The weather in San Diego is nice almost year-round. Even though I have lived here my entire life, I get cold even with a light breeze, so I always carry a light jacket with me. During the spring, I also bring Continue reading
Wrap dresses are my favorite type of everyday dress. They hug you at the waist – and that flatters most figures, including mine. Wrap dresses are very practical! I am a huge fan of them! Many of my work dresses are wrap dresses. My favorite brand is BCBG. I buy them at the BCGB stores, at the BCBG Outlet stores, Nordstrom, Nordstrom Rack, and Macy’s. I also have a few other brands, such as Banana Republic and Ann Taylor. Saks and Saks Off 5th also carry multiple other brands (at reasonable prices).
Here are the top reasons why I love wrap dresses: Continue reading
That famous LBD! It is a wonderful thing! Always there to rescue us when we need it! Easy to match, comfortable to wear, makes us look thinner, and can be worn on more than one occasion! As many other women, I also have multiple little black dresses. Sometimes, when I am Continue reading
With the arrival of spring, I have started wearing lighter blouses and am enjoying the translucent trend. The print on the blouse reminds me of peacock feathers, with tones of blue, yellow, green, turquoise, and white. It is fun to wear bright colors, such as these green skinny jeans. They seem to lighten up any outfit and bring it to life! Continue reading
The Celebration of Fashion event was held at Simon Fashion Valley, as part of the San Diego Latino Film Festival. The event was presented by Divino 360 Woman and included live music, Party Fitness Party Zumba by Ninfa!, Tango by Michael Saltus of Positive Energy Dance Company, and a runway show. Abelardo Rodriguez and I co-emceed the event. Fashion Valley highlighted the latest fashion Continue reading
Friday evening, we met with the San Diego Latino Film Festival event planner, Pilar Kuri, to review the script and do a walk through of the stage. We met outside the AMC 18 Movie Theater at Fashion Valley where the Film Festival was being held. While we were there, we greeted some attendees and I couldn’t resist taking a picture of this cute family Continue reading
The San Diego Latino Film Festival is in full swing and this year it will feature a Fashion Show this Saturday, March 21 at 7:00pm! I was honored to be asked to participate as co-emcee of the Fashion Show, along with TV host, Abelardo Rodriguez. It will be our first time on stage together, should be fun! Did I mention admission is free? It is FREE!
(with Abelardo at the Festival’s Media Kick-off Party where we were introduced as co-emcees of the Fashion Show)
Join us as we celebrate the fashionable Continue reading
The weather can be tricky this time of the year, making it hard to choose what to wear. We are transitioning from winter to spring and one day we need a sweater, the next day it is raining, the next it is sunny and warm…and today we had Santa Ana winds making it a little too hot for our region. Even though in Southern California we enjoy sunny days Continue reading
One of my favorite annual events is here! The 12th Annual San Diego Latino Film Festival will be held March 12 – 22, 2015 at AMC Fashion Valley (at Simon Fashion Valley mall). This location is a new home for the Festival and the organizers have added some fun events, including a Fashion Show, which I will be co-emceeing with Abelardo Rodriguez on Saturday, March 21, at 7:00pm (click here for details). Continue reading
Blouses with collars are in trend, both for dressier attire and casual looks. I have purchased a few, in particular the sheer one’s, love those, worn with a tank top underneath. I purchased a few button down tops and a few with zippers, which tend to be more fitted at the waist. As I started seeing more of these blouses in the stores, it reminded me I had a few similar blouses at home in my closet. I usually only wore those shirts as “career blouses” for work. When I got home, I looked in my closet to see which career blouses and collared tops I could wear on weekends for a casual attire, as well as casual Fridays. I realized I had multiple blouses I could easily match with jeans, capri pants, and skirts. On weekends, if I am just running errands, I usually wear ballerina flats or sandals. If we have dinner plans, I simply change my shoes to heals and voila, dress up the look. Continue reading
Even though it is warm almost year-round in San Diego, we have a few cold weeks during winter. I love wearing jackets and as soon as the weather gets a bit chilly, I pull them out! Yet, in our town, during winter, you can wear a small jacket with a tank top underneath and Continue reading
The 12th Annual San Diego Latino Film Festival will be held March 12 – 22, 2015 at AMC Fashion Valley, located at Simon Fashion Valley mall. This location is a new home for the Festival! This is one of the Festival’s I look forward to every year! A few weeks before Opening Night, the organizers invite members of the media to the Official Media Kick-Off Party, where they announce Continue reading
We may all be tempted to buy winter coats in the fall when we see them in the stores and the weather starts to get chilly, but we may also be paying Continue reading
Jeans are a staple item in my closet. I am enjoying the trend of colorful & print jeans. Initially, when skinny jeans were introduced (a few years ago), I hesitated to get them because I felt boot cut jeans were more flattering on my body type, and I had many of them. Now, I am embracing my curves, thighs and all, and wearing skinny jeans. I used to consider jeans an investment in my closet. The kind of clothing article I can wear for many years and used to spend hundreds of dollars on designer jeans. I still have those jeans in my closet, but am not wearing most of them currently because they are not skinny jeans or boy cut.
About a year ago, on a trip, I ventured into H&M and found out their skinny jeans are inexpensive ($10 – $30), of course I bought two. A few months later, while shopping with my sister, we went to Forever21 and they also sell inexpensive ($7 – $20) skinny jeans, I got two. The only disadvantage I find with these jeans is that they won’t last years because they tend to fade quicker with washes than designer jeans. But, depending on how often you wear them (& wash them), they can last up to a year or more. I still wear those skinny jeans from H&M around the house. The jeans from Forever21 faded less and are a bit higher on the hips, which is more comfortable for me (due to my curves). This November, I was out shopping with my niece and bought three skinny jeans at Forever 21, gray, black, and dark denim. I have worn them a ton and look forward to wearing them into the spring and summer….hopefully next fall as well. But, at $10 per jeans, I might just go buy another pair in the fall. I call these jeans “no worry jeans” the price is so inexpensive, making them accessible to buy….and a staple in my closet. I think I wear them at least once a week, if not more.
As with any jeans, you can dress them up or keep the look casual. On this occasion, I added a light top, with boots and accessorized it for a day out with my hubby. I have also worn this look to work on a casual Friday, just add a business jacket.
Do you have a favorite brand of jeans? Have you purchased jeans at Forever21 or H&M?
Hugs,
Paola
Photos & ESPAÑOL oprima en “Read More”. Continue reading
Every few months, my hubby cleans out his closet. He chooses what to keep, what to place in storage, and what to give away. He recently selected several items to give away. Among them was this soft, warm, dark gray, cashmere sweater! He started to put it Continue reading
In Southern California our fall season can be pretty warm. The evenings may get a little nippy in November, but it doesn’t really get too cold until December. I have been wearing short sleeve tops during the day and just add a light cardigan or jacket in the evenings. The warm weather during the day also lends itself for fall dresses. When I shop for dresses, I think of the multiple uses a dress will have and it’s versatility:
– Can I wear it for multiple occasions by dressing it up or down, ie: dinner, brunch, a baptism, work, a cocktail reception, to emcee an event, a barbecue, etc.?
– Can it be worn year round, or only in the summer or winter?
– Will I be able to still wear it next year or only this season?
– Will it be easy to care for & wash at home, does it require ironing or dry cleaning?
– Can I accessorize it to change the look, maybe add a cardigan or jacket to it, add gold or silver, sandals or heals?
– Will it make a good dress for trips, is it easy to pack, does it wrinkle easily?
This is really how my mind works. Due to my profession and the multiple personal commitments we have, I probably have more dresses than what you expect to find in a woman’s closet. In addition to work commitments, I have a large family and a good group of friends, so between my husband’s schedule and mine, we keep a pretty active social calendar. What does that mean for me? I need different outfits, right!? I also like dresses because for the most part, they are easy to wear. Just add shoes and a necklace, and you are ready to go!
This little dress was a good purchase. I got it at Ross – another good find at Ross! I’ve worn it three times this fall: for an event at Westfield Plaza Bonita, to work (with black tights, booties, and a jacket), and to the Opening of TopShop at Fashion Valley. It is a little shorter than the dresses I usually wear, so I added some black short shorts underneath, just to be safe, but mostly to feel more comfortable. I matched it with coral color Nine West shoes with a medium heel. I may wear this dress one more time this fall or winter….with tights.
What do you look for when buying dresses? Do you have a little black dress you wear in the fall and winter?
Hugs,
Paola
I like the coral and camel color on the bottom portion of the dress, they add color & fun to it!
Dress: Sweet Storm (purchased at Ross); Shoes: Nine West; Bracelets: Coach & Forever21; Necklaces: own gold jewelry
With Javier Tirado, Marketing Director, at event at Westfield Plaza Bonita
At the Opening of TopShop at Fashion Valley
With the fall season here and winter just around the corner, it is time for some new booties and boots. At the recent opening of Topshop at Fashion Valley, I took a look at some of my favorite booties from their shoe section….and their over the knee boots. I was pleased to see their booties and boots are leather, which is optimal because they will give-in making them more comfortable to wear. Which is your favorite bootie?
Do you have over the knee boots? Have you gotten any new boots for the season?
If you missed my Topshop Grand Opening post, you can see it here.
Hugs,
Paola
PS – The black booties and blue shooties I bought at Nine West earlier this year, which I have been wearing this fall.
The shoe section for women at Topshop has multiple options, among them casual flats, heals, booties, and boots.
These were my favorite booties. Buckles are in trend for this season.
Multiple options of over the knee boots.
We all have a “little black dress” in our closet. Or, we have multiple “little black dresses.” They are versatile and easy to wear, but this year, why not add some color to your holiday party dresses? The holidays are coming up and that means parties! So, with the upcoming holidays and because I am constantly attending events, I knew I’d be needing a few new dresses. At a recent visit to Ross, I was pleasantly surprised with the nice & trendy items I found, and with the low prices! It takes time to shop at Ross, particularly if you are looking for a good deal, but it is worth it! I found this stylish “little blue dress.” I didn’t have a specific event in mind, but I knew it would come in handy. And, it has! I have worn it twice already and am certain I will wear it a few more times this holiday season and in the coming years! It is a classic v-neck, fitted cut, and knee-high length, which won’t go out of style soon. I like that I can match it with either gold or silver accessories. It can also be worn with multiple colors, I am thinking red shoes or a red cardigan….yellow, white, or even black, and can be dressed up or down. I can use it during the winter season with black tights and a cardigan sweater. I can turn it into work attire by adding a business jacket, plus it is perfect for a TV shoot, and is a good cocktail dress!
I wore it to a wedding in Miami last week. It was an outdoor wedding, so I brought a silk pashmina, which I wore in the evening when the temperature got cooler. In mid-October, I wore it to Mana’s Latina Success Conference where I was a moderator and went on stage to receive a recognition.
The dress is a royal blue color and brings light to my face! I feel comfortable in the dress, which nowadays is the most important thing for me. It is nice to add color to my option of dresses. Black is nice and we all have a little black dress….so, next time, get a blue dress, or a red, green, or yellow dress, and add color to your next party attire!
Do you have a blue cocktail dress? Do you prefer a blue or a red dress? How many little black dresses do you have?
Hugs,
Paola
At the wedding in Miami. Don’t mind the bandage on my arm, I was in a car accident recently and this was the most discreet bandage I could find that still protected my abrasion.
We attempted to cover my right forearm in the pictures, then I gave up and figured the pictures are about the dress and overall attire, not my arm.
At Mana’s Latina Success Conference.
Dress: Spense (purchased at Ross); Shoes: INC; Necklace: Swarovski (wedding, gift from my friend Lola), Forever21 (Mana Conference); Earrings: Nadri (Nordstrom, gift from my friend Lizeth); Bracelet: Forever21
Topshop Topman celebrated the Grand Opening of their stylish new store in San Diego! The store is located at Fashion Valley shopping center, on the first level, next to JcPenney. Topshop is located on first floor and Topman is on the underground level. I attended the Grand Opening and enjoyed seeing the on-trend items the store has, including clothing, coats, shoes, accessories, purses, and jewelry. There is casual and dressy fast-fashion attire. The Grand Opening included a goodie bag, exclusive giveaways, Topman gift cards, t-shirt printing, entertainment by a Local DJ on the decks, pop-up photo booth, and free gift for customers that spent $70. There were so many nice items to see that I took lots of pictures. Here are pictures from the Topshop Grand Opening. I will make a separate post in the coming days with pictures from the Topman store, my favorite womens shoes and jackets, and the accessories section.
Nordstrom is the exclusive stockist for Topshop in the USA and I have purchased clothing from this brand in the past. This is the first Topshop store in San Diego and the first one of its kind that I have visited. The prices are reasonable. The quality looked well-made. The prices and items are comparable to Zara and H&M (a bit higher than H&M for the casual attire). I will be back to do some shopping, it will be a shopping day with my sis for sure!
Have you been to Topshop or Topman? Do you have any Topshop clothing?
Hugs,
Paola
The goodie bag items.
Hi friends – here are more pictures from the recap of Fashion Week San Diego 2014. These pictures include designs by: Continue reading