Brandy Saldana – Page 3 – Will Bake for Shoes

Everyday

Rip and Repair

Posted on February 1, 2017October 11, 2017by Brandy Saldana

Short Trench Coat BB Dakota (similar here) | Sleeveless Turtleneck Sweater Designer Originals | Rip and Repair Denim Madewell (on sale here) | Mirrored Aviator Sunglasses Kate Spade (similar here) | Cedar Street Maise Handbag | Studded Grey Leather Wrap Bracelet E. Kammeyer Accessories (here) | Silver Boyfriend Watch Marc by Marc Jacobs (here) | Spiked Embellished Smoking Slippers Sam Edelman |
I’ve been on a denim buying kick lately, which is kind of surprising for me. I rarely buy jeans, they always tend to be too long and require hemming. I also never know what waist size I should be wearing. I learned when pulling back on the waist when jeans are on, if there is a gap larger than 3 fingers, you should size down because the denim will eventually stretch out with wear.

I had a great experience trying on jeans a couple of months ago at Madewell and fell in love with their denim selection. I bought 2 pairs during that shopping trip, and I could not believe how well these “rip and repair” skinny jeans fit me! These felt amazing and wore them right away.

I had this sleeveless turtleneck I had been wanting to incorporate into an outfit in order to list on Poshmark. It was handed on to me by my mom after she cleaned out her closet to sell, among other items. I’ve been adding more items to my closet these past few weeks and this knit top has already sold, so make sure to follow me on the app to stay up to date with my newest listings.

Hope you are having a great week so far and until next time!

Food
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- Restaurant

A Taste of Italy with Panino Giusto

Posted on January 12, 2017October 11, 2017by Brandy Saldana

A new year means new experiences, and now is the perfect time to eat lunch at recently opened Panino Giusto in Cupertino. Right before the holidays kicked in, I was invited to a tasting lunch.

Panino Giusto is an Italian restaurant that started out in Milan, Italy. They quickly became known for their artisanal menu and for sourcing fresh and local produce and have opened 22 locations worldwide. Cupertino is their first US location and a big reason why you should make your way over to visit them for lunch or dinner.

For starters, we had fresh squeezed juices, cheese plates, salads and cured meats. Among the cheeses we tried was their well-known 30-month aged Parmigiano Reggiano cheese. It was my favorite among the ones we tasted and one I highly recommend. We also tasted a variety of cured meats and my favorite was their 27-month old prosciutto crudo.

We tasted 3 of the most popular paninis from the menu: the Milano 2015, Madras, and Giusto. Each panini paired was paired with a different wine and I would ask a server what they would recommend if you drink wine with your panini. I loved the ambiance in the restaurant and enjoyed being able to eat in the outdoor area. There is a lot of detail in each panini and it is apparent through the taste. Each one had a fresh taste, and the flavors of each one surprised me. I never knew I liked anchovy until I tried the Giusto sandwich.

Of course, my favorite part of any meal is dessert and we indulged ourselves with chocolate pear cake, panna cotta, tiramisu, and apple tarts. Dessert paired nicely with a warm cappuccino made using their espresso machine. Our tasting lunch felt like an all day thing, but that was one of the nice things about it. There is no rush when eating at this spot and it makes a great place to hang out and enjoy the food that has been prepared.
There are plans for this restaurant to open a location in SF and LA, but don’t wait to try a panini or 2 in their first US location!

Holiday
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- Outfit

Pop, Fizz, Clink!

Posted on January 3, 2017October 11, 2017by Brandy Saldana

Beige Trench Coat Banana Republic Factory Store | Treenie Metallic Bubble Dress Diane von Furstenberg (here or here) | Pop, Fizz, Clink! Bubble Over Champagne Coin Purse Kate Spade (here) | Vegas Jewels Bangle Kate Spade (here) | Champagne Silver Logan d’Orsay Heels Jimmy Choo (here) |
Hello 2017!

In an effort to better utilize the pieces in my wardrobe, I decided one of the style resolutions I’ll be incorporating this year is to wear special pieces more often. Case in point, this gold dress by Diane Von Furstenberg dress. I purchased it on +Poshmark for at a good price and have not really had a chance to wear it. It’s definitely meant to be worn for a night out on the town, but I am sure I can style it in a way to dress it down. I am excited to challenge myself this way with this and many of my other pieces waiting to be worn.

This look is another New Year’s Eve outfit option I had. It paired perfectly with my champagne glitter Jimmy Choo heels and champagne bottle Kate Spade coin purse. I kept the jewelry minimal with the Kate Spade bracelet because of the metallic fabric from the dress and statement heels. My other resolution is to list items I haven’t worn/used as I mentioned in my last post. I relisted this DVF dress in my Poshmark closet, but maybe it will make another appearance in my efforts to wear special pieces more often.

Hope your year is off to a great start! I am out exploring in Portland, Oregon and will be sharing my adventures on Instagram @willbakeforshoes. Make sure to follow me for some mouthwatering food photos.

Holiday
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- Outfit

New Year’s Eve Satin Dress

Posted on December 30, 2016by Brandy Saldana

Black Princess Coat Steve Madden (similar here) | Merlot Bandage Dress BCBGMAXAZRIA (here) | Taft Street Harriet Wristlet Kate Spade | Black Satin Heels Steve Madden (here) | Le Rouge Grenat Initi Lipstick Givenchy (here) |
Bringing out the party dresses hiding in my closet for the holidays!
This bandage dress is by BCBGMaxAzria and is, unfortunately, one I haven’t been able to really wear in the year I’ve owned it. I tend to buy party dresses because they tend to be affordable in thrift stores and I imagine an occasion will come where I will need to wear it. When the holidays come around, I tend to stick to warmer outfits, so this dress is now available in my Poshmark closet in my efforts to make room for the items I do wear.
I’ve been clearing out my closet with more force for the new year, and these heels are also listed for sale. I picked them up because of the satin material, but also because of their classic silhouette. I don’t reach for them anymore, but they will work with plenty of outfits. My playing card wristlet is a Kate Spade Surprise Sale find, and not available online anymore, but I found a similar clutch here.
I am spending my New Year’s Eve in Portland, Oregon with Armando and will be sharing all of our adventures on Instagram, so make sure to follow me. We figured the best way to end the year is to end it with an adventure, and a road trip to Portland seemed like the perfect way to do that.
If you have any recommendations of what we should do during the week we are there, let me know!
And of course, Happy New Year!

Outfit
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- Work

Tres Chic

Posted on December 23, 2016by Brandy Saldana

Red Princess Coat Steve Madden via Modcloth | Polka Dot Sweater Banana Republic Factory | Tres Chic Gold Earrings Kate Spade | Eiffel Tower Charm Bracelet Kate Spade | Bow Double Hinge Bracelet Kate Spade | Black Tulle Skirt Forever 21 | Black Patent Ulltra Heels Steve Madden (here) |
I thought by now I would have had time to put together some holiday gift guides and shared more posts about what to bake for the holidays, but I haven’t and I don’t feel too bad about it.

Lately, I have been blogging less, but I feel like I have been really treasuring moments with other people this holiday season. I have always known I don’t need to document every moment, but I’d be lying I said I didn’t have anything left to share. I have so many outfits waiting to be sorted on my laptop and I now have shorter hair, which you can’t tell in this photo with my hair in a bun.
I think for the New Year my goal is to stay motivated and to keep writing, even if it is a little bit every day. I started blogging as a hobby, a way to be creative when I returned home from a day at the office. My day job pays my bills, and while there isn’t always a creative outlet there for me every day, I enjoy the company of the people I work. It might not be my dream job, but I definitely feel like I am part of a dream team.
For today’s look, I decided to pull out my holiday red coat. It’s a nice pop of color to a black and white outfit. The skirt is no longer available from Forever 21, and I sold it on Poshmark, but I’ve linked some similar ones below. This coat made an appearance on the blog when I dressed up as Carmen San Diego, but it isn’t limited to just being a costume. It’s also sold out, but I’ve also linked similar belted red coats below that are on sale now!
I hope you have a great holiday weekend with your family!

Holiday

Celebrate Ugly Sweater Day at Macy’s

Posted on December 12, 2016by Brandy Saldana

The holiday season is upon us and I’ve received a few invites to Ugly Christmas Sweater parties. I have avoided buying an ugly Christmas Sweaters in the past because they seemed a little too trendy, but it seems to have become a holiday wardrobe staple that isn’t going away anytime soon. I have yet to purchase a Christmas sweater for the parties I am attending later this month, but luckily Macy’s has a great selection that I’ll be checking out this Friday in San Francisco during their Ugly Sweater Day Party.

Macy’s in Union Square will be hosting this free event on Friday, December 16th at 5 PM. There will be hot cocoa, cookies, a DIY station and plenty of holiday sweaters to browse. I’ll be on the hunt for a sweater I won’t get tired of anytime soon, but I’d also love to pick up the gingerbread house cross body bag pictured above!

If you are not in SF, check out Macy’s event website to see what other free events are happening for the holidays.

See you there!