Virginia Highland Summerfest

Last Saturday I went to Virginia Highland Summerfest with my parents.  It was my last full day of my vacation in Georgia, and I wanted to get to Atlanta.  When I stay with my parents we don't normally go to the city.  Because I lived downtown for five years in college, I absolutely love Atlanta.  I wish I could move there permanently!!!  Virginia Highland is one of my favorite neighborhoods.  I love the craftsman style houses, cute shops, fun pubs, and good restaurants.  Plus it's very pedestrian friendly.  Summerfest was extraordinarily hot (90+), so we couldn't really browse for too long.  It was a shame since there were so many great artists.

    

Dress: Target

Shoes: Naturalizer

Necklace: Forever 21

Purse (w/camera bag attached): H&M

I also had on a brown Forever 21 belt, but I had to take it off because I was sweating so much with it.

As you can see, I decided that in the heat and humidity my hair needed to be up.  I wore this hairstyle, milk maid braids, twice on my vacation, as seen below from earlier in the week to lay out in the backyard and then run errands.  It may be my go-to hairstyle this summer.  To make this style work with my long layered hair, I actually secured the braids twice each.  When the initial braid started to get messy from layers ending I used a regular hair-tie to secure it, then I made new sections all of equal length and braided almost to the end no matter how much my layers were ending and used almost invisible tiny rubber hair bands.  Also, I kept the braids very tight at the beginning and pulled them straight out away from my head while starting the braid.  These two efforts helped them lay flat when I pulled them up.

Dress & vest: Forever 21

Shoes: Target

Braided Hair

While staying in Slidell, LA, I went to the mall frequently because it was across the street from my hotel and it had the BEST Forever 21 ever!  On my second trip, I purposefully under-packed so I could buy a few things.  One of those things is this top.  I love lace trim and blush color.  I tried to get photos with Zadie today, but she didn't want to cooperate.  All I ended up with are silly pictures with her!

  

Top & cami: Forever 21

Cardigan: Anthropologie

Jeans: Paige

Shoes: Clarks

Necklace: Cost Plus World Market

 Today I also wore my newest favorite hairstyle.  How to do it: part hair where a headband would sit, from ear to ear.  Secure hair in the back out of the way.  Brush front hair to one side.  Starting by one ear, do an inside out french braid.  Braid hair a few inches past other ear and tie off with small hair-tie or clip.  Take back hair down and brush into a side pony-tail behind ear and include braid.  When all hair is secure, remove hair-tie or clip from braid.

Blues Fusion

Last night I went to a party that a friend invited me too.  It was her friend's apartment warming party, but instead of having it in her actual apartment, she rented out her building's community room.  Since it had a great dance floor and she dances as a hobby, the host's friends took over and hosted a blues fusion dance party, complete with three different DJ's.  The party guests really knew what they were doing!  It was intimidating at first, but after a while (and a few rum & cokes) I really started to enjoy the dancing.  I had trouble at first with "following", a concept that is a lot harder to do than it sounds.  I actually want to take lessons now!

Since I didn't know that it would be an actual dancing event, I just wore party clothes.  I did somehow manage to dance in these heels, but I wouldn't wear them again for dancing.

Tank: Target

Jeans: Paige

Cardigan: Banana Republic

Shoes: Bakers

Purse: H&M

Messy side ponytail inspired by these two posts: Asian Cajuns & A Cup of Jo

Hair bow: Forever 21

A heart ring for Valentine's Day from Victoria's Secret PINK

And since you're probably thinking "what in the world is blues fusion dancing?", here's two youtube videos I found of it online.

Reinventing the 90's

This dress from Target reminds me of a print from the 90's.  I made it into a skirt by layering a sweater over it for work.  I love this look, plus it's super comfortable!

Dress (as a skirt) & sweater: Target

Tights: American Apparel

Shoes: Clarks

Belt: Anthropologie

Necklace: Cost Plus World Market

 I also love this hairstyle.  I did inside-out french braids from the front and secured them with a tiny hair band and used a clip to hide it.  I've also been very frustrated with my bangs recently, so I secured them to the side with a tiny brown bobby pin.

I let my hair stylist pick my hair color...

And I love my new hair color!  I am so glad I trust Jana's instincts.  She picked out a darker, fiery red mixed with brown.  It shines red in the sun.  Unfortunately I didn't have any sun on my balcony today.  I initially wanted straight bangs, but she suggested that I try out the side bangs for a few days first.  I can come back in to get them cut short later if I still want them.  Let me know if you like them long and to the side or if you think I should go for straight bangs instead.

Tunic: Urban Outfitters

Leggings & belt: Forever 21

Shoes: Cynthia Vincent for Target

Birthday Outfits

While I already posted the pictures from my birthday celebration last weekend, my actual birthday was on Monday.  I wore my birthday candle necklace from Anthropologie with both my work outfit and what I wore to run errands.

 

Shirt: Converse One Star for Target

Jeans: Lucky

Shoes: Naturalizer

T-shirt: H&M

Shorts: American Eagle

Cardigan: LOFT Outlet

Shoes: Naturalizer

Plus more pictures of that awesome messy bun that I'm slightly obsessed with!

 

Weekend of Morning Events

Yesterday I went to a baby shower in the morning for my friend Crissa.  I got to wear one of my favorite dresses.

Dress: Anthropologie Wright Dress

Shoes: Naturalizer

Belt: Old Navy

Earrings: Forever 21

Necklace: from Mexico

This morning I met my SWE friends in Monterey Park for Dim Sum at NBC Seafood.  It was my first time having dim sum, and it was delicious and SO much food!  I'd gladly go again.  Anticipating a big meal, I wore a nice loose dress.  Also, check out my messy bun!  I love this hairstyle.

 

Dress: LOFT Outlet

Cardigan: Division

Shoes: Bass

Messy bun: learned from What Would A Nerd Wear

More AE Sale Scores

First up, my new short sleeved sweater from American Eagle.  It was so comfortable at work!  Unfortunately I see in these pictures that I need to pair it with more form fitting pants next time I wear it.

Sweater: American Eagle

Tank: Forever 21

Pants: H&M

Shoes: Naturalizer

Necklace: Cost Plus World Market

Another American Eagle sale purchase, a polka dot bandeau top made for a good undershirt with a t-shirt.  I wore this to work with navy khakis (no cardigan), then changed into the shorts to see Inception at my local art house type movie theater.

T-shirt: Victoria's Secret PINK

Bandeau and shorts: American Eagle

Cardigan: LOFT Outlet

Shoes: Birkenstock

Now, not an exciting outfit per say, but I love my hair today!  I followed this demo on how to do a messy bun.  I think it turned out fantastic.  You can see it better in some dressing room pictures I took at H&M while shopping after work, but I'll post those later.  I wore this with jeans for work.  Also I tried out Tania's signature pose: toes in, looking down.  I think I'll stick to my normal pose since I can't even really turn my toes in, and my knees look lame when my legs are straight.

 

T-shirt: Lucky Brand

Shorts: American Eagle (also new)

Shoes: Cynthia Vincent for Target

Necklace: Forever 21

Anthropologie Sale!

As Marie from Infinite Whimsy said on twitter, I won (and my budget lost) the sale game.  Today I wore two of my new purchases.  Also, check out those air-dried yesterday bangs.  Yes, those are day-two, no-heat, no-product bangs!  It's a hair miracle.

 

Cardigan: Sparrow Edana from Anthropologie

Tank: Ann Taylor

Pants: H&M

Shoes: Naturalizer

I changed into my new dress to meet my coworkers for margaritas and enchiladas after work today.  El Torito was crazy, but it was fun.  By the way, my coworkers loved this dress.  Aerospace engineers love planes.

 

Dress: Wright dress from Anthropologie

Shoes: Naturalizer

Necklace: bought in Mexico

Another new haircut.

Saturday I wore my new Target (kids) shoes with a favorite easy dress to my weekly trip to the farmer's market.

 

Dress and Earrings: LOFT Outlet

Shoes: Target

Barrette: Forever 21

Sunday I got a haircut.  Jana made my hair really fluffy.  Kind of crazy fluffy.  I promise this is not normal...it took a lot of product and a really long time with a big brush and a hair dryer.  She and I decided to keep my bangs straight again.  She promised she cut them short enough that I wouldn't have to use any heat on them...you'll see in my next post how that worked out.  Also, Jana loved my outfit.  She gave me so many compliments!

   

Top: Target

Skirt: American Apparel

Cardigan: LOFT outlet

Shoes: Naturalizer

Belt and Earrings: Forever 21

Purse: Michael Kors

New Haircut

I finally made it to my hairstylist, Jana's, new salon/barbershop.  It's a bit of a drive for me, but it's really cool.  She just does my hair so well...I don't even really need to tell her what to do.  This time she finally gave me straight bangs.  Usually she won't because I wear glasses.  I'm glad she tried it on me this time.  It definitely looks best without glasses, so I'll just try to wear my contacts more often.

New haircut, with and without my glasses, in my car in the parking lot of the barbershop

She's also doing color again.  I'm tempted to add a slight red tint to my natural light brown color, but I really should just leave it be rather than spend the extra money.