The Tiny Closet

The days have been like Summer here and the nights are barely cool.  I haven't been too interested in wearing lots of clothing.  But when am I ever??  Ah yes, I am a 1 to 2 piece gyal so I've been welcoming this sudden signature Summer camp weather... 

...with cutoffs and a tee. 

lips: Milani Flamingo Pose / nails: Revlon #571 Posh 

I've so been enjoying my new cropped cut!  But even more, this sizzling, bright weather has been giving me life.  I want my makeup and accessories to be equally vivid and vibrant.

I've been exploring fun color coordination again with my beauty routine.  Can't wait to show you some new ideas I'll be playing with this Summer!

 It's always fun to alter classic looks with a trendy "now" twist.  That's what's so amazing about my lil Tiny Closet.  

I've had both this top and shorts for over 5 years and yet I've never worn this outfit before.  

The endless, simple ensembles I can get from a paired down wardrobe and some creative imagining never cease to surprise me.   

I feel like I've been cropping everything from jeans to skirts to tops!  Including this men's shirt.  I love wearing this cropped button up with everything in my Tiny Closet!  And these harem pants went amazingly with the top last weekend.

I recently decided to let someone else do my hair.  Eeee!  After 5 years of personally cutting, styling, and raising a head of natural healthy locks, I'm moving on to other important things and trusting it to someone else.  I randomly made an appointment with Drybar, a blow drying salon (I thought that stuff was for straight-haired girls!) and I'm hooked!!

I usually prefer the smaller curls but these loose big curls are fabulous too.  So lush looking.  And also, having a professional take to my strands was shocking.  My hair was silkier than I've ever seen it - even my husband was shocked at the quality difference.  Anyway, I'm feeling it.  This slightly different look is a nice alternative to my norm.

 shirt: Pink / harem pants: American Apparel / sandals: Nine West

And these sandals with silk straps are so sultry!  I've had them for get this,

13 years

yep, truly a Tiny Closet treasure.  See how I've worn them in the past with a draped jumpsuit, and also with a mini skirt. 

Just goes to show, if it still works, why throw it out?  

Keep working it!

And with that I, bid you a very happy Monday :)

But no time to go anywhere.

sigh

Lately, I find myself racing to keep up with the demands of the day.  After toiling over the boring stuff of bills, cleaning and what seems to be endless errands, I find I've run out of my favorite conditioner, my nail polish is well overdue for a change, my brows are slowly connecting and my meals have evolved into takeout.

I realized it was time for some blissful quiet time when I practically lost it as I was racing out of my apartment and my doorman said:

"Is it that time of the month?"

(after a record screeching halt and some choice words I had planned to say back, I thankfully realized he was talking about the rent check I was holding in my hand...  

Yes.  I needed some quiet time indeed.

So as a personal treat to myself, and also as a reminder to keep things in my life simple and focused on what matters, 

I decided to finally finish my most favorite piece I've ever made.  This long Summer overcoat:

I made this overcoat from a sarong I bought while in the Philippines.  I thought I'd make the sleeves contrasting - to bring all the characters and colors of the panel to focus.  The panel on the sarong is of a beautiful sunset over a village beach.  I miss that gorgeous island immensely.

So I'm going to slow down a bit, catch my breath, get back to the little things like brow maintenance and manicures, and go eat a good dinner with my husband.

I'm out!

One thing is for certain, California women definitely love to dress up on a Saturday night.  Unlike the Northwest, the come-as-you-are states, the no-frills-no-gimmicks attitude, as much as that was a nice change of pace from the more traditional state of mind of what a woman wears to go out on a weekend evening, I much like the fancier option.  

Don't you?

I am just loving prancing around in a tight skirt and heels, showin a little skin and not sticking out like a frilly, overdone thumb becauuuuuuse the difference here is that.... 

every other woman is doing THE EXACT SAME THING!  Ahhhhh :)

Saturday night, while dressing to go out for drinks with Theo, I decided to take my trusty white tube dress and wear it as a skirt.  The front of the tube dress is higher than the back, which made for a more interesting look when worn as a skirt and paired with my black tied up button up.  I just loved the dip in the back!

People ask me how I achieve such a full bun with my curls.  The truth is, my hair isn't long enough to put it into this kind of a huge bun soooo 

I put it up in a tall ponytail and then take a sheer hair net and wrap it around all the hair and mold and form it into a bun!  Tada.

To get an even better look at it in daylight, I wore it also here.

shirt: T by Alexander Wang / skirt: tube dress H&M / sandals: Nine West / bag: Rebecca Minkoff MAB / necklace: Heavently Couture

So yes, in my own Tiny Closet style I still kept it simple but, as always, changed it up a bit to get yet another different look.   Oh, the possibilities!

Hope you had a wonderful weekend :)