Daily Outfit: Australian Princess

Wait, wait let me explain. Yesterday my co-worker took a look at my outfit and told me "you look just like an Australian princess." what. does. that. mean? I had no choice but to smile wide, thank her, hold in my laughter and then get to my desk to google what exactly this term could be. After coming across the 2005 Australian reality TV show by that same name, I decided that this could not be what she meant. Hmmm I'm just gonna go with it.

I was feeling a North ForkChic vacation vibe when I put together this outfit. I would definitely wear this for a day of wine-tasting & thrift store shopping. The jumpsuit was a fab find in H&M; Sesheta pulled it from the racks for me to try on & it was love. She knows me so well! I am really into the ease and flowiness of it. I decided to mix it with some nautical stripes and bad hair (cue the fedora & side braid). The hat works so well that I would have worn it even if it was a good hair day!

By the way, someone else really loves this jumpsuit too. While I was trying to pack a lunch & get out the door I suddenly felt someone furry with claws clinging to my calf. Yes, my cat had swiftly climbed inside my pant leg. What can I say, he likes flowy fabric too.

Hooray for the weekend!

(Jumpsuit- H&M, Navy Stripe Bandeau- American Apparel, Fedora- Gap, Rain Drop Earrings- MavenFresh, Wedges- Sam Edelman @Bloomies; sold out)

Design Lust: Hatchworks

Link: HATCHWORKS

Yes, we did just recently buy a house. No, none of these pictures are of the house we live in. But oh goodness, I want one of these to call home. Or maybe a vacation home? We are planning on painting the exterior of our cute lil bungalow...of which I will have to show you a pic or two soon...the current color right now is sort of a muddy white with some black trim. That just will not do for this color-obsessed girl! But we do have a lovely porch that could so eventually look like these beauties with some work. So being that I am a total color freak, and I have been known to erratically cite paint colors from the Benjamin Moore paint deck at a glance (kind of embarassing sometimes but I guess it's a side-effect from my design consultant alter-ego), I have been looking for inspiration and stumbled across this amazing site. Hello, orange stripe around my bungalow! What would the neighbors say? All I can say is, if the masterminds behind Hatchworks were based in NY, you may have a stalker on your hands. Kidding (kind of). -becca

Daily Outfit: I've Got Sunshine

This skirt is a very special piece to me; it's a vintage treasure unearthed from my grandmother's endless collection. Continuing the trend of vintage inspired items, Sesheta & I will be offering a hand-picked selection of vintage clothing and accessories with our upcoming Maven RE-Freshed line, available soon in our etsy shop.

Nothing like a bright skirt with a crazy pattern in a full silhouette to commemorate the last day of August! Still feeling the summer's sunny days, and this time a bold teal tank was the perfect contrast for me to try out my new Urban Decay bright orange cream lip pencil. I reach for this fun necklace over & over; not sure if it's the longer length or the cluster of sparkly vintage goodies but it does the trick! I would just like to say that my entire outfit cost less than $40. Anthropologie is truly my favorite place to shop, don't get me wrong, but when I do this girlie heads straight to the sale section! The top was $10, the shoes were on sale for $30 at Aldo, and you already know where the skirt is from. Friends, this is one cheap outfit!

(Skirt- vintage; MavenReFreshed, Top- Anthropologie, Cork Wedges- Aldo; still available at ASOS, Pearl Pendant Necklace- MavenFresh, Earrings- Metal Monk, Lipstick- Urban Decay Super-Saturated High Gloss Lip Color in Punch Drunk- Sephora, Sunglasses- Ted Baker)

PFMs Healthy Living: Change of season

okay, okay... though i hate to admit it, i can't ignore the obvious signs that summer is coming to an end - cooler days, back-to-school prep, the end of August. :( whether i like or not, the earth is preparing to return to a state of hibernation and, just like mother earth, there are things we can do that can help us transition to cooler weather yet save us from the sniffles.  here are some tried and true things that keep me healthy*.

• water - although it's cooler, now isn't the time to slow up on the water intake.  now more than ever, your body needs assistance in flushing out.  drinking a minimum of half your body weight in water (in ounces) per day can ensure that you keep you body hydrated and your cycles flowing.
• raw fruits and vegetables - increasing your intake of raw fruits and vegetables can provide the extra fiber needed to naturally keep the body cleansed.  substitute salads for rice for at least one meal a day and this will assist in smooth bm's (bowel movements, of course).  pack in-season fruits instead of chips for a mid -morning or mid-afternoon snack.
• immune boosting herbs - you can visit your local Vitamin Shoppe or Health food store and pick up extracts of echinacea and/or astragalus.  both of these herbs can help to strengthen your immune system and also keep away any nasty bugs.
• vitamin c - did you know that at the beginning of the sniffles, taking extra vitamin c can help to flush your system?   if taken at the early signs of a cold, an ascorbic acid flush can assist in literally flushing out an infection.  in addition, vitamins c is great as an everyday preventative measure to keep colds at bay.  the energy boost that it provides is also an added bonus.
• colonics - colonics are gaining popularity as part of cleansing and maintenance regimens.  a colonic or a series of colonics, can assist in speeding up the body's cleansing process by eliminating old waste from the colon.  colonics have been linked with the elimination of a variety of health problems and is the perfect accompaniment to a fast.
• fasting - fasting for short periods of time can assist the body in naturally eliminating toxins and waste which will in turn cut back on how often the body falls prey to viruses and infections.  as we head into flu and cold season, the body needs as much assistance as it can get.  raw foods or juice fasting are common and provide the best results for cleansing the body.  

i still have hopes for a warm September but i definitely plan to be prepared for the season ahead! - sesheta

* if you have questions about any of the above suggestions, don' t hesitate to ask me.  as with any health advice, please consult your health practitioner(s) to prepare a plan that best suits you.  

PFM Daily Outfit: Jewels to the Maxi

Blue lashes are a simple way to add color to your eyes!

i absolutely luv the ease and comfort of a great maxi dress.  there is nothing better than waking up in the morning and being able to put on instant glam!  this time i've brightened up the dark grey of my maxi with the punch of some jewel tones and neon, (of course)!! these colors are a perfect way to lighten up the long length of the maxi by drawing your eye upwards.  my jewel tone ellipticals are soooo fun and make me think 80's for real!  to finish off the look, i added a  tulle bow that i threw together that morning - that's one of the best things of being a designer, lol.  countless designs come out of necessity.  this look is little bit retro mixed with a little harajuku girl.  my fave part of the whole outfit is that i get a chance to rock my Diorshow blue mascara!!

(grey maxi dress - J. Crew, neon bandeau - American Apparel, sequin flip-flops - Reef, Studded watch - Marc by Marc Jacobs, Ellipticals in Jewel pop and Tulle Bow headband- MavenFresh, Diorshow mascara in Azure Blue - Sephora.)

Daily Outfit: Sunset Vintage

As the summer winds down, I like to dive into my closet and get one last wear out of certain pieces that might not make an appearance until next spring. These shorts have a paperbag waist and a vintage-inspired style that I love. Honestly I may just end up wearing these all year around with tights and clog booties! I removed the belt that came with the shorts and added in a studded skinny belt for a ladylike touch with a little bling. This flowy patterned top was just begging to be tucked in, and of course I always need a pop of color to up the pow-factor. A friend told me I look ready for fall in this outfit. But bold colors make me feel like summer will never have to end! I added my gold MavenFresh Strands earrings to bring in a bit of modern glam for contrast. This outfit can easily take me from a work day to a summer evening. Or more specifically, from the office to my couch at home where I will be happily catching up on some good HGTV shows!


(Shorts- Anthropologie, Belt- J.Crew, Triple-Strap Tank- Anthropologie, Cardigan- Gap, Bracelet- Milk & Honey, Studded Watch- TOKYObay, Strands Earrings- MavenFresh, Wedges- BCBG)

Daily Outfit: Camo-Floral

Sometimes all it takes is one piece to make you feel deee-lightful, floaty, and not fussy. It was love at first sight with this dress. I think it was the color combination that initially pulled me in, and the pattern that reads as camouflage with a feminine edge that officially sold me. The flirty ruffle bottom hem doesn't hurt either...I could just twirl all day. My MavenFresh Thai Rose Headband happened to match perfectly!

(Dress- Gap, Pineapple Drop Earrings- MavenFresh, Thai Rose Headband- MavenFresh, Bracelet- Anthropologie, Wedges- Bloomingdales, sold out)