TO A TEE

As far as current obsessions go, we recently covered my full-blown addiction to hats. I am still working on getting hats out of my system, as you can see, but I did manage to go out without a hat a few times this  week, so I guess we have progress:) 

In other news, I've officially abandoned all pretense that it's not Summer in LA ( acceptance settled in somewhere around 90 degrees ), and switched to my Summer wardrobe. This of course got me thinking I should probably mention a few of my Summer obsessions/addictions/must-haves, starting with t-shirts! 

T-SHIRTS: Love them, can't live without them, wear them obsessively. Of all my Summer favorites ( and there are quite a few, believe me) t-shirts are the one thing I can never get enough of. What makes a t-shirt great in my opinion? A combination of slouchy/sexy cut, great fabric ( supper-soft ones are always appreciated ) and of course, color! The one I am wearing in today's post is from the new EXPRESS One Eleven collection and certainly represents all of the above. The not so great news is that apparently I am not the only one who appreciates super-soft fabrics and sexy cuts, because the collection is selling out really quickly. So, if you a t-shirt fan like me, check it out HERE, and check back in June for more styles. 

Next, on my list of Summer staples and must-haves are cropped jeans and especially cropped white distressed jeans. Why white? Well, can you seriously imagine Summer without a pair of white jeans? Personally  I can't!!! And of course as far as cropped length goes, I feel that it's much more versatile and works well with anything from boots and flats to pumps and ankle wrap sandals ( in other words, I don't have to commit to wearing a particular type of shoe, which is always appreciated ). The ones I am sporting in today's post are also from Express and are one of my favorite pairs at the moment. Aside from color and length, I am partial to a bit of distressing on my jeans and these happen to have a perfect amount of ripping and distressing. 

Now, what about you guys? What are your Summer cravings and staples?

EXPRESS One Eleven Nep trapeze tank, EXPRESS mid rise cropped destroyed jean leggings & black wool felt fedora hat | Chanel Boy flap bag in perforated leather | Isabel Marant Aleen Ankle boots { in brown here & here } | DYLANLEX Falkor necklace 

Thank you for reading

& keep On Smiling,

LOVE,

Annabelle 

GOING GRAY

Good morning, Everyone! Hope you all had a wonderful weekend! 

I wanted to take this opportunity to say hello and share a few images of the cutest Editor pants I picked up at Express over the weekend. I've actually been shopping for a gray pant suit for some time now, but haven't been able to find exactly what I was looking for. Well, that changed very quickly once I tried this one on:) Aside from the fact that I absolutely adore this shade of gray, the suit jacket is a perfect combination of tailoring and the nonchalant slouchiness I am very fond of. But, I think one of the biggest reasons I fell in love with this suit is the fit of the pants. As I have mentioned before, when it comes to dress pants, I prefer a slightly less tapered fit and longer length. This particular fit insures I can dress them up with heels and a cute clutch or down, paired with flats and a tee. And as far as length is concerned, these ones happen to be just perfect! Long enough so that I can wear them with heels, yet not so long that my shoes are completely covered ( I mean what is the point of wearing cute shoes if no one can see them ). I also really like the way this length works with flats. I am a bit obsessed with cuffing my pants at the moment, as you may have noticed, and I find that rolling the edge twice tends to look the best. Any more than that sometimes looks a bit bulky and less just doesn't create the desired effect. 

Finally, since I am more than a little bit addicted to dress pants and wear them quite a bit, I find that a little stretch can go a long way:) Aside from the fact that it helps to create a more flattering fit, it also ensures that the pants retain their shape throughout the day. In other words, no stretchy knees or other parts which tend to stretch out after sitting down :) 

What about you guys, what do you look for in dress pants? 

EXPRESS 24 inch blazer, pants & wool felt fedora hat { in camel here } | Stuart Weitzman The Leman oxford | Chanel Boy flap bag in perforated leather | Wanderlust & Co chevron double silver ring 

Thank you for reading
& Keep On Smiling,
LOVE,

Annabelle  

BLACK & WHITE

Good morning, Everyone! How is your week going so far? 

When it comes to little black dresses, or in this case, little black and white dresses, I always look for just a tad of drama, like an interesting shape, fabric or cute detailing. So naturally, when I spotted this number from Maje, I just couldn't resist. A perfect combination of sweet and sexy, I just love the way the super short hemline is balanced out by the delicate chiffon top! 

How about you guys, what do you look for in a  little black dress? 

Maje colorblock dress | Saint Laurent Monogram small velvet chain bag with tassel | Isabel Marant Royston suede buckle boots { similar here & here } | ASOS chiffon bow neck tie | BaubleBar Big bondage chain ring | Delfina Delettrez eye piercing earring 

Thank you for reading
& Keep On Smiling,
LOVE,
Annabelle 

DOMINO

Good morning, Everyone! Hope you are all having a wonderful week!

I wanted to take this opportunity to share a few pics of one of my new favorite dresses, i.e. the gorgeous black and white number I am wearing in today's post. A big fan of the black and white color combination in general, from the moment I saw this dress, I feel in love with the cut and the color block pleated side inserts. A perfect combination of classic and sexy, this one is definitely one of those  twirl-worthy dresses I am always raving about :) 

BCBG Brielle sleveless side-pleated gown | Treesje asymmetry clutch in gunmetal | Tacori City Lights cocktail ring & drop earrings 

Thank you for reading 
& Keep On Smiling,
LOVE,
Annabelle 

PEARLS & POLKA DOTS :: BANANA REPUBLIC x MARIMEKKO

Good morning, Everyone! Hope you are having great day! I wanted to say a quick hello and share a few images of my latest obsession, i.e the insanely gorgeous Banana Republic x Marimekko skirt I am wearing in this post. When I first came across it, I simply couldn't believe I finally found a skirt that combines all of my favorite elements. I mean seriously, volume, cute print and pockets, what else can a girl ask for?:)
I've had it for about a week now, and I have to confess, I've pretty much been wearing it non-stop. It really is one of those pieces that go with everything, from tailored blouses to crop tops and look equally great dressed up or down. So, I hope you don't mind if makes multiple appearances on this blog because I have a feeling this skirt and I are going to be best friends for a while:) 

Banana Republic x Marimekko Kivet full skirt | Dior Mise en Dior earrings | Keepsake The Label white noise top { similar here & here } | ASOS Holborn heeled sandals & flat top cat eye sunglasses | Rafe mother-of-pearl box clutch | BaubleBar crystal barrel cuff, crystal parallel ring & diagon ring quad | OPI nail polish in Cotton Buds 

Thank you for reading

& Keep On Smiling,

LOVE,

Annabelle 

CREAM OF THE CROP

Morning, Everyone! How is your week going so far? Emil and I had one of those super crazy days yesterday which started at the break of dawn and ended with a super late dinner. Knowing I will not have time to go home and change, I wanted to wear something that could take me from day to night. So, I opted for a pair of high waisted pants, cropped top and high heels, i.e. my favorite dressed up comfortable combination:) But because the late dinner was going to be somewhat of a formal event, I added a clutch and an ear cuff just to dress this look up a bit. 
By the way, I am really excited about cropped tops making a comeback this season. How about you guys? Reason why I like this particular crop top so much, is because it's so versatile. Though I do like the tight-fitting ones as well, I think they mostly require something with a bit of volume on the bottom. But a looser-fitting top like the one I am wearing, can be paired with just about anything, from skinny jeans to slouchy trousers. What do you think? What is your favorite way of wearing cropped tops? 

P.S. CLICK HERE to check out more of my favorites from ASOS. 

ASOS Holborn heeled sandals, flat top Cat Eye sunglasses, crop top with Kimono sleeves & luxe pants in slouch fit | Rafe mother-of-pearl box clutch | Express armparty: rhinestone embellished enamel bracelet, pave link bracelet & stackable rhinestone ring set | Ryan Storer ear cuff { also love the one here & here } | Butter London nail polish in "Slapper" 

Thank you for reading

& Keep On Smiling,

LOVE,

Annabelle 

PLAID & PINK IN SAN FRANCISCO

Good morning, all! Hope your week is going great! Emil and I are spending a few days in San Francisco, so I wanted to take this opportunity to share a few pics we shot yesterday! Can't tell you how excited I am to finally visit this beautiful city! We've been planning a trip to San Francisco for as long as I can remember, but for some inexplicable reason something always came up last minute and we never ended up taking it.

So, you can imagine how I feel now that we are finally here! Since it's our first time in SF and because we are only here for 3 days, I would really appreciate your advice about must-see places. We are definitely going to visit the Golden Gate Bridge, Lombard street and the Alcatraz island but perhaps you guys can recommend other less-known destinations? Thank you in advance for your advice!

Trina Turk Nancy menswear wool check coat { also here } | Current/Elliot ankle skinny leather pants { similar options here & here } | Schutz Gilberta pumps | Chanel Boy flap bag | Finders Keepers  End Of The Road sweater | Alexa Leigh gold pave diamond Elijo ring | Gucci Navigator sunglasses | Essie nail polish in "Bikini So Teeny" 

Thank you for reading

& Keep On Smiling,

LOVE,

Annabelle