Cheap Thrills

Outfit Details:
Olive Anorak - c/o Chloe Loves Charlie
skirt (worn as dress) - thrifted
belt - from my mom's shop (Hourglass Consignment)
Ampersand heels - c/o Seychelles
Collina Strada bag - c/o Emerging Thoughts
hat - H&M
vintage glasses - Guvnor's Vintage

I think I wear this skirt more often than most items in my closet, even if I've only worn it a few times on the blog. It might be the best few dollars I've ever spent.

I can't wait to get back down to Florida in the next few weeks. Not only am I looking forward to thrift stores that aren't picked clean (I'm looking at you, New York!) - my little sis is due to have her baby boy! I'm not sure which is more exciting.

Okay, okay...meeting my new nephew Ryder might take the cake.

I wear my garment so it shows.

A couple months ago, my darling little kitties shattered my full length mirror. I still haven't replaced it. I never really think about it when I'm out, nor did I feel it necessary to make a special trip for that sole purpose. That is, until yesterday. You see, I bought this lovely little blush pink dress for $5, wore it to brunch and on an outing with my friend Samara, and then realized...it's way more sheer than I thought. Though I wore it with the appropriate flesh tone undergarments, I skipped the slip. I caught a glimpse in a store mirror and realized I could completely see my rib tattoo. Which means, when in sunlight, it is probably way worse. Sure enough, I asked Samara and she agreed that it was a little see-through! If I had a full length mirror with which I could examine these issues, I wouldn't have left the house like that. But Kim is the only one with even a regular sized mirror, and her room is dimly lit.

Needless to say, purchasing a full length mirror is on this week's agenda. Until then, I will wear slips as a fail-safe. Hope everyone in my neighborhood enjoyed the underwhelming show!

Outfit Details:
inappropriate dress - H&M
Dainty and Demure top - courtesy of ModCloth
belt - from my mom's shop, Hourglass Consignment
pink socks - from my mom
Seychelles "Romance" boots - courtesy of Seychelles
Coach Madison Brynne bag - courtesy of Coach

Love love,
Keiko Lynn

(Sittin' on) The Dock of the Bay

My outfit details:
Ray-Ban Wayfarers - c/o LensCrafters
Alice Ritter sleeveless trench - Bird (boutique in my neighborhood)
C&C California leopard t-shirt - Beacon's Closet
vintage belt - Hourglass Consignment (mom's store)
skirt - H&M
vintage brooch - gift from my mom
bracelets - LOFT and Nine West
Seychelles heels (on sale!) - c/o Seychelles
Love at first sight bag - c/o Rebecca Minkoffvintage cocktail ring and vintage silver and gold elephant ring - gifts from my momlipstick - Revlon Sassy Mauve
Kim's outfit details:cutaway blouse - boutique in San Diego (similar one here)skirt - Urban Outfitters (I think it's this one) racerback burnout tank (underneath) - Urban Outfitters Seychelles Mother of Pearl (on sale!) - Seychelles rainbow wire wrapped ring - vendor at Artists and Fleas (help! do you know who makes this?)rhinestone ring - Chinatown vendorAriana bag - Melie Bianco 

I forgot to put my photos on my laptop before leaving for Florida, so I didn't get a chance to post these photos from the day of the CVS Beauty Club Beauty Board luncheon in San Diego. Kimbly was downright harassing me for them ("Where are those photos, b?!"), so I'm sure she will be pleased that I finally got around to it. I have a million or maybe even a billion more photos for Kim, so make sure to check out her blog a little later. She loves company.

Which reminds me, I believe she might be coming to visit in a couple of weeks! And then I will be going to Los Angeles, hopefully in late October, so I'm pretty excited about the next couple of months. I'll also be turning twenty-seven in less than a month and I'm not completely thrilled about that...but let's just gloss over that for now. On the bright side, I made a list of cakes and pies that I want for my birthday. Yes, plural.

about town

Outfit Details:
dress - c/o ModCloth (last year - and p.s. I'm wearing shorts underneath)
vintage scarf - gift from my mom (tutorial here)
glasses - Guvnor's Vintage
Seychelles Chant heels - c/o Seychelles
Rebecca Minkoff hobo - c/o Rebecca Minkoff
vintage bracelets and necklace - Hourglass Consignment
ring - gift from Kathy

Getting ready to take Miku to the park, at the moment - I'm looking forward to having a day outside of the apartment. So is Miku. When I'm depressed, so is she - she'll lay in bed with me all day if that's what my activities are limited to. What better motivation than a cute little puppy face to get me out of the apartment and back to real life?

southern belle

Outfit Details:
hat - J.Crew
dress - c/o Jolie and Elizabeth, a New Orleans based clothing line
heels - c/o Sophie Theallet for Nine Westlove at first sight hobo - c/o Rebecca Minkoff
belt - thrifted
vintage bracelets - Hourglass Consignment
glasses - Ray-Ban

If you know anything about Florida you probably know that the farther South you go, the less Southern it gets. I'm from South Florida, and if I ever claimed myself as Southern in front of my real-deal Southern relatives, I might get a smack in the face, followed by a "Bless her heart." That's how they soften the blow.

I'm no dyed-in-the-wool Southern country girl but I'm no true city or suburbs girl, either. I guess I'm somewhere in between, always trying to find some sort of balance. I grew up barrel racing and catching toads (who were always named Fred - always), barefoot in the dirt and covered in horse hair. I live in the city now (and love it), but I still feel more comfortable in a pasture full of horses than I will ever feel in a room full of people - I'm getting anxiety just thinking about it. If only I could have a pasture full of horses just outside of the city. Wouldn't that be perfect?

Though they've had a long time to adjust, there are still members of my family (I'm looking at you, Grandma) who still can't believe I wear makeup and dresses...and moved to the NYC. Truth be told, I sometimes can't believe it, either. Life is funny.


p.s. this was Thursday's cancelled post - I'll be posting more of last week's posts this week. I'll try and catch up as soon as possible.

What makes love true

Outfit Details:
Joie silk blouse - c/o Joie
lace skirt - c/o Spotted Moth
belt - thrifted
shoes - Beacon's Closetvintage bag - Hourglass Consignment
twist key necklace - c/o Tiffany & Co., in celebration of their microsite, What Makes Love True

Bobby is wearing: Urban Outfitters hat and Benjamin shirt by Fischer

There is no authority on love. Love is such an intimate notion and to be in love is beyond description. Or, at least, it is for me. I've been in love a handful of times - truly - and I'll never discredit those that didn't last. Once you're in love, it's difficult to admit to yourself that you can ever fall out of it. It's right and then...it's just wrong. From the four year relationship that ran its course to the whirlwind romance that crashed and burned, I've become the person I am today - and I've learned when to love and when to let go. That is never lost on me.

When Tiffany & Co. sent me this beautiful necklace with the thought provoking question, "What makes love true?" I immediately thought, "Love is whatever you make of it." That might sound like a cop out, and maybe it is. But each time I fell in love, it felt completely different. That doesn't make it any less real. What makes love true and long-lasting is all in how you maintain it, and that requires balance and resilience. And if you're dating me, patience - lots of patience.

I'm a fiery person. I can be tempestuous and lose my temper rather quickly, and I'm extremely stubborn. I need someone who balances me out and keeps me grounded, yet lets me express myself. He needs to accept that I'm going to get riled up every now and then, but not let me get out of control. And maybe bring me back down to earth with a soothing voice and some breathing exercises, if necessary (I'm only kind of joking). More than anything, I need someone who will stick around when things get tough, and I need to want to stick around, too...and be the voice of reason when he needs it.  People don't often tell you how much maintenance a relationship requires, but know this: there will be rough patches. You need to know when to pick yourselves up and dust each other off and when to let go - and grudges are out of the question. Bobby and I have had our rough patches in the past, but after eight years of friendship and three years of living together, we know how to handle what comes our way. Despite all of my faults, he never gave up on me. And just so you know (because I'm painting myself to be a crazy person with a perfect counterpart), he has his [very minor] faults, too. The goshdarn boy can't seem to go one day without accidentally throwing away something really important.


Oh, and one other thing that makes love true? Mutual adoration for my animals. Obviously!

To see more thoughts on what makes love true from fellow bloggers, check out the slideshow on stylelist.

Redolent of Orchids

I had every intention of posting these yesterday, but a handsome little prince named Kitty Boos decided to chew straight through my charger. I do adore my little critters, but sometimes they can be little rascals. Right now they are sleeping like little angels - and thus, we begin the calm before the inevitable storm. I don't know what has gotten into them the past couple of weeks - maybe they're bored. I think they just need their new cat condo to arrive, and soon. They outgrew (and broke) the old one. Meanwhile, Miku is a perfect little princess and they could learn a thing or two from her.

H&M had a whole rack of these dresses on sale ($15), in various colors. They must have had a difficult time selling them, because they were extremely abundant - either that, or they just made way too many. Though a little hesitant in my purchase, wondering if every girl in the world would have this exact dress, I was won over by the pale pink. Plus, I'm a sucker for fringe and loose fitting dresses of versatility. I thought about removing the bottom band and letting the fringe hang loose, but it's bound to get caught on everything, so I'm leaving it be. As for the bag, it couldn't be more ideal. Maybe my dress isn't exactly unique, but the bag certainly is. My mom gives me the most amazing gifts.

Outfit Details:
blazer: H&M
fringe dress: H&M
belt: thrifted
vintage bag: a gift from my mom, from her store, Hourglass Consignment
shoes: Jeffrey Campbell

Makeup notes: julie hewett cheekie cheek and lip shine in Bette on lips, MAC Mineralize Skinfinish in Refined on cheeks

Love love,
Keiko Lynn