Prehistoric Fashion

When I was a child, I loved dinosaurs! Who didn't? While the brontosaurus was my favorite, there's a special place in my heart for this gigantic T-Rex located in the city of Cabazon, which is on the way to Palm Springs. Pretty much every time we pass these fun roadside dinosaurs, I have to stop. So do a lot of other people because it's always jammed with people who are also trying to get their picture with this T-Rex! Over winter break, my husband and I were in this area, so I had to return to get a few more pictures, this time wearing my new rugby striped sweater and some wild leopard pants for this wild adventure!

After we stopped to snap a few pics with the dinosaurs, we went to the outlets in Cabazon because that's the other thing the city is known for. The Cabazon outlets offer a first rate shopping experience with a lot of designers, such as Gucci, Fendi and Burberry. I was actually very good and didn't buy anything at the outlet but it was really fun looking through all of the designer goodies! Shopping was almost like feeling like a kid again, looking at these dinosaurs!

Sweater: Banana Republic here
Pants: J. Crew similar leopard pants here
Shoes: J. Crew here
Bag: Fendi
here

Shop the Post

Still Sequins

I know the holidays are over but I'm trying to extend them a little bit more by wearing some of my favorite sequin pieces! To be honest, this outfit is actually what I wore for a lunch out on New Year's Eve. While it was a more casual lunch, topped off by a trip to the grocery store, it was NYE after all and I had to wear sequins! The look might have turned a few heads (in fact, the checker at the grocery store even commented on my "sparkly dress", even though it's clearly a skirt) but I still had fun wearing the outfit. I actually put the outfit together because I though the skirt was the perfect complement to my new purple sweater! I think the beaded accents on the shoulder of the sweater begged for something sparkly like this skirt on the bottom!

Speaking of new additions to my wardrobe, these green satin flats are another purchase that reflects some of the goodies I have been able to pick up during the after holiday sales. I'm a big fan of flat shoes, especially Mary Jane's, so these shoes were practically meant for me. One thing you may or may not know about me is that green is my second favorite color (purple is my favorite), so in addition to being sparkly, this outfit also represents my favorite colors as well. Now if sparkle was considered a color, I just might have to rethink the ordering of my favorite colors!

Sweater: J. Crew here
Skirt: Zara similar here and here
Shoes: J. Crew here
Bag: Fendi here

Shop the Post

Doodles and Scribbles

There are certain patterns that I just naturally gravitate toward, one of which is anything that looks like it could be a work of modern art! I love paint splatters and doodles, just like this graphic black and white one from J. Crew. I also have a predictable formula when it comes to styling such prints, which would be to pair them with a bright, bold pant. While it might be predictable, it works every time!

Speaking of things that could be considered a work of art, how adorable is this studded wallet on a chain style bag? I got it a few years ago and, to be honest, I almost forgot I had it until I asked my husband what bag I should wear with this ensemble and he suggested it. At first, I was going to go the route of adding another loud, bold color into the mix but then he had the ingenious idea to remind me that I hadn't worn this bag in a while and was subtle, yet perfectly picked up the colors in my outfit. As much as I like to criticize my husband for often being an ignoramus when it comes to fashion, he does actually have a good eye sometimes!

Top: J. Crew here
Pants: J. Crew similar pink pants here
Shoes: J.Crew similar gold loafers here
Bag: Fendi

Shop the Post

Snapping Up Holiday Deals?

'Tis the season for holiday deals! This time of year is a great time to buy gifts for others (or yourself!) at great prices. Between Black Friday, Cyber Monday and everything leading up to Christmas, there are a lot of great sales going on! Unfortunately, the thing that frustrates me is that the sales change so frequently that it's hard to know when is a good time to buy something and when you should hold off and wait for a better discount to be offered by the retailer. It's sort of like the stock market in terms of knowing when to buy and striking while the iron is hot!

I actually didn't go out shopping on Black Friday, unless you count going to the grocery store for produce. Again, most of the sales that I saw offered on Black Friday didn't really seem any better than the ones offered recently and previously throughout the year. Instead of Black Friday shopping, I did some shopping the week before to avoid the crowds, which included getting this turtleneck dress from J. Crew in store for under $20! I bought it at the private sale they J. Crew held last Sunday, which, I think, was by invite only. Regardless, no one asked to look at my invitation, probably because, like most days, I looked like a walking ad for J. Crew! At the private sale, J. Crew was offering 40% off the entire store, plus free doughnuts and mimosas! A dress for less than $20 plus a doughnut and a mimosa (or two!) is a good deal in my book!

So overall, my conclusion is that shopping on Black Friday or Cyber Monday doesn't necessarily result in deals that are much better than those at other points during the year. Sure, tomorrow my inbox will be flooded by retailers begging me to check out their Cyber Monday deals and, possessing little will power, I'll probably cave, but I don't know how much I will actually buy. The good news is that I have everything I could possibly need (and more!), plus I've done almost all of my holiday shopping for others already. Maybe it's just best to turn a blind eye to all of the hype with the holiday sales.

Dress: J. Crew here
Jacket: Target similar denim jacket here
Boots: Christian Louboutin "Cate" budget version here
Earrings: Kendra Scott c/o Rocksbox (use code hellokatiegirlblogxoxo to get the first month free!)
Bag: Fendi  here
Sunglasses: Prada on sale here

Gridlocked

This is totally unrelated to my outfit, but indulge me for a second while I rant about the traffic in Los Angeles. It is awful! It has always been bad, but each year the gridlock on the freeways gets worse and worse. As you can see, I am really sick of it, which is why I am desperately looking forward to my spring break coming up because that means I won't have to sit in traffic for two hours everyday going to and from work. Now that I've gotten that off my chest, I can proceed to my outfit, which features a grid print, thus also tying in with the title of this post. This grid print pencil skirt from Banana Republic not only features a fun graphic print, but it's got a lot of stretch to it, so it would make for something comfortable to wear while sitting in said traffic for two hours!

I love the color combination of green and pink! (Maybe because it reminds me of a watermelon?) I decided to utilize this color scheme to make the black and white print of the skirt really "pop". Originally, I was thinking of wearing bright pink shoes, but instead I opted for a pair of pink earrings. These pink tassel earrings have become a favorite of mine over the last month, plus they are also very light and comfortable just like the skirt!

Skirt: Banana Republic gingham midi pencil skirt
Tee: Target similar here
Bag: Fendi wallet on a chain here, blue version, pink version, red version
Shoes: Christian Louboutin "Simple" pump here
Sunglasses: Celine similar white sunglasses here
Earrings: Sugarfix from Target here

Linking Up With: Hello Monday, How I Spring, Shoe and Tell
Trend Spin, Turning Heads

Hearts+Hounds+Dots=Love!

It's hard to believe that Valentine's Day is barely two weeks away! Quite frankly, I am still wondering what happened to Christmas, which came and went in the blink of an eye! In my effort to move on and prepare for the next upcoming holiday,  I'm getting a jump start on my Valentine's wardrobe by breaking out all of my reds, pinks, and heart themed items from my wardrobe. One of my favorite heart articles of clothing (of which I have a lot!) is this asymmetrical heart sweater that I purchased years ago at Target. It's one of those items that was cheap to begin with, but because I wear it so often, it has become an even better deal over time!

Although my sweater is old, my skirt and bag are new. I am making an effort to remix old and new items from my wardrobe lately. If you read my post last week about my new bag from Vegas you'll notice that I have developed a bit of an addiction to Fendi! I love this wallet on a chain from their spring line because of the adorable, colorful studs, but also because it just perfectly fits my wallet and my iPhone, almost as if it was made for me. I'm going to consider it an early Valentine's Day present from my husband!

Last of all, if you were wondering about the dots in my title, the wall behind me pretty much says it all! We took these pictures just as a storm was rolling into the area, but it's hard to tell that the weather conditions were so bleak given the bright colors. I like to think these dots are the perfect compliment to my Valentine's Day ensemble and the studs on my bag!

Sweater: Target similar heart sweater
Skirt: J. Crew pencil skirt in pink houndstooth here
Shoes: J. Crew Factory similar here
Bag: Fendi studded wallet on a chain here and same bag in red here
Sunglasses: Stella McCartney here

Linking Up With: Shoe and Tell, Let it Shine, Hello Monday ,How I Fall
Trend Spin, Turning Heads, Style Sessions