The Ultimate Spring Staple: Skirts

In the spring months, my staple go-to look ALWAYS starts with a skirt — it can be a maxi, mini or assymetrical — as long as it’s a skirt. Over the years I have accumulated a vast array of different types of shirts from a variety of places.

For my outfit, I decided to wear a pleated mini skirt that I recently purchased from Zara. This jacquard skirt with neon lines is like nothing else that I own in my closet. Most of my skirts are one single color, I use that base color and pair it with a patterned top.

5 Celebrity Slim Downs

Ladies, summer is just around the corner and you know what that means… summer workouts have commenced in preparation for bathing suits weather! I am especially feeling the push to get ready for the beach because my Europe trip is less than a month away and I fully intend to spend the entire month in a bathing suit (in an effort to pack light)!

I am naturally pretty petite and I have been an athlete for most of my life, but I have recently slacked off on my works and need to get my head back in the game. When I am in the mood to get fit I always look to my favorite celebrities for inspiration. Here are some awesome celebrity slim downs.

Celebrity Couples I Love!

I have been in a few minor relationships throughout my young adult life, but I much prefer to be single at the moment. I am hardly a romantic, but there are few celebrity couples that I do admire. I hope that one day my future spouse will be as supportive, caring and funny as some of these men. Here are my top six celebrity couples:

Recyclable Hair And Beauty Trends

My favorite aspect about fashion is that it is forever being recycled and reinvented. Today, as I was surfing the web I found a cute article on InStyle‘s website about how celebrities are bringing old trends into modern times, some of my favorites included…

Which Direction Should I Choose?

I am at a weird crossroads in my life right now that I have been meditating on for quite some time.I decided that rather than keeping everything bottled up inside,  I would like to share some of my thoughts with you lovely ladies of Lovelyish in hopes of getting some insightful responses.

As I have mentioned before I am a recent graduate from a major university with an honors degree in Art History and concentration in art conservation. Although, I would eventually love to get my master’s in either marketing or fine art, I am currently taking some time off from school to explore myself and the world.

Yummy Spring Salads

Have you ever seen something delicious-looking on Pinterest or Instagram and instantly started craving it?

While mindlessly scrolling, I saw a delicious shrimp salad with cheese shavings and fresh romaine lettuce. Naturally, seeing these images made me daydream about what other salads I could make for dinner. Here are some of my ideas:

My Georgetown Outing

Let me start off with saying that I am NEVER off of work on Saturdays. I have a part-time job at a retail so I am usually stuck inside the mall on the weekends; luckily I was off this Saturday and decided to take full advantage.

My friends and I went into Washington D.C. for the day to have lunch, shop and just enjoy the wonderful weather (when it was not raining). Washington D.C. has wide variety of stores, especially Chinatown and Georgetown. Since none of us had been to Georgetown in quite some time we decided to make the trip to the retail capital of D.C.!

My Fashion Wish List

My friends often tell me that I have a shopping problem because I am constantly making lists of things that I want to purchase. I find that compiling a list of things that I “want” versus  things I “need” helps me to feel more organized and budget more efficiently.

Then once I review my funds I can make a decision about whether or not I should purchase the item on the spot or wait until it goes on sale. I also make sure to think about how much I would actually wear the item. It is so easy to get caught up in the beauty of shoes, purses or other garments, but if you only wear it once it may not be worth the purchase! Here is a list of 5 things that my wardrobe is calling for:

Angelina Speaks Out About Her Double Mastectomy

Angelia Jolie has been all over the tabloids for a variety of reasons including her relationship with Billy Bob Thornton, her bizarre red carpet date with her brother, her large brood of multi-ethnic children and most notably her relationship with Brad Pitt.

People have always been extremely critical of Angelia especially after she swooped in and stole American sweetheart, Jennifer Aniston’s, husband and then they proceeded to raise six children together over the years. After years of controversy, Brad and Angelina managed to stay out of the lime light as much as possible and raise their family. They are an incredibly private couple, who recently decided to make a very personal disclosure…

2 Trends I Can Live Without

The beauty of fashion is that it is always changing and evolving over time to incorporate both past and current trends. So essentially if you are particularly into a certain trend it will be around for a while so have fun with it. On that same note there are some trends that have lasted long past their prime and I am over it!

Now I am not trying to be negative or pessimistic, I support people’s right to express themselves, but I am tired of seeing the partially shaved head and the stupid wedge sneakers. Ladies, please let this trend go! If I could have five minutes with Rihanna or Cassie or Amanda Bynes (I may need more than five minutes to talk some sense into her). I would say…

25 Things You Don’t Have To Justify To Anyone

As a female recent college graduate with an Honors degree in Art History from a major university, I thought post graduation the world would be my oyster. I quickly deduced that the economy was still in a rough state and jobs were hard to obtain. Many of my colleagues and classmates decided to remain in school to get a higher degree in order to prolong entering the work force.

Despite my scholastic achievements and extensive resume, I have found the post-college transitional period incredibly challenging. Growing up in Generation Y has been fun and exciting at times, but also presents many obstacles that other generations did not have to tackle.

My Favorite Light Weight Spring Jackets

Jackets, coats and vests…oh my! The world of clothes is a wonderful world and I am currently sipping a margarita and relaxing on Spring Jacket Island! Maybe I took that metaphor a little too far, but my point is with thechanges in weather ranging from sunny and warm to rainy and cloudy it is absolutely necessary to have a light weight spring coat.

With spring showers giving bloom to May flowers, every woman needs a light weight spring coat that she canlayer over dresses, skirts and blouses to serve as a barrier between the elements and her outfit.

How To Look Fashionable While Getting Fit

 

Despite the past few chilly days, I am confident that the warmer spring weather is just around the corner and after spring comes summer! For several months my best friend and I have been planning a summer trip through Europe. 

We are using it as a time to explore and soul search. Backpacking for a month means that I will not be able to bring ALL my beautiful clothes with me on this magnificent trip. So in an effort to pack lightI have decided to spend the month in bathing suits and sundresses.

Just Can’t Quit Your Ombre Addiction? Check Out These Ombre Maxis!

As a self-proclaimed maxi skirt/dress guru, I simply can’t get enough of these maxis for spring/summer, and ombre has been a huge trend for quite some time now. Ombre is the graduation of color from lighter to darker or visa versa. Most recently, ombre has been an especially popular trend in hair dying; it gives the hair (and these dresses!) way more body and depth. Check out these lovely maxis after the jump! 

The Ugly Truth About Milk

In a world where everything seems to be bad for you, I was not shocked to learn that milk was also accused of being a harmful and unnecessary part of the adult diet. I was raised in a generation where milk went with breakfast, lunch and dinner. Milk was so delicious, clean and refreshing, and perfect served warm or cold. Not only did milk taste great with all types of foods including my personal favorite, freshly baked chocolate chip cookies, but it also made your bones stronger! Or did it? 

In the article, “No Whey: What Milk Really Does To Your Bod”, author Tara Rasmus explores the truth about milk and how it effects the human body. According to the article, the primary purpose of cow’s milk is to fatten up calves. This is the case with all animals that produce milk for their young. This was specifically designed and produced for certain animals that have the enzymes to properly digest it. 

Spring Cleaning

 

Although my days have been incredibly hectic as of late, I try to set aside some quality downtime throughout the week. This week’s stress-free activity entailed cuddling up on my couch with a glass of wine and the March 2013 InStyle magazine. I am a bit behind in my magazine reading, but I am glad that I read the March issue. 

While looking through the March 2013 edition of InStlye magazine I came a cross an article called, “How to Organize Your… Bags, Shoes, Jewelry, and everything else crammed into your closet, stuffed in those drawers or stacked on your already cluttered dresser.” 

I am a bit of a neat freak when it comes to my closet and that it is organized, thus this article captivated me. I broke down how to organize a variety of items in every woman’s closet, mainly shoes and purses! I found this article to be enlightening and helpful.

Bra Sizing: Does This FIt?

Bras are a crucial part of a women’s daily ensemble; an ill-fitting bra can cause back problems, muscle strain and poor self-esteem. A bad bra can easily make or break your outfit. They give you confidence and it is about time that you got properly sized for the right one!

Sometimes, women can overlook the importance of a wonderful fitting bra, but since we are always wearing them in some form either backless, strapless, racer-back or underwire, it’s time to make sure they actually fit.

Randall's Cosmetic Review: IMAN Cosmetics

When it comes to clothes, I am much more willing to try garments that are colorful with creative patterns rather than bold makeup trends. Usually, my makeup consists of foundation, brown eye pencil, a golden shimmering eye shadow and some nude lip gloss. Occasionally, I will spice things up with a classic red lip or colorful liquid eyeliner, but for the most part I like to play it safe.

The simplicity of the IMAN Sweet Temptations Collection appealed to me because the collections includes glimmering honey, caramel and citrus tones for eyes and cheeks. The collection also has a juicy pop of candy colored hues for lips that works with a variety of complexions.

Celebrities Defend Kim's Pregnancy Style

I have no problem openly admitting that I enjoy watching the Keeping Up With The Kardashians and Kim & Kourtney Take Miami. Although, I do not always agree with their decisions or behavior, I do find their complex family dynamic quite entertaining. 

I am well aware that this crazy brood elicits mixed responses from their audience, both positive and negative. For the most part, I understand all the various opinions that people have about them, but I think that they are a crazy bunch of beautiful people and I enjoy watching their family drama unfold on television whether it’s real or fake. Most of all I love their fashion choices!

Who Wore It Better?

What is more fun than a round than a good round of “Who Wore it Better”? Hollywood is so small, that celebrities are constantly caught wearing the same garments as other celebrities, yet they find a way tomake the look their own. For today’s match-ups I selected my top four celebrity face-offs. Tell me what you think!

How To Wear Spring Leather

Just a few months ago, I was lounging around the house reading the march edition of InStyle magazine when I saw the spring prediction for trends consisted of bold floral prints, black and white graphics and… pastel leather.

According to InStyle, leather is no longer just a winter staple. Instead, it can and has easily transitioned into spring’s pastel colors. I read the whole article front to back and then pondered, “how can anyone pull of pastel colored leather garments?”

Well ladies, I have finally found the answer to my question. Rihanna, Heather Graham and Ashley Madekwe not only make this look work, they make this look practical for the masses! 

If you can take a moment to look past her stunning beauty and dazzling good looks, you will see that Rihanna is wearing a Tiffany blue pleated leather skirt and she looks gorgeous! When I first saw this look my jaw literally dropped! If this is what pastel leather entails than I am most definitely jumping on this trend!

Rihanna is a fashion wild card and this outfit is no different! She flaunts are perfect shape while donning this flowing leather skirt and long sleeve button down that was completely unbuttoned! She looks fabulous and has definitely made me reconsider my qualms with pastel leather garments.

A garment like this is great to have because it is versatile and can easily go  from daytime to nighttime.Although Rihanna wears this skirt for a dinner date I would wear this skirt out with the girls for a day trip into D.C., to a barbeque, or anywhere else I could think of! I am honestly obsessed with this skirt! Obsessed!

Another example of a perfect pastel spring leather can be seen in this picture of Heather Graham wearing an Alice +Olivia dress. All too often I see women (and I am guilty of it too) wearing only dark colored or black leather. Heather shows us that there are cute ways to bring this textile into spring.

I love the cut and color of this dress! The length is perfect and the dress contours prefectly to the shape of her body. I am glad that her stylist decided to keep the look simple because the dress is already a huge statement and the shoes are very trendy as well. In this outfit, balance is key; loud jewelry would overwhelm the look and ruin the outfit.

 I have mentioned this next beauty in another blog and now I must reference her yet again! Ashley Madekwefrom Revenge and her blog Ring My Bell has the more adorable pair of foam leather J Brand shorts! Although they are a bit pricey at $425 per pair they are so cute and stylish it may be worth the splurge!

The shorts have an elastic band for added comfort and side-seam pockets. They are great for running errands during the day or a lunch date with friends. You can easily transition this piece into the evening hours with just a blazer and some pumps!

If you are still unsure of the pastel leather trend, take a look at some of these great other leather options that can easily fit into any woman’s wardrobe!

What do you think of the pastel leather trend, Lovelies?

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