Runway My Way

NYC Again…

Sadly, although I carefully planned my wardrobe for the trip, especially my interview ensemble, I didn’t take any outfit pictures in NYC. The friend I stayed with was so busy at work that bugging her to take pictures of me at night seemed very silly. Bothering random people on the street also didn’t seem like the best idea. It was too hot to even be outside on most days so the pictures would have been too sweaty and gross anyway. The only decent picture I have (the ones I tried to take of myself were a disaster) is one from the bar we went to on Friday night. At least you can see my shirt/necklace combo, which I like.

I did, however, take some random pictures of my surroundings so I included a few of them below. :)

From top to bottom: yours truly, St. Patrick’s Cathedral, the famous Lombardi’s pizzeria, view from Brooklyn Bridge Park

Love,

Anna

Backyard BBQ

Hi dolls!

I don’t even know why I’m posting these because they’re definitely not some of the more flattering pictures of me…I guess the frizzy hair and sweaty face make me a bit more human…not that anyone had any doubts. :) I swear I came to the party with freshly done hair and makeup; it’s too bad it all only lasted about five minutes. Humidity is a jerk like that but hey, we’ve all been there, right?

Because this was a July 4th party,  I incorporated some blue, red (see the little red stripe on the bag? It counts!) and grey (aka dirty white) into my outfit. Close enough!

Wearing: Max Rave dress, leather tool belt, vintage Gucci bag, Sergio Rossi shoes

Love,

Anna

P.S. Yay for Nik agreeing to appear in my pictures!

Bold Makeup

I normally wear some shade of gold or brown on my lids but once in a very long while I feel the urge to experiment, usually when I’m wearing something very plain. When this makeup creativity strikes, I don’t just play with a different color, I go all out doing things like putting lipstick on my eyelids editorial style. At least that’s how I think of it; my boyfriend just calls it crazy.

Here is my latest makeup experiment from July 3rd; a look that may or may not have been subconsciously inspired by the blue and gold mascot of my jr. high school… We were driving to catch some fireworks (say hi to gram in the back) so bright colors seemed appropriate…

Love,

Anna

Picnic

Hi dolls!

Here are some more 4th of July weekend photos. These are from a picnic we had in a beautiful park close to my house.

Of course it was hot out so I thought that a cute little dress, contrasting necklace (red and turquoise is one of my favorite color combinations), and floppy hat combo was perfect for the occasion. Another accessory of choice? Bug spray. The super greasy deep woods kind. :)

Wearing: Forever 21 dress and hat, BCBG watch, turquoise necklace (gift from a friend), BCBG sandals, thrifted picnic basket

Love,

Anna

Day at the Pool

It was crazy hot outside during the 4th of July weekend; perfect weather for going to the pool for some fun in the sun and some water workouts. Always looking to inject a bit of glamour to my pool or beach look I wore my favorite steal of a deal vintage Oscar de la Renta swim cover up with a beautiful vintage belt and gold chain detail nude sandals. I think the belt really added some polish while the sandals looked a lot more chic than the typical flip flops. I topped the look with big shades and a floppy hat that not only protects from the sun but also hides the frizzies after.

For those of you looking upgrade your pool/beach look this summer, I encourage you to think outside the box. Look through thrift stores, raid your bf’s closet, diy an old dress into a new swim coverup, and don’t be afraid to accessorize with belts, hats, and jewelry. Anything that makes you feel more beautiful and confident goes.

Wearing: vintage Oscar de la Renta swim cover up, vintage belt, Forever 21 hat and sunglasses, Lancome bag (one of those free gifts with purchase), BCBG sandals

Love,

Anna

Outdoor Music Festival

Hi guys! I hope all of you are enjoying summer as much as I am. It’s been a pretty awesome last couple of weeks filled with concerts, picnics, parties, nights out on the town, and even a trip to NYC. I got back to Chicago last night and immediately went out afterwards so today I am taking some time to relax, unpack, and post a few pictures.

This look is from Friday, July 1st when we went to see Maroon 5 at Ravinia Music Festival. We make it a point to go to the festival at least a couple of times every summer and always have a great time. This time was no exception; Maroon 5 was incredible. As for my wardrobe, it needed to be light and comfy for the hot weather so I went with some basic denim shorts, a bright silk top which I cinched in with a vintage gold belt, a little messenger bag, and some comfy nude flat sandals (unfortunately, not pictured.) Oh, and let’s not forget the bugspray. :)

Here are a few of the more decent pictures I found, along with a couple shots of the performance:

Wearing: Banana Republic top, vintage belt, Forever 21 shorts, vintage Sharif bag, vintage sunglasses

Love,

Anna

New Vintage

I must admit, I am a sucker for anything vintage: clothing, accessories, fine china, furniture… If it wasn’t made in this decade, there is a good chance I like it. I like old things because they have character and a story; I can just sit back and imagine who owned the vintage items I now have. I also like that there is a very small chance of seeing someone else with the same exact 1960s bag or 1920s fine china set.With that said, as much as I love looking for vintage dresses and tailoring them to fit me, once in a long while I can’t help but pick up a new dress, like the one pictured here, that just happens to look vintage. No tailoring required.

 

Wearing: Forever 21 dress, Kensie belt, Stephane de Raucourt shoes, US Polo Assn sunglasses, MICHAEL Michael Kors bag, BCBG watch

I wore this outfit yesterday when Nik and I went for a walk/shopping at the outlet mall by my house. I’m obsessed with the BCBG store there!  I cinched in my dress with a wide belt (worn backwards) to define the waist a little bit more and added these comfy shoes that pick up the blue in the frock. I also found that wearing my hair in an easy ponytail and adding aviatiors (as opposed to the big vintage frames I would normally reach for) made the vintage inspired pieace look a bit more current.

That’s it for this post. :) Have a lovely day, everyone!

Love,

Anna

Gap Sale/Date Night

Yes, the Gap’s monster sale that’s going on in stores right now qualifies as a valid event… I don’t know, maybe I was totally wrong before in thinking that the Gap carried little more than simple t-shirts and well-priced jeans (let me tell you, 1969s fit me like a dream!) and the chain has always been an underrated gem or maybe they have really stepped up their game lately…Whatever it is, I like what they’re doing. I also really like when they give you an extra 40% off of all sale items, which is why Nik and I had to stop by there before going to dinner on Friday. Again, I found some great stuff, including a super feminine white button down shirt for less than $3 and a nude sequined jacket for less than $15! Sorry if I sound like a Gap commercial. These are the things I get excited about…

Wearing: vintage Oscar de la Renta swim cover up, Norma Kamali for Walmart tshirt, Op jeggings, DV Dolce Vita boots, Arden B necklace, vintage Chic de Paris bag, BCBG watch

Now, I suppose I should say something about the outfit. After a long Thursday night, I wanted to wear something super easy and comfy on Friday. I achieved this goal by reaching for my comfy OTK boots, super soft jeggings, and an overzied tee. The temperature outside was in the sixties in the evening so I wore my silk swim coverup on top as a cardigan. I then added my favorite statement necklace for a bit more visual interest and grabbed a classic black chain strap bag. Because I already had the fuchsia lipstick on while modeling Thursday night’s outfit and because I’m obsessed with its bright hue, I decided to rock it again. I quickly realized that it wasn’t the best choice for dinner but hey, at least I was smart enough to bring the lipstick with me so I could reapply it to my stained lips after.

Again, I typed way more then I thought I would. So much for making my posts shorter this time around…:)

Love,

Anna