Bold In Blue.

August 22, 2014 Kelly Donohue

August 22, 2014

Los Angeles, CA.

Time got away from me this week- I cannot believe it is already Friday! That being said, today’s post is going to be short and sweet because, well, to be honest, I am running so late that I am brushing my teeth as we speak…but hey there are no rules because it’s Friday!

Today I decided to keep things really simple. I played around with textures, mixing the white capped-sleeve crochet top with a high-waisted ruffle skirt. I also added this adorable Chevron clutch from 9th & Elm. It’s got an adorable vintage feel to it. Again, if you haven’t checked out 9th & Elm yet, I love it because everything is handmade by independent designers, making them one of a kind. Whether it’s a denim or a pastel, a sky or royal, blue is a color we find ourselves weaving in and out of our wardrobes every season. It just so happens that in the summer, the hues are a bit brighter and today, hopefully my bold blues will distract from my tardiness!

TGIF!

Ruffle-Waist Skirt: Forever21

Chevron Clutch: c/o 9th & Elm

Top: Forever21

Whale Bracelet: Pink Pineapple Shop

Nude Wedges: NineWest

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Photos Taken By: Art Voskonian

Dance It Off

August 20, 2014 Kelly Donohue

August 20, 2014

Downtown Los Angeles, CA.

Taylor Swift really has an affect on me. She released this video “Shake it off” on Monday and last night, I found myself in a dance class for the first time in YEARS. I joined a group of my friends and crashed their regular hip-hop class downtown. Initially embarrassed by my tight leggings and ballet attire, which caused me to stick out amongst the sea of dancers clad in flannels and baggy clothing, I took Taylor’s approach and danced it out my own way. Everyone in the class had the same approach. No one cared about skill level, or getting the combination perfectly. In fact, a girl came to the front and essentially reinvented her own version of twerking halfway through the combination. It was amazing! She totally abandoned the steps, did her own thing, and was applauded by everyone for doing so because after all dance, art, and life is only made interesting by making and choosing to do it your own way.

After dance class, we hit up Taco Tuesday at Casa La Dona, for a well-deserved delicious feast! If you’re looking to find a great Mexican spot, this place is a MUST. It’s not a fancy shmancy place, but it is tasty, the service is amazing, and the food has got just the right amount of spice!

Now, it is a well-known fact that Los Angeles is always sunny and glorious but it is a bit less known that most nights are quite cool. Therefore, I embrace steamy evenings like last night and I dress myself accordingly. I paired high-waisted black shorts with a lightweight cropped sweater tee and some black heels. It was a fun dinner outfit perfect for a warm summer on the town. (Now if only I could l learn to dance in heels!)

Things are lightening up this Fall and one of the latest trends I’ve noticed is sizing down purses. That’s right, we’re trading in oversized purses for mini bags this upcoming season and being the owner of several Mary Poppins-type bags myself, this is one trend I am getting a head start on. I chose this little over the shoulder pink purse for my evening out on the town. It’s just big enough for my essentials and nothing more!

Kelly's Under $100 Look:

Pocket Shorts: $17.80 Forever21

Earrings: c/o ThatsMineBoutique!

Striped Oatmeal & Black Top: $15.80 Forever21

Heels: (On Sale right now) $34.99 J essica Simpson

Pink Shoulder Purse: (mine is old from H&M) but check out this similar one here

Total: $68.59

Shop this Look Here!

Photos by: Art Voskonian

New Habits.

August 18, 2014 Kelly Donohue

August 18, 2014

Disney Concert Hall

Do you find yourself ordering the same dish every time you return back to the same restaurant with the same group of friends in the same part of town? Do you frequent your favorite vacation spots year after year, stick to similar workout regimens, and diversify your grocery list only when you need to grab ingredients for your go-to chocolate chip cookie recipe? If the answer is yes to some or all of the above, then it’s pretty safe to say, that like me, and most of the planet, you are a creature of habit.

There is absolutely nothing wrong with finding peace in a ritualistic behavior that provides repetitive comfort. It’s a great feeling to know what you are getting yourself into, especially if it is something you’ve enjoyed in the past. However, it can also be great to change up your routine from time to time because quite frankly, if you continue to see the world through one very limited lens, there’s a good chance you might miss out on all the things that are to become your new favorite habits.

Since I often stick to local eateries and similar weekend activities on my side of town, I have decided to make it a goal to explore different parts of the city. This weekend I met up with some friends downtown (a part of LA I usually reserve only for making trips to serve jury duty). We tried out a delicious new Italian spot called Drago Centro, but before that, we made a stop at the Walt Disney Concert Hall.

Home to the LA Philharmonic, this architectural masterpiece sits in the heart of the city and though I have driven past it before, I had never ventured inside. Tall and sail-like, the structure is designed to help to block out the noise of the surrounding city, creating a peaceful oasis that overlooks nearby skyscrapers and traffic lights. Spending most of our visit relaxing in the pristine community garden, which is open to the public, it was a simple outing made to be more exciting through my new visiting eyes.

For my night out downtown, I wore a vintage inspired tea dress from Forever21. The pleated skirt is girly, flattering and makes popping around the city even more enjoyable. Sometimes I think that my wardrobe is made up of 90% dresses because they are just so hard to resist! With the right dress, you can get away with minimal accessories and jewelry, while still managing to look complete. I paired my everyday silver studs with a handmade red sailor knot necklace from 9th & Elm, which was just enough. I love 9th & Elm because everything is handmade by independent designers, making them one of a kind. Oh and what’s even better? Everything is always on sale!

So go ahead eat more greens, take a different route to work, or simply explore a new part of your city, but make a habit of changing up your routine because you never know what you’ll discover.