The Tiny Closet

 Give me breezy.  Give me fabulous. Give me fancy free!

Oh and can you make that completely effortless?  Thanks. 

As much as simplicity is a life-long art, as a minimalist to my core, I gravitate toward it naturally.   And when I've found the simplest, easiest way to wear something while still getting my point across, that's when anything I'm wearing can feel like leisure wear.

And that's what I want my closet to say.  Elegance, simplicity and ease.  That's good for me!  So even on the most stressful of days, at least what I'm wearing could effortlessly say otherwise.

In this case, this particular ensemble truly is leisure wear.  But what if the pants were silk?  What if the top was beaded?  Even if the shoes were traded out for a pair of stilettos, it would still have an air of leisure.  And no matter what I'm doing, that's where I want to live, always.

every cafe and boutique in my 2-block radius has probably memorized this ensemble as it's all I wear.

Always marinating in simplicity, I've really settled into a minimum frills look.  So every now and then I like to add a bit of influence from a friend to enhance my style.  And when I have a hard time giving it back, that's when I know I have to get one for myself.  I think of it as a shopping screener :)

Hope you're enjoying your Monday!

Getting ready for the festivities of July, I have been collecting swimwear for the past couple months.  Here and there :)

I actually don't like swimsuits.  It's very challenging to find suits or pieces that flatter my particular shape and the ones that take my breath away also leave me gasping for air at the price.  Every.single.year.  I wrestle with the choice of either investing in a truly fabulous, amazeballs swimsuit that puts my monthly student loan payment to shame and I can wear it for a few years - OR - I just go to Target and pick up the latest flavor for $20 and call it a Summer...  

Decisions, decisions...

This year, I didn't choose either.  Instead I thrifted, mixed and matched and thought outside the box.  I realize since I don't really swim anyway, and much prefer lounging and looking good, I decided to get more creative with my options.  Especially since these days, I am naturally finding myself more poolside than I have in my entire life.  

So here's Part One of my swimsuit chronicles:

a bandeau and half of a one-piece...

Anyway, I've been loving my new after-work ritual of scampering up to the roof top and going for a quick swim.  Even though the sun beats down on our pool all day, the water is still freezing (I don't get the science of that at all) but I jump in anyway.  It's a great way to just woooosh the stress of the day right out!  I guess the temperature changes are really relaxing because for the rest of the day, I feel as light as a feather.

Come back later this week for Part II!!

I thought I would change my hair.  For once.  

It was fun :)  Leave it to me though to make an afro-hawk into an updo.  My hair has grown deceptively long so in order to avoid looking like Aunty Entity of Thunder Dome, I bundled up the back of my hawk and pinned it in.... the alteration sort of turned it girly and fancy.

And with this new hair do, this change in perspective, while putting on my chevron mini to go to happy hour last night, I decided to change my routine as well.  Like I've said in the past, I always dress down anything short or sexy.  So instead of wearing my usual brogues or oxfords with my mini last night, I decided to wear a pair of spike heeled sandals.  Yeah baby. 

tee: Asos.com / chevron skirt: The Tiny Closet Collection / sandals: Jimmy Choo for H&M

I debuted this skirt earlier with a crop top.  Needless to say now though, with a mini skirt and stilettos, I had no need for a cropped top.  Could you imagine?  Yikes.  Instead, I chose just the opposite - a drapey flowing tee.  Yes please!

Wearing a repurposed vintage item, I decided this time to dress the floral romper with a more sophisticated approach...hopefully.  With my linen pointy toe wedges and my all-season tweed blazer,  my romper, while always worn for play, was this time ready for a casual work day.

We spent yesterday evening on the roof sighing over the view.  It never gets old.  And on days when I'm tired and spent, the downtown L.A. skyline is an instant peace bringer.  

Thought I would share some of the view with you... again :)

By itself, this once frumpy midi dress, turned elegant romper is perfect for brunch, casual dates, personal days and even a work meeting here and there.

 wedges: Castaner / earrings: Frencesca's Closet / belt: Zara Man / all other other items were thrifted 

This romper was actually very easy to make from the dress it was.  (You can get a better view here).   As L.A. slides deeper into Summer weather, I plan to find some more vintage dresses to remake as a my daily easy breezy staple!  More on that later :)

Monochrome.... I have a tendency to do this if I'm not paying attention while dressing.  I don't know what it is but, I automatically choose the same colors subconsciously when putting things together (specifically when in a hurry) and it comes out kind of amusing.  

This four-shades-of-grey number was what I came up with yesterday morning when nothing but a pale blanket of clouds covered the sky and I had no good plans.  Ah, wait!  I totally know what it is now, I realize I tend to go monochrome when I'm bored or uninspired - yes, that's it.  

But that's the bad kind of monochrome.  That's the inevitable end result of dressing while bored.  What's the good kind?  I guess I'll have to show you this all again later.  I can't let this be my only say on monochrome because when deliberate, it can be dramatic and regal!  It can be posh and eccentric.  I'll have to work on this and return here with a better example of monochrome.  

A better example than this:

sweater: All Saints Mens / top: Tiny Closet Collection / pants: Zara / wedges: Castaner / necklace: thrifted