"Hey I heard you were a wild one."

My new blog will relaunch in May, but keep visiting! :o)

"I see your blue eyes, every time I close mine."

"We found love in a hopeless place."

I had another one of my monochromatic days...What can I say, black is my favorite color to wear! :o)

"I wouldn't wanna have it any other way, I'm addicted."

I was always told that April showers are supposed to bring May flowers. I've seen plenty of flowers, but apparently that doesn't mean that the April showers stop. I've always felt like I've been living in the wrong area. The Pacific Northwest is for people who can tolerate the abundant rain and love the outdoors. I hate the rain and my idea of spending time outdoors is probably running outside--in the sun, going to the beach--in the sun, or having a picnic--in the sun. Rain, rain, pleeeeeeeease go away.

In conclusion, I savor any breaks in the rain, especially so I can take pictures outside--in the sun (or at least non-rain).

Banana Republic sweater. Easy Money jeans. Groove boots.
House of Harlow ring. Linea Pelle bracelet. Cara Couture earrings.

I love this Banana Republic sweater, it's probably my favorite short sleeved sweater. I love the dark green, the puffed sleeves--just the right puff, not too big, not too small--and the floral print. :o)

To me, accessories are the icing on the cake. They provide the finish to the outfit and should definitely not overshadow your outfit. Therefore, if your top is busy and is already drawing plenty of attention to itself, go for dangly earrings instead. And if you were like I was and still really wanted a necklace, make sure to keep it simple. It's all about balance.



Sorry for the false announcement of the 90210 and Gossip Girl season finales last week--I really thought it was last week! So let me say again how super excited I am! How great will Ivy's wedding be? What will happen because of Naomi's paper? Will Adrianna get what she really deserves? (I hope so!!)

What is Georgina doing back in town? What are they going to do with crazy Charlie? When will everyone figure out Blair is missing? And please don't let Blair die because she's my favorite character!! Leighton Meester isn't going to be renewing her contract when it ends; if it's ending season, I hope they write her off marrying the prince and moving to Europe instead of dying in a fire because that would not be cool.

And at the same time, I will be switching back and forth to watch the season finale of Chuck as well. I'm hoping for a happy episode!!

Also sad that Smallville is over, though bittersweet rather. It was starting to not be as good, but certainly had a good run. Will definitely miss Tom Wellings! :o(

Sorry if I spoiled anything for anyone who hasn't been watching, but you shouldn't be missing out on great shows! :o)

XOXO,

S



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"Nobody's gon' tell me I can't."

I'm a really ambitious person with a really driven personality. So despite how catchy Bruno Mars' "The Lazy Song" is, I'm not a huge fan of it because it goes against what I believe in--productiveness. Still, we all get a little lazy sometimes.

Like here, where I woke up a tad bit late, ran a tad behind schedule, and slacked off a bit stylishly. I mean, look at me, I'm wearing pants even though I wasn't going to my real day job yet and didn't have to worry about paint splatters or any other messes. I was wearing pants on a nice non-rainy day. Talk about lazy!

Let's not get started on the shoes either. No heels, no boots, this is almost not even me!

But it was one of those days when I had to get lazy with fashion and style and be more practical; because let me tell you, when you're running late, it's so much easier to run in Doc Martens than heels!!

Living Doll top and cardigan. Banana Republic trousers. Doc Marten shoes.
Vintage necklace. CC Skye and Nordstrom rings.

I can still be a little proud of my outfit choice though because during one of those rare times in my life, I mixed patterns! If you're not too much of a risk taker like I am, the easiest way to mix patterns to stick to the same color [palette]. I am almost 100% certain you can't go wrong with black. I really like how the bird pattern worked with the stripes. :o)

And when you're not 100% in love with your outfit, make up with accessories! Accessories are like the icing on the cake; they are the finishing touch!





However, because I am not donning a pair of heels like usual, let me make up for it by showing you a pair of heels I just ordered! A la Anna Kendrick, I will soon be wearing my Rock & Republic Nexi Low Cage heels everywhere! (That is, if they're comfortable enough!)


[Image courtesy of OnSugar]

More great news! I'm a little late since I had said that I would announce the winner by the end of last week, but the winner of my April handmade bird necklace giveaway is Fashion Meets Food! Congrats to her, and thanks to everyone who entered! :o)

-Samantha


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"'Cause you can, so you do."

Have you tried the Starbucks Toffee Frappuccinos? I love them! Clearly, because I am endorsing them in a following picture and am not paid for it!

Forever 21 dress. Banana Republic cami. BCBG wedges. Handmade necklace.
Juicy Couture bracelet. Swarovski earrings. Nordstrom ring.

Remember those black Calvin Klein heels I used to wear almost always? (They were my go-to heels after all!) Well unfortunately for me, I can't find them. I am 99% sure my closet ate them. But in conclusion, it is why I've been wearing these BCBG wedges so often. They often just happen to be the last worn pair of shoes and not yet placed back correctly in the closet; so when I'm in a hurry, they are the most accessible.

I really need to look for my Calvin Klein heels though (or dig other black heels out) because the Mary Jane style of the BCBG wedges make them a little less versatile. I absolutely love the wedges; but with this dress, it makes me look a tad matronly--which isn't the look I'm going for!

Speaking of things I don't go for, I love shopping online because you can find amazing steals and deals; however, the downside is you're not always 100% guaranteed what you get will be perfect. Obviously when it comes to clothes, if you're in a store, you can try something on. If you get it online, even if you know what size you are in a certain brand, you can find that you don't like the fit of something.

When it comes to accessories, you could potentially go wrong when pictures are extra zoomed in or not shown to scale. When I bought the Juicy bracelet I'm wearing in this post on a flash sale site, I thought it was going to be a lot thicker. Thankfully, it's still really cute, and I love it! You can buy the pink or white version of it here for just $23! And my picture wearing it is accurate!! :o)

But if you're interested in jewelry for free...

April Giveaway

Like my bird necklace? Or.....like me? Let's be necklace twins! :o) I made 2 of these necklaces, one for me and one for you!



How to enter:

Do any (or all!) of the following and leave a separate comment telling me which one you did.

1. Follow me on Google Friend Connect.
2. Follow me on Twitter.
3. Follow me on Bloglovin'.
4. Like me on Facebook.

Each is worth 1 entry! The giveaway ends at the end of the month. Good luck! :o)

Have a good rest of the weekend! :o)

-Samantha!

"Just the way you are."

C & C California top. Gap coat. Patterson J. Kincaid skirt. Banana Republic purse.
B.P. scarf. Betsey Johnson leggings. Groove boots. Marc Jacobs ring.

When Ella (Katie Cassidy) wore white lace leggings in an episode of Melrose Place, I thought, "How brilliant is that!" and instantly put it on my to-shop-for list.  When I spotted these Betsey Johnson leggings at Nordstrom, I knew it was meant to be.  Leggings have become quite a staple, and I think lace ones bring more versatility.  Though lace has more dressy connotations, I think you can wear them with any outfit, whether dressed up or casual; they are just there for the added chic.

I'm not sure if I mentioned this before, but I've been working on a headband line which will soon be released on Etsy.  And as my blog readers, you are the first to get a sneak preview!  Meet my Juicy [Couture] doggy, my current headband model, who is showing off one of my favorite headbands.

Let me know what you think!

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:o)

"Where everything was exactly how it seemed."

C & C California top. Banana Republic Vest.  Habitual jeans. Coach tote.
Juicy Couture necklace. House of Harlow ring. BCBG heels.

These Habitual skinny jeans were not only really cute, they were such a great deal; I absolutely had to get them.  However, they were also light pink.  Granted, I love light pink!  But light pink pants?  I had to debate the logistics of buying the jeans, but finally decided I could make it work.  And voila!  Here is proof that they did not become just another cute bargain that became dormant in my closet.  

The easiest way to make colored pants work is to not think of them specifically as "colored pants."  Rather, think of them as something more along the lines as the "standout clothing item."  Treat them how you might treat any other colored or patterned item of clothing--when you have an item you want to stand out, neutralize everything out.  My go to "neutral" color is black.

Thus, aside from my pink pants, my whole outfit is black.  If you have too many standout items, your whole outfit can risk looking busy.

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:o)

All I want...is to be thankful.

Obsession of the Week: things I already have

Warning: ahead is a lot of reading!

Though my usual Obsession of the Week posts have been things I currently have my eye on, want, am lusting after, etc., I thought I would bear in mind the Thanksgiving holiday and do a post about what I already have and was thankful for.  The following are items that I wear the most frequently--items that often help complete my outfits.  Though the more I shop, the more things I want, these are the staples of my wardrobe.




Jewelry
1. Linea Pelle studded bracelets, $25 each (mine are sold out but you can buy similar ones here); I bought these in the most basic colors (for me). They can instantly add edginess to any outfit, yet are pretty versatile. Plus, they look great alone or stacked.

2. Turquoise ring; I bought this at T.J. Maxx probably a year ago and as a huge fan of turquoise, I absolutely love it.

3. House of Harlow Large Peacock Cocktail Ring, $50; Definitely a statement ring, it's an great addition to any outfit--especially the most basic ones. Also, love House of Harlow and wanted this ring forever so I try to wear it as often as possible!

4. Hammered silver peace ring; Also bought at T.J. Maxx ages ago. That place has some good finds sometimes! I love hammered jewelry and also like the simplicity of the ring.

5. C.C. Skye Niko Ring, $66.50 (I bought it from Gilt awhile ago); The ring isn't that big, but it always makes a statement. The mirrored top is really unique and draws lots of compliments.

6. Nordstrom ring, $8.97; I love Nordstrom's sterling silver ring collection. Not only is it very reasonably priced, but the quality is excellent! This ring is definitely one of my favorites because of its intricate design; when I'm in a hurry, it's always the first ring I grab.

7. Tarina Tarantino Pink Head Puff Ring; I have a decent amount of Pink Head jewelry items, but I think I always gravitate toward this one because I love its cute simplicity.

Bags
8. Coach Signature Patent Stripe Convertible Crossbody silver handbag, $298; Both the silver color and the convertibility make the bag really versatile.

9. Marc by Marc Jacobs nile blue Pretty Nylon Tate Tote, $198; It's a really good size bag and the material is pretty low maintenance.

10. Coach black Signature Gallery Book Large Tote, $328; Despite that the tote is a fairly old style, I think it's pretty classic.

Jackets
11. People's Liberation gray Bomber Jacket, $59.99; Love the bomber jacket style in faux leather.

12. People's Liberation black Asymmetrical Zip Moto Jacket, $39.99 (from Ruelala awhile ago); What can I say, I love People's Liberation faux leather jackets! Throw in an asymmetrical zipper and I was sold.

Shoes
13. Calvin Klein black Carley heels, $79.99; My most worn pair of heels--classy, chic, versatile, and comfortable--they are everything I need in a pair of heels.

14. Gola silver Luxe flats, $36.27; The most comfortable pair of ballet flats! Plus, they're silver, an easy color to wear with everything.

15. Zigi Soho Dean black boots, $39.99 (from Journey's ages ago); For an edgy day!  Super comfortable, they are my go-to boots.

Basics
16. C & C California black Extra Long Sleeve Crew Neck Tee, $38; Great for wearing alone or layering. Plus, C & C California makes quality fabric so despite how often I wear it and how long I've had it (about a year now), it's still nearly new.

17. Banana Republic scoop neck puff sleeved black tee, ~$18; Can't go wrong with basic black! The scoop neck and puffed sleeves make the simple tee a little more unique.


P.S.
If you haven't already, you can now find me on:
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Let's be friends!  :o)

"All we need in this world is some love."

Banana Republic top. Free People skirt. Calvin Klein heels.
Juicy Couture necklace. House of Harlow ring. Linea Pelle bracelet. Coach handbag.

I get attached to things.  So when I find a great pair of heels that I can live in all day, you can be certain I'll get attached.  Thus, it is why you see these heels here, here, here, and of course, in today's blog.  I have a hard time find amazing heels that are as comfortable as they are lovely--and I feel like I'm not alone.  However, when you see me wearing a pair of heels so often, at least you know that they aren't included in the group of shoes that are destined to stay confined to my closet.

"Watch me walk it out."

Banana Republic dress.  People's Liberation jacket. Marc Jacobs tote.
No name silver hoops. CC Skye ring. Guess watch. Jessica Simpson heels.




Had another early dinner at Ruby Tuesday.  I love their fries and $5 drinks!

I am also in love with my new Jessica Simpson heels.  I snagged the only pair left of them to the disappointment of this other shopper.  Sometimes, it's like a war zone out there shopping!  I love the zebra print and the red heel makes me think of Christian Louboutin heels (that I unfortunately cannot afford).  They're also rather comfortable; I can last about 4 hours in them compared to my other Jessica Simpson heels.  I can only last about 15 minutes in the Salina style, but I try anyways because I love the snake print heels so much!  But as Victoria Beckam says about wearing heels (via this month's Glamour), "No pain, no gain."