Style Inspiration: An Education

In high school I went through a phase where my style was very influenced by Japanese street fashion and the 70's. As I have gotten older though I really have just fallen in love with the 1960's dresses and cardigans. Some of my inspirations you'll find on my pinterest board. But I every once in awhile I inspiration in films too like An Education. I saw it when it first came out but was recently reminded how stunning Carey Mulligan's outfits were; according to the costume director who chose her wardrobe  for the movie every piece was vintage too.

Seriously, look at their coats:

I think I am just infatuated with the timeless classiness of that era. The way the dresses fell, the cinched waists, even the quality of the material was just so lovely. Also, the hats. I am going to declare right now my personal 2014 fashion mission statement is to bring hats back.

 And here's a couple more of the gorgeous outfits she wears in the film:

Now if only I could find cute things like these to wear for the next few months while I rock the baby bump.

Maternity Style - 21 Weeks

And another week down. In many ways I feel like this pregnancy is going by quick but then at times it drags on and I wonder if May will ever get here so I can hold my little one! Ah expectant parent problems. As for outfits go, I'm still trying to work with what I have in my closet with the handful of maternity blouses. It continues to be an exercise of creativity, haha. I wore this out to lunch with a friend and it was perfect for afternoon tea. Too bad the humidity in the air made my hair go crazy!  

[O U T F I T   D E T A I L S] Dress: thrifted, shoes: vince camuto, cardigan: J.Crew (from a few years ago), brooch: thrifted. Purse: thrifted. Nail polish is OPI's second honeymoon and has become my favorite shade ever. It's so dainty and femnine.

Maternity Style - 20 weeks

I just hit 20 weeks yesterday and realized that this marks my first maternity outfit post. So a little bit on my maternity wardrobe:  I have to say that looking for inspiration on styling the bump has left something to be desired. I did get some really cute outfits for Christmas and have been keeping my eye out at the thrift store while working with clothes I already have. Thrift stores are the way to go for sure. I walked into Motherhood Maternity last month when I finally needed to break down and get a pair of pants and I walked out about 30 seconds later in total disappointment with the jacked up prices (and later found a pair of jeans at Ross that were a fraction of the cost).

With that said I have been wearing a lot of skirts lately. It's a versatile item and quite comfy for the expanding belly.

I also find myself wearing a lot of bandanas; they are perfect for the days I just don't feel like straightening my hair. I'm channeling a little bit of Rosie the Riveter. ;)

[O U T F I T   D E T A I L S] Nail polish is OPI's 'suzi loves cowboys', a color I don't wear often enough. I feel like it is a rich alternative to a burgundy hue and perfect for a wintertime outfit. Skirt, shoes and top are all thrifted.

As far as pregnancy updates go, I am feeling pretty good these days. The nausea comes and goes still pretty frequently but that is kind of how it goes for me, drinking ginger tea seems to help. (I had hyperemesis gravidarum in my pregnancy with Rosie.) The only thing I really crave is clementines. I could eat them all day!

Stay tuned for next week, we find out the baby's gender on Monday (insert delighted squeals here).

My Daily Makeup

One of my biggest struggles in green living is finding suitable substitutions for my daily makeup. I've tried a lot of eco-friendly products and to be honest, they often fall short of my expectations (both in quality and price). But I will recommend zoya nail polish because they are are both vegan-friendly and formaldehyde-free (I wore austine at my wedding).  Urban Decay is another good company; I love their  gorgeous eyeshadows in particular. They come in 75 different colors & many are vegan-friendly like my faves: mildew, shattered or heartless.

As for what I use day-to-day, I am in love with MAC's lipsticks. It's a toss up of Everyday Diva, So Chaud or Lovelorn. I also use their blush after applying moisturizer, primer and a little bit of foundation. I don't  typically use eyeshadow except for special occassions.  Instead I use the ELF eye primer and their liquid eyeliner in black.

What I Wear ////////////
1. so chaud by MAC. I have probably 6 different shades of red in my beauty arsenal but so chaud is probably my favorite of them all. It is the perfect matte lipstick that lasts all day.
2. great lash by Mabelline. It's about as generic as you can get of a mascara that doesn't clump. I'm also a fan of Urban Decay's mascara however it is a little bit out of my normal price range.
3. dainty mineral blush by MAC. I never wore blush until my wedding but since then I have added this to my daily routine and really feel it gives my makeup an overall polished look.
4. blush brush
5. liquid foundation by MaryKay. It was a gift that I'm quite grateful for because I have a hard time finding the right foundation/concealer.
6. illuminating primer by Este Lauder. I got a sample once of this stuff and have loved it ever since. This is what helps give my skin a little bit of a glow.
7. liquid eyeliner by E.L.F. It goes on so smooth and the brush is really small which makes it great for a subtle stroke along the lash line.
8. eye primer by E.L.F.


What are your make up essentials?

Mama Mermaid Style: Casual Chic

So for today's Mama Mermaid Style post I want to share my signature  "casual chic" outfit. To be honest colorful jeans, black top and simple heels are always a winning combination in my book. It is a versatile look that works for just running errands around town to going out for lunch with a friend.  You might notice from past outfit posts I tend to incorporate the same heels (I have a similar pair in nude as well).  As fun as it is to have a closet full of fabulous shoes, I consider having some comfortable  black heels a total staple. You can dress them up or like with this outfit, keep it casual.

  

Another personal staple of mine? Cute, cheap sunglasses. As much as I wouldn't mind a pair of Pradas falling into my lap I will probably always stick to the cheapest ones I can find on account of the way mine always mysteriously disappear.


Outfit Details. . . 
{shirt- thrifted}{jeans - gap}{purse - jessica simpson}{shoes- vince camuto}{sunglasses- target}

Mama Mermaid Style: Summertime Casual

This week's mermaid style outfit post is all about casual and colorful. For the perfect summertime dress it has to be cute but comfortable and this dress's soft flowing linens have made it a hot weather staple. 

My inspiration for this outfit was the beach. Although it's a good two hours to the nearest glimpse of the ocean, wearing this dress takes me back to my adventures on the shores of honolulu. I desperately miss being near the water and can't wait to get a little salty air in my hair soon enough. Costa Rica, I can't wait to meet you. 

Close up:

Outfit Details .......
{dress- thrifted}{shoes- reef}{necklace- amber baltic sea}
{amethyst ring- gift}{nail polish- violet vixen by orchid}



 *Be sure to check out previous posts in this series {1}{2}

Mama Mermaid Style: Independence Day BBQ

I hope everyone had a great 4th of July yesterday! Our day was pretty casual and ended with a BBQ. As part of my ongoing feature on the blog I want to share the outfit I wore for the occasion. It is probably one of my favorite dresses and with the Texas heat flowy dresses have become a summer staple. Did I mention I am a bit obsessed with polka-dots?

My inspirations were the traditional 4th of July's red, white & blue with a little bit of vintage touch. This dress always makes me think of something Claire from the Notebook would have worn. In looking for pictures of the outfits she wore in the movie version I came across this really cute photo set. 

Close-up:

Outfit Details .......
{dress- thrifted} {shoes- thrifted} {nailpolish- naughty nautical by essie}

*Be sure to check out previous posts in this series {1}

Mama Mermaid Style: date night

    Hi friends! This post kicks off a new feature on the blog called Mama Mermaid Style. I thought it was about time I started sharing some of the outfits I wear since fashion continues to be 

one of my biggest interests. So without further adieu, I present to what I wore for my date

night with Stephen recently!  

It was the perfect weather: Warm with a little bit of breeze, so I forewent the black cardigan that has pretty much been my wardrobe essential in the cooler months. My inspirations for this outfit were garden tea parties, Alice in Wonderland & Audrey Hepburn. 

Close-up:

Outfit Details .......
{dress- Betsey Johnson} {belt- Betsey Johnson} {shoes- Vince Camuto} {petticoat- Vintage}
{necklace- From a tiny pearl shop in Hawaii} {nailpolish- tarte deco by essie}