Princess Diaries

Hi everybody!

There's this dress. It's not an ordinary dress. It's bright pink and covered in beautiful embroidery all along the neck and hemline. It's the kind of dress that demands to be seen, and it makes me feel so fancy. It's such a bold piece that the accessories have to be minimal. Instead, I amped up the hair and makeup. I applied complementary gold shadow and made sure my skin looked flawless. As for the hair, I wore hair extensions for the first time and styled it in a half-up do. I really like these extensions, because they're soft and a bit lighter than my own hair, so it provides the subtle ombré I've always wanted. It also reminded me of how low-maintenance my current hair is. Overall, I just felt so glam taking these pictures, and I wish everyday could feel this amazing!

I hope you enjoyed!
<3 Lucero

pink embroidered floor-length dress - Anthropologie || black wedges - Ralph Lauren || hair extensions - Luxy Hair || gold bangles - Dubai

Song of the Day: Cool Kids by Echosmith

Crazy for Coral

Hi everybody!

Today's outfit is perfect for the bright and warm days that are now upon us here in Dubai. On top, I have a dual-layered chiffon tank top. I'm just now figuring out how to wear it, because the cut of it makes me look like a giant yield sign. By tying the front in a knot, I can remedy that situation and show off my DIY-cutoff shorts. I also added a neon orange clutch to tie in the color scheme. With studded sandals and beachy hair, I kept this look very casual.

DIY No Sew Sweater Skirt

Hi everybody!

I'm really fond of all of my sweaters and cardigans, because they're so cute and comfortable. The downside to living in the desert is that I can rarely ever wear my sweaters out without the risk of heatstroke. I saw some cute sweater skirts on Pinterest, but they all involved lots of cutting and sewing. So, I put together this photo tutorial to show you how to wear your sweater as a skirt, no sewing needed.

Love and Peace

Hi everybody!

I know it isn't officially spring yet, but I'm already embracing the fun, bright hues of the upcoming season. As much as I like sauntering about in dark clothing, I also enjoy wearing colorful clothes. There's a subtle heart theme guiding this outfit, most obviously seen in my cropped tank top. I added a heart ring along with tiny heart earring studs to complement the love theme. I also put on a pair of kelly green skinny jeans, because I thought it went well with the crop top.

I hope you enjoyed!
<3 Lucero

heart tank top - Element || green skinny jeans - Zara || brown leather tote bag - Pull & Bear || gray sandals - Billabong || heart ring - Jewelmint || heart earrings - American Eagle

Song of the Day: Ready to Go by Panic! at the Disco

What's In My Backpack?

Hi everybody!

As someone who constantly "needs" to have a million things in her purse, I've noticed that heavy bags have really put a strain on my left shoulder. In fact, I'm convinced it's a bit lower than my right! So, I've made the switch to a backpack. It distributes the weight evenly, and is a lot more comfortable to wear.

The backpack I've been using for the past month is by Ted Baker. It's made out of cranberry colored fabric, and has leather accents around the edges. I really love the size, it's perfect on me! The two side pockets are really useful, too. The only things I'd change are the lack of functional pockets on the inside, and the front clasps. The clasps are a bit finicky, and I've fumbled with them one too many times! Otherwise, it's a beautiful backpack and is really durable. Unfortunately, I can't find the link for this model online, but all other products within the bag will be linked!

As for the contents of my backpack, I keep my phone, lip balm, and hand sanitizer in the side pockets. My current phone model is the iPhone 5S, and I have a case by BCBG Maxazria on it. I'm a clumsy person, so I love the fact that the case comes in two parts - a hard inner shell, and rubberized outer shell. The earbuds are by Sony, though I don't know enough about audio to recommend or discourage you from buying them. The lip balm is by EOS, and I've been a huge fan for years. This hand sanitizer is from an old holiday collection from Bath and Body Works.

I also like to carry reading material around with me. I don't drive, so I'm usually just sitting in the backseat looking out the window. I've really enjoyed the Divergent trilogy by Veronica Roth. So far, the last installment, Allegiant, is a great read, and I can't wait until the movie comes out!

Next I have my Rayban sunglasses. These are the Clubmaster frame, which I'm a big fan of. They have a retro feel, and are incredibly sturdy. I used to go running and hiking in these frames, and I've had this set for months. I also like the burgundy lining on the inner portion of the frame legs. It's a fun pop of color!

I also like to carry around journals and pens for note-taking on the go. I personalized the Moleskine journals myself, and absolutely love them. They're thin and great for travel, even if you don't regularly carry around a large satchel like myself. Plus, I have small handwriting and I like the small lines.

I'm practically attached at the hip to my iPad mini. It does so many things, but I usually use it for Youtube, Netflix, and eBooks. I've actually loaded my world history book onto my iPad so I can review on the go. Of course, I also take breaks in between chapters with Temple Run! To keep my precious little device safe, I carry it around in a Ted Baker iPad mini case.

I don't like having a huge wallet, I find them too cumbersome. I've had this tiny wallet from J Crew for years, and I love it! It carries all my necessary cards, and prevents me from hoarding old receipts. Plus, there's space in the elastic area for cash.

I have really dry skin and carry around creams in case I notice flaking or cracking throughout the day. For instant moisture, I like Bioderma's Atoderm PO zinc cremé. It was recommended to me by my dermatologist, and I recommend it for anybody with eczema or dry skin in general. It absorbs quickly, and doesn't leave a greasy feeling. I also have Vaseline's petroleum jelly, which I only use when absolutely necessary. It's a good temporary fix for super flaky or irritated skin, but I don't like using it often.

I also carry around a pretty substantial makeup bag. What can I say? I like touching up my makeup. I'm also in the habit of adding new products in, and never taking them out. I carry around my powder, concealer, a multitude of lip products, and perfume samples, just to name a few items. I also have eye lash glue and a tube of travel toothpaste in there, and I can't remember why.

Finally, I have this tin of travel lipsticks from Bite Beauty. I just really like having options. There's a lip color for any occasion, and I'm all too familiar with the haphazard application of lipstick in a moving vehicle. I received the tin for Christmas, and have kept it in my bag ever since.

I hope you enjoyed!
<3 Lucero

Song of the Day: This Head I Hold by Electric Guest

Black to the Fuschia

Hi everybody!

Today's outfit, besides being pun riddled, makes for a nice transitional autumn ensemble. It's not quite cool enough yet to really need a sweater, but a scarf can now be added as a complementary piece. I really like this scarf, because the bright hue means the rest of my outfit can be laidback and muted. It also pairs perfectly with my favorite messenger bag!

I hope you enjoyed!
<3 Lucero

gray V-neck shirt - Target | black pants - American Eagle Outfitters | black flats - Zara | fuchsia scarf - Armani Exchange | pink bag - Rebecca Minkoff

Song of the Day: Bruises by Chairlift

All Dolled Up With Nowhere To Go

Hi everybody!

Today I pulled out a lovely old dress I haven't worn in ages. I think it's only been worn to one or two events, such a shame it hasn't seen more action! It has a distorted paisley print that uses lots of autumnesque colors. I really like the cut, because it hits right at the floor and makes me look much taller than I am. Any added height I can get, I will take! I added dark accessories, but nothing too bold. The dress is stunning in and of itself. Also, this is my 100th post on this blog! Here's to 100 more!

I hope you enjoyed!
<3 Lucero

floorlength dress - Kohls for Girls | bag - Louis Vuitton | beaded necklace worn as bracelet - Target | black sandals - Target

Song of the Day: Sleepyhead by Passion Pit 

DIY Jewelry Upcycling

Hi everybody!
I'm a big fan of costume jewelry. They're inexpensive and fun to wear, but sometimes I get tired of my old pieces. Instead of throwing them out, I like to upcycle them with nail polish. This is a good way to create an entirely new piece of jewelry from what you already have, as well as add a creative touch to your jewelry.

You'll need inexpensive jewelry, and assorted nail polish colors.

One trick I like to do is cover the rhinestones with nail polish. I find that too many rhinestones can look a bit tacky. Covering them with nail polish helps them look more like semi-precious jewels instead. For more precision, use a bobby pin to apply the polish instead of the brush.

I also like to ombré my jewelry. Pick a handful of polishes with a similar color scheme. Apply the colors to the jewelry piece one my one, blending with a cotton pad in between colors. This helps smooth out the transition between colors.

Here are the finished jewelry pieces along with other rings and necklaces I've revamped over the years.

I hope you enjoyed!
<3 Lucero

Song of the Day: Plain Gold Ring by Kimbra

Colorblocking to the Max

Hi everybody!

Today's outfit is bright and colorful. I'm a big fan of the colorblocking trend, because it's so easy to wear. It helps to stick to a specific color scheme in order to avoid clashing. All of these pieces are cool toned, so that helps pair very different hues together. I'm also loving the peplum trend at the moment, as it's pretty flattering on. For jewelry, I threw on a bunch of dainty gold rings, since any large statement pieces would have been drowned out by the bright colors of the clothing.

I hope you enjoyed!
<3 Lucero

pink peplum shirt - American Eagle Outfitters | bright blue bag, green pants, and black flats - Zara | rings - assorted places

Song of the Day: Tribulations by LCD Soundsystem