Deal vs. Steal: Jennifer Aniston's Coveted Wedges

I've been coveting these Stuart Weitzman Alex Espadrille Sandals since I first saw Jennifer Aniston rocking them. You know when you see something you absolutely fall in love with and you obsess over them? Yes I always keep tabs on my favorite items and hope they go on sale. Oh how I wish I had Jennifer Aniston's income! But I saw these Chinese Laundry imitations while shopping at the Beverly Center and literally ran in.

What's great about Chinese Laundry is that there are always promo codes that you can use to get free shipping and typically at least 20% off! I went home and bought these immediately - too good of a find for me to pass up!

 I love how Jennifer Aniston always looks so effortlessly put together. 

The Steal: Stuart Weitzman "Alex" Espadrille Sandal $365

The Deal: Chinese Laundry Dippity Do in Khaki $69.95 

Use promo code DIVASQUARE for 20% off your purchase! Bringing this to a cool $61.42 with tax!

I must admit, that even though I've satisfied my Espadrille wedge craving and chose The Deal. Those Stuart Weitzman still hold a place in my heart. One day!

Inspired by: Oscars 2011 Mila Kunis Lavender Bombshell

When Mila Kunis stepped onto that red carpet, I literally felt my jaw drop because she looked absolutely stunning. I love love love this stunning shade of lilac and it just looked gorgeous on her. It was the perfect mix of romantic, classic, and sultry. The lace detailing was delicate and absolutely lovely on her.

Here are some my favorite picks that were definitely inspired by her lavender knockout dress.

Mila Kunis | Photocredit JustJared

I love the delicate pairing of lace and chiffon. Not to mention her earrings!

J.Crew Chiffon Zadie Dress $129

This dress has the same deep V that would look gorgeous with some peek-a-boo lace.

Take this Victoria's Secret Lace Applique Satin Slip $48 for example.

Even a lace bra would do the trick! Tastefully done of course.

Jen's Pirate Booty Goddess Long Dress in Lilac $169

Definitely the everyday version of Mila's. 

Still effortlessly pretty with ruffles and all.

BCBGMAXAZRIA One Shoulder Chiffon Dress $298

I love how this bejeweled belt matches Mila's earrings! 

J.Crew Taryn Long Dress in Soft Lavender $350 

My favorite pick! Airy-esque with that gorgeous color. Plus being chiffon and floor-length this dress is just oh so appealing.

And if you really want to go out. Check out this great Zac Posen number! I also have a great lookbook inspired by all this lavender! Can't wait for all of you guys to see it.

The winner of my First Blog Giveaway will be up soon! : ) 

Layers, Layers, & more Layers!

As you guys know, I recently did a post that was inspired by Kourtney Kardashian which definitely influenced my layered look that I wore the other day! Whenever gloomy weather hits, I always find that dressing up more than usual becomes a great energy booster to get me through the day. Nothing's more uplifting then some bedazzled Micahel Kors pumps!

Barneys CO-OP sweater | Nordstroms Trouve Boyfriend sweater in black

Nordstroms Citizens of Humanity Jeggings | Micahel Kors pumps

Gorjana Gold Ashby Necklace | Layered Necklace from LIT Boutique

I love my black jeans by Citizens of Humanity! I'm such a fan of jeggings, I have about 5 different kinds of jeggings in different colors and I find it so hard to go back to jeans! They're seriously so comfortable, I could probably gym in them if I really wanted to. I especially like the ones with the detailing of pockets on the back because then they don't scream "not real pants!". So to the unknowing eye, they're jeans. And only you know they're the most comfortable pair of "jeans" you've ever worn.

Deal vs. Steal: Hervé Léger for $200? How about $80 instead?

Everyone's heard of Hervé Léger. Celebs love them because once on, they seem to fit like a glove and magically accentuate all the right places. Too bad they come at such steep prices. But here's a way to get your hands on one of these for a fraction of the price!

Hervé Léger Golden Girl One Shoulder Dress $1690

How about that same dress for $200? RentTheRunway (RTR) is a fashionista's dream: imagine Netflix for dresses. I've used RTR countless of times and I have nothing but good things to say. It's a chance for everyday girls to wear celebrity red carpet fashions at a price that we can afford! Dresses go as low as $50, and believe me for $50 you can still get an amazing dress thats worth at least 5x as much. It's simple: Pick your dress, pick the date you want your dress to arrive (you can pick to rent for 4 or 8 days),and when you're done just put it back in its prepaid envelope and send it on its way. They even take care of the cleaning! What's great is that with a 4 day rental period (8 days cost extra) you can definitely get your monys worth. Thursday night out with your girls and then a hot date on the weekend? No one will ever know! Just delay posting pictures onto Facebook ; )

This invite-only site is similar to Gilt. If you need an invite just feel free to shoot me an email at myembellishedlife@gmail.com and I'll be more than happy to assist you in your shopping endeavors! Want to hear more good news? How about getting this dress for $80 instead.

Express Metallic One Shoulder Banded Dress in gold $80

Yes, so I cheated a bit. It's not Hervé Léger but for $80 I think I can make an exception. It looks awfully similar and I bought a red bandage dress from Express during their Black Friday sale last year and it's socomfortable. And honestly, with the compliments I got wearing my LRD (Little Red Dress) combined with its bargain price tag - I am a big fan of its twin.

Don't forget to enter my Shu Umeru Giveaway!

Recreated: Kourtney Kardashian Casual in Lace & Black

I recently saw a picture of Kourtney Kardashian out with her family to Marmalade Cafe. I definitely did a double take because this was so chic and I just loved every element of her outfit.  

Kourtney (Far Left): Corey Lynn Calter Cropped Lace Jacket | Gucci sweater

J Brand Jeans | Chanel Flats | Tom Ford Sunglasses | Balenciaga bag 

You can see in this zoomed in shot, that she had a clever idea of wearing her lace top over her sweater. Definitely stealing that idea! I'm so used to thinking about layering with sweaters, scarves, and accessories that sometimes you just forget that it can go both ways. 

The top combination is my own interpretation of this look, because unless you are a size 6 you won't be able to purchase the real deal on Singer22.com. If you wanted to go for the layering effect of the black sweater and lace on top, I would layer with a lace top that has sleeves versus the tank.  I've personally seen the tank at Urban Outfitters and I really love the lace detail. I rarely buy Urban Outfitters merchandise in the store, because they're one of the better stores that use a lot of web promos and their discounts online are always better (remember to check ebates for more ways to save money!).

Nordstroms Trouve Boyfriend Sweater in black $68

I have this sweater. So comfortable! It's such a great basic that I love wearing oversized jewelry with.

Bloomingdales Quotation: Sanctuary "Georgia" Lace Trimmed Top $86

I can totally see the black sweater emphasizing the intricate lace details on the arms.  

Pink Mascara: House of Harlow 1960 Double Sunburst Necklace $72

Since we're missing the zipper detail on the top, jewelry would be a great way to incorporate some metals into your outfit. I love the leather detailing of this necklace. 

 

Pink Mascara: House of Harlow 1960 Plated Medallion Locket in Gold$65

I would even throw this necklace under it. House of Harlow 1960 is definitely one of my favorite jewelry lines. The great thing about this collection is that you can literally layer any of the pieces together and it'll still look amazing. 

Silence & Noise Lace Tiered Zipper Tank Top in Ivory $20 

Overstock Tom Ford Women's Dahli Sunglasses $146 

I love Overstock. I would never think that this would be the site to have luxury brands at such bargain prices but I found these Charles David heels here that was basically sold out everywhere. So on top of getting my heels, they were ridiculously cheap. Win-win.

 

Shopbop: Pour La Victoire Rainbow Chain Pocket Tote $475

JCrew Cece Leather Ballet Flats $128 in Olive Moss

Finding the perfect neutral flat that you can wear with anything is hard to find, but JCrew has perfected the classic ballet flat. They have some serious timeless options that would be the perfect gift, a great addition to your closet, and that Chanel-Coco-flair to your outfit that everyone needs. 

Remember to use Pink Mascara's VDAY Code VDAY30 for 30% off all sitewide merchandise!

**TIP: Use Ebates! Found on the sidebar of my blog or here, Ebates is a great way to save when you're online shopping. I bookmark it and before I buy anything online I always double check to see if there's an ebate for it. Right now you get 5% cashback for Nordstroms! Shopbop has 6%! Happy shopping everyone : )

Recreated: Rachel Bilson's Poppy-Spring Look

There are those certain celebrities that you would trade closets with in a heartbeat. Some of my favorite celebs, to name a few, include Lauren Conrad, Vanessa Hudgens (not my favorite actress but ironically she's given me some of my best/favorite outfit inspirations!), and of course Rachel Bilson.

I have a desktop folder that I drag all my favorite celeb outfits in; just to keep for future reference. And I just loved Rachel Bilson's recent outfit and I just had to recreate a version to share with all of you. I love the vibrant poppy color to an otherwise muted outfit. The perfect transition from the chic-neutrals of Winter and onto "THE IT" color for Spring!

Vanessa Bruno Cropped Jacket in Coral | Maison Martin Margiela open toe ankle boots

Similar style found: Maison Martin Margiela Distressed Slouch Booties in black at Shopbop.com $745 

Photo Credit: Glamour.com

Bluefly Wyatt Sahara Crepe Sequin Shoulder Dress in Dark Nude $79.20

Pink Mascara Parker Flowy Wrap Dress in Blush $253

Go to my sidebar to find 10% promo code for Pink Mascara (excludes sales)! 

Expires 2/28 so get shopping!

Net-A-Porter Alice + Olivia shawn cotton & cashmere blend shrug $375

Nordstroms Trouve 'Rhyme' Bootie in Natural $129.95

Banana Republic's Sailor's Knot Necklace $69.50

Bloomingdales Juicy Couture Layered Rhinestone Chain Necklace $148

Bluefly Ray-Ban 'Folding Wayfarer' Sunglasses $124 (Retail: $155!)

You'd notice how I snuck in two options for jewelry. I love statement necklaces and couldn't resist finding a couple more options for you. With jewelry it's really about your personal style and it's the perfect way to add a piece of you into your outfit. Lastly, add your favorite basic black purse and congratulations you've just recreated Rachel Bilson's look-for-less!

Follow me @EmbellishMyLife : )

Keeping it Neutral in L.A.

I love escaping to L.A. for either the weekend or just driving up on a random day trip. There's always so much to explore with new eateries, boutiques and events that you just can't get in Orange County.

Spoiled with the January weather, I wanted to make the most of it before it changed its mind again. So I pulled out my shorts and my favorite off-white blazer and hit the streets of L.A. 

H&M Blazer | Patterson J. Kincaid White Line Tank 

Express Shorts | Forever21 Belt 

Sam Edelman Flats | H&M Fringe Bag | Banana Republic Necklace 

I love the detailing of this tank. It's relaxed/casual yet the linen gives it a slightly sophisticated feel. 

My H&M bag automatically reminded me of Vanessa Hudgen's JJ Winters Fringed Bag that she's always sporting. The difference? Mine was around $40 vs. her $409 price tag. I love the braided detail of my H&M bag and the leather feel of it makes it look like a lot more expensive than it really is. I highly recommend making this into a staple in your closet! 

We ate at Cru Restaurant: a totally raw/vegan menu so be prepared. 

You're looking at the Asian Bowl with Kelp Noodles and a Spinach Apple Ginger Cucumber Juice. Delicious and refreshing! 

The Mezze Platter: Flax Crackers that's paired with Apple Beet Salad, Kale, 

Cashew Butter, Fig Paste and Cucumber Tzatziki.

Eating vegan is definitely a new eating experience. Cru Restaurant is known for really taking vegan dishes to a whole new level. Don't expect the neighborhood to be like the Rodeo Drive part of L.A. but if you haven't given vegan food a try, it's worth a visit.