Holiday

Jewel Tones

Posted on by Brandy Saldana

Dress, Statement Necklace, and Clutch c/o Banana Republic Factory Store, Love Ring and Bangles Forever 21, Blue Suede Heels Enzo Angiolini via Crossroads Trading Co.Happy Cyber Monday!
I’ve partnered up with Monogram and Banana Republic Factory Store to share an outfit I styled from a sponsored shopping trip I made a few weeks ago. I needed an outfit that I could wear to a wedding reception so I immediately made my way to the dresses. I tried on a few and picked this purple dress because of the rich color and shape. I felt like it really flattered my body and it easily works for the holidays dinners and parties coming up this season. 
Before making my way to the register, I spotted the gorgeous necklace and the shades of green and blue stones really complimented the dress. The clutch was calling my name when I made my final lap around the store and it was great how everything fit together. The suede texture of the clutch reminded me of blue suede heels I had at home and they also worked with the blue from the necklace. I love how easy it was building a complete outfit at the Banana Republic Factory Store considering it was my first time in one. I admit I am a little obsessed and went back yesterday to purchase another dress while they had their 50% deal for Black Friday.
Their Black Friday Sale of 50% off their entire store ended yesterday, but you can still take advantage of 50% off dresses from 12/2 – 12/12 (excludes clearance items). A midst all this Cyber Monday madness, take a break from your computer to make your way over to your closest Banana Republic Factory Store and pick up your perfect dress for the holidays!
P.S. +Elise Armitage  of WTFAB! is also collaborating with Monogram and BRFS. Check out her outfit on her blog here. (Spoiler Alert: We have similar taste!)
Until next time,

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Disclosure: This is a sponsored post  but the opinions are entirely my own.

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Easter Sunday

Posted on by Brandy Saldana

Black Shrug Pink Rose | Dress Maggy London | Flats Steven by Steve MaddenEaster Sunday has always been about dressing our best, regardless of the weather. As I mentioned in last year’s Easter post, my parents would always have my sister and I dressed up like dolls for Easter. Our dresses would always have floral print and for most of my childhood I can recall wearing a bonnet/hat, white gloves, and carrying around a white patent purse. It was simply cute and chic! My parents had raised two boys before they had me and my sister, so they went all out with the girly looks.
Although I am not wearing floral print, I am wearing a dress appropriate for the spring weather. While I was wearing this dress I felt like Charlotte York from Sex and the City: the shape and colors of the dress seem to suit her character so I kept it simple and did not add any jewelry. I wish I owned a pair of hot pink pumps to go with this, but I relied on my patent peep-toe flats to add enough sass to the outfit. I know what I will be shopping for this Spring! (wink, wink)
I was pretty busy baking cakes for the family all day and making cupcake samples for a client I planned to meet up with on Monday so sorry for the late post again! Hope you had a wonderful Easter and don’t forget to follow my blog with Bloglovin!

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New Year’s Eve

Posted on by Brandy Saldana

White Blazer XOXO, Gold Knit Sweater BCX, Black Skinny Jeans Bebe, Cameo Necklace and Flower Ring Forever 21, Bag and Scarf Coach, Gold Belt Kensie Girl, Gold Glitter Ulltra Pumps Steve MaddenHappy New Year Everyone! We made it to the year 2013!
This was my New Years Eve party outfit, and while it is a little on the casual side, I am wearing a very sparkly knit top and glitter heels! Enough sparkle for the two house parties I attended. I borrowed the blazer and purse from my mom’s closet. This is part of my new year’s resolution.
My resolutions  are not completely original but looking back this year I realize I don’t really need to buy clothes constantly. I have been reading Overdressed: The Shockingly High Cost of Cheap Fashion by Elizabeth Cline and have been rethinking my shopping habits. While I am thrifting for most of my finds, I used to aim for trendy items from Forever 21 or H&M. While I haven’t completed the book yet, I have thought about how to reduce my carbon footprint and become more sustainable. 
It’s a heavy issue, and it is not something I thought would ever pop into my blog because I started out with the intention of just sharing outfits and focusing how to dress with my finds on a recent college grad budget. It’s almost crazy to our generation to think of wearing the same thing everyday or not buying something new each week. I feel more compelled to shop at thrift stores or recycled clothing stores like Crossroads Trading Co. or Buffalo Exchange because at least then clothes can be re-used and kept out of landfills. The other focus is looking for quality pieces and maintaining them. I plan on sharing this throughout the year and while I don’t know if I can ever stop shopping at cheap retailers, I can make an effort to not buy something just because it is trendy. Instead I need to focus on what can last and be timeless additions to wardrobe. If I stopped buying cheap things all the time maybe I could save enough to afford a Chanel purse by the end of the year! (Hey, a girl can dream.)
Since my  pursuit to be Eco friendly may also save money I also plan to cook more often at home. I had been eating out a lot since I have had a regular salary, but both my wallet and waist-line have suffered! I’d like to eat healthy food; more fruits and vegetables need to be incorporated into my meals! Everyone wants to lose weight and makes this resolution for the new year, but all I want is to be toned and have more energy. I plan to resume swimming regularly and I already have my swimsuit ready to go!
I know quite a few changes will be made to my blog throughout the year, but I know they will be positive ones. In a few months I will have completed my first year of blogging, and already it is really different from what it started out as. I am so proud to have continued for this long when I think about wanting to start a blog but never following through with it. Thanks again for following, reading, and commenting  last year and I hope you’ll visit again throughout the new year.
And on to the question of the day, what did you wear for New Years Eve? Let me know below or through Polyvore!

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Company Holiday Party

Posted on by Brandy Saldana

Green Leopard Print Judy Wrap Dress Diane Von Furstenberg, Black Scarf Marc Jacobs (Neiman Marcus for Target Collection) |  Silver Boyfriend Watch Marc by Marc Jacobs | Jaguar Double Ring Forever 21 | Glitter Peep-Toe Baxen Wedges Jimmy ChooThe office I work at held its annual holiday party, also known as the End of the Year Staff Appreciation Lunch. Holiday party rolls off the tongue a little easier though.
I love to wear wrap dresses, so I chose a green one and decided to wear the Marc Jacobs scarf I purchased over the weekend at Target. I am in love with it and see it paired with more than half of the items in my closet. My Jimmy Choo wedges were also essential because of the glitter. These are my new favorite wedges, especially because of the mirror-wedge detail. When it comes to the holidays, it’s not a festive outfit unless something sparkles! I know people typically wear red sweaters, but I brought red to the party through my cupcakes. I made chocolate fudge cupcakes with peppermint frosting and red sprinkles.
We celebrated the event at Jupiter’s on Shattuck and were entertained with a White Elephant Gift Exchange. This “It is what it is.” plaque is actually a very popular item and everyone that has won it in previous years signs the back with the year they’ve won. It defines where I am in life right now, specifically at this office. I try not to let negative thoughts overwhelm me and tend to laugh at situations I get myself into, but not knowing whether I will have a job after the holiday break can be slightly stressful and takes me out of my usual cheerful mood. 
This plaque may be bringing me luck as it is an item I have to bring to the next white elephant gift exchange since it cannot leave our office environment- and might mean me staying on longer! Despite being worried, it can be a comical situation, and I am sure I will look back and laugh whenever I glance at this plaque displayed in my cubical. This situation is not something I can control, and it really is what it is. All I can do is be prepared to wear great shoes so I can end up in a great place. 
Now that I am done venting and going from a holiday party to a pity party, what will you be wearing to your company holiday party? Or any holiday party? Let me know!
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Holiday Trunk Show

Posted on by Brandy Saldana

Navy Blouse Diane Von Furstenberg, Pants, Beanie, Rings, and Peacock Necklace Forever 21, Peacock Blue Satin Flats Fairy Tales Come True

I feel like I’ve overloaded you with photos, but there were so many to choose, it was hard to narrow to just these!
I was invited to a Holiday Trunk Show showcasing handcrafted items from Fox Parlor.The Fox Parlor is located in Sierra City, California, and you can see some of their items on their Facebook page here. A lot of the items were very cute and had a whimsical feel to them. There were many unique gift options, and I was able to find a few. It took a lot of willpower to not buy a bunch of things just because they were so cute!
For the event, I dressed in items that would give a sort of indie/bohemian look. I wore my favorite peacock feather flats and a matching necklace. I felt those pieces gave off the impression that I am a crafty person, despite that not being 100% true.
I was really happy to be joined by my friend Allison and, of course, Armando. We were able to shop for some Christmas gifts, eat sweets, drink champagne, and take photos with handmade props at a booth Elise of WT Fab! designed. I admire her creativity here, and want to use this idea possibly for an event next year!
I had a great time hanging out, meeting the owner of the Fox Parlor, and spending time with Elise! She is such a sweet, genuine person and I am very lucky to have met someone as nice as her. I have found it very refreshing to have met like-minded people who enjoy blogging about fashion and other topics that inspire them. I am sure she will be writing a post about the event as well, so make sure to stop by her blog as well!
What would you wear to a trunk show? Leave your suggestions or link to a post below. Thanks for reading! 

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Easter Sunday

Posted on by Brandy Saldana

Pink Cardigan Charlotte Russe | Bunny Print Dress Erin Fetherston for Target | Suede Purple Peep-toe Heels Steve Madden | Pink and Silver Bangles Forever 21 (here) | Bunny Ring Crossroads Trading Co. | Similar look here | Photos by Nicole S.Happy Easter!
Every year for Easter while growing up, my parents would dress my sister and I in floral dresses and take our photos by wisteria plants. We lived in a house that had a huge backyard, and our easter egg hunts were very intense. But once I was in middle school, we moved, and were not able to take pictures by wisteria trees. Luckily we planted a tree and some bloomed. It is not as magnificent as the ones we used to have, and the backyard we have now is not as big, but the memories we made were just as important as the ones in the past. Wisteria’s are my favorite flower, and I am glad to bring back that tradition we had in our current home.
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