Inspired by:

via The Sartorialist

The Sartorialist spotted this chic (and probably sweaty) chick on 11th Ave, inspiring me with my new favorite color combo.

While I fear she was one cool breeze short of a heat stroke, can you imagine wearing this for the transition to fall? I've never had the desire to wear a romper until right this second, but the colors are perfection and the chunky cable-knit sweater instantly grows-up the peachy one-piece.

Does this look inspire you? Are you loving these colors as much as I am?

Hot hot heat

Lily Pulitzer 'Regency Bubble' dress, $228

BB Dakota 'Annaleise' dress, $34 (was $95) at Dillards

Mirage maxi dress, $68 at NeedSupply.com

Rachel Comey 'Ply' dress, $633 at Saks Fifth Ave

It's so hot, simply existing is exhausting. On days like this, you can't go wrong with a breezy little white dress!

What's your favorite way to beat the heat?

Gimme gimme

Michelle Chang skull ring, $348

GyspySolDesigns turquoise cross necklace, $38

BrideBlu giraffe charm necklace, $18

AmandaDeer mini feather necklace, $24

My obsession with Etsy has never been healthy, but now I feel it's at an all-time high. I fear my friends and family may stage an intervention for my sudden obsession with cute, tiny charm jewelry.

And I don't even care.

GIVE ME TINY CHARM JEWELRY.

What I Wish I Were Wearing

Daytrip faux fur coat, $49 / Jen Kao beaded tank, $225 / Citizens of Humanity skinny jeans, $180 / Rebecca Minkoff MAC, $295 / House of Harlow 1960 tassel earrings, $75 / Tory Burch booties, $395

Maybe it's the constant fear of melting into the New York City sidewalks, but I'm beyond ready for this heatwave to end. In fact, between semi-blacking out and chugging gallons of water all week, I'm just itching to go into reverse hibernation until fall arrives.

I wouldn't wish winter on anybody, but late fall? That's my kind of temperature. Boot weather, come find me!

Am I crazy? What do you wish you could wear right now?

Splurge and Steal: ASOS vs Chloe

See by Chloe Cats & Trees blouse, $395 at RevolveClothing.com

Obviously, I'm not comparing quality or fabrics here, but if you absolutely love the look of this See by Chloe sketch-print blouse, consider this ASOS alternative:

Vila sketch floral chiffon shirt, was $52, now $21 at ASOS.com

Are you a fan of these shirts? Like the cheaper version better? Discuss!

Also, apologies for not updating yesterday. Only have a few more days in Ohio before shipping back to New York.. and my brother came back for a one-week leave from the Air Force!

The quest to become Christian Siriano's roommate

Refinery29 took a tour around Christian Siriano and boyfriend Brad Walsh's Chelsea apartment, which I'm convinced was decorated with me in mind. Fellas, need a lady in the house?

Check out more (including the luscious bedroom!) after the jump..

All that glitters

Images via here

Accessories: I LOVE THEM. How about that, alligator belt buckle? This July '11 Vogue Spain spread, featuring model Jessica Miller, is just dripping in sparkly decadence, amping up my desire for an accessory watch (like the red one in the 1st photo) and reptile-shaped ornaments (like the 'gators in the 2nd photo).

Also: Utility shirts. Short orange nails. Metallic blue smoky eyeshadow.

Rollercoaster Diva

Rebel Yell shirt, $69 / 3.1 Phillip Lim cotton shorts, $113 / Full Tilt sunglasses, $8 / House of Harlow 1960 bracelet, $80 / Jennifer Zeuner initial necklace, $144 / House of Harlow 1960 sandals, $149

Cedar Point, here I come! Time for a day of sun, rollercoasters and thrill rides.

Luckily, I grew up only an hour away from America's Roller Coast, so in my many summers of experience dangling from steel tracks, I've picked up these tips to dress like a true ride warrior:

• Stay away from huge necklaces or earrings that are going to hit you in the face at 93MPH.
• Wear comfortable, breathable shoes! The little heel on these HoH sandals should help provide more support than cheap rubber flip flops.
• Bring a change of clothes if you plan to go on water rides. Or wear clothes that won't cling and take forever to dry (like jean shorts). These 3.1 Phillip Lim shorts are made of cotton!
• Don't forget the sunscreen..
• Simply rock a cute bangle, just because I effin' love accessories.

Any other tips to add? What is your favorite amusement/theme park?

Hello, it's me!

Urban Outfitters dress / Betsey Johnson (from TJ Maxx) belt / Tory Burch sunglasses / Rebecca Minkoff MAC / necklace from Rose and Raven / Steve Madden sandals

After a day of running around and catching up with Ohio friends, I'm finally back to settle for a minute before heading out again to see my grandma. That's the trouble with coming home every six months--I've built up a lot of people to visit.

Anywho, just thought it would be nice to show my face (and outfit!) on ocassion. After all, how credible can someone be, attempting to dish out style advice, when I could just be chillin in a Snuggie and pajama jeans 24/7?

So, I convinced my mom to take a few pics before she mentioned "our neighbors must think we're crazy" (as if watching us run around catching chickens isn't already a sign), so I didn't realize I forgot to smile. Blogging is serious business.

Have a great weekend!

I didn't make these.. but I wish I did!

Kate Spade meets Current/Elliot

 

WWD reports that Emily Current and Meritt Elliott, founders of It-girl denim label Current/Elliot, have designed a capsule collection for Kate Spade. It will feature six styles that range in price from $245 to $1,295 (yowza!), and apparently will be beautiful.

I have been fawning over this bag for two days. Ostrich leather and suede? Be mine. I am really hoping it falls on the $245 end of the spectrum, and then maybe (maybe?) I can catch it on sale/eBay for like, $150 some day.

Obviously, I'm a fan of wishful thinking.

Splurge and Steal: Free People vs eBay

Sheila B. Horus pendant, $218 at Free People

Falling in love is not something I do often.. especially with accessories.

Actually, scratch that--that's a blatant lie. Especially when I spotted this falcon necklace, modeled exactly after the pendant of the Egyptian god Horus that was found in King Tut's tomb. We've gone over the fact that I'm a dork, right? Good. Anyway, I nearly cried when I found out it was more than $200--also known as 1/4 my rent.

However, with my super sleuthing skills, I've found an almost-identical replica.. for less than $30.

Horus necklace, $20 (plus shipping) on eBay (there are 6 more available!)

These necklaces are even made of the same material--brass and enamel. And both are handmade (cheaper labor in Cairo?). The beaded chain is different, but surely not worth the extra $190. There's even a tiny shot of it in a Free People promo video (at 1:04.. listen, I get obsessed with things) that makes me feel like any differences here lie in better photography at FP. Maybe someone can enlighten me here?

Regardless, I'm so glad I've found this less expensive version and am eagerly awaiting its arrival. Have you ever had a similar experience where you've gotten something possibly pricey on the way, way cheap?

Loves to get naked

Urban Decay 'Naked' 12-shadow palette, $48 at Sephora

I'm not cool enough to get my favorite makeup palettes sent to me for free (yet), but I did pick up this dandy in Sephora the other day and can not get enough. I was just looking for a simple gold, but as soon as I spotted this multi-shadow beauty I had to get it. It's incredibly diverse for a range of neutrals, featuring shimmery and matte shades, both light and dark. I'm just so pumped to pretend that I have makeup skills, haha.

So far, I've been rocking "Half Baked," which is the perfect gold for my Rihanna/Beyonce blend skin-tone. I also love "Sin," a shimmery pink champagne, in the corner of my eyes to brighten the whole look.

What brand/color eyeshadows do you prefer?

I left my heart in..

"I Left My Heart In.." cards, $5 each

In a random attempt to clear my head from New York-related clutter, I'm off to visit my parents* in Ohio for the next two weeks. Obviously, I'll still be updating daily (yay!). But you know when you just need a little break? Sometimes you just have to touch base with home.

Also, I switched the comment host to Disqus so I can reply to you guys easier! Please let me know if you have any trouble in the comments or by shooting me an e-mail.

*If you're confused because of my recent trip to Florida, my mom and (recently deceased) dad split up more than 20 years ago. My dad lived in Florida, but I was raised in Ohio with my mom and step-dad. Also, a duck can't walk without bobbing its head. The more you know..!

Inspired by: Liz of Late Afternoon

Liz of Late Afternoon, image via her blog

I've really been into utility shirts lately (if you follow me on Twitter, you'd know I just scored two vintage Dior blouses for $20 each!), and when I saw Liz's version, I just had to re-create it. I adore the revealing yet non-scandalous bralet, which is a perfect subtle-sexy balance.

Even if you aren't as daring as Liz, the shirts below are sheer enough to wear buttoned-up and still give the right amount of attention to the less-often admired.

Reiss silk utility shirt, $150 / Miso floral bralet, $40 / Current/Elliott skinny jeans, $272 / Zara leather heels, $50 / Kenneth Jay Lane chunky necklace, $150

Unif utility shirt, $66 / TopShop tie-dye bralet, $14 / Hydraulic shorts, $28 / Minnetonka moccasins, $50 / American Retro river hat, $99

Madewell utility shirt, $110 / Topshop sunflower bralet, $40 / Jovonna maxi skirt, $104 / Sam Edelman lace-up wedges, $193 / American Rag braided belt, $100

What do you think? Would you give any of these looks a try? If not, I'd love to hear how you would style it!

Violent Lips Temporary Tattoos

Would you consider temporary tattoos.. for your lips?

Violent Lips gives edgy vixens another opportunity to decorate the face with 50+ anything-but-boring designs. Applications, which I liken to Minx for your face, come in packs of three for around $15 and last 4-8 hours. Its YouTube video makes the process look pretty simple, too.. what do you think?

I definitely think I could get behind this pink leopard print (which is incorrectly named cheetah-print.. remember the difference?) for a concert or party night!

Wrist envy

La Mer double-wrap watch, $115 at shopbop.com

Horse-printed bangle watch, $35 at ASOS.com

Michael Kors tortoise-shell chronograph watch, $200 at overstock.com

Timex Originals Modern Easy Reader watch, $60 at piperlime.com

I've had severe watch envy lately, spying a few pieces I'd love to snatch right from favorite bloggers like Krystal and Jessica. Funny thing is, I don't even wear watches! I only own three or so that I rarely throw into rotation, but I've been thinking about amping up my watch collection with prominent pieces like these.

Do you wear a watch? Is it more of an accessory or a necessity?

T by Alexander Wang Resort '12

Images via here

As we all know, Alexander Wang can do no wrong (well, except for maybe those shorts). Right now, he has me in love with comfy chic! I adore the unusual color choices, the oversized hoodies and ohmygoodnesss, that blouse. And the shoes!

Do you dig these T by Alexander Wang resort looks as much as I do? Which is your favorite piece? Also, how was your holiday weekend!?