Coffee and Cupcakes Streetstyle featuring Wu-Tang Muscle Tee

Most outfits are designed for their destination. My sweet love and I went for Sunday treats and caffeine to keep our day going. I decided Wu Tang Clan was the best choice.

Streetstyle

Gold

Details.

Muscle Tee, rings, zip-up hoodie, diamond earrings: Forever 21

Shoes: Creative Recreation- Nordstrom Rack

Jeans, Varsity Jacket, gold belt: Ross

Hat: Rebel Eight- Karmaloop.com (borrowed from the boyfriend)

Purse: Kate Spade- gift

Light makeup was done on purpose for a masculine feel. Gold belt to tie in shoes with earrings. Shirt graphic was a bright yellow so I felt gold worked better than silver. A neutral grey was easy to add for warmth while still leaving the focus on the tee and gold accents. The varsity jacket was chosen on purpose to accentuate the urban feel. Rings, purse and earrings kept it girly.

Thanks for reading!
XOXO

DIY Flower Crown- a Creative Guide

I love spring. Mostly because that means it's almost summer.
The best thing about spring besides the weather is the beautiful flowers. And what's the best thing to do with something lovely? Wear it, of course!
Here's a guide to making your own fun floral headwear.

What You'll Need:

• Fake flowers
• A headband, if possible matched to your haircolor
• Glue gun
• Scissors
• Needle nose pliers 
• Cute fabric (optional)
• Beads or gems (optional)

What To Do:

There are a lot of options with this project, so let this serve as more of a guide than an a step by step how-to. Be creative!

Start with a pile of flowers.  I selected a variety, but all in the same color family. More colors could be fun too. These are mostly roses, with some lilies and smaller bright wildflowers thrown in. All of these flowers are from the dollar store. 

Good luck keeping kitty out of them

Get your headband all ready to go. I used a headband that I don't wear anymore. It had some jewels attached to it so I removed them. 

My old headband

Now it's time to fire up the glue gun. While it's warming up. Pull the flowers off their stems. Using the scissors, trim the bottom of the flowers. Try to make them as flat as possible by trimming close to the petals. If you like, set aside some leaves.

Trim the green plastic down to make it flat, but don't cut it all away or the flower will fall apart.

Not all the flowers can be flat on the bottom, but still trim the plastic down as much as you can.

You can modify the flowers before adding them to the headband if you like. This is when you would use gems or beads to add to the flowers.

Using the hot glue gun, I attached some of the jewels from the headband inside the flowers.

I also glued some of the smaller flowers inside the large ones.

This is when you can use fabric also if you like.

Pick a cute fabric, and try to get it away from your kitten

I made a bow with a large piece of the fabric and some hot glue

Small squares of fabric can be made into little flowers by putting a dot of glue in the center,
pinching the glue with the pliers (so you don't get burned) and twisting the fabric.

Start on one side of the headband, and attach pieces using the hot glue. Use pliers for some things so you don't get burned!

If you made a bow, attach it to one side of the headband, if not just start with a flower

Keep adding flowers. Be sure to fit them close to each other so there aren't any gaps.

You can add leaves too, but make sure not to neglect the back side of the headband. 

The finished piece at my best friend's bridal shower!

Tea party. Everyone wore hats. I won for "most beautiful" hat.

 I made a second one as well to wear for a more casual event or even an every day outfit. This one is just flowers and leaves on a black band. 

From the front. Some fabric flowers in this one too!

The back view. Lots of leaves!

What it looks like on.

I hope you enjoyed this post. Have fun and be creative making your own flower crown! 

Thanks for reading!

Xoxo

Matte Mani With Helpful Tips For Your Fingertips

No matter how many nail colors I have, it's always nice to do something new with my nails. One easy way to make even a favorite nail color look completely different is by using a matte topcoat. But first, I've been meaning to include some tips I've learned when it comes to doing my nails. Some might common knowledge, but just in case they're not ;)

Helpful Tips:

*If you break a nail but it hasn't fallen all the way off, superglue it back together.
*If you have short nailbeds or a broken nail (or two) don't polish all the way to each side. As long as the edges are smooth, the nail appears narrower and thus, longer!
*Choose a light color or a nude if you break a nail so it won't stand out as much.
*Keep nail clippers with you at all times.
*If you can't get your polish smooth no matter how many coats you apply there are two likely possibilities: either there is not enough polish on the brush, or the room is too warm. If it's too hot the polish becomes thick and clumpy.
*The top coat is a vital part of a manicure.
*Avoid alcohol and lotion on your nails to prolong the life of your manicure.
*Acetone nail polish remover works best.
*If there are creases or clumps in the polish, you may be able to smooth them out by applying a thick top coat and brushing off the excess to smooth it.

Matte Mani:

Rimmel London: English Rose #240

Two coats of polish. 

Difference after applying one coat of matte topcoat

This is what matte polish looks like- many brands sell it. This was from Hot Topic

Finished look. Subtle and pretty.

A matte manicure looks especially neat with very dark red or even a matte black, giving a real vampy feel. This was the first time I used the matte topcoat with a lighter color. 

Thanks for reading. Happy polishing XoxO

Burger Fries & A Shake - How To Wear Men's Clothing

Muscle Tees are trending for women right now. I personally enjoy the look because it's a wonderful combination of masculine and feminine characteristics. It can make an outfit look more tough and street, but also shows off the wearer's arms, which are not masculine at all in my case.

If the tee is cut low on the sides it's a great way to showcase a cute lace or printed bra too!

So I have already bought a couple of these muscle tees from stores I frequent like Forever 21, but it occurred to me that I don't have to limit myself to my own department with this style. I headed to the men's department. 

Have you ever seen a men's shirt that you wished you could have in your size? I know I have. 

Forever 21: Their menswear runs small

This is the shirt I picked. I thought the graphic was clever for a girl to wear, and I like the colors.

I turned it inside out, and cut just inside the seam where the sleeve is attached. 

I got a chance to get out and enjoy the spring weather we are having in Seattle today. I threw on my muscle tee with a skater skirt and some sandals (Ross). For accessories I wore a spiked headband (F21), a coral beaded necklace (Burlington Coat Factory), and an elastic studded garter (made by me!). For this look I chose to coordinate instead of match. 

So happy in the sun :)

Thanks for reading! Xoxo

5 Things To Expect in Spring 2013

Spring Styles are already showing up in stores. Thoughts of "swimsuit season" are starting to stir. The spring runway shows were already more than 3 months ago! Although fashion doesn't follow the same trickle-down pattern that it once did, it is inevitable that the stores we shop in are taking notes from top designers and known trendsetters. So without further adieu, here are 5 things we can expect to see echoed (most likely in watered-down forms) in department and specialty stores throughout the coming months:

1. The Bib Front.
The collars of last year--from Peter Pan to exaggerated and pointed--are transforming this season into the bib front. Not that collars have gone away, but many have been translated into or paired with the flat front. We will see this look in casual blouses that button in the front, or the bib will be added to dresses. This is part of the massive vintage trend that has swept fashion, home decor, and more in the last few years and is showing no signs of going away. People of today want to have all the perks of 2013, but look like they live in 1950.

Three looks featuring a bib front from Valentino Spring 2013 RTW

John Galliano's version. Spring 2013 RTW

2. Art

Probably the most common theme on the runway was wearable art. Not just interesting prints, but as if the fabric itself were treated as a canvas. Looks on the runway were damn near museum-worthy. We will see screen-tees, dresses, skirts, and probably even pants donning traditional paintings, watercolors, sketches, photographs, and abstracts.

Prada Spring RTW

Photographic art.
John Galliano Spring RTW

From the Sartorialist

Dolce & Gabbana Spring RTW

Watercolor looks from Versace Spring RTW

3. Bold Geometric Graphics

In sharp contrast to the freestyle look of the art pieces that were on the runway were bold geometric prints. The playfulness and abstraction of the art pieces really set off the repetitive geometric  prints such as large checkered pieces and stripes. These prints are very likely to be taken literally by retail stores we shop in, as it is easy to reproduce. Don't be surprised to see a lot of stripes this season!

Bold Stripes.
Dior Spring RTW

Nearly the entire Louis Vuitton Spring RTW
collection included checkers.

Dolce & Gabbana Spring RTW

Wonderful mixture of texture and print. Balmain Spring RTW.

4. Ruffles

Beautiful ruffles floated down the runway for spring. While the designers created beautiful large, soft ruffles,it is likely that they will be reduced in size for mass production. Let's remain hopeful though. Ruffles create such an air of soft femininity, especially when they are large. Either way it seems likely that we can look forward to cascading fabric in the coming season. 

Ruffled sleeves.
Gucci Spring RTW

A favorite piece from the Balenciaga
Spring RTW collection. 

*hint* Turn a hi-low hemmed skirt sideways to create a similar look!

Ruffles from Badgley Mischka Spring RTW

5. Flowers

What? Flowers for spring? No way! Well this is a little different. These are 3D. I know it sounds a little disturbing, but that aisle in the craft store full of plastic petals may just become your new happy place. It's time to let your inner flower child bloom. Don't be surprised to see floral hair clips, headbands and crowns appear in droves at stores like Forever 21 and H&M. Most of these flowers will be in the form of accessories.

3 D flower from Badgley Mischka Spring RTW

Take a close look at this necklace from Gucci

I Hate Blonde dons a floral crown and adds more blooms in her stockings.  

3D blossoms from Alexander McQueen Spring RTW

Prada's flowers are only slightly 3D.  But take a look at those glasses!  

Another floral crown. This one from The Sartorialist.

So now we just wait, and see how many of these show up in stores over the next few months. All photos are from Style.com, Ihateblonde, and The Sartorialist. Thanks for reading!