rock 'n' ruffles.

one of my favorite brands is also the creator of one of my favorite blogs. free people's bldg 25 is my go-to read for horoscopes, beauty diy projects, home and wardrobe styling ideas, and even gluten-free recipes...so pretty much everything. 

just when i thought it couldn't get any better, one of the bloggers, "fpjana," revealed these killer dresses last week (and so sweetly allowed me to borrow the photos!).

photo credit: fpjana on free people's bldg 25

the perfect blend of old school rock t-shirts and feminine fringe, ruffles and tutus, i'm really developing an unhealthy love for them...which is not so good for me - or my husband - considering they round up to $200.

according to jana, the limited edition vintage t-shirt renewal dress collection is an in-house collaboration between the brand's vintage loves and we the free lines. 

photo credit: fpjana on free people's bldg 25

i'm going to add one (or two, since i can't decide between the pink or black skirt) to my christmas wish list this year. until then, they'll continue to make my heart skip a few beats and i'll just have to pair my guy's 80s gnr tees with some tule.

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side note: if you choose to "pin" any of these images, please link back to the original source. thanks!

what's haute in skin care: diy pampering.

a couple months ago before i left for cali i met a fellow florida blogger at the boca soblo event who i wish i'd met way before my few last weeks in the southern state. this friend from afar + striking beauty not so ironically specializes in the b-word on her own blog, "the beauty delicacy." jessica teixeira writes about hair and makeup to style and decor, and what's even better is she supports a healthy lifestyle and incorporates vegan and ayurvedic principles into her routine...all while raising three little cuties! i just can't get enough of her home how-tos and product test videos.

as a special treat for you, i'm letting go of the reins and introducing you to jessica so you can get tips straight from the expert source. rather than me, the trial-and-error girl when it comes to skincare and lipstick! she was generous enough to share her diy pampering recommendations and special concoctions her as part of her first "beauty blog-in" here at prêt-à-porter palm beach turned la. you better believe i'll be taking advantage of them!

> > > > > > >

even if i had the funds (every month) to go to my favorite spa where would i find the time? time constantly reminds me there are only 24 hours in a day + at least 6 of those should be spent getting some beauty sleep.

when i need to get a beauty break + unwind from all of the mad typing and mommy chaos i make a trip to my pantry + whip up some skin care goodies worthy of a true spa experience.

indulging cocoa + lavender mask

lavender calms + soothes irritated skin while cocoa provides antioxidant benefits that get you glowing skin status. as with all top quality food grade products be sure to buy unrefined/unsweetened. anything with added sugars/refined butters will most likely clog pores leading to breakouts + they have no nutritional value for your skin.

labels you should be shopping for: organic, unsweetened, un-refined, raw, cold-pressed.

what you need:
- dried lavender flowers
- unsweetened cocoa powder
- pink kaolin clay {if you have very sensitive skin use white kaolin clay}

what to do:
crush 1 tbsp of lavender flowers {mortar + pestle}. add 1 tbsp of cocoa powder. add 1 tbsp pink kaolin clay. mix well.

keep this mixture stored in an air tight container. use 1 tbsp of the mixture with a little water {start with 1 tsp till desired texture is reached). leave on face until very close to being fully dry {do not let the mask dry completely on your skin as it can cause skin to become over dry}. wipe off with a warm cloth.

lemon + kelp detox bath soak

so kelp doesn't smell the greatest but i promise you if you've tried any spa services that included seaweed, kelp or any other natural products of the sea the scent can be quite strong + a little stinky unless natural scents were added from beneficial sources such as essential oils or crushed herbs + flowers.

what you need:
 - kelp powder or seaweed powder
- pink himalayan salt
- lemon essential oil

what to do:
mix 1/4 cup of pink himalayan salt with 1 tsp kelp or seaweed powder. add 11 drops of lemon essential oil. add 1-2 tablespoons to a warm bath while the water is running. relax for as long as you like or until the water gets too cold. this salt is typically sold in different textures from coarse to fine. when i purchased mine it was larger coarse texture but i ground the salt {as needed} to be able to use it in scrubs + face packs.

you can also add oils to this mix. add 1 tbsp almond oil + 1 tsp castor oil if you have dry skin or just want to add a little more luxe to your custom bath soak.

most of these can be found at whole body shops or whole food stores. i also order from online stores such as bramble berry, the soap dish + pv soap.

jessica is the writer + editor of the beauty delicacy, a fashion, beauty + lifestyle blog. we thank her for sharing this precious pampering insight and can't wait to test it out this weekend.

you can't see me, i'm camoflauged.

in an attempt to go through my closet and downsize, i instead found an old friend from college. together through jax beach parties, jobs, happy hours at potbelly's and more, my trusty camo skirt has apparently been safely stowed away for many years.

it started as a pair of wide leg capris from abercrombie & fitch. but since those went out of style a little more than a year later, i knocked off the legs soon after and added a safety pin to a fold in the middle, and voila.

 

the skirt was super easy to make and can be done with pretty much any pair of chinos or jeans.

this weekend i wore it with a black tank and some sneakers i studded. the diy outfit had me feeling like i was back in college again.

 

check back soon for a recap on the shoes themselves and how you can rock the stud craze.

meow: what's all the purring about cat shirts?

roar. meow. prrr. i'm really more of a dog person, although i don't have any pets.

last year, my sis came back from key west with a birthday gift for me they knew i would love hate: a poor-fitting, tourist tee with an obnoxious photo of a cat. it was so "duval street." did i mention that i am not a feline fan?

well a few things have changed since then. including my feelings about the shirt.

imagine my surprise when i started seeing not only lions, tigers and kittens gracing the front of tie dye t-shirts a year later, but that same image from my own cat shirt pop up on my pinterest feed. once a joke, now a hot trend, cat shirts are all the rage.

i don't know why i kept mine, but now i'm glad i did. i'm not one to wear something just because it's "in style" - hence why i don't do round sunglasses, ombre hair or teardrop bib necklaces - but i do like to spice up my wardrobe with pieces that are a little "out there," if only for the reactions. 

that doesn't change the face that the shirt i own is still ugly, so i put my own twist on it. a simple slice of the sleeves and that god-awful "key west, fl" script at the bottom, and now it's fun and frisky weekend wear.

today i'm sporting the new crop top for father's day dinner to remind my dad why he loves this crazy (non)cat lady.   

want your own? you're in luck. urban outfitters has at least a dozen to choose from, plus a number of other animals, even narwhals. 

urban outfitters cat face tee, $2

urban outfitters the mountain kitten face oversized tee, $24

urban outfitters tiger allover tee, $32

or, don't want to spend $14-$32 on a silly shirt? visit enough goodwills and you're bound to find one traded in from 1994.

loVely nails.

memorial day weekend has been good to me so far, starting out with an early morning ocean swim with friends and a trip to the pool with my husband and jane austen today. it was followed by a manicure and pedicure with my friend jennifer at tipsy salon & spa in jupiter, which was much needed and a sweet thank-you she gifted me at her baby shower a few weeks ago.

it had been a while since i had my nails done, so i wanted to do something fun. i went with neon and neutral after seeing a cool chevron-ish design on pinterest recently from the french site, pshiiit.com. 

i had mine professionally done in gelish polish by tipsy's cute nail tech, lisa, but it'd be pretty easy to do it yourself too. just swipe on some nude-colored paint, followed by a thin "v" on each nail in neon pink to really make the color pop - and match my outfit, as you can see in the pic! you can use a very thin paintbrush if you have one, otherwise a toothpick might work if your base coat is dry already.

so as you can see, all in all it was a good, relaxing day. i rounded out the day with the new god bless america movie (not for the faint of heart, but pretty hilarious and scary at the same time), and some diy action, which you'll find out more about tomorrow...