OOTD: Tropical Tendencies

If you like to plan your seasonal outfits ahead, it’s time to start planning for the summer. Palm leaf prints have been on trend for a while and they won’t be going away any time soon. Yellows and greens are the perfect summer colors and are great to transition from one neutral to another. People are often afraid to wear black and brown together but with a bright transition color, it becomes easy to do .

The palm leaf print is everywhere. Just check out these sites:

Forever 21     A’GACI     PacSun     ModCloth

Today’s outfit was obviously inspired by this trendy print and it all began with ModCloth’s one-piece swimsuit.

High Dive by ModCloth

Need I Say Shore One-Piece Swimsuit

$85

Feel as dazzling as the cerulean sea, lounging under an overhanging palm in this exquisite, black one piece. A fresh offering from High Dive by ModCloth, this stunning swimwear features lime green palms, a bustier-style bust, and noir piping to accentuate your lovely look.

TopShop

Moto Short Denim Dungaree

$55

Tap into the denim trend with these short dungarees. A cool-casual option, with multiple pockets and adjustable shoulder fastening, style with a funnel-neck top for seasonal relevance.

Make anything casual with denim overalls! Feel comfy while looking for the perfect beach spot with just the right amount of shade! Feeling thrifty? I’m sure you’ll find some overalls at your local thrift shop.

Glamorous

Tan Fringe Boho Bag

$36

Glamorous women’s tan messenger bag. Long tassel fringe detailing on the flap. Long plaited across the body strap.

Add some boho-chic flair to your outfit with a fringe messenger bag. A black one would look great, too.

ModCloth

Tropic and Choose Bag

$60

After you’ve carefully crafted your outfit of the day, add this quirky-cute bag for the final fanciful touch. Fashioned into a yellow pineapple with a straw-like structure, brown, vegan faux-leather accents, and golden studs, this purse is a piece of paradise you’ll pick again and again.

Luxury Divas

Wide 6″ Brim Floppy Hat

$20

Whether you’re at the beach or sitting poolside, this alluring, floppy straw hat is sure to maintain your cool in vintage-chic fashion.

Princess Polly

Dream of Me Sunglasses

$37

Swell

Vans Authentic Lo Pro Shoe

$45

Keep the sand out of your toes with a pair of classic sneakers. Or wear strappy sandals like the ones in the photo by Charles and Keith (sold out) if you enjoy feeling sand between your toes. (Ew.)

ASOS

Sunshine Bracelet Multipack

$22

Remember to always add a pop of color with your accessories. Not much of a bracelet girl, like me? Check out these funky earrings:

ModCloth

Best Fruit Forward Earrings

$15

Turn a simple ensemble into your freshest look yet by adding these pineapple earrings to the equation! Packed with the stylish nutrients your accessorizing game craves, this pair boasts a bright green and yellow color scheme topped with a glossy finish that will always make you feel your greatest!

Betsey Johnson 

Pretty Pineapple Watch

$65

Fuel your tropical daydreams by gazing at this cute and quirky pineapple watch! A crisp white-on-white palette complements its resort vibe.

What are some of your summer must haves?

OOTD: Floats your Note

My love for themed outfits reached an all time high when I received a purse that remained on my wish list for the longest time. Originally, I wanted the Betsey Johnson Gold Camera bag but it’s nowhere to be found. It is now one of my unicorns. For those that still aren’t active in the swapping world, a unicorn is a very hard to find item.  I swapped one of my Sourpuss Clothing dresses with a nice girl living in New York for one of her skirts. I realized I’d rather have more skirts and less dresses. The outfit possibilities increase by 50%. Smart choice, bold move.

My style, which consists of classic cuts combined with bold prints, showed with this 50s-inspired outfit worn at South Fashion Week:

Interested in these pieces? Shop here:

ModCloth

Floats Your Note Skirt

$60

I couldn’t find a link to my crop top but any black sweetheart top would’ve worked. This is from Miss Selfridge.

Miss Selfridge

Black Sweetheart Bandeau Top

$8

Again, I couldn’t find a link for my shoes. Mine were purchased at a local Payless. Any white peep toe heels (mine were kitten heels!) work. These are Dolce and Gabbana.

Dolce and Gabbana

Peep Toes in White

$215

Betsey Johnson / ModCloth

Audio Thrilled the Radio Bag

$88

This purse is sold out everywhere! One must be determined to search everyday to find one. I got mine at Poshmark for less than retail price.

May your outfit creations be as sweet as apple pie! (Seriously, can Thanksgiving get here already?)

Halloween Ready: Modcloth

It’s finally October and I thought it would be a great idea to share with you some awesome Halloween-themed finds from my favorite online shops! This week’s shop is ModCloth. This quirky, retro and vintage-inspired online store is my absolute favorite because they carry novelty prints, dresses with odd cuts and colorful items to decorate your home. They are known for their simple, yet fun dresses, so why not start off this post with a dress?

Spirit in the Fright Dress

$90

“Pumpkins, kittens, and cobwebs – oh my! Part of our ModCloth namesake label, this adorably printed dress proves there’s nothing to be afraid of, with a precious scaredy cat motif atop its rich amethyst base. Cute and cottony, this V-neck frock is full of frightful delight!”

This purple dress has scaredy cats all over it, even some kitty ghosts! The price is a little steep for an unlined dress with no pockets but… kittehs! Reviews say armholes are a bit big but a black cardigan would look great with it.

Here Candy, Candy Tee

$30

“Ever eat so much candy you felt like you might turn into the sweet stuff? Well, the kitty that’s screen printed on this black tee – an exclusive to ModCloth – must have done just that! Sport this seasonal scoop neck this fall, or rock it any ol’ time you want to exude your signature quirk!”

Look cute while running errands with this tee! It’s perfect for fall and it’ll look great with these:

Favorite Favor Earrings

$13

“As far as you’re concerned, autumn is the sweetest time of year – because you get to wear these candy corn earrings! Colorblocked in white, orange, and yellow, these studs take the shape of your favorite fall-time treat and add a kernel of cuteness to your day.”

Candy corn has never been my favorite Halloween treat but you gotta admit it’s the most iconic one. Wear these to add some fun to your everyday outfit. I’m sure someone will ask where you got them!

Baby Got Bat Bag

$30

“Before you head out to your favorite haunts, you zip your wallet, phone, and lip gloss into this adorably bat-shaped bag! Its black, vegan faux-leather construction, slender removable strap, and handy back pocket make it a charming companion on your nocturnal adventures. Sling this purse over the shoulder of your khaki trench, velvety A-line shift, and dramatic, spike-embellished heels for a playful look with a vampy touch!”

This batacular bag is just big enough to carry the essentials: phone, cards and some cash. Perfect for parties and concerts!

Need more outfit inspirtation? Check this out for ideas:

OOTD: Eye-Catching Doughnuts

I decided to make this week’s Outfit of the Day more modern by focusing on bold colors. Pantone already released their Spring 2016 Fashion Color Report and it’s, unfortunately, colors I would never wear. But I took their almost neon color report as inspiration to create this wild and funky themed outfit. A doughnut shirt hiding among other “normal” ones in my drawer helped me with the theme. You’ll be sure to turn heads and get a ton of smiles with this outfit. Maybe a few laughs as well but that doesn’t matter. Do you, boo. Do you.

Interested in these pieces? Shop here:

Pin Up Girl Clothing

Deadly Dames Capri Pants in Baby Blue

$82

Read more about these pants here.

MLSHOPS on Etsy

Donuts Crop Top

$17

Betsey Johnson

Kitch Donut Crossbody

$75

Lulu’s

Beauty Call D’Orsay Kitten Heels

$23

Killer Sprinkles on Etsy

Donut Hair Pins

$20

I hope you’re feeling sweet today! What do you think about today’s outfit? Too wild or just right?

Outfit of the Day: Modern 60’s

After seeing so many vintage-inspired looks at New York Fashion Week, I decided to give 60’s Mod my own little twist. People know how obsessed I am with themed outfits. If I’m wearing my favorite fruit print Lazy Oaf top, check out my ears. I’ll be sporting fruit earrings. Cupcake shoes? Cupcake earrings! Strawberry dress? Strawberry purse! It’s a problem. A good one to have.

I began looking for the perfect modern shift dress and found this pastel Valentino one. It reminded me of Neapolitan ice-cream so I went from there! I knew I wanted to pair it with knee high camel boots and an ice cream purse. Round sunglasses were a must and these ModCloth earrings go perfectly with them.

Interested in these pieces? Shop here:

My Theresa

Valentino Linen Dress

$2,443

Style Bop

Ralph Lauren Collection Suede Knee Boots

$1,140

The Label Monster

Semilla Patent Leather Pumps

$310

Unique-Vintage

Nila Anthony Ice Cream Bag

$68

Nordstrom

Tildon 60mm White Sunglasses

These are sold out. Click here for similar ones.

ModCloth

These Are Just White Earrings

These are sold out. Click here for similar ones.

Farfetch

Hermès Vintage Logo Enamel Bracelet

$599

Potion Cosmetics on Etsy

Tonic Vegan Opaque Bright Pink Lipstick

$9

I know some of these items are on the expensive side but I think similar items can easily be found. Can’t afford the Hermès bracelet? I’m sure you can find a teal bangle at Claire’s. The dress can be made with basic sewing skills and a Simplicity pattern. Click here to see it.

What do you think about today’s outfit? Would you rock it?

Blue Hues and Color Psychology

I’ve been fascinated by Color Psychology since my sophomore year of college when I took the class that changed my life: Costume Design. For our final project we had to read a play and design two-three costume changes per character. We all had to seek inspiration from somewhere but I decided to go with Color Psychology.

Out of all the colors of the rainbow, blue is the one that catches my eye the most. It inspires trust, honesty and loyalty. It’s the most liked color of all, probably because it’s safe and non-threatening. It was the perfect color for the innocent character of the play, a 15 year old girl.

Although I’ve never been a fan of how blue looks on me, this peacock print dress by Retrolicious caught my eye as soon as I saw it hit the ModCloth site. Cotton and pockets. It couldn’t be anymore perfect. As usual, I couldn’t afford it. Luckily, someone was selling three of them on the Facebook clothing swap group for $20–shipped!

How do you think colors affect purchases? Was I inclined to buy the dress because of its color?

Photos by Da.Art Photography

Outfit of the Day: Second-hand Finds

Skirts are a must for summer in Puerto Rico and I love to wear my fruit print shirts and dresses during this time. This season was made to wear cotton clothing with bright, bold colors. I’m also a firm believer in thrifting and upcycleing. I love being able to put on something that used to be in someone else’s closet. It makes me wonder how the person styled it and where they wore it to. That’s why I enjoy searching for used clothes on eBay and even Instagram! I save a few bucks as well, so that’s a plus!

I found this watermelon tank top on eBay for $10.. The quality is not so great but it looked perfect paired with my Bea and Dot green skirt. I got it in a swap and sell group for about $12. The shoes? Got them for $10!

This “Grass is Greenest” skirt has become my favorite. It’s fullness gives it just the right amount of retro flair. I’ve become addicted to low heels. I find them incredibly versatile and they can dress up the most casual outfit.

I wore a plain white top with the skirt just to be able to wear a polka dot head scarf for a shoot. If the scarf didn’t have a print, I would’ve worn the exact same outfit again because I love the quirkiness fruit prints have. I was, however, able to use my watermelon purse, which I found on eBay for $25. ModCloth is currently selling a similar one called Forever Fruitful Bag. 

I found the red scarf at a thrift shop in San Juan called Electroshock. I believe it cost just a buck.

You don’t need to go broke in order to look great! Just be patient and search, search, search! I bet you’ll have fun in the process and discover online thrift shops! You may make friends as well!

Photos by Da.Art Photography

Outfit of the Day: Wandering Writer

Today’s outfit was inspired by the writer who wanders aimlessly through streets filled with potential characters and is often haunted by them. The pencil heels pull everything together creating a quirky yet classy look. This is perfect for ladies that just started a new job but want to keep some kitsch in their everyday outfit.

I started putting this together by deciding on a color palette. I figured green is a good color to transition from summer to autumn and I’ve always loved pink and green together (watermelons, I guess). I chose this kelly green blouse from Banana Republic. Nothing really special about it but I like how it’s over-sized because it gives the outfit a relaxed and effortless feel. Next were shoes. A pair of heels with a hint of green were ideal. I remembered seeing these Doodlez by Taylor Says. They are limited edition and I unfortunately saved $150 a little too late and they’re now long gone in my size. They also have a Sharpie inspired pair!

For a bag, I searched for small pink ones. I was tempted to pick a novelty purse but I knew the focal point had to be the shoes so I went with this simple Rosetti Taylor Majestic mini crossbody. I’m obsessed with small bags and I truly hate having to carry a bulky one around. The perfect purse should only have space for your ID, credit cards, lipstick, compact mirror, phone and keys. Carrying a small purse will prevent you from wanting to stuff it with unnecessary things. We all know you can’t read that 800 page award-winning novel in peace with a toddler screaming just seven feet away from you. You never brush your hair so why bring that huge brush with you? And that lint roller? Why would you wear black pants to walk your neighbor’s dogs anyway?

Speaking of black pants, any high waisted black jeans is a great classic piece of clothing every girl should have in her closet. They can go from casual to work casual in just a few steps (these steps involve changing your top and maybe shoes).

White sunglasses look great with this combo and I’ve seen some at accessories stores like Claire’s being sold for less than $10! Another must-have? I’d say so! Pair them with yellow dangle earrings or simple studs with a hint of yellow in them to draw attention to your face. A tiny pop of color at top that matches your shoes will make your outfit look balanced and well-thought-out.

I hope you’re no longer afraid to wear novelty shoes! Write these tips down and rock that outfit!

Recent OOTDs

I was 14 years old when I started taking pictures of myself.  I remember MySpace was big back then and posting at least a pic a day was crucial.  MySpace is no longer what it used to be and it was replaced by the oh so public Facebook.  Playing silly games like Candy Crush and making the transition from high school student to college freshman made me loose my style a bit.  Looking great wasn’t so important to me anymore.  Stained jeans, stretched t-shirts and Converse that were falling apart was my go to outfit.  It still is, but I can honestly say I do my best to dress up a bit on the weekends.  Having to walk 20 minutes to a classroom under the Puerto Rican sun doesn’t really motivate me to put an effort into dressing myself.  Who wants to see a sweaty dress anyway?

I’ve been trying to document my “good” outfits lately.  I figured if I have such cool stuff, why not show people?  I like using Instagram because I can tag the brands and stores where I got my clothes or accessories, making it easier for you guys to find them.  It’s how I discover new brands and fun bloggers.  I can’t really write much on Instagram and I doubt people would want to read a lot there.  I know I get antsy when I see a long paragraph underneath a pic so I decided to talk a bit more about my OOTDs here.  Hopefully you’ll fall in love with some of these brands.

Tropical Bliss

   

I got this super cute floral top by La Cabana on eBay.  I searched vintage pin up top and this popped up!  I don’t think you can get these anywhere else.  I’ve searched everywhere.  If you love the island flair, you can start looking here.  I got mine for $16.

The Joys are back Jeans in capri by Fervour I got on ModCloth.  They looked odd on me so I cut them.  They look more flattering on me like this and are super comfortable.  Unfortunately, they’re sold out on the ModCloth website.  You can check out other Fervour items here.

This outfit is perfect for hot summer days or every single day if you live on an island!

Snack Attack

   

This dress screams fun!  The brand is Folter.  They recently changed their name to Retrolicious.  I got this dress on ModCloth for around $70 and it was worn by AnnaSophia Robb on The Carrie Diaries!  The belt does not come with the dress but at least it has pockets, right?  Dresses with pockets are the best.

The ice cream wristlet is by Betsey Johnson and it comes in several colors.  Blue, like mine, pink and glitter fuschia.  I got mine on eBay for $60 (I think).  I thought it was going to be much smaller and was totally surprised when I got it.  I wish it came with a long strap because I’d rather not have my purse dangling off my wrist, but I guess I can make one.

Now for the shoes.  These were a DIY project.  After checking out several shoe stores looking for the perfect flats to paint, I got these at Payless for $20 and the brand is Lower East Side.  They were a darker brown when I got them.  I got inspired by Shoe Bakery.  Knowing I couldn’t afford a pair of their delicious shoes, I decided to try and make my very own.  It took me two days to make these and I’m completely happy with how they turned out!  Shoes + materials: around $35.

Berry Fruity

   

An apple a day keeps the doctor away!  Let’s start off with my favorite purse.  I was lucky enough to get the very last Pomme Sweet Home bag on ModCloth.  I remember asking myself if I would ever use this purse.  It wasn’t until I realized there was only one left that I swore I’d use it at least twice a month.  It’s perfect for a tiny little picnic or for a dose of cuteness.  It’s pretty big on the inside and it comes with a long strap.  The brand is Ollie & Nic and I got it for $65.  Please be aware that Ollie & Nic sell the cutest purses.  Click at your own risk.

I got the Strawberry Fields dress… where else?  On the ModCloth website, of course!  The brand is Bea & Dot, a ModCloth brand.  I got this $100 dress for $30!  The quality is very nice and the fabric is thick.  A bit too thick to wear in Puerto Rico, but hey, cooler months are coming and I’ll surely wear this around.

Calling Dotty

   

Minnie Mouse, anyone?  This Hell Bunny polka dot skirt was my first ModCloth purchase almost three years ago.  It’s way too big on me now, but I’ll never let it go!  It has comfty pockets and it came with a detachable bow.  I now hold it up with my Pin Up Girl Clothing belt.

The retro crop top was a Go Jane purchase.  I don’t think they’re selling them anymore but a decent crop top shouldn’t be too hard to find.

The phone purse is by Betsey Johnson and it’s the bag that started my novelty purse collection.  You can plug your phone and actually talk through the handset (is that how it’s called?).  I got the bag on eBay for $80 and it went to Paris with me.

The saddle shoes?  Another DIY!  I got $5 sneakers at Walmart and some black acrylic paint.  Sneakers + materials: $12.

I hope you enjoyed reading about these outfits I like to call treasures and that you found a new favorite brand or designer along the way.  Keep your eyes peeled for these posts or follow me on Instagram for more #ootds!

Ever wonder what a vintage-loving gal trying to be gangsta’ looks like?

You’re welcome.