Rockin' leather with Tori from Fashion Bling & Other Girly Things

Happy Wednesday loves!

Today I have the fabulous Tori from Fashion Bling and Other Girly Things Guest Blogging! 

I feel like we're blogger besties because we're constantly commenting and liking each others photos on Instagram and blog posts. Kind of crazy how you can have such a good relationship with someone you've never met! Anywho, Tori has a fabulous blog which occasionally showcases her darling pugs (too cute for words y'all) so make sure you go check her out :)

Take it way Tori! 

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I am so pumped to be taking over Paige's blog today! Although, I am a little jealous she didn't take me with her on her ah-mazing vaca! Paige was one of the first blogger's I got to know--and she is seriously so sweet. I am so honored to be able to share with you guys.

I have been totally lovin' the leather trend going on lately. You can go big or go small when it comes to leather. They are making adorable t-shirts with just leather details on the sleeves, or you can do a leather skirt to step it up a notch. I have even seen some girls rockin' a full on leather dress--which I totally adore, but have yet to try :)

In these photo's I am taking the middle ground and putting my new favorite pencil skirt--in faux leather--with some funky booties and low key jewelry for an understated edgy look.

{Skirt: Express On Sale} {Shirt: Express Adorable} {Necklace: Express}

{Booties: Body Central} {Sunnies: F21}

What is your take on the leather trend?! Yay or Nay?

Have a fabulous day
oxox,
Tori 

Maxi Love with Rebecca from Red Tag Chic Los Angeles!

Happy Tuesday Everyone! 

I'm officially in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico! The Stylish Tuesday linkup will be back next week, May 6, but for the remainder of the week I'll have some pretty amazing guest bloggers for y'all to check out. To kick things off I have the fabulous Rebecca from Red Tag Chic Los Angeles!

I found Rebecca's blog through a link up and have been a HUGE fan since. She has the most amazing back drops for her photos and her hair always looks flawless - I mean check out those curls! I'm completely obsessed with her maxi dress above and all of the one's shown below, but I'll let her share the details!

Take it away Rebecca!

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Hola everyone! I'm Rebecca of RED TAG CHIC LOS ANGELES and I'm absolutely thrilled to be here and take over the reins while my lovely friend Paige is taking her much-needed break at Cabo San Lucas (I'm officially jealous Paige!!) :-)

So when she asked me to do this guest post.....I really have no idea what to write about. While the idea of backing out last minute seemed to be hovering in the horizon.....this popped up into my head. To show everyone my creepy obsession with the maxi in black and white and here it goes (click on the links to go to the original post for details)! ♥

"Desert Dazzle"

"Desert Delights"

"All Dolled Up"

"Memorial Maxi"

"Maximum Obsession"

Do you have any favorites? ♥

Cabo san Lucas Packing Essentials

Happy Friday Dolls!

To say I'm ecstatic to be heading to Mexico for the first time would be the understatement of the year! Dr. D and I head out tomorrow and I'm literally counting down the hours until we're on our flight and headed South of the border. 

We're going for a week, but packing is literally one of the top 10 things in this world I absolutely dread because I ALWAYS over-pack. That cute pair of shoes I think I will wear but am not sold on? Ya let's toss them in - those shirts that I may wear to dinner but will also bring other options in case it's cold, let's throw those in too ... before I know it I have a checked bag I'm sitting on in order for it to close. No Bueno. 

After reading multiple blog posts and Pinterest pins on what to pack for trips I think I finally have the art of packing mastered and wanted to share my tips with any other ladies out there who tend to over pack.

Beyond Bohemia Maxi Dress // Fedora //  Basic T Shirt // Basic Tank // L Space Swimsuit //
Victoria's Secret Swim //Jack Rogers Sandals // Tribal Shorts

Maxi Dresses - They transform perfect from day to night and are the perfect leisure outfit to take you from one excursion to the next with ease 

Fedora - Whether it's a fedora, baseball cap or floppy hat you need something to block your face from the sun's excruciating rays from time to time. Also a great way to hide dirty hair if you don't have time to shower between the pool and dinner

V Neck Tees & Tanks - the perfect transition piece that will go with ANYTHING you bring. Bring 2 or 3 of these in different colors and you've already made numerous outfit choices  

Bikinis - I mean you are at the beach/pool. I tend to bring one strictly for laying out and one to play on the beach and in the water in. Nobody likes a nip slip .... 

Dressy Sandals - Of course you have your typical flippy floppy's you wear to and from the pool/beach but you want a nice sandal to go with your dinner outfits

Printed Shorts - The variety of colors let's you pair multiple different shirts with the same bottoms, meaning you pack less and have room for souvenirs!  

Nook // Baby Lips Chapstick // Tervis Tumbler // Ray Ban Sunglasses

When it comes to the pool I'm not the type of person who can just lye there and enjoy the peace and quiet ... so naturally there's a few necessities I need!

Nook - Whether I'm reading 50 Shades (yes I'm guilty of reading it more than once,) or playing on an app this device provides hours of entertainment

Chapstick - Baby lips is the absolute best because it not only provides the best protection, but they also come in some amazing tinted shades which means no lip gloss/lipstick required!

Tervis Tumbler - Since we're visiting an all inclusive resort these little puppies will refrain from multiple trips back and forth to the bar. They keep frozen drinks cold and Dr. D's coffee hot in the morning. Talk about a win - win! 

Sunglasses - Naturally we have sunscreen for our skin, but sunnies are more than just a fashion accessory when it comes to lounging since they protect your eyes. Not to mention prevent you from frowning and getting wrinkles around the eyes!

Pantene Detangler Spray // Suave Dry Shampoo // Kate Spade Wallet // Detangling Wide Tooth Comb // Longchamp Handbag/Clutch 

Pantene Pro-V Detanngling Spray & Wide Tooth Comb - Perfect to comb out the knots after the pool

Dry Shampoo - When I'm on vacation the amount of damage I cause to my hair is at an all time high. Curling iron, blow dryer, chlorine from the pool the list goes on and on. Rather than shower after every trip to the pool, I just throw a little dry shampoo on my roots and am ready to seize the day

Kate Spade Bi-fold Wallet - This is the PERFECT wallet because it has slots for your cards and ID and a place to store your cash; plus it's small enough to throw into any bag or even my pocket!

Longchamp Tote - Speaking of bags this one is perfect for a vaca. The outside material is able to get wet so you don't have to worry about damaging it. The middle size is big enough to hold all of the necessities and it folds into a clutch which is perfect for nights out! 

xo, Paige

East vs. West Coast Style: Black and White

Hey Dolls! 

Pamela and I are back at it with another rendition of East vs. West Coast Style! This month we chose to do a black and white theme and I for one was ecstatic! Black and white is so chic & classy, not to mention it perfectly transitions from one season to the next. 

Naturally I grabbed my favorite black and white top from the Loft (which seems to be getting a lot of love on the blog lately) and paired it with a faux leather skater skirt and killer heels. 

I've literally been DYING to showcase my fabulous rooftop patio since the moment I moved in, so naturally that's where these photos were taken. The sun was getting ready to set and I think the lighting worked well in my favor.

 

Dr. D kept joking my skirt was too short (shocked a guy would ever say that!) but just goes to show I truly date a gentleman y'all!

Top: LOFT // Skirt: H&M // Heels: Target // Watch: Juicy Couture // Rings: David Yurman & Handpicked // Earrings: Francesca's Collection

Travelin' over to the East coast we have Pamela's look! When I saw this first photo I immediately thought I was looking at an Express catalog - she's just that freakin' pretty and has the lean lines of a model!

Get Pamela's outfit details here

This look is completely effortless which is why I love it so much. White denim has always been a favorite of mine since it pairs with everything and her black tie dye tank is no exception! The ankle strap shoes show off some skin to balance out the bottom half of the look and the stacked arm candy and long necklace add just enough glam to take this outfit from shopping with the girls to a night on the town!

Her pink lips and nails add just enough color to top off the outfit. I'm seriously swononing over this look and know everybody on Pinterest is going to be as well when I pin first thing after this post goes live! 

I say this every month, but seriously go check out Sequins and Seabreezes ... you won't be disappointed! 

xo, Paige

Linking up with Agi, Bethany,

The Man Behind the Camera - Dr. D

Happy Wednesday Ladies!

I didn't really get into too many details on Dr. D's and my relationship in our 2 year anniversary post (you can read it here) so I figured better late than never to tell our story!

We met in undergrad during Greek Week. His fraternity was paired with my sorority and every night we would have lip sync practice. I thought he was some ridiculously dumb frat boy who was insanely attractive, I mean check out that head of hair y'all, and instantly knew I had a huge crush. We were both in relationships but innocently flirted and kept it at that. Throughout the years we had a fling or two, but alas he graduated and moved to California for grad school to obtain his PhD, (so much for thinking he was some dumb guy!) and I started my senior year of college. We talked a handful of times that year but nothing really came of it so I figured it was just another college story.

The summer after I graduated a group of us decided we needed a college reunion for New Years Eve. A bunch of the boys lived in California at the time so what better place to meet up than Las Vegas?! I arrived the day before my birthday (since it's at the end of December) to make a longer trip out of it and so did all of the boys. We went to LAX at the Luxor to celebrate my 23rd birthday and that's where the story of Dr. D and I truly began. 

The week flew by and all in all he convinced me to come visit him in California. I fell in love with the state and decided that 2 short months later I was going to move 3,000 miles away from my family to sunny LA without a second thought. We began dating exclusively the moment my car hit the California state line.

We've celebrated numerous birthday's and holidays, milestones in our careers and traveled the country together. I don't know what I did to snag a guy as great as him but I am very thankful he's mine. We've had plenty of ups and downs - especially over the last couple of weeks with him graduating and contemplating moving to the MidWest ... yikes - but we always get through everything and he truly makes me a better person. With the future in an unknown state, we decided it was best to forgo the typical celebratory dinner and champagne and take a trip instead. 

image via

We're headed to this beyond gorgeous resort in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico on Saturday and I for one am absolutely stoked! It's going to be nice to get away from it all and truly enjoy each others company. 

xo,
Paige

Stylish Tuesday + Easter Recap

Happy Tuesday Dolls! 

I hope everyone had a phenomenal Easter weekend! I had a pretty low key Friday night dinner with Dr. D and the new rooms followed by an eventful Saturday morning filled with errands and trying to find the perfect furniture pieces at Marshall's for my new place. I lucked out and found this awesome piece to hold all of my jewelry plus add additional storage to my room ... score! 

Saturday afternoon Dr. D and I went to Orange County to visit his family. I fell asleep at 10 pm that night and finally came to terms with the fact that I am now grandma status on the weekends. Sunday we woke up bright and early for church followed by a picnic in the park with the rest of Dr. D's clan. It wasn't a typical Easter, but I'm beginning to feel that way about most holidays in So Cal. We found the perfect spot to take my blog photos, but I was more interested in hanging out with the ducks than having my photos taken. Of course Dr. D caught the whole thing. 

I got so close!

Finally realizing Dr. D was taking photos the whole time ... and I couldn't stop laughing

Sweater: ANGL // Pants: Target // Shoes: Jack Rogers // Sunglasses: Rayban // Earrings: Steinmart // Necklace: Cornucopia // Bag: Michael Kors // Watch: Juicy Couture 

Thank you to the fabulous 75 ladies who linked up last week! I truly appreciate each and every one of you and it still blows my mind how much this little link up has grown! 

Hosted by Life's A Party, Dress Like It & Adri Lately

Life's A Party, Dress Like It (follow on bloglovin')             Adri Lately (follow on bloglovin')

If you'd like to co-host Stylish Tuesday, please send an email to lifesapartydli@gmail.com!

This week's featured blogger is Nicole from Nicole to the Nines!

I love a good navy and pink combo and this skirt is to die for! The fact she paired it with the infamous chambray but added another shade of blue in her bag really pieced the ensemble together. I love her shoes as well, but those earrings have me head over heels! Great look love!

If you'd like to be featured on next week's Stylish Tuesday, then simply follow the rules below: 

1. Please follow me via Bloglovin' or GFC and this week's co-host Adri via Bloglovin'
2. Link up your favorite recent style post
3. Please link this post back to your blog or post my button below on your blog (this way other bloggers can link up too)
4. Have fun meeting/interacting with new bloggers, you may just make some new friends!

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Linking up with: Walking in Memphis, DC In Style, More Pieces of Me, On The Daily Express, Fizz and Frosting, Vodka Infused Lemonade,

So Cal Blogger Society: Spring Fling Bloggers Brunch

Happy Thursday Loves!

This post is long overdue but last month I attended my first blog event, the So Cal Bloggers Society "Spring Fling" Bloggers Brunch at Areal restaurant in Santa Monica! It was such an amazing event and I have to personally thank Alex from Stylelista Confessions and Leah from LA Brunchers for taking the time to organize such a beautiful event!

All photos c/o Ryan Brennan

 

I have to say it was such a surreal experience meeting girls I view through a computer screen on the daily that are complete strangers; however, seem like actual friends due to the content of their posts. Another thing which blew my mind was when I got approached by Stormie from 20 Something Diaries.

We began to chat and she told me she found So Cal Blog Society (SCBS) through my blog which truly warmed my heart. Isn't it amazing how one simple compliment can completely brighten your day and make you feel like all the effort you put into your blog is truly worth it? The more we got to chat we realized we both went to college in North Carolina, her Duke and High Point University for myself (ironic since we now live in California) but the real kicker is we were in the same sorority (Zeta Tau Alpha) which is prominently a midwest, southeast sorority and kind of unheard of on the west coast. From that point we were instant besties and I have blogging to thank for that.

Anna from Hello Handbag, Danica from Love Danica and myself

I met some other fab ladies throughout the brunch and had one of the most incredible afternoon's to date since moving to LA. But let's get to the part you're dying to hear about ... the food! As we arrived, hour d'oeurves were passed around including mini cinnamon rolls, sliced chicken sausage and goat cheese bacon wrapped dates. Following that was a variety of main dishes and delectable deserts (which I missed out on because I had to head out early ... boo!)

How adorable are these bite size cinnamon rolls?

Sliced chicken sausages with melted cheese and garnish

Goat cheese and bacon wrapped dates - y'all these were like heaven in your mouth! 

Everyone was constantly Tweeting & Instagram-ing so naturally I fit right in in this photo

 We arrived to tables with gift bags and boxes and an empty mimosa glass. Y'all Alex and Leah hooked it up because we had bottomless cocktails all brunch long! 

I don't even like Bloody Mary's but look how pretty these are?!

Bacon Bourbon Cocktail. Candied bacon IN a cocktail? Sign me up for 2 please!

Alas the afternoon sadly did have to come to an end. As I bid farewell to my new friends I grabbed my goodie bag and met Dr. D at the car since he had dropped me off. I wish I had taken photos of the stuff inside the gift bag before I moved, but I unfortunately forgot :( Next time ladies, next time!