Spring – Page 2 – Will Bake for Shoes

Outfit
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- Work

Spring to Summer

Posted on June 27, 2016by Brandy Saldana

Beige Trench Coat Banana Republic Factory Store | Floral Print Dress Uttam via Le Tote (here) | Rose Gold Mirrored Sunglasses Kate Spade (here) | Druzy Pendant Necklace Camilla via Le Tote (similar) | Rose Gold Pave Bracelet Express | Cliff Grey Maise Kate Spade | Nude Mary Jane Campy Heels Manolo Blahnik (here) | Rouge Volupte Shine 41 Corail A Porter Lipstick Yves Saint Laurent (here)I look back and can’t believe June is almost over! I’ll be heading out to Japan at the beginning of July, but of course the minute I reminded my office of that detail every assignment/project I was assigned will need to be complete before I take off. Needless to say, I’ve been coming home really burnt out and feel like I have no creative energy to write up a blog post after a long day at the office. I feel this upcoming trip will be worth the extra hours, but it is my hope blogging isn’t taking a back seat for long.
Since I’ve had to focus on work a lot lately, I have been pretty grateful for having Le Tote back in my life. Getting dressed each morning is my favorite part of the day, but sometimes I spend way too much time trying to put something together. I’ve had to come in to the office early and can’t afford to spend too much time staring into my closet. Luckily, Le Tote makes it easier to pull something together, especially if you have the app on your smartphone. You can customize your totes so the items that come in can create more than one outfit and so that all the pieces are ones you would wear.
The necklace and dress from this outfit are from my latest tote. The necklace is a little simple, but I could not send it back because it wasn’t like anything I currently own and I could see myself wearing a lot more often. I loved the feminine print and body-hugging fit of the dress. While I loved the print, it wasn’t a piece I felt I couldn’t live without. The cut of the dress works for a day at the office but also for upcoming brunch, weddings or graduation ceremonies. If floral isn’t your cup of tea, Le Tote does have a ton of other dresses perfect for the next summer event on your list. And to help convince you Le Tote makes like life easier, you can use my code WILLBAKEFORSHOES at checkout for a 20% discount when you sign up for the first time. Offer expires on August 8th, 2016, so make sure to sign up in time to enjoy picnic and bbq outfits for 4th of July weekend.
Regarding graduation ceremonies, I am really proud of my photographer/significant other, Armando Cortes, for completing his Bachelor Degree at SF State. I haven’t had a chance to recap all the festivities in May, but I still wanted to congratulate him here and thank him for taking my photos in between class, school, and work. It means a lot to me that he was willing to help me out to continue by taking my photos despite having a lot to work on. I am really happy he was able to accomplish so much and I am excited for the adventures I’ll be able to share now that we can get back to enjoying photography sessions together.
I hope you have a great week and don’t forget to sign up for Le Tote!

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Outfit
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- Work

Designing Your Own Shoes With Shoes of Prey & Nordstrom

Posted on May 9, 2016by Brandy Saldana

Beige Trench Coat Banana Republic Factory Store | Pink Polka Dot Portofino Button Down Shirt Express (similar here) | Pink High Waist Skirt Express | Mint Green Statement Necklace Kate Spade | Teal Arrowhead Bracelet and Crystal Bracelet LE TOTE | Gold Wrap Tassel Bracelet E. Kammeyer Accessories (here) | Eat Cake for Breakfast Bracelet Kate Spade | Gold Bow Moon River Bracelet Kate Spade | Teal Cross Body Avery Purse Rebecca Minkoff (similar here) | Custom Teal Suede d’Orsay Heels c/o Shoes of Prey | Le Rouge Fuchsia Irrestible 205 Lipstick Givenchy (here) |
About a year ago, Shoes of Prey launched their pop up shop at Nordstrom located in the Westfield Mall. Walking in to the opening party made me feel like a kid in a candy store. Not only did I get to meet Janie Bryant, the amazing costume designer from Mad Men, but I had a sneak peek of her shoes from her collaboration with Shoes of Prey at the opening. The highlight of the evening was receiving a voucher to design my own shoes as a thank you for attending the event.
I set up a follow-up appointment after the event since I wasn’t sure exactly what type of shoes I wanted. I created a few designs in store with a helpful Nordstrom employee on iPads setup underneath large flower structures made of shoes. I was really unsure with which shoe I wanted designed, although I knew I wanted classic heels, and left my appointment without placing an order and left to ponder what shoes I needed in my life. I tried thinking about shoes I missed out on because they weren’t available in my size and flipped through magazines for inspiration, but felt like I was back at square one.
The nice thing about Shoes of Prey is that they have plenty of fabric options and sizes (from 3 – 13). The turnaround time is pretty quick too, and are made-to-order and shipped in about 4 weeks. Having too many options became a problem for me and it was tough choosing between satin, suede or glitter. I was inspired by the colors from this outfit post and decided on this turquoise suede with a pop of pink leather on the inside. When building your shoe, you have the option to customize the sole and can even add text (perfect to commemorate the date you get married if you were designing your own wedding shoes.)
These heels had been in their box for a few months and I wondered if I would ever have the chance to wear them or if I needed to ask for them to be remade in a neutral color (you have 365 days to decide on having the shoes remade.) I am glad I didn’t change my mind because these heels have already been paired with more outfits and they really compliment my wardrobe since they are unlike any other heels I own. Their insole is comfortable and are now pretty comfortable since they have been broken in. I matched the heels with my Rebecca Minkoff Avery purse I scored through ThredUp and a statement Kate Spade necklace I found on Poshmark. My top and skirt are from Express and I bought them on sale last year, but I’ve linked similar options above.
I loved that customization experience didn’t just end with me ordering the shoes. I was able to build this outfit from the ground up and it took a little patience, but it was worth having all the pieces fall into place. It really is gratifying to be able to tell people who compliment my shoes that I designed them and that they can do it too! I am already looking forward to designing my next pair and to add shoe designer to my list of skills.
Let me know if you have tried Shoes of Prey and what you’ve designed!

Outfit
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- Weekend

Pink Rose

Posted on April 7, 2016by Brandy Saldana

Denim Jacket Kut from the Kloth via LE TOTE | Pink Edaline Silk Tie Blouse Joie (similar here) | Pink and Navy Floral High Waist Skirt Express (here) | Grey Maise Cross Body Kate Spade | Blue Patent Peep Toe Wedges Kate Spade | Le Rouge 205 Fuchsia Irresistible Givenchy (here) | Rose Earrings Forever 21 | Crystal Gem Bracelet Noir Luxe and Gold Spike Bracelets via LE TOTE | Pink and Blue Galaxy Case iPhone 6 Speck | Switching from winter wear to some florals for spring. I spotted this skirt on Pinterest and kept an eye out for it on Poshmark. I scored it along with another Express skirt in a sweet bundle deal. I haven’t worn the other skirt on the blog yet, but it is black and white hounds tooth print. The Joie top seemed to be the perfect color match with the pink roses in this floral skirt. It ties on the front, but having it tucked in hides that fun detail. This top fits me a little big, which is why it was tucked in, but that means it will be making its way to my Poshmark closet pretty soon.
I am really excited to be wearing to be taking out my colorful pieces for the warmer seasons. Dressing up during the spring and summer weather makes me feel a lot more inspired than winter or fall. There is a lot more variety of clothing and there’s just something about getting dressed in the morning that feels different lately.
I am looking and picking up some fun pieces for summer and will be checking out Shopbop and Bloomingdales since they have some pretty awesome sales going on now (yay for the Friends and Family sale!) Enjoy 25% off at Shopbop with promo code INTHEFAM and 25% off at Bloomingdales when you use the promo code BLOOMIES. The Shopbop sale ends April 7th and the Bloomindales’ sale ends April 10th. Get to shopping before you miss out!
I’ve been back at backing these past couple of weekends, but nothing I have made has felt Instagram or worthy of being captured on film despite being tasty. I have a few baking projects in mind, and I am optimistic something delicious will be shared on the blog soon.
Hope you are having a great week so far!

Outfit
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- Work

Butterfly on my Right Shoulder

Posted on March 2, 2016by Brandy Saldana

Leena Dress Diane von Furstenberg (here) | Teal Patent Heels Giuseppe Zanotti | Avery Saffiano Leather Cross Body Rebecca Minkoff via ThredUP (similar) | Multi Color Bracelets Forever 21 | Le Rouge 205 Fuschia Irrestible Givenchy (here) |
It’s already the beginning of March! I recognize February is the shortest month, and we had an extra day this year, but it is now March!
I haven’t featured this dress on the blog since I wore it with boots and leggings, but this is the second time in the last 6 months that its made its way out of my closet. I feel it is better suited for a art gallery opening than a day at the office because of its abstract print and large kimono-inspired sleeves. It makes a pretty big statement, so I don’t feel I can easily wear all the time. I found this lovely DVF dress through Bonanza, but have seen it appear on The Real Real. If you are in live with this (and fit in a size 2) I have a dress listed in my Poshmark closet as well.
The colors on my dress can let me experiment with shoes and accessories. I had a pair of pink heels I thought of pairing with this look, but my lipstick choice and bangles helped highlight the pink colors in this dress. I played around with the blue/green tones and decided to use my new Rebecca Minkoff Avery cross body bag I found using thredUP. The condition of the bag was like new and I scored a great deal on it through thredUP since I had store credit and a discount code to use. Having the app notifies you of flash promo codes for the day, perfect if you are on the fence about buying something. (Make sure to have push notifications on for the app!)
Notice anything different about my heels from the last time they made their appearance? They are protected thanks to Clickless High Heel Protectors. The covers slip on at the back of the heel and can protect/prolong the life of the heels and reduces the clicking noise. They are also claimed to make the heels more comfortable, but I am not too convinced by that since these heels were already comfortable to begin with. I received these high heel protectors to try out from Clickless and there are 4 sizes in each pack and available in 3 colors (beige, black and brown.) I love the sound heels make when I walk down the hallway, but I am sure my coworkers would appreciate if that echo could be reduced. I am still trying them out so only time will tell if they can prolong the life of my heels.

Have you tried heel protectors? Let me know because I am interested in knowing if there is a difference in comfort and in sound for you.

Outfit

Forget-Me-Not

Posted on February 23, 2016by Brandy Saldana

Forget-Me-Not Blue Dress KTR Collection (in cream here / blue skirt here) | Green Blazer Alice + Olivia | Orange Bow Belt Kate Spade (similar) | Coral Handbag BCBG Generation | Sunglasses Diane von Furstenberg | Yellow Suw Satin Jeweled Heels Manolo Blahnik (similar) | Gold Wrap Bracelet E.Kammeyer Accessories (here) | Estelle Charm Bracelet and Crystal Bracelet Noir Luxe via LE TOTE | Bracelets LE TOTE | X Ring Waffles and Honey (here) | Nail Polish Hands: Lean, Toes: Wet Floss Gloss | Le Rouge Mandarine Bolero 304 Lipstick Givenchy (here) |Today’s post is special for a variety of reasons. This outfit is from my birthday in August, which was pretty special. It should be apparent I love dressing up, and sharing what I’ve found during one of my shopping trips, which is one of the reasons I started blogging. It felt appropriate to share now because it is my blog’s anniversary! I’ve officially been blogging for 4 years, and I can’t believe that much time has passed since I started. So much has changed since the first post, and I am really happy with what my blog has become and what it looks like.
This post is also special because this dress I am wearing was designed by my good friend KT of KTR Collection. I picked it up in 2 colors. I initially missed my chance of getting this dress in blue because it sold out right away, so I picked it up in cream because I loved the print and hi-low design. I feel the blue compliments my skin tone a lot more and was glad to snatch this one up when it was restocked. This dress in blue is sold out now, but it is available in cream and there is a skirt version as well. Check out her website to see her other pieces and her new swim line in time for Spring Break!
I have to highlight the bright accessories I picked out. I like to step up my outfit for my birthdays, and wearing the Manolo Blahnik heels I found through The Real Real felt appropriate for a special day. I love the detail and yellow color. My belt is a thrifted find I scored through thredUP and has made its way to the blog before. I like that this color also compliments the tones in the dress and matches my purse.
Whether you are stopping by my blog for the first time, or have been following for the past couple of years, thank you for your support! It means a lot to me that you stop by to see what I wear or read what I have written and I hope to keep sharing for awhile.

Everyday
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- Outfit
  - Holiday

Heart On My Sleeve

Posted on February 14, 2016by Brandy Saldana

Happy Valentine’s Day!
This outfit is from last year, and I thought it would never make its way on to the blog. It’s a pretty simple look, but once these photos were taken it felt odd to post right after Valentine’s Day. Today seemed appropriate since I wore all of these pieces in some way or another this last week.
I found my Moschino heart print cardigan at Crossroads Trading Co. I love the fun heart print. I had to play up the cute factor by pairing it with my hot pink high waist skirt from Express. I paired it with gold details, like the flats and heart necklace and black top to balance the pop of color from the skirt.
My boyfriend, Armando, gave me the Kate Spade tech wallet as a birthday gift last year, and soon afterward I replaced my iPhone 4 with and iPhone 6. Now I can’t really fit my phone in it, but it makes a great wallet still and is ideal to carry around during a coffee break.
Speaking of coffee, did you try the Molten Chocolate drinks at Starbucks this week? I love dark chocolate and felt the Molten Chocolate Latte was nice and bittersweet. What were you thoughts?
Regardless of whether you are in a relationship or not, I hope you have a great Valentine’s Day and feel plenty of love from your friends and family.