Summertime Side Braids

As an accompaniment to the summer dress season, I've been sporting the side braid to work and loving it! It's been quite hot and windy out where I'm working so the braid has been perfect for keeping me cool and neat throughout the day. In contrast, this is also a great go-to for those days when my hair gets messy from being down all day and I need to freshen up for some after-work plans. It gives you an instant facade of being done up without much needed effort (add a slim headband for an even dressier look). My hair is a little too short to tease and play up at the moment, but I can't wait for it to grow out so I can achieve that Alexander Wang runway braid that everyone has been raving about.

I love that something so quick and simple can be worn so many ways. Here are some of my favorite celeb side-braids:



I remember seeing a much better picture of Lauren Conrad's hairstyle here, but can't seem to find it! What was pretty unique about this was that she had multiple braids beginning higher up on her head. I also really like how the pieces are pulled out at random spots along the braid to create a more textured and messier look. Unfortunately, my hair is not thick enough to pull this one off.


Love, love, love Nicole Richie! I think she pulls off the bohemian, chic look so fabulously. Although she wore this side braid to a formal event, she kept it fun with the loose pieces framing her face. She also shows how it can be worn with the traditional side-swept bangs for a girly touch.


Although some say that Selena Gomez dresses too mature for her age, she actually impresses me with her ability to look so classy. This is the most traditional version of the 2010 side braid and demonstrates how it can be a great alternative to spending 30 minutes curling your hair for a night out. Wouldn't you rather be disco-napping instead?


I saw this picture of Diane Kruger's hair and instantly began thinking about how I could get my sister to somehow learn to do this to my hair! Definitely not a style one can easily achieve on our own, but worth the trouble of learning!


Jennifer Aniston recently wore the braid out with her bright colored summer dress during the filming of her new movie in Hawaii. I left my hair braided while laying poolside this past weekend and definitely think it would be a great beach day hairstyle.


Here's my version of the 5-minute side braid worn with my piece-y bangs pinned to the side and paired with my new byCORPUS dotted dress and B.P Three Quarter Cardigan for a day out on the golf course. Read la bird boheme's tutorial and try it out for yourself!

Tee-Time

Remember back in '08 when all the girls were running to Target to buy those multi-pack Hane's men's v-necks?! My roomie and I (and every other girl on campus) practically LIVED in these. After getting the okay to wear casual dress to work, I'm quickly rediscovering my love for t-shirts and all that can be done with them.

How effortlessly cute does LC look in her skinny jeans and deep v-neck tee? Maybe I can't pull off looking that hot at work, but I've been loving the fact that my shift out of biz cas has made way for some t-shirt and jeans days! Like Lauren, I go for the long and lean tees because they're perfect for creating that slim silhouette--especially on petite girls like myself. Since some of my shirts are a little more low-cut than others, I layer a cami underneath or drape a cute scarf across. For dressier days, I like to pair a colorful baggy cardigan over a ruffly tee. Lauren also dressed up the white tee look (below) with a belt and heels. Perfect way to transition the comfy outfit to night-time wearability! So many options, with such little effort! It really is as easy as 1, 2, 1, 2, 3, 4... My favorite tees for comfort, style, and quality are from American Apparel, Urban Outfitters, and J.Crew. Now I'm obsessed with buying moreeeee.

LC in a David Lerner organic roll-up tee. The sleeves give the shirt a little more femininity.

Summer Sandals

Summer's pretty much here and with the beautiful change in weather, every girl needs a cute, comfy pair of sandals! Now that I am no longer a scrubby college student at Cal, it's probably time to trade in my beloved Rainbow flip-flops for something a little dressier to pair with my summer outfits (hello dresses and skirts in bright colors!). Unfortunately, despite all the choices that are out there, finding a pair I've liked has been more of a difficult task than I expected.

Finally, thanks to some help from a co-worker, I picked up a perfect pair from Urban Outfitters!

   

The Ecote Braided Leather Sandals are exactly what I've been looking for: simple, cute, comfy, and will go with any outfit. I've been wearing them for a week now and love that they are so lightweight and soft. The sandals come in five colors (all very cute and wearable) and are only $28! They may not be the dressiest or trendiest pair of sandals, but I'm loving how easy they are to slip on for weekend and nighttime outings.

These sandals also appear to be a huge favorite of The Hills' girls. Lauren Conrad has been spotted out and about in black and cognac versions while her BFF, Lo Bosworth, was recently seen with the ivory Ecotes while donning a cute summer dress:

(photo credit to Pacific Coast News)