The New Fall Classic

Sometimes, amid the sanity of life relying on a few core basics, that won't induce side eye from employees, is a huge welcome. There's been this huge shift on hating "basic-ness" and everything that comes along with it and honestly it's a bunch of bull.

Instead, we should look at our basic pieces more like our closet staples. Things that we have tried and tested and come to love.

On the plus side, once we figure what we love, shopping becomes easier since we know what pieces to upgrade. I'll walk you through my faves.

The striped shirt: I've amassed a collection of these shirts in all different cuts. I'll admit that a majority come from J. Crew (save 30% with code SHOPNOW), but I'm hoping to upgrade to a St. James classic next year.

Classic Kicks: I've always been a fan of Vans and its rich history when it comes to skateboarding. They updated its classic SK8-Hi silhouette in a slimmer style. The gold zipper and the matte black leather on these high tops look so sleek. The inside is pretty dope too - gold lining. I actually joked with my photographer that I felt like those minimalistic Pinterest looks. 

FYI - If you're not a fan of hi-tops these do come in low-tops & slip- ons.

High-Waisted Jeans: Being a Classpass Ambassador doesn't equal inevitable weight gain during the holidays. I wish it did but having to give up on all sorts of whimsical treats is just cruel. Instead, I'll gain the weight (with pleasure) and disguise any impending food baby with a pair of high-waisted skinnies. I'm currently trying different brands to find the one, but these from J. Crew are pretty great and on sale.

Coat: Planet London  Top: J. Crew (on sale!)  Jeans: J. Crew (on sale!)  Tote: The Elephant Pants  Sneakers: Vans  Bracelet: Monica Vinader  Lipgloss: Red SOS via Rimmel

Now that I think about it this has steadfastly become my fall go-to. Tell me about your fall staples in the comments, would love to hear!

P.S. In case you're wondering my tote does indeed save elephants and donates directly to the Wildlife Organization. It's pretty neat!

Photos by Lydia Hudgens.

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Neutrals in November

A lot of has happened in the world recently and with my boyfriend away the one thing that brought me comfort was spreading positive vibes. He’s on a plane back to me and I’m really excited about seeing his tired face tonight.

Politics never make an appearance on the blog since we all have different views(which I respect) but wanted to throw out a reminder that our actions speak louder than words and now is a great time to help those in need.

Now that I got that off my chest I wanted to dive into a new style I’ve been obsessing over: winter neutrals. I’ve been seeing it on my feed, Pinterest, and all over New York. Naturally, I had to give it a go myself.

Neutral skirts for this look were ruled out since it’s basically an accident waiting to happen (well, at least for me). So onward to pants!

I got these pants from NYDJ – have you heard of them? They promise to lift the booty (YAS Please!) and tuck the front to slim and flatten the front (aka no fupas). So far I’m loving the thick material and the fit. If you find a pair you love, order a size down for the best fit.

Also, I’m kind of wishing that I took some back shots of these so y’all can see the booty-lifting action for yourselves. Oh well, next time.

Turtleneck: J. Crew (on sale!)  Poncho: NYDJ  Pants: NYDJ  Bracelet: Kenneth Jay Lane + Monica Vinader  Purse: Sorial  Boots: Bed Stu  Lipstick: Cranberry Cream via Clinique

Another piece I picked up from NYDJ (I got lost on their site for a bit –whoops) was this cowl neck short sleeve sweater. I’ve been on the mad hunt for one similar to the one Blair wore so well years ago and found it on the site. I’m so happy I went forward with the sweater. It’s been on constant rotation since I’m pretty much obsessed with turtlenecks so wearing two at once is like heaven. Yep, I’m an oddball – but the look came out great right? Haha.

Well, it’s time to get back to work and keep moving forward and onwards into the holidays! I for one need to take advantage of the time and get my to-do list completed.

Photos by Lydia Hudgens.

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Easy Updates for Any Home

Today's shop has been sponsored by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. As always, all opinions are my own. Thank you for supporting the brands that make this blog possible! 
#LoveAmericanHome #CollectiveBias

I'm a fan of changing my space to change my energy. It's something my mom & tias (aunts for my non-Spanish speakers) have been doing since I was a wee kid. Seeing their love for color transform an apartment into a home was impressive mainly because they worked with small budgets with their favorite store. Yet, each time they "flipped" a room it would come alive with personality, love, and leave memories behind.

Well, now that I'm out of the nest and not loving my lackluster room it was time to call in the heavy artillery - my mom & tia (the budget professionals).

Their first call of action was decluttering my room. The ladies went in and sorted through worn out clothing, ratty blankets, and damaged necklaces to clear out valuable floor space (and sanity).

Next, they came up with a color palette that the bae and I both agreed on: black, gray and white. Trust me when I say that the ladies wanted something a little more colorful to spice up the room, but compromise is key in a relationship. This also meant that all bedding that fell outside this color palette were donated to the local animal shelters.

Once the color palette was decided they rearranged furniture with those that were in other parts of the home so the bedroom had one singular aesthetic instead of being a mish-mash of bookcases.

After those first three things we made a list of want was needed from our local Walmart and shopped strategically: my tia grabbed me all new black bedding and a few accent pillows, my mom made way for a new rug and a few containers to help keep my jewelry organized, and I bee-lined for the American Home™ by Yankee Candle®.I'm sort of a candle freak and love how a scent can bring you back to a certain memory, help you unwind, and all around add a great atmosphere to your home.

I may have gone a little overboard but I ended up getting American Home™ by Yankee Candle® in Warm & Happy Home ($14.93), Pumpkin Apple Harvest ($10.93), and Delicious Cranberry ($14.93) which you can find online here or in the Home & Candle section of your local Walmart. They have a huge selection and the price is amazing for the bigger sized candles. And remember to only burn them when in sight.

I've been loving the last fragrances for the holiday season as well. As a bonus, whenever I smell the Pumpkin Apple Harvest I'll always remember how my tia made fun of my inability to cook.

It's crazy how a new home fragrance, color coordinated sheets and [massive] decluttering can go a long way. They've turned my least favorite room into the most delicious spot to hang out. Not to mention being able to have a few laughs with my favorite people.

Last but not least, my tia & mom got me a little surprise to go with my mini room makeover. A collection of calaveras to add a little flavor to my room and the best home cooked meal I had in while. Well, they tried teaching me how to cook arroz blanco but they didn't want to risk burning the rice again (whoops).

How do you update your home? Is it a family affair like mine?