My favorite July posts

I can't believe another month has gone by so quickly. I've got lots of fun ideas in store for August, but, before we get there, let's take a quick look back at July. Here are some highlights . . .

I shared some inspiring images of summer from my Pinterest boards.  

I dressed up for July 3rd . . .

. . . and for July 4th.

I shared some images of early-summertime adventures via Instagram.

I wore stripes with stripes and ombré nails. 

I wore a new favorite dress to visit my bestie while she was in town.

I used nail polish to make an ombré rhinestone necklace.

 

I dressed like a French schoolboy.

I got a new skirt with castles on it, and dubbed it my "Briar Rose skirt."

I discovered that neon loves chambray.

I painted another rhinestone necklace with nail polish, this time in neon hues. 

I wore a structured little number with a Peter-Pan collar. 

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What I wore today: 07/29/2012 (Structure and Sun)

I love the structure of this dress. Even though it's made from a comfy knit, the fabric is thick and stiff enough to hold a structured shape. The cap sleeves are higher and wider than my actual shoulders and the skirt makes a curved shape wider than my actual hips.

I think the simple shape and color palette pairs well with the pop of color and pattern that the shoes provide. I bought these shoes back in high school (I actually wore them for my high-school graduation back in 2006), so they are quite beat up, but I love them still. 

 









Peter-Pan-collar dress - Asos
Floral flats - Anthropologie or Urban Outfitters (not sure which, many years ago)
Pavé cable bracelet - J.Crew


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DI(fr)Yday: How to make a neon rhinestone necklace

This is the neon version of the necklace I made here. The method is easy; basically, you just paint the stones of a cheap rhinestone necklace with neon nail polish. Give them a second coat after the first one dries if they need it. Use a cotton swab dipped in nail-polish remover to clean up any mistakes and a clear topcoat to seal your work.

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What I wore today: 07/22/2012 (Neon Loves Chambray)

How to wear multiple neon items at once: temper them with chambray. The grounded semi-neutral gives your eye somewhere to rest between all those shots of eye-popping color. 

Yesterday was lovely. After a nice afternoon at work, I came home to find Rye busy in the kitchen making pizza to take upstairs for our neighbor's rooftop party. I fell asleep truly exhausted and didn't even wakeup to the incredibly loud noise of roadwork outside my window until well after 9 a.m.

This necklace is the neon version of the DIY I did here. Expect a post devoted to its creation on Friday.

 








Gold and pink sandals - Dolce Vita, Urban Outfitters (last seen here and here)
Neon lace skirt - Anthropologie (also seen here)
Washed chambray buttondown - Anthropologie (also seen here)
Neon satchel - Target (here and here)
Claw bracelet - Asos
Pavé cable bracelet J.Crew (gift from my mother)
YSL-inspired ring - some online boutique
Embroidery floss and rhinestone bracelet - J.Crew outlet
Neon necklace - DIY (tutorial coming to the blog on Friday)
Nail polish - "Lilacism" and "Pure Pearlessence" by Essie
Lipstick - "Vegas Volt" by MAC


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What I wore today: 07/20/2012 (Briar Rose)

Sometimes, even when you've hit your "pleasure budget" for the month of July and you've told yourself you cant buy any clothes until August, sometimes you see a new skirt at work (one with mixed prints including a freaking fairy-tale castle on a cloud) that you know will disappear if you don't snatch it up.

And sometimes, on that very same day, you also notice that there's only one of your size left in that really cool chambray shirt with the slit in the back (the one that disappeared immediately the last time a size run came in, which was months ago; the one you've been hoping and praying would show up again, maybe as a return, so you could make it yours). 

And so, sometimes you buy both of those things and then you wear them together the very next because you are really psyched about them. Not that this have ever happened to me.

P.S. I'm calling this my "Briar Rose" skirt because it has roses as well as a castle that looks like Sleeping Beauty's.

P.P.S. I know her name is Aurora in the Disney movie, but in the translation I read growing up, her name was Briar Rose.

 

"Washed chambray buttondown" - Anthropologie

Mixed-print skirt - Anthropologie

Sparkly suede clutch - Anthropologie

Black camisole - Forever 21?

Gold and pink sandals - Dolce Vita - Urban Outfitters

Rose gold monogram necklace - Bauble Bar

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