Another Fall Floral

At the risk of appearing to be a one-trick pony, I’m wearing another fall floral today:

Today's fall floral is less bold than yesterday’s, but remains one of my favorite dresses to remix.  The bits of color throughout the dress lend themselves to several color combinations.  Today I picked up on the burgundy, olive and tan tones in the dress (vintage) with olive tights (Hue), burgundy shoes (Naya “Jada” via Nordstrom) and a tan cardigan (Old Navy).  I added a thin belt (Gap) and fully intended to add earrings but that didn’t happen.  I did wear my hair in a side pony though, so you’re welcome for that.

Happy Wednesday, Everyone!

Gracey

P.S. Side ponies are totally coming back.  Probably.

Fall Floral – Remixed

As I said before, I think this skirt is just perfect for fall.  And as its still fall for another month, I thought I’d get another wearing in:

Once again, I’m unable to resist the lure of the burgundy and plum flowers on this skirt when deciding what to pair it with.  This time I paired the skirt (thrifted) with burgundy tights (Hue) and plum polka dot bow blouse (Old Navy) layered under a black sweater (Hinge via Nordstrom).  I added my trusty riding boots (Born Crown “Sosie” via Nordstrom) and vintage carnelian earrings (Lil’ Gypsy Vintage).

Here is a close up of the earrings:

I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving.  In spite of my snow-fears, we didn’t run into any in the pass and only encountered a little bit while cutting the Christmas trees.  I do have some photos from my trip; I’ll try to get those posted this weekend.

Happy Tuesday, Everyone!

Gracey

B-day girl ....

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                                                                                                 dress ( worn as skirt): zara,
                                                                                                 tights: primark,
                                                                                                 boots: zara,
                                                                                                 sweater: non branded,
                                                                                                 blazer: new yorker,
                                                                                                 scarf: pashmina,
                                                                                                 belt: vintage,
                                                                                                 earrings: non branded ( dve smizle),
                                                                                                 rings: no name,
                                                                                                 ph. BonjourJR

Today, im celebrating my second birthday with you! We are now talking about one big number, 26, but shh! ;) And for this occasion, i made special post! Hope you will like it!
If someone told me, that i would walk around town with balloons, i wouldn't believe him! But now, I do! :) Everything is possible!


p.s. huge thanks to my dear Jovana for taking these photos!♥

Reader Question – For the Love of Leggings

Lovely reader Karina emailed me the other day regarding ideas for flattering ways to wear leggings for those of us with a little bit bigger tummy area.  Specifically she asked about what type of tops to wear with leggings so that “a little bit bigger tummy area” doesn’t get misinterpreted to “bun in the oven.”

As it turns out, I LOVE leggings and since I’m still out of the office and so don’t have an OOTD photo, I figure this is a great time to talk about how this giant wears leggings.

Layers, Layers, Layers

In my mind, leggings lend themselves to layering like nobody’s business.  And layering can be a great way to disguise a midsection without looking too bulky.  (A long scarf can help do that as well).

Leggings + Tunic + Sweater + Scarf:

 Long-Sleeve Tee + Dress +  Poncho Sweater + Leggings:

Leggings + Tunic + Button Down + Scarf:

Put a Belt on It

Depending on where you belt and the width of your belt, belting can be a great way to highlight or even create a waist.

Leggings + Tunic + Skinny Belt + Cardigan:

Leggings + Tunic + Medium Belt + Cardigan + Scarf:

Boots, Boots, Boots

I always wear my leggings with boots.  Even booties can help balance out a thicker upper body.

Leggings + Skirt + Long-Sleeve Sweater + Scarf + Mid-Calf Boots:

Blouse + Dress + Leggings + Scarf + Suede Booties:

Tunic + Cardigan + Scarf + Leggings + Riding Boots:

What about you, Reader Friends?  Are you a fan of leggings?  And what is your favorite way to wear them?

Gracey

What's your flava?

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                   Vera Wang "Princess" - water lily, lady apple, mandarin meringue, golden apricot, dark chocolate, chiffon vanilla ....

                    Escada "Magnetism "- blend of pineapple, blackcurrant, rose, magnolia, iris, jasmine, sandalwood and patchouli ...
                    Escada "Moon sparkle" - strawberry, red apple, citrus, fressia, raspberry, sandalwood, musk ...
                    Escada "Incredible me" - clementine, honeysuckle, orchid, vanilla and sandalwood ....

                   Gucci "Guilty" - mandarin, pink pepper, peach, lilac, geranium, amber, patchouli ...
                   Sarah Jessica Parker "Lovely" - nectarine, rosewood, lavender, cedar, musk, amber, patchouli ...
                   Nina Ricci "Love in Paris" - violet, rose, apricot, jasmine, cedar wood, musk and touch of vanilla...

                   Dolce&Gabanna "Sicily" - honeysuckle, orange blossom, banana, nutmeg, jasmine, sandalwood, musk ...
                   Dolce&Gabanna "The One" - mandarin, peach, bergamot, jasmine, plum, amber, musk ...

                   Calvin Klein "Euphoria" - pomegranate, lotus blossom, black orchid, mahogany, musk ...
                   Bvlgari "Omnia" - mandarin orange, white chocolate ...

                   Hugo Boss "Boss Orange" - apple, peach, orange blossom, plum, cinnamon, vanilla cream, sandalwood ...
                   Moschino "Funny" - pink pepper, jasmine, amber, musk, cedar ...
                   Versace "Bright Crystal" - pomegranate, peony, magnolia, vegetal amber, musk ...

                   Moschino "Hippy Fizz" - raspberry leaves, lemon, lotus flower, magnolia, moss ...
                   Jil Sander "Pure" - coriander, bergamot, tuberose, gardenia, rose ...

                    Avon "Outspoken intense by Fergie" - star fruit, kumquat, blackberries, passion flower and sensual musk ...

                   Versace "Vanitas" - lime, freesia, tonka bean, tiare and cedar ....

When i was younger, i was totally crazy about perfumes. Brands, news, prices, i knew almost every scent in the store, and which one is new. I was also purchasing them a lot, thanks to my mother who shared this passion with me. She continued with it, and i stopped. Now im buying only one or two per year ...but they are still in my heart ... ;)
Probably the most favorites for me are fruity, citrus and gourmand scents, love to have those yummy mixes on my skin.The most of my perfumes contains sandalwood, amber, and fruity ingredients, and almost every Escada perfume is gorgeous for me ( Magnetism is the third bottle;)) .
How to know which one is perfect for you?
Its really easy, you gotta pay attention to several things :
- choose perfume depending on season ( there is nothing worst than using some winter scent during the summer );
- the second important thing is color of your hair ( brunettes choose deeper, darker fragrances and most blondes and readheads choose the lighter and fresher tones),
- depending upon your personality and preferences ( or how you feel on that day) perfume tone range from deep, dark and mysterious to light, outgoing, airy and romantic,
- before you buy a perfume, test it on your own skin first, wear it a few hours to see how it reacts, to determinate how long it lasts and then make a decision.
To resume - wear fresh/light during summer and a sweet/dark during winter. If you have your signature perfume ( when people recognize you before you enter the room) that's great, but you should also have a few different perfumes to choose from for evening and day looks. Some fragrances are more suitable for some age groups, so be careful.
I'm not a huge fan of celebrity perfumes, but i gotta admit, there are nice scents (the pleasant surprise was
very cheap perfume from Avon Outspoken intense by Fergie). They are like "must have" for Hollywood and people are buying them because of the name not because of the quality and irresistible scent ( there are exceptions) .They are not for me, but if you like it, why not ...

If i had to choose the top three, it would be Chanel "Coco Mademoiselle" ( im planing to buy the third bottle), Dolce&Gabanna "The One" and Escada ( can't decide which one). I also have one secret crush scent from Guerlain, hope it will be mine soon! ;)
Tell me about your favorites, which one are u using currently, im curious! :)

p.s. on Scentmap.com you can check some perfume advices based on the perfume you are currently using - click Here ...

Black Friday Blog Awards

It's Black Friday, but I'm not shopping.  I'm still in Northern California "enjoying" the snow (I'm not a snow girl).  But, I didn't want any of you who might be reading blogs over the Thanksgiving Holiday to miss me too terribly (it's okay to miss me somewhat, I miss you all too) so I scheduled this post.  That's right, even when I'm away, I'm thinking about you guys.

Here's the deal.  Three of my lovely blogging friends, Kelsey of Charming Pumpkin, Karla of Frugal Big Girl and Erin of Plus Sized Curves Ahead gave me a couple of blog awards last week and I'm quite excited about it because it gives me the opportunity to do two things.  One, I get to share a little bit about myself for my new readers and for those of you who've wondered about my accent.*  Two, and this is my favorite part, I get to share some of my favorite new blogs with you guys.  Very exciting, no? 

Let's get started.  Here are the awards:

And here are the rules:

·         Link back to the fabulous blogger you got the award from (done, done and done)

·         Write 7 random things about yourself (I excel in random things, so, don't worry, I got this)

·         Fill in the question form below (I'll do my best)

·         Give the award to 10 other blogs and let them know (Love to!)

7 random things about me:

1.      I love books.  I read constantly, I just forget to update the What I'm Reading thingy in my sidebar.

2.      I wear a size 10 shoe and am under the impression that is practically dainty for someone my height.  Don't disabuse me of this notion.

3.      I was a three sport athlete in high school - cross country, basketball and track and field.

4.      Zombies both scare and enthrall me; as a result, I am obsessed with The Walking Dead.

5.      I love to laugh.  A lot.  And as loudly as possible.

6.    Grumpy people make me smile.

7.   I ride my bike to work every day, rain, shine or snow.  And it's the best thing I do for myself.

Question and Answer:

·         Name your favorite song: This probably isn’t the best way to start a Q&A, but I don't have a favorite song.  I can, however, tell you that right now I am listening almost constantly to The Black Keys.  Especially their album, Brothers.

·         Name your favorite dessert: Strawberry Lemonade Cake

·         What pisses you off: Besides snow?  People who say “I seen that…” – it makes me stabby when people say “seen” instead of “saw.”

·         When you're upset, you: Shriek and threaten to elbow the offending party in the neck, of course.

·         Your favorite pet: Dogs, I still miss my puppy immensely. 

·         Black or white: I’m both, actually.

·         Your biggest fear: Um… zombies.  Duh.

·         Best feature: I would say my wit, but I guess my smile is okay too.

·         Everyday attitude: I some how manage to be both high strung and disengaged.  It’s a talent.

·         What is perfection: Being woken up late on a Sunday morning from the light streaming through the trees. 

·         Guilty pleasure: The Walking Dead (seriously, I’m obsessed).

And here are some of my new favorite bloggers:

·         Amanda at Something Old Meets Something New – we’re physically polar opposites, but Amanda and her blog are so sweet, you can’t help but love them.

·         Jenn at The Suburb Experiment – Jenn is hilarious and we all know how I like to laugh (see # 5 above).  She’s good at dressing herself too.

·         Tracy at The Closet Shopper – great style and seriously diverse musical interests.  What’s not to like?

·         Kassi at The Closet Intervention – Kassi is a fellow tall blogger with fabulous style and a fabulous personality to match.

·         Fashion Dynamite – Great style and pretty pictures in the woods; an all around lovely blog.

·         Natasha at Required2BeInspired – I’d be inspired by Natasha’s blog even if she didn’t make it a requirement.  She has fabulous style and makes a lot of her own clothes. 

·         Krista at Lazy Saturdays – Krista is crafty, has great style and I LOVE her remix posts.

·         Cambria at Jupe – Cambria is super sweet and her style is what I’d aspire to if I weren’t a total drama queen.

·         Sydney at Basic Cravings – Sydney has very clean, very classic style while working color and the best statement necklaces ever.  Ever, I tell you, ever.

·         Dawn at Suitcase Vignettes – I loved Dawn’s blog from the first moment I read it.  And that was before I found out that she throws the best Halloween parties and pairs awesome fur hats with sequins.  Love.

* I'm just kidding - I have a slight lisp, but no accent.

The dark of the alley ...

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                                                                                                  jeans: pull&bear,
                                                                                                  coat: zara,
                                                                                                  leopard scarf: h&m,
                                                                                                  burgundy scarf: pashmina,
                                                                                                  bag: mona,
                                                                                                  gloves: accessorize,
                                                                                                  ph. BonjourJR

On a rainy Wednesday you only have three seconds to snap a photo of your outfit, and then run into caffe to have a hot chocolate and warm up. I was wearing for the first time two different leopard patterns at once ( we all know who wear it best, Bee of course) and i like it. Burgundy was there to separate these two shades, and my new lipstick to spice it up even more. In one of the upcoming posts, i will show you (as i promised) new nail polishes and this perfect dark lipstick.

p.s. may i ask you to "like" my set HERE, for Luisaviaroma contest?! thank you!

Crabtree&Evelyn b-day party ...

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In May, you had chance to see how was it at Crabtree&Evelyn tea party, and today, im showing you photos from this Tuesday, when they celebrated their first b-day! Lots of delicious food, great products to try, pleasant atmosphere, hand massage , and cute gifts, made this afternoon perfect.
And now, i have to recommend you some products, which i love:
- 60 seconds fix for hands ( im using it couple months already): restore dry, parched hands to silky smoothness in just two easy steps, this product is magical, and you will feel the same after first usage;
- All butter lemon biscuits ( tried for the first time) : classic crispy British heritage biscuits baked in Scotland, bursting with the zest of lemons ,  ideal for lovely tea/coffee time-pleasure;
- Rosewater Body lotion and bath&shower gel ( gift set): this velvety rich body lotion features a moisurising blend of shea butter and evening primrose, almond and coconut oils and this luxurious cleansing gel leaves skin feeling soothed, refreshed and gently scented. Im not a huge fan of Rosewater scents, but this one is really nice, after using it last two days, my skin is great!
Giving season is almost here, and if you like gorgeous packages, beauty products and scents from nature that will nurture your skin, Crabtree&Evelyn is for you! Treat yourself! ;)

Wear It Wednesday: Tunics

I'm participating in Wear it Wednesday today, which is being hosted by the lovely Bekah of Matters of Merrymaking.  This Wednesday's item to wear is tunics, about which I am fairly excited because I love tunics.  And my favorite way to wear them is layered over leggings as I've done here:

In front of a huge sequoia at McMennamins Grand Lodge.

For this outfit I paired snake print leggings (Target) (you can sort of see the snakiness of them in the last shot) under a cream and gold lace tunic (thrifted) which I in turn layered under my trusty black sweater (Jones New York via Ross).  I added flat black boots (Chinese Laundry via Piperlime), a brass and crystal necklace (via Special Portland) and a few bracelets (Banana Republic and Macys).  Full disclosure; I'm pretty sure this tunic was originally sold as a dress.  But, as you can see, it's nowhere near dress length on my tall self.  So, for you tall ladies out there, if you're looking for tunics, look in the dress section - that's what I do.

To see how everyone else wore their tunics today, stop by Matters of Merrymaking; Bekah has a whole list of participants.

Happy Wednesday, Everyone!  I hope everyone has a fabulous Thanksgiving!

Gracey

Notion ...

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                                                                                               boots: mango,
                                                                                               jeans: pull&bear,
                                                                                               belt: accessorize,
                                                                                               jumper: h&m,
                                                                                               necklace: bijou brigitte,
                                                                                               coat: zara,
                                                                                               bag: benetton,
                                                                                               ring: gift,
                                                                                               hat: primark,
                                                                                               ph. Masa

If you are following me on FB page or twitter, you could see my new boots from Mango which i adore! I have them for a month and already wore them many times. They are really comfy and easy to match (remind me of Isabel Marant a little bit) on bare legs, skinny jeans, boho dresses/skirts, you gotta love them! Necklace is also a new piece ( bought  in one cute store with accessories in Haarlem) and fedora with feathers too. Little tomboy or gangster like?  Masculine way to wear them is one of my favorites!
Are you playing an imaginary guitar in front of the mirror with hat on top of your head, while you listening Kings of Leon?! I do, but shh ... ;)