Last month I went to Charleston for my birthday weekend. While we were there the weather was still quite chilly. It’s warmed up in Los Angeles, but I know some places are still cold. I wanted to share with you guys my favorite chilly weather spring outfit. I never used to be a turtleneck kind of girl, but this shirt has made me a convert. Not only is it super comfortable, but it’s very chic tucked into any pair of jeans.
Speaking of jeans, this is my first pair of Rag and Bone denim jeans and I would live in them if I could. They are SO comfortable. Especially for being high waisted. I feel like suck you in at all the right places, but aren’t super tight to the point of no return. If you’re looking for new jeans, definitely check these out.
The other day I was FaceTiming with my mom while wearing this off the shoulder dress (as I normally do to see the puppies, duh) and she asked “did you get that dress for half off cause it’s missing a sleeve”. LOL old people humor. But for real, I got this dress from Express for not that much (it’s on sale right now for $50!). I’m really trying to dress up more in 2018, as I sit here writing this post dressed like a hobo…don’t judge me it’s freezing in LA right now. Dresses are the easiest way to dress up (pun intended) and look put together without putting in much effort.
Also, I’m going to Charleston this weekend for my birthday, woot woot! I seriously CAN NOT wait! Be sure to follow me on instagram @esthercollinsbecause I will be posting a ton during my trip, showing you guys what I am doing! If you guys have ever been to Charleston, let me know your favorite places that I should check out. I’ve never been before so I am stoked!
I’ve been on a major jumpsuit kick lately. I love that this trend is coming back in full swing. Rompers are perfect for summer but jumpsuits are a great in between season piece. I got this MINKPINK jumpsuit in my last DailyLook Elite Box. I’m so obsessed with this jumpsuit. It’s perfect for during the day, and even works for a night out. The cut outs in the back show a little skin without it being too revealing. I’ve already gotten quite a few wears in this jumpsuit. I love this jumpsuit in particular because its loose in some places but form fitting in others.
Since this jumpsuit has a pattern throughout, I decided to keep the jewelry to a minimum. I paired it with a simple choker, and two rings. I used to be ALL about the chunky jewelry, the bigger the better am I right? But recently, I’ve really been into delicate jewelry. If you guys know of any cute delicate jewelry brands, let me know! I’m always on the hunt!
It’s starting to feel warm in Los Angeles. Shockingly I feel like we’ve been having a very cold and rainy year so far. But it’s starting to warm up and you know what that means…it’s time to start wearing dresses. Dresses are some of my favorite things to wear because you really don’t have to think too much when putting together an outfit. I recently bought this Zara dress online and I’m obsessed. It’s a thicker material so it’s perfect for the transition weather. Stripes have also become a new obsession of mine. They’re a fun pattern that’s perfect for spring!
How was everyone’s week? Mine has been crazy busy. Monday I had work meetings all day and then I had to run home for a Bachelor viewing party we were throwing at our apartment. We had plenty of rose, cucumbers and cheesy pasta (Corinne/Raquel style)! I also made a apple gruyere toast, which I may do a blog post on in the future because it’s DELISH!
Can we just talk about the Bachelor finale?? Let’s be honest we all knew Nick was going to pick Vanessa but I was surprised at how much they lacked chemistry during AFR (After the Final Rose for you noobs). I felt like Nick and Vanessa liked each other as much as everyone liked Juan Pablo. It was slightly painful to watch. But kuddos to Raven for looking AMAZING and taking the high road. Also, I was really surprised they showed some of Rachel’s men for the next season. As completely awkward as the whole exchange was, it got me pretty excited for her season. Is it May yet??
Speaking of the Bachelor/Bachelorette, I have to make a confession. I saw JoJo Fletcher wearing this sweater on her snapchat, so I went out and bought it. Total Mean Girls style. But I mean come on, this sweater is SO CUTE, am I right? This choker sweater has been in serious rotation in my wardrobe. I love it for a casual day with some jeans and booties like I styled here. I’ve also worn this for a night out with a leather jacket thrown over it and some heels. How would you guys style this sweater?
I stumbled upon a small boutique on Melrose Avenue called Style Delivers last year, and I’ve become hooked. They sell a lot of fast fashion items at a reasonable price point. It’s a great store to look for Vegas dresses, which I’m going in a couple weeks for my birthday and I can not wait! My first time into Style Delivers I saw this purple duster and I absolutely fell in love! It’s so chic and so soft. It’s perfect to throw over a plain dress or even some jeans to create some mega-drama!
Speaking of drama – let me just tell you about my weekend… I went to Napa for a friend’s birthday celebration. All was good until the rain hit. Being from the east coast you would think a little rain wouldn’t scare anyone. My flight going to Napa got cancelled but luckily I got on another one that flew out. Our other friends got delayed and ended up having to spend the night at the airport. Oh but wait, the drama doesn’t stop there. While in Napa, we went out to a nice dinner only to find a staple in my food. Yup. A staple. I don’t think I’ve ever been so traumatized.
After those rough 24 hours you’d think, nothing else could go wrong. Right? I was ready to get back to LA and see my dog and just sit on the couch and CHILL. That was until I got an alert saying my flight once again got cancelled. Luckily my friends champed it with me and we ended up getting a rental car and drove from Napa back to LA. It only took us, oh you know, about 8 hours to get home.
As crazy and terrible the things life threw at us were, I had a pretty fun weekend. Rather than wallow in our misery we made the most of the trip and ended up having a blast. Plus I discovered a new favorite line of champagne from Mumm Winery. We also decided on our trip that we’re going to be doing two weeks of Whole 30, and attempt the Year of Yes. So wish us luck, we might need it!
Subscription boxes have become a huge thing in the recent years. I’ve become a sucker to a lot of them. I’ve tried a bunch and currently get the PopSugar box each month. I kept seeing ads for DailyLook’s Elite Box and I just couldn’t resist trying it out. Basically you pay $40 for a box of clothing that has been personally styled just for you. That $40 is then used towards any items you want to purchase from your box. If you get an item you don’t like, you just return it free of charge.
I love to shop, but I’m also lazy AF so this box sounded pretty ideal for me. I signed up online, and took their quick style quiz. The questions range from telling them your sizing to different style preferences. I also gave them my social media figuring they don’t actually even look at it. I got my box the other day and was pleasantly surprised when I got a note from my stylist Martha (shoutout to Martha!). She said in her note how she looked through my blog and Instagram and saw one of my recent posts about off the shoulder tops. I LOVED the personalization which I really didn’t expect. Okay, so onto what was in the box. Here were all the items I received:
When I first saw this shirt in the box I really wasn’t thrilled. But honestly, when I tried it on it was perfect. The shirt fit perfectly and I loved the cutouts on the side. This would be the perfect work shirt. KEEP.
This maxi dress was HUGE, and not only that but it made me look HUGE. This was definitely my least favorite item from the box. RETURN
Faithfull the Brand is one of my favorite brands. I own another one of their dresses and I absolutely love it. I’ve seen their shirt dresses all over and have been wanting to try it out. Unfortunately the cut and color just didn’t look good on me. RETURN
This was my favorite item in the box. It’s an off the shoulder top (but fits me like a dress). It’s SO cute and has a sweetheart neckline that is so flattering. I can’t wait to wear this out. KEEP
I’ve really been wanting to try One Teaspoon shorts. I loved these shorts they were super cute and comfy, however the sizing just wasn’t right. RETURN
These jeans were super cute and fit really well. Unfortunately I have about 20 pairs of jeans already in my closet, so I figured I shouldn’t buy anymore. RETURN
Overall, I was really happy with my first box. I kept 2 out of the 6 items. The gray tank will be in serious rotation ASAP and I can’t wait for it to get warmer out so I can wear my new leopard dress! I’m excited to see what my next Elite Box will bring! Get your own Elite Box here.
Can you believe it’s already February?? This month has kind of felt like a drag but at the same time it’s gone so fast. We got a lot of much needed rain here in LA, but luckily it’s starting to finally warm up. I love when it’s warm out and I can finally go outside without a heavy jacket, or no jacket at all. This look is sure to be one of my go-to looks this spring. It’s simple, yet chic.
Wrap chokers have become one of my favorite pieces of jewelry as of late. They’re great because they’re so versatile. You can wear them in so many different ways. Here are my three favorite ways of wearing a wrap choker. All three ways make this look completely different. In the first look, I wrapped the choker around my neck and left the two ties undone in the front. This gives the look a slightly messy undone feel and keeps it casual. This is my favorite way of wearing this choker.
The second way I like to style this choker is the most classic. Throw the ties in the back so you can’t see it, and wear this like a normal choker.
Lastly, you can make this wrap into a Y-choker. This gives the illusion that you’re not only wearing a choker, but also a lariat pendant. It’s perfect for shirts like this with a deep V. How would you guys style your wrap choker? Click here for a list of my favorite chokers.
This past Saturday, my roommates and I had a very eventful day. We woke up early and headed to Santa Monica to the Planet Blue Flea Market. This was seriously a mad house. I have never seen so many girls rummaging through piles and piles of clothes. The sale was AWESOME. I found a brand new For Love & Lemon tank for $20! After the sample sale, we headed over to Urth Caffe for lunch. If you’re in LA and haven’t checked out Urth Caffe yet, you are seriously missing out. Urth was the first place in LA I went to when I was visiting years ago, while still in college. I loved it then and I still love it now.
After Urth, we decided to head over to Abbot Kinney to get some donuts from Blue Star (another must go-to spot!). On the walk to Blue Star, we saw this super cute palm tree mural and had to snap some pics! While in Venice we also checked out the Artists and Fleas pop-up. My roommates and I all got matching rings and I picked up a super cute choker. Overall, I would have to say this day was perfection.
There is nothing I love more than an all black and white ensemble. It’s my go to look for day or night. The weather is finally warming up here in LA and we’re finally getting the summer heat. The other night I went out to dinner (sushi, my fave!) and then off to a comedy show to support a friend of a friend. I knew we would be going out afterwards so I threw together this simple, yet chic look that I could take from day to night. I’m obsessed with this leather jacket I got at Nasty Gal. It’s pretty much the only outerwear I ever bring out to the bars. It’s cropped and so cute over a dress or even a blouse with a pair of jeans. These strappy sandals are also a must for me. I got them for New Years Eve and I’ve been wearing them almost every weekend ever since. They’re the perfect pair of heels that go with absolutely every outfit.
I feel like I’ve been going to a lot of comedy shows lately. If you’re ever in the LA area and looking for a good laugh, I highly recommend The Improv or The Comedy Store!
Jacket: Blank NYC // Shirt: Brandy Melville {similar} // Jeans: Rag and Bone // Bag: Gucci {similar} // Shoes: Steve Madden {similar}
