Investment Piece

There’s smoke in the distance, danger in the air, and someone in distress. People are waiting for a hero to swoop in and save them. Then out of the blue, flies in a hero with a cape to save the day. Superwoman? BatGirl? No, it’s you! You are able to be your own hero and it saves you!

One of the best pieces of advice that I think we can get in life is to be your own hero; or as Nora Ephron put it, “Be the heroine of your own life”. It can be cliche, it can be Pintrest-y, but loves, it can be true. We are conditioned to think of heroes as these big, larger than life characters, that often have super powers, and save people from life or death situations. And yes, we are also conditioned to think of teachers as heroes (and they are!), but we don’t watch movies about them (the fact that we should is a post for another type of blog).

So, what does it mean to be your own hero? Does it have to be big? What if being your own hero simply means showing up for yourself? If day in and day out, you can manage to be kind to yourself, you can manage to work to give yourself what you need, and if you can stand up for yourself: you are a hero. None of that is easy. We work to be able to do that for ourselves, and here’s the thing: I think that’s heroic. No one but you can take care of you, and showing up for yourself (and others, if you’re able), is something to be proud of! In fact, you deserve a cape!

I don’t think it’s a secret that I’m a fan of capes (see here, here, and here, with more under our search bar!), but this cape is a little different. I found this fun number in the little girl section of Target (pro-tip, there’s a chance you fit in kid’s clothes and that’s not something to shy away from), and I fell in love. The colors, the star, the length. Cheeky? Yes. But what hero isn’t a little cheeky at times? I’ve worn it over my swimsuit at the pool, and out for dinner. It’s a showstopper, and makes me feel good. And that’s some heroics I can get behind.

And these jeans? Some of my new faves for fall! I broke down and tried AYR, an affordable but luxurious line from a JCREW alum, and they are amazing–I’ve lived in them! The perfect amount of stretch, they hit me just right, and this wash goes with everything!

Real talk? A hero cape may be a little much for you, maybe you don’t want to wear a big star on your back, but because you’re a hero, I think you deserve something to celebrate that. What does that mean to you?

XO RA

Shop my picks below:
Including these exact pieces!

Loves, Equipment is one of my favorite brands: from the softest silk you’ve ever felt to amazing cashmere to dresses and seperates that are effortlessly chic, there’s something for everyone. And if you’re in the market for any of those things, you’re in luck! This weekend is Equipment’s Friends and Family Sale, where everything is 25% off (some restrictions apply). I’ve linked some of my favorite pieces below, you can find yours here!

Happy Shopping!

XO RA

Loves, from last week, you know that I take my football very seriously, see here, and wear purple on Fridays (Go Frogs!). And you know that I thought that this skirt was going to be my new neutral (see here). So loves, it should come as no surprise that this purple is my new neutral. That’s right, you heard it first: purple as a neutral. It’s happening.

It happens in this amazing vintage YSL skirt because while the color is bold, and the length is long, it just goes with everything! Case in point: this off the shoulder top (from last season, but I found you some that are super similar), and these yellow shoes (yes, they are my new favorite). The colors stand out by themselves, but flow together seamlessly. Purple and blue are in the same family, and the yellow is a nice pop. The lesson: don’t be afriad to mix. This skirt would also look amazing with leopard print, your classics (white and black), red, a print, green. I dare you: bring me something it wouldn’t look great with!

Purple as a neutral might seem like a stretch, but I don’t think it is. Any color can be a neutral if you pair it correctly (and what have we been learning here?). Especially any bold color can be a neutral-red goes with so much, as does blue, yellow, green. There’s so reason to stick to black and white, the entire rainbow is your palette. (I also love leopard and snakeskin as neutrals. Don’t be afriad to pair them with colors!) But loves, I do love this purple skirt. As it is purple, and it is football season, it is currently my favorite neutral in my closet. While I am partial to this outfit (how couldn’t I be?), I’m pairing this skirt with almost everything I own (and yes, that includes TCU shirts).

What purple (or other color) are you wearing as a neutral?

Shop my picks below! And happy GO Purple Friday!
XO RA

Don’t Forget about free gifts at ModCloth:

I recently got an email asking me where you can shop the #OOTD looks that I post both on Instagram and my Instagram Stories. If the look is a part of the post, the look is always shoppable in that post. Another place you can shop my looks? Under the “My Looks” tab on the menu, I always attempt to make sure that I stay up to date on my #OOTD postings, they usually go up right away. (I try to stay current, sometimes looks go up a little bit later, please check back or message me if there’s a look you need ASAP!) Today, you may be in luck! I’m taking some of my most recent #OOTDs, and posting them in a big round up! You can shop the look right here!

Have a question about any #OOTD? Don’t see what you’re looking for here? Let me know! And if there’s a special piece you’re looking for, I’m happy to help! Racheladelicia@investmentpiece.com

#OOTD: Fall is Coming

#OOTD: TBT

Another #OOTD TBT

#OOTD Summer Dress

#OOTD White Skirt

#OOTD ALL White

Many of the OOTD I post in Instagram stories have a link that’s shoppable, and I’m also shoppable on ShopStyleCollective as RachelAdelicia!

I love sharing my #OOTDs with you! I hope that you love shopping them!

XO RA

And if you spend $100 at ModCloth, you will get a free gift! Happy Shopping Indeed!

Sometimes the perfect outfit finds the perfect setting. If you know me, and by know I hope that you feel as if you do, you know that I feel like fashion is a form of freedom. I think that your fashion should be fun, make you feel good, hopefully do good, and make you feel free. There aren’t a lot of rules I adhere to, fashion is a function of self expression, and you should feel free to dress any way that celebrates your freedom. so when I found this wall with one of my favorite words on it, I couldn’t help but resist shooting by it, especially when I believe in dressing like freedom.

This shirt dress is a staple. It can be worn alone, over anything, and can be transformed into almost anything. I love it half open over jeans. I love these mules that are the perfect combination of classic and new. And, in the theme of freedom, I love that all of this looked amazing with the addition of lingerie. Those beautiful things that go under your clothes? Who says that they have to stay there? Dressing like freedom means that you can put them on top!

This is a vintage La Perla corset (from my fave Bloomers and Frocks) that was just too stunning to be left under wraps. The silk, the sheer, it looks amazing as a layering piece; I love it over this shirt dress. It takes some of the shock out of the lingerie, makes the look more classic, and yet, it feels like freedom. Ever worn your corset in public? If it makes you feel free, I completely recommend it! Lingerie dressing is in, but for some of us, that’s not an option with jobs, and whatnot. If that still is a look that you would like to experiment with, this layering technique is a way to retain that freedom dressing, and yet stay covered.

Is lingerie dressing the only way to dress like freedom? Not by a long shot, but it’s one way.
I’d love to know: what’s your take on dressing like freedom?

Shop my picks below!

XO RA

A great place to get both resale and vintage pieces, the Real Real has you covered!

“When will you stop wearing black?”
“When they make a darker color.”

We’ve all hear this exchange, seen it on memes, gifs, and on Pintrest. You may laugh, think of someone you know, or brush it off. All black is such a fashion cliche, and yet, it’s such a classic. The reason? All Black is chic. That’s why there’s a faction of us who believe in the quote above: we can’t think of a more chic combination of all black, that is, till they come up with a darker color.

What makes all black so chic? (For the record, this could be true of any monochrome look). All black chic is part line, part color, and part attitude. Part of what makes this such a classic is the power that all black dressing can mean: sophistication and elegance, part attention grabbing, part blending in. All black chic is the thing to do when you can’t think of a thing to wear; and is also the thing to do when you know exactly what to wear. What I love about all black chic is that the pieces don’t matter too much; while I’m always a fan of high quality, well tailored pants, blouses, dresses, all black chic allows you to play with some pieces, and is a way to make cheaper pieces look more expensive (this outfit is composed of a $10 top I got on Etsy and a Zara skirt).
My tips for All Black Chic:
– Make sure your blacks match Loves, there’s blue based black and red based black. In the light you can tell if your pieces don’t have the same base, and it’s a distraction!
–Have Fun Classic pieces look amazing in black. However, as the color scheme will elevate any look, this may be the time to play! Want to try a one shoulder look? Want to experiment with a different style pant or skirt? Now is the time for it all! The all black chic has you covered!
–Don’t be afraid to add color I know, this seems like the opposite of all black chic, but loves, when you’re wearing all black a colorful accessory can be incredibly powerful! And loves, I can’t tell you how much I love these yellow shoes!

I’d love to know: what’s your take/thoughts on all black chic?

Shop my all black chic picks below!
XO RA

Loves, this is by no means the first time that I’ve posted a look by the ocean (some of my faves: here, here, and here). It seems like I tend to post a lot of beach baby posts (I am what I am), and while a day at the beach is an LA cliche, I couldn’t have an official LA week without a post at the ocean. From the surfing films of the 1960s to the Instagram posts, the beach is a part of LA (and a part of me), so while it may be cliche, the beach is very authentic to my days in LA, so let’s dive in.

We know I wear my swimwear everywhere, but I love this polka dot piece with the red pant. It’s summer, classic, and easy. This top has gone with skirts, jeans, shorts, and every bikini bottom I have. And these pants! They were an impulse purchase at HM, linen, but I love the bright color, the cut, the pockets! They go with everything from swimsuits to tee shirts to jackets. A summer pant, but as they aren’t overtly summer, I think I can get away with them as long as the weather is hot. Or we’re spending days at the beach!

Beach days are a necessity for me. The ocean calms me. And days in LA at the beach are completely versatile. If you need time by yourself, you can rely on stretches of the beach to be quiet for walks and thinking. The beach in LA is a great place to take a date (picnic!) or just laying out. Days in LA are great with friends, at the beach you can play any sort of beach volleyball (or just catch), water sports, sunbathe, people watch. The beach, and days in LA, can be as dressy or as casual as you make them. I’d love to know: what’s your idea of a perfect day in LA?

Shop my picks below! XO RA