Holiday Highlights and Cheers to a New Year!

Hey, Hi, and Happy New Year! 

I hope you all had a fun-filled holiday season! Although I was hesitant about immediately embracing the holidays at first, I soon began to revel in the season and all it's splendor. So, naturally now that it's over, I have the post-holiday melacholies (for those of you that have read my blog before, you know I go through post-season melancholies so this is nothing new ^.^).

So, here's an ode to the 2012 holiday season in photos. Hope you enjoy!

 Memories of the way we were. R.I.P. 2012 Holiday Season.

Ice Skating at Central Park with my bestie. <3

It was a mild day, so I was able to get away with wearing a denim jacket and leggings. I layered a black fur vest over the jacket for added warmth and style. Check out some snapshots below that my BFF took of me at Columbus Circle before skating.

 After a few seated shots, I thought, Hey, why don't I just stand on the silver pillar, that would be cool! However, that was a major fail since I'm 5'1" and completely uncoordinated! Check out my fail in photos and peep the photobomber smirking at my struggle! :-/

On to the fun! We're actually pretty good skaters and only fell once. Thank God for that since it hurt ... a lot!

Here's a mini collage of my buddy Rachel, my dad and I at Rock Center. 

Cheers to a Golden New Year!!

 On New Year's Eve, I rocked a metallic gold sweater, leather jeggings, & leather boots. 

And accessories? Yes, please. 

I thought these gold zebra print nail decals were just the right fit for New Year's Eve. I also layered my lion link chain with an additional double linked goodie, a gold purse and a black and gold spiked cuff.

 Happy New Year Y'all! Let's make this one really count!!

XOXO,

Monica

Under the Mustard Sun

Hope everyone is enjoying this holiday season so far! To me, it seems like the holidays have approached so abruptly this year. Sort of like, 'Slam, Bam, Merry Christmas Ma'am!' But, the holidays are here and it really is a wonderful time of year, so I am going to make the most out of it and indulge in the delights of the season! :-)

And today, I'm indulging in all the rich hues of fall including one of my faves, mustard! I like the color for a number of reasons. First, it's so versatile and goes well with lots of other colors and skin tones. And since it's in the yellow family, it brightens up your wardrobe. And when the sun seems so far away, I like to wear lively colors to brighten my appearance and even lift my mood. 

Check out my pics below!

My friend Rachel and I snapped these shots during lunch and I thought the flowers and fall leaves were a nice backdrop, so I took off my coat and quickly snapped these shots! Can you tell that I was freezing??

Cardi: NY & Co

Python Tank: Express

Pants: Conway (old)

Wedges: DSW

After a fun lunch, I returned to work to piles of paperwork awaiting me. And after a good fight, the paperwork won!

PKO - Paperwork Knock Out

All in a day's work, I guess. ;-) 

XO,

Monica

OOTD: Fuchsia & Mustard

Hey Blogger Beauties!

I recently set some financial goals for myself, so that means that my shopping has been VERY limited this season. And, while yes, this is a painful process (pray for me, y'all!), I know that it will be worth it in the long run. ;-)

Last night, I stared my closet down and came up with this outfit and color combo - fuchsia & mustard! I bought the mustard blouse over the summer for super cheap (like $14 cheap) in Conway, and I've had the fuchsia sweater for years! Check out the look below.

I also rocked these glasses today, you know, so I wouldn't bump into stuff. Some of my friends like the specs, while others think they're ridic. I like them & that's what matters, right?! ;-)

Check out this cool link necklace! I got it from Macy's through a credit I had with the store. Sweet score, right?

Have any ideas on how to shop through your closet that you'd like to share? I'd love to hear about it in the comments below!

XOXO,

Monica

What a Wonder-Fall World!

Hey Guys,

As you may have noticed, I've been MIA for a little while, but I'm back! :-)

For the past month or so, the world has been trying to convince me to embrace fall. Call it the September melancholies, but I wasn't buying it! You see, I live in NYC and while I do enjoy the upcoming holiday season, I really can not take the bitter cold that comes along with it. And to me, fall is just a reminder of what is to come, so it feels sort of ominous in that way. Plus, the days become shorter, my toes go into shoe/boot prison for the next 6 months and I become oh-so-pale during the colder months. This is my September struggle, so it's really not until October, when I'm done fighting the onset of fall, that I am able to fully embrace and enjoy the wonders of the season. Better late than never, right?

Check out some of my fall faves below <3 

Fallin' for  flavors! - Cinnamon, nutmeg & anything pumpkin
From Godiva pumpkin truffles (you HAVE to try these), to pumpkin lattes to pumpkin pie - if it's pumpkin, it's fine by me! 

I'm also drawn into the raw beauty of fall, the robust colors of green turned golden, burnt orange and rust red. It's really once the leaves begin to turn I'm reminded of how fleeting this season really is and to indulge in it's beauty.

Check out my fall color inspired looks with some pattern mixing sprinkled in, of course. ;-)

Reds, oranges & yellows - I love these hues!

And, animal print does well in any season!

I also love that fall weather is perfect hair weather with it's low humidity & brisk breezes for natural volume. Do you agree or do you have any fall faves you'd like to share? 

XOXO,

Monica

New York Fashion Week Shenanigans!

Hey Guys!

As you all know, this week NYC is celebrating Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week and as expected, it's all the rave!  On Monday, my super duper friend Rachel and I spontaneously hit up the scene and scored tickets into the Farah Angsana show! Her show consisted of a lot of bright colors, vibrant prints and blinged out embellishments. It was a fun show and I even spotted some Bravolebrities there which, to me is a pretty big deal since Bravo TV is probably my favorite television network. <Disclaimer: This is a Judgement Free Zone. Thank You.>

After the show, we lounged at the Diet Pepsi promo booth area and snapped some 

fun shots!

My fashion week outfit consisted of a black & grey romper, black blazer, silver shoes and some silver accessories. Oh, and let's not forget the sock bun and bold red lip! I wish I had a dime for every sock bun and bold red lip I spotted yesterday. LoL

Here are a few of the Diet Pepsi promo shots I pulled off of their website! Who can resist a silly photo op?? 

Yup, that's us walking the red carpet! Nah, not really - just another promo booth, but the delightful photographer sure made us feel like these were our money shots! 

Fashion Week Geeks reporting for duty.

Fashion Knockout! 

Fun poses with the posh mannequins!

Anyone else have fun fashion week stories to share? I'd love to hear them in the comments below.

XOXO,

Monica

Hatters Up! Style Spotlight on Fall Hats.

Hi Gals!

I'm a Summer Baby and I absolutely adore summer and all it's splendor! So, I take the seasonal transition from Summer to Fall pretty hard. In order to lighten my mood, I focus on the things I really appreciate about fall. First of all, I love all things pumpkin - from lattes, to pies, to the amazing Godiva chocolate pumpkin truffles, the list goes on. I also love wearing hats during this time of year! Hats are one of my favorite accessories because I believe they can instantly upgrade your look.

Check out a few pics of me in a couple of my fave hats and my hat wish list below!

I adore a Fedora!

Fell in Love with this Beauty at J Crew! Love the warm colors and fit!

Here's my Hat Wish List for this season!

Are you also "Hat Happy?!" 

LMK your faves in the comments below. :-)

XOXO,

Monica

Soho Celebrations & Boho in the Bronx!

Hey Lovelies!

I recently met up with a couple of my favorite ladies for a post Birthday dinner celebration. I really wanted to capture a sophisticated outdoor garden ambiance to enjoy the weather while the remnant of summer is still here. We went to David Burke's Garden in Soho on Grand Street and it was exactly was I was looking for. Great, classy feel, amazing eats and a beautiful garden area. Check out the pics below:

Delectable dinner - delish burger and jalapeno fries followed by decadent dessert and coffee. Sorry no pics of dessert, we literally devoured it upon its arrival. This is why - ricotta donuts with raspberry, chocolate & caramel dipping sauces, drunken brownie with a robust bourbon-ish cream sauce, and strawberry cheesecake shortcake. Yeah.

These are my darling friends, Pauline & Ellen! We had such a fun time filled with love & laughs, the perfect combo!

Pic of me outside of the restaurant after dinner. Good thing this leopard/floral romper was loose cuz my tummy sure was full!

 After dinner we perused through the trendy streets of Soho and came across this swanky jewelry boutique off of West Broadway.

Yes, please. :-)

I tell ya, everything about this West Broadway neighborhood is very fufu-lala. Check out this showy furniture showroom below. And, furniture shopping at 9:30pm? Sure, no problem. 

Yeah, so like this is the automatic "blogger mode" pose I've acquired from taking SO MANY pics for my blog. I mean, just point a camera at me and this is what happens, seriously. Don't believe me? Check the first full length pic at the beginning of this post. SMH

Blazer & studded belt: Express

Romper: Conway

Necklace: Charlotte Russe

Boho on the scene!

 On my day off, I went to visit my mom in the "BX" Baby! And yeah my last name is Lopez, and yeah, I'm from the Bronx, but I'm not from the Block if ya know what I mean. Wait, I don't even know what I mean, I'm just a sucka for word play.  Anyway, check out my Boho girl whirl. See, a sucka for word play.

 The Boho look is one of my faves. It's easy, fun & relaxed - what any day off should be!

Dress: Express

Necklace: Gift

Purse: Vintage

No big deal. Just me chillin like an ex-villain showin off some Boho mojo.

What trend gives activates your "mojo"? Tell me in the comments below! 

XOXO,

Monica

Statement Necklace Challenge!

Hey Guys,

Since I had so much fun linking up with Marionberry Style for her pattern mixing challenge last month, I thought I'd join in on the fun this month too! Her Statement Necklace Challenge was right up my alley. I mean, I've been head over heels happy about great statement piece since I was a kid. I used to spend hours playing dress up with all of my mother's chunky stone necklaces and layered pearl necklaces. So, instead of wearing one of my own statement pieces, I thought it would be fitting to raid my mom's jewelry cabinet! And check out the gem of a necklace I found!

This earth colored, turquoise beauty instantly caught my attention. I usually associate turquoise with spring/summer looks, but mixed with the brown and blue hues, I can definitely see myself rocking this as a fall piece. But, as it turns out, my mom is also very fond of this necklace, so it is not mine to rock this fall. :( In fact, she is only lending this to me for this post and I have to return it to her after! Hilarious! I may have to pull out the old "daughter charm" and see if she'll let me keep it! LoL

Thanks again Marion for a fun, creative challenge!

XOXO

Monica

The Bordeaux & The Beautiful!

Hey Sweets!

Are you all on board the "bordeaux boom" that has hit hard this fall? I sure am! Bordeaux is also referred to as burgundy, maroon, plum, deep red, etc. Whatever you call it, there's no denying that this deep, rich hue is hot right now. I've even heard that bordeaux is the new black! I know, I know, we've all heard it before, blue is the new black, purple is the new black, even red is the new black. Now bordeaux? Well, yes! I'm super psyched about this ultra chic, ultra rich color. In fact, I was so inspired by the richness of this color, I decided to trade in my blonde ombre hair for a deeper auburn hue! Check it out below along with some of my fave bordeaux pieces for fall:

Before: Ombre Hair

After: Bordeaux Inspired Auburn Hair

What do you guys think?!

Bordeaux Wish List

Peplum - this color has a little bit of an edge to it, so I love that the peplum adds femininity to balance it out.

Bordeaux Leather Pants - 2 words - YES PLEASE. 

Wedge booties / Platform Shoes - I'm a sucka for a wedge and a platform! I mean, who doesn't want the style, comfort & versatility that these thick soled shoes offer?

Purse - O.M.G. THAT purse! The color is pure decadence. Love! 

Hats off to this hot hat! Nuf said.

Viva Glam Mac Lipstick - I just bought this lipstick and think it is absolutley phenomenal! It's not too dark, so you don't look goth and it works for a variety of skin tones. That lipstick paired with bordeaux nails and you're ready to rock it out!

What are your Bordeaux faves?

XOXO

Monica