disco naps and travel maps

Hi all!

Lots happening with this little blogger of yours this week and I'm so excited!  First off is my stylist debut show  this coming Friday, Feb 26th.  I've always loved fashion, accessories and dressing up.  Now I get to do all of the above not only for fun but earn some $$$ on the side as well! (^_*). 

Dream a little dream of me
When you support a small business, You're supporting a dream. - thank you

My upcoming  #SundaySeries will be with a friend, my hubby and I.  The three of us are off to NYC for a whirlwind 24 hour trip to the Big Apple.  My friend found an amazing leap year deal online that we can't pass up even though we'll literally be in New York for only 12 hours!  All for the love of food and cocktails of course!  The hubby has a list of restaurant and bars that he wants to check out  and I'm happy to tag along for the delicious ride.

Anthropologie dress - I'm wearing a size 2 regular in this Anthro dress.  It's supposed to be midi length for regular size so I knew that it would fit long on me which is exactly what I wanted.  It's so hard to find maxi/long dresses for my height so I'm always on the look out for cute midi-length dresses #noalterationsneeded!(similar here, here and here.)

The Old Navy belt I'm wearing was from last year but I've linked other belts that I think would look good: here and here.

Shoes from Nine West (old) similar: here and here.

Zuni necklace for the win!

Pestemal (scarf) - I bought this scarf/towel from Jennifer's hamam in Istanbul; however, you can definitely find them online as I've linked here.  They are actually meant to be used as towels when visiting a hamam (turkish bath) but I'm no longer there, I rarely go to the spa and I prefer to use mine as a scarf, or an impromptu disco nap blanket and of course as a fun accessory as I've styled it below.

Gap and Old Navy has been my go-to work and budget friendly clothing store.  Petite sizing is only available online but you can return your online purchases at the store which is soooo convenient!  I"m all about affordable fashion and their petite selection truly fits my body type well without breaking the bank.  I'm wearing a small petite on this dress and the length is perfect!

Shift Dress
Old navy clogs (sold out): similar here and here
Denim jacket
Eva Ear Jacket - 4 in 1 #versatilityiskey

  

with grace and humility,

jakey

a look back from where it all started

Wow! You won't believe this!  I found my old blogsite from years ago! Un Vacuous.

Man oh man! it's soooo funny reading some of my past entries.  From being single, to dating, to going out with my girlfriends who are all married now and some have kids!  Oh! and boy did I have a lot more time to write back then!

My iPhone died last night so I'm without one for a few hours until my appointment with Sprint later on this afternoon but here's a sneak peek of tomorrow's blog post.

Photo: marilee.co

can you spot the camel?

Hi all,

The cooler temp is back in the City so I finally got to wear my faux-suede skirt I snagged off of Target clearance rack a few weeks ago.  It has since sold out online but could still be available in store. I've linked similar ones below.

 Photo: marilee.co

I have to say that I look forwad to this lunch time photo session with marilee.co during the week.  We eat first then we shoot :)  It's the best of both worlds!

Loft long sleeve shirt (similar here or here)

Zuni Layer Necklace - I took one of the layers off of my super versatile Stella&Dot necklace and layered it with my chevron necklace from Bauble bar.











Photo: marilee.co



The Ferry Terminal holds a special place in my heart.  This photoshoot brought back a lot of warm fuzzies to the early days of dating my husband :)  We spent a lot of our lunch dates up there.  If you're ever in the area, get your take-out or brown bag lunch then head to the second floor of the ferry terminal, walk to the end and snag the last bench that looks out to the bay.  It's a great lunch time escape.


Skirt similar here,  here, here and here
Blanket scarf
Belt (similar: here and here)

Shoes (similar here and here).  I've had this pair of bootie for over a year and love the fit and style. It goes well with dresses, jeans or pants.  I was in the market for a darker pair when I decided to just dye the one I currently have instead of buying another one that I don't need.  I'm super happy with how it turned out and I'm getting even more wear out of it now! #refashion.





Happy Saturday All!

with grace and humility,
jakey

pink happy thoughts

Happy Hump Day!

Here's a little outfit inspiration for you.  I pieced this look together for a friends Stella&Dot trunk show party last Saturday.  Her theme was Galentine's Bling so it inspired me to bust out one of my more girly, fun dress.  The tulle dress I'm wearing in the photo is actually one of my awesome finds at Crossroads Trading.  No worries, I've linked similar dresses below.

Every season, I try to clean out my closet by selling, trading or donating items I know I won't be using that year.  I'm really trying to practice the "if I haven't worn it in a couple of years, then I have to do something about it" mentality.  I go to Crossroads Trading Co to sell some of my clothes and once in a while I find a gem like this leather Halogen jacket for less than $40 and of course this dress.  It's a great way to spruce up my wardrobe on a budget and make room in my closet.  Another buy/sell/trade place I go to is Buffalo Exchange.  Both stores have several locations in SF and around the bay.  Try it sometimes and I hope you find something cool!

Oh and one more thing, if you have a party, cocktail or bridesmaid dress lying around and know for a fact that you won't be using it again, you should look into donating it to Princess Project.  It's a great organization and it feels good to know that my once beloved cocktail dresses will get twice the love!

Photos: marilee.co

Faux-leather top
Tulle dress similar here, here and here
Shoes similar here, here and here
Kate Spade ,  similar here and here
Isa Disc Necklace - this necklace can be worn 4 different ways.  it's a great piece to wear all year long!  remove the blue beads for fall/winter then add them in the spring/summer.  same idea if going from day to night look.  #versatilityiskey

 

 

 

with grace and humility,

jakey

lady in red

hi all!

how was your valentine's day festivities?  the hubby and i spent the first half of the day together then he had to go to work to serve delicious valentine's day meal to all the lovely folks out there. such is a life of a restaurateur wife.

here's a fun valentine's/date night outfit inspiration that marilee.co took of me last week.  i bought this red dress online from nordstrom but they've sold out since then, however i found the same exact dress here (you're welcome). it's such a fun and flirty red dress that can be worn beyond v-day.  i'm wearing a size small and it fits true to size; no alterations needed.  it comes with a layer of tulle underneath to give it just enough flare without looking too poofy.  i'm wearing a NuBra for some support and coverage.  i actually purchased this dress a while ago thinking that i would wear it for christmas but never did since i didn't go anywhere fancy :( #fail.


Dress: here, here and similar here
Shoes: ivanka trump on sale right now with extra 25% off - sale ends tomorrow, hurry!
Necklace: plume
Earrings: triangle ear jacket

this necklace can be worn seven different ways!  i mix and match it with my other stella and dot pieces.  it's so versatile.  you can wear each layer on it's own or all together as i did here. it's also reversible; sparkle vs. plain gold or with black detail or not. #obsessed.

this is my go to up-do right now.  it's sooo easy! it took me less than 10 mins to do it!  let me know if y'all are interested in seeing a step by step video - comment below...

for my second look, i went with a classic black lace dress that you need to get if you're in the market for one.  this forever21 number is super affordable but does not look cheap at all! i was really suprised by the quality of this dress...it's a steal!  i'm wearing a small with room for cupcake or two (^_*).

for a more casual look, swap out the heels for a pair flats or sandals, ditch the pearls, add brown leather belt and voila - brunch ready!

if you can't tell by now, i love me my statement necklaces! there's nothing like walking into a room, announcing yourself, without saying a word. in a good way of course!


Dress: Forever21
Shoes: i've had these pair of paris hilton shoes for years! but it still looks new because i hardly wear them.  they're a little loose on me but i refuse to let them go because i still have hopes of my feet growing someday. hey! you never know! here's a similar one.
Earrings: starburst ear jacket
Bracelet: large gold cuff - similar

with grace and humility,
j

It's impolite to stare, unless of course, it's at gorgeous shoes.

Here's a little preview of what's to come to the blog soon, but I wanted to share my current favorite go-to shoes of the moment.  Nordstrom rack is having their "Clear the Rack" sale event and you can get these Ivanka Trump pair of super cute sandals for an additional 25% off! I've worn them with a white lacey dress,  black faux leather leggings and  black fringe skirt. It's simple yet fun!
Shoes

Photo: marilee.co

Let's start at the very beginning...

It's a very good place to start.
When you read you begin with A-B-C
When you sing you begin with Do-Re-Mi... (so sings Julie Andrews from the movie "Sound of Music")


A beginner's mind is a wonderful place to be.  A blank canvas of endless possibilities.  That's what I am.  A constant beginner, a dream chaser, a goal setter.  And so I find myself in this medium of communication to create something new.  Where will the first step in my journey take me?  Only God knows and I'm excited to discover, explore, learn, laugh, love with all of you.

For now, I want to simply introduce myself and let inspiration lead the way.  I'll post styling tips, outfit of the days, awesome finds, sprinkle in some life blog about being a restaurant wife and  mostly share my passion for affordable and accessible fashion.

Here we go...

with grace and humility,

jake




photo taken by the talented: marilee.co