I See You, Friday

Oh yes, I do. May today usher in a weekend filled with good vibes, happy times, and violent delights without violent ends. And if that's easier said than done, we can always rely on our old friend the evil eye to ward the zero-chill spirits away (at least until Monday). 

Embellished Sunglasses - Mary Jane Claverol// Gold Flower Earrings - Jennifer Behr// Pink Off the Shoulder Top - Isolda// Ruffled Skirt - Lalo// Evil Eye Pouch - Coral & Tusk// Evil Eye Heels - Gucci// Evil Eye Ring - Daniela Salcedo// Light Blue Clutch - Gedebe// Python Eye Charm - Ximena Kavalekas// Phone Case - Rebecca Minkoff

Armarium: For When You Get That Fancy Feel

Every now and then (you know, when I'm not waiting in line for Chick-Fil-A in my go-to downtown Houston food-court, driving my husband's F150 around town, or picking cat hair off my athleisure weekend uniform) I get bit by the fancy fly and get an itch for the kind of dress up that makes you forget you drink cheap wine and indulge in What-A-Burger on the reg.

If you find yourself experiencing such fancy feelings, I would direct you to Armarium, a luxury fashion rental site that offers couture and ready-to-wear dresses and accessories from some of the designers you've only dreamt about rocking - until now. Armarium's inventory is unreal - I'm talkin' gowns you see on the red carpet, Matches, or Farfetch that make you daydream about what it would be like to be the kind of person who drops a couple Gs with a few clicks (whoever those lucky maniacs are). The idea behind the rental service is to "introduce you to the dream of the brand and the runway message of the designers" and they make it easy, by offering alterations and assistance from their high-profile stylists. 

With wedding season in full summa-time swing, it could be fun to give Armarium a test run. That way, when you get a "Er-mar-gerd I love your dress! Remind me where I've seen it before?" you can respond with "probably the Cannes red carpet" while flaring your nostrils and making this face.   

Malachite Petal Earrings - Oscar de la Renta// Gold Paillette Dress - Prabal Gurung (via Armarium)// Sea Urchin Purse - Jamin Puech// Green Velvet Heels - Kate Spade// Ball Drop Earrings - Oscar de la Renta// Ostrich Feather Dress - Marchesa (via Armarium)// Blue Rhinestone Heels - Frances Valentine// Light Blue Clutch - Bottega Veneta// Black Feather Earrings - Oscar de la Renta// Gold Circle Midi Dress - Kris Goyri (via Armarium)// Embroidered Velvet Bag - Gucci// Black & Gold Heels - Charlotte Olympia

'Cause I Only Got Eyes for Blue

One of my Insta followers recently asked me if I could put together a nautical-type themed collage with longer, floor-length options. Your wish is my command, honey bunny.

Blue & white stripes seem like they're dominating the air waves recently and as a I'd-tattoo-"light-blue-4-eva"-on-my-shoulder-cuz-thats-how-much-I-lurve-it kinda gal, I'm totally okay with that. But sometimes a girl needs more options than the off-the-shoulder seersucker that everyone and their mamasitas are rockin' (don't get me wrong - I got blue & white stripes a plenty & I got off-the-shoulders galore). But you want more - you want that shade of blue ensemble you won't feel silly for buying when you see a replica priced at 1/10th the price next week on a is-this-website-even-real? online store. I've been there, and I got you. And I won't let anything stand in the way of our azure-cyan-navy-cobalt-cornflower blue love affair. 

White Ruffle Top - Keepsake// Bird Ruffle Skirt - Peter Pilotto// Blue Evening Bag - Hayden Lasher// Seersucker Dress - Staud// Striped Mules - No. 21// Striped Bon Bons - Rebecca DeRavenel// Striped Bustier & Pant - Sandra Weill (Top, Bottom)// Striped Tote - Antonello Tedde// Strapless Striped Gown - Halston// Acrylic Striped Clutch - Edie Parker// Ruffle Tartan Dress - Gemasach// Striped Sandals - Nanette by Nanette Lepore

Let's Make Pride Year a Thing

Did you know this month is LGBTQ Pride Month? Just when I thought I had to wait until July for my next holiday, I find out that the entire month of June (to commemorate the June 1969 Stonewall riots) is a parades-parties-and-festival filled celebration of the impact LGBT people have had in the world. Leave it to the LGBTQ community to 1) win the we-know-how-to-party-better-than-you-do award and 2) make me feel like I've been taking an extended stay in la la land (not the good kind). You know it's bad when the Library of Congress knows about Pride Month ("the purpose of the commemorative month is to recognize the impact that lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender individuals have had on history locally, nationally, and internationally") and you don't. I mean, yes - the LOC amasses much more info than I could ever retain, but for it to know of a party before I do? No bueno.  

BUT in all fairness to moi, I didn't realize that June was the month. We can go into what this says about my news/life resources, but let's not. Instead, let's talk about how just this morning GQ published an article that discusses how pride festivals are becoming the new vacation itinerary, due in part to their temporal frequency: "you don’t have to limit yourself to June; you can hop from Pride to Pride every single month of the year". So maybe it isn't Pride Month anymore, but Pride Year. All it takes is a second to reflect on the immeasurable impact members of the LGBTQ community have had on my life to make me consider writing to the Library of Congress to tell it what's up (whose schoolin' who now?!). And I don't need to mention how good a years-worth of rainbow-clad festivities sounds, do I?

Beaded Rainbow Earrings - Etsy// Rainbow Sticker - Anya Hindmarch// White Dress - Mara Hoffman// Straw Bag - Kayu// Rainbow Cork Heels - Sophia Webster// Rainbow Aviators - Gucci// Crochet Rainbow Earrings - Venessa Arizaga// Silk Top & Skirt - DVF (Top, Skirt)// Sequin Rainbow Tote - Ashish// Sequin Slides - D&G// Rainbow Sunglasses - Agatha Ruiz de la Prada// Sequin Rainbow Dress - Daisy Shely// Beaded Clutch - Santi// Rainbow Slide Heels - Alice & Olivia// Acrylic Rainbow Earrings - Jennifer Loiselle// Stripe Dress - No. 21// Furry Slides - All Things Mochi// Rainbow Cloud Clutch - Les Petit Joueurs// Pink Rhinestone Earrings - Shourouk// Heart & Star Stickers - Anya Hindmarch// Terry Stripe Jumpsuit - La Double J// Rainbow Clutch - Milly// Feather Heels - Charlotte Olympia

Do You Know a Better Flag to Wave?

Happy birthday to Old Glory, who turns 240 years young today. Leaving my audience with some patriotic rah-rah is better done by the experts, so I'll leave it to them. Give the flag her due by reading the following quote while listening to Born in the U.S.A. and tell me you don't feel like a better American already:

Sure I wave the American flag. Do you know a better flag to wave? Sure I love my country with all her faults. I'm not ashamed of that, never have been, never will be. - John Wayne

'Merica, baby. 

Crochet Dress - Anna Kosturova// Red Beaded Earrings - Bibi Marini//Striped Speaker - Sunny Life// Red Embroidered Slide - Tabitha Simmons// Monkey Basket Purse - Tory Burch// White Collared Dress - English Factory// Navy & White Tassel Earring - Suzanna Dai// Crochet Bikini - Anna Kosturova//Navy Smocked Bikini - Lisa Marie Fernandez// Bow Slides - Frances Valentine// Blue Beaded Earrings - Bibi Marini// Red Dress - Ulla Johnson// Anchor Bag - Soraya Hennessy// Red & Blue Espadrilles - Balenciaga