Wearing Chambray & Flower Print

Last Thursday I kicked off a day of events in Laguna Beach. Since I knew it would be a sunny day by the beach, I was inspired to wear various shades of blue. I just picked up these flounce shorts with a fun hibiscus print from Aeropostale (on clearance!) and paired it with a chambray button down. This is a great way to not only mix fabrics, but also colors and prints together. Find a printed top or bottom and style it with a colored top that matches one of the colors from the print. I also have been trying a new hairstyle since my hair is much longer now; I call it the 'Ariana Grande' since it's her signature half-up high ponytail. Here are the outfit details:

Oversized Cat Eye Sunglasses in Black/Lavender, ZeroUV
Chambray Button Down, Banana Republic Factory Store
Necklace, J.Crew 
Hibiscus Flounce Shorts, Aeropostale
Booties, Vintage by Jeffrey Campbell
Photos taken by Kimberly Luu

Boho Beach Bridesmaid

I felt so utterly beautiful and feminine in this flowing Pia Gladys Perey gown while shooting on the beach with Shawna of Bleudog Fotography. Shawna also put together a beautiful floral wreath that donned these little puffy flowers that perfectly matched my gown. The Sabine Long Dress has beautiful gathers at the front which accentuate the waist, the color is a gorgeous dusty rose shade and the fabric moves so gracefully in the wind. This is an amazing gown to wear for any occasion or to dress your bridesmaids in if you're currently planning your wedding. Wear this gown as is, or add a belt or dainty necklaces. Shop the rest of the Pia Gladys Perey styles here, and check out the other dress I shot in here.

One Shoulder Goddess Gown

I recently connected with LA blogger, Rachel McCord of The McCord List, and was thrilled to find out that she had created her own social influencer and blogger showroom loft space in West LA which houses fashion, beauty, and lifestyle brands. While visiting her showroom space a couple weeks ago, she shared designs by Pia Gladys Perey, a designer from the Philippines. I pulled three gowns, and here's the first; The Ingrid Gown, a beautiful one-shoulder, Grecian-esque gown in a pretty periwinkle shade. I met up with photographer Shawna of Bleudog Fotography and had fun shooting in the last bit of sunlight at Lost Winds beach in San Clemente. This style along with many of the other Pia Gladys Perey dresses and gowns are perfect for a bridal party or bride. I love the variety of colors and cuts available, as well as how the fabric moves; it looks expensive and it's doesn't feel heavy or weigh me down when worn. If you are planning a wedding, you need to take a look at Pia Gladys Perey!Photos taken by Shawna of Bleudog Fotography

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

Oversized Vest with a Romper for Summer

This romper/playsuit seems to be my go-to when visiting LA, I last wore it here and here. It just makes it easy to throw on and wear out as a chic and vibrant but not overly loud outfit. For this outfit, I played down the tropical print with an oversized white vest, but did highlight a color of the tropical print with my rust-colored booties.

Girls on Film Palm Print V Neck Playsuit, Little Mistress
White Vest & Booties, ZARA 
Clutch, Ann Taylor
Photos taken by Kimberly Luu

Floral Shift Dress in the Heat

Sacramento could have had me fooled for being an Arizonian city because it was unbelievably hot and dry when I visited last month. I'm so very glad I brought this light, floral printed shift dress; which had me feeling like a desert rose. I had also received a druzy lariat necklace from The Two Hand Exchange before leaving for SacTown, and it perfectly complemented my dress. Details on the look below:
Necklace, The Two Hand Exchange
Dress, Elison Rd
Bag, Target
Shoes, Forever 21