Another Grey Sweater

Apparently, I like grey sweaters. Although the weather in LA doesn't necessarily require a turtle neck, I still enjoy sporting this trend. What I particularly like about this sweater is the slit up the sides, which pair oh so nicely with my Topshop "Jamie" jeans. I have had a hard time taking these jeans off me lately; they are so comfortable and the slits on the knee add the perfect amount of "undone" to any outfit. I wore this outfit to class so I paired it with my trusty high tops. As for accessories, I wore my furry bag from Nasty Gal and my new favorite Daniel Wellington watch. 

I wanted to talk to you guys about the term cruisin'. I have recently coined this term as my motto of the new year, it meaning just doing what you love to do without expectations of yourself or others. Well, the idea of cruisin' sounds great to me but I am beginning to question my capabilities of just being able to cruise. It is my natural instinct to over think something that really shouldn't matter so much to me. Maybe I should have attempted this cruise before I even made the commitment. To be honest, as I am typing this I am thinking about how the fact that I am even discussing this defeats the purpose of this whole cruise concept in general. I'll be sure to touch base with you later about how I get along with cruisin' this year. So far, I am not very successful. 

xx Michelle

follow me?

instagram

twitter

tumblr

Songs I am currently into: Promise by Ben Howard. Money Trees by Kendrick Lamar is cool too. There is a slight contrast between these two songs which may signify what kind of mood I have been in lately. 

Fine Shine

I was so fortunate to shoot with my beautiful friend Nicole Busch again. She is immensely talented so definitely go and check out her work here. Anyway, I thought I would post a dressier look which happens to feature a lot of my favorite pieces from my wardrobe currently. The skirt that I am wearing is actually a midi skirt that I purchased around this time last year. For this look, I rolled it up at the top to make it the length that I wanted. I am really loving turtleneck sweaters at the moment and this little black number is from Urban Outfitters. That pink furry bag I am wearing pretty much explains itself. I mean, what is not to love about a fluffy baby pink cross body? Black pointed pumps are such a closet staple and the ones I am wearing here are from Steve Madden. I just got my hair cut again and I am still absolutely loving the shorter length! The vampy lips can be attributed to Rebel by MAC. 

As this year is coming to a close, I just want to thank anyone who has ever read or viewed my blog! This site is such a positive outlet for me and it is always so nice to receive nice feedback about it. I really look forward to seeing where Life on Lotus takes me in the new year and I am already so inspired to post a lot of exciting content. This year, I started putting a lot more of myself into these posts and some of my thoughts come directly out of my journal. I have enjoyed sharing more of my opinions and feelings on here and I think this blog has slowly started to become a more accurate depiction of who I am. Here is a final thank you for reading and further inspiring me to do this and I will see you in the new year. Have fun and stay safe. 

xx Michelle

follow me? 

instagram - lifeonlotus

twitter - @itsmemichelleg

A quote to guide you into the new year ~

"And, when you want something, all the universe conspires in helping you to achieve it." - recently read in The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho 

Cutouts & Tan Lines

Something big has happened this summer, something so strange and new to me that's changed the whole way I view myself. I have always accepted myself as a perpetually pale person, until now; I have actually gained a tan. Now this a tan that is subtle compared to most summer tans, yet so obvious to me. Just to clarify, I obtained this tan while wearing sunscreen and no, it is not fake. 

Now onto the outfit. I purchased this dress from Nasty Gal at the beginning of summer, but I have been stumped on what bra to wear with it until now. I would like to thank my trusty sticky bra for making this look happen. These awesome sandals are a recent purchase from Pixie Market, and they are actually a lot easier to put on than you would think, thanks to the zipper in the back. I find outfits harder to style in the summer due to the heat, which makes layers completely impossible. That's where my appreciation for these gladiator sandals come in, for they are just an amped up summer staple. 

I shot these photos at one of my favorite spots in Orange County, The Lab in Costa Mesa. We ate lunch at The Gypsy Den and I scored an All Saints sweater at the Buffalo Exchange there. If you are looking for unique shops and restaurants, I recommend this "anti-mall" as they call it.

I would like to give a quick shout out to the band Tanlines, which I have been listening to while writing this.

Hope you enjoy! xx Michelle

Follow me?

instagram @michellegilbertson

twitter @itsmemichelleg

photos by Carly. 

Check out this post on Teen Vogue Fashion Click here. 

Boy

Oh, boy. In this look, I was wearing boyfriend jeans while simultaneously wearing my favorite Chanel Rouge Coco Shine in the shade Boy. See what I did there?

My last few posts have really made me realize how basic my style is. When I mean basic, I mean a style made up of extremely wearable pieces. I do love a statement item, but I think you get so much more out of your wardrobe if you invest in items you can wear with so many different looks. Specifically for this outfit, I wore my new Topshop "Boyfriend" Jeans with a Nasty Gal blush tank top. I have always underestimated the importance of a good basic tee, especially in a wearable color like blush. It is so easy to style and instantly adds a casual-cool feel to an outfit. To balance out the not-so-figure-flattering ensemble on top, I paired the look with a more delicate shoe. These Steve Madden sandals with the stacked heel follow one of my favorite trends for the summer. Let's all thank Isabel Marant for introducing us to the "Carol" sandal last summer, which I think has inspired a lot of the shoes I've seen in stores this season. The look was topped with minimal jewelry and minimal make-up, strictly including glowing skin and supple lips. 

Hope you guys enjoyed this one! I especially loved the way these photos turned out. Thanks for reading.

xx Michelle

follow me?

instagram: michellegilbertson

twitter: @itsmemichelleg

Check out this post on Teen Vogue Fashion Click here. 

photos by virginia.