Loves, it is my life’s work to curate a closet that’s a bit like heaven, and share stories with you along the way. So I would be remiss if I didn’t share with you about Rent the Runway. Not only do they let you rent amazing clothes for all your needs (a way to curate your closet without breaking your bank), they occasionally sell their rentals for an unbelievable price! And right now, they are having a major clearance sale…so run don’t walk! And tell me what you got!!
There’s not a lot that I love more than a great juxatipositon-fashion in the wild, the unexpected,the things that make you look twice. This is not the first time you’ve heard this, and if you’ve been paying attention at all (7-11 shoot, Laundry Mat shoot, and Gone Fishing Shoot) you know that I love to shoot them. I get my inspiration from everywhere, but it should come as no surprise that when I saw this picture: EXCLUSIVE: Lady Gaga maintains her personal style during a hike in the woods with her new boyfriend Christian Carino; rocking a black crop top and tan pumps during the walk while on vacation in Montauk, New York.
Pictured: Lady Gaga Ref: SPL1524598 220617 EXCLUSIVE
Picture by: Splash News
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I knew I had to recreate it! So, I did!
Loves, in all honesty, if a great hike is what you’re after, don’t wear your heels. I’m a big heel wear-er. I wear them everywhere. Up and down hills in the dirt on a hike is just not the best place for them. That was the only glitch though! This amazing maxi didn’t get in my way. This custom crop from my love AAVintedge (read about her here) was actually a great choice, little support, but kept me cool. Yet, even with the heels sinking, I had a great time. This hike happened on my epic family vacation to Colorado. There was a little hike trail right behind our hotel, and I had my gear!
This look would also be great for dinners, parties, and the like. Or, you could seperate the pieces and you would have a thousand great looks! And though people might stare, this look is hike perfect!!
Hope your Monday is full of all sorts of amazing juxatipositons!
XO RA
Contact AAVintedge for your custom top, shop my picks below:
And right now ModCloth is having an amazing sale! Check it out:
Fashion Happens in the craziest places. This isn’t a post about that, this is a post about what goes on in the dressing room. We’ve all been there: you try something on, you fall in love, you hate it, you pose, you twirl, you strut. Not all of this fashion gets to come home with us, or out in the wild with us, but does that make it any less important?
I’ve spent the past few weeks in and out of dressing rooms. I’ve made a little video of my favorite pictures, stay tuned to see what I got!
Once upon a time there was a woman who loved fashion, and loved stories. In her heart were tales of pigs who loved, bears in houses, wolves who could blow those houses down, and dinosaurs. These fairy tales (which I believe are true, and oh so valuable) share space with dresses; dresses of magic, dresses that were pink and fun, and had sleeves that looked as if they could fly away.
The happy ending? There’s room for both. Magic and reality. Fashion and fairy tales. Stories.
This is a story of a dress. My tailor, who knows (and takes in), so much of my fashion and what I do with it; gave this dress to me. It was given to her, and she thought it was perfect for me. And it fits like a dream. A guess? It’s from the 1970s, it’s the perfect shade of pink, and the sleeves alone are amazing.
This is a story of fairy tales. As you know, my mom, sister, and I recently went on a road trip. On a part of this trip, we got to stop in Abilene, TX; my mom’s family is from there, still lives there (some), and this amazing Fariy Tale garden is there. This collection of statues from our favorite childhood stories can be found in the downtown area, features amazingly detailed sculptures, a tree where you can buy a leaf with your name on it, and was put together by my family member, Pam Tippen. More details can be found here
This dress was a perfect fit for all my favorite fairy tale stories; it also went well with dinner and drinks, and the most amazing cake! And the shoes! Fit better than Cinderella’s, and are a fan favorite.
I hope that today you wear something that makes you feel like a fairy tale, and that all things have a happy ending!
XO RA
Shop my picks:
If you’re loving the stories and the fairy tale we’re creating here, there’s still time to be a part! Please look at our iFundWomen proposal, give, and share!
I’m the first to admit that I would be incredibly happy if hats made a comeback. The first step, however, may be a great turban. We know that I love incredible fashion and that I equally love a great workout. One thing I don’t always love? Washing my hair, which is at odds with my constant desire to look chic, yes, I know. My current solution? A turban! Effortlessly chic, a turban-made or a scarf tied as one, can hide dirty hair, elevate any look, and make you stand out.
Any Millinery should carry great turbans; you can also find great ones online at Etsy, as well as other amazing vintage stores. Another way to get a great, chic turban? Tie your scarf into one! Does that sound intimidating to you? It did to me too. In fact, I wasn’t sure that I could do it. So I did what anyone would do! I googled it!
I promise it’s more simple than it looks!
Take your scarf and fold it into a triangle.
Pull your hair up, I find it easiest to have your hair in a bun.
Put the scarf on your head, covering your hair, with the base of the triangle on your neck.
Tie the two ends by your ear together over the other piece.
Then twist all ends together, making a little knot. Tie as fit.
The great part? Once you get the hang of it, it becomes second nature! And it transforms everything: your swim suit, a white tee shirt and jeans, your dresses. I love this trend, and would love it if we could make it a big thing! You in?
This was first published back in Feb, but with Friday’s post, and my thoughts turning towards Self Love–it seemed like a great time to repost! Enjoy! XO RA
Loves! It’s the month of love, and treats, and showing people you care. I hope the first person on your list to pamper is yourself–not because self care is indulgent, but because there is no way to care for others if you are depleted. There’s a reason why the air stewards and stewardesses tell us to put on your own air mask first; if you’re not taking care of yourself, there is no way you can take care of others. And loves, this can be a hard time to take care of ourselves. I promised to never get policital (though I broke that promise here), and this is not meant to be a political post. However, it is irresponsible to ignore what’s happening. Many people are scared, disagree with the administration, with loved ones, are protesting, are mad at protesters’ and every day there seems to be something new happening and to be concerned about. How do we care for ourselves during this? On either side, how do we pursue what we think is important politically and stay sane? And personally, how do we take care of ourselves so that we can take care of our loved ones?
I have found this Medium article, this MTV one, this wired, this self care, and this article helpful in navigating self care, because unfortunately it’s not all wine and shoe shopping (those can be included though) and meditation (though that helps too). So what is self care? In my world, it means listening to your mind and body, giving yourself what you need, treating yourself like a loved one, and protecting yourself like a loved one. And loves, that’s a lot easier said than done. My list of tips below are by no means comprehensive, and if they don’t work for you, that’s ok. Self-care is by definition is inherently personal. However, these practices help me. I’d love to know how you practice!
Be OK Not Being OK
I’m a perfectionist. I have grand plans. I also have a hard time being vulnerable in front of people (and I know that’s weird for an actress, all I can say is that when I speak a writer’s words, I give myself permission). My point is, it can be hard to admit that you’re not ok. Or not 100%. That maybe you need a break–from social media to plans to vacations. No one is on or together all the time. So, it’s ok not to be ok, to take time to take care of yourself. Stay in with a movie, or a bath, or a book. To take a day off and rest. To get out of town and think about things. To not be strong all the time. The overall, encompassing thought of most self-care manuals or advice is to give yourself what you need, and for me the first step (and often most important) is recongnizing that I need something.
Turn Off
Get off social media, get outside, do yoga, meditate, unplug your phone; however it is that you turn off. For me, it’s getting offline and reading. My yoga, Pilates, and spinning practices are also my forms of meditation. (I’m working on building a meditation practice). All of this means that I give myself permission not to be involved every single minute. I don’t need to read every article, work all the time, or say yes to it all. I try to give myself an hour a day where I’m unreachable and doing something for me, yes this is more often than not my workout, but I find that when I give to myself, I can give to others.
Telling My Loved Ones What I Need
This is also hard if we’re conditioned to people please or we want to say yes. It can also be scary to be vulnerable, to admit that we’re depressed or we need help. However, from being honest about needing to stay in to asking for help, as scary as it can, I find that when I’m honest with my loved ones things go so much better. We’re all in this together so no matter what you need, be it time alone, a listening ear, a hug, there’s a great chance people understand, and want to help you.
Of course, if you find yourself not being able to care for yourself, professional help might be for you. And loves, I’m a fan of therapy, we all need support sometimes, let’s not make that a stigma. Find a therapist in your area here.
Take care of you. I’m off today taking care of me. Meet you back here tomorrow?
Wishing us all a week of radical self-love and amazing shoes! XO RA
This post is from a million years ago (or 2) when it was just me and iphone. But this Tory Burch dress is still in rotation. I still love it, it still yells Spring to me. And that wall in LA, it still blooms. Somethings are great to go back to! Enjoy this post, I’ve updated the shopping options for you!
XO RA
After spending some time last week inTX, where it rained, I came back to LA to have it rain here! Then I woke up this morning-and y’all, it’s spring! The sky is clear, the flowers are gorgeous and everything is so green! Guess those April showers know what they’re doing. And if it’s spring, we should dress like it. I’m loving this Tory Burch dress- it’s colors are perfect for the season, you can dress it up or down- and the drop waist and side pleats give a swing to it. And these Schutz shoes- classic.
I’ve shared a lot with you about my family road trip (and we have a couple more shoots from that-and they might be my favorite). This was an idea that we had on vacation, that didn’t come to pass, but I couldn’t resist creating it: Gone Fishing. We know that I love juxatipositons, editorial shoots, and all things fashion in non-“fashion” settings, so it flows that a shoot in high end vintage of me fishing would be something I would love!
Let’s be honest, fishing can be like shopping. You have to plan (budget), set aside time (or go online), be patient, and hopefully you catch what you wanted! While the original plan was to shoot me in heels fly fishing, we couldn’t make that work in Colorado; so instead it was me, a fishing pole made out of stick and twine, and a river. Things didn’t go to plan, but the good news? I caught Gucci, so all’s well that ends well!
Some notes: I spent the planning period of this shoot calling a fishing pole a fishing stick, maybe I should stick to shopping.
Also: if you know of a lake/river/ocean where I can catch Gucci please let me know ASAP.
As for fashion: I’m a firm believer that you can wear what you like where you like it; yes, I’m the woman high-fiving the kids in tutus in the grocery store. And this outfit! This top is vintage YSL (circa the 70s, early 80s). I love the puff sleeves and the lace up detail. I wear it with jeans, skirts, tuxedo pants, it’s the perfect boho glam piece. Every one needs a great black maxi skirt in their lives (if you don’t have one, I got you covered), and these shoes! Gucci. That color. That heel.
I hope that you’re out catching whatever makes your heart happy! Shop my picks below!
I get attached to things, people, places. I am intensely loyal (once you earn my loyalty), I often give people more tries than they should get, I hang on longer than I sometimes should; it’s easy to see that letting go is hard for me. I have a sinking suspicion it is for a lot of us. I have no answers. I know that letting go is a process, it takes as long as it takes, and sometimes you just have to do it.
The above skirt is one of my favorites from Zara, it was one of their vegan leather ones. It went great with tee shirts, it was perfect for summer and heavy enough for fall. However, it was unable to be washed. You couldn’t use bleach on it, no dry cleaning. The one above is actually my third skirt. You see, it may not have been one of the things you could throw in the wash, but it could get stained easily. Color transfer from any number of sources could get on it, and they wouldn’t come off. Before, I was always able to buy a replacement skirt; this time when I noticed that my skirt can gotten stained, I couldn’t find another one online. And it was one of my faves. So I did all the things I could think of: hand wash, hand bleach, I used nail polish remover on it. But loves, nothing worked. Nothing. The hand wash and bleach didn’t make a dent, and while the nail polish remover did–it took the material with it and left a different stain behind. I worked on this skirt for days, but eventually I had to face the truth: I couldn’t save it, I had to let it go. And while it was just a skirt, letting it go wasn’t easy. Luckily, I was able to find a vintage leather skirt online that’s similar.
This isn’t the worst story about letting go, I know. And it has a happy ending (thankfully). I think there is no shame in being a person who holds on, but I think there are times when all of us have to let go. I wish for you that every time you have to let go of something , it has this kind of ending.
Wishing us all a week of peace and amazing shoes! XO RA
