The end of the road….but never the end of fashion :-)

Greetings Tulips,

Over the past few months I have enjoyed the blog world and being able to share my fashion thoughts with you. I’ve also enjoyed sharing my fashion finds, my tastes and dislikes in fashion, and even some of the things I was obsessing over at a certain point and time.  However, all good things must come to a halt, but never an end. Today I will be listing all of my favorite items right now and items I plan to purchase in the future. However, this time, it will not just be clothing or jewelry items. It will also be a mix of tech accessories, shoes, and handbags. Remember, that fashion doesn’t only exist in clothes, shoes, or jewelry. Fashion is present in your personality and exudes confidence. Take a look at some of my fierce picks of the moment. And remember, this is not a goodbye, this is more like a “see ya later!”.

1. MacBeth headphones - Not only are these headphones INSANELY adorable, but they also provide an awesome sound quality loaded with bass. For under $15, you can’t lose with these!

image courtesy of Amazon.com

2. Jessica Simpson ‘Terri’ Sandal - Don’t let the height fool you. These super tall sandals are super cute AND super comfy. It doesn’t even feel like you are walking on 5″ heel thanks to the wonderful cushion and platform.

shoes courtesy of Zappos.com

3. Kate Spade iPad sleeve - Stylish, sturdy, and cushioned. This lightweight sleeve will keep your iPad in immaculate condition; free of scratches and cracks.

image courtesy of Nordstrom.com

4. Francesca’s Collection dress - This dress is perfect for warm weather months due its length, bright color, and floral print. I also like this because it is not strapless.

 

image courtesy of Francescascollections.com

5. Juicy Couture ‘Stella’ watch - To be honest, I only like this watch because it has some of the exact colors of my Louis Vuitton speedy 30 and I just think they would look PERFECT together. This has definitely been on my wish list for a while now.

courtesy of Nordstrom.com

6.Tory Burch ‘Amanda’ Satchel - This purse has only recently been added to my wish list. I love the classic style and structure of this bag.  It is the ultimate, go-to black bag for both day and night.

courtesy of Bloomingdales.com

Going crazy over cheetah headphones? Get them here

Gotta have the ‘Terri’? Click here

Want to dress up your iPad? Do it here

Like the orange dress? Get it here

Loving that Juicy watch? Click here

Torn over the Tory Burch? Just purchase here

Will YOU Work for Shoes?

Hey Tulips,

My name is Markayla and I have an addiction to shoes!

Totally kidding. But I am loving some of the new shoes that have been coming out for the summer and spring seasons. One of the seasons most popular prints is the tribal print, which I absolutely love. Tribal print sandals, heels, wedges, and flats are the perfect go-to shoe for summer because they can match almost ANYTHING due to its vibrancy and array of colors. Another popular shoe for summer are bold, flat sandals. Those comfortable sandals are meant to be worn both for both a casual day running errands or a night out on the town with the girls or boyfriend. Snake skin print is also a big trend for the summer months. Snake print isn’t as tricky to pull off as some people may think. However, snake print goes best with dark colors, but can work well with colors if paired appropriately. Lastly, neon, bold, and neutral colored shoes. All of these are very easy to dress up or down and happen to be completely wearable.

Below I have chosen some of my favorite shoes from each popular category for summer. Bon a petit!

Tribal print shoe

image courtesy of Piperlime.com

Neutral shoe

image courtesy of Nordstrom.com

Snake shoe

courtesy of Stevemadden.com

Bold shoe

courtesy of Aldo.com

Neon shoe

courtesy of Zappos.com

Flat sandal

Like the tribal print shoe? Click here

Need the neon? Buy it here

Loving the neutral? Get it here

Wanna be bold? Purchase here

Want to snatch the snake? Snatch them here

Falling head over heels for flats? Click here

All CHAINED Up

image of chains and lace courtesy of Yahoo! images

Hello fresh Tullips,

   If you have been reading or looking through some of today’s popular magazines such as Cosmopolitan, Lucky, or even People, you may have noticed a pretty bold trend that was popular in the 80′s-early 90′s by some of America’s most famous rappers has become a favorite amongst celebrities and “average Joes” alike. Chains are back in style, but now they are more polished and are much easier to accessorize. Below I have chosen a few pieces that are perfect for both work and leisure, but also tried to stay pretty price conscious so you wouldn’t go broke over these trendy chains.

image courtesy of Nordstrom.com

1. Nordstrom/Michael Kors – $116.90 buy here

This lovely piece by Michael Kors has the perfect blend femininity and masculinity. With the masculine design and sparkly touches, this necklace is perfect for those long, business meetings and could easily transition into the ideal evening accessory with a basic black dress or top.

image courtesy of Nordstrom.com

2. Juicy Couture – $48 buy it now

Always a classic, this Juicy Couture starter bracelet is a great piece to start off with if you are not too sold on the “chain” trend. Or if you are not wanting to be too outlandish or gaudy, this piece is perfect for layering with a nice watch or bracelets, but could also be worn alone. It is lightweight and goes with virtually everything.

courtesy of Forever 21 website

3. Forever 21 – $6.80 click here to purchase

Dark grey curb chain necklace with a high quality polish and weight. A less expensive alternative to this poplar designer trend. This log chain can be layered with other long or short curb chains or worn alone to give a more sleek and polished look.

courtesy of Etsy.com

4. Etsy.com – starting at $20 find a seller here

Etsy has thousands and thousands of sellers that makes and sell their own jewelry. Well, luckily, there are sellers that make really nice, high quality chain jewelry to help you pull off one of today’s hottest trends without putting a dent in your wallet.

Here are a few Etsy sellers who make fantastic, practical chain jewelry

Lolly Sheep

Rclie

Oia Jules

Taro Collection

IT IS FINALLY HERE! (just a random blog post)

Good day Tullips,

I think everyone and their mother owns at least one Apple product. Whether it be an iPhone, iPad, MacBook, iPod etc., Apple has made itself a household name in such a short period of time. After a bit of waiting, complaining, and flipping out, I finally received my beautiful iPad 3!!! Being a previous owner of the iPad 2, I knew I had to have this new device from Apple! I pre-ordered the iPad 3 almost 2 weeks after purchasing my iPad 2. I ended up taking it (the iPad 2) back for a refund so I could preorder the new iPad 3 since it was the the same price for the 2nd generation, so I figured “Why not just get the newer version for the same price!”.

image of new iPad courtesy of Apple.com

My new, white iPad arrived on Monday, March 19 at exactly 10:22 a.m. via UPS. The UPS man rang my doorbell and I opened  the door in record time to sign for my lovely, new device. While I was signing for my package, the UPS man went on to telling me that he was glad I answered the door since they were instructed by Apple NOT to leave the packages on the porch/doorway or anywhere near the property if the receiver did not sign for the package since there were people actually FOLLOWING and STALKING the UPS men for these new iPads and stealing them from people’s porches. WOW! I  was happy I was home too.

Anywho, after saying goodbye to Mr. UPS man, I sprinted to the kitchen to open up my brand new iPad 3 (Apple chose to just call it ‘iPad’). After peeling my new iPad out of the back and taking off the plastic film, I did the required setup process, which took about 2 mins. and then started to check out the “brand new” features. First thing that I was excited to see was how “brilliant” the graphics were. To be quite honest, I barely noticed a difference in the resolution quality compared to the iPad 2. There is a very SLIGHT difference in resolution, but nothing special. Next, I wanted to check out the camera that Apple boasted about during their big unveiling. Well, as the camera is a big improvement from their previous iPad, it still wasn’t as superb as I anticipated it to be. The camera is still a bit grainy when it comes to snapping pictures, but, it produces pretty nice videos and has a good image stabilization feature. After two disappointments, I was not expecting much from the speed of the new iPad. Luckily, I did notice a subtle difference in upload/download speeds on this device compared the previous one.

As I am not totally disappointed in this purchase and I do appreciate the handful of subtle improvements, I would still recommend that all iPad 2 owners steer clear of getting the brand new iPad (unless you recently purchased an iPad 2 for regular price within the last 2 weeks as I did) and just keep your beloved device until Apple produces something better with DRASTIC improvements. Besides, why pay $100 more for practically the same device?

image of new iPad courtesy of Apple.com

Want to order Apple’s new iPad? Get it here

Have an iPad 2, but still debating on getting the new iPad? Check this video out

Want some cute accessories for your device? Juicy Couture has some here

Spring Break Essentials – ’12 Edition

Hello Tullips,

Long time, no chat.

Spring break is just a few days away (for most of us) and I thought it would be great to share some of my spring break essentials with all of you.

Recently, I have been searching for pieces specifically for my spring break trip with friends. Since we are travelling to a warmer destination, I decided to stick with tons of bright colors and more spring/summer appropriate pieces such as sheer blouses, tops with nautical stripes , dresses, and a classic handbag. I searched high and low and found BCBG, Old Navy,  Juicy Couture, Abercrombie & Fitch, Louis Vuitton, and Apple (I have good reason for this pick) to be my best bets.

Enjoy!

1. BCBG Maxazria Dress – $58 or buy 2 for $78 

dress courtesy of BCBG.com

This dress will look amazing paired with a cropped denim jacket for a nice lunch overlooking the beautiful beaches in Panama City or sexy paired with a leather jacket or bare at night club-hopping in Miami. Also, this green color is perfect if you are into the “bright” trend for this spring.

2. Juicy Couture jewelry – Prices may vary

image courtesy of Zappos.com

image courtesy of Zappos.com

image courtesy of Zappos.com

As most of you may know, Juicy Couture is one of my biggest obsessions and I just can’t live without it. These pieces are very light-weight, yet maintain the excellent Juicy Couture quality and high polish finishes. Even better? These pieces are all inexpensive and can be purchased from various retailers. So, if you happen to lose them during your crazy night in South Padre, you won’t feel THAT bad about it.

3.Old Navy clothing – Prices starting at $15

courtesy of Old Navy

courtesy of Old Navy

These tops are perfect for the warmer months and can easily be worn out for a well, put – together casual look while sightseeing or touring the volcanic spots in Hawaii. Nautical stripes and this banana yellow color are great colors/patterns for this season.

4. Abercrombie & Fitch shorts- $30.80

Classic, comfortable, and cute. What more is there to say?

5. Louis Vuitton Speedy 30- $775

courtesy of Louis Vuitton

The best purchase a woman could ever make in her lifetime. It is not too large or too small to tote around town during the day and it matches EVERYTHING. If you must have one luxury item during your trip, this would definitely be the one to bring.

6. Apple iPad and iPhone 4 or 4S – Prices may vary

courtesy of Yahoo! images

courtesy of Yahoo! images

courtesy of Yahoo! images

My favorite people right now have to be the crew at Apple. They know how to transform complex, cutting edge technology into user-friendly, smart devices that are just absolute life-savers. The iPad and iPhone (no matter which version you have) will be your best friends at the airport and can protect you from boredom during those unexpected delays.

Like the green dress from BCBG? Make it your own here

Want to add some “Couture” on spring break? Shop here or here or this place or here

Need to make the tops from Old Navy your own? Yellow top , nautical top

Love shorts? Buy them now

Love LV? Get it here

Convinced you need the iPad in your life? BUY IT HERE

Everyone loves a SALE

Hello Tullips,

I’m not sure if there was some odd holiday that went by and I missed it, but recently I have been spotting sales all over the place. I went to the mall this weekend and stores were having sales like it was Black Friday all over again. Even some of the online stores were having sales!! I wonder if it is because of tax season? Regardless of the reason, I took advantage of most of them and racked up some pretty good finds. So, as always, I like to share my findings with you and hope that you take advantage of them as well. Take a peek at the some of the online sales I listed below.  :-)

 

1. Juicy Couture – Free Shipping on all orders and 40% off of all sale jewelery

Access sale here

  

2. Old Navy – 15% off your entire purchase (one day only 2/28/2012)

courtesy of oldnavy.com

3. Banana Republic – Free shipping on orders over $50

$15 off of purchases of $60 (today only 2/28/2012)

$25 off of purchases of $100 ( today only 2/28/2012)

$35 off of purchases of $140 (today only 2/28/2012)

courtesy of Bananarepublic.com

Access sale here

4. Bebe – Free shipping on orders $25 and over

30%off all sales items (both offers end 3/2/2012)

courtesy of Yahoo! images

Access sale here

5. Nordstrom – 40% off of all already reduced shoes

courtesy of Nordstrom.com

Access sale here

6. American Eagle Outfitters – $10 on all plain t-shirts and tank tops

40% off select clearance items

photo courtesy of ae.com

Access sale here

The Working Girl

As a student and young professional, I am always in need of professional, business casual clothes. As I stated in my podcast last week, I DO NOT LIKE TRENDS! I find most of them to be annoying and sometimes even tacky. They leave no room for a person to “personalize” their own style and often times, people just end not dressing appropriately for their body types or personalities.

With that being said, the work place is not the best place to expose your full personal style. You still have to be very conscious and conservative with your choice in outfits. HOWEVER, that does not mean you have to be a boring blob. So, to help you out a little bit, I have selected a couple of pieces from some of my favorite stores and decided to share them with you. Enjoy!

 

One of my favorite places to look for business casual pieces (or just casual pieces in general) is Banana Republic. I know some of the items seem a bit pricey, BUT they are totally worth it! They have such versatile, comfortable, and chic pieces that are perfect for any occasion; especially work. The material and stitching of each piece is great and can last you forever. Their dresses are perfect for the office since they have a modest length and never reveal too much cleavage. Take a look at my current favorite picks from Banana Republic below.

Sophia animal print dress courtesy of Banana Republic website

Celine color-block sheath dress courtesy of Banana Republic website

Not a “dress” type of girl? That is perfectly fine! Zara is another one of my favorite places to shop for work appropriate attire. I usually have to shop with them online since my state does not have a Zara store (they are usually located in the major, popular cities). I would say that Zara is a younger, more chic version of the store Express. If you are into more bold, less girly looks then Zara is the PERFECT place for you. Being well-known for their blazers, Zara chooses the best fabrics and make sure to stitch pieces in the right places for a pristine fit. The quality is great and makes for  great office pieces. The price point isn’t too bad either.

Outfit courtesy of Zara website

J.Crew is another store I find to be perfect for work attire. To me, J. Crew screams rich and preppy. I think because everything is tailored to fit the average body perfectly and neatly. The skirts always have crisp lines and the shirts look like they come pre-starched, yet remain silky soft. This store is quite pricey, but like Zara and Banana Republic, the items from this place last a lifetime. Check out the outfit below.

Outfit courtesy of J. Crew website

Dare to wear the Sophia? Get it here

Like the Celine? Available here

Got to have that Zara blazer? Click here

Love the skinny trouser? Purchase now

Isn’t that black shirt fierce? Well buy it here

Like the tweed skirt from J.Crew? Here it is

Can’t get enough of the printed t-shirt (pictured with the Zara blazer and trousers)? Here it is

Putting a face to a name – Podcast

Hey Tullips,

I decided to do a little something different this week and post a podcast instead. I have posted photos of some of the products mentioned in the video just in case you would like to see more of them or just wanted to know where to find some of the items mentioned.

Enjoy!

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Where I get my Juicy Couture jewelry: Nordstrom

Juicy Couture

 Ideeli

Etsy: Turquoise heart chain bracelet 

Silver cross chain bracelet

Single silver curbed chain bracelet

 Single gold curbed chain bracelet

HRH Collection: Ombre Noir bracelet

Red Lace Arden B. dress courtesy of Ardenb.com

Emily inspired dress: Click here

Chrissy inspired dresss courtesy of American Apparel website

Chrissy inspired  dress : Get it here

image courtesy of Karmaloop

Somaya Reece inspired dress: Get it here 

Youtube “gurus”

HRH Collection

Socialite Sande

Hello Lulu

Youtube “guru” blog

HRH blog

Photos of some of my Juicy Couture jewelry

My Juicy Couture starter bracelet $42 from Nordstrom

Juicy Couture Earrings from Juicy Couture Galleria in Dallas on sale for $12

My Juicy Couture "Lively" Watch purchased from Ideeli on sale for $90

Juicy Couture necklace from Nordstrom $68

Juicy Couture matching bracelet Nordstrom $58

Juicy Couture Prism bracelet from Juicy Couture website $58

Etsy Jewelry

Jewelry from seller on Etsy "ArkiJewelry"

Jewelry from Etsy seller "Tarocollection"

HRH bracelet

HRH Collection "Ombre Noir" bracelet

HRH Collection "Ombre Noir" bracelet

Old Navy is moving on up!

Remember when Old Navy’s ever popular, reasonably priced fleeces were all the buzz? They weren’t the cutest piece in the world, but we all knew and loved them because of their amazing price point and warmth. Well, after that phase, I started to grow a slight dislike for Old Navy and their products. I didn’t like the poor quality or stitching of their merchandise or how common/popular it became (mostly because they are affordable). There was even an article on Yahoo! warning consumers on what NOT to buy at Old Navy due to its lack of quality (I will post a link to the article at the end of this post).

Well, as of recently, my opinion of Old Navy has changed dramatically. When I went to the Galleria mall in Dallas, TX, I happened to come across the huge Old Navy store. I slightly peeked in the store from the outside and saw a couple of really nice pieces, so I decided to just step inside. Wow, was I shocked! I couldn’t believe how many fabulously, affordable and cute pieces I stumbled upon while I was there. But that wasn’t the only thing that kept me in Old Navy; it was the brilliant fit of each piece, the quality fabrics,  and rich colors (very similar to their sister stores Gap and Banana Republic). A bonus: Old Navy has still remained faithful to their low price point and frequently have deals/sales on a regular basis. So, if you are debating on purchasing an item for regular price, it is often better to wait when it comes to Old Navy since they will be marked down within a good 2 weeks or so.  Also, I will leave a link at the end of this post on how to get further discounts/exclusive deals and 2.0% cashback on your purchases on the Old Navy website.

At the end of the day, I purchased a couple of nice casual dresses, dress top, a couple of t-shirts, and a pair of dark wash jeans. Since then, I have even ordered a few other items from their website (although I do have to mention that it takes them FOREVER to ship your order). I definitely suggest going into the actual store if you plan on purchasing anything from them as some of the things I ordered either didn’t fit properly or looked completely different from the picture and had to be returned.

Here are a few of the pieces that I happened to purchase during my recent Old Navy adventure that I did indeed love. Later Tulips!

 

Straight leg jeans courtesy of Oldnavy.com

 

Sequin, leopard cami courtesy of Oldnavy.com

 

 

light denim shirt courtesy of Oldnavy.com

Link to the Yahoo! story about Old Navy – Old Navy story

Deals, discounts, and cash back from Old Navy – Ebates

Like any of the items seen here or interested in finding an Old Navy near you? Visit them here

Superbowl ’12

Ok, so I’m not sure about everyone else, but I am not a big sports fan. I know, I know shoot me!

Actually, don’t shoot me.  But DO check out some of these cute Super Bowl outfit ideas I found.

And remember tulips, just because you chose to sit down and watch football with the fellas on Sunday, doesn’t mean you have to dress/look like them. So let’s take a peek at some of these girly, yet football inspired pieces.

1.Off the shoulder tee with  skinny jeans paired with cute flip flops.

courtesy of Nordstrom.com

 

flip flops courtesy of Toryburch.com

 

jeans courtesy of Abercrombie.com

Top –  Nordstrom

Flip Flops – Tory Burch

Jeans – Abercrombie & Fitch 

2. Comfortable dress with wedges.

courtesy of Bananarepublic.com

Dress and wedges – Banana Republic

3. Stereotypical SUPER BOWL attire. Jersey/sports tee of your team of choice and jeans paired with Converse.

courtesy of NFLshop.com

courtesy of Abercrombie & Fitch

courtesy of NFLshop.com

courtesy of shoes.com

Jersey and tee – NFL shop

Jeans – Abercrombie & Fitch 

Converse shoes – Shoes.com

Any of these outfits can be suitable for anyone’s style whether they are super girly or like to show how much of a cute tomboy they really are.  So long Tulips!

 

*Like any of the items you see above? Just click on the links below the pictures.