BACK TO BLACK | OOTD

Happy Hump Day Beautiful People!  The new year is around the corner and rather than compile a list of my favorite posts or what I have learned, I thought I would share one last "OOTD" post for 2K16. Back when I first started blogging in 2011 under my previous brand name "Qrush Velvet",  it felt more like an obligation and not an outlet.  At the beginning of the year when I decided to start blogging again I promised myself to have fun and not force myself to post what's not authentically me.  This time around all of my posts felt honest and surprisingly within the process I fell in love with blogging again.  It's gratifying to see the growth in my style and personal development.  Drawing the line from placing unrealistic expectations on myself allowed me the freedom to JUST DO ME! 

Winter is my favorite fashion season! It's time to layer up the jackets, sweaters, or leather pants and load up on cute winter accessories like fur or faux fur earmuffs. During this time, I feel the majority of us have the one go-to color for the season.  Personally, I'm not loyal to one color but when I'm not sure what to wear or feeling a little indecisive, I always return to the classic......Back To Black!  In my opinion, anyone can wear all black and instantly look simple yet stylish.  I am certainly no stranger to practical pieces and keeping my outfits minimal and clean is a must lately.  So when I finally got my hands on the perfect long vest coat for the season I was excited to add another staple piece to my wardrobe. Adding a draped vest coat over the top of any outfit is the ideal way to layer for warmth yet have the ability to appear put-together.  The key to this look is stick to a solid color and then mix it up with your accessories.  

Photographer: J O N C E

Sleeveless long vest:  Topshop |  Body Suit: Asos (old) | Wide leg trousers:  Eileen Fisher | Open toe platform shoes: Stuart Weitzman |  Faux Fur clutch:  Express (old) seen here  | Bracelet: Versona | Earrings & brooches:  Natasha, Dillards | Shades: YSL.  

SHOP THE SIMILAR LOOK 

I wanted to take a moment to thank everyone for all their support throughout my blog journey, particularly the Hope, Lies, and Uterine Fibroids story.    What means the most is sharing a little of my personal life with old and new friends.  After a year of consistent blogging I feel more confident and looking forward to creating NEW exciting content for 2K17.  

Until Next Time With Love, 

Eureka

IN LIVING COLOR | OOTD

Happy hump day BEAUTIFUL PEOPLE!  It's been a hot minute since I blogged an "Outfit Of The Day" or OOTD for two weeks in a row.  Life sometimes has a funny way of trying to taking over.  And somewhere along the way I lost sight of what's important. Like keeping a balance between my day job and passion.  Showcasing my personal style is a cherished outlet and is vital for my mental health and well being.  Sometimes I feel society allows fashion to dedicate a lot of what is "IN" right now. Nowadays the majority of the what you see on instagram as is a lot of muted earth tones and mauve colored outfits thanks to the Kardashian Klan and I allowed myself to fall victim.  Clothes are suppose to be a personal expression of what you want to present visually to the world!  I had to remind myself that personal style is just that.......personal.  So, please allow me to reintroduce myself, IN LIVING COLOR! 

I'm super excited when I find affordable pieces like this Nine West dress because style doesn't always have an expensive price tag.  I wore this dress to church a month ago and decided it needed a "OOTD" moment. The dress is a statement on it's own with the vibrant graphic print and universally flattering silhouette.  For the look I chose a simple cobalt blue clutch, crystal cluster earrings, paired with a studded belt, and my favorite BCBG sandals!  But this dress is versatile and would look great with black wide leg pants or transform the dress into a shirt by tucking it into a leather skirt!  I adore this look and look forward to it making a reappearance at brunch, date night, or a networking event. 

Photographer: JONCE

Dress:  Nine West | Earrings:  Cara Crystal Cluster via Nordstrom  | Shoes:  BCBG |  Clutch:  Vince Camuto (old) via Dillard's  |  Belt: ASOS (old)  | Shades:  Forever 21

SHOP SIMILAR LOOK 

Until Next Time With Love, 

Eureka

GREY & METALLIC | OOTD

Happy Wednesday beautiful people!   The past couple of months have been somewhat busy and I haven’t had the time to take pics for my beloved “Outfit of the Day" posts.  These images were taken two months ago by one of my favorite photographers Tori Beechum.  Regardless, I plan to make more of an effort to schedule and post on a consistent basis and wanted to create an outfit focusing on my thrifting and vintage finds.  I use to be obsessed with thrifting because in my mind I was saving so much money………until I was swimming in a sea of clothes. The abundance of clothes started to become overwhelming to say the least.  

Since the start of the New Year, my goal has been to declutter and eventually live a minimalist lifestyle.   Now my focus is more on vintage hunting and shopping my closet. The decision to bring new life to the items already in my wardrobe has sparked my creativity in a new refreshing way.  Also, when I stumble across unique one-of-a-kind vintage treasures it makes me feel like I'm stepping into a time machine and flashing back to a different era.  For my outfit I wanted to keep it in the family of mixing athletic with dressy.  My style mantra is more about comfort these days and choosing to dress up my casual gap t-shirt with a metallic thrifted skirt was the perfect pairing.  Summer is the time of the year where I incorporate some type of athletic gear daily.  For years I have always loved to mix high and low items and if you pick the right kind of low, it can look amazing with higher-end accessories.  

Shades - Ray Bans (seen here) | Gold choker - Vintage (similar here) | Grey Shirt - The Gap (here) | Belt - Dillard's OLD (similar here)  | Skirt - Thrifted from Bad Granny's Bazaar. (similar here) | Shoes - Tory Burch (here) | Bracelets - Nordstrom (similar here) | Clutch - (seen here) | Earrings - (seen here).  

For some of my serious fashionistas, vintage and thrift shopping can be a great past time.  It's about the thrill of the hunt and it's satisfying to your soul to unearth an incredible piece or two.   However, everyone is not a professional shopper like myself and learning how to buy vintage and thrifted items can be intimidating for some.  I have definitely learned some tricks along the way and wanted to share some tips with you: 

My TOP 7 tips to make thrifting and vintage shopping more successful:

1.  Keep a list of “Want” & “Need”.  Thrifting in particular can become overwhelming and it's best to keep a list of things you are in the market for.  The goal is to fill in functional gaps in your wardrobe for the LOW!   

2.  Check for stains, working zippers, and holes.  (Zippers can be replaced).

3.  Be open-minded and venture outside your comfort zone regarding unique pieces.  If an item is too big, tailor it because everything can be nip and tucked into the perfect piece. 

4.  Ask the vintage dealer about other items not on display. They usually have a secret stash in the back.

5.  ONLY BUY WHAT YOU LOVE!  If in doubt, DON’T.  Make sure you ONLY purchase items you will wear. Again, add functional items to your wardrobe.

6.  Beware of fakes.  Know the difference between vintage and thrift.  When in doubt, google it.  

7.  Be prepared.  Wear comfy clothes just in case they don’t have a dressing room. You can try on a pair of pants, shorts or a dress in the isle. 

Until Next Time With Love, 

Eureka