Four Outfits With Novelty Vinca Jewelry

T-Shirt: Daisy Natives via Hello Holiday / Skirt: Modcloth / Ice Cream Earrings: c/o Vinca (exact)

When I was in jr. high, I had a strong obsession with big earrings. I lived for pairs from Claire's, and the longer they were, the better. Of course, I eventually got older and the trends I liked when I was 13 no longer seemed cool. Over the years, my taste in jewelry has gone through a number of incarnations. I went through my "pile on as much possible" phase, my "wear a million rings at all times" phase, my "statement necklace only" phase, and my "dainty gold jewelry" phase, among others. Lately, I haven't been wearing much at all and have been leaning more toward scarves and such, but I think I'm finally ready to jump back on the big earring train.

Of course, it helps getting the opportunity to try it out with adorable pairs from Vinca, an awesome women-run small business out of Austin. They kindly let me choose some AMAZING jewelry, and I couldn't help but style them all immediately. The ice cream earrings are clearly my favorite (especially after seeing them at the Museum of Ice Cream), but keep reading to see how I styled my other pieces. It's not every day you get jewelry that matches all of your true passions: ice cream, eggs, dogs, and french fries.

(P.S. Don't forget to check out my Orange County photo locations guide!)

Girls Support Girl Power

I wasn't joking when I said that I was a T-shirt person now. Well, not completely, but I'm a T-shirt person when brands I like put out cute ones that I can't resist, especially when they're for a good cause. I'm assuming that most of you reading this have seen this shirt and know the story behind it, but I'm going to tell it again just in case. Daisy Natives is the maker behind the adorable and super popular Girls Support Girls shirts, and she teamed up with the beautiful ladies of Hello Holiday to put out this limited edition black one. Only 300 of this run were created, and 100% of the proceeds go to Planned Parenthood. That's right, I said 100%. No one is making money off of these. These women are doing this JUST to donate money to a worthy cause, and if that's not inspiring, I don't know what is. Both Hello Holiday and Daisy Natives never fail to remind me that good people exist.

Whenever I buy something from a maker who donates part of the proceeds to a good cause, I always have a moment of doubt. I assume that anyone who sees thinks that I'm a hypocrite and wonders why I don't just donate the money if I actually care. I know that's just the voice of doubt in the back of my head, but I do understand why someone would ask that. Not that I do need to explain myself, but I really do buy these items for a reason. I could just donate to Planned Parenthood (which I actually do monthly as well), but by buying these items I get to support small businesses (often female entrepreneurs) while also supporting a cause that I care about. I only buy these items from makers who I trust are actually donating the money, and by doing so, I get to help keep them in business and inspire others to do the same. 

And of course, it doesn't hurt when the items are this cute. All of this isn't even mentioning my Luella "girl power" pin or Emily and Fin skirt (also from Hello Holiday). So many cute brands out there right now, you guys.

P.S. Don't forget to enter my five year blogging anniversary for your chance to win prizes from Apricity and Femme De Bloom! 

Ethical Plaid

I'm pretty sure if you could look up "perfect summer dress" in the dictionary, there would be a picture of this dress. It's essentially everything I've ever wanted, and it doesn't hurt that it's from one of my favorite brands, Mata Traders. In addition to creating some of the cutest and most flattering dresses around, Mata Traders also practices fair trade. So as if this dress being absolutely perfect wasn't enough, I can also wear it knowing that it's ethically made. Win-win.

I wanted the dress to stand out on its own, but I paired with some neutral accessories and a red thrifted bag. I'm getting really into wearing ascots and neck scarves lately, and I picked up this darling one at the Dapper Day Expo last weekend. I also scored these Lotta From Stockholm clogs that I've been wanting forever on eBay recently. I may have to buy them in every color because I never want to take them off. 

This weekend was relaxing and filled with good friends. Jon and I went to the beach yesterday morning, but it was a huge mistake. I really wanted to go because my nephew had sent me a Flat Stanley in Illinois that I needed to take a picture of, and I thought it would be cute to take one at the beach. Of course it was ridiculously hot, and Jon was miserable, so we didn't stay for too long. If anyone has any suggestions of where to buy a cheap beach umbrella, let me know, because that's probably the only way we're going back anytime soon.

Teal Dress + Gray Cardigan

Excuse me while I cough all over this keyboard as I write this post. Yes, it is true. Like practically everyone else you know at the moment, I am sick. It would be a bit more bearable if it didn't happen right before I left for Vegas though. I lost my voice from coughing the day we got there and I had to stay in and go to bed on Saturday night while my brother, his fiance, and my boyfriend all went out. I'm usually pretty lame when it comes to these kind of things, but never this lame. Still, I managed to have a really good time, despite barely being able to talk. I still drank what I could without overdoing it and walked the strip with them. We also saw Love before I passed out on Saturday, and it was one of the most enjoyable shows I've ever seen. Mostly though, it was nice to get to spend time with my favorite people and to see Jon bond with my brother. Oh yes, I'm that kind of sap.

Needless to say, these photos were taken about a week ago when I was healthy and able to speak. Ah, those were the days. I got this dress from Schoola recently, and while it's a little on the short side, it's the perfect layering piece with tights. It was of course made for putting a collared shirt underneath it. Well, at least that's what I tell myself.

Don't forget to enter my giveaway with Copious Fashions for your chance to win an adorable sweatshirt with floral elbow pads!

Head to Toe Remix: Shoes

Welcome to another week of Head to Toe Remix, my weekly remix post where Priya of Perfectly Priya and I style items from our closet that need some extra love. After tackling accessories, outerwear, tops, and bottoms, we've reached the bottom: shoes. We still have one more category to go next week, but I have to say, this one ended up being much more difficult than I had expected. Accessories and shoes should be the easiest, right? Wrong. 

I decided to take another stab at these Hello Holiday shoes. Oh, these beautiful, glorious shoes that I never know what to do with. They're one of my favorite pairs that I own, but they're completely different than most of my wardrobe. That's usually a good thing, but it also means that I have a difficult time matching them with anything. I've considered giving them up because they seem so out of place in my closet, but they're too awesome to let go. So, challenge accepted. 

I decided to fully step outside of my comfort zone in the spirit, and I paired this shirt under a dress to create a combination that I'm still not fully sure if I love or hate. I'm leaning more toward love, though. These shoes still are a little out of place with everything else that I own, but it's nice to have an edgier option once in a while. They're definitely staying for now.

Yellow Cardigan + Plaid Collared Dress

Hello again from the west coast! My impromptu business trip eventually came to an end, and I'm back to the real world. My trip was truly wonderful, though, and a nice change of pace. I was in Connecticut most of the week, where I worked out of our office there and bonded with my co-workers. I also got to go into New York City a couple of times, which was a real treat. I went in once on "business," which meant visiting the boutiques of the stores I do customer service for and feeling the clothes in person. I then went in on my own over the weekend, where I met up with my friend Callie. Callie came in from Washington DC, and we spent the weekend wandering around without a plan. It turned out to be perfect, as we had a blast walking the Highline, visiting an SNL exhibit full of costumes and props from the show, and eating delicious Italian food. Callie and I only get to see each other every few months or so, and it was wonderful getting to spend the weekend catching up. I also had the pleasure of meeting up with Jen of JennifHsieh, who was seriously the best. I've never had a bad experience meeting a blogging friend in person, and this was no exception. If I lived in New York, I would force her to hang out with me all the time. She's that cool.

Gingham Headband + Apricity January Dress

There's one problem with perfect weekends: they end. This past weekend was one much-needed, relaxing, and, you guessed it, perfect. Jon and I spent the weekend in San Diego, where we stayed at his aunt and uncle's condo near Little Italy. They live in the Midwest and only spend a few months of the year there, so they were kind enough to let us use it free of charge. Jon and I both have been stressed out with various "adulthood" problems, and our schedules are a little conflicting, so we don't get to spend much time together during the week. We had been trying to plan a little getaway for months, and it turned out to be exactly as wonderful as we were hoping. We went to a farmer's market, got sun burnt walking to the harbor, ate as much brunch as we could, and lounged for hours. And by lounged, I mean we accidentally got more hooked on a teen Chopped marathon than any person should, but still. Worth it.

While we were at the farmer's market, Jon indulged me by getting some $2 flowers to make my pictures cuter. I finally got to break out this Apricity dress, which so unbelievably comfortable. I've also been using every chance possible to wear this coffee pin from Hello Holiday. The woman working at the gelato shop could not get over how much she loved it, which I think means it's a winner. Plus, I've discovered that I like headbands. I borrowed one from my best friend last week just to see how it looked, and it turns out, I think I can pull them off. This is at least what I'm telling myself, but let me have this. I immediately ran to Target to get one for myself, and it was love at first sight when I spotted this gingham one. I guess I'm a headband person now. I barely recognize myself.

Peter Pan Collared Top + Chunky Heels

What a relief is to have my sister-in-law, Elyse, taking my photos again. I love my camera, and I always like how my pictures turn out with it, but it's always nice to have someone who actually knows something about photography helping me rather than me just pretending like I do. I still miss my college days of having my photographer friends help me, so whenever I get to take advantage of Elyse's skills, I jump at the chance. I wore a similar version of this outfit last weekend when it was raining, but now that it has finally warmed up, I was all too excited to break out these Hello Holiday heels for the first time in months. Hello again, bare legs and chunky heels. I've missed you.

This weekend was a special one, as Jon and I celebrated our one year anniversary. It's kind of crazy; we've been close friends for about eight years, so it's hard to believe that we've only been dating for a year. I feel so strange getting sappy on the Internet, but it honestly has been the happiest I've ever been in a relationship. Everything is so easy and natural with him, and I've become that giddy girl who I've always ridiculed by being with him. It's disgusting. All of my cynicism is gone. Someone slap me.

Old Town

While I would love to show a better variety of photos of this dress, a new favorite of mine, sadly I only have these few to share. Jon and I took these photos before grabbing dinner in Old Town Tustin, and I desperately wanted to take them in front of this townhouse (or condo? Apartment? I have no idea). Of course, about three pictures in, the resident opened the door and asked what we were doing, and I awkwardly ran off while yelling, "sorry!" So maybe I don't have many photos of this outfit, but I still love this dress and these shoes. I think I need to add more long sleeved dresses and chunky heels to my closet.

This weekend was pretty great, mostly because I got to meet up with Ashley and Sammi while Sammi is in town visiting. I met them for lunch and drinks at Downtown Disney while they were in the park, and it was wonderful. They're both just lovely, but you knew that already. I've been thinking more stopping blogging, but the great people I've met through it make me reconsider.

New-ish

I am so excited about sharing this outfit. It's slightly different from what I would normally wear, yet it combines three of my favorite pieces currently in my closet. For starters, there's this gorgeous statement necklace that Happiness Boutique sent me. Happiness Boutique is a jewelry company based out of Germany, and I couldn't help but drool over the selection when they contacted me about reviewing a piece. I had about 20 tabs open of different statement necklaces I couldn't choose between, but I ultimately decided on this turquoise and pink one. I love that it's a unique, attention-grabbing piece, but it's still slightly more subtle than most statement necklaces. I can already tell that I'll be wearing this one on heavy rotation. The company has been so nice to work with, and I definitely recommend the site. Plus, they have a pretty sweet rewards program, which is always a selling point.

I picked up this dress over the weekend after considering trying a tank or T-shirt trapeze dress recently. I tried on a couple at Target, but didn't love any, and I hit the jackpot with this clearance $10 dress at TJ Maxx later. It's a completely different shape for me, and I feel a little naked without my standard fit and flare silhouette, but it's insanely comfortable and a good piece to dress up or down. I already know that it will come in handy as plan attire for when I fly to Portland in two weeks. 

That brings us to these shoes. Ah, these shoes. These were the other Hello Holiday item I purchased, and in all honesty, I went back and forth on them a lot before proceeding with checkout. The're so unlike anything else I usually gravitate forward, but they are just so...cool. I couldn't resist trying them, and I've already worn them multiple times since I got them a week or two ago. As I'm sure you know from reading my blog, I stick to flats almost exclusively, but these shoes are making me think I need more chunky heels. Between the dress and these shoes, it's what I like to call me "new-ish" look: going with slightly different shapes, but the same general aesthetic. 

Spaced Out

As usual, I had such a nice weekend, and it's almost unfair that it needs to end and another work week has to begin. I spent Friday night getting ice cream with my friends, and then I spent all of Saturday with Jon. We got breakfast at my new favorite breakfast place by apartment and explored the Old Town area nearby. I dragged him into helping me take outfit photos as well, because when you have a boyfriend, you might as well make him useful for something, right? He was a great sport helping me find the only shaded spot at 1 p.m. to this set, and he did a damn fine job if you ask me.

This skirt is one of things I got in a recent sale, and I'm in love with it. I've been wanting to buy something from Hello Holiday and try a Rock Steady piece for ages now, so it only make sense to buy a Rock Steady skirt from Hello Holiday. The store is a particularly worthy small business to support, and I even got to interview Meg, one of the owners, for my internship with FAB Counsel last summer. Meg and co-owner Sarah are just so damn cool, and I've always admired how much of themselves they put into their business. I could probably buy every single thing in their shop, but I ultimately went with this killer space/robot printed skirt and a rad pair of shoes that I'll show in my post on Wednesday. This outfit was perfect for an incredibly hot day that, of course, resulted in smoothies. I couldn't ask for a better Saturday than one filled with space themed skirts and smoothies.