OOTD: Loft Henley Two Pocket Blouse + Stella & Dot Scarf Giveaway

With one of the first winter chills making its' way to Miami, I was eager to bring out these tall boots and coat.  Of course, my coat is 3/4 sleeves, and the blouse I'm wearing in these pictures is basically sheer, but  that's how we do it here!  

I also thought it was a great time to run a new giveaway from Stella & Dot.  You may not know this, but S&D has branched out into the scarf, wallet and handbag market.  This scarf was provided to me by S&D for this giveaway and I couldn't be happier; it's so cute, with its tropical parrot print and vibrant colors.  

These boots were part of my Kansas vacation prep, got them on 6PM.com, a really affordable website that I normally use for work shoes, (since I plow through a pair every three months). I usually stick to buying Nine West pumps from their site, but I saw these boots and thought that the price couldn't be beat.  Of course, I would love a pair of gorgeous Tory Burch boots, with gold hardware (hint, hint), but for the price of half of one TB boot, I bought two pairs!

A 100% natural lens flare!

My boyfriend and The Fashionable ESQ's VP takes all of my photos.  I recently linked him to this blog post from the blog Not Dressed Like Lamb (check her out, she's creative and has a ton of personality that translates into her photos) for photo tips on how to shoot photos in sunlight.  The article was very helpful, albeit, lengthy, but definitely filled with great tips if you want to improve the look and feel of your pictures.  I loved how he was able to capture the light behind me in these shots.

Jennifer Zeuner monogram pendant coupled with an Etsy necklace.

Wearing this gold cuff by Kenneth Cole that I got from Piperlime, I love chunky and bold jewelry.  

Lately I've been mixing brown and black, and I'm slowly getting used to the idea.  I used to never combine these colors before, mostly because I barely owned anything brown, but now I've been branching out - and I like the color palette of this outfit a lot.  What do you guys think? 

To the right is my best Michael Jackson post. "HEE HEE!"

ENTER GIVEAWAY BELOW!

What I'm Wearing: 
Scarf: Stella & Dot
LOFT Henley Two Pocket Blouse (still available and 50% off with code SAVE50) (similar here and here).
Seven For All Mankind High Shine Skinny Jeans (still available) (Color is Petrol Blue) (similar here and here). I can't say enough good things about these, they're so, so flattering.  It's like they have built-in Spanx!  And the color is this perfectly dark teal. Love.
Express Floppy Hat via TJMaxx, similar here. 
Kenneth Cole Gold Cuff Bracelet (still available) (similar here).
Jennifer Zeuner Monogram Pendant (still available) (similar here) (awesome blue acrylic version)
Etsy Four Leave Clover necklace (still available)
Sam & Libby Slazeel Sy Boot (still available - $40) (similar here, 50% off, and here). a Rafflecopter giveaway

OOTD: Oxblood Pants + Winner of the Teeology Giveaway

The weather is finally beginning to get slightly cooler here in Miami! This means that we can get more outfit shots outside and not have to rush through the pictures because I'm melting away!
This button-down shirt from Express is one of my favorites.  It's structured and it does not wrinkle in the least. Do not underestimate the versatility of plain white button-downs; they have endless styling possibilities, just like plain white t-shirts.  For this look, I buttoned the shirt up to the collar so that I could wear my vintage Dior necklace over the collar  You may remember my awesome aunt who developed a skin allergy and gifted me with all of these pieces.

The leggings are from Target by Mossimo (previously seen in this post).   They are soft and have a thick black elastic waistband.  They do run big, and they do stretch out.  Big leggings are not cute.  They sag and droop where they're not supposed to and they add girth. Grrr...

I took a risk by cinching the waist with a leather sash belt from a faux fur vest I have by Aqua (Bloomingdales' brand).  I like the look, I know it's austere and severe, but I had fun with it.  Also, cinching the shirt at the waist created sort of a faux peplum look! I am in love with these earrings that I bought last year, and I decided they don't get enough wear, so here you go!

Orchid: The Pleasure Garden, Miami

Have you guys heard of the show, Orchid yet?  I was so excited to have had the opportunity to have been treated by Orchid to dinner and their wonderful show!

It is a traveling show that debuted in Miami recently and will be playing through the New Year.

The show is being touted as Cirque du Soleil meets Moulin Rouge, and I have to say, that it lives 

up to these comparisons.  

The Orchid experience begins by entering the gated circus area, where you're met with their "pleasure garden" consisting of different areas that are made to look like a traveling 19th century circus, complete with a "vintage European cabaret tent" and restaurant. 

Miami's award winning and beloved chef, Michelle Bernstein (of Michy's) lent her skills to the pop up restaurant where we had dinner.  The food was delicious!  For starters, we ate the jamon serrano and cheese croquettas - they were so good. Crispy on the outside and perfectly melded flavors on the inside.  For the main course we ordered Michy's Fried Chicken and Snapper Francaise Al Mojo, which were both winning entrees.

(Click below for the rest of this post) 

Art Basel 2012: Cartier Miami Design District

A couple of months ago the Cartier boutique in Bal Harbor closed shop in order to transfer to Miami's Design District.  Last week, our city played host to Art Basel, an art event and fair that has gained so much popularity in the last five years or so, that people from all parts of the world attend.  Art Basel brings multiple nightly parties to Miami.  Not one to be outdone (ever), Cartier hosted a series of Basel fetes; one of them being a cocktail party showcasing some of their most coveted pieces.

On Thursday night, I attended this event at the Cartier Boutique, Miami, located at 151 NE 40th street (near Michael's Genuine), in the Design District.

The event was perfectly executed, from the mouth-watering light bites that were passed, down to the Cartier champagne that kept making the rounds.

The store aesthetic was ultra-luxe - plush purple carpet and orchids throughout the space, coupled with a really unique display of baby's breath, clustered in the center of the room.  I'd never seen baby's breath look this chic. Honestly, it looked like a cloud.

The jewels were arranged throughout the space in glass display cases, like a museum, and I made my way throughout the store, picking my favorites out and even trying some of them on.  Everyone on staff was so polite and indulged my every whim.  You would like to try on the new ring from the Caresse D'Orchidees Par Cartier collection? Oh, no problem! Let me take it out of the display case with my gloved hand and pour you a glass while you wait.  Nice.

{PS click this link to enter the current giveaway that I'm hosting with Teeology}

OOTD: Teeology Big Love tee

Sometimes I'm in an over-embellished mood. I love studs, appliques, sequins, pailettes, etc., This boucle jacket is one of my favorites; I snatched it up last year from Macy's and have loved it ever since.  It combines two of my favorite design elements: boucle and studs! 

I love it paired with the Big Love tee from Teeology that I'm wearing in these pictures.

Don't forget to enter my Teeology giveaway here 

Holiday Gift Guide II

I have been wanting to do holiday gift guides dedicated to just one theme.  I started one for red holiday dresses (inspired by the Asos Oasis Red Skater dress, in this gorgeous cherry red) then I started one for glittery holiday accessories...but because I have red bouncy ball syndrome (as my boyfriend calls it) I was so easily distracted by all things that I could not stay within collage theme.
The result is this mish-mash of items for Holiday Gift Guide II; not within theme but still packed with great gift ideas. (Check out my first guide guide here).

The first item on the list is this (1)Joie Adelia Striped Cardigan - something about comfy stripes gets me every time.  Wouldn't it be so cute paired with this cross body (3)Danielle Nicole Julia Flap bag? It comes in two colors, and my favorite is the lavender.  My pick for the handbag that looks the most luxe but chimes in under $120 is the (11)Danielle Nicole Alexa Tote.  Love this thing.



I've been wondering about this (10) L'Occitane Almond Skin Oil.  Some would say it's a silly purchase (it's not cheap), but the reviews on Sephora are really great for it and one of my favorite scents for beauty products is almond.  Do any of you have this? What do you think?


So, I'm not sure if I'm late to the party on this one but Nordstrom is now selling MAC products online? Has this always happened? I love pigments so naturally,(7) this Crushed Metallic Pigment set made my cut. 

Don't forget to enter my Teeology Giveaway!

Happy Shopping:
1. Joie Adelia Striped Cardigan
2. Michael Kors Oversized Runway watch in Rose Gold (as seen in this post)
3. Danielle Nicole Julia Flap Bag 
4. Mossimo Women's Colored Ponte Pant in Bloodstone (I own these and I love them - size down, they stretch with wear).
5. Peace Love Threads Rock Candy Ring
6. Peace Love Threads Agate & Turquoise Ring
7. MAC Crushed Metallic Pigment Set

8. Club Monaco Wide Gold Cuff
9. Miriam Merenfeld Heart Tag Necklace
10. L'Occitane Almond Skin Oil
11. Danielle Nicole Alexa Tote

OOTD: Teeology Limited Edition Luxury Tess + Teeology Giveaway

A few months ago I was invited to preview the debut of Teeology, the new t-shirt line founded by Jennifer Lopez and co-founded by Miami native Erica Zohar.  Unfortunately, I was unable to attend the event (it was during the work day, boo!!) so I didn't get a chance to see the entire debut line in person, like my Miami blogging pal, Dee did (check out her blog, the Haute Frugalista!)

Now, back to business!  The Teeology concept is a great one:  t-shirts designed by up and coming artists and creative minds (like yours and mine ;).  These designs are then showcased on the website for a limited time, where you are given the chance to vote on which designs makes the cut.  Only those that earn the most votes get made into shirts.  Teeology also carries a line of basics, which I am eager to get my hands on.

Closeup of one of my Teeology tee's.

I've test driven the tee's for a while now, and I am always reaching for one of them.  The shirts I've worn are high quality and very, very soft.  They are tailored perfectly, too.  Very happy with them.

The super sweet people at Teeology have just made your day (and mine) by gifting you guys with the t-shirt Ms. Lopez is wearing in the photo above.  Yep, this adorable Viva Love cropped tee in YOUR SIZE is up for grabs in my giveaway!  This giveaway is a sponsored giveaway and is open to U.S. and Canadian residents only. It is mandatory for entry that you like my blog via GFC and that you like Teeology's FB page. 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Neiman Marcus for Target Designer Collaboration

EDIT: all of this stuff is now 70% off with Free Shipping!

The eagerly anticipated Neiman Marcus for Target capsule collection has arrived!  Local Target stores open at 8:00 AM this morning in anticipation of the collection's debut!  You can shop the items online through my post, or go to the stores and see what you can scour in person - but go elbow-pad ready, ladies, especially in Miami.  You know how we do. 

This stuff is expected to sell out quickly, so you should get your little paws on it early. 

What I like about the collaboration is that you get a multitude of designers that are sold at Neiman's designing for Target.  They did not limit the designs to just clothing, but also designed home goods, which I love!  

Jason Wu designed these really cute holiday ornaments (lace covered ornament, anyone?), while Altuzarra designed these old world cocktail glasses which would be the perfect addition to the bar cart that I have been furiously hunting down (matching shaker here). Or perhaps a minimalist dog bowl by Oscar de la Renta is more up your alley? 

Scroll by using the arrows to the left and right of the images below, to see my picks for home goods from the collection. 

My personal clothing faves from this collection include this blazer , these Derek Lam leopard loafers, and the Tracey Reese Blouse.

In my opinion, the homegoods are the standout pieces from this collaboration, but there are two dresses that cannot.be.overlooked: Robert Rodriguez Lace Cocktail Dress  & this Lela Rose for Target Dress 

Scroll by using the arrows to the left and right of the images below, to see my fashion picks from the collection.

OOTD: GAP Faux Fur Vest + Driving through Kansas

If you follow my blog you know that I was in Kansas for Thanksgiving with my boyfriend.  After having spent our days eating (everything in sight), and watching movies, it was time to move on and visit some of his college buddies.

So we packed into our mini-van rental, and drove.

And drove.

Kansas is flat.  It's got a lot of land and few buildings out near the open road.  It was definitely different for me to see the natural landscape, and lack of skyscrapers, but it was a welcomed change.  It was peaceful and I was happy.

Oh, and I'd like to dispel a popular misconception: tumbleweeds do not constantly 'tumble' throughout the landscape my friends.  In fact, I didn't see any while I was there (inside joke, sort of).

Dressing for a cold weather climate can be a bit challenging because you're not spending most of your time outside (hopefully) so the moment you get indoors, and the heat is on, you have to peel off all of your layers.  Because of this, I kept it simple; I didn't really accessorize this look so that the feature would be the vest.

So...how to wear a vest? Easy. Long sleeves, leggings and boots - the official cold weather uniform.

What I'm Wearing: 

Vest: GAP Fitted Puffer Vest(Take 25% off w/ code GAP25) - Similar here & here & here( 40% off).
Leggings: Newport News (sold out) - Similar here & here.
Boots: Sofft via 6pm.com Claremont style. (Unbeatable price - from $189 to $60!! And SO comfortable/ TTS) Available in black here.
Oxblood Sweater: Gap (Soldout) similar here & here.
White Fleece: Old Navy Women's Performance Fleece V-Neck.  This is only $8! And with your Old Navy card you can save 30% using code STUFFSAVE; if you don't have a card, you can save 20% at checkout by entering code ONHOLIDAY.

OOTD: LOFT Marisa Velvet Skinny Pants + Pattern Mixing Stripes

Before I left for Kansas with my boyfriend, to spend Thanksgiving, I stopped in at my local LOFT in Miami.  If you can believe this, I had never, ever shopped at LOFT before.  This is unusual for me because I have a 9-5 that requires office attire, and a lot of my fellow ESQ's get really cute work clothes there.

I can now say that I am a happy LOFT customer and I will be back!  Most of the pieces from this outfit are LOFT and of course, my necklace, which I bought the night of the Sophie Theallet meet & greet, is from The Limited.  It has not come off since I got it! (Can't find the link to it on the site yet, though).

Today is a great day to shop LOFT because their entire they have a huge selection of sale items up to 70% off!

Shop the post below:

I had been looking for a pair of velvet pants for a little while now and the Marisa pant from LOFT solved that problem.  These are so flattering and elongating! They're true to size, lightweight and comfortable.  

Although the pattern on this oversized cardigan is very busy, I think it works with the stripes on my top because the stripes are relatively spaced apart, and the shirt is not that busy.  What do you think about mixing stripes with other busy patterns? 

What I'm Wearing:
LOFT Striped Cotton Tee  (Similar here) 50% off with code ENJOY50

LOFT Marisa Velvet Skinny Pants (velvet pant option here and here) now $44 with an extra 50% off - no code needed!

LOFT Open Front Cardigan (cannot find online) (similar)50% off with code ENJOY50
The Limited Statement Necklace (cannot find online) (almost identical necklace here, here), and similar here. 
Shoes: Via Spiga (as seen here). Similar pair here & here (good sale on these).

Cyber Monday 2012 + Holiday Sales 2012

It's SALE SEASON - AGAIN.   Yay!!!!!!

Ok, here we go (in ABC order): 

*HINT: J.Crew & J.Crew Factory are pretty good! 

And don't miss out on DVF's extra 30% off sale merchandise OR on the SAKS sale*

ALICE + OLIVIA

11/22-11/26 – 20% off site wide – no code needed!

Click below for the full list of sales

OOTD Old Navy Puffer Vest + Warren Old Town Theater, Wichita KS

Hi! I'm blogging from Kansas, where I am spending the Thanksgiving holiday with my boyfriend & his wonderful family.  In anticipation of this trip, I bought a bunch of "winter clothes" (of course), and have had a lot of fun mixing and matching the new items with some of my older items. 

This Old Navy red puffer vest (oddly named the Quilted Frost-Free Vest) is a cute cold weather accessory for a casual outfit.  I found mine to be true to size, although many of the Old Navy online reviews complain about the sizing on this being off.  It is a puffer vest, so it will naturally add a little bulk to your frame; you're not going to look very svelte in this because it does not cinch in at the waist, but that is the style and fit on these.

These pictures were taken with my Iphone! I am outside the Warren Old Town Theater for $5 Wednesdays! We all came here to watch Skyfall, took up an entire row, and ate lunch as we watched the movie. The theater has a fully functioning restaurant with waitstaff that wait on you as you watch your movie, which was fun.

Tip: Try the cheese fries. Really good.

A red puffer vest can be a little bit of a risk, especially when pairing it with a plaid flannel (think lumberjack) but I think this worked out.

I Am Wearing:

Old Navy Women's Quilted Frost-Free Vest in Radiant Red (A really chic, sleek alternative here)

Seven For All Mankind skinny jeans (Kate style) (similar here & here)

Minnetonka fur lined moccasins via TJMaxx (Cally style) (similar here)

Forever21 white 'wayfarer' style sunglasses (sold out) (similar here)

Ever Flannel Plaid Shirt (Similar here & here)

Holiday Gift Guide + Peace Love Threads

Hello, everyone!

This week I'm bringing you a gift guide, sponsored, in part, by Peace Love Threads.  PLT is a company that has three chic ladies at its' helm: a model, a PR guru and a chic stylist, who all put their heads together to form a socially conscious and chic online boutique. 

What I like most about this company is their socially conscious streak: 10% of their annual net proceeds are donated to charitable efforts that help women and young children in need.  They also have something called Love Shop, which is an ongoing collection throughout the year that accepts donations of clothing and accessories that are donated to people who need them.  You can help out by purchasing items from the Love Shop section of PLT or you can choose to make a separate donation.  The current Love Shop project is taking donation to help victims of Hurricane Sandy. 

Get 20% off your purchase + free shipping on all Peace Love Threads merchandise with code "black friberday"

1. Ikat Phone Case  / / 

2. Ban.do Good Time Clip  / /

3.  Peace Love Threads Earrings (20% off with code "black friberday")

4. Ban.do Tiny Pom Pom Set (20% off with code GIVETHANKS) //

5. Michael Kors Cocktail Ring (use code BIGEVENT12) // 

6. Holst + Lee Jewel Tone (use code BIGEVENT12) (similar statement bracelet here) //

7. Asos PRIOR Pointed High Heel (30% off with code CYBERMONDAYSPECIAL)

** For Shopbop purchases, don't forget to use online code BIGEVENT12 at checkout for 20% off of $250, etc**

8. Polka Dot Soup Bowls // 9. Bullhorn Ipad Speaker // 10. Urban Decay Naked 2 Eye shadow Palette // 11. Kate Spade Lip Crayon Box Set // 12. Peace Love Threads Wrapped Jewel Bracelets  // 13. Peace Love Threads Cutoff Comet Sweater // 14. Ciate Caviar Mini Bar  // 

15. Kate Spade Kaleidoball Encrusted Bangle 

16. Peace Love Threads Bustier Dress (20% off with code "black friberday")//
17. F21 Studded Handbag (Thanks, Alyson, for this bag suggestion!) //
18. Peace Love Threads Twisted Cord Friendship Bracelet (20% off with code "black friberday")  19. Giraffe Plate
20. Asos Jewel Print Silk Scarf (30% off with code CYBERMONDAYSPECIAL) //
21. Peace Love Threads Studded Flats //
22. Asos Plate and Spike Detail Waist Belt (30% off with code CYBERMONDAYSPECIAL) //
23. Enamel Initial Cuff //
24. Kate Spade Working From Home Ipad Case

The Limited, Dadeland Mall; Sophie Theallet and The Limited Designer Collaboration

For a couple of days, take FIFTY percent off your online purchase at The Limited with online code CYBER

Hello! I am happy to say that I'm back from my life-imposed online moratorium! I am all settled in to my new apartment with all electronics, Wi-Fi, 4G, whatever -  all hooked up! Yay!

Melificent & I attended an event at The Limited store at Dadeland Mall.  They were featuring their latest designer collaboration, which is with designer Sophie Theallet, who you may know from, oh, I don't know, dressing the First Lady of the United States...

 

The standout piece of the evening was this little dress that comes in black, bright pink, coral and ivory (everyone in the store was trying it on and taking pictures with Theallet in it!), but I (not surprisingly) gravitated towards the metallic houndstooth cropped pants of my dreams.  These gorgeous little guys, seen in the first picture, and below on me (fitting room picture) are not available online yet, but when they are, you should go out and get them (similar here).

   In the meantime, get your hounds tooth fix by picking up these season appropriate tights. 

This cute little belt came home with me :) Buy yours here.

That really cute lips sweater is the Forenza Graphic Sweater, available here.

Something that struck me from just browsing the general selection at The Limited was how chic their stuff has gotten.  I don't remember the last time I shopped at The Limited, but I do think that there has been a push in the right direction in terms of their designs and styles.  The designer collaborations, like the one with Theallet, are good for business. 

As Meli and I shopped, we found that there were a lot of pretty accessories that ranged in price, but were overall affordable.  Check out the Sophie Theallet Beaded Bauble Bracelet, or this jeweled number.  I also really liked this jeweled cluster chain belt from Theallet's collection.

Thank you to The Limited at Dadeland Mall for hosting us and a big thank you to Meli who I love and need to see more of. <3

Shop the post below here and don't forget to take 50% off your Limited purchase with online code EARLY50.

The Limited