Bisou Bisou Faux Leather Shorts ( on eBay or similar) | Zara Tee and Sandals  ($50) | Vintage Necklaces via eBay (similar) | The Sak Crossbody Bag (similar)

I’m trying to get back on track this week.  I’ve gotta take advantage of my time in the office! Usually, I’m working from home, getting all dressed up to run errands. Lol.  My office is pretty casual, and one of my co-workers remarked that I was making everybody look bad….then I had to remind them that I work from home, and I was just excited to have a reason to get dressed!

So anyway, I love this outfit.  I want to wear these shorts all summer long…I just think they’d be so cute with all my cotton tees, but I have a feeling that’s not gonna fly in Atlanta this summer with all that humidity.  Just looking at all the bloggers wearing leather in the summer time makes me sweat.   But, you know I’m gonna try! Lol.

More Forever 21…

Are there any trends that your local weather just totally rules out?

So anyway, when was the last time you checked checked out Old Navy? They’ve got some really cute dresses right now.  It all started with those dang eyelet dresses…now I’m hooked! This purple chiffon shift is my latest buy, and I love it!  It also comes in a pretty shade of green…my favorite color…but, the purple had my name all over it.

I’ll admit I was concerned about the length and fit because shift dresses are tricky…if the they aren’t just right, I could end up looking like Spongebob Squarepants.  Fortunately that wasn’t the case with this dress! The shift silhouette was perfect — A-line, but body-skimming and short enough so that I didn’t completely lose my shape.

Old Navy Dress ($30) | JustFab “Amazon” Heels | Old Necklace via Burlington Coat Factory

I only packed two pairs of heels for my two week trip to LA…yes, you read that right, TWO PAIRS OF HEELS FOR TWO WEEKS!  One was my black ankle strap Zara sandals, and the other was these neutral snake and mesh heels by JustFab.  The black sandals were an obvious choice, and I wanted my second pair of heels to be neutral, but not totally plain…I wanted something with a little bit of visual interest.  These heels turned out to be the perfect choice!  They play nicely in the background with a variety of colors and prints perfectly, but they also work as subtle statement shoe with other neutrals.  They even look great with black!

Okay, so back to Old Navy’s dresses.  Like I was saying, they’ve got a ton of cute ones.  I’m especially loving their prints this season.  This maxi has been on my list for a while now…I don’t know what I’m waiting for???  And, below are some of my other faves.   I’ll probably buy a couple more before summer is over!

More Old Navy…

Thanks for stopping by!! XOXO.

So, this week’s inspiration is PEPLUM!  Are we tired of this trend yet?  It is true, we were all suffering from major peplum overload this past fall, but the truth is peplum is just such a flattering trend, I really can’t blame women everywhere for jumping on it.  Who wouldn’t want to wear something that instantly created the illusion of a picture perfect hourglass figure?  Fab even remarked about how perfectly curvy I looked in a peplum top once.  So, to answer the question — are we tired of this trend yet? Well, I can only speak for myself, and I say NO! Peplums are not holding the #1 spot on the list of top trends anymore, but they are still super cute…and I think we’ll see women wearing it for a while.

Style Me Friday & How to Link Up

1. Every Monday (today), I will select and post the Style Me Friday inspiration look that I’ll be recreating later in the week. (below)
2. You will also recreate the look yourself, and post it on your blog, facebook, instagram, or wherever!*
3. On Friday, I will post my normal Style Me Friday recreation  AND host a link up so you can share your recreated version of the look, too!
4. *New & Important* Spread the word about the link up by adding the Style Me Friday badge to within your post and/or on your sidebar (either or is fine!)!  You can grab the badge below!  (If you are linking up from Instagram, Twitter or Facebook, you won’t be able to use the badge, so I’d just ask that you use hashtag #StyleMeFriday in your post or include a link back!)

Or Grab the code below:

<a href=”http://fashionista-next-door.com/category/style-me-friday” target=”_blank”><img src=”http://fashionista-next-door.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/style-me-friday-badge.jpg”></a>

Week 26 Inspiration: Peplum

*All images via Pinterest

*Reminder! Your version of the inspiration look does not need to be literal.  It just needs to capture the spirit of the look.  So have fun with it! I can’t wait to see what you all come up with!  :)

Happy Friday!!  So, first of all, I am so sorry about the unannounced Style Me Friday break.  This week kinda just got away from me. I am so tired! Hopefully, I’ll be able to get some rest this weekend.  Either way, SMF will be back next week, so stay tuned for the inspiration look on Monday!

For now, I want to share a couple new beauty products I received from by buddies at Revlon – a Photoready BB Cream and a bottle of their classic nail polish in “Ritzy,” a sheer charcoal polish with silver glitter.

BB Creams hit the market heavy about a year ago, but as usual, I was slow to jump on the bandwagon.  I don’t currently have a go-to BB cream, so I was really excited to try this one by Revlon.  And, the timing couldn’t be better…with summer on the horizon, I’m definitely looking for something light to use in place of foundation, but I still want good coverage…something a little heavier than a tinted moisturizer.

I was pretty impressed with Revlon’s BB cream.  I used the medium shade, and as you can see, it was a great match for my complexion.  I applied it with my fingers just like I apply my foundation, and it gave me nice sheer coverage that evened out my complexion, minimized some slight redness on my cheeks, and camouflaged blemishes while still leaving my skin looking very natural!  By the way, did I mention that Revlon’s Photoready BB Cream has SPF 30? Love that!  Here I am wearing just the BB Cream and a bit of highlighter.

Before I get into the nail polish I received, I have to tell you guys I’m totally obsessed with Revlon’s Lip Butters.  The colors strike a perfect balance between sheer and vibrant! Like the BB Cream, the lightweight lip butters are perfect for spring and summer.  And, they have a nice muted shine…not too glossy. I recently bought three new colors – Juicy Papaya, Sorbet, and Wild Watermelon.  I finished up my makeup with some blush, mascara, and Revlon Lip Butter in Wild Strawberry!

Alright, back to the nail polish! “Ritzy” is such a great color.  At first glance, it looks like an opaque black and silver glitter polish, and initially, I thought it might be a little too dark for summer.  Still, I decided try it on one nail, and I loved it!  The color is actually more of a sheer dark charcoal with muted, subtle sparkle.  I decided to play up spring’s stripe trend and get “Ritzy” just on my tips.

Revlon believes there is more than one way for women to be seen. Revlon’s heritage as a color authority and its suite of innovative products inspires women around the world to express themselves through beauty each and every day.

Do you have any favorite Revlon products? Have you tried their BB Cream?

Disclosure: Compensation was provided by Revlon Consumer Products via Glam Media. The opinions expressed herein are those of the author and are not indicative of the opinions or positions of Revlon Consumer Products.

Nameless Neoprene Skater Dress via Cherry Bomb Boutique in L5P | Zara Sandals | The Sak Crossbody Bag | Street Vendor Earrings

So anyway, enough complaining! You may recognize this dress from some of the pictures in my Gillette Venus Step Up & Step Out summer tour recap.  I changed dresses a couple times during the event, but this was what I actually wore for the day.  I fell in love with this dress the moment I saw it at Cherry Bomb Boutique here in Atlanta.  I was actually worried because they didn’t have a size medium, and I didn’t think the small would fit.  As luck would have it, the small fit perfectly! I am so happy I tried it on!!

Thanks for stopping by!! XOXO.

Photography by Arianna Elizabeth Photography

Happy Monday, Lovelies!! This will be the last post in my series of sponsored posts with Gillette Venus as their Atlanta “Gambassador” for their Step Up & Step Out summer tour.  If you follow me on Twitter or Instagram, you probably noticed how much fun I had this weekend walking the blue carpet at Atlantic Station.   I am proud to report that Atlanta’s beautiful Goddesses showed up and WERKED the blue carpet, taking 5,293 steps, and raising $5,293 for the Step Up Women’s Network. WOOHOO!!!!

Before hitting the blue carpet, we had one assignment – GET GLAM!  We were escorted into a big blue tent filled with Cover Girl makeup, and a special selection of gorgeous, leg-baring designer dresses from Rent The Runway!

To prepare our legs for their big debut, we were also given a swag bag that among other goodies, included a choice of three Gillette Venus razors.  I chose the Venus + Olay razor in Vanilla Crème!

And, because the fab folks at Venus are so smart, they were ready for us with private shaving stations so we could try out the razors and get our legs all silky smooth for the runway!  Now, I’ve been using Gillette Venus razors for many years now, so I know how great they are, but this was my first time trying the Venus with Olay razor.  Impressed is an understatement!  What really blew me away was the fact that I honestly didn’t need to use any shaving cream with it.  The Olay moisturizing and conditioning bars at the top and bottom of the razor plus a little water did the trick.

As I was shaving my legs, my first thought was how convenient these razors would be on those occasions when I forget to shave my legs in the shower…or when I change my mind about wearing pants, only to look down at my legs and realize they could easily be mistaken for lost porcupines.  No more awkward-one-leg-in-the-sink-shaving-while-trying-to-balance-the-other-leg-on-a-slippery-bathroom-floor for me!

So, once my legs were all silky smooth, I slipped into a gorgeous Rodarte dress, and hit the blue carpet to none other than Gangnam Style!  (Best. Runway. Song. Ever.)  Now remember, for every step taken on the blue carpet, Gillette Venus is donating $1 to the Step Up Women’s Network, up to $25,000.  I was determined to take as many steps, and raise as many dollars as possible, so I danced and took baby steps all the way down the runway and back.

I actually ended up walking the blue carpet a second time because my girl Pascha was a little shy to walk by herself.  I told her she HAD to #StepUp, and I’d walk with her for moral support!  For my second stroll down the blue carpet, I chose a cute strapless Shoshanna dress!

Ladies, it’s not too late to get involved with this amazing cause.  The next stop on the #StepUp summer tour is Miami, followed by my hometown…LA, baby!  If you live in either of these cities, trust me…you don’t want to miss out on this fun opportunity to strut your stuff for a cause.  And, don’t worry if you can’t make it out to one of the events! You can still support the cause just by tweeting.  For every tweet using hashtag #StepUp, Gillette Venus will donate $1 in your honor.  It’s that simple!

Many thanks again to Gillette Venus for sponsoring me as their Atlanta “Gambassador.”  I had such an amazing time, and I am so proud to be a part of such a wonderful initiative! To read more about the Step Up & Step Out summer tour and see more pictures from the Atlanta and New York events, visit the website here! (If you walked the blue carpet, your picture should be there!)

Thanks for stopping by! XOXO.

 Photos by Arianna Elizabeth Photography

Oh, but that’s not all! You’ll also be able to try out Venus razors in the Venus shaving suite.  So, don’t worry if you don’t have time to shave your legs before you leave the house Saturday.  Venus has you covered, so you can get silky smooth before you hit the blue carpet!  Besides, you’re going to want to try the new Gillette Venus with Olay.  5 blades + all the moisturizing qualities of Olay = touchable soft legs all summer long!

So, doesn’t this sound like a fun time?  I’ll be there all day as your Atlanta Gambassador, and I can’t wait to strut the blue carpet with you.  Lindsey over at Saucy Glossie was the Gambassador at the New York event earlier this week, and she took 28 steps on the blue carpet, raising $28 for the Step Up Women’s Network!

Here are a few more pics of the ladies working it on the blue carpet at NYC event…and the racks on racks on racks full of gorgeous dresses from Rent The Runway.  So much fun!

Miranda Kerr will not be able to grace the south with her fabulous-ness, but I had to share a picture of her with her Gillette razor at the event in NYC.  She’s so stinkin’ gorgeous! And, anything she uses on her killer legs is definitely worth using on mine. Lol! Anyway, this event is FREE, open to the public, and for a really great cause…so spread the word!

Event Details

Where: Atlantic Station*
When: 11 am – 5pm
Admission: FREE
*Look for the blue tents!

See you on the blue carpet, ladies!!

Forever 21 Blouse  ($14, on sale) | Thrifted Shorts | JustFab shoes (very similar) | Vintage Necklaces (similar) | Geneva Watch (old) | Target Earrings (last year) | The Sak Crossbody Bag (similar) | Nails: Polish & Co “White Party” | Lips: Maybelline “Blissful Berry” | Random Sunnies (Target?? or Aldo??)

So, I was planning no wearing these shorts last week for the crop top challenge…they’re a perfect high-waisted companion for a crop top, buuuuut I am so happy I didn’t because then y’all would have had to talk about me for wearing them two Fridays in a row. Lol! I love these shorts with a sheer blouse left open and casually knotted.  I finished off my black and white ensemble with my JustFab Ankara sandals and chunky gold accessories.  Black, white, and gold – such a classic combination!

I also decided to put my hair up for the first time since my hair makeover! I was originally hoping that I’d be able to wear a ponytail, but there isn’t quite enough hair left out around my hairline for a full on pony.  So, this past weekend I spent some time on Pinterest looking for other casual updo ideas.   It’s getting a little hot in Atlanta, and I’m just not used to having all that hair on my neck and back.  Even when my hair was at my longest last summer, it was nowhere near as thick…that totally makes all the difference…and I always had the option of putting it up.   I actually a hairstyle I pinned a LONG time ago, and it was perfect! (by the way, I didn’t do any teasing!)

Now, it’s your turn!! Link up your Style Me Friday recreations below….and don’t forget to grab the badge!

<a href=”http://fashionista-next-door.com/category/style-me-friday” target=”_blank”><img src=”http://fashionista-next-door.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/style-me-friday-badge.jpg”></a>

*If you’re linking up from Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter, you won’t be able to use the badge, but please use hashtag #StyleMeFriday or just link back! Thank you!!!

**The link up will be open until next Thursday. **

**Submit looks for next week’s Style Me Friday via email, facebook, twitter, or Pinterest**

Photos by Arianna Elizabeth Photography

Hey Ladies (and gents!),  I recently had the opportunity try out Pantene’s new line of Truly Natural products created for specifically for women with natural hair.  Since the “Natural Hair Movement” started, I’m sure you all have noticed that the market has been flooded with an array of products and new brands tailored for natural hair.  It’s a beautiful thing, really!  Nowadays, there really is something out there for every hair type.  But, what about our old tried and true brands?  The products that we’ve all been using for years? In this era of natural hair enlightenment, have we left our old friends behind?  Well, I’m not so sure…I can only speak for myself.  Now, in the natural hair community, a lot of products come under fire from the ingredients police, but to be honest lean more towards the “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” school of thought.   And, while I am willing to try new products, if the products I was using before “the movement” had my hair swangin and bangin in the wind…well, I just can’t think of any reason to stop using them now.  This brings me to Pantene…OMG, I know so many women who have SWORN my Pantene’s products for as long as I can remember.  My buddy V over at Grit & Glamour is one of them and she has the most gorgeous hair.  And, my friend Mika back home in LA is a die hard Pantene fan, too.  So, while the new Pantene Truly Natural line does contain cones and sulfates, I was still excited to try it (and Fab was excited when I opened the box…he likes to steal my products. Lol!) So, I obviously still have my weave, and I’ve been going to the shop to get my full head professionally washed at the salon! BUT, in between salon visits, I have to wash the portions of my hair that were left out of the weave because my hair gets oily fast and I get a bit of dandruff.  So, the last two times I washed my hair, I used the Pantene Truly Natural shampoo and conditioner.   I am happy to report that the shampoo did not leave my hair parched.  I don’t know if this is going to make sense, but when I wash my hair with a bad shampoo, it immediately feels dry to the touch.  (I think of that feeling after you get out of the swimming pool…like your hair is wet, but it feels dry.)  But, that was not the case with the Pantene shampoo….even with the sulfates my hair felt clean and well…normal.  Next up was the Conditioner, and we all know Pantene’s conditioners are TheBomb.com. This one is no exception.  It left my hair feeling soft moisturized, and I was able to detangle with my fingers effortlessly. This is hair the day after I washed it it…so obviously, I have the wave in, but the hair two inches to the right and left my part, and all around my hairline is mine Lol!  Just like I normally do when I don’t have a weave, I let my hair air dry…the only difference was I twisted the sections of my hair to stretch the curl pattern while it dried, so I wouldn’t have to put so much heat on it when I styled it the next day.  When I untwisted my hair in the morning, it felt soft and well conditioned…and ready for styling!  I rubbed a tiny bit of the Pantene Truly Natural Shine Serum with Argan Oil through my hair, and used my curling wand to blend my hair with the weave hair, and I was out the door! I really fell in love with the Argan Oil serum.  Silicone-based serums are great heat protectant AND they are a lifesaver in Atlanta’s HUMID summer months. Once I take my weave out in a couple weeks, I can’t wait to try the Co-Wash and Defining Curls Styling Custard.  I was pleasantly surprised at the loose texture of the custard.  Usually styling products that come in jars are too heavy for my hair, but this one is more like a heavy cream or lotion…so it may just work! I’ll keep you guys posted. So, now for the good stuff…I am also partnering with Pantene to give away one full collection of Pantene Pro-V products of the winner’s choice!  If you win, you can choose from the Truly Natural line or the Truly Relaxed line. Yay!  Enter using the Rafflecopter widget below.   The giveaway will end 6/15.

Disclosure: I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls Collective, and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.

So for this third look, I was going for something feminine and polished….something I could wear on a cool summer evening for say….date night!

What to Wear With White Floral Print Jeans – Look #3

1. Start with a bold striped sweater, pulling from a color in the floral print. (or stick with your classic navy striped sweater.)
2. Add a neutral structured satchel.
3. Opt for a minimalist neutral sandal…you’ve already got enough going on with mixed prints and bold color.
4. Keep your accessories simple. A single chain necklace, simple dangly earrings or hoops, and a thin bracelets are all you need.

This striped pointelle sweater was a recent purchase from Forever 21 for only $13.80!! It comes in black and white too, and I think I need to get that color, too.  It’s the perfect lightweight sweater for spring and fall in Atlanta… sweaters don’t see the light of day in the sweltering Atlanta summer, but I’ll be spending some time in LA and Portland next month, and I’ll definitely be packing a few lightweight sweaters and jackets!

Forever 21 Sweater ($14) | JustFab Jeans and “Arrival” Satchel ($40, BOGO 50% off) | ASOS Hometown Sandals ($68, also in black, white, and silver…I need the silver!) | Versace Sunnies | Forever 21 Cross Earrings ($3) | Nails: Polish & Co “White Party”

More BaubleBar…

So, that’s it! 3 ways to wear white floral print jeans! How did I do?

(See Look #1 and Look #2 here!)

Photos by Arianna Elizabeth Photography