Party People

It's been my goal for quite some time to get to this colorful people wall. (I'm not sure, however, if they are actually people or if they are strange and colorful creatures from another place!) Regardless, I finally made it to the wall! Last Sunday, we went to a concert in Downtown Los Angeles and this wall turned out to be precisely a 12 minute walk from the theater. (What did I do before Google Maps to plan all of my adventures?) It was the perfect opportunity to visit the colorful party people/colorful creatures!

I wore this fun blue dress from J. Crew to the occasion. J. Crew says this dress is a "no brainer" on their website and I can see why, as it offers a fantastic style paired with a lovely color that goes with everything. I decided to add some more color to the look in the form of tassels on both my bag and earrings. I love these tassel earrings that were sent to me courtesy of Rocksbox.They are dramatic and make a bold statement, just like how I am theatrically posing like a damsel in distress in these photos! Best of all, the earrings are super light weight. I love how every month I get to try new styles in jewelry thanks to Rocksbox! If you want to switch up your jewelry game, you can use code Hellokatiegirlblogxoxo for a free one month trial!

Well, I hope you enjoyed my colorful journey to this part of Los Angeles! You never know what you might find around any given corner in Los Angeles. It might be a colorful creation like this wall, a cool dumpling place (like the one we ate at before the concert), or a beautiful historic building that you never noticed before. These are some of the many reasons I love Los Angeles so much!

Dress: J. Crew ruffle neck dress here
Earrings: Rocksbox use promo code Hellokatiegirlblog
Bag: Rebecca Minkoff Sofia tassel bag here
Shoes: Marshal's similar mint flats here
Sunglasses: Celine here

Romantic and Colorful

When I first laid eyes on this Waverly Garden skirt from Anthropologie, it was love at first sight! What's not to love? It's essentially a classic, romantic style skirt with bright, colorful embroidered flowers. This means that both the part of me that loves classic styles and also the part of me that loves bright colors will be satisfied!

The other thing that attracted me to this skirt is that it's from Eva Franco. I have a few skirts and dresses from this designer and I love them all! The designs are outstanding and they are made here in the United States, which is something I like to support if I can. Plus, I use it as a selling point with my husband when I spend too much on clothing. For example, my husband might say, "You spent how much for that skirt?!" to which I will reply, "well, it was $200, but it is made here." Actually I usually round down on prices too, so, for example, this skirt was actually about $170, so naturally I will round it down to $100 when I tell my husband!

In the photo below, you will see the location of this particular photo shoot, which just happens to be at the Huntington Hotel, now the Langham Hotel in Pasadena. My husband and I went to a bourbon dinner here at the Royce Restaurant. Basically, I will just magically show up anywhere that bourbon is being served, especially if it's being served alongside excellent food, which was the case with this event. Overall, it turned out to be a wonderful evening with delicious food, great bourbon cocktails, and neat bourbon tastings, and since this is the location where my husband and I were married years ago, it was also quite romantic!

Skirt: Anthropolgie / Eva Franco here
Tee: Target
Jacket: H&M similar denim jacket here, and here
Shoes: Christian Louboutin here, budget version here
Bag: J. Crew similar here
Earrings: Anthropologie similar here
Sunglasses: Prada

It's in the Bag!

I bought this paper bag waist skirt last spring on clearance, but I'm just now getting around to wearing it. Due to the olive drab color of the skirt, I think it actually works quite nicely for fall. Anyway, when the skirt first arrived last spring, I was a little confused about how to wear it and tie the bow since the sash it came with was really, really long. I eventually figured out that it needed to be wrapped not once, but twice. I tend not to like my clothes to be a mystery in regard to how to put them on, but I really wanted a skirt in this color, so I made a few concessions!

I wasn't the only one who was somewhat confused by the skirt. When I wore this for the first time last month, my husband said, "I like your military style skirt." In order to teach him something about fashion, I then explained that it's actually a paper bag waist skirt, to which my husband gave a sort of a confused expression. (I can't say I blame him because it is kind of an odd name!) Anyway, from that point on he started referring to my skirt as a "military trash bag," thus combining his own thoughts about the skirt with what I had told him into a really unique twist on this particular style of skirt!

Well, no matter what you call it, this style has definitely grown on me (and maybe even my husband!), so you will see a few versions of it that I linked to below if you are interested. On a side note, I wore this outfit to a wine tasting event that was sponsored by Riedel wine glasses. It was all about how different glasses influence the taste of the wine you are drinking. It was a pretty interesting event that taught me a few things I didn't know before about wine and stemware. I guess no matter if it's the world of wine or the world of fashion, there's always something new to learn!

Skirt: J. Crew paper bag waist skirt here, very similar style here
Tee: J. Crew similar here
Shoes: J. Crew similar yellow pumps here
Earrings: Baublebar similar beaded earrings here
Clutch: Clare v. foldover leopard clutch here, cheaper version here
Sunglasses: Celine here

Postcard Print...Again!

If you love pattern mixing as well this J. Crew Postcard Print, which I have literally posted about three times in the last month or two, then this post is for you! If you don't like any of these things, then all I can say is, "I'm sorry!" So, yes, here I'm back in another version of the J. Crew Postcard Print. This time it's this adorable tie waist skirt. Truth be told, I think this is probably my favorite of the three postcard print items that I own, but choosing between them is difficult!

I guess one of the reasons that this skirt is my favorite is that it's going to be a piece that I wear all year long. While this skirt might not work in the middle of the winter if you're facing freezing temps and snow where you live, it would be perfect for the mild winters here in Los Angeles. Specifically, I am imagining it paired with a yellow and green sweater or maybe my orange tote bag, so look for it in the upcoming cooler months again on my blog or Instagram account, although if you're sick of this print, then you can just look away!

Skirt: J. Crew "Postcard" print skirt here
Tee: H&M similar striped tee here
Shoes: Ralph Lauren similar here
Necklace: J. Crew "Honeymoon" necklace similar here, fancy version here
Sunglasses: Celine
Bag: H&M similar gold straw clutch here

Heart to Heart: Face to Face

I think I have a spring in my step in today's post for a few reasons. First, the weather has cooled down considerably here in Los Angeles and it finally feels almost like fall. Second, I got my hair cut and the few inches that I had my hairdresser take off make me feel like a whole new person. (Goodbye split ends, hello fabulous!) Finally, this fun button-down face top has me feeling fabulous as well!

I currently own three of these "face" tops from SheIn that feature fun face shapes. This blue and white stripe one is the newest addition to my collection. Even so, I am actually thinking about buying this one with a hand shaped collar too! I love how these "face" blouse designs take a classic staple, here a blue and white striped button-down shirt, and make it avant garde with the addition of these quirky faces. Also, at under $20, they are a fabulous deal, especially when you compare them to the ones from Vivetta, which retail for $300-$400 each, that these are styled after. It's definitely safe to say that I "heart" these face tops, hence my burgeoning collection!

Come to think of it, I would say that this heart wall and my silver loafers also put a spring in my step! These loafers that I bought last year from ASOS are super comfy and perfect for strolling along the boulevard on a Sunday afternoon, which is where and when these photos were taken, or for being at work on my feet all day. The loafer trend seems like it's going to be hot again this fall, so I have included a few of my favorite metallic options below.

Shirt: c/o SheIn here
Jeans: Old Navy Rockstar Jeans
Shoes: ASOS similar here and here
Bag: Louis Vuitton budget version here
Sunglasses: Prada "Baroque" here

Shirtdresses: You Can Never Have Too Many!

I think I might have an obsession with shirtdresses! In particular, I am obsessed with this gingham one from J. Crew Factory. My obsession runs so deep that I decided to buy this shirtdress in two colors: green and black! I don't know what it is about the shirtdress but as a wardrobe staple, I find them to be very versatile. They are comfortable, classic, and you can just throw one on with a cute clutch like this rainbow Milly one and you're all ready to go!

In case you were wondering, this fun geometric wall, which is the backdrop for my shirtdress today, is located in Long Beach. The wall is located alongside an auto shop and it has a cool, industrial feel. It reminds me that I still have to compile my Los Angeles wall guide. (As you can see, I am prone to not only obsessing over shirtdresses but also to procrastination!) Anyway, this fun wall will definitely make the cut when I get around putting my list together!

Dress: J. Crew Factory gingham shirtdress here
Clutch: Milly rainbow clutch here
Sandals: J. Crew similar gold sandals here
Watch: Wristology here and save 10% with code Katie10
Sunglasses: Celine here