My June Favorites

Long time no see, blog! After a two-year hiatus due to the pandemic, content trends, and overall life changes — particularly a new job — I've decided to try to get back into writing and blogging. I miss writing and not all of my content ideas are best or easiest with short-form video. So without further ado, I'm returning with what I love to do most: share what I love and enjoy! Here are my favorites from the month of June.

Media and Entertainment

The Little Mermaid (2023)

I wasn't expecting to love the new, live action Little Mermaid, but now I want to watch it at least once a week. Halle Bailey was perfectly cast as Ariel and has an impeccable combination of wonder, youthfulness, and talent that make her Ariel one of a kind and a performance to remember. The new scenes and songs — most of them — added a entertaining and valuable depth to the stories, characters, and relationships that I really enjoyed.

Ariel and Prince Eric have never had more chemistry. Eric's motivations are so much clearer, and he has an actual backstory. Plus I loved seeing all of Ariel's sisters. It makes total sense that the king of the sea has daughters who represent all of the different oceans of the world.

Fashion Friday: My Favorite Outfits from 2021

Since I actually went outside this year for something other than work, I finally had occasions and places to wear new outfits to pretty year-round, unlike last year. But there still wasn't anything super eventful or fun to dress up for, like weddings or big parties or even shows or concerts to go to. But it was nice to actually get to wear something other than sweatpants and hoodies. So here are my 10 favorite outfits I wore this year!

Much of the clothes and products worn in the outfits below are pretty old and likely out of stock, but I will still provide links below in the caption of each photo if available. Follow me on Instagram @amanda_carmela for more outfits year round!

March 27, 2021

Click to shop this look!

What I like most about this outfit is probably the contrast, from the colors to the styles of the clothing. Obviously the pink top really stands out with the black pants and white shoes. But then there's the ruching and neckline of the top that elevates it a bit, especially compared to the cargo joggers and sneakers. The three necklaces add some sparkle while the messy bun balances the streetstyle vibes.

April 6, 2021

Click to shop this look!

If you know me, you know I absolutely love the To All the Boys movies and books and refer to myself as the Filipino Lara Jean. So of course I had to snag this replica outfit of Lara Jean's New York ensemble from the third movie!

The dress and belt are both from H&M from the official To All the Boys collection. I completed the look with a heart necklace from BaubleBar and the exact pair of sneakers Lana Condor wears as LJ in the movie: the triple platform original Keds sneakers. I was stoked to find them at Marshalls (for less than $35!) so I could be even closer to being Lara Jean! And yes, I even did my best to copy the hairstyle she had while wearing this outfit.

I actually wore this outfit only once, but when I wore it and whenever I tried it on, it just made me so happy to be channeling my favorite character of all time.

My Favorite Leotards from the 2021 GK U.S. Classic

I love gymnastics and fashion, so one of my favorite things to do when watching gymnastics is look at and admire all of the different leotards gymnasts wear. The start of the summer gymnastics season was this past weekend with the GK U.S. Classic, so there were a lot of leotards (and amazing gymnastics, of course!) to see.

When I first started watching gymnastics, there were really only three big leotard brands U.S. gymnasts wore with one of them dominating. Now there are a lot more, and just like with normal fashion, leotard trends evolve as well. Rhinestones are a staple, but lately (and probably this summer in Tokyo), you'll see a lot of mesh sleeves and ombre. I'm definitely a fan of those trends, which are all present in my favorite leotards from the GK Classic below:

(All photos embedded via USA Gymnastics © John Cheng)

Grace McCallum - Ozone

Grace was one of the first gymnasts shown on the broadcast, so her leos was one of the first I saw, and I instantly was a fan. No, it's not because it's pink — though that helped. The pink and white color combo is very pretty, and there's certainly no shortage of rhinestones on this leo, but it doesn't overdo it.

The design of the leo itself is a sport sporty/athletic one resembling a baseball tee, but it doesn't look like one at all. Though the sleeves are all white, they don't look plain or boring thanks to the juxtaposition of the mesh and spandex fabric in addition to the rhinestones. The rhinestone design on the bodice creates a nice shape and silhouette that prevents it from being just pink. It's a flattering look on Grace!

Shilese Jones - Sylvia P.

I remember when I was on Twitter during the first session and kept seeing people tweet about Shilese's leo. The only problem was I hadn't seen it because NBC hardly showed her. But when they did finally show her, I immediately loved her leo. It is so gorgeous and looks absolutely stunning on her.

The light purple color is beautiful and really stands out with her complexion. Illusion and mesh sleeves are definitely trending in gymnastics, but a lot of times, the nude color is suited for lighter skin tones, which obviously doesn't match everyone. This leotard is a perfect example of having nude mesh in a variety of shades. When you're able to properly match tones and fabric colors, it really helps the leotard bodice stand out. 

Style Icons: Olivia Rodrigo

Photo credit Disney+/Patrick Newman

I first knew of Olivia when she made her Disney debut on Bizaarvark, but I wasn't interested in that show, so I first got to witness her talent as Nini in High School Musical: The Musical: The Series. I remember when I found out she's Filipino, and I instantly became a fan. As much as I've enjoyed her performances as Nini, I've enjoyed her music even more. It wasn't until "drivers license" came out until I finally started listening to music on repeat that wasn't Taron Egerton or Aaron Tveit. So major props to her. Haha.

Now she's releasing her first album, Sour, today, and I can't wait to hear all of the songs. I've loved all of her singles so far. So in celebration of Sour, I'm featuring my fellow Filipina-American in this week's Fashion Friday as a style icon.

I normally go through someone's Instagram to find a bunch of outfits to feature, but Olivia recently restarted her feed, so I didn't have a lot to choose from. I did like a lot of stuff she's worn recently, though, which helped!

"All I Want" Music Video

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by HSM: The Musical: The Series (@highschoolmusicalseries)

I remember when I first watched this music video. My brain went "All I want is that dress." I obviously love the pink. Bright hot pinks are my favorite, and I love the tulle. It all stands out really well in what I assume is the Utah wilderness (for lack of a better word?) since High School Musical: The Musical: The Series films in Utah. 

Anyway, the dress (or is it a two-piece situation?) is just stunning. The shades of pink contrast since they're different shades but still tie everything together and juxtapose well. The layers and tulle create some great texture and movement. The chunky black shoes really add some contrast to the frilly, girly outfit to add a little grunge to the look.

"deja vu" Music Video - Molly Goddard dress

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Jake Sammis (@jakesammis)

This dress is just gorgeous. From the beautiful green color to the ruffles going around and down the skirt, it's definitely the iconic outfit of this music video. Like, taking a sledgehammer to a bunch of old TVs while wearing a bold and beautiful gown? Iconic!

"deja vu" Music Video - Chanel jacket/pool outfit

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Jake Sammis (@jakesammis)

Pink being my favorite color, it's natural I gravitate toward outfits with pink. I love this Chanel jacket. It's classy and has a vintage feel. Pairing it with high waisted blue jeans and black loafers keeps it sophisticated and feeling vintage while maintaining a pretty casual look.

My March and April Favorites

At this point in time, we're closer to June than April, so this post is definitely delayed but oh well! Again, I didn't discover enough favorites in March or April alone to dedicate a whole post for those months on their own. In March and April I added a bunch of new music to my go-to playlist, wore new fashion trends, and tried new beauty products that have now become staples in my routine.

I've also tried to group similar things in my monthly favorites posts (music and movies together, clothes with accessories, all makeup together, etc.), but this is the first time I've actually labeled the groups with headers. So if you only care about what music I'm listening to or what new clothes I've found, you can easily scroll to that section!

As usual, click the link in the subhead if you're interested in learning more about or buying a certain product I've included.

Music

"Leave the Door Open" - Silk Sonic

Simply put, this song is Blasian excellence. A Bruno Mars and Anderson .Paak collaboration is something I never knew I needed in my life. The song and its sound are so smooth and suave, and the vocals are incredible. It's certainly be a while since Bruno Mars has released a single, and this was totally worth the wait.

Too Young to be Sad EP - Tate McRae

As a dance fan, I've been a fan of Tate's before she started seriously making music. I can't believe it's been six years since I was watching her slay on So You Think You Can Dance, and now she's all grown up, performing at awards shows and having songs on the Billboard charts. I've enjoyed listening to the songs on her latest EP for the past few months now and particularly like how although they're all pretty "sad" songs, they aren't all ballads and do contrast in sound.

"deja vu" - Olivia Rodrigo

I wasn't expecting Olivia to release another single until maybe after the second season of High School Musical: The Musical: The Series premiered, so "deja vu" was a pleasant surprise! It has a more chill vibe and sound to it than "drivers license" that always makes me want to blast it with the windows down while I'm driving (which I do when it's nice out) but still has a bit of angst to it. "deja vu" also has some synthetic pop/electronic moments that make it easy to jam to. So I think the music video having scenes in a convertible driving down the Pacific Coast Highway fit the song perfectly, and I can't want for the entire sour EP to be released next week!

My January and February Favorites

I've wanted to do resume my monthly favorites posts this year, but all I had down from January was a few songs, and I didn't think that was enough for an entire post. So I'm combining January and February, because February was a lot more exciting and had more going on for me.

I feel like all I did in January was listen to "drivers license" on repeat. (I'm 100% serious.) But I actually gave my attention to other things in February, so here we go!

drivers license - Olivia Rodrigo

Do you know how much I love "drivers license"? I love it so much that it's the song that finally got me to stop listening to Taron Egerton and/or Aaron Tveit on repeat for the first time since late spring of 2019! When it first came out, I listened to it on repeat for at least a few days straight.

Olivia is a genius and a star, and I've been so proud of my fellow Filipina because of her monumental success since releasing her first single. "drivers license" is truly something else. I mean, it's got to be if it finally got to me to stop listening to Taron Egerton every day! I'm 100% one of those people who cannot and do not relate to any of the lyrics in the song, but that's how good it is. It just hits you in the feels regardless. And the bridge? It's a dramatic burst of musical fireworks.

Skin - Sabrina Carpenter

Yes, I am a fan of both Olivia Rodrigo and Sabrina Carpenter.  I listen to both "drivers license" and "Skin." We exist. I would like to never see or hear of any supposed drama relating to this ever again. Pitting women against each other isn't cool. Thanks.

Now that's out of the way, if you've followed my blog for a little while, you may know I've been a fan of Sabrina Carpenter for a while now and have loved her since she was on Girl Meets World. It has been so wonderful hearing and witnessing Sabrina's musical journey and growth, and "Skin" is a great example of that. Plus, it has an A+ message and reminds us that we do not need to give or pay attention to those who don't deserve it. It's not easy, but if people are trying to hurt you or tear you down in any way, you can choose to not let their words or actions hurt you. 

My Favorite Outfits of 2020

I think we can all agree 2020 was quite a year. No one was allowed to go out as much, which definitely impacted fashion. Sweatpants and loungewear certainly reigned supreme over suits and dresses. I certainly had fewer outfits to choose from when trying to pick my favorite outfits of the year.

I enjoyed working from home for a few months but ultimately did go back to working in person, which meant I still had to go out and wear "real" clothes. I didn't mind that so much since I do enjoy putting outfits together and dressing up. So while 2020 wasn't ideal, I am glad it didn't take away everything and still allowed me to enjoy fashion and outfits, casual or not.

As usual, I linked products in the captions. Some are exact while some are similar since they may be out of stock or discontinued.

January 11

I've never gotten the chance to wear a pretty gown before since I didn't go to prom or anything, so my great aunt and uncle's wedding provided me the chance to do so! I was hoping to find a more sparkly and pink gown for this occasion, but this dress was too good to pass up. I found it at a Camille la Vie store on sale, and it has pockets! I like the pink, black, and white floral print of the skirt and the mesh triangle cutouts at the side. Gowns and formal dresses aren't usually thought to be comfortable, but this one was.

Thankfully my great aunt and uncle's golden wedding anniversary was at the start of 2002 before everything shut down and big gatherings and celebrations were no longer safe, because it would have been such a bummer if my great aunt and uncle had to cancel their big celebration.

February 3

I bought this dress and top during Zara's semi-annual sale and thought they could pair well in the risky art of mixing patterns, and I like how it turned out! I felt very Gossip Girl-y meets '80s meets editorial fashion in this outfit.

February 11

This is my Lara Jean To All the Boys I've Loved Before copycat outfit to mimic the outfit she wears on the movie poster and in the final scene of the first movie. To All the Boys 2 came out on Netflix on this day, and I love TATB and Lara Jean. I was so excited about the movie I had to wear this Lara Jean outfit. It was so easy to put together and is something I could reasonably wear on an everyday basis.

The Ten Amongst These Threes: Creating My Katherine Howard SIX the Musical Costume

Like most everything in 2020, Halloween was definitely different. Having Halloween and costume parties wasn't a good idea, and trick-or-treating was iffy. But it was pretty much the same for me since I don't anything to celebrate besides eat candy and dress up for work or just for fun. This year I dressed up as Katherine Howard from Six the Musical, which is a musical about Henry VIII's six wives. (It was actually supposed to open on Broadway the day Broadway shut down.)

Ever since I first saw the costumes from the show earlier this year,  I admired and adored them and thought they were so cool and unique. They're edgy, sophisticated, and modern yet have touches of regal Tudor era attire. Each queen has her own color, and of course I like the pink one best, which is Katherine Howard's!

The costume was unlike anything I'd seen before, and I just wanted to have one to feel and look as amazing, cool, and badass as them. Eventually I looked up the costumes and did some research after seeing a lot of people make their own cosplay versions and decided to take on the daunting project.

For some fun reading music (and/or to understand my subheads), press play to listen to Katherine Howard's solo from the musical!

Also, big shoutout to six.costumes on Instagram for all of the costume photos and resources on her page! (Scroll down to the end for a TikTok of my costume in the making and the final look!)

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Six The Musical Costumes (@six.costumes) on May 4, 2020 at 11:09am PDT

I can give it a try

The typical way to go about making a costume or constructing anything from fabric would be sewing. I don't have a sewing machine and realized how expensive a good one is, and I was not up for hand stitching an entire costume when my sewing ability is only okay. So I had to come up with another way to make this costume.

2020 Golden Globes Fashion Favorites

This year was the first year I watched the Golden Globes and was actually looking forward to it and really excited about it. Usually, I watch kind of just because and to see all of the outfits, but this year, Taron Egerton (aka my fave, but you should know that by now) was nominated for Best Actor in a Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy and won!!! While I love Taron, he did not make my fashion favorites from this year's Golden Globes. He still looked great, though! Here are the looks that did make it to my list of favorites:

Ana de Armas

Steve Granitz/WireImage

Dear Ralph & Russo and Tiffany,
Can I please have this outfit in pink? Thank you.

Okay, but for real, I love this outfit. The navy sequin dress is amazing, and the color is so deep and rich. The sequins give it shine and dimension. I especially like the layered neckline because it adds more shape. The Tiffany jewelry is simple and elegant and goes with the gown perfectly. And the best part? The gown has pockets.

Sofia Carson

Getty / Steve Granitz

This pale pink Giambattista Valli gown is what ballerina princess dreams are made of! I obviously love the color and adore the ballerina vibes. There's a lot of tulle and layering but it doesn't look over the top, and the fluffy bodice creates a nice contrast in texture.

Ellen DeGeneres

Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP/Shutterstock

I love glitter, and this black glittery suit is simply awesome. Enough said.

My 19 Favorite Outfits from 2019

Happy New Year! I've been slacking on blog posts in the past few months, but I've found some time to do my annual yearly favorites posts. First up are my favorite outfits of 2019!

Picking my favorite outfits every year is never easy, but I feel like it was a little easier this year because for some reason, when I was going through all of my outfit pictures and my Instagram, it didn't feel like I had a lot to go through. Also, since I stopped doing so many outfit blog posts, I found doing this post more fun since a good portion of these outfits haven't been shared on here before.

I think this year may include the fewest amount of summer outfits and the most winter outfits since I started doing favorite outfits of the year posts, which is interesting since I usually like my summer outfits more. I guess that's what happens when you finally have jackets you really like and the weather isn't so terrible!

March 16, 2019

Wild Fable coat from Target | H&M floral top | Classic Navy Longchamp tote | Hot pink flats from Forever 21

My favorite thing about this outfit it just seems so perfect for early spring. The pink coat pops really well but also goes with the floral top and brings out the pinks there. My hot pink flats add another pop of color without feeling like it's too much or it doesn't fit. I also love how it feels girly and sophisticated, especially with the high ruffled neckline of the shirt and the little bow. Then the pink and florals just adds to that, of course.

March 23, 2019

Suede moto jacket from Tilly's | Topshop lace trim crop top from Nordstrom Rack | Floral Pixie pants from Old Navy | Ted Baker purse from Lord & Taylor | Blondo ankle boots from Nordstrom

This was an outfit I just came up with on a whim. It was one of those days where I wasn't sure of what to wear, so I just took a look in my closet and put something together. I ended up liking this outfit a lot more than I ever thought. The moto jacket plays off the floral design of the pants well to create a contrast in styles. The lace trim pink top adds some color and brings out some of the pink on the pants, too.

Fashion Friday: Electric Boots Inspiration from Elton John for Halloween

I haven't had a reason to dress up for Halloween for over a decade since I never went to Halloween parties or anything like that in high school or college, but this year I got to wear a costume to work. So I took advantage of that opportunity, knowing not every job I'm going to have is going to allow me to wear a costume on Halloween, and went pretty full out.

My original plan was to wear clothes I already have and make a Lara Jean (from To All the Boys I've Loved Before) outfit out of it since I am basically the Filipino Lara Jean and love her outfits. But I changed my mind about a week before Halloween when I saw how could it was going to be. (It ended up being like 35 degrees and snowing.) All of my potential Lara Jean outfits involve skirts, and while I could wear tights, it would kind of ruin the look of the outfit, so I had to come up with another costume.

About three weeks ago, my sister sent me a sponsored Instagram post of these really awesome platform boots she found on Instagram. They're white with iridescent/holographic pink flames on the sides and reminded us both of something Elton John would wear, so we both thought back to those shoes, and I decided to try to be Elton John for Halloween. After all, Rocketman has become one of my favorite movies, and I've become a fan of him (outside of of The Lion King) this year because of it. Plus, with his Farewell Yellow Brick Road tour going on and his autobiography coming out recently, it seemed to be rather timely.

I bought Public Desire's Ablaze White Flame Detail Platform Block Heeled Ankle Boots despite not knowing how/when else I would wear them (they're just so cool that I couldn't pass it up. I'll figure something out) and sought to plan the rest of this costume. Thanks to Rocketman, I had an idea of the kinds of flamboyant outfits Elton John would wear while performing and took inspiration from two specific outfits from the movie rather than copying exact looks.

Fashion Friday: 2019 Emmys Purple Carpet Favorites

Awards season is starting to rev up, which means a lot of red carpet looks are coming our way. The 2019 Emmys did not disappoint with its regal purple carpet and outstanding ensembles. In fact, I had trouble narrowing my favorites down to under 20. But I did! And while I usually find only a few looks that stand out from the men, about a third of today's posts features some snazzy suits!

Charlie Barnett

Credit: Matt Baron/Shutterstock

It's always nice when guys don't just wear a plain black suit or tuxedo to things, and this one is especially cool. The dark green color is rich, and the pattern of stars everywhere is subtle but provides great depth and adds a little fun to the serious piece. The velvet bow tie adds a luxurious vibe and nice contrast without diverting too much attention.

Parker Bates

Credit: Steve Granitz/WireImage

I've got to give props to this kid for wearing a sparkly sequin jacket, because at his age, it's not uncommon for kids to tease other kids, especially when they wear something that doesn't fit in with the typical idea of being a boy/girl. So be like Parker Bates and wear what you want regardless of what anyone else may think. This sequin jacket is awesome! And that little rose pin or whatever it is on the lapel is such a nice touch. He dresses better than a lot of people who are older than him.

Outfit Overload: What I Wore This Summer

While summer is my favorite season and I am a fan of warm weather, I'm glad it's officially fall. And now it's officially a new season, I'm sharing my favorite outfits I wore this summer in my newly-renamed OOTD series called "Outfit Overload". It just makes more sense to me since I never post any of these OOTD blog posts the day I'm wearing them. Anyway, while it's not exactly sweater weather yet, I'm eager to start to transition these clothes and styles for fall.

May 8, 2019

Forever 21 denim jacket | Old Navy jogger pants | Reebok sneakers from DSW

The start of May was unseasonably cold. I definitely wasn't expecting to be wearing a jacket and pants but did enjoy the opportunity to wear these pants before it got too hot since I had recently bought them at the time.

May 9, 2019

A'GACI blazer | Striped jumpsuit from Express | Henri Bendel purse | Blondo ankle boots from Nordstrom 

I went to the Lyric Opera of Chicago on this day to see its production of West Side Story for the first official time (I saw the final dress rehearsal), so I wanted to dress up a bit. It was still cool, so a jumpsuit was a better choice than a dress. I'd never had the opportunity to wear this bright pink blazer before, so I was glad it matched perfectly with this jumpsuit from Express.

May 15, 2019

Wallflower denim jacket from TJ Maxx | Wild Fable crop top and biker short set from Target | Floral sneakers from Vans

I've been loving the bike shorts trend and have wanted to try the crop top/bike shorts combo but had to wait for the right day, weather, and occasion. It's a very casual outfit, so wearing it to the movies seemed like a good fit. I love the color of this set but wish the material was at least a teeny bit thicker.

Styling My Poshmark Closet

Earlier this year, I started selling some of my clothes on Poshmark. I definitely own too many clothes, and it only makes sense to get rid of the ones that don't fit well anymore and/or the ones I don't wear anymore. I almost always keep my clothes in good condition, so selling them on Poshmark seemed like the best idea. Plus, Poshmark is a win-win, because I could clean out my closet and make some money.

Poshmark is an app for selling clothes and accessories, but you can also shop it online on a laptop or computer.

I have a lot of clothes for sale in my Poshmark closet but haven't sold as much as I would like. So to promote my Poshmark closet and my blog, I thought styling some of the clothes I'm selling would be  great way to get people to see how some of the clothes could be worn and possibly spark sales.

You can find me on Poshmark at @amanda_carmela, and every clothing item featured in this post is for sale on my Poshmark unless otherwise stated. You can find an individual link to each item above the respective photo.

Victoria's Secret PINK Tribal Baseball Tee + Bullhead Mom Shorts from Pac Sun

With the season of summer ending soon and fall coming, it's time to transition. This outfit is great for late summer and early fall. The dark pink and maroon hues are perfect for fall, and the combination of the longer sleeve top and shorts is ideal for those cooler late summer days.

My August Favorites

Last month was pretty eventful throughout, but some events (like my cousin's wedding) were more enjoyable than others (like getting my wisdom teeth removed). But my wisdom teeth removal wasn't terrible, and I still got to try some new food once I was back to (mostly) normal. Plus, last month I discovered even more new music ― right after my latest "What I'm Listening To" post, of course!

Jeni's Ice Cream

I love ice cream and most things sweet, so I'm always down to try new ice cream, places. I've known about Jeni's Ice Cream for a few years now. But I haven't had the chance to try any of Jeni's flavors that aren't sold in pints in stores because I don't often go to the areas of Chicago where they have shops. Luckily for me, a shop opened at one of my mom's favorite malls that I go to often, so I finally got to try some!

I got the trio, which is three half scoops. The flavors I got were milkiest chocolate, Texas sheet cake, and Boston cream pie. All three were delicious, but I think my favorite was probably Boston cream pie. The combination of vanilla custard, dark chocolate fudge, and yellow cake pieces is a nice and decadent treat. Texas sheet cake is unlike anything I've ever had before as it's chocolate ice cream with cake crumbles and fudge and is also dairy free and vegan, so it's not as creamy as ice cream normally is, but it was still good.

Desert Moon - Naomi Scott and Mena Massoud

If you didn't already know, Alan Menken and Pasek and Paul are musical geniuses. While all of the original Aladdin songs are great, they've done an outstanding job with the new ones for the live action remake, and "Desert Moon" is no exception. "Desert Moon" is a song that was cut from the live action film, but Disney has released it ahead of the DVD/Blu-ray release.

This duet from Jasmine and Aladdin is short, sweet, and simply beautiful. The song itself is supposed to be a song both Jasmine and Aladdin's moms taught them, which just adds some more beauty and emotion to the song. Naomi Scott and Mena Massoud also just sound really great together.

Rain - Ben Platt

I feel like it was just yesterday that Ben Platt released his debut album, and now he's out here with a brand new single just a few months later. It's more upbeat than most of the songs from his album, which is a nice change and shows he can sing more than just emotional ballads (and showtunes but those aren't on his albums).

Fashion Friday: How to Style Linen Overalls

August is already almost over (how?!), and it's time to start thinking about fall fashion and how to transition. I recently bought a pair of olive green linen overalls on clearance at TJ Maxx and think it's a great summer-to-fall transition piece.

I took a quick look at my closet, which currently has all of my summer clothes out in addition to a few sweaters for layering and unexpected cold days, and found four easy, but different ways to style linen overalls. After all, unless a clothing item is for a special occasion, you should maximize your outfit options to make your purchase worth it and to simply be sustainable in your shopping.

Trendy transitions: with an off-the-shoulder top and sandals

This outfit is perfect for a mild or cool late summer or early fall day where you won't want to be all covered up yet. The off-the-shoulder top and sandals add some casual summer vibes and give you some breathing room and let you soak up some sun if you want. They're also trendy. The hems of the pants can be rolled up more if desired depending on weather and preference. This is an easy late summer look I can't wait to throw on. It has a nice balance of comfy and casual, but the off-the-shoulder top elevates it a bit.

Casual and cool: with a T-shirt and sneakers

Any T-shirt could be substituted for my coral and white striped ringer tee, but this one goes with the overalls perfectly because of the olive trim on the neck and sleeves. The coral and white stripes and white sneakers add a vibrant pop of color and contrast.

Light and easy: with a long sleeve top and sneakers

For when it starts to get a bit cool, light and thin long sleeve tops and sweaters can be paired with these linen overalls. It's a very simple look but still looks and feels like you're put together and put thought into your outfit. I would probably wear these with some sneakers, but ankle boots or combat boots could spice things up a bit.

Comfy and cozy: with a sweater and sneakers

They're called overalls, but there's nothing stopping you from wearing them under tops as well. When it's a crisp fall day that's perfect for sweaters, you could throw on a big, comfy sweater like this one over the overalls instead of under. The straps may show but don't look bad. Like with the last outfit, there are a variety of footwear options. White sneakers like these Vans add a sharp contrast to the outfit and keep it very casual, but combat boots or flats could add a different vibe.

Dressing Room Diaries: First Fall Finds at Marshalls

I've been looking for fresh content and new ideas for this blog, and after a few trips to the mall and stores while I didn't have much spending money, I came up with the idea of what I'm calling "Dressing Room Diaries". Usually I don't try clothes on in stores unless I'm planning on buying what I'm trying on and really need to see how/if it fits.

But now I've realized that trying clothes on is a good way of trying on trends before buying and getting outfit ideas even if I don't currently have plans on buying anything. Lately I've been trying to think more about my purchases and not buy something simply because I like it and can. So trying clothes on more is a good way to see how I can wear one piece of clothing multiple ways and what it could go with that's currently in my closet.

So for this first dressing room diaries post, I'm featuring a few looks from a recent trip to Marshalls. Now that it's mid-August and school's starting back up, more fall clothes are hitting the shelves and racks, so I decided to try out a few new things.

(I know there's a pair of pants in the photo above, but they aren't actually featured in this post because they didn't fit and I couldn't find them in any other size.)

Floral and leopard print bodysuit and Rewash leopard stripe denim skirt

Leopard print is one of the rising trends for fall and even the summer, and this outfit features a bit of the print on the bodysuit and the skirt. A lot of leopard print clothing includes the animal print by having it everywhere, but these pieces give just a hint of it. So it's nice to see something different but still trendy.

Here's all of the bodysuit, which is actually super soft. It's definitely the softest top I've ever worn, so that's definitely a big plus to wearing it. The combination of florals and leopard print is definitely unique and something I've never seen before. It provides a nice juxtaposition of girly and edgy.

Fashion Friday: Style Icons: Courtney Reed

In the past two years, I've developed a growing interest in Broadway and musical theatre. So naturally, I've discovered new people to become a fan of as well as new people to feature here on my blog. Courtney Reed is one of those people. While I've never actually seen her in a musical or Broadway show, I have seen her perform in a Broadway Princess Party, which is basically a cabaret show/concert full of princess songs. You may remember the show/her from my blog post all about it from nearly a year ago!

Courtney and me last August after the Broadway Princess Party in Schaumburg, IL

Reed is best known as Broadway's original Princess Jasmine from Aladdin: The Musical, and she has honestly become one of my favorite people ever. Not only do I feel like we are quite similar (we love pink, rose gold, Princess Jasmine of course, lipstick, and fashion), but she's an overall wonderful person. She's super talented on and off-stage. She's a girl boss and began her own jewelry/apparel company called Gagged Chokers and is just killing the game at living out her dreams.

So in honor of her birthday on August 10 (I'm starting the celebration early), I'm featuring Courtney as one of my style icons. But I'm doing something a little different than I have with others I've featured as a style icon on here. Not only am I featuring some of my favorite outfits she's worn, but I'm also featuring a few of her Gagged products she's created/designed.

View this post on Instagram

Look at these egg-sraordinary divas 🥚 🍳

A post shared by Courtney Reed (@rhodesreed) on Apr 13, 2019 at 4:06pm PDT

I love jumpsuits, and this purple one is just so cute and fun! The wide legs add some flair, and the ruffles on the straps are adorable. The purple color is great for spring and summer, as is the big sunhat. The pointed toe heels kick the outfit up a notch but still keep the outfit pretty casual.