my favorite day.

And this is all I have to say to that...

Cheers to the freakin' weekend!!

casual chic: cuffed denim

One of my favorite trends is a slightly rolled hem on denim - whether it's skinny jeans, shorts or capris, I love it all. It gives an effortless chic vibe that's cute and trendy. Also, cuffed denim makes your everyday pants more fun. Here are my favorite Pinterest picks:

the wash on these pants are lovely... especially diggin' the tassels on these crisscross high-heeled sandals

cuffed denim with leopard print heels? I think YES. 

love the choice of shoes with these pants

the epitome of effortless, casual chic
simple and classic white button-up, tucked into a pair of gently destroyed lighter wash denim, cuffed
and paired with pointy cap-toed flats for an overall comfy yet trendy look

Images [1] [2] [3] [4]

orange you glad.

Lately, I've been absolutely digging this coral to red-orange hue -- loud, bright and just simply the perfect color for the season. Elle Woods may have been right in  2001 when she said that whoever named orange the new pink was seriously disturbed (loyal wearer of all things pink) but, for summer 2012, it's making a comeback - it's all about the orange, corals and peaches. After all, tangerine tango is the color of the year.

Maxis, flutter tops and and even satchels are making a pop with that color. I loved seeing a little bit of it in Kate Spade's Florence Broadhurst line such as that little Hopper House Shyla clutch (orange and neon pink) and Tory Burch's Mariel dress in marmalade.

Here are some of my pin-spiring picks for this hot color:

love the knit-feel of this poncho-like sweater

gorgeous, pleated chiffon maxi

pleated tulip skirt and fierce with animal print

simple, light-weight jersey racerback tank dress and belted with a woven leather belt
played casual with a top knot

and this one's for the boys....
color on top of a gingham patterned button up

Are you wearing orange this season?

images [1] [2] [3] [4] [5]

seek courage. no regrets.

                                         Source: fadeintoyoustrangeyouneverknew.tumblr.com via Independent Fashion Bloggers on Pinterest

I challenge you to be brave today because some of the biggest successes stem from doing the cray cray and taking big risks.

From this morning on and so forth, I challenge myself to take upon at least one thing I'm afraid of, because at the end of the day, I can say that I'm a better me and scared of one less thing...

Living life to its fullest requires a person to have the gumption of stepping out of his or her comfort zone and truly carpe the shit out of diem. That's true success - to look back and say that you've never regretted, that you've never wished you did it differently, that you were completely 100-percent complacent with how you approached each situation because you gave it your all.

no guts. no glory. let's take life to the face.

OOTD: Graduation Style #2 - navy, cream and collegiate

Saturday was the big day.. UW Commencement! So of course, I had to wear a different dress... here is graduation outfit #2! 

Just like my first outfit, I wanted to keep this one simple and classy. With a gold-buttoned, navy blazer, nude heels and pearls, this had collegiate all over it. I'm in love with this dress. It's one of my favorites.. why? POCKETS. perfect for storing lip gloss if you want to go hands-free for the afternoon. I brought my little LV clutch for this occasion though, since I had too much to take with me, which included my umbrella. I didn't want to endure another Noah's Ark downpour like Thursday. 

Thanks to my dearest mother for taking these pictures. They were taken by the Olympic Sculpture and Myrtle Edwards Park. Mama and I stopped by for a quick photo shoot before heading to Century Link Field. Hope you enjoy!!

OUTFIT

Dress: Ella dress in 'Rambling Rose' - classic navy, floral vine print; Blazer: Ralph by Ralph Lauren; Necklace: Nordstrom Bracelets: Banana Republic and J.Crew; Rings: Michael Kors, Alpha Delta Pi sorority and vintage crystal; Earrings: Kate Spade "Putting on The Ritz" studs (wore them with outfit #1, too!) Shoes: Patent, criss-cross nude from Austique (boutique in London); Purse: Louis Vuitton

*Also.. as I'm awaiting for photos from Friday's graduation photo session, I will be delaying my graduation recap until I receive them. Thought it would be best to keep it all in one post. :)

Mama told me to look into the distance? haha

Hope you enjoyed the outfit! xoxo

OOTD: Graduation Style #1 - florals, golds and bling, oh my!

Thanks, mom for the beautiful bouquet!
Peonies are my favorite, and these pink ones are gorgeous
especially with the contrasting neon lime green mums. 

Hello there! For graduation, I picked out two outfits - one for the Department ceremony and another for Commencement. You might remember reading my shopping adventures for these perfect dresses a couple weeks ago - thought I'd share with you my first graduation outfit! Second outfit to post on Monday :)

I wanted to keep the outfit simple classy, but with a hint of "fun" - so I chose a few accessories and went for statement shoes? Haha If there ever was a thing... Played up the bling with my earrings (a birthday present from m'friend Lindzee!) and my favorite Michael Kors pave eternity ring, along with two rings that I wore everyday when I was in college - one from my sorority and a vintage crystal cocktail ring from my aunt. The necklace was a gift from my mother in high school - a vintage treasure that is one of my favorites, and my statement shoes were sky-high, hot pink and purple, color-blocked, peep-toed, patent wedges. loves. 

These pictures were taken right outside the Communication Department on my big day - so happy the sun came out just in time for a quick photo shoot. Hope you all are having a beautiful week! Graduation recap will be posted on Monday!! Can't wait to share with y'all my favorite graduation photos <3

OUTFIT

Dress: J.Crew Ella dress in 'Garden Floral' - bold orange brushstroke floral print, silk; Shoes: Vince Camuto peep-toed wedges; Earrings: Kate Spade "Putting on The Ritz" studs; Rings: Alpha Delta Pi sorority and vintage crystal on my left hand, Michael Kors pave eternity on my right; Necklace: vintage hammered gold wreath from the late 70s; Purse: Louis Vuitton (pictured below, last photo Trench: Michael Kors)

awkward fashion blogger pose.. take 1

Love the detailed brushstroke on the dress. It has pockets, too!

Yay, the sun finally came out!! Just in time for pictures.

Mother, I beg of you... no more photos. please.

maybe just one more? :)

twenty two and counting.

image via

Thank you Rue La La for these words of wisdom. On this day, I 'm having my cake and eating it, too. Why? Because it's my birthday and I'm turning the big 2-2!

It's been a wonderful year - big girl moments (aka getting my dream job right after college), exciting adventures around the world, new friendships, new loves and the beginning of a new chapter in my life! I couldn't have been happier, and I owe it all to God, my dearest family and friends.

Here's to another year - cheers to the big twenty two!

PSA: Tights are NOT pants.

                                                                       Source: dysola.blogspot.com via Sanda on Pinterest

My usual morning perusing on Pinterest led me to this lovely image from a friend's board (check her boards and tweets for style and fashion tips!) ummm.... It definitely serves as this morning's headline.


One of the biggest fashion fauxpaus I've come across is to mistake tights for leggings, and thus, wear the two as pants. Leggings, if thick and non-transparent, can be considered pants but with a long over-sized tunic ... the rule of thumb, is to cover your bum bum, girlies. We do not need to see your toosh or your hoo-ha. There's nothing worse when you see a girl donning leggings or tights that are a bit too see-through with a mini cropped top... not only do you see her underwear (trashy) but also, there may be an episode of camel-toe. ALSO, tights/leggings are not to be confused with yoga pants. So for goodness sakes, ladies.. tights are not pants.

That is my PSA for the morning.. or my Monday rant.. haha saving one girl in the fashion world... one pair of leggings at a time.