summer loving: crochet embroidery

I just about died when I saw this shot by Newton  from Coachella. I mean, how perfectly-cool is this embroidered dress? (Might have something to do with that killer bod, too, though...) I just love how glamorous it is without being the slightest bit unapproachable or fussy. Paired with a simple bodysuit/bathing suit and sandals, beachy hair and a cross-body bag, this girl is pretty much ready for absolutely anything.

Crochet and embroidery always screams high summer, and this year no different. I love how these looks are more polished than the usual summers-old pieces we often see... they remind me of more elegant lace looks, with the red top below feeling especially Erdem-inspired. I'm feeling thrifting calling my name...

On another note, I can't help but feel that these music festivals are the most oft-overlooked and most-important-to-look-to events for retailers. The trend stories these girls are sporting are different, fun, and somehow totally commercial without feeling like it.

      

Hello! + what to wear to a wedding

I'm terrible at this, aren't I??? I have been so sidetracked by all kinds of real-world things, but I have really missed the blogosphere!

In the meantime, I'm coming off a totally wedding-filled weekend. One of our favorite couples got married on Friday after 9 years of dating and one of my best friends gets married in less than a month. I am starting to really feel like an adult.... I'm also having trouble keeping myself tear-free!

I have to say, choosing an outfit for a wedding is really difficult. How can you find something that is appropriate for 6+ hours of varied activities (church, drinks, partying), and doesn't make you look like a bridesmaid yourself (if you're not one)? It's all about shying away from solid satin-y looks and towards subtly unique details like colorblocking, anything-but-floral patterns, and a bit of shine. Easier said than done... And take it from me, consider the strap-situation carefully... pulling up your strapless dress all night might not make the best photos. This is a dress I kept coming back to, again and again as possibility. I love that it can be dressed up or down, and it's just special enough to be practical even after the event.

dvf dress via Intermix

Do you have a go-to look for summer weddings?

wedding-a-rama

Is there anything better than just about anything wedding related? My boyfriend would say..... yes. I would say.... no. Give me some Say Yes to the Dress or a fabulous wedding photo blog and I am set for hours. I laugh, I cry, I get jealous, I drown my newly-engaged friends in links and tips they probably don't want or need--I can't help it! Here are some of my favorite shots (and clipped ideas--wink) from my newest obsession: 100 Layer Cake.

And I can't look away from this off-the-wall picture from Style Me Pretty.

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Send me your favorite wedding photos!

do a good deed & get a good deal that'll feel, uh, really good

Parents, avert your eyes! This is what I call a NSFRA (er, Not Suitable for Related Adults) post. Today being the day after Valentine's, I found quite the surprise in my mailbox...a little present from Refinery29 and -ahem- Sir Richard's Condom Company.

Inside the cute packaging is something equally naughty and nice. In addition to these babies being vegan-friendly, tested for pleasure, and a pretty stylish addition to one's bedside table...for every condom purchased, one is donated to a developing country.

It may be too late to gift to your Valentine, but safe sex is important (and fun) year round!  For one more day, you can buy one box, get one free--for yourself!--on Refinery29's special deal site, Reserve. Refinery's partnering with Sir Richard's to up the ante on the good deeds AND you may even find a pair of diamond earrings in your box, too. Whoa. Getting overwhelmed, here.  Sir Richards is right--doing good really has never felt better.

Head to Reserve now to get $26 worth of fun for just $13! You're welcome, in advance.

critter attack!

I thought the animal trend wouldn't last past this winter's animal hat frenzy, but look what I found on Fifth Avenue...

CRITTERS, CRITTERS EVERYWHERE!

an adorable LV bag-turned-owl

a LV frog waiting to turn into a prince

a slightly scary LV squirrel

It-bags turned rats-with-cuter-outfits? I'm kind of digging it. Good thing these weren't real---PETA was just across the street.

style inspiration: NYFW street shots

It's hard to figure out what I love more about fashion week--the runway shows or the street style shots posted by my favorite photographers! I love seeing how "real" (sometimes hard to consider those that are attending the shows I'm drooling over real, but you know..) people dress, in real weather, in real life (again, eh...)--especially since they are often so in tune they're already flirting with the trends on the runway. Take this look...

via mr newton

I love the maxi dressing for winter that is all over the fall runways right now. But I love even more the absence of black. Dressing in nudes, whites, and greys when the rest of the street is all black is so, so refreshing--something I need to try!

And as for this stylish lady? I love the single splash of color on the hottest accessory from the men's fall shows.

via mr newton

Ok, back to NYFW coverage. What are your favorite shows so far? I'm compulsively clicking and saving. Favorites to come!