Legally Charming Style

...and I cannot lie!!

(Sorry guys, had to.)

In approximately one week from now, I will be FREE FROM THE BAR EXAM. I am so excited. And also super terrified. Like, no worries. You know. Just the biggest test of my life.

Annnnyyyyyywayyyyyy....

So last week I was in my house on Monday, studying my little butt off, when I got an Instagram message from my new friend Raqui, who happens to be a stellar photographer. She needed a model for a job she was applying for and asked if I could be her girl! Obviously I said yes, because who in the world turns down the opportunity to work with such a gifted photographer??

This dress had just come in the mail via my Le Tote box that very same day (what are the chances?) and I knew I wanted to put it on. The bag had also come in my tote, I threw on an appropriate amount of jewelry for a shoot showcasing jewelry, and then neutral shoes to make my legs look all long and lean (which they are not, but I take what advantages heels give, y'all).

I then debated my headwear options for a moment for being under the hot Baltimore sun-go hatless? wear my white fedora?-when I realized that I wanted to show off this perfect floppy straw number that had come in the mail only two days before from Forever 21. I'd eyed it in store the week I was getting my laptop repaired, but I had to leave it when I realized my baby was ready for pickup. The next day I logged onto their website and snapped this up. With rare good luck it was on sale even more with free shipping, so I ended up paying about $10.50 for this retro-feel beach-perfect sun hat that makes me feel like an old movie star!!

Once my real people clothes were on, I tripped out the door to meet Raqui for a photography session. Needless to say we had SO much fun!! She is a total blast and easygoing to work with, not to mention our common theater backgrounds! We joked about Pokemon, Hamilton, and being nerds together over the hour we did photography. I always love when I make an instant bond with someone, and this was one of those super fun times. And as you can see above, Raqui made me look like a glowing goddess and these pictures will be rotated pretty solidly through my Facebook profile photo lineup over the next year because when am I going to look better???

Hope you're having a great week and enjoying your summer! Soon I will be one of you out there feeling the sun on my skin!

xoxo

Carisa

Happy Tuesday, folks!!

We're drawing near the fated deadline--bar exam day one is in TWO WEEKS. I know. Where did the summer go? How am I still alive? How many bottles of wine will I consume when this is over? All questions I don't have the answers to, but at least one of these will be solved on July 27th (I'll give you one guess which one).

Recently I went out on a date in the midst of all this bar prep crazy (I know, where did I find time?) and it was wonderful, but it was the first time I have had to really think about getting dressed in a while. And I'm not gonna lie, it was crazy stressful. I was literally texting people, sending them photos of my outfit to see if it was "too much," you know--all the girl things we do when trying to impress a date.

This was about the 90th look I tried on (and I still ended up going with a different top because this felt "too fancy"), but I think this is probably the most perfect summery date look when you're going out somewhere fancy!! It's the right mix of breathing room (a wrap skirt that can easily be loosened, thanks to Le Tote), pretty, and kinda sexy (heyyyyyy lace crop top)! The pop of color in the clutch and bright lip brings a bit of summery color to this look.

What's your go-to summer date look? Do you go back and forth on what to wear, too? Tell me all about it in the comments below!

xoxo

Carisa

Happy Friday people!!

I hope you're having a good day! I'm sitting in class, feeling confused about secured transactions, so I certainly hope you're doing better than I am (and maybe drinking a glass of wine for me, lol).

Last weekend I took a day for myself after my practice multiple choice test, despite the fact that computer issues had put me a full day behind on studying and I was feeling the pressure to get back to work! Instead of stressing myself out, I decided to take myself out for a day of checking out Fourth of July sales and doing a photoshoot with my blogger gal pal Taliah of Fashion Was Here!

This was what I actually wore on Sunday to go shopping (a real look this summer? le gasp!) and it was absolutely fabulous and comfortable!! I loved this striped top I got in my last Le Tote box, tucked into a pair of high-waisted shorts to give me a bit of the pin-up vibe. I added this adorable saddlebag and fun tassel necklace (also Le Tote) and a pair of wedges to complete the look! And since I was told by multiple people that they've never seen me in wedges, here is photographic proof that I do in fact own them and wear them. (Okay, fine. I confess. They're new.)

Sometimes what we need in life is a break, and this was exactly what my heart needed to head into another week of bar prep! What do you do to give yourself some downtime?

xoxo

Carisa

Hey hi hello!

Soooooo anyone want to explain to me how it's July now? Let alone JULY 6TH?? It's crazy, guys!

Since I haven't been as able to do full-out outfit posts this month, I thought I'd do a little Instagram roundup of my #ootds, my fashion challenges, and my obsessions!

Check it out below:

It's the weekend!!!

If you're reading this anytime between 9-4 on Saturday, send all your positive vibes, prayers, juju, etc. my way--I'm in the middle of a practice essay test and I'm probably crying on the inside right now, wishing I was out taking pictures like these!

One of the toughest things about keeping up with a blog during this hellish summer of bar prep is figuring out what outfits I'm going to show you. I'm loyally keeping up with #ootd posts for the challenge I'm co-hosting (mostly), so by the time I get to the weekend, they're at least already partially photographed and you've already seen them. This usually leaves looks I've put on for the weekend, or looks that I choose for the blog that I end up wearing for the rest of the day (and end up being real outfits I wear by default).

This particular outfit fell into the latter category. I put it on with the premise of wearing it for the blog and ended up keeping it on to go to the grocery store (where I got lots of stares because apparently people don't dress like this at Giant...?). I admit it's not even MY normal grocery store fare, and I'm a notorious overdresser. I am definitely more of the jeans and sneaks at the store-type girl, I promise you. But I think this outfit is a perfect example of a weekend look during the summer!

I have been wearing my hair up all summer (thanks bar prep), so I've been trying to get more creative about how I wear it, and I'm absolutely loving these Dutch-braid pigtails as an alternative to a basic ponytail!! They keep everything up off my face and neck, which really is my end goal during the sticky, humid months. They're both girly and a little bit funky, which is key when trying to look like a human who wears things other than jeans and tees all summer long.

Since my hair was all off my face and (very) tight against my head, I wanted to wear an outfit that contrasted it a little with my trademark color and girliness. This skirt (which I wore previously in this post), was a super-cheap find of off ThreadUp that I am so glad I got to style for summer!! I think it works perfectly with a casual tied chambray shirt--just the right about of fitted and comfy to create a lovely hourglass shape that I've been missing lately thanks to my bar prep diet of mac n cheese and pizza (oops).

To really pop the combo and make it fun, I threw in my favorite leopard clutch and swingy tassel earrings (which are super in this summer), along with my chunky nude sandals to keep the line of my leg going for days. ;)

What's your go-to summer weekend look? Do you prefer dressed up or dressed down? Tell me more about it below!

xoxo

Carisa