Capped It Off

Eddie and I capped off our Labor Day weekend by throwing a BBQ get together for a bunch of high school buddies. We decided to grill our usual go-to favorite...carne asada because you can never really go wrong with some carne asada, guacamole, chips, and salsa! We spent the day playing Cards Against Humanity (which is like an inappropriate version of Apples to Apples lol), eating and drinking, swimming, hot tubbing, and eating some more. It was the perfect ending to a perfect weekend with my love.

I wore the newest addition to my closet...this amazing One Teaspoon blazer (thanks to my amazingly generous aunt). I am so obsessed with it!!! The colors, the prints, the cut...it's all just so so so gorgeous! I've only had it for a few days but I know I'm going to be prancing around town in this piece quite often! It's just such a versatile piece that can either be dressed up or down. I decided to keep my look pretty casual for the BBQ with a simple white silk tank top, cutoff denim shorts, the blazer, and some beige colored peep-toe booties. I guess the heels and the silk weren't the most casual but it was meant to be a laid back look. 

I capped off my outfit with a leather baseball cap, which has been a favorite accessory of mine lately. Not only does it just look cute with everything, it also provides shade for my face. It's a total win win for me. Below are some tips for buying and wearing this leather cap trend.

Tips:

1) Buy a solid colored leather cap because they're easy to incorporate into any outfit. They add an instant touch of chicness and sleekness to any look. Note: I personally like solid accessories because I'm not really a pro at mixing prints. But if you are, by all means go crazy with printed and embellished caps!

2) You can style it with something feminine like a short dress or miniskirt to contrast the sweetness with some edge. 

3) You can cap off your casual t-shirt and jeans and instantly create a chic look. I personally like to add heels to most of my outfits (unless I'm running around all day) so when my clothes are more casual, I counter it with lots of accessories like layers of jewelry and heels.

Leather Cap: Urban Outfitters

Palm Tree Printed Blazer: One Teaspoon 'November Rain' (here)

Silk Tank Top: The T Refinery (Planet Blue)

Shorts: CarMar (LF Stores)

Peep-Toe Booties: Dolce Vita 'Niven' (here)

Bracelets: Vanessa Mooney (here and here) and Luv AJ (here)

Necklace: Vanessa Mooney (here)

My first plate of food...out of like 5 hahaha

Typical Natasha...Stuffing my face with food. 

Don't bother me...I'm eating, Eddie!

As the night went on, more and more old friends stopped by for pool/jacuzzi time! Notice how they're all guys?! Lol.

Skirting the Issue

I've accumulated dozens of awesome midi and maxi skirts in the past couple years and I kind of forgot about them this summer. After packing and unpacking my clothes from boxes during the move, I found some hidden gems that I haven't worn in ages including this super cute MinkPink midi skirt.

I knew I was going to be out running errands all day in the crazy heat so I decided to wear something that would keep me cool and comfortable. And this outfit did just that! I was out and about from 9am to 5pm and didn't even have time to head home and change outfits before heading to dinner with my boyfriend and friends in Pasadena. 

I paired my midi skirt with a fitted Theory tank top, some comfortable Seychelles flats, and my Chloe purse. I'd typically wear midi skirts with heels to elongate my legs but I broke my own rules all for the sake of comfort. 

Tips:

Don't skirt the issue, people! Pulling off the midi/maxi skirt look isn't as hard as you may think. People are always worried that these skirts could potentially swallow you whole if you're not a model...but not all long skirts are evil! You just have to find the right length for your height! It really is a trial and error process...so be patient! There isn't a set rule on how to choose a skirt length but I recommend hemlines that hit the part of your leg that begins to thin out. That way your legs won't appear short and stumpy.

Try lighter fabrics before it gets too cold and slowly transition to thicker and heavier fabrics for fall and winter! Have fun with it and soon enough you'll find a perfect length for you!

Tank Top: Theory (similar here

Striped Skirt: MinkPink (here)

Flat: Seychelles (here on SUPER SALE)

Purse: Chloe

Bracelets: Vanessa Mooney (here), Cartier, and vintage

Necklace: Charlene K

 

We went to Slater's 50/50 for burgers and beers.

And finished off our night with some gourmet ice cream at Coolhaus (which is my absolute favorite ice cream place with my favorite gross sounding but heavenly tasting flavor--fried chicken and waffles!)

Palazzo Pants Dance Party

Palazzo pants are a necessary summer staple. They're perfect because they're light, comfy, fun, and sophisticated. I especially love them because it provides me with a nice and cool alternative to my usual short shorts. I paired my palazzo pants with my favorite lace crop top of the summer. This is the 3rd time I've worn it on the blog, which is proof that it goes with absolutely everything. I previously styled it for a music festival (here) and for a pool party (here). I kept the rest of my outfit simple with minimal jewelry and my Chloe purse.

I wore this outfit to lunch with an old college friend, Kara, and then spent the second half of the day at my boyfriend's grandpa's 90th birthday! 

Kara and I hadn't seen each other in 2 years so we spent our afternoon catching up over salad, pizza, and bottomless mimosas. I'm pretty sure this is the longest lunch I've ever had. Want to guess how long we were at the restaurant for?! We were there for 6 whole hours hahaha. I'm honestly surprised we didn't get kicked out. 

After my "lunch" with Kara, I headed over to my boyfriend's grandpa's birthday party where we celebrated 90 years of happiness and health. I had a blast with my boyfriend's family playing with the babies, eating way too much food, and dancing like an idiot with Erika. Check out the super embarrassing and goofy video of us at the bottom of the post where we're pretending like we actually know how to dance. 

 

Lace Crop Top: Millau (LF Stores)

Pink Palazzo Pants: ASOS

Purse: Chloe

Booties: Dolce Vita 'Niven' (here)

Earrings and Stack Bracelets: Vanessa Mooney (here) and (here)

Necklace: Charlene K (similar here)

 

 

 

{I spy with my little eye a cute doggie booty behind my cute little booties}

{Kara and I on our 6 hour lunch date}

{Erika and I posing for our audience after our amazing performance below}
Note: We're both wearing palazzo pants because great minds think alike.

Flower Power

I don't know about you, but I love how throwing on anything floral immediately gives me the feeling of being feminine and beautiful. There are just some days where we all feel a little blah, so I fix this feeling by glamming it up and adding some floral or lace to my look. 

Earlier this week, I had a graduation to attend but I wasn't feeling very pretty so I threw on this little number. This beautiful hi-low, flowy, floral dress is an oldie but a dependable goodie. This definitely did the trick and resulted in me feeling instantly confident and beautiful. So try this the next time you aren't feeling your prettiest and it'll work wonders for you too! And if all else fails, just go buy yourself a bouquet of flowers and that's guaranteed to do the trick. Don't ever underestimate the power of some beautiful flowers, girls!

 To complete my outfit, I threw on a yellow blazer to give my look a bit more of a polished and springy feel while pairing it with some nude colored sky-high heels. My friend once told me that her grandma always told her "Keep your head, heels, and standards high" and I couldn't agree more. Must have been a very wise woman!

P.S. Congratulations to my boyfriend's beautiful and brilliant little cousin that just graduated from high school! I love you, Erika, and I am so darn proud of you!

Dress: LF Stores

Blazer: Bluette

Purse: Chloe
Shoes: Steve Madden (similar here)

Necklace: Jenny Bird (here)

Crystal Ring: Charlene K (here)

Bracelets: Vanessa Mooney and flea market finds