Author: Brandy Saldana

April Florals

Posted on by Brandy Saldana

Denim Chambray Shirt Banana Republic Factory Store, Floral Print Skirt KTR Collection, Pearl and Diamond Statement Necklace Forever 21, Magenta Suede d’Orsay Flats Dolce Vita, Sunglasses Jackie Ohh Ray BansIt feels like forever since I last did an outfit post! While I have had Armando take photos of what I am wearing every other day, I’ve become the biggest procrastinator when it comes to uploading photos and going through them to upload a few. The problem lately is not that Armando takes too many, since I prefer that, but lately he take too many good ones and it becomes hard for me to pick only a few of them. There were at least 4 more photos I could have posted of this outfit but I have really tried to go with a less is more approach with the photos in my posts.
I adored this outfit – just look at how happy I am in it! The floral print skirt is one I’ve had for awhile now and is custom-made by my fashion blogger friend KT from the KTR Collection. This skirt is no longer available on her site, but she does have a lot of other fun clothes in her store and recently reopened her custom-fit shop. I am always looking forward to seeing what else she makes so make sure to check her out! I paired my skirt with a denim chambray button-down I purchased last month from the Banana Republic Factory Store. It is very soft and I don’t know why it took me this long to invest in one. The possibilities seem endless – pairing it with the skirt and pearls make it perfect to go meet some friends for brunch, go shopping or even to go to work (which I did!) My office environment is pretty casual, so something like this is okay for work but I plan to remix the skirt and have it look a little bit more professional.
 I love that lately I have been having a little bit more fun with my clothes and being away from the blog for a bit has helped me rediscover that excitement of getting dressed in the morning. I blog to share my creations – whether it is what I styled or decorated – and when it starts to feel like work I start to treat like I would some assignments my day job and (surprise) procrastinate. This weekend I made a huge effort to go through photos from my latest shoots and have a few draft posts waiting for me to just write something. I also have a fun project in the works that I am excited to be sharing with you all soon. It is going to be a series of posts related to one of my favorite designers. I don’t want to spoil the surprise, so that is all you are getting from me for now.
Hope you have had a great weekend and that your week continues to be great!
Until next time,Brandy| BLOGLOVIN | FACEBOOK |  INSTAGRAM |TUMBLR | TWITTER | 

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“Freshen Up for Spring” with Sasha Maks and Beauty Company

Posted on by Brandy Saldana

I was asked to make cupcakes for an event earlier this month for Sasha Mak’s Vintage spring trunk show hosted at the Beauty Company. I enjoy making cupcakes when I can, but it is always different when I am making them for somebody. I worry about whether they will be what someone was hoping for and if they will all arrive in one piece to be admired. I am happy to report that these were a hit not only because they were pretty, but also because of how they tasted!

I am always excited to see the vintage jewelry Sasha has on display, and this event did not disappoint! She styled guests with her pieces showing how they could be layered and take an outfit to the next level. I love how she mixed the gold collar necklace with a long chain necklace on Witty Fashionista style blogger Victoria. You can always buy some of her pieces on her website Sasha Maks Vintage. (Sasha also provides personal styling if you are interested in contacting her for her service here.)

With cupcakes, snacks, and gorgeous jewelry it seems like nothing else could make the night better, right? Wrong! There was also a braid bar, with hair stylists Alix Garcia and Katey Smith glamming all the ladies out with waterfall and french braids. Below, Alix is braiding the hair of Beauty Company owner Sherri Ziesche and my hair was braided by Katey.

I had fun hanging out with my friends, trying on some jewelry and getting my hair done at the Beauty Company. I love getting my manis and pedis at the Beauty Company since that is where I was introduced to Floss Gloss and I was excited to leave with a goodie bag that contained a few beauty samples. Among the samples were some bath salts from Sherri’s own line Ziesche Modern Apothecary. I am excited to use them since they are all natural, made locally (in SF) and smell amazing. 
Hope you enjoyed my short event recap and special thanks to Jennymay for taking such great photos. You can check out more of her work here. Thanks for reading and until next time,

Brandy
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Laser Show

Posted on by Brandy Saldana

Grey Cardigan Banana Republic, Printed Top Theory, Bandage Skirt Forever 21, Necklace  Rented via RocksBox, Mint Flats Dolce Vita, Nude Satchel JustFAB!Last Tuesday I celebrated my one year anniversary for my current job position, and this was my outfit for the day. There was a laser safety vendor fair on campus that I was scheduled to take photos at for work, so I decided to wear this Theory top in honor of the event. The print made me think of lasers, especially with the pops of neon colors. I tried to bring that out more with the colorful bangles and asymetrical lines of the bandage skirt. 
This theme of lines carried over to my main accessory of the day, which is the simple necklace I had on. It is a rental from RocksBox, and I don’t think I would have picked this out for myself. I tend to like big statement necklaces, but this piece was unexpectedly perfect for this outfit and it did not compete with my new lip color. I have been looking for a pink lipstick and love how this one feels when it is applied. It is Givenchy Le Rouge205 Vibrant Fuschia and actually lasted for a long time before I needed to reapply. (I don’t get any commission for talking about this lipstick, but I just had to share my latest beauty find and how much I like it!)
This outfit transitioned from work to happy hour at a nearby bar and I was glad to celebrate my anniversary with my team. There are definitely ups and downs working with this eclectic bunch of people, as with most jobs, and some days make me question why I am not looking for a job related to my interests. And then I remember I am actually very happy where I am at. I love the work environment I am in and the people I work with. I find it tough imagining myself leaving when it feels so comfortable, but I know it will happen someday. In the meantime, I plan on enjoying the time I do spent here and resolve to keep challenging myself. 
Hope you had a great start to your week!

Brandy| BLOGLOVIN | FACEBOOK |  INSTAGRAM |TUMBLR | TWITTER | 

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Geek Chic

Posted on by Brandy Saldana

Trench Coat Banana Republic, Sweater Vest Gucci, Cropped Trousers The Factory, Flats Jimmy Choo, Sunglasses Diane von Furstenberg, Computer glasses Ray-Bans, Watch Marc by Marc Jacobs, Satchel JustFAB!,  
Last week was almost a blur to me. I had a cupcake order for Wednesday that kept me busy early in the week for a trunk show by Sasha Maks at the Beauty Company in SF. Here is a peak of what I made on Instagram here. I spent the weekend socializing by going to a housewarming on Saturday and then spent Sunday at a rooftop in SF with my fellow blogger friends. I did wear the button down shirt with another sweater on Saturday, and it’s definitely gotten a lot of wear in the past few weeks.
I’ve never really invested in a classic button down and I am kind of surprised with myself for going so long without one. I found this one at the Banana Republic Factory Store and it is in a soft wash. It is the perfect layering piece and I’ve worn it 3 to 4 times already. I loved that I was able to pair it with a vintage Gucci sweater vest I found at Crossroads Trading Co. almost 6 months ago. I wanted to work out a chic geek look with my argyle print sweater and paired it with my capri trousers from The Factory sale. I don’t wear my specs unless I am work in front of my computer, but thought they fit with my geek chic look. 
I recently invested in this trench coat too (also from the Banana Republic Factory Store) and it has worked so many of my Spring outfits that my biggest challenge is not wearing it.  I have taken a few outfit shots with it, so expect to see it throughout the month. Hope you are having a great start to your week and until next time! 
Brandy| BLOGLOVIN | FACEBOOK |  INSTAGRAM |TUMBLR | TWITTER | 

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Brunch with Alyssa Nicole

Posted on by Brandy Saldana

The best way to spend a Saturday in the Bay Area is to enjoy brunch with your girlfriends. It is made even better when there is a fashion show getting you excited for Spring. I attended the launch of Alyssa Nicole’s demi-couture clothing line “White Noise” in February and fell in love with the whimsical and romantic designs in white. 

Alyssa Casares is a young designer who launched Alyssa Nicole with her mother, Sonia Casares, in 2010. This demi-couture collection was inspired by the concept of white noise. The pieces reflected a romantic and crisp look with a twist of dark whimsy. I adored the peplum two-piece suit and especially adored the the trumpet flared dress in the same sparkly fabric. My blogger friends and I sipped mimosas as we say 16 looks displayed in total.

I loved the wedding gown that came at the end of the fashion show and felt it had a great silhouette and detail. I’ve been watching a lot of Say Yes to the Dress on Netflix and, despite not even being close to getting married, I definitely can’t help but think it really compares to the gowns I’ve seen on the show and can see some of the other gowns/dresses being great alternatives for a more modern, contemporary bride. With all the various cuts and flowy nature of the looks, I feel very inspired to wear all white despite the recent showers overtaking the Bay Area.
I love to support local designers and Alyssa Nicole is designed and handcrafted in America. To shop the collection you can the full collection here.  

Brandy
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Shopping on the Weekends

Posted on by Brandy Saldana

Jacket BB Dakota, Sweater Take Me Out, Jeans and Necklace Forever 21, Black and Beige Cross Body Purchased in Harajuku, Sunglasses Diane von Furstenberg, Pink Spiked Adena Flats Sam Edelman  Found via PoshmarkWhen I am home for the weekend in the Bay Area, I spend most of my time on my phone on Poshmark: either listing something from my closet or sharing items to parties. That is true wherever I go, but this last weekend I took a bunch of photos to serve as my cover shots and listed a lot more items in my closet. I finally have made it over 300 listings! (Whoo!) Even though I try to sell on the App, I have made a few purchases of my own. One of my favorite purchases is my Sam Edelman spiked pink Adena flats. They are so comfy and the spikes add just the right amount of toughness to the otherwise sweet flats. I found these under the Haley’s closet (username: hellylayman). Check out her other awesome pieces.
These photos were taken by the fountain near the Paragon Outlets in Livermore. There are so many cool outlet stores in this location. I bought my sunglasses from The Bloomingdales Outlet Store here almost a year ago. Loved that I got them on sale too! I do spend a lot of time shopping, but it is more window shopping than anything else. I’ve been lucky to make some fun money on Poshmark by selling items I no longer wear and hopefully you might be inspired to try it too. There are a lot of ways to make extra cash with your old clothes, but I’ve especially enjoyed the community and interface on Poshmark. If you are ever interested in taking a peak into my closet, feel free to do so here.
On a side note: I am sponsoring an event this week by providing cupcakes. If you are in the Bay Area and want to enjoy some sweets while meeting other fashionistas interested in fashion start ups, sign up on Eventbrite here.
Until next time,Brandy| BLOGLOVIN | FACEBOOK |  INSTAGRAM |TUMBLR | TWITTER | 

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