Comfort with Wine and Striped Palazzo Pants.

I am all about a look that's both stylish and comfortable. What more could you want from an outfit? I've been quick to jump on the bandwagon of many comfy-chic trends like the fashion pajama look, leggings in the place of pants, and athleisure wear (some of which were not great in hindsight!).

Palazzo pants are one of the comfy trends I jumped on when it came around a couple of years ago, but today, palazzo pants are coming back in a huge way and having a moment with stripe prints. I tend to stay away from stripes because of the age old misconception that they widen you, but if I learned anything from the hundreds of things I've ever tried on is that one rule does not apply to all!

I think the vertical stripes on a billowy pant leg are actually flattering and very summer in Saint Tropez! I got this pair from TJ Maxx (your girl loves a bargain) and wore it on a mini day trip from LA to the wineries in Temecula. It has a paper bag waist so the level of comfort is way high!

The weather that day was beyond perfect; not too hot and not too cold, just right for a day of sipping on some wine al fresco and taking in the scenery of the beautiful vineyards. I, of course, had to stop at my favorite winery in Temecula, Leoness Cellars, where all of their wines are impeccable. I absolutely recommend the Meritage if you like red wine and the Melange de Blanc if you like white.

My pants were perfect look and feel for that day and that coupled with actually being in the vineyard really took me to a European state of mind.

Similar styles available everywhere!

Forever 21

 

Zaful

 

Net a Porter

   

Zara

                                 

Nordstrom

                 

                     TopShop

   
                                                           

Wedding Vibes.

This weekend, I was so honored to share in celebrating the wedding of two great people, Nelson and Sherri, who I met through my boyfriend. Being Armenian, most of the weddings I've been to have been Armenian, so I was very thrilled to be able to see the different cultural side of a Chinese wedding. Everything was so beautiful and the food was so good.

Since it wasn't a typical Armenian wedding, I wanted to take a bit of a risk with my dress. I had been eyeing this dress from Lioness for so long, but every time I tried to buy it, it was always sold out! So you can imagine my surprise and excitement when I saw the exact same design at...you ready?...Forever 21! It was in a color I don't usually wear, but I'm all about taking risks in my wardrobe and I think it paid off.

I put this whole look together from head to toe for under $100. The dress from Forever 21 was $30, the choker necklace is from Burlington for $3, which is very similar to this necklace by Jules Smith, my heels are from H&M at $30, and my rings are combinations of baubles I picked up in various stores.

I accentuated my dress with gold details in my look from my necklace to my rings to my nails. P.S. I'm obsessing over my nail color, it's Sally Hansen Miracle Gel in Terra-Coppa.

And what's better to match me in this dress than my handsome man.

Remember that the devil's in the details...shoes, timepiece, and all.

Fall 2016 Obsessions.

It still feels like summer in LA, but it's officially fall and I cannot be more excited for my favorite season! The first day of fall was last Thursday, and I honored it by ordering my first pumpkin spice latte of the season. If that makes me basic, then I'll take it because PSL's are just too good to not have. Along with PSL's, there are some really awesome styles in clothing and accessories that I've recently become obsessed with that I think are perfect to rock during the fall season.

This season, I've compiled 6 cool trends into 1 super chic look that is the perfect day to night look for a crisp fall day. I guess us spoiled with constant warm weather here in LA will have to wait a month or so to start with the layering of sweaters and outerwear, but it's good to be prepared with them in your closet anyway.

Here is my fab fall look, with 6 fall things I'm obsessed with...

1. Marble: All marble everything! I'm loving the look of marble whether it's on my furniture, dish ware, or my phone case. It's a very simple pattern, but there are so many different colors and variations of it that you can rock and still keep it super elegant. I recently love the marble look on phones, nails, and as wall accents.

                                        


2. Dark and Glossy: Don't get me wrong, this girl loves her matte lips, but I think the gloss look is a good change of pace for the fall. Especially as the air is getting drier and colder, lips become more dried out and matte lips dry them out even more. Ditch the pinkish matte lips for darker hues and be a gloss boss.







3. Geometric Earrings: I think fall is a time to play with hard and soft looks and textures and geometrically shaped earrings are a good alternative to super girly earrings. Simple gold shapes really compliment any outfit and are different enough from ordinary studs and hoops, but still modern and classy.

               


4. Dusters: Dusters are called just that because they are long enough to almost graze the floor and "dust it". I really love how their length is a median look from the short, light jackets of summer and the thick peacoats of the winter. I like them in fall hues like olive green and dusty orange, but this grayish rose colored one is to die for.

                                 


5. Mid Calf Boots: All of the boots I've ever owned have been either up to or above me knee or at my ankles. I'm obsessing now over these boots that go up to the mid calf! They give me a cool New York street style vibe and I think it looks awesome with a sweater dress paired with a duster.


        


6. Phone Pouches: Maybe its because I've been carrying around a big ass purse all summer long, but I'm really over them. I like the simplicity and minimalism of smaller purses, like these ones that fit only your essentials: your phone, your cards, and a lipstick. If you're going out for the night, what more do you need? Its so much easier on you (and your back) to carry these small phone pouches than a really big handbag.

                       


What I love most about fall, though, is that its a really good time to experiment with different pieces and looks. The weather permits for you to mix and match short and long pieces and I just love the level of creativity it can bring out in people's styles. I hope you all take this thought and run with it...experiment with your looks! I'd love to see all the outfits you all put together.

Spanish Style Vibes.

As a lot of you know from my Summer Vacation Essentials post, I took a trip to Spain last month and of course, I kept my eye out for street styles and different trends people wore there. Everyone knows that fashion trends start in Europe and migrate over to the states so I was pretty excited to see and buy up and coming pieces.

If you're looking to go to Spain and want to take advantage of the shopping, go towards the end of June because the sales are ridiculous! I had no idea my trip would overlap with the biggest sales of the year, but it did and I'm not complaining! Pieces I found that were normally 60€ I found for 20€ and that roughly rounds out to about $22.50. Anyway, I was really inspired by some of the really cool things the locals were wearing and I searched high and low for similar pieces in both local stores and chain stores like Zara and Mango.

I didn't know this until recently but some chain stores like Zara sell different items of clothing in different cities, even locally! So you wouldn't necessarily find the same stuff at a Zara in Costa Mesa that you would in Beverly Hills. The clothing is tailored to the area; you'd find more beachy styles in a Zara in Orange County and more flashy and metropolitan styles in Hollywood. The same is with those in Barcelona.

I found a lot of neat things but this dress has to be my favorite. Its sequins are so meticulously sewn and have a ton of movement so you aren't constantly itchy. You can move the sequins around with your hands and it creates a nice two dimensional look. Best part is I got it for a steal at 20€!

As much as the sales at the chain stores were too good to pass up, I really wanted to steer away from them and shop at local stores. I wanted unique pieces that would be quintessential to Spain and nowhere else. The first thing I noticed was that everyone and their mothers...and I'm not joking about this...were wearing these leather sandals...

When I say everyone, I mean that literally. I even saw a ton of men wearing them. It's a really good sandal for summer and its made with real Spanish leather. Interestingly, the bottom sole is made of rubber and it kind of looks like it was made from old tires. I actually kind of like the recycling aspect of these shoes. But anyway, with these shoes it was easy to blend in with the locals, in fact, it was like step 1. All for a grand total of 12€, which is such a good price for real leather.

When I was in Madrid, a big aspect of their shopping was vintage stores. There were a ton of them all over the city with clothing and accessories ranging from the 60s to the 90s. It was so awesome! I trekked into a few of them and found this super cool Spice Girls concert tee that immediately brought me to nostalgia of my childhood.

I also got these platform metallic shoes in Madrid, which I noticed a lot of locals wearing too. The platforms make the shoes so comfortable and they also remind me of the 90s. I've paired the tee and the shoes together to complete a 90s look!

My absolute favorite thing I got was an amazingly adorable mini backpack from Barcelona! I actually saw this backpack in the window of a local purse store on my way to meet up with my brother. I knew I was going to be late if I stopped to buy it so I just took a picture of the store and figured I'd go back to buy it after meeting up with my brother. I did just that, but by the time I got there and asked for the bag, the owner told me it was their last one and they had sold it! I really couldn't believe my luck. With a little talking in my broken Spanish, the owner told me they were going to get a new shipment of them but I was going to be in Madrid when it did. He graciously agreed to put one on hold for me until I returned to Barcelona to catch my flight back home. Amazing! The struggle was real to get this backpack but it was totally and completely worth it, especially at its cost of 20€.

Me channeling my inner gangster watching Ice Cube at Hard Summer Music Festival.

I had so much fun people watching and finding cool new street styles in Spain and I'm really excited to bring some of those styles back with me and share them with you. I can't wait until some of these styles start appearing in our local stores.

Summer Fashion Trends.

This weekend was Memorial Day Weekend, and I was busy getting ready to party it up to ring in summer! If only this LA weather will allow. But either way, I plan to kick of this summer by rocking some fashion essentials that are key for this season. There are a lot of things happening in the fashion world this season that I want to share with you all, but I can't help but notice that some of the Spring season trends are still here to stay! Check out some of those trends by clicking on my Spring Fashion Essentials post.

For summer, I'm bringing you guys six essential trends that you can sport and look like the fashionista in your group of friends. Now without further ado, here are the six pieces you need to start your summer and continue looking great all season. Click on the photos to shop all the looks!!

1. Dad Hats: Dad hats have made a surprising comeback in the trend cycle and its perfect to keep your face safe from the beaming summer sun. Dad hats are exactly what they sound like...they're like those hats that your dad used to wear on the weekends when he'd take you to the park or go golfing. I love that awesome brands are embracing this trend and putting their logos on these hats, like this Antisocial Social Club hat, Drake 6 God hat, and a throwback Calvin Klein logo hat.




Antisocial Social Club Weird Cap, $36.00
Calvin Klein Baseball Cap, $39.00
Jordan 12 "The Master" 6 God Dad Hat, $21.99


2. Boudoir Inspired Dresses: Slip dresses aren't just for wearing underneath your regular dresses anymore! These lingerie style dresses are really light and cute for the summer heat. Anything with spaghetti straps and lace detailing is an A in my book.

                                     

Forever 21 Contemporary Layered Slip Dress, $24.99
Choise Pink Lace Up Front Cami Dress, $12.90
Her Velvet Vase Wintour Classic Maxi, $60.00


3. Playful Sheer Socks: I know what you're thinking...socks for summer?! But no, trust me, these socks are perfect for summer. The sheerness of the socks make them really airy and they breathe easier in the heat. Add a cute pattern to them and they are great! Pair them with a pointy heel for a super New York street style look.

Greatlookz Rock Your Socks Whimsical Doodle Semi Sheer Socks, $8.99

Target Women's Trouser Sock 3-Pack, $7.00

Chelsea 28 Sheer Brocade Crew Socks, $9.00

4. Corn Rows/Boxer Braids: Before the Kardashians started wearing their hair in boxer braids, the African American culture was embracing this trend for years. This hairstyle has been popping up all over, though, even on red carpets. Whenever I can put my hair up and don't have to blow it out, I'm happy, especially in the summer when hair gets frizzy and damp from sweat! This do is ideal for this season.

5. Flat Wire Rimmed Sunglasses: Thick rimmed sunglasses are so last year! Dainty wire rimmed sunglasses are all the rage now. They're giving me a 70's vibe and actually pair really well with trend #2, boudoir inspired dresses.

 


Marc Jacobs Metal-Rim Gradient Cat Eye Sunglasses, $200
Forever 21 Cutout Trim Sunglasses, $9.90
Lulu's Sunday Stroll Gold and Taupe Sunglasses, $17.00


6. White Sneakers: White is a very summer color and accenting your outfit with a white sneaker is the ultimate cool girl style. These go great with any outfit. My favorite things to wear with them are dresses. It't a really great way to make a dress wearable during the day. Switch to heels at night for your summer night parties!

H&M Platform Sneakers, $29.99
Comme de Garcons Converse Low Top Sneaker, $120
Forever 21 Embroidered Eyelet Sneakers, $14.90