FOR LESS THAN A PRETTY PENNY

wearing: H&M cropped black sweater ($15) / thrifted daisy pants ($2) /

gifted black vintage purse ($0) / H&M x Marni sandals ($26)

outfit total: $43

This whole outfit cost me $43, bam! Who says it has to cost a million to look like a million? Sometimes the best things aren't quite free, but they can be very cheap! I'm a huge fan of investing in quality pieces  that can be carried throughout the year-like a leather bag or sunglasses-and being thrifty on the items that are seasonal at best. If I wasn't this way I'd be broke de broke 365 days of the year. And when I say broke, I mean "too broke to buy ramen" broke.

I've decided to bring back the ($__) behind each item I list because people think I spend a ton of money on clothes and they think that it cost a lot to dress up. Being a poor student paying my own way through college, I understand the pain that shopping can bring. In general I try to only splurge on things that I lose sleep on (yes, certain things keep me up at night) and only if I magically have the means to do so. For everything else, I'm quite thrifty and, for lack of a better way to put it, really cheap. It honestly doesn't take a lot to dress up, in terms of both money and effort. I want to show that lots of outfits can be put together for a less than a pretty penny (take penny literally).

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SNO CONES

American Apparel navy stripe long sleeve boatneck / Bullhead sno cone shorts c/o PacSun / 

H&M x Marni silver sandals / geo necklace c/o PacSun

I usually try to stay away from super short shorts because of my thighs. I was never one of those lucky girls with teeny tiny thighs that don't touch. But, when a pair as cute as these Bullheads show up, how could you not pull them up and button them as fast as you can? They have all of the prerequisites that I require: 1) they're denim 2) they're studded 3) they're cute as hell 4) they're SUPER comfortable. What else could you possibly ask for in a pair of shorts? Oh did I mention that they're called "sno cones?" Brownie points for the cutest name that makes me wish it was summer like yesterday.

P.S. If you're in the Berkeley area this Saturday, you should stop by the FAST pop-up sale taking place from 1-4. If you don't know what FAST is, it stands for Fashion And Student Trends and it's this amazing club that puts on a student designed fashion show at the end of every semester. What'll be at the pop-up sale? Lots of original pieces from past FAST shows, a FAST curated sale and my closet! What I can promise you is that there will be lots of shoes (size 7), clothes and bags there so come out and shop, chit chat and enjoy the amazing Bay weather!

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BRIGHTS ALL AROUND

wearing: purple lace inset crisscross back a-line dress c/o Charlotte Russe {buy here}, H&M neon lime green sandals, vintage black purse, F21 pink sunglasses

The last of the four Charlotte Russe look, and all I have to say is neon green and fuchsia pink, sitting in a tree...it has a nice ring to it, doesn't it? I foresee a ton more colors in my springy future, it's looking pretty damn bright.

Check out the rest of the Charlotte Russe looks here: 1, 2, 3

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LA LA LACE

I've always been a "stare at my closet for an hour then take 5 minutes to get dressed and run out the door" kind of a girl, so accessories tend to be the last thing on my mind. Truthfully, the only accessory I wear on a daily basis is the black hair tie on my left wrist as seen in almost every one of my outfit posts. But I think, with my newly acquired sunnies obsession, that neglectful attitude may be on the verge of major change. Finger's crossed. 

I wore the lace dress with my favorite denim vest for dinner out because, let's face it, denim and I are paired together more often than PB & J. The dress is just tight enough to give me a waist yet loose enough to not feel suffocating. I've learned to wear comfy clothes for eating out because, to put it not so delicately, I love food and I love it to the point where I tend to need to loosen a few belt buckles. I never did say I was a classy gal.

Random fact: I've been listening to Jack's Mannequin too much and I got the title of this post from their song "La La Lie." If anyone got that, kudos! That song, and band, makes me super nostalgic for my awkward middle school days. Thinking about it, I don't really think I grew out of the awkward stages just yet...

See the spring break day look I did with this Charlotte Russe dress here!

white floral late skater dress c/o Charlotte Russe

oxblood zip-back pleather heel bootie c/o Charlotte Russe

H&M light denim vest

thrifted purse

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FUCHSIA ON THE GO

{photos by Laura Nguyen}

wearing: purple lace inset crisscross back a-line dress c/o Charlotte Russe {buy here}, stone zip-back nubuck ghillie wedges c/o Charlotte Russe {buy here}, Nasty Gal leather moto jacket, gifted Modcloth headband, gifted yellow leather crossbody purse

Here's my second day look for Charlotte Russe's "Spring Break, Take 2" (first one's here). Despite what I may say, I'm a huge pink fan and have been ever since I was a kid. Fuchsia is an edgier shade of the girly hue and I love how easy it is to dress up and down this pretty shade. I love it on my lips, on my body, on my hands and my feet! With that said, this dress is heaven sent. Everything from the color, the cut, to the way it flows so well in the SF breeze makes it the perfect dress to shop around in. I wore my favorite leather moto jacket to toughen up the frilly dress and to protect myself from the city winds.  The yellow accessories add just the right amount of extra coloring to the already colorful outfit. 

Frolicking around Union Square with Laura snapping away was awkward and hilarious at the same time. From the people gawking to the pigeons creeping, it was a huge laugh fest. But then again, everything is always just a little bit funnier with my best friend around.

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SPRING BREAK, SPRING LACE

wearing: white floral late skater dress c/o Charlotte Russe, thrifted leather/feather belt, thrifted leather seahorse purse, gray H&M ankle socks, gifted round sunnies, oxblood zip-back pleather heel bootie c/o Charlotte Russe

I. LOVE. SPRING. BREAK. Maybe not as much as the gals from the Spring Breakers but I enjoy it quite a lot. The weather's better than winter break and the feeling is more appreciated than summer break since it comes in the middle of the semester; it's the little beacon of light that gives us college kids some time to breathe and relax before we have to head back into the madness. Instead of jet-setting off to a more tropical climate like daydreamer me wishes, I'm stuck in the Bay Area for the most part. But no wallowing for me, I am definitely going to make the best of it. Lots of food adventures are planned with a quick trip down to LA at the end of the week!

This spring break, I've teamed up with Charlotte Russe for "Spring Break, Take Two." Two dresses, two pairs of shoes, two looks each, get excited cause I know I am! For the first of four, I did a day look with this sweet little lace skater dress that is absolutely perfect for both spring and summer. But I'll probably wear it all year round because it's just so darling. The oxblood booties are my favorite go-to shoes right now! Everything from the color, the cut, the comfort (these are more comfortable than my Rachel Comey ones!) makes me way too happy. Shoes should not make me this happy but they always do. Wore this outfit for a simple day of family and food but it's very obvious that I had music festivals on the brain when I got dressed. Maybe one day I'll finally get to spend a weekend dancing my tush off to some amazing bands but until then at least I can dress the part!

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SIMPLE AS IT SHOULD BE

{photos taken by Jason Maier}

wearing: thrifted Gap overalls, Dolce Vita white polka-dotted blouse via Stitch Fix, gifted vintage crossbody bag, black Zara ballerina blocked heels

The first thing my roommate said was "wait...someone else here has a pair of overalls...what?" Isn't it interesting how a pair of overalls can be dressed up so differently? I mean we're both wearing overalls, black shoes and white tops yet the vibe is totally different! I love Youri's grungy chic take with her leather cut-out boots and sheer knee highs; it's something I could never ever pull off yet she does it with such ease. For probably the first time in my life, I felt girly in mine. Pairing the denim with classic black flats and a pair of red lips instantly makes me feel like a lady. That's the best part of fashion isn't it? The creativity, the individuality and the fun that comes with it all.

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