RachelAdelicia – Page 128 – Investment Piece

Strapped

Investment Piece: Strapped

I have nothing against the “Candian” or “Texan” tuxedo. I actually think that it can be akin to wearing a monochrome look–just with denim. And in the heat of summer, yes it already feels like summer, I have to admit that I throw on my cutoffs on, and I am a huge fan of denim shirts; I run around in variations of this outfit all summer long. But because you know me well by now, you know that there are times when I can’t leave well enough alone, I have to add a contrast to an outfit, a pop. Loves, my new fave thing for that very purpose are these ankle straps- they can be worn together, seperately, with any shoes, on your wrist. The possibilities are truly endless. And I love this color!

These Attico ankle straps come in different colors (some are studded–which could be so fun!) and can be found here. I’m planning on putting them on with jeans, shorts, skirts, and dresses–hopefully the ankle straps will distract from the heat!

And a non-fashion related tip: walking around half built houses is fun! My mom and I love imagining what it will look like when it’s done. And not a bad place for a photo shoot!

I’d love to know: would you wear these straps? With what?

XO RA

Shop my picks below:

Investment Piece: Strapped

Summer Black

Investment Piece: Summer Black

Early last week I was told that this dress was a perfect solution for wearing black in Summer. Loves, this is where I confess: I didn’t know that we had to look for ways to wear black (call it my inner New Yorker, but I’m not a native New Yorker), even in Summer. Maybe you subscribe to the theory that even dark colors should be “Summer-ized”. Maybe you think black is a year round color. And we can all agree that no matter where you fall on that spectrum no one thinks heavy fabrics and heat are a great combo. Loves, no matter what you want to debate from those theories, this black dress (For Love & Lemons) is simply perfect for the summer months. Sheer, with Swiss dots, and a adjustable neckline, it would look great with heels at a Summer soirée, great with sandals, or over a bathing suit for a day at your favorite body of water. I personally believe that black is a seasonless color, but this may be the perfect Summer black. And with these espadrilles and hat? Let’s Summer–in black of course!

Austin Loves–I got this dress at Lively Collective (@livelycollective on Instagram and on South 1st), and that little shop is quickly becoming one of my fave places to shop when I’m in town! It’s full of boho, beachy, and local treasures–everything you need to get you through the summer (and yes, even some black!) Happy Shopping!

XO RA

Shop my picks below:

And if you prefer to rent your Summer looks:

Investment Piece: Summer Black

Happy Mother’s Day!

Happy Mother’s Day!! I hope you’re having an amazing day celebrating your mom, I hope you’re being celebrated if you’re a mom, and I hope you’re having a great Sunday!

Wishing us all a week of love and amazing shoes! XO RA

Feathers

Investment Piece: Feathers

Loves, have I mentioned that I love the Prada runway?? The feathers, the fun, the high fashion, it was all amazing. So when I found this vintage coat with feather detail on the collar and sleeves, I couldn’t resist it! (And the colors were amazing too!) It has all the fun and feathers of the Prada runway, and the added benefit is that it’s a find from the 1920s. I think it would be great as a dress, but I love the juxatipositon of the coat with the ripped jeans, and we all know I love these shoes!

My fave thing about pieces like this one? it’s the perfect combination of fashion and fun, it can elevate any outfit or day, and is the epitome of this week! It’s been such a great week full of love and celebrations, and I can’t think of a more fitting outfit.

Investment Piece: feathers

Hope you’re out in something fabulous having a great weekend! Cheers!

XO RA

The Universe has your back, Madewell has your front

Investment Piece: Madewell

Loves, we know that one of the most important things in denim fit is how you look from behind. But what we often over look is how we look from the front! Madewell didn’t and got our back–on our fronts that is.

I heard about the new “magic pocket” that Madewell developed, to hold our stomachs in, (Refinery29 has a great review here), and I knew that I had to try them out for myself. I travel often, as you know, and have food sensitivities so I can swell during the day. Any reminder and help to suck my stomach in is a help! So, I tried the jeans out for myself.

Investment Piece: Madewell Review

I bought the jeans right before a trip and wore them on the plane–and a ton since then! I went with the dark rinse, as I thought it would be extra slimming, and the high waist is a must for me–my natural wasit is really high! While I love vintage denim, I do love a little stretch in my jeans, and these have the perfect amount–not too much, but just enough that they fit perfectly. But loves, the secret weapon are the magic pockets in the front. They suck you, and make the front nice and smooth.
Investment Piece: Madewell Review

I have to admit that I was very skeptical about the “magic” pockets, and perhaps more than a little concerned about if the attention was given to my front if my back side would still look amazing. The great news? My fears were put to rest! The magic pockets do help, they suck you in just enough, and help me remember; and loves, this is through airports, late nights, some bloating, etc. I can put these on and not worry about my front!

Investment Piece: Madewell Review

And my back? Well the universe does have that, and while there might not be magic pockets, I have to say I like the view back there too!

Investment Piece: Madewell Review

The verdict? Loves, I really like these jeans! Madewell made an assortment of rinses and cuts, so there’s a pair out there that will have your front. And if you get some, I’d love to know: do you love them?

Note: this post was not sponsored by Madewell, I bought the jeans myself, and put them through my own testing. If there is ever a review I do that involves a “freebie”, I will let you know!

You can shop some of my Madewell picks below!

XO RA

Birthday!

It’s my birthday!! I made us a little video to celebrate!

I’m off having champagne and dreaming of shoes, you can shop my wishlist picks below and raise a glass to me! I’m so excited to be in your life and spend my birthday with you!

And if you wanted a chance at the Blog Birthday Wishlist, here it is again:

Thank you for being a part of my day!

XO RA

Polka Dots

Investment Piece: Polka Dots

I say all the time that fashion should be fun and that you should wear what makes you happy. I believe in that. And what could be more fun than polka dots? But loves, I have to admit to you that even though I believe all those things, I sometimes worry that things might be too short for me. And that maybe I’m too old for certain things. Crazy thoughts, right? Mainly because if you came to me with an amazing fun polka dot dress that made you feel special and invincible, but you were worried about it being a little too short, I would want to tell you how things that make you happy are amazing! That you should wear what makes you happy. That maybe there is a such a thing as too short, but that if everything is covered and you’re comfortable, then have at it! That if a polka dot dress that is unique and you finds you that you don’t leave it. Isn’t it crazy that we forget that we should speak to ourselves the same way that we should talk to our friends?
My fears aside, I’m glad that I didn’t walk away from this dress. Putting it on simply makes me smile, and what else should fashion do?
Investment Piece: Polka Dots
There’s something I love about classics-polka dots–in a “new” way–these sleeves! This was an amazing find from Timeless Vixen (loves, I love her, she is so kind, fun, and her collection! Shop her online here) via A Current Affair (read all about my LA experience here and if you’re in NYC make sure that you visit them this coming weekend!). This dress is both fresh and timeless, all at the same time. Again, I did worry about the length, but it’s just fun! The colors, the sleeves, the personality. It makes me want to dance all night, but would be just as great at dinners, parties, and events (and loves, I hope that there’s dancing at all of those things!).

Pics are by Katy Shayne (I always remember to tag her on Instagram, but not here-she’s amazing!). My shopping picks are below!

XO RA

Sunday Chronicles: Sitting Still

Investment Piece: Stilling Still — ‘I am sitting still.’

Loves, I know that I talk about rest and sitting still a lot here in our weekly “fireside chats”. (See here) This is mainly because even though I’m an introvert (I am, I promise!) who loves her time alone, and a creative who needs to recharge after her bouts of creating, I have a hard time sitting still. Everything about it-from letting myself just do nothing, to active mediation, to admitting that I need some down time– has been a struggle for me to give into. Don’t get me wrong, I’ve gotten better about this as I’ve gotten older, I actively acknowledge that I’m a better person when I get some time each week to sit still, and now schedule it for myself, but that doesn’t always mean it’s easy.

And loves, May is my busiest month of the year. I have something each weekend, trips, birthdays (not only can I name someone for each day this month, both my mommy and I have birthdays this week!), graduations, and it’s the beginning of wedding season. It’s almost as if this is the month of go-go-go before summer sets in. So, when you know that you need some time to sit still and yet your calendar is completely full (and your to-do list because of said calendar is miles long), what do you do?

I’m learning. I’m learning that everything is a practice, from my yoga to my spin to my business to my sitting still. And this means that some days are amazing, and some days I fall out of the pose. That I have to schedule my time to sit still the same way I do my birthday celebration, and that even when it doesn’t come easy, that sitting still is still something to do.

And what do I do when I sit still? Meditate (or try to), relax, do nothing, read, recharge, Netflix and chill, look for inspiration, try to turn my mind off, try to turn inward, and most importantly, try to just be. Have I mentioned that it’s not always easy. That getting caught up in being busy and all I “have” to do is much easier? But, that when I do let myself sit still we’re all better for it.

I’d love to know: what’s your journey with sitting still? Tricks?

Wishing us all a week of stillness, birthdays, and amazing shoes! XO RA

Feeling Good Again

Investment Piece: Feeling Good Again

How are you feeling this Friday? This year has been a lot, right? And of course last year was too, I know. What I’m learning? Things are always going to be a lot; and within all of that, we all have our ups and downs of our own. Loves, I have to admit, between last year and some of this, I have been feeling pretty low. Not completely low, but but not 100% myself. And when part of what you do is put yourself and your stlyle out there, feeling not yourself isn’t great. I have no answers for that, I can tell you that what I did was solider on (I don’t know what else to do), reach out to the people I love, and really focus on how I want to feel and creating situations that let me feel that way. Can we control all the things? Nope, but we can control ourselves–and loves that’s a lot! I’m happy to report that I’m feeling good again, and I can’t wait to share all the good things coming with you!

Investment Piece: Feeling Good Again

Speaking of Feeling Good Again, it was the song playing during this shoot, and it seems to fit. (If you didn’t have the pleasure of going to college in TX, I cannot recommend Robert Earl Keen enough, and this song is a great start). This dress is one of those happy accidents, I got it on super sale at By George Warehouse Sale. ( Haider Ackermann!) It’s a little heavy for the season-wool over silk, but I love the layers (silk, the over lay, the silt, satin at the cuffs and hem). It’s simple, elegant, and able to be all on its own. I feel able to conquer the world, NY, or myself in it. I also kinda get an Olsen vibe from it, and if that doesn’t make you feel good, I don’t know what does!

Hope this Friday, and weekend, finds you feeling very good!

XO RA

Shop my picks below!

Brand to Shop: Ann Chikahisa

There are times when you meet someone that is simply special, and that love and care that they have shines through their work. This is true with Ann Chikahisa of Chikahisa Studio, who makes amazing jewelry from organic metals and stones.

Ann is self taught, and each piece is a work of love. The pieces are elegant, easy, and modern. There is a joy that Ann has in her work, and it completely comes through in her work!

This is what you can expect: great collections of necklaces, earrings, rings, bracelets made with gold, silver, oxidized silver and stones–anything from diamonds to gem stones that feel organic, elegant, and most definitely non-basic. These pieces are a great way to elevate everything from jeans and a t-shirt to a little black dress, and besides being beautiful are fun!

Some of my fave pieces: The above gold and oxidized silver necklace that I wore as a bracelet, the gold jacket earrings, stacking rings, and I have my eye on some of Ann’s diamond and hoop earrings!

I got to know Ann at Elaine Kim Studio, but you don’t have to get to LA to find Chikahisa studio! You can shop them online at Chikahisa Studio

Happy Shopping! XO RA