Mint Lace

One of my current favorite color combinations of the moment is mint and gold. Mint has always been one of my most coveted shades, which I find refreshing during the warm summer months. Adding gold to the mix brings a touch of glitz to the look.

The skirt is from Forever 21 and I filched the belt off an H&M jacket I purchased years ago. Paired with a creamy white tank top from Abercrombie, a light cardigan from YesStyle, and sparkly sandals by Vince Camuto, I've got the perfect daytime outfit for a sunny day here in the San Francisco bay! Hope everyone enjoyed a nice Saturday and goodnight!

Hugs,
Cat

Are you Gelish?

One of my favorite ways to relax is to get a pampering mani-pedi. So, a few days ago, I went to a fantastic nail spa located in Oakland called Aveida. For those of you who may live in the area, it's a beautiful, relaxing space with friendly and skilled technicians. They also offer complimentary beverages, such as water, wine, tea, hot cocoa, etc., which I find to be a nice touch. For the month of July, they're running a Yelp check-in special: when you purchase a spa pedicure, you get a free manicure!

This is very exciting. What's more exciting, however, is that I decided to get an upgrade for a Gelish manicure. What is Gelish? It's a gel-based nail polish that takes only seconds to completely dry under LED or UV lighting when applied and remains perfectly glossy and chip-free for anywhere between 2-4 weeks.

Whoo hoo! Sparkly pink tips! I believe this glittery shade is called June Bride #01353. The ladies at Aveida were kind enough to color match regular polish for my toes as well:

Happy hands and feet! And happy Friday to everyone, too. Enjoy your weekend and thanks for reading!

Hugs,
Cat

Happy Independence Day!

Hello everyone! Just popping in to wish everyone a happy 4th of July! And if you don't celebrate this holiday...happy Thursday! :D

The navy, striped one-shoulder tank is from Forever 21, the lace and chiffon mini skirt is from Abercrombie & Fitch, sunglasses are CK, and shoes are by Qupid.

Miss you guys! I'm on my summer break now, so I'll see about posting pics of stuff that happened in between my last post and now. Looking forward to being back! :D

Hugs,
Cat

Boots And Things

I have the most thoughtful hubby! Check out what came in the mail for me the other day:

The Bailey Button Triplet by Ugg. I've been wanting these for awhile. They're such a stylish, casual, comfy little boot that I can easily wear with tights, shorts, skirts, etc. I'm so excited! I also received the care kit in order to keep my new little booties in ship-shape! :D

And as if these weren't enough, I was also gifted with this super-sweet vintage Gunne Sax dress, purchased from American Archive:

It's such a flattering and timeless shape! The straps were a touch too long, but nothing that can't be easily fixed by the tailor. Haha, it's so bad, but having this dress makes me want to get some pretty little western-style boots to go with it. I've been browsing Zappos and I'm totally in love with these distressed, slouchy boots by Durango:

Gasp! Aren't they absolutely gorgeous?! Unfortunately, the price tag is a little high for me and I think I'd be seriously pushing it if I asked my mister to buy me these babies when I haven't even worn the last pair (see above) that he gave me. Haha. Instead, I've settled for these:

Not quite the same, but adorable, nonetheless, and will still achieve the same look. These are Sheriff by Rocket Dog and are a steal at a mere $59 USD. :D

Currently scouting some cool locations here in northern Cali for a "prairie girl" shoot location featuring my sweet little dress and, hopefully, western boots. Crossing my fingers!

Hugs,
Cat

Current Obsession: Vintage Gunne Sax

Argh! I know, I said I'd be posting more, doh! This quarter really has me by the neck, however. We're only 3 weeks in and I feel like it's finals week already! I have one more term to go before graduation, so my professors are really stepping it up! I hope you guys don't mind intermittent posts in the next couple months that are more image-based with minimal text, haha. I just don't have the brain power to write so much these days, I'm using all my juice for school!

Anyways, the weather is getting nice and warm, though in the bay area, temperatures don't exceed the mid to high 70's even during the height of summer. Personally, I think pretty dresses would be perfect for this season and I'm currently OBSESSED with vintage Gunne Sax dresses right now, especially from the 1970's! Check out what I found on eBay:

I found these beauties on an eBay store called American Archive. Aren't they gorgeous? I just love how feminine, romantic, and shabby-chic they are! I like to imagine beautiful, boho-chic girls wearing them to outdoor music festivals back in the day...*sigh* so romantic! I MUST MUST MUST get my little paws on a few of these, they would make for some gorgeous shoots, wouldn't they?

Hugs,
Cat

Strolling Through Paradise

Hi all! So, looks like I'll be back for a little while again! :D After a grueling school term, my most difficult one yet, I took a much-needed vacation, during my spring break, on the island of Maui in Hawaii. We stayed at the gorgeous Westin Maui Resort & Spa on Kaanapali Beach. Such a beautiful, beautiful hotel. The grounds were impeccably manicured, we had an oceanfront room whose balcony overlooked five swimming pools and a perfect view of the beach, and there was even a waterfall and lagoon in the lobby, complete with live flamingos! I can't wait to tell you all about my adventures in the next post!

However, back to business. I thought, it's been awhile since we've done a style shoot, and where best to have one than in the amazing paradise that is Maui? So, early one morning before the hustle and bustle of other hotel guests, I got all gussied up and we were able to get a few good style shots that embodied the exotic and luxurious feel of my vacation experience.

This Forever 21 dress is one of my current favorites! The corset-style bustier is the prettiest blue floral print and has an open lattice design on the sides. The high-low skirt portion is a deep, navy blue chiffon and is partially lined. You may have seen my clutch from previous posts, Jason Wu for Target. And my black velveteen, open-toed pumps are from Cathy Jean.

Thanks for reading and I hope you all enjoyed this post! I've really missed blogging and am looking forward to posting more regularly in the coming weeks! :D

Hugs,
Cat

EOTD: Glitzy Purple featuring Urban Decay

Oh hello. Long time no see! This has got to be the most insane quarter I've experienced at school! No free time, no weekends. Boo hoo! I've been really sad and I've totally missed blogging. For those who have stuck around during this dry spell, thank you thank you!

Anyways, it's currently finals week for me, but I thought I'd take a break from my current project for a few moments to give you guys SOMETHING, ANYTHING! Since I've been so pressed for time these days, I've recently discovered ways of doing rapid, dramatic, long-lasting eyes. I wanted to share one of my favorite looks of the moment with you all:

This is a really easy look that takes just mere minutes and adds a nice color pop and sparkle to the eye!  Here are the products I used:

Clockwise from bottom left: Urban Decay 24/7 Glide On Eyeshadow Pencils in Delinquent, Sin, Rehab. Urban Decay Heavy Metal Glitter Eyeliner in Catfight.

From left to right: Maybelline Eyestudio Gel Eyeliner and Maybelline Full N Soft Waterproof Mascara, both in Black.

What I like is that this look requires no primer and (nearly) no brushes. The eyeshadow pencils are a smooth, lightweight formula that glide on easily and lasts all day with no creasing.  Here's how I got the look:

1. apply Rehab on entire eyelid and blend with finger

2. apply Sin to brow arch and blend with finger

3. apply Delinquent in a thick, winged shape along upper lash line

4. trace a thinner, winged line along upper lash line with black gel eyeliner, overlapping Delinquent

5. apply black gel liner to bottom lash line and outline with Rehab (this softens the line and also makes the black eyeliner more smear-resistant)

5. apply Catfight right on the boundary between the black eyeliner and the purple winged shadow

6. curl lashes, apply mascara, and you're done!

I've been sporting this look with different colors for a week or so now, the simplicity has me spoiled and it's hard to imagine going back to meticulous shading with pressed shadows once more. But, then again, my moods are fickle and a week or two from now, I'll probably be obsessed with something new. Hope you guys enjoyed this post! I promise I'll be back again once this week is over!

Hugs,

Cat