Valentine's Day Rebel

WEARING: DRESS LILY EMBROIDERED SHEER BODYSUIT | J BRAND BLACK SKINNY JEANS | ASSEMBLY NEW YORK STANDARD BLACK BELT COAT | CLOSET ACCESS MINI ARIA SADDLE BAG | UO MARIBEL WESTERN BELT | MAUMERO HANNAH ANKLE BOOTS  

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THIS POST IS SPONSORED BY MAUMERO NEW YORK SHOES, DRESS LILY & CLOSET ACCESS.

I may not be the biggest fan of Valentine's Day. There are many reasons; one – my mother's birthday is the day before and I always feel a tad guilty celebrating love with her not around (for those who don't know, both of my parents are unfortunately deceased) and two, I've always found it to be such a bologna-Hallmark holiday. It's overrated and you shouldn't need a day to show someone you love them. What will I be doing this year? Strutting around with my girlfriends and hopping from one fashion show to the next. Let's not forget the events and after parties... it's going to be a killer week here in New York! Let's link up while you're in town for NYFW!

Also, what's a girl to wear rebelling against Cupid's favorite day of the year? How about saucy mixed with a laid-back rocker chic vibe? Not going to lie... my nips froze to all hell while shooting this in 32-degree weather (Fahrenheit y'all) but with my trusty and most worn Assembly New York coat, it actually wasn't that bad. (I may or may not have done a bunch of jumping jacks in hopes of staying warm ha ha!) Even though I got cold fast I love how the embroidered bodysuit has a built-in choker. Don't you think it polishes the look all together? To keep it semi-casual, I styled this look with my favorite J Brand skinny black jeans and Urban Outfitters's Maribel Western belt. I know a lot of you girls have a similar one in black but a pop of brown, especially if your brown hair is on the lighter side, can complement well with each other.

And lastly, let's not forget about the details! Firstly, my fringe bangs are in need of a trim (yay hair cut & color on Tuesday) so I did a half-up-half-down top knot/messy bun hairstyle to be able to pull the bangs back. And with a darker lip, I could totally get away with being Eric Northman's girl, no? ;) The maroon mini saddle bag from Closet Access is not only chic but definitely affordable. Aren't the stitching and sides of the purse so well-designed?! I've really been into the color maroon. Normally I'd say it's a fall color, but I feel like darker colors are transitioning from the winter into the spring period this year. Like these gorgeous suede and leather bound laced-up ankle boots from Maumero Shoes in New York. Sometimes, depending on the light, the boots will appear more blue-grey than gray. I love its versatility as you can pair these with leather leggings or a dress, from day to night I know I'll be wearing these 3" boots often. ❤︎

LOVE & XX'S, 

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OTHER SIMILAR POSTS

Soft Toughness

WEARING: FOREVER 21 FAUX LEATHER BOMBER JACKET |
VINTAGE BLACK & WHITE FLORAL PRINT CHOKER BLOUSE |
J BRAND JEANS MID-RISE SKINNY BLACK | 
SEPCOEUR PARIS SUEDE DRAWSTRING BAG | VERSACE BY H&M GOLD FLOWER RING | 
GUESS CARRIE BLACK SATIN PUMPS 

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Spring has sprung - well, sort of. The funky, somewhere in between winter and spring weather has got me bundling up in layers one day, and then strippin' 'em off the next! So, in tune with this unsteady climate, I wanted to incorporate a big trend, and one of my all-time favorite ways to style, the soft and the toughness together. I always find the combination of soft, feminine pieces with hard rock -n- roll textures and shapes to be quite interesting. A superb example? Check out Chloé's SS16 runway show from PFW. Perfect representation of this.

For this look, I paired up a vintage choker blouse I've had in my closet for years with a high-ponytail. I curled my hair to give it extra bounce to bring out the dancing playfulness from the blouse. To enhance the feminine pieces, I added a bangle from Express, vintage earrings, and a gold flower ring from Versace by H & M (on top with my engagement ring and wedding band). I also kept my makeup light and fresh to stay with the romantic yet free-spirited feel of the entire outfit.

As for the toughness, I had to go with my favorite faux leather bomber jacket from Forever 21. I don't shop as much there now that I'm getting older, but I still hold a few pieces, near and dear to me, through the years. They do have some decent stuff! More black on black means my go-to J Brand skinny jeans with my wedding shoes! Yes, you read that correct! I know some women solely pick out their dream shoes for when they get married only to wear it once. And that's totally cool! But I'm sentimental and I like to wear things that remind me of who I am and where I started from. You see that red Fender guitar pick on the sole of one of my Guess pumps? It belonged to my father. Since he could not be at our wedding because of his passing, I, of course, had to carry something that I knew was very important to him. And that was his guitar playing every day. When I wear these shoes, I feel like I'm marching on to the beat of his drum - or rather, his music. He always used to say, "keep on keeping on". 🎶

Lastly, I want to tell you about an amazing not-for-profit organization I will be collaborating with, that's paving their way in helping everyone have access to healthcare! How can you help pay for the trips of volunteer nurses IN FULL to impoverished countries around the world and at the same time not feel guilty about owning a designer handbag? By re-selling your donated purses to Purses for Nurses! It's that simple! You can either donate your purses OR you can purchase a gorgeous designer purse and all proceeds go to aiding in better healthcare to all. The Sep Coeur Paris drawstring bag from this look is from them! They've got Coach, Dooney & Bourke, Burberry, Gucci, Kate Spade and more! Please go check them out here now!

Coming up this week on the blog, a full recipe post on those sesame broccoli bites AND another post on my very first Korean-inspired cocktail recipe! Stay tuned... you'll definitely won't want to miss out on these! 😊❤️

Photos by Gilles Decamps

Love & xx's,

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