Concert Night!

Friday, August 30, 2013

I saw one of my favorite bands, Purity Ring, with my friend Melody this past Wednesday night at the Fonda.  I wore my gladiator sandals from Call it Spring ($25), because who wants to stand for hours in heels?  I found this skirt at Forever 21 ($15) and the shirt as well, which I've worn on the blog before ($10).

This outfit was super comfy and fun to wear.  Burgundy stripes with a flower print shirt... it doesn't sound like it should go together, but I think I pulled it off in a funky way yes?

P.S.
When we stopped to shoot, this old school super stretch limo pulled up and made a drug deal with a car parked outside the liquor store next door.  The shadiest spots in LA make the best photo shoots lol.
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A Makeover For Toni

Monday, August 26, 2013

Meet Toni, an Assistant Editor at a well-known post production advertising company.  Toni approached me for help saying, "I want to look like an adult!" :)
To start the day off, we headed to the Westside Pavilion to check out Cotton On.  Toni and I started a secret board on Pinterest, so I could get an idea of what kind of look Toni was going for.  Cotton On felt like a perfect place to start because it has a very laid back California look, but it’s super cheap.
One of my new favorite stores at Westfield Culver City is Call It Spring.  Their shoes cost an average of about $40 a pair.  We headed here next because although I'm sure Toni's Crocs are super comfortable, it was time for something a little more edgy.
Forever 21 had a denim sale!  Woot woot!
As I've said before, one of the easiest things a girl can do to improve her look is get her eyebrows tended to on a regular basis.  Eyebrow threading usually costs around $10.  I do it once a month.

Outfit #1
Total cost: $65

We got this pair of jeans on sale at Forever 21 for $8.99.  We found the shirt there too for $15.  If there's one thing I can say about Forever 21 it’s that you do get a lot of bang for your buck… but don't ever put their clothes in the dryer if you ever want to wear them again lol.

We found Toni's black sandals at Call It Spring for $40.

This is a pretty simple look, but the small details help take it to the next level.  The open back makes it fun, and if Toni wants to wear this to work she can; she'll just need to pair it with a cardigan to cover up the party in the back :)

Outfit #2
Total cost: $42

This entire outfit we found at Cotton On.  This dress was on sale for $15!  The flats cost $20, and the sunglasses were two for $12. 

This is a really comfortable look that you can dress up or down, depending on the shoes and makeup.

Outfit #3
This entire outfit came from Toni's closet!  She had never worn the dress before because she was too afraid it was blending in with her skin tone.  I suggested she accessorize with a black belt and black heels to help draw the attention away from the color.

She originally bought this dress for a wedding, and paired with these accessories she can pull it off.  But she can also wear this dress on a normal day too, just like I do!  Just throw on some flats and a fun necklace, and the entire feeling of the outfit changes.

So there you have it.  Simple items and little details helped Toni look more like the woman she is today!  

I've said this before and I'll say it again: A lot of girls don't think they have time for makeup, but a quick eye shadow, a little blush, and a tinted lip gloss can go a long way and it takes only five minutes.

I hope my simple tips help Toni keep her look up and give her the confidence she needs to trust her instincts.  I also hope this shows YOU that you can look great, even if you're on a budget.
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Meet Me In Long Beach

Friday, August 23, 2013

Me and the home slice Melody grabbed brunch in Long Beach today.  I've always liked Long Beach.  This is mainly because it has a ton of great restaurants by the beach, without a lot of the riff raff you'll find in L.A. Today we tried a little French place called Creme de la Crepe, and it was fantastic!  My new dog Bart was able to join us too while we ate yummy omelets, paninis, and crepes.  Then Melody topped it all off with some Creme Brulee... Ooh la la!  We are definitely coming back here soon, the food and service was amazing.

I've been quite bust lately so I wanted to wear something comfortable but fun.  I randomly found this cool hat at Waterloo Records & Video when I was on one of my many visits to Austin, Texas ($30).  My blouse I found in Nordstrom's BP section a few years ago ($39).  I find that the Nordstroms BP section always seems to have interesting, affordable pieces.  These are my boyfriend's jeans.....psych!  These are my boyfriend jeans that I found at Nordstrom as well.  They are way to big for me now, but boyfriend jeans can never be too baggy right?

*Photos by Melody Garber and Leigh Gaston
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Statement Stripes

Wednesday, August 21, 2013


Stripes are in.  Vertical, horizontal, they have definitely become trendy for the 2013 Spring/Summer season.  Yes, yes, if you don't wear it right you could end up looking like a referee, but this dress I found on sale at Love Culture for $11.00 reminded me of dresses that were worn often in the 1920s.  Mid length sleeves, low back, giant bows...I thought it was an interesting dress and for $11.00 I took a chance.

If I still had my short hair it would be perfect for this dress!  Instead I did a side twist and pinned half of my hair back for a slightly more glamorous style.  I added the orange square earrings to add a modern touch to this old timey look.
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A Breezy Summer Look

Monday, August 19, 2013

 
It's been years since we've had a really hot summer here in L.A., and I'm thankful.  My favorite summer days consist of weather warm enough for me to be comfortable without a sweater, and a light breeze to cool my sweaty brow.

I found this dress at Love Culture on sale for $11.99, and the sunglasses as well for $5.00.  This dress is super comfortable and perfect for a warm and sunny day.   My wedge shoes I found at Call It Spring for $45.00.  They're so light and easy to walk in!  I really like how they went with this dress.

*Photos by Melody Garber and Leigh Gaston
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TREAT YO SELF

Friday, August 16, 2013

For the last few months I've been doing my own nails to save some cash.  Sometimes my DIY gels came out nice, but most of the time it looked like the manicure of a five year old (see my before pic).  So after the last few weeks of nail abuse and short stubby nails, I wanted to get a nice manicure.

So I headed to the nail salon I've been going to for the las six years: Lynn's Nails.  It may not be a super fancy salon with vibrating massage chairs, but the talent is there.  Lynn and company know what they're doing (gels, silk wraps, acrylic, regular manicure and pedicures) and I can always trust that my nails will be in good shape when I leave.  I usually get silk wraps, which stop me from biting my nails and help them grow.

So check out my super fly stiletto nails!  I haven't had long nails in a while, they're a lot of fun :)

I got my nail polish from Urban Outfitters ($5) and my sweet iPhone case at Best Buy ($30).
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