words but I am not that talented or skilled in jewelry making. I loved both of these because, well, who doesn't love anything with "love" written on it. And the infinity symbol not only stands for eternity but looks chic - don't you think? Especially with a little bling! :)

I know I am a little crazy with these things, but I do only buy ones that have meaning to me. One of my favorite purchases that has now become an every day item is my lucky necklace from Nordstrom. I just feel it brings me luck. No idea if that's true but so far so good! Either way, it's cute and dainty enough for me to wear every day.

Lucky Script Necklace from Nordstrom

I also got a spike necklace but that's for a different post!

Are you a fan of script jewelry? What are your favorite personalized items?


1/22/13

Neutral Layers

 J Crew Leopard Shirt (old but this one is similar) // Corso Como Boots // 
Pearl Necklace - old & can't remember where I got it! 

As you know, I've been kind of obsessed with polka dots. A few months back, I got this cute polka dot clutch from J Crew and I have rarely used it. I was super excited to pull that bad boy out yesterday for a night on the town...ok, not really, we just went to dinner, but still!

Even though it's been warm during the day, it still gets chilly at night so layering is a must. I have had so much fun layering all my blouses this winter and have found that pieces I used to think were statement pieces are really great neutrals. Take my black and white leopard blouse for instance. I have worn it on it's own, with neons...



...and now with camel & mint. It's become a essential layering piece for me - I think it adds a bit of pop to any outfit. I also have noticed this with my blue and white gingham blouse. But that is for a another post - another time! :)

What are your key layering items? 


1/21/13

Only 2 left!



Ok, shameless plug...at least I am admitting it, right??

For any of you that remember all the way back to the summer, I started selling my lace necklaces after I got a pretty big response to them via this blog, friend's blogs & pinterest. In August, I was contacted by Open Sky as the people at Glamour magazine selected my necklaces to be part of their product offerings online. I was super excited and we began mass production to get them live and online. Not only were they the top selling item in Glamour's offerings for a while but they also made a Glamour.com article!

Now, there are only 2 yellow necklaces left...it makes me happy and sad. Obviously, I am so happy they are almost sold out, but I am also sad that this part has come to an end. I still have LOTS of colors and styles available in my Etsy store and if you are a Cali resident, you might see them in local boutiques as well.

I hope to have a lot more opportunities like Open Sky in the future and am looking forward to what is to come. In the meantime, message me if you are interested in featuring a necklace in one of your posts. I have a limited amount that I send out each month so you might be one of the lucky ones! Look at how fab these beautiful ladies look while wearing them!

Sharon from The Tiny Heart wearing a turquoise lace necklace

Niki from Glossy Blonde wearing an Orange Lace Necklace

Missy from Pop of style wearing a Neon Yellow Lace Necklace

Inspired by Pantone's 2013 spring picks, upcoming colors include mint/jade, lavender, emerald green, sunshine/lemon yellow, and peach/coral. I'll put these up on Etsy shortly but if you are interested in buying them now, just let me know!



What colors are you looking forward to in Spring? Are there any colors you think I should feature that I haven't noted above?


1/17/13

You wore WHAT to work???

J Crew Tippi Sweater // J Crew Factory Shirt // H&M Shorts, Belt, Booties & 

I don't know about you guys but I get into a work clothes rut after a while and start to revert back to basic blacks and whites. Boring!

I felt myself going there this week but I wanted to make things a bit more interesting and not only did I bring in a pop of color to my all black & white outfit but I also did something I have never done before:

I WORE SHORTS TO WORK! Not just to work but to a client meeting. Am I crazy??

What is this world coming to?? :)

Have you ever worn shorts to work? What is the strangest thing you have ever worn to work?


1/15/13

One minute...



I love this quote.

I am sure it's from multiple sources but I personally know it from a song from one of my all-time favorite bands - the Dave Matthews Band from the song "So Damn Lucky".

This quote has so much meaning to me as I am one of those people who truly appreciates the fact that you never know what's going to happen next. It's this quote in particular that helps me get through bad times by reminding me that something better is coming my way and could happen at any minute. At the same time, it keeps me optimistic even when times are good by implying that there are opportunities around every corner.

Life evolves. Without sadness, we would not know happiness. You have to take the good with the bad. In the end, it will all be ok and we are never given anything we cannot handle.

6 years ago this week (we can't remember the actual date), I met the love of my life.

I was running late to a meeting with an advertising agency and my entire team had backed out last minute. I was by myself and was not happy about it. I walked into the meeting not knowing who I was even supposed to meet. Suddenly I saw this handsome guy waving and smiling at me...

Wedding Photo by Jasmine Star

That was it. That was my minute. The minute my life changed forever. I have spent almost every minute with him since and I have never been happier!

It's amazing what a minute can do...

Happy "meet-a-versary" week my love!

Wedding Photo by Jasmine Star


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