Arty Abstract Jumpsuit

 

If you are familiar with Orange County in Southern California, than you probably know about Costa Mesa. What you might not know about Costa Mesa is that it's called the city of the arts, largely due to the philanthropic contributions of Henry Segerstrom. (It's also home to a fantastic mall called South Coast plaza that you can also thank Henry Segerstrom for!) Well, a few weeks ago we discovered some of the hidden artistic gems located in Costa Mesa including the Noguchi Sculpture Garden and the OCMA or Orange County Museum of Art. Since it was a day filled with art adventures, I thought it was only fitting to wear my new arty abstract jumpsuit, which was a perfect match for the art at the museum and the abstract shapes in the print also matched those found in the sculpture garden!

 

If you know me, you will know that I very seldomly wear black and white. On the rare occasion when I do wear black and white, I like to add pops of color. Due to the fact that one of my favorite color combinations is pink and green I went with these green flat sandals and pink bag to accessorize this jumpsuit. As Oscar Wilde famously said, "One should either be a work of art, or wear I work of art" but I say that you can be both... especially when visiting a museum!

 

Jumpsuit: ASOS here

Sandals: Target here

Bag: Chanel similar pink quilted bag here

Sunglasses: Prada

 

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Making Waves

 

I love any print that has a little bit of artistic flair to it! Anything that looks like paint strokes or splotches done by an artist is right up my alley! So, while I was glancing through the recent new markdowns at Anthropologie, I was excited to stumble on this cute pintucked blouse with a fun artistic print. Because the price was right, I decided to get the top. When it arrived in the mail, I was super happy with my purchase! This is a piece that could be worn alone, as I'm doing here with just a pair of colorful pants, or layered with a cardigan when the cooler weather finally arrives in California!

 

Speaking of art, I was also pleasantly surprised that there was a new art piece at the Lab Anti Mall in Costa Mesa. Because I didn't know it existed until I arrived, I actually wasn't planing on using this mural as a backdrop for these photos but, when I saw it, I immediately ditched the other location that I had in mind. I thought the wavy lines used to depict the mountains was a good match for the colorful wavy lines in my top. I love it when an outfit and art can come together!

 

Top: Anthropologie here

Pants: Old Navy similar here

Shoes: J. Crew similar pumps here

Bag: J. Crew similar envelop clutch here

 

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Sweet Marigold

 

The title of this post comes from the color of my popover eyelet top, which is called "sweet marigold" by J. Crew. As always, I was drawn to this top because of the gorgeous color that really does look like the exact shade of a marigold flower! While this top comes in several other colors, there was just something so happy and cheerful about this particular color that it won me over the most! I decided to let this bright top shine by pairing it with some simple white jeans and gold sandals topped off with a floral headband.

 

These photos were taken in Orange County at a place called LAB Anti Mall in Costa Mesa. This is one of my favorite places to go for fun pictures because of the quirky aesthetic and fun art that can be found there. I'm always a little confused as to why exactly the place is called an "anti mall" because they have everything a normal mall would have, such as stores and restaurants. Regardless, it's a great place to go to stroll around, do a little shopping and take some cute photos!

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Top: J. Crew here

Jeans: J. Crew similar white jeans here

Shoes: Loeffler Randall here and here

Bag: Chanel similar purple quilted bag here

Pink Baby Doll Dress and Dolly Parton

 

Dolly Parton seems to have achieved renewed popularity as of late and probably with good reason for both her musical talents and philanthropic contributions. Most notably, last year she donated $1 million dollars to help fund the research for a vaccine for COVID-19. To pay tribute to this musical legend and humanitarian, the owner of the Strut Night Club in Orange County had this mural created to honor Dolly Parton as a beacon of "love and light." Well, I just had to check it out (my husband always asks me, "How do you find this stuff?") and I thought that a pink baby doll dress, such as this pink frock from Target, would be Dolly Parton approved! Below, you will find some other bright pink dresses that I just love! 

 

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Like I said, my husband always seems to be amazed that I am able to find these seemingly obscure murals and sights in Los Angeles but I guess I just have a way of sniffing them out! (Okay, it sometimes involves a lot of detective work using Instagram and Google Maps!) While Dolly Parton is known for being a musician and a humanitarian, she's also known for her ample "girls" to put it delicately. My husband had a few quips about this as I was posing for these photos, which made me laugh, so my smile might appear to be extra big in these photos... just like that particular part of Dolly's anatomy!

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Dress: Target here

Shoes: J. Crew similar bow sandals here

Bag: Chanel similar purple quilted bag here

Sunglasses: Celine

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Some Bunny Loves Dots!

 

With Easter approaching in just a few days, I thought I would go back to the Newport Civic Center Sculpture Garden to visit the gigantic bunny sculptures they have on the premises. Unfortunately, a lot of other people in the area had this idea too, so it was a little crowded at the park. Nevertheless, we had a fun time walking the grounds of this park and taking in some art, spring flowers, and the beautiful weather that Orange County is so well known for! I decided to wear this fun polka dot top for the occasion because it is vaguely reminiscent of an Easter egg and some mint pants for a pastel look that I thought was in keeping with the Easter theme of this post.

 

You might remember that last summer I did a post about my first time visiting the Newport Civic Center Sculpture Park. Since then, some new sculptures have been added. In addition, beause it's early spring, all of the beautiful native flowers are in bloom in the park, which was a sight to behold! It was fun to take in these changes as we strolled through the park and I also enjoyed visiting some of my favorite sculptures and artwork that I discovered on our previous trip. For example, this mirrored sign that ironically reads "Start" instead of "Stop" was one of the artworks that really stood out last time. The message of this sculpture also reminds me that not only is it almost the start of Easter but it's also the start of my spring break, which, in addition to polka dots, is definitely something to celebrate!

 

Shirt: Target here

Pants: J. Crew here

Shoes: Forever 21

Bag: Chanel similar orange crossbody here

 

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Queen of the Greenhouse

A couple weeks ago, we went to the Sherman Library and Gardens in Newport Beach. This was my first time visiting this hidden gem in Orange County and it was a real treat to discover this garden oasis right off Pacific Coast Highway. One of my favorite parts of the garden was the gorgeous tropical greenhouse that features this red chair that is truly fit for a queen! I did indeed feel like a queen in this chair, especially wearing this yellow balloon sleeve dress! I'm seriously considering purchasing one of these chairs and putting it in my backyard! Perhaps I could even have my husband bring me tropical drinks while I sit in it!

 

In addition to the gorgeous green house, the Sherman Library and Gardens also feature numerous other gardens to explore, including a tea garden where you can sit outside and have crepes or a sandwich. The day we went was a beautiful one to enjoy the nice weather outside and to eat a delicious chicken and mushroom crepe while people watching and plant watching! (The people were actually as interesting, if not more so, than the plants!) One day, when things are able to open up here, I would love to go back and explore the adobe house and library at this site, which, unfortunately, were closed due to the pandemic. While I was a little bummed about not being able to see everything, it does give me an excuse to return to this magical place!

Dress: Target here
Shoes: Banana Republic similar colored shoes here

Handbag: Red Dress Boutique similar bamboo bag here

Belt: Anthropolige

Headband: J. Crew similar here

 

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Rainbow Buttons

 

I love it when there's a fun or surprising detail on a piece of clothing! I guess that's why I instantly gravitated to this rainbow button cardigan from Boden. While the pale pink color is definitely cute, the added pop of the buttons and the infusion of color take this cardigan over the top, in my opinion! I decided to pair my cardigan with a pair of red pants. Even though Valentine's Day is over, red and pink will always be one of my favorite color combinations, so I'm not afraid to wear it all year long!

 

Speaking of red and pink, how fun is this red graphic wall? This mural is located in the Canvas complex in Costa Mesa, right across from South Coast Plaza. In case you were wondering, Canvas is a creative work space and they have some amazing art and murals located on their campus! I featured some of my adventures there on my Instagram stories a few weeks ago and I hope to use some of the other art located there in the future on my blog!

 

Sweater: Boden here

Pants: Banana Republic similar red linen pants here

Shoes: J. Crew similar gold loafers here

Bag: Louis Vuitton

 

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