Tag Archives: Fashion Blogger

My First Fashion Subscription: Rocksbox!

I must say, I’m very new to this fashion subscription box game. I’ve seen reviews from my blogger friends on beauty boxes, and I even know an actual fashion box stylist. But this is my first time trying it out, and what better way than through Rocksbox! I’m a sucker for a great accessory, and with Rocksbox, I can review three pieces of jewelry and decide to purchase them or send them back for another three pieces as curated by my stylist.

Here’s how it works: I became a Shine Insider by filling out a survey to help the stylist who will be assigned to me to determine my style and jewelry preference. I can also choose items for my “Wish List” that could be added to my box. Soon after, I received my first box with the Urban Gem necklace I chose, along with a set built around my necklace by my stylist, Eleanor: adorable Gorjana earrings and amazing rings by CC Skye. I have to tell you, I have been getting a lot of use from my Rocksbox pieces, wearing them altogether as a set or with jewelry I already own (the CC Sky ring paired perfectly with my Love Tatum one). If I absolutely love a piece, I simply keep it and purchase it on my account page, and then return the rest of the pieces!

I can’t believe I haven’t tried this before because it really is very easy and so convenient! First of all, I really enjoyed the personalized touch. Upon opening the box, I was immediately greeted with my name on the card with the description of the contents of the box. Each piece was carefully wrapped in its own individual jewelry bag. Very explicit instructions are included on not only how to return the jewelry with the packaging and shipping label provided, but also on how to care for the jewelry, just in case you want to return the items you don’t want.

I actually purchased the Gorjana “Cress Shimmer Studs” that Eleanor chose for me, and used my Shine Spend, which brought the price of the earrings down to $20! I then returned the rest of the jewelry in the original packaging, with the shipping label provided. I’m excited to see what Eleanor has planned for me next, especially since I made some additions to my “Wish List”.

Would you like to try out Rocksbox, courtesy of moi? Any Second Now readers can use code any2ndnowxoxo when prompted on the Rockbox site to try it out for one month! If you love it, then it’s just $19 a month thereafter to get unlimited access to rent some great jewelry!

FTC Disclosure: I received a complementary 3 month subscription to try out Rocksbox. Although I did receive a complementary subscription, the opinions in this post are strictly my own.

Resolution Goals for 2016: Closet Clean Out!

I must confess that I purposely didn’t further discuss my attempt at my “Fashion Sobriety” (original post here) because I failed so miserably. I was doing well for about two months, and just crashed and burned. I’m a shopper, and I can’t deny it. Knowing myself and that I enjoy shopping immensely, what I can do is redirect how I shop and what I shop for. I’m in a better position financially, so I’m going to do my own version of a capsule wardrobe, by purchasing more investment pieces and mixing it into what I love. I realize now that my hair can be an “accessory”, updating my style with color and cut. With my hair and other accessories, I can incorporate some of my favorite brands like Miista, Boy London, Irregular Choice and United Nude with higher end pieces to keep that “edge” that I’m always looking for. This means I’m officially going to clean out my closet by selling older beloved higher end designer and mid-price pieces that have a lot of life left in them, and then donating the rest. I can proudly say I’ve put my mini-light studio to good use and have already started an Any Second Now store on eBay (click the link to take you directly there)! All listings are good for 30 days, and I will relist what doesn’t sell immediately.

Here are the first eight pairs of shoes I’m selling on eBay, directly from my closet, including the ones pictured above. In fact, one pair has already sold, which really surprised me at how fast it happened. I’ll be adding more items often, so I hope you stop by and check them out.

Happy shopping!

New Dress, New Year!

It’s the first week of the New Year, so why not start with an outfit post? During the Thanksgiving break, my mother-in-law treated me to a fabulous afternoon tea at The Tea Lounge in the Mandarin Oriental Las Vegas. I’ll detail the tea itself in a separate post, but I felt the occasion warranted me to wear this dress from Voodoo Vixen’s latest Fall/Winter 2015 line. It has a wonderful flocked houndstooth print (one of my favorite prints), with a lovely open collar, giving it a completely retro feel. Since it’s a bit chilly in Las Vegas, I finally got to use my faux fur tippet, which worked well with this vintage inspired dress.

Guess what? If you like what you see on Voodoo Vixen’s site, Any Second Now readers can use code any2nd20 to get 20% off your purchase!

I also had to take a picture of my nails because they are my new favorite “go-to” nails in a pinch: I did my nails in under 15 minutes! They’re the latest by Kiss, and I purchased them the day before at CVS, but you can’t tell that I just glued them on a short time before we headed out the door. What I really love is that they come in a new shorter length, so they’re pretty and practical.

Outfit: Tiger Lily Flocked Flare Dress c/o Voodoo Vixen; Enzo Angiolini Coadi Houndstooth Pumps; Oasis Faux Fur Tippet; Kate Spade necklace, earrings and bracelet; “Tippi” glasses by Lookmatic (no longer available in black)

(Pictures 1 & 2 taken by Diana Chen-Rhodes)

FTC Disclosure: I received product in exchange for a product review. Although I did receive product, the opinions in this post are strictly my own.

Last Minute Holiday Gift Guide Part 1: FashionMIA Favorites!

My Fashionmia.com Faves! by any2ndnow on polyvore.com

Can you believe Christmas is next week? And yes, I’ve famously left some of my shopping until the last-minute. If you have as well, I’ve come up with a list of great outfit gift ideas for the fashionistas in your life through FashionMIA: Modern, Irresistible, and Affordable women’s clothing. I’ve listed my five favorite outerwear pieces and seven favorite dresses from their site, ranging from casual capes to stylish coats and cute shifts to fabulous frocks worthy of New Year’s Eve. The best part: everything pictured is under $50 each!

Part two of my last-minute holiday gift guide will hopefully appeal to fashion and music lovers alike, stay tuned!

Ja-Vie: A Comfy, Stylish & Practical Pair of Ballet Flats

As a blogger, I’m finding out more and more that Instagram is a great place to not only connect with other people, but to discover new and emerging brands. I discovered Ja-Vie ballet flats through a like on my Instagram, and decided to look into these very innovative, yet stylish flats. I’m a sucker for anything houndstooth, so I was excited to see this lovely ivory & black pair.

Ja-Vie ballet flats differ from any other flat I’ve come across. They are made with a jelly outsole, leather cushioned insoles providing comfort and support, and a knit “sock” lining. The leather insole can be removed and the whole shoe can be machine washed (just make sure to use a mesh laundry bag to protect them)! Plus, the price point of $68 is great for any budget. The result: practical comfort and style, which is great for a mom on the go, like myself!

For my outfit, I decided to really play up the 80’s factor, because I have loved houndstooth since I was a teen. I remember I had a houndstooth skirt from The Limited and houndstooth leggings from Express that I wore over and over with everything. I had a hat just like the Topshop version I’m wearing with this outfit, and I also had a leather moto-jacket back then as well. I guess my love for the 80’s doesn’t just stop at music!

Outfit: Topshop hat; Forever 21 faux leather jacket (old); Madewell jeans; Milly purse; Love Tatum necklace (bought on sale at Simply Local); Wendy Brandes rings; Depeche Mode 5 icons sterling silver & leather handmade wrapping bracelet by Little Treasure by Mir; “Mona” glasses in Fuchsia Sunset c/o Spy Optic; Flower Design bracelet in Steel Silver c/o Bittersweet; Ivory/Black Houndstooth flats c/o Ja-Vie

(Outfit photos by Rholnna Jiao)

My latest hair color: “Oil Slick” by Salvador at Kelly Cardenas Salon in Hillcrest. It’s the brunette’s answer to Unicorn Hair! I think this is my favorite color so far!

FTC Disclosure: I received product in exchange for a product review. Although I did receive product, the opinions in this post are strictly my own.

Trendy And Tipsy: Where Boho Chic Meets Vintage Cool

I first learned about Trendy And Tipsy at the DaisyMae PR #Popshop & Industry Party earlier this year (post here), and I immediately loved their mix of current Boho Chic trends with various types of vintage clothing. I was invited last month to their storefront grand opening in Pacific Beach, and got to hang out with a couple of my fellow San Diego Style Bloggers. The best part of the night (other than the shopping): I won a raffle prize, which included a $25 gift certificate! Below is a pictorial recap of the event. Have a great weekend, cheers!

Look, Duran Duran was in my dressing room!

So lovely to see Kali of In Spades and Tiffany of Glitz and Glam by Tiff!

Can you believe I won? I bought that Metallica rock t-shirt/vintage flannel, along with another shirt with my gift card, AND received an extra 20% off for the grand opening)!

The goodie bag I won along with the gift certificate from the raffle. It’s always fun to win!

#freethewrist With bittersweet by Maria Shireen

Last month, I attended the media preview of bittersweet and b+sweet by Maria Shireen (created by Shireen Palsson). I first heard about the bracelets through BuzzFeed, and I thought it was a fantastic idea back then. Imagine my excitement to be invited to preview these fully functional and stylish bracelets that really are game changers when it comes to wearing hair-ties.

I know so many of us women wear hair-ties on our wrists as a convenience for when we need a quick change-up to our hair, either due to heat or when performing certain activities (I know I pull my hair back while cooking). Depending on the size of your wrist, many times hair-ties are painful and constricting, often cutting of circulation. When I spoke to Shireen and her husband, Arni at the media party, she explained that Arni had asked her why she always wore the black elastic band on her wrist. After she explained the reason, he surprised her by creating the very first version of the bracelet as a thoughtful gift, engraved with her name in Farsi, which she continues to wear to this day (read the full story of how the company name was then born out of the engraving here). With engineering and science backgrounds, their desire for problem solving as a couple helped them fully develop this idea into a company, with the bittersweet bracelets as their flagship product.

In addition to the main bittersweet bracelets (which range in price from $45 to $85 and come in steel-plate or silver, gold and rose gold), they debuted the b+sweet line for the younger set, made of durable BPA free plastic (at $20 for a set of three with matching hair-ties).

I was lucky to receive a bittersweet bracelet as a thank you for attending the event, and I wear it everyday. I recently did an outfit post that will go up in the next week, but here’s a partial preview of my outfit where you can see my bittersweet bracelet (below). I love that it completely changes the hair-tie to something stylish yet functional!

These bracelets will make great holiday and birthday gifts, especially the newest “Signature” holiday line. These bracelets have a little sparkle because of the textured interior channel where the hair-tie would go. They would look great with or without a hair-tie!

Oh, London!

I love London. Anyone who is a regular reader of my blog knows I’ve been to my favorite city three times, and one of my recent trips was chronicled right here on this blog (there are several posts that can be found in the “World In My Eyes” section). So of course when I saw this adorable midi-skirt on Chicwish called “Oh London”, I just had to get it! I wore it to the Del Mar Races recently, because it seemed like the perfect place to wear it: a bright, beautiful day where this skirt could be seen in all it’s British glory! Wearing a simple palette of all black allowed this skirt to speak for itself, and to answer the question most asked about this skirt (other than where did I get it): yes, it has pockets!

A close-up of the fabulous Chanel cassette tape necklace I bought from Designer Vault (I’ve covered a couple of their events here and here). If you want authentic vintage Chanel, I highly recommend Designer Vault!

Isn’t my hubby handsome? (This photo taken by Tanya of La Bella Tanchi)

Outfit: Chicwish “Oh London Pleated Midi-Skirt“; Sheinside “Black Lapel Split Long Sleeve Pockets Blazer“; Forever21 tank top; Enzo Angiolini Coadi Houndstooth Pumps; Vintage Prada purse; Chanel cassette tape necklace from Designer Vault; Bonlook glasses & sunglasses; Kate Spade bracelets

Fashion Week San Diego 2015 Wrap Up

I know it’s been a little while since the Fashion Week San Diego 2015 runway and trunk shows, but I’m posting this wrap up to also announce that the winning designers will be hosting a “Mini Day of Fashion” at La Plaza in La Jolla on Sunday November 22, 2015 starting at 11am. There will be a brunch, a meet & greet with each of the designers: B.JASH.I, Tasanni, and Territa Torres; plus you’ll be able to shop their runway looks at 15% off garment prices. I’ll be there to support these talented ladies, and I hope to see you there, too! My wrap up of Fashion Week San Diego below includes highlights of night 1 of the runway show, the trunk show, and photos of the pop-up shop. Enjoy!

FWSD 2015 Runway Show Night 1

QUYNN Atelier

Sharlene Borromeo of A’Doreus with model Summer Nicole. That dress was so beautiful up close!

Alber Rezko Jewelry Designs with Nolan Dean Fashion. Lots of drama!

Nolan Dean Fashion

Tasanni’s final runway walk

With my fellow bloggers & stylists. After the show, I had a great time having a late dinner and chatting up a storm with writer Courtney Hartmann (bottom right).

My outfit for the evening, as taken by Jenna of Lucky Little Mustard Seed for her blog post “FWSD ‘Runway Show’ Style“. She so graciously named my outfit as one of her favorites of the evening (*squeal!*)…so just for Jenna, here is a shot of my United Nude shoes (below).

Outfit: Forever 21 sleeveless trench; H&M jumpsuit; Kate Spade necklace & bracelet; Vintage Prada bag; “Mona” glasses c/o Spy Optic

FWSD 2015 Trunk Show

With Sharlene of A’Doreus. I would love to wear a dress from her collection!

With Heather of The Stylish Bisou & designer Nikki Marie. Very cool retro styles!

My favorite dress of Tasanni’s runway show!

Another favorite by Lady Lane Desgins. I mean, how absolutely gorgeous is this gown!

A final picture from the trunk show, and beautiful models Leah Brown and fellow San Diego Style Blogger contributor, Tiffany Williams of the blog Glitz and Glam by Tiff

FWSD 2015 Winning Designers Pop-Up Shop at La Plaza in La Jolla

Beautiful dresses by B.JASH.I Couture

I love this little set by Territa Torres. She’ll be making a longer version of the top for off the runway!

Designers Marcie Bain (B.JASH.I); Fatsani Chikwana-Dogani (Tasanni) and Territa Torres

I took Dominic with me to visit the winning designers of FWSD 2015 at their pop-up shop in La Jolla. I bought a couple of items from B.JASH.I and Tasanni. I’ll be sure to feature them in a future blog post!

Had to include this picture of me with the designers, because it was taken by Dominic!

Spread Inspiration: #LiveAGreatStory

There are moments where I become overwhelmed thinking about life and how what we do everyday affects others. I’ve been listening to a lot of John Mayer lately, and moments like that make me think of the song Bigger Than My Body. As a mother, I know everything I do and say affects my son. He looks to me and my husband for guidance, and I want to inspire him to do great things, because this is the life you get, so live it in the best way you can. We all have something important to say, and we should all remember that as unique individuals, we can inspire by telling our stories.

Live A Great Story is a San Diego based apparel company that aims to “Spread Inspiration” through its clothing and create a movement. A percentage of their profits for their tanks and tees goes towards their “Story Fund”, reinvesting in those choosing to make a difference in their communities.

In addition to their line of clothing, Live A Great Story also has sticker and button packs to help spread inspiration anywhere and everywhere. For Any Second Now readers, they’ve created a special discount code: by entering the promo code ANY2NDNOW at check out you will receive a 30% discount when purchasing through www.liveagreatstory.com.

Be bigger than your body and get out there. Remember there is a whole world may not yet know your story, so make it a great one!

Outfit: Live A Great Story tank top (c/o); Say What? cardigan; Madewell jeggings; ASOS Dark Star sneakers; Kipling backpack; Unknown brand fedora; “Exciter” Depeche Mode necklace by Little Treasures by Mir; Warby Parker “Simone” in Tea Rose Fade

Cousins + sisters + sisters-in-law = family

FTC Disclosure: I received product and was asked to review the product in return. Although I did receive product, the opinions in this post are strictly my own.

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