HOLIDAY STYLE WITH BANANA REPUBLIC

It's my favorite time of year!!! It's the holiday season! Christmas and New Year's Eve is right around the corner. Is everyone ready!? My Christmas playlist has been on repeat since November so I'm in full mode holiday happiness. Today, I'm sharing my holiday look with Banana Republic. Are you ready for some layering? It's finally cold enough to start layering your pieces. The easiest way for me to put together any outfit during Christmas or New Year's Eve is to either add fur, sequins or both.

What I Wore:

Skirt: Banana Republic
Gloves: Banana Republic
Top & Faux Fur: H&M
Sunnies: Zero UV

Fashion Tip: Holiday style tip: add faux fur for instant glam. Add anything sequins for a Christmas/NYE look.

Everyone loves a little shine and sparkle during the holidays, so this skirt is perfect for the season. It's well fitted but flares at the bottom so it's not binding. The length is just above the knee for a classy look and I'm totally loving bell sleeve look these days so I paired the skirt with a plain bell sleeved top. The outfit felt like it was missing a little something, so the perfect accessory to top it off is a [faux] fur throw. If you're feeling a little "blah" about your outfit, just add some fur. That'll make you feel better!

We don't usually get the opportunity to wear gloves often in California because it never gets that cold. BUT, if I needed to, I'd definitely wear these leather gloves. They're soft leather and so lady like. And, I didn't realize how convenient they are because there are two fingers that have some material on it that allows you still use your phone! I know a lot of gloves have it but it still amazes me when such pretty gloves have them. When you have such statement pieces like a sequin skirt, fur throw and bow gloves, you have to keep everything else simple. I finished the outfit with easy strap black heels and my classy YSL clutch. The perfect holiday outfit broken down.

I hope everyone enjoys their holidays with friends and family! Banana always has amazing sales so definitely check it out.

Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Years, Valentine's Day... It's going to be a busy few months!!! Have fun and be safe everyone. Thanks for reading!!

OFFICE STYLE WITH TAHARI ASL

Happy Tuesday everyone and welcome to a short work week! I think most people are already checked out. I know I'm ready to enjoy a nice and long Thanksgiving weekend... aren't you? But before everyone is off feasting, I wanted to talk about some office inspired outfits from one of my new favorite brands. I'm always on the hunt for classic and elegant professional outfits that don't break the bank and Tahari ASL is a one stop shop for great quality and fashionable pieces.

Below are 6 of my preferred looks for the office, ranging from the perfect skirt and blazer combination, the coordinated pant suit and the easy to wear dress.

1: Faux Leather-Trim Ponté Jacket Dress
2: Metallic Bouclé Skirt Suit
3: Scrunch Sleeve Pantsuit
4: Starneck Pinstriped Pantsuit
5: Foldover Neck Sheath
6: Faux-Leather Trim Graphic Fit-And-Flare Dress

Fashion Tip: When dressing for any occasion, comfort and fit are always key. This is especially true in the office. Invest in key items that fit well. If it doesn't, spend the extra money to get it tailored. Not too loose. Not too tight. Think Goldilocks and the three bears... it needs to fit JUST RIGHT. (Please tell me my readers know the Goldilocks story... or else I'm going to start feeling very old.)

Fashion gets easier once you know what looks work best for you. I gravitate towards anything that is effortless and comfortable. What I love most about Tahari is how every collection looks timeless and sophisticated. As we move through different stages in our lives, we change. As we evolve, so does our style. I'm loving every piece from this collection and I can't wait to add more to my closet. I'm literally in my work clothes all day everyday now so it makes sense to invest in pieces that I can wear outside the office as well. The skirts and blazers make great mix and match items.

I hope this post was helpful for those that have asked me where I shop for my work outfits. Thanks for reading and have a safe and happy Thanksgiving weekend with your friends and family! Check back for more outfit posts and fashion tips.

“The only thing that matters is the product...there’s no substitute for consistent quality, fit and style.” —Arthur S. Levine

9 TO 5 STYLE WITH BANANA REPUBLIC

Happy Monday everyone! Today I'm talking about my 9 to 5 style with the help of Banana Republic. Not sure how everyone else feels about it but office style is one of the most difficult styles for me to accomplish. I think it's because I'm always struggling between what's office appropriate and what's still trendy and stylish. But I think I've gotten it narrowed down to a few key pieces.

Photographer babe: B

What I Wore: Top: Banana Republic | Pants: Banana Republic | Bag: Botkier | Sunnies: Zero UV

Fashion Tip: So. A few things to note. Fitted pants are really easy to style for the office. The SLOAN fitted pants are my favorites from Banana republic. The quality is great and I love the way it fits my legs. I also prefer slim fit and ankle pants because I feel as if it looks nicer with pumps. P.S. Hands down my favorite considering I've tried pants/slacks from literally everywhere. (Price point is higher than some stores but BR always has great sales so keep that in mind!)

After you scored the perfect pants, you have to find a top that doesn't make you have to check yourself twice every few seconds. You know what I mean? That means, get a handful of tops that aren't too tight, breathable material, nothing too low (the ladies stay hidden at the office) and you can never go wrong with sleeves. Loose fitting blouses are the way to go. Do a half tuck with the blouse and pair with either pumps or strappy heels. I added the clutch because I like to have something in my hand when I shoot.

That was a longer fashion tip than usual! I usually keep my fashion tips to about 1-2 sentences but I've had a lot of questions regarding my corporate style. I'm still working on refining it so I had to let you know all the details. Another thing I'd like to add is that there's nothing wrong with tailoring. There's no way one brand can make clothes that fit all shapes and sizes so the best way for me to make sure I love what I'm wearing is to find a good tailor and fix everything. I'm not the tallest, skinniest or curviest so I'm always tailoring something. (P.S. Banana Republic compensated me for this post -- However, all opinions and tips are my own.)

Have a great week and thanks for letting me type out loud. I hope it helps some of you in figuring out what and where to get work clothes! Be back soon with another post.

OLIVE THIS JUMPSUIT

Today's easy peasy #ootd combo: jumpsuit + sneakers + backpack + big sunnies. BAM.

Photographer babe: B

What I Wore: Jumpsuit: Tobi | Backpack: Clove + Revel | Sunnies: ZeroUV | Sneakers: Adidas

See more styles: Maxi Dresses, Long Sleeve Dresses, Shift Wrap Dresses, Tunic Dresses

Fashion Tip: I can't say this enough. DOUBLE. SIDED. TAPE. For anything and everything that is low plunge. Also, sneakers are very trendy right now so they pair really well with t-shirt dresses and jumpsuits.

Fun fact: My cute Clove + Revel backpack is actually named JO. So perfect for me right!? Lol. I love it.

I've always been a fan of effortless outfits that can be dressed up or down. This jumpsuit isn't any different. In this post, I dressed it down because I wear heels to the office all day everyday so when I get the chance, I like to go as casual as possible. However, this same jumpsuit can be a super cute outfit to wear out with your girlfriends if you paired it with some heels or wedges. I would suggest a cognac or tan heels because olive and tan just go really well together.

I'll be posting a couple more summer looks soon! Stay tuned! Thanks for reading :)

CULOTTE JUMPSUIT

Happy Monday everyone! Today's ootd: culottes!

Photographer babe: Marilyn Noir

What I Wore: Jumpsuit: Adelyn Rae | Sunnies: Zero UV | Clutch: Missguided | Heels: Missguided

Fashion Tip: Culottes aren't for everyone and won't flatter every body type. When I wear culottes, I always keep it simple and pair with strappy heels. I avoid anything to make myself look chunky.

I've been reading a lot of self-improvement books lately because I think it's easy to forget your purpose, your goals, your morals and values. Sometimes, when times get tough I lose focus and lose motivation. The books are great reminders of things you probably already know but helps reassure you and gives you the extra push you need. I just finished reading You are a Badass by Jen Sincero and am now starting The Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg. Not sure if anyone cares or needs it like I do, but it's helped me.

I hope everyone has a happy and productive Monday!!

Next blog post: how a simple moto jacket can add some edge to a spring fling romper.

MINIMALIST FASHION + MOTHERS DAY GIFTS

Today's post: minimalist style and what I got mama for Mother's Day!

Photographer babe: Marilyn Noir

What I Wore: Top: Forever 21 | Pants: H&M | Clutch: Missguided | Heels: Missguided

Fashion Tip: The way I achieve a minimalist style is clean cut lines and simple pieces.

As I've gotten older, I've noticed that I gravitate towards a more clean, simple and minimalist style. It's easier for corporate style and frankly I get pretty lazy to stack tons of jewelry and accessorize. To start putting together a more minimalist closet, make sure you have your basic colors: black, white, gray and tan. Next, have some classic pieces: the perfect white tee, ripped jeans (black + blue), moto jacket, lbd, a jumpsuit that you can throw on at any time and leggings that you'd run errands in. Lastly, have some shoes that go with everything: nude strappy heels, black pumps and booties are a great start.

Thanks to Miracle Links I'm able to gift mama and sissy the cutest and most sentimental Mother's Day present ever. The big circle represents the mother and each little link represents the child. So, mama gets two links and sissy gets one link for Tristan baby.

To my forever unit... you're the best mom and sister anyone can ever ask for. I'm beyond blessed to have you both in my corner to always support whatever I decide to do. I'm grateful that we've only gotten closer and stronger over the years and if I EVER have a baby I only hope to be as amazing as you both are. Love you both and Happy early Mother's Day!! We'll celebrate together when we're all in Texas together!

I hope you guys got your Mother's Day shopping done! Wishing all the mom's out there a wonderful weekend. We should celebrate you everyday because a mother's job is unconditional and never ending. So thank you for all that you do!

MONDAY MORNINGS WITH BANANA REPUBLIC

Happy Monday everyone! I hope you all had a fun and relaxing weekend! Monday's are always tough on everyone so I wanted to share a small part of how I start my mornings with you before I start a long week.

Photographer babe: Marilyn Noir

What I Wore: Pants: Banana Republic | Heels: Banana Republic | Sunglasses: Zero UV | Clutch: Missguided

Fashion Tip: The rules on business casual outfits are blurred for me because every office is different. However, I always stick to my number one rule of fashion: wear what you're comfortable in. Slacks are always professional, you can never go wrong with a simple with tee and a pop of color never hurt anyone.

How do you start your week? Sunday's are important for me because it sets the tone for my Monday's which sets the tone for my week. I like to have a nice and relaxing Sunday so I can prep for everything I need to do the following week. Have you read the article that talks about decision fatigue or the article about the art director that wears the same thing to work everyday? Basically, these articles say that the more choices you make throughout the day, the harder each one becomes for your brain, and eventually it looks for shortcuts which leads to decision fatigue.

I've experienced this a lot. Not knowing what to wear to work or hating the outfit you have on can put a damper on anyone's morning. It doesn't sound like a big deal but little changes throughout the day makes huge impacts on your day. So for me, knowing what to wear and what looks good on me helps me get over small obstacles that would otherwise frustrate me so early on in the day.

90% of my office wear is BR so I pretty much got my system down. Their slacks are so well fitted that I never have to try them on anymore because I know exactly how my size will fit on me. I love having my basics down -- slacks in the main colors: black, navy, gray and white. Pinstripes that fit well are a bonus. When I'm wearing the same color on color, I like to add a pop of color. Orange is very Summer and it goes well with white.

I've had a lot of people ask me where I shop for my office outfits so here's my secret everyone! Lol, also, Banana always has THE BEST SALES. You just have to wait.

(Banana Republic provided free product in exchange for this post HOWEVER - all opinions expressed are my own, thanks!)

Last but not least, COFFEE. COFFEE makes the world go round especially on Monday mornings...