BACK TO BLACK | OOTD

Happy Hump Day Beautiful People!  The new year is around the corner and rather than compile a list of my favorite posts or what I have learned, I thought I would share one last "OOTD" post for 2K16. Back when I first started blogging in 2011 under my previous brand name "Qrush Velvet",  it felt more like an obligation and not an outlet.  At the beginning of the year when I decided to start blogging again I promised myself to have fun and not force myself to post what's not authentically me.  This time around all of my posts felt honest and surprisingly within the process I fell in love with blogging again.  It's gratifying to see the growth in my style and personal development.  Drawing the line from placing unrealistic expectations on myself allowed me the freedom to JUST DO ME! 

Winter is my favorite fashion season! It's time to layer up the jackets, sweaters, or leather pants and load up on cute winter accessories like fur or faux fur earmuffs. During this time, I feel the majority of us have the one go-to color for the season.  Personally, I'm not loyal to one color but when I'm not sure what to wear or feeling a little indecisive, I always return to the classic......Back To Black!  In my opinion, anyone can wear all black and instantly look simple yet stylish.  I am certainly no stranger to practical pieces and keeping my outfits minimal and clean is a must lately.  So when I finally got my hands on the perfect long vest coat for the season I was excited to add another staple piece to my wardrobe. Adding a draped vest coat over the top of any outfit is the ideal way to layer for warmth yet have the ability to appear put-together.  The key to this look is stick to a solid color and then mix it up with your accessories.  

Photographer: J O N C E

Sleeveless long vest:  Topshop |  Body Suit: Asos (old) | Wide leg trousers:  Eileen Fisher | Open toe platform shoes: Stuart Weitzman |  Faux Fur clutch:  Express (old) seen here  | Bracelet: Versona | Earrings & brooches:  Natasha, Dillards | Shades: YSL.  

SHOP THE SIMILAR LOOK 

I wanted to take a moment to thank everyone for all their support throughout my blog journey, particularly the Hope, Lies, and Uterine Fibroids story.    What means the most is sharing a little of my personal life with old and new friends.  After a year of consistent blogging I feel more confident and looking forward to creating NEW exciting content for 2K17.  

Until Next Time With Love, 

Eureka

THE WHITE AFFAIR | OOTD

Happy Monday BEAUTIFUL PEOPLE! I have a serious love affair with wearing all white as of late. Wearing all white is considered a “trend” right now but monochromatic (wearing different shades of a single hue) anything will always be a popular choice for me.   While it may seem like a tricky style to pull off, wearing white on white is one the easiest ways to look crisp from head to toe.  First step is to put to rest all those silly rules about when and where to wear all white.  Trust me, this is the easiest outfit to recreate and will become one of your go-to looks. Especially when you can incorporate unexpected foundation pieces like this Eva Mendes collection pencil skirt from New York & Company…….which was a steal BTW!   The idea of wearing all white has its fair share of naysayers because it is not always flattering and can cause you to always be aware not to get any stains on your fit.  

There are new ways to mix things up so you will not look like the first lady of a Baptist church on resurrection Sunday.  I’m huge fan of this this look because the skirt paired with a flowy strapless cropped top takes the outfit from plain to a bit daring.  By adding my treasured custom necklace from local jewelry designer Shawn Pilgrim, a leopard peep toe slingback pump, and everyone’s fav a faux fur clutch is the perfect look for any occasion all year around.   The key element to pulling off this style with confidence is to always gravitate towards pieces you can have fun in. And don’t be afraid to experiment with different monochromatic looks if white is not your cup of tea.  One of my favorite colors to wear all over is different shades of purple, mauve tones, or even the staple color, black. 

CAPTURED BY  J O N C E

DETAILS:  STRAPLESS CROP TOP -  GIANNI BINI| SKIRT - NEW YORK & COMPANY | SHOES - STUART WEITZMAN | CLUTCH - EXPRESS (A MILLION YEARS OLD) | SWAROVSKI CRYSTAL BRACELET - HEIDI DAUS | NECKLACE - CUSTOM MADE BY SHAWN PILGRIM |  GOLD SHADES - KATE SPADE | EARRINGS - AUTHENTIC 18K  GOLD FROM THAILAND.  

SHOP THE SIMILAR LOOK 

So excited to get back in front of the camera again. Showcasing my personal style will always be an outlet for me.  The goal is to be consistent in every area in my life, so look for a new OOTD dropping every Monday! 

Until next time with love, 

Eureka

GREY & METALLIC | OOTD

Happy Wednesday beautiful people!   The past couple of months have been somewhat busy and I haven’t had the time to take pics for my beloved “Outfit of the Day" posts.  These images were taken two months ago by one of my favorite photographers Tori Beechum.  Regardless, I plan to make more of an effort to schedule and post on a consistent basis and wanted to create an outfit focusing on my thrifting and vintage finds.  I use to be obsessed with thrifting because in my mind I was saving so much money………until I was swimming in a sea of clothes. The abundance of clothes started to become overwhelming to say the least.  

Since the start of the New Year, my goal has been to declutter and eventually live a minimalist lifestyle.   Now my focus is more on vintage hunting and shopping my closet. The decision to bring new life to the items already in my wardrobe has sparked my creativity in a new refreshing way.  Also, when I stumble across unique one-of-a-kind vintage treasures it makes me feel like I'm stepping into a time machine and flashing back to a different era.  For my outfit I wanted to keep it in the family of mixing athletic with dressy.  My style mantra is more about comfort these days and choosing to dress up my casual gap t-shirt with a metallic thrifted skirt was the perfect pairing.  Summer is the time of the year where I incorporate some type of athletic gear daily.  For years I have always loved to mix high and low items and if you pick the right kind of low, it can look amazing with higher-end accessories.  

Shades - Ray Bans (seen here) | Gold choker - Vintage (similar here) | Grey Shirt - The Gap (here) | Belt - Dillard's OLD (similar here)  | Skirt - Thrifted from Bad Granny's Bazaar. (similar here) | Shoes - Tory Burch (here) | Bracelets - Nordstrom (similar here) | Clutch - (seen here) | Earrings - (seen here).  

For some of my serious fashionistas, vintage and thrift shopping can be a great past time.  It's about the thrill of the hunt and it's satisfying to your soul to unearth an incredible piece or two.   However, everyone is not a professional shopper like myself and learning how to buy vintage and thrifted items can be intimidating for some.  I have definitely learned some tricks along the way and wanted to share some tips with you: 

My TOP 7 tips to make thrifting and vintage shopping more successful:

1.  Keep a list of “Want” & “Need”.  Thrifting in particular can become overwhelming and it's best to keep a list of things you are in the market for.  The goal is to fill in functional gaps in your wardrobe for the LOW!   

2.  Check for stains, working zippers, and holes.  (Zippers can be replaced).

3.  Be open-minded and venture outside your comfort zone regarding unique pieces.  If an item is too big, tailor it because everything can be nip and tucked into the perfect piece. 

4.  Ask the vintage dealer about other items not on display. They usually have a secret stash in the back.

5.  ONLY BUY WHAT YOU LOVE!  If in doubt, DON’T.  Make sure you ONLY purchase items you will wear. Again, add functional items to your wardrobe.

6.  Beware of fakes.  Know the difference between vintage and thrift.  When in doubt, google it.  

7.  Be prepared.  Wear comfy clothes just in case they don’t have a dressing room. You can try on a pair of pants, shorts or a dress in the isle. 

Until Next Time With Love, 

Eureka