OFF THE SHOULDER OBSESSION

I have never met an off-the-shoulder top I didn't like! No, seriously! Something about this particular neckline got me completely hooked! In fact, if I had to name a single trend that I never want to go out of style, off-the-shoulder would definitely be it!

Today's gingham perfection is one of my current favorites! Love the print and the ruffle, but also the oversized fit which gives it a lot of movement so that you just can't help but twirl every time you wear it. To me, it's a perfect summer top to wear with everything from jeans to shorts or even on it's own, as a cute beach coverup!

Though I've worn it with just about everything, today's pairing is probably one of my favorites! Distressed skinnies, chunky black & white embellished heels and a pop of red, thanks to an oversized Anya Hindmarsh tote, which is actually one of my favorite bags at the moment because unlike most of my other bags, it fits more than my phone and my wallet:)

MLM LABEL Maison off the shoulder top | BLANK DENIM skinny jeans | TABITHA SIMMONS Blaze embellished suede sandals | MICHAEL KORS watch { similar here & here } | ANYA HINDMARCH Slow Down Ebury tote & oversized tassel key chain { in white here } | RACHEL ZOE set of 5 rings 

A STEP INTO SPRING

I love spring! In some ways I think it has to do with the fact that for me, spring signals the end of cold, gloomy winter and the beginning of my favorite time of the year, but also because everything feels fresh, new and exciting and honestly, I feel like a completely different person! Though I often gravitate towards a deeper and darker color palette for winter, come spring time, pretty pastels and brights is all I want to wear! This year is no exception of course and today's look is a perfect example of that.

I got this dress to wear to a mini anniversary Emil and I had last week. Though originally, we were planning to get away to Napa for a few days, our schedule got in a way, so we ended up spending a very romantic evening at one of our favorite restaurants and taking a stroll down a beautiful,  bougainvillea-covered street in West Hollywood.

The jewels I'm wearing in today's post were actually an early anniversary present from Emil. Well, they weren't intended as an early present, but I found them before he got a chance to give them to me, so yes, technically speaking an early present :) You see, I'm a bit of PANDORA Jewelry fanatic! I know, I mentioned this a few times, but just in case you haven't been following for long, I've discovered this brand about 3 years ago, and have been wearing it non-stop pretty much since. I think what attracted me to PANDORA in the first place is the femininity and delicacy of their jewels and also, because I prefer a bit of drama when it comes to wearing jewelry, the ability to layer as many or as few pieces depending on occasion. 

Today, I'm wearing a few favorites from PANDORA's Spring Collection. As I have mentioned before, I love delicate pieces, and to me, these gorgeous floral and crystal incrusted bracelets, rings and earrings are the epitome of elegance. Because I wanted jewelry to be the facial point of this look, I decided to layer a few bracelets and charms and stack rings to maximize the impact. Normally, when I layer jewels, I prefer to stick to a common theme yet play around with various textures and sizes. For this look, I went with sterling silver, crystals and florals with just a touch of sky-blue to add a pop of color to the look. To me, this combination is both elegant yet impactful. And I don't know about you guys, but when it comes to jewels, maximum impact is definitely a good thing! :)

P.S. I'll be partnering with PANDORA this Festival Season, so be sure to follow my adventures on my instagram and CLICK HERE to check out a few of my #FESTIVALREADY PANDORA favorites!

This is a sponsored conversation written on behalf of PANDORA. The opinions and text are all mine.

PANDORA The Spring Collection jewelry | ALEXIS Sage crochet fit-and-flare dress { also love this one } | REBECCA MINKOFF Georgina studded sandals | STRATHBERRY OF SCOTLAND Mc Nano powder blue bag

NOT A BASIC BRUNETTE

As I was getting ready for Paris Fashion Week, I felt that my hair color needed a bit of a lift! So, I teamed up with John Frieda® Hair Care to try their new Brilliant Brunette® collection of shampoos, conditioners and in-shower treatments. Reason why I was so excited to test out Brilliant Brunette® is because this collection consists of products which can lighten, deepen and brighten your color, right in the shower!  And I don't know about you guys, but I can definitely get on board with being able to play with my hair color every time I shower!:)

Deciding whether to go lighter or deeper seemed equally appealing at first, but since I'm really fond of my dark brown color, I opted to deepen my shade. Though I have to say that the biggest change came after the 3rd wash, I actually noticed quite a difference even after using the Brilliant Brunette® Visibly Deeper™ shampoo and conditioner for the first time because my color definitely had much more dimension! I saw the most dramatic change after the third wash. My color, which was a bit faded and flat before, looked much richer, lustrous and a lot more vibrant! Best way to describe it, Not a Basic Brunette, indeed!:)

BTW, my little trick is to keep the shampoo on for a bit longer. I started by applying shampoo all over my hair from root to tip. Next, I put on a shover cap and left it on for about 5 minutes. Finally, after washing the shampoo out, I rinsed my hair with cool water to really bring out the shine! And voila! Instantly deeper, more brilliant color in just 5 minutes in a convenience of my own shower! Love that!

P.S. As always, please feel free to shoot me an email if you have any product questions, I'd be happy to answer!:) 

LANVIN STRIPES IN PARIS

Wearing what is probably one of my favorite Paris Fashion Week looks. Given my weakness for bright colors and full, flowy skirts, the moment I spotted this striped perfection from Lanvin on LUISAVIAROMA, it was pretty much game over! I love absolutely everything about it, from length and color, to fit and silhouette! Oh, and how fun are those side pockets! I don't know what it is, but I love when really dressy skirts feature little casual details such as side pockets. I just feel that adding that casual touch makes a skirt a bit more fun and certainly a lot more day-time appropriate:)

Since I wanted to keep all of the attention on the skirt, for today's look, I paired it with a ruffled-collared blouse, a pair of black pumps and a cream-colored Valentino tote. Reason why I went with a tote rather than a clutch is because I feel that a slightly more substantial bag makes this outfit a bit more day-time appropriate. Well, that's really one of the reasons:) The other reason is that I am utterly obsessed with this bag at the moment and find it very difficult not to wear it all the time and with everything, denim cut-offs included! Luckily, it happen to work quite nicely with this particular look, so no fashion faux pas had to be made:)!

VALENTINO Small My Rockstud leather top handle bag { similar here & here } | VALENTINO Tango pump { also love this strappy option } | LANVIN Striped duchesse silk skirt { cute dress option here } | THEORY Oakland B trench coat | CO Ruffled crepe blouse | GREY ANT cat eye sunglasses { also upside with this metallic pair } | OSCAR DE LA RENTA ear cuff { also love this option & this one }  / all items thanks to LUISAVIAROMA

DRESSING WITH CONFIDENCE

Good morning, Everyone! Hope you day is off to a great start! I am very excited to partner with bebe to talk to you a little bit about what makes me feel confident and what dressing with confidence means to me. I think that dressing with confidence has very little to do with wearing the latest trends. It's really about feeling good about what you're wearing. For me, that feeling came from finding my personal style, knowing what I like and finally understanding what works best for me! The latter, was a lesson learned through trial and error, because frankly, no matter how much I love certain styles, I could never pull them off! That's totally fine though, there is plenty of fish ( other style options ) available! Once I found myself and realized what it is that makes me feel most comfortable, that's when I was really able to express myself with confidence. And really, I think it's the same for everyone! When you find your style, discover what makes you feel good, that's when you can start dressing with confidence!

If a had to describe my style in a few words, I'd say polished femininity is what comes to mind first. I guess I'm a bit of a girly girl after all:) Though I don't exclusively wear uber feminine pieces, in fact I'm a big fan of jeans and jackets for day-time, I love to add a bit of a feminine touch to all my looks. For today's day-time outfit, that little bit of femininity comes from paring wide-legged trousers with a blush-colored trench coat, a few sparkly rings and a coil necklace.

Night-time looks are no exception and today's outfit is a perfect example of that. A pretty lace-trim pleated skirt, paired with a waist-enhancing vest and a pair of cute ankle boots. Clean, polished and girly! Finishing touch, a fun clutch and a pretty choker necklace!:) 

What about you guys, what does dressing with confidence mean to you?

bebe front slit trench coat, high-rise wide-leg trousers, rope handle tote, smooth coil necklace, lace-trim pleated skirt, long fitted vest, eyelashes clutch & metal and pave ring set 

PARIS FASHION WEEK READY WITH KÉRASTASE

If you guys follow me on Instagram, you may have noticed that I teamed up with luxury haircare brand, Kérastase to keep my hair looking beautiful throughout Paris Fashion Week. You see, I had gone to Palm Springs for a few very relaxing days right before the craziness of Paris, which was a great idea, but the combination of blazing hot sun and chlorinated water did a number on my hair and my do was looking a bit lackluster to say the least. Luckily, Kérastase was there to help transform my hair!

Though I've been using Kérastase products for some time now, it was so special to visit one of the salons in the brand's hometown of Paris! I had a hair appointment set up at MH Coiffeur, which started with a deep conditioning treatment. After washing my hair with Kerastase Bain Satin 2 Shampoo, designed specifically to care for dry hair, the stylist applied Masquintense Thick, which is a hydrating and moisturizing treatment mask made to nourish damaged hair. He left it on for about 15 minutes to help repair my hair, leaving it noticeably more healthy, smooth and shiny.

When it came to styling my hair, I wanted to try something different than the loose, messy curls that I normally wear. This time, we went with a straight, voluminous style instead! Normally, I am reluctant to wear my hair straight because it's so fine and lacks volume,  but I loved how this style looked! Smooth, shiny and perfectly straight - and the deep conditioning treatment didn't weigh it down at all! Honestly, from now on, that's the way I want my hair to look everyday! The style also stayed intact, despite the fact that we ended up walking around windy, rainy Paris all day! So, YAY!

Aside from getting my hair in shape, I also had the pleasure of attending an intimate event showcasing the iconic Nutritive hair care range that was first launched in 1979. Since I am a big fan of Nutritive hair care products, it was really interesting to hear how Kérastase's Nutritive formula progressed over the years. I certainly didn't realize just how dedicated researchers at L'Oreal are and how much effort is applied to include the latest technological advancements and improve even the best-selling products so we can all walk around with amazing hair! :)

I also had the pleasure of meeting January Jones, the brand's latest muse. Since I am a huge Mad Man fan, and absolutely loved January Jones's character on the show, you can imagine what a pleasure it was to meet her in person. Even more stunning than you can imagine, after speaking to her for five minutes, I felt like I've known her for years. We ended up talking about everything from her personal style to her favorite off-duty hairstyles, most of which we actually share. I guess high bun and low pony tail will always remain a classic:)

It was an absolutely magical evening and I would like to thank the Kerastase team for making this trip to Paris absolutely unforgettable!

GUCCI twill bomber jacket, pleated silk-chiffon midi skirt, Horsebit-detailed glossed-leather Mary Jane pumps, crocheted cotton beret & Dionysus embroidered GG canvas shoulder bag