Nineteen

This past Saturday, August 16th, I celebrated my nineteenth birthday. Nineteen is somewhat of an insignificant number to me and my busy schedule made me unenthusiastic, so I opted for a simple day at The Huntington in Pasadena. I genuinely enjoy museum visits and it was so nice spending a day with my family wandering through the different gardens. Later at night, I was treated to a nice dinner at Bottega Louie in downtown, consisting of carbs and desserts. I'd say it was a pretty nice celebration.

Similar to last years birthday post, I wanted to put on a cute dress and take some blog photos. So here we go. White has been the color of summer and considering the fact that I have a summer birthday, a white dress was suitable for the occasion. I picked up this beaded frock from the Zara sale recently. It was significantly reduced in price and I knew I would find an occasion to wear it. Being inland in August, the weather was close to triple digits and the loose fit made the outdoor actives more bearable. My new H&M hat was the perfect accessory, adding style and functionality. I topped off the look with an old Rebecca Minkoff cross body bag and some lace up sandals. Hope you enjoy!

xx Michelle

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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

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photos by Carly. 

Check out this post on Teen Vogue Fashion Click here. 

Mountain Halls

On a recent family trip to Lake Tahoe, I took advantage of the scenery to showcase yet again, another unflattering pair of boyfriend jeans. Yes, they may make my butt look flat and they give me the stereotypical "mom" look, but I don't care. They are comfortable, chic, and they make me feel cool. This look may not have been the proper attire for climbing through trees, but let's get real, I wouldn't really describe myself as "granola". 

Alright, let's get down to the details. The boyfriend jeans I already discussed are from Topshop and feature a medium colored wash with all the rips I could ever wish to have, just to further perplex the older generation. The sweater has already been worn in this post, from Urban Outfitters but thrifted from a local Buffalo Exchange. It seems like a basic striped sweater, but it features two diagonal seams that shifts the stripes off course. Not so basic now, huh? I then added a black hat from Urban Outfitters and some flats from Steve Madden. My bag is my usual Kate Spade Saturday Mini A Satchel and my jewelry is a mix of my tortoise shell Fossil watch and a flea market stone bracelet. 

Remember, you should always dress for yourself and no one else. Hope you enjoyed!

xx Michelle

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Check out this post on Teen Vogue Fashion Click here. 

Tropics

My sister and I found ourselves in an empty parking lot at golden hour and voilà, I am here to show you some of my favorite summer pieces. This tropical print Zara skirt is one of my top closet items this summer; i've worn it so much lately it has definitely been worth the twenty dollars I paid for it. 

Now, let's talk about these sunglasses. I have been lusting after reflective lens sunglasses for so long now, specifically the orange Ray Ban aviators. But yet again, my student budget proved to be a hindrance and I found these pink Mink Pink beauties from ASOS to be a close substitute. I couldn't be happier with them and I may be a little too excited over some colorful reflective lenses. I am loving the print on print trend this season, but for this look I paired the skirt with a basic black chiffon tee. As for accessories, I wore my new sandals from Zara and a fringe cross body bag.

I have to admit I am currently having a summer fling with blogging. I have a lot more content planned ahead including an upcoming beauty post. I wonder which my readers prefer: fashion or beauty posts? 

xx Michelle

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photos by Missy. 

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

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Check out this post on Teen Vogue Fashion Click here. 

photos by virginia.