Ever Pretty Lace & Sleek Mermaid Gown

Ever Pretty is an online shop filled with dresses and gowns to fit a variety of occasions such as prom, girls night out and weddings at a very reasonable price point. I was initially drawn to Ever Pretty's Elegant Mermaid Evening Dress because of the mesh and lace applique detail, as well as a hip hugging cut and flared mermaid hem which creates a sleek silhouette. I haven't worn a dramatic shape before, and was quite excited to try this.

Due to the nature of the fabric, I had to do some intense steaming (which I don't mind) to the gown, before photographing in it. The fabric is made of a satin weave so it has a shine to it, which can sometimes look tacky; but it worked with this dress' simple lines and minimal embellishments.

The bust is fully padded, which means I can go bra-free, always a plus when you don't have a bra that will fit the cut of the dress without being exposed (this dress has a low, mesh back). A downside is that because I don't have a very large bust, I couldn't fully fill in the cups of the dress so it didn't sit quite right on the chest.

I'm usually a size 00/0, but I ordered a size 4, because it was the smallest size available in this style. Unfortunately, I wasn't blessed with hips and curves, so I didn't fill in the dress, and I therefore got a bit lost in the fabric; but nothing a little pinning can't do to create the illusion that it fits well for the photos. Too bad, I won't be able to wear this gown to an event unless I get it altered, but for the right body, this will look phenomenal. I must say that I did feel like quite the vixen in this gown once my hair and makeup were done up.

Shot by my best babe Renee of Hanger Shortage, we also snapped some photos of this dress with a bit of a mysterious and sultry editorial twist. I can't wait to share that edit with you!
Photos taken by Renee Rogers

Spring Green Gown & Quartz Necklace for a Summer Wedding

While shopping the BCBG Max Azria warehouse sale, my cousin snatched up this vibrant, spring green gown for me. I didn't even bother to try it on because I figured that it's the size I usually wear, the fabric looks forgiving and I can cinch my waist with the wide sash. Although the dress features a plunging v-neckline, I can get away with wearing it to a summer wedding because I'm flatter up top and accessorizing with a long necklace like The Two Hand Exchange's Gold Tassel & Quartz necklace takes away the immediate focus of the dramatic neckline. The slit and cascading fabric give a flowing affect when I walk, and I also love that the necklace serves as a statement piece without being overwhelming for the entire look. I tied in the rose hue of the necklace with Charles David's 'Pact' metallic rose gold heels.

Wear any plunging v-neckline short or long dress with a long necklace that does not hang past the point of the v-neckline. If you like the necklace styled with this gown, get it here!
Photos taken by Renee Rogers

Shop 16th Colony's Enigma Collection & SALE!

Looking to still add staple summer pieces that you can seamlessly wear into the fall season? 16th Colony based out of Southern California has my favorite boho pieces such as airy ponchos and flirty off the shoulder and plunging neckline dresses.
Shop the latest Enigma collection here, see photos of when I modeled wearing the Enigma collection here, and shop the rest of 16th Colony here!
Special Perk....use my code FFFBohoBabes at checkout in the coupon redemption box for 20% off your ORDER!

Sweater Tank with Shorts & a Pop of Jewelry

Lauren, the designer of The Two Hand Exchange based out of Orange County, CA, makes the prettiest handcrafted jewelry using gemstones and mixed metals. She sent me a few pieces and I styled a ring and lariat druzy stone necklace with this navy and white outfit. For some reason, this knit top was giving me nautical vibes, so I roughed it up a bit with washed out, distressed denim cut-off shorts and tied a top around my waist. Details of the look are below, and check out Lauren's shop here (the ring and necklace styled in this look will be released for sale on Monday August 3rd)!

Tank, Jeanni Champagne Boutique
Necklace & Ring, The Two Hand Exchange
High-Rise Distressed Denim Shorts (similar), John Galt @ Brandy Melville
Maddison Pointed Flat Shoes, ASOS
Photos taken by Renee Rogers

Wave the American Flag! Happy 4th of July!

Happy Saturday! If you're celebrating Independence Day, then I hope it is a fun and safe one! Happy July 4th! I wanted to share these photos from a shoot with Renee in which Dee from Swell Beauty did my hair and make up, and local sunglasses company zeroUV was on set to film and photograph a behind-the-scenes look at when I'm shooting for FFF! Can't wait to share all the footage and other images with you!

Look 1: Sunglasses, zeroUV / Dress, Lira

Look 2: Sunglasses, zeroUV / Lace Top, French Connection /  Bottoms, Triple Thread OC / Faux Leather Slip-Ons, Forever 21
Photos taken by Renee Rogers.

Projection LA

Renee and I ventured up to the Silverlake area in LA to take photos at the deserted Sunset Pacific Motel, also known as the 'Bates Motel', which was painted completely white (including the surrounding palm trees and billboard) by French artist Vincent Lamouroux. Projection, is produced by Please Do Not Enter, and is a temporary art installation standing in all it's stark white glory on Sunset blvd. I wore my Girls on Film Palm Printed romper from Little Mistress which was quite fitting for the hot, first day of summer, and it popped quite well against the white background.

Visit Projection:
4301 W Sunset Blvd, Los Angeles, California 90029
Park on the residential streets nearby

The property is completely surrounded by barbed wire fencing, although with careful inspection by Renee and I, it seems that the fence has been heavily tampered with and then patched up. If you check out Projection's Instagram you can see that a few individuals have made it onto the premises. 

What to purchase what I wore?
Girls on Film Palm Print V Neck Playsuit, Little Mistress
Ribbed Faux Leather Sandals, Forever 21 Photos taken by Renee Rogers.

Backyard (Poolside) BBQ Style & Ideas with ASOS

As apart of ASOS' Backyard BBQ Campaign, I got to style a look with pieces from ASOS. In preparation for a poolside BBQ shindig with my friend Renee (who also took these gorgeous photos), I selected an airy, printed tank; comfy 'mom' denim shorts; D'orsay flats; white sunglasses; and a metallic wallet clutch. I was going to be doing some grilling and food prep so I fixed my hair into milkmaid braids to keep it out of the way. Purchase the items featured in my BBQ look, and check out easy and colorful BBQ ideas below.

AJ Morgan Randall Round Sunglasses in Matte Crystal, ASOS
Double Layer Cami Top In China Blue Bird Print, ASOS
Denim Mom Short in Tobacco With Turn Ups, ASOS
MADDISON Flat Shoes, ASOS
Metallic Purse with Multi Compartments, ASOS

SHISH KABOBS

A fail proof BBQ dish that not only tastes scrumptious but is pretty-looking are shish kabobs. You have the freedom to grill veggies and meat or seafood, all veggies, all meat, or what have you on the skewers. For my shish kabobs, I purchased lean beef cubes, smothered the beef in BBQ sauce and strung them onto the skewers with colorful bell peppers and purple onions. I grilled one side for a few minutes, turned over and grilled the other side for a few minutes. For a side dish idea, you can also do fruit shish kabobs. Use wood or metal skewers, I used metal skewers because they felt sturdier than the wood ones.

WATERMELON BOWL

An interesting way to display fruit is with a watermelon or melon bowl. I cut the watermelon in half and sliced through and scooped one side out, you can repeat to the other watermelon side if you have more guests to feed. After cutting the watermelon into pieces, I placed it into the carved out watermelon side and stuck colorful toothpicks into the watermelon slices. You can also place other fruit such as strawberries, mango, and cantaloup into the bowl for a fruit salad. 

MANGO NECTAR WHITE SANGRIA

I didn't really have a set recipe for this summer-inspired, fruity sangria; and I also didn't have time to let the sangria steep over a long period time, so Renee and I improvised a bit for this beverage. We mixed chilled Chardonnay; mango nectar juice; raspberry sparkling juice; citrus vodka; and fresh fruit (orange, pineapple, and strawberries) in a pitcher and served in the darn cutest pineapple cups.

FUN (PINEAPPLE) CUPS 

Add an element of pizazz to your BBQ with pineapple or coconut shaped cups to serve your beverages in. These cups and other fun BBQ serving dishes and decor can be found at party supply stores.
Photos taken by Renee Rogers