NEW BALANCE | OOTD

Happy Wednesday! Recently had an epiphany and realized I have lost my no nonsense, fearless approach to style.  It's easy to get into a style rut and forget that once upon a time you gravitated towards edgy style choices.  In my early 20's I probably made a lot of fashion mistakes that wasn't considered fashion forward.  But fashion has never dictated my style choices and I love the fact I didn't play it safe and at the very least my looks were exciting.  In the recent years I have noticed my go-to outfits are basic as hell. Evolving into a signature style is a necessity but somewhere along the way I lost my edge. I have welcomed the process of finding a balance between the archived spicy Eureka and the present day Eureka with open arms! 

This look will work for anyone no matter the age or size and the fun part is all about accessories to spice up a not so basic outfit. When I first saw this gorgeous blazer in the Banana Republic  I grabbed it and immediately my mind knew exactly how I wanted to christen this new treasure.  It screams classic with a dash of unexpected chicness.  The foundation of the look is my winter go-to's  Free People  faux leather pants and Brian Atwood booties. Adding a embroidered clutch and the hottest shades right now  is the perfect pairing.   Lastly, a dash of bright colored purple hair and my new favorite red lipstick Shanghai Scarlet by L'oreal effortlessly completed this OOTD!

Photographer:  Aaron J. Velasquez 

YOU CAN ALSO LOOK ROCKER CHIC, STYLE DETAILS BELOW

SHADES : Michael Kors | FAUX FUR COLLAR BLAZER :  Banana Republic - SOLD OUT (Similar) | CASHMERE TURTLENECK : Lord & Taylor (Similar) | FAUX LEATHER PANTS :  Free People SOLD OUT (Similar ) | BOOTIES : Brian Atwood (Seen here) | CLUTCH :  Tadashi SOLD OUT (Similar) |  BELT : Vintage Old 

YOU'LL ALSO LOVE 

Do you feel like you are in a style rut or do you have champagne taste on a tap water budget? As we evolve as individuals the basic principles of upgrading your style can become too much of a task to bear.  All hope is not lost, check out my budget friendly blog post "5 Steps To Develop Your Personal Style"    and start your style journey today.  

Until next time with love, 

Eureka

FLORAL PLAY | OOTD

Hello beautiful people! This is the first "OOTD" for 2017 and I'm excited to hop back on the blogging saddle.  Whether you’ve been following me for a year or a week, you will soon figure out that I adore playing with my style and mixing it up a little.   Maybe it's the Gemini in me that craves variety and since I'm not into changing my hair color, switching my style feeds my soul.  

It's well known that fashion recycles itself and this season I decided to add my interpretation of one of the trends send on the runways for spring/summer 2017......eye popping florals.  I also incorporated the hottest trend right now, velvet booties.  What’s not to love about velvet, right? Honestly, this might be one of my favorite looks this winter season.  I wouldn't consider myself a floral type of girl but I do love mixing prints and patterns.  Love the idea of mixing patterns so much, I dedicated an entire post you can read here "Bold/Daring | Mixing Patterns & Prints" !  It doesn’t get any better than completing this look with a my beloved championed trench, along with a timeless suede A-line skirt.  This particular style appeals to a variety of silhouettes that's comfortable yet stylish!

Photographer:  JONCE

Sweater Headband:  H& M (Sold out)  Similar  (Old)  Leather Trench coat: Vintage  Similar Floral blouse: Target (Old) Similar Suede Skirt:  Banana Republic (Sold Out) Similar   Socks:  Polo (Old)  Similar  Velvet Booties:  Report (Sold Out) Similar  Shades: Vintage Similar   Gold clutch: Nordstrom (Old) Similar 

YOU'LL ALSO LOVE.......

Are you going to try the floral trend for spring/summer 2017?  If so, tag me in your favorite looks on social @velvetlope.  

Until next time with LOVE, 

Eureka

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