Are you a blue jean baby? I know I am. Jeans are a go-to, part of my uniform, and my “suit”. There are all sorts of fits, cotton blends, and ways to wear jeans; but let’s be honest, jeans are a big part of our lives.
I wrote about the perfect fitting jean here, and not much has changed from this article. I personally love a great mix of vintage Levi’s and “modern” jeans. I need a high waist, I care about pocket placement, and if the jeans are new like a little stretch (but just a little). My favorite styles are boyfriend (these are by The Rebel Stylist) and a straight cropped (the pair featured here are Jcrew). I am not afraid of a flare, and love details!
What I love about being a blue jean baby? They go with everything. Everything. This dressed up sweatshirt to a “going out top”, blouses, blazers, sweaters, heels, sneakers, and flip flops. I have yet to find something that doesn’t go with jeans.
I’d LOVE to know: what are your fave jeans? What do you wear them with? Are you a blue jean baby?
XO RA
Sweatshirt pics by Stephen Spillman. Find him on Instagram at @spillmanphoto, Vintage jeans via The Rebel Stylist.
Spring is springing and one of the biggest trends to try this season is embroidery details. From shirts to jeans to anything inbetween, embroidery is a great way to personalize your outfit and stand out in the process! See my favorite options below!
Shirts/Dresses/Jackets
You can get a great embroidered piece anywhere this season. Zara, Topshop, Jcrew, high end designers like Valentino, Gucci, and Prada. From patches to sayings, there is a way to pop at every price point. I love all the flowers, etc, but also love the more cheeky options!
Jeans
These beauties from Zara are detailed and a fave, you can find similar ones at every price point. What I also love? Brands from Madewell to MIH to Mother now offer “personalization” services, where you can choose to add a saying, patch, colored stitching, etc. Great fitting jeans and standing out? I love it!
Personal
My favorite thing about the embroidery trend? It’s completely personal. Don’t like what’s offered at every store? Get your jeans/tops/jackets/etc embroidered yourself! This service is usually offered by local dry cleaners, and also by businesses such as Ft. Lonesome. Come up with your own meaningful saying or design and have it done!
I’d love to know: what are your thoughts on the embroidery trend?
Loves, I have a confession to make. I took these photos back in Novemeber. One thing lead to another, Holiday editorial calendar, and I never posted them. Which is sad, because I love this shoot. I love the heavy equipment. I love the pink boots (old Steve Madden) and the pink earrings. I love the slip dress whose straps are invisible. I love the tractor, and the play on attractive (A Tractor). I just love everything about it.
The Dress: Goes with everything, super easy to layer with, and is a staple.
Boots: Statement but almost a neutral, love them with jeans, and dresses.
The earrings: Statement,and that movement!
And this backdrop! Another confession? I’m not 100% sure what this digger machine is called, so we’re going with tractor. (Go ahead, explain it to me), but how great is this juxatipositon? How fun?
I promise not to hold photos from you again, especially when they’re this great!
Shop my picks below and have an amazing Monday!
XO RA
These earrings are from one of my faves in Austin: Garment Modern, shop their Instagram (@garment_modern) and their site Garment
While in a spin class this week, my teacher (Pixie in LA at SoulCycle–she’s amazing, and that’s just one of my faves, I have them all over the country!) mentioned something that her yoga teacher said–about how we love to sit in our own dirty Bathwater. And loves, both teachers are right. The analogy was meant as a gentle reminder that we have a tendency to wallow in our stories, the bad things that happen to us, our reasons for not moving on; we all love to sit in bathwater. And while there is something amazingly comforting about sitting in bathwater, there comes a time when you have to get out.
By no means do I mean to imply that there aren’t times when wallowing isn’t needed; sometimes things are hard, it takes time to process and heal certain things. This is not about rushing yourself. This is not about forcing yourself before you’re ready. This is about not allowing yourself to sit in something that no longer serves you; be it a cycle, a relationship or job, or your bathwater. Knowing when it’s time to rinse off and move on can be hard, but when it is time, nothing feels as good.
This bathwater analogy hit home for you? It did for me. I know I have cycles to break, things I cling to, and am pretty great at sitting in things that no longer serve me. And while that is comfortable, it only hurts me. The thing is that sitting in the bathwater is tempting, we can tell ourselves that it’s good for us, that it’s cleansing. It can be. Baths are a great way to relax and bathe. However, there can be a fine line between relaxing and wallowing, washing and stewing. We can get caught up in the wallowing and stewing, thinking it’s relaxing and bathing, that we miss the part where we’re supposed to get out. In this analogy or real life, there’s always a time to get out of the tub; be it to go to bed, or to move on to the next adventure in life.
So, knowing what we know about bathwater, this might be a great week to ask ourselves: what are we really doing in the bath? Are we sitting in dirty bathwater? Is it time to rinse off and get out? What can let go of this week?
Wishing us all a week of rinsing off and amazing shoes! XO RA
We tend to think of “throw on and go” for our dresses, jumpsuits, etc, but what about our bodysuits? It’s the same idea, yes? A bodysuit is a no-think option, can be a staple and a statement, and makes outfit planning so easy! Growing up, I was a dancer (and still occasionally throw on a leotard with everything, example A, B, and C), so I love the idea of a great bodysuit. And this layered option from Zara I’d just perfect. I love the illusion of two shirts, I love the stripe, the color, and the detail. It goes amazing with vintage Levi’s, but just as great with skirts and pants. And these shoes! I love the elastic, the block heel, the grey (in my world grey is a neutral!)
While this look is semi-casual, it works for date night, the movies, dinner, lunch, errands. And the details of the bodysuit mean that not much else is needed! I was able to throw my hair up in a bun, put on red lipstick, and call it a day! That’s what I love about bodysuits, they don’t make you work for it. And these shoes! Great with jeans, skirts, dresses, just neutral enough, and just enough personality to stand out. And loves, let’s talk vintage Levi’s. I know that they can be a scary thing. I love them. Nothing can quite match what they do for your back side, and if you have a super high waist like me, nothing fits just as perfect. They aren’t as tight as modern jeans, which makes them a nice alternative. I got these from LotStockandBarrel but I also love The Rebel Stylist and AAVintedge for amazing vintage denim!
I’d love to know, what are your feelings on bodysuits? Do you consider them “throw on and go” staples? What do you wear them with?
This bodysuit and shoes are from Zara. Shop my picks for great bodysuits below!
Happy Friday!
XO RA
And Wedding Season is coming! Don’t worry: Rent the Runway has you covered!
Loves, as you may know Neiman Marcus (the luxury department store) is for sale. While the sale won’t change the quality, name, or brand of the store, it does signify a change in our shopping experience. Truth be told, this news hit me harder than it should have. My childhood was shaped by Neiman Marcus. My family is from Dallas, and Neimans was a place to mark milestones. My grandma used to take us for tea, it was a place to shop for special occasions, and Neiman Marcus may have a hand in my love for expensive shoes. My mother has strong memories about attending fortnights at the store, two week long affairs, in the theme of a country, where the Dallas Neiman Marcus Flagship would go all out–decorate the escalators like dragons (China), give away free Guinness (Ireland), have lederhosen clad dancers (Germany). Neimans would fly in celebrities: Elizabeth Taylor, John Wayne, Sophia Loren, and taught Dallas Society how to party. Neiman Marcus for decades played a huge part in discovering new designers, hosting fashion shows, and being the authority in luxury.
Recently, I had the opprotunity to hear Tom Alexander speak-he was manager of all things Neiman Marcus at its height, and a noted historian. Just to hear him tell stories about the events, the celebs, the stories was simply amazing. He’s recently published a biography of Stanely Marcus (founder of the store), it is for sale at any Neimans and is worth a read. I was not only fascinated by the stories he had to tell, but Stanely’s son conducted the Q&A and we got a glimpse into Neiman Marcus’s plan for the future.
Neiman Marcus wrote the book on luxury; salespeople knew your name, size, taste, gave a personal touch, and the high end items! But loves, the way you and I shop is changing. Online shopping has not only changed how impersonal shopping has become, it has also changed our expectations in terms of availability, and delivery (and let’s be honest there’s not a person alive who doesn’t love coming home to a “present” on the doormat). So where does this leave luxury retailers? If we can get anything from anywhere delivered in 5-7 business days, is there still a place for Neiman Marcus and similar stores?
I was relieved to hear that Neimans believes the answer is yes. People love personalized service. I’m usually a woman who doesn’t need a ton of help to shop, but I do have to say that it is lovely to get a call or text from my girl at Neimans to let me know about promotions or things that just arrived that are my style –and many websites don’t offer that. Will this service have to become more “web friendly”? Sure. However, the belief that it’s still available, and the customer who still appreciates it, makes Neiman Marcus confident that they can provide the level of service that they are known for, and move into modern shopping.
I love Neiman Marcus, unapologetically. In fact, I long for the day when the fortnights, celeb and designer fashion shows come back, and we return to an era when department stores mean luxury. What about you? Do you love Neimans like I do? Shop my picks from Neiman Marcus below, and I cannot recommend the books enough-history, celeb gossip, and shopping! And don’t forget the cookbooks, they remind me of meals with my grandma, and are great from everything from treats to dinner parties!
Have you seen Disney’s new live-action “Beauty and the Beast”? I did on Sunday with my family, and I loved it! I’m a sucker for the Disney version of the classic story. I love how Belle, the Beauty, is a book warm, champions intelligence, cares deeply, and isn’t afraid to be different than the people she lives by. I love the singing furniture, the gruffness of the Beast, and that library! I love that we learn that not only should we look beyond the shallow appearances, that it is ok to go against your friends, that chauvinists don’t always win, and that love is magic. Fairy tales are some of the first stories we love as children, but I think they can be even more magical as we move into adult hood; not because we need to believe in Prince Charming, but I think we need reminders that magic is real and dragons can be slayed.
And as much as I love Fairy Tales, we know I love dressing to a theme! (It’s the Southern lady in me!) Above is the outfit I wore to the movies, and though I was mainly just comfy (it is a robe!), I was out shone by the young girls in their Belle dresses (which I was a-okay with!). But it got me thinking, should we dress like our fave fairy tales? Like Beauty and the Beast? Of course, we can always find merchandised and logo tees, but is there a way to elevate that?
As the popularity of this movie shows the answer is yes! There are all sorts of Beauty and the Beast offerings if we want to nod to a favorite fairy tale! From the elevated logo tee:
To Jewerly:
To Sneakers:
To Sparkle:
The Subtle:
To Make Up:
My take? I love the subtle nods: a golden dress, a rose pin (a la Emma Watson at the premiere), a jacket. However, there are some pieces that I like unexpectedly: the sneakers, some tees, the heels! I’d love to know: would you dress to theme “Beauty and the Beast”? What’s your fave?
What’s the best of both worlds? PJ dressing (we know I love it! Need a refresh? Check here, here, and here) and combine it with a jumpsuit (another fave! More proof here, here, here, and here). This PJ Jumpsuit from a Texas fave, Beehive, is amazing. I love the piping detail, the cut out back, the high “waist”, wide leg, and deep v neck. Like most jumpsuits, it’s effortless and chic, but this has the added pop of being slightly PJ like, elevates it. The great thing about jumpsuits is that you simply dress it up and down with your accessories–there’s little to no effort on your part!
While I love this jumpsuit with everything from Adidas to heels, and even slippers; these “pop-of-color” sling backs (that embellishment!) felt sassy. These shoes would go great with jeans, pants, skirts, maxi dresses too (the color, sparkle, and silhouette do a lot of the heavy lifting for you with any pairing!). For me, this combo was simply perfect! Enough of a pop, just slightly casual, completely effortless. And the best part? It feels good! And you can’t beat that!
Need a referesher course on Beehive? Check them out here and don’t forget to follow them on Instagram, @beehiveboutique so you can be in the know for all the new arrivals!
The shoes are from Zara, and can be found here (and let’s not talk of how much I love the current shoe line there!)
Hope that this PJ Jumpsuit inspires you–I’d love to know: what’s your favorite current jumpsuit? Is it a PJ leaning one? How do you rock it?
We live in a world where FOMO (fear of missing out) is in the dictionary. I’m not 100% sure how I feel about it, but I know that it’s a real thing. We chatted Thursday about Festival Style, and I’m here at SXSW for the week. Between acting, fashion, LA, TX, festivals, film fests, parties, events, etc I always know of something going on, there are things I attend and have a great time at, things I skip, and times I get FOMO, worrying about all that I’m not doing. I get it. It seems like there is more and more to go to, and more and more to miss out on. But is it really missing out? And should we fear it?
I could go to an event every night, and there are times (like SXSW) when there are what seems like 12 events per night. There are times when I flat out can’t make every event, and times when I get sad about that. I don’t have answers about curing FOMO. I think it’s part of human nature to want to be in the know, to have fun, to want to be included (by our friends or society). In my 20s I tried to make every event, do all the things, be everywhere. I had some great times, but what happened most of the time was that I was tired. There are times when I still attempt to be at every little thing, and feel that pang when I don’t get an invite, or attend, what seems to be a great time. However, the older I get the more comfortable I am missing out–not that it’s great–but I know it isn’t the end of the world, and sometimes missing out leads to a great time. I’m by no means letting you know that I’ve cured FOMO, but I have developed some coping strategies.
One of the things about myself that I have learned to love as I have gotten older is that I’m an introvert. (If you know me in real life and are surprised: I’m outgoing, I love people, but I get my “recharge” from time alone). Needing time alone and purposely spending nights in sounds like a recipe for FOMO; however, my trick is to pick and choose wisely. I go to the events that I really want to. And I like my time alone, like watching movies, and reading. I recognize that my self care is an important part of my life; and trust that when I “miss out”, it’s not a loss as I’m enjoying what I’m doing. It’s about doing to do what really makes you happy that night, and being confident in that. Not to bury the lead here, but for me this really is the secret. I try to really spend my time in ways that I enjoy. This means I do different things each night. This can still mean I miss things, but if I’m enjoying myself at another event, or on my couch, is it really missing out? I still can over stretch myself, but I work hard not to; trust me, no one likes the me that goes and makes it to allll the events–she’s tired, has a people hangover, and isn’t fun.Respecting my need for balance, and choosing things I enjoy have really helped my FOMO.
However, with social media, it’s not hard to get FOMO at times. There are always pics and posts about the “greatest night ever” and it’s easy to fall into the trap of wanting to be a part of the action. I am very aware of the fact that what I’m about to say is “Mom” advice, but it works (go Mom!). Remember that we’re sharing our high lights on social media, and that “the best night ever” posts aren’t telling the whole story. No one posts about the long lines, crowds, spilled drinks, surge charges for Ride Shares, achey feet, and hangovers. So, yes, maybe people are out having fun with out you; but maybe people are also out not having fun without you. Not to sound like a broken record, but again, it’s only missing out if it’s something you really want to be doing. Even then, missing out for things like self care and other activities isn’t really missing out. Is it?
I don’t think FOMO is going anywhere, but I also know that the more I concentrate on filling my time with things I love to do, the less I worry about missing out. Maybe instead of worrying about FOMO, what if we embrace the ebb and flow? There are nights when you’re out and people are jealous of you balanced by the nights you’re home nursing FOMO. OR, let’s just say “forget about it” and spend time with people and activities that make us happy. This is where I admit that on Friday night I was in bed by 10–and I loved every minute of it.
What are your coping tips for FOMO? Do you get it, or do you have a cure for us?
Wishing us all a week of things that make us happy and amazing shoes! XO RA
Also–if you haven’t signed up for our newsletter please do (there’s a box on your left!) I have some exciting things happening and want you to be in the know!
Who says black is the only color available for monochrome dressing? Not me. I love this golden take on the trend–and I can tell you from experience that golden monochrome is something that we should all do. It’s classy and a pop all at the same time. I love this set from Sugar High Love Stoned. The skirt is so silky, and goes with shirts, button downs, and sweaters. The turtleneck is just fitted enough, and I haven’t found anything that it doesn’t go with, and I love the little sequin detail! But loves, together- this golden monochrome is just magical. I felt like a statue, but all in the good ways, it just me feel glowy (is that a great description or what!). A red lip was just about the only makeup I needed! And while I wore my fave A Detacher gold mules for the shot, I also love this outfit with nude or black shoes –and really love it with pops of color.
Gold is almost a neutral, so it will look great with everything; and yet, it does manage to stand out. It’s like the best of both worlds! And I’m in love with this brand, Sugarhigh LoveStoned. It has vintage vibes, cheeky tops, and is designed to be an inspired part of your well-curated waredrobe. Everything I have bought from them has had amazing personality, and been high quality. You can see one of my fave outfits, Cosmos, here.
Monochrome is a great way to look pulled together and high end. Beyond black and gold, I love camel Monocrhome, red monochrome, and white monochrome. Pants, skirt sets, suits–all of it looks amazing. And loves, don’t be afraid of the gold, it really can be magical!
I hope that your Friday and your weekend are both golden!
XO RA
Shop my picks below! All pictures taken by the amazing Stephen Spillman, make sure to follow him on Instagram @spillmanphoto
