LABOR DAY WEEKEND

Hey guys!! Hope you're all doing something fun this Labor Day Weekend!  Labor Day signals the end of summer...but it doesn't have to signal the end of fun as the season closes. As I reflect back on this past summer, I like to think about all the fun I got into, which has kept me young with childlike wonder. It's important to always connect with the child in you, to nurture it.  Sometimes we get so bogged up by the responsibilities and worries of daily life, that we forget to just let loose and be silly. So go to the beach, do some handstands, fall and laugh about it.  Go to the trampoline park and jump until you can't anymore. Eat some ice cream on a hot day and have no regrets.

Be silly, love fully, and laugh all year round and it will always feel like summer!

xo

KAREN

  

All photos but the talented Miss Kelly Brooke, who had a birthday this past month!!! Happy Birthday, Kel! Luv ya my Leo sista!  Follow her IG @kellybrookephoto or check out her site here.

SHOP THE LOOK:

(Just an FYI...the top I could not find online..nor the necklace.  I purchased the top at Luna Boutique and it's by Honey Punch.  The necklace I purchased at the top of the summer season from Topshop.  I have included similar items for you guys to check out to help recreate, if you want to!;)

The Garden Wrap Dress by Raga

So I admit... I may be a part of the small (and damned!) fashionista minority that isn't the biggest fan of Diane von Fursternberg's widely applauded, (and knocked-off) "wrap dresses", mostly because they usually overpower my petite frame, and frankly make my body look shapeless and lost in an otherwise original and whimsical print of a fabric.  ( You gotta wear clothes to fit and flatter you, folks! Remember, you wear the dress...don't let the dress wear you! :)

It's not to say that I don't appreciate Ms. von Furstenberg's contribution as a designer to the fashion world.  Clearly her  iconic dresses have earned the their place in the fashion world in such a way that that "wrap dress" is synonymous to "DVF".

One particular wrap dress that I'm currently feeling right now is this one long maxi one I'm wearing here by Raga.  The "wrap" part of the dress serves as a sexy high slit on an otherwise very feminine and kinda boho-ey garden dress.

Whenever I wear this dress, (like when I was shopping in Beverly Hills) I get so many compliments! So I guess it's safe to say...I'm now a fan of the wrap dress...so as long as it fits me, and goes with my style! :)

Most DVF wrap dresses are just under the knee, which can be a a tricky length for petite girls.  It's gotta be short OR long for me! No in between!

Now just a few Karen touches, like my signature hat and maybe a cute lil trendy velvet choker and I'm set!

What about you? Will you be rocking the wrap dress?

xo Karen

All photos were shot by the lovely Kelly Ridgeway.  Follow her on instagram: @kellybrookephoto or check out her site here.

SHOP THE LOOK:

Holiday Party OOTD ( I'm So Fancy )

The holidays are here!! What I love most about the holidays (besides all the eating, festive decorations, hanging with family and friends, the fake snow at the Grove, christmas shopping, ugly christmas sweaters..I can keep going here...) are all the HOLIDAY PARTIES!! Why? Well, it gives me an excuse to dress up a little fancier than usual!! What are you guys wearing to your holiday parties?  Here's one black and gold look I rocked to a holiday party friday night....xo Karen

Outfit Details:

Top: TOPSHOP
Necklace: Vintage
Skirt: VARGA (gold in store only)
Bracelet: Nasty Gal ( sold out)
Shoes: Rachel Roy (sold out, here is similar)
Bag:  CHANEL
Photography: Vanessa Viola Photography

Shabby Chic

      So I'm not the biggest fan of the "blazer".  I tend to favor leather jackets or my favorite ole motorcycle jacket to pull my finished look together before I'm out the door.  But seeing that pastel colored blazers are big this spring, I thought I'd give it a whirl with how I'd wear it.

   

       Admittedly I first tried this look with a lace trimmed tank and decided I almost fell asleep with how boring that looked. The only way I can ever wear a blazer (and still be me) is with a rock tee, hands down.  My favorite rose print Grateful Dead muscle tank was a perfect compliment/ contrast to the look I was trying to create. 

I paired it with shredded/ ripped boyfriend jeans (another HUGE trend this spring, one that I'm obsessed with, by the way) and suddenly I was in love with how I looked kinda girly with the pink but still edgy.

 I rolled up my sleeves so I can wear way too many accessories---its my thing!

My trusty old Jeff Campbell Solitaire pumps + Foley and Corrina  bag are my go-to's of late this spring, probably cuz they are white and go with all the light spring colors.

The rose gold jewelry/ spikes/ studs finish off this look and I'm ready to go!!

Outfit Details:

Pink Blazer: Mango

Boyfriend Jeans: Topshop

Grateful Dead Muscle Tee: Urban Outfitters

Shoes: Jeffrey Campbell

Bag: Foley and Corrina ( Shopbop exclusive, here is similar)

Jewelry, assorted..too many to link: Urban Outfitters, H&M

Spring Forward

       Though rocking florals for spring is not exactly groundbreaking, I find that another trend this spring, the high waisted jean, is on the riskier side.   It's definitely not for everyone, and can be tricky to pull off.  To all those that believe that women dress for men, rocking the high waisted look would definitely refute that.  Not a favorite to men, I've even seen several posts by men asking, pleading for women not to don this look, and enlisting other men not to compliment or encourage their women to wear the high waist in hopes to squash the trend.   Well, lucky for them, trends are fleeting, and one way to pull off this look is to actually marry it with a very man-approved look, which is the cropped top.  I think the key way to balance out the high waist is to show a little bit of skin, and with that, it actually can be cute! What do you think?

Wearing the high waist jean with this adorable cropped floral top from Topshop.

 
        Oh and P.S...to all the men out there, regarding the high waisted trend…it's coming for you!!! Haven't you seen HER?? You can thank Spike Jonze for that! :)




Ultimately though, with any trend, just like in life, you have the choice to decide what is and isn't for you.  What works for some, may not work for you, so choose wisely. Dress for no one else but yourself!   Make sure YOU wear the outfit and not vice versa. It should accentuate you and express to the world who you are at that moment, and for me, it's playful!! :)


Outfit Details:

The Much Discussed High Waisted Jean: Urban Outfitters
Cropped Floral Top: Topshop
Shoes: Jeffrey Campbell ( no longer available)
Bag : Foley and Corrina Shopbop Exclusive ( no longer avail, so this is similar)

OUT: Political Rants, IN: Wearing Camo

I do this thing.  Whenever I fall in love with a new trend, ( or I guess fall in love in general, ) I kind of go overboard.  Instead of following the sensible fashion rule of investing in one or two pieces of each trend, I go nuts.  For example, the skull trend.  I couldn't buy just a few skull bracelets, I had to go get myself an entire "arm army" of skulls!! Instead of getting just that one skull-print LF top, I went and got the copy too.  Don't even get me started with the whole "spikes" thing.  You know how that story ends.  ;)  And so here we are again, and the Piscean in me has fallen head over heels in love with Camo!!!  And like I said, I couldn't just get maybe the staple: a vintage army camouflage jacket, I had to go get camo skinnies, a bandeau, a hat and sweater too (when I already owned a good camo thermal top by LAMB, mind you.) Clearly moderation is not my thing. Lucky for you, my excessive nature has resulted in this medley of Camo-print looks I've put together  to hopefully inspire you, and help you decide which one or two pieces to invest in from this trend! :)

Here's a casual cozy camo sweater and cords outfit for a rainy day like today...xoxo


Sweater: TOPSHOP
Cordouroys: Stitch's
Sneakers: Steve Madden

Camo-print skinnies, basic white tee, leather jacket and a beanie?? Perfect, let's go to a concert!! xoxox

Beanie: Veronica M
White Tee: Body Language Sportswear
Leather Jacket: Mike & Chris  (now defunct, damnit!)
Camo skinnies: Nameless
Strappy heels: LAMB
Dog tag Necklace: Kitson

Wore this outfit to see Breaking Dawn 2 and fell asleep. Haha. That has nothing to do with anything. Outfit details:

Vintage Camo Jacket: American Rag Cie
Beanie: Veronica M
Leggings: Brandy Melville
Boots: Jeffrey Campbell Hell Yes
Shirt: UNIF
Bag: JJ Winters

 My new obsession has even affected my manicurist. I was dead set on getting camo print nails too. I went back twice to get them to perfect the daunting, not to mention time-consuming, task of swirling five different nail polishes together for it to remotely resemble a camouflage print.  I think they did a great job, didn't they? Looks like camo to me!! ;)


So what about you? Which camouflage look are you going to sport?? xoxo Karen