Red Hot Chili Peppers

Today's post is inspired by none other than the "feels like 96°" weather we're having in Houston today and the spicy cocktail yours truly will be craving at approximately 4:59 this afternoon. Now would be the appropriate time to tell you all about that chili-infused margarita recipe I've perfected, but alas, such is the stuff of my wannabe-homemaker dreams. So instead, I'll encourage my fellow Houstonians to take a jaunt downtown to visit The Pastry War, where one can (visit me! and) find yummy micheladas with chile pequin salted rims and a jalapeño-infused cocktail that goes by the name of the Pelirojo. Tuesday boozeday, #amIright?

If at this point you're asking yourself: "does this girl ever think about anything else besides happy hour and shopping?", I'll just clear the air and say no, unless you count good plans for future weekends, good theme ideas for future parties, good names for future flat-face cats, good itineraries for future vacations, and all of life's mysteries as worthwhile ruminations. 

Bamboo Clutch - J. McLaughlin// Red Button Top - The Reformation// Red Eyelet Skirt - Lisa Marie Fernandez// Cactus Mules - Katy Perry Collections//Glass Chili Earrings - Auden//Off the Shoulder Gown - Temperley London// Red & Hot Pink Heels - Kate Spade//Green, Red & Orange Earrings - Ullallabijoux// White Crop Top - T by Alexander Wang// Orange Shorts - Alexis// Red Mochila - Soraya Hennessy// Chili Pepper Anklet Heel - Charlotte Olympia// Off the Shoulder Striped Dress - Misa Los Angeles// Hot Stuff Clutch - Sarah's Bag// Beaded Chili Pepper Earrings - Etsy// Red Strap Heels - Bella Marie

Green Day

It's Monday and after mucho trabajo my brain is having itself a semi-fried kinda life (baby, baby). So we're leaving today's post in the hands of Michel Pastoureau, French professor of medieval history and author of Green: The History of a Color, in which he lists the complicated symbolic meanings associated with the color vert:

  1. The color of destiny, luck, and fortune; of money, of chance, of hope
  2. The color of nature, ecology, hygiene, health, freshness
  3. The color of youth, of the sea that raises, of liberalism
  4. The color of permission, freedom
  5. The color of the Devil and of the strange
  6. The color of acid, which stings and poisons 

I like lists, I like knowing weird, useless information, I like the color green, and I like being able to say (with authority now, thanks to Mr. Pastoureau) that when one wears the color green one figuratively and literally dons a fresh-to-death look with devilish vibes. Time to add some more vert to your vestido - good thing I did some leg work for you with the looks below. 

Green Flower Earrings - Ranjana Khan// Yellow Dress - Need Supply// Round Sunglasses - A.J. Morgan// Malachite Basket Purse - Cult Gaia// Black Flower Heels - Rochas// Yellow Flower Earrings - Ranjana Khan// White Top - Tibi// Sequin Pants - Ganni/ Yellow Mules - Gianvito Rossi// Flower Clutch - Ashlyn'd// Yellow Beaded Earrings - Tuckernuck// Yellow Sunglasses - Allyn Scura// Green Dress - Whistles// Woven Clutch - J. Crew// Palm Slides - Dolce Vita

Make One-Pieces Great Again

This time last year I was in the initial stages of gearing up the stress factory that was my body before the bar exam and wedding planning. A year later, the most "stressful" thing on today's forecast is deciding what food court vendor I should visit for lunch (yes, my indecisiveness actually brings me more anxiety than an assignment deadline). This is all to say that the bikinis my pale-shivering-with-nerves-but-maybe-I'll-take-a-study-break body rocked last summer aren't necessarily doing me a favor this summer. Which is why as of late I've gone full throttle one-piece, and am writing to convince you to do the same. 

The advantages of the full-piece bathing suit are plentiful, so as not to bore you (don't we love discussing bathing suit bodies during our lunch hour?!) I'll highlight my favorite benefits, sparknote style:

  1. You still get tan in all the right - and more importantly - necessary places. Is there truly a need to tan the stomach? It's not like you're going out to dinner with belly exposed and if you are then there are other, more pertinent issues you may (seriously) need to attend to.
  2. The cover-up situation is at its easiest: just throw on a bottom. And big earrings (to keep your ear lobes from getting wet!!!)
  3. Something about a one-piece helps tone down your otherwise in-your-face obnoxious personality with a vibe of modest, old-school flare. Even if you sound like a seagull from up close, from far away you still look like a vintage bathing beauty.  
  4. Perhaps the greatest perk of all: indulge in all the croissants, rosé, and butter-based substances your little heart desires since the spandex of the suit works as a natural sucking-in mechanism for your tummy. Give this face to all the poor souls in string bikinis who look at you with envious longing as you take a big 'ole bite. You know I did. 

Tassel Earrings - Hart Hagerty// Garnet Cat Eye Glasses - Le Specs// Gingham Bathing Suit - Solid & Striped// Light Blue Culottes - Club Monaco// Flower Slides - Zara// Red Lipstick - YSL (Le Rouge)// Rose Mirrored Sunglasses - Le Specs// Bustier Bathing Suit - Tory Burch// Pink Flower Earrings - Kate Spade//  Pink Shorts - Paper London// Scarf - Pucci// White Bathing Suit - Michael Kors// Black Shorts - J. Crew// Red Earrings - Ken Samudio// Black Round Sunglasses - Le Specs// Black Bathing Suit - Same Swim// Floral Pants - Zara// Monogram Straw Tote - Mariella Vilar

(filtered) photographic evidence

(filtered) photographic evidence

Disco Fields of French Florals

Remember how I mentioned yesterday that while boppin' around St. Tropez boutiques I was jotting down the names of brands and designers off the tags of some fab frenchy finds? Well pictured below are a few of the style souvenirs I brought back for ya -  it's a organza floral brocade silken lamé extravaganza and each is meant to be worn under the soft, glamorous glow of a revolving disco ball. It even says so on the tags (if my nonexistent understanding of the French language serves me right). 

Polka Dot Brocade Top - Nadya Dyzak// Polka Dot Brocade Shorts - Nadya Dyzak// White Floral Top - Roseanna// Black Floral Skirt - Roseanna// Sunglasses - Dolce & Gabbana// Metallic Pink Shirt - Michel Klein// Flower Lace Top - Nadya Dzyak// Yellow Pants - Nadya Dzyak// Lamé Ruffle Top - Roseanna// Lamé Floral Pants - Roseanna// Pink Brocade Dress - Manoush// Lilac Brocade Dress - Nadya Dzyak

Dress Me like one of those French Girls

Whether I (or you) like it or not, I am back from my travels and officially back in your lives. My radio silence had purpose, as I treated my trip to St. Tropez as part-vacay, part shopping research mission, feeling a responsibility to contribute (however so insignificantly) to cracking the forever unsolvable "how to do anything like a French girl" code.

In case you were worried I would return as a too-cool-for-school-I-summer-in-the-south-of-France-and-have-lost-interest-in-my-overexposed-blogging-American-ways, fear not. As if my overdoing it on the Instas weren't enough, find comfort in knowing that upon entering each store and being greeted with a "Bonjour madame!", I responded with deer-in-headlight look and a gringafied "Bawn-jur! HELLO!". That, together with my creepy habit of taking photos of all the tags and brand names (research!), was probs enough to solidify my last place in line to the cool French girl club. C'est la vie.

Our first stop on my Tour de Tropez takes us to Rue Gambetta, where we find the Chelsea-based boutique Baar & Bass, whose racks are lined with some of the chicest beach-to-bar ensembles. Silk tops and jumpsuits, embroidered smock dresses, and big crochet accessories are just a few of the necessary elements needed to master the bon vivant look of ze French Riviera. Just add a glass of rosé and you're already one step closer to being a little less Rachel Dratch, a little more Bridge Bardot. 

Rose Mirrored Glasses - Krewe// Leopard Blouse - Rixo London// Satin Shorts - Paloma Blue// French Candles - Bella Freud// Pink Halter Jumpsuit - Seren London// Red Gingham Top - Innika Choo// Red Gingham Shorts - Innika Choo// Fruit Hoops - Mercedes Salazar// Red Tassel Top - Baar & Bass// Blue Hoops - Mercedes Salazar// Green Print Jumpsuit - Seren London// Denim Embroidered Top - Innika Choo// Denim Embroidered Shorts- Innika Choo// Pink Hoops - Mercedes Salazar// Blue Tassel Top - Baar & Bass// Espadrilles - Mint & Rose (Blue, Tan, Yellow)// Embroidered Smock Dresses - Innika Choo (Blue Gingham, Lemon, Peach)// Evil Eye Bracelet - Alexandra B.