School Days

 [model: Anna Rudenko. skirt: Guess. sweater: French Connection. tights: Hue. scarf: Nordstrom. shoes: INC. bag: Gucci. watch: Michael Kors. necklace: South Moon Under. earrings: Nordstrom BP. eyeshadow: MAC Antiqued]

        As a child, every year on the first day of school, I would pose with my younger brother for a photo in our new outfits. And while the school year does technically start sometime in early September, I find myself most nostalgic for my younger school days when the trees turn shades of orange and yellow and their leaves begin to cover the ground. Instead of going with traditionally fall shades, I opted for a fresher, more modern, preppy look with transitional pieces that allow for easy layering. The high-waisted denim skirt and white tights add a bit of whimsy balanced by the sweater with shoulder detail. The green cashmere scarf provides a pop of color and keeps away the Autumn chill. 

A little Halloween twist.

All photo credit: Lauren Mantilla.

All content property of Lauren Mantilla.

Jungle Remix

[model: Anna Rudenko. blouse: LOFT. skirt: mossimo. belt: bebe. 

handbag: Fendi. shoes: Steve Madden. earrings: Rachel Roy. watch: Michael Kors.]

        There's something about wearing an animal print that makes me feel a little bit badass. And while I love traditional leopard and zebra, I find the more subtle shades of this blouse and handbag make each piece much more versatile.  While I paired this blouse with a black skirt, a fiercely studded belt, and booties; either piece can also be worn with basics. I love that the understated patterns also make it possible to rock them together. Just remember: when wearing any animal print, the most important accessory is confidence.

All photo credit: Lauren Mantilla.

All content property of Lauren Mantilla.

Quite White

[model: Anna Rudenko, blouse & skirt: BCBG Generation, shoes: Sam Edelman, 

necklace: Loehmann's, lips: MAC Ruby Woo, nails: OPI Malaga Wine]

        White is my summer go to. I adore fresh white tees, crisp white dresses, and a great pair of white jeans. For less casual situations, I find an all white ensemble looks so luxurious and just as chic as head to toe black. This blouse and skirt have a very vintage, feminine vibe and while the red peep toes have retro appeal, they are anything but ordinary. 

All photo credit: Lauren Mantilla.

All content property of Lauren Mantilla.

Hot Hues

[model: Anna Rudenko, blouse & skirt: BCBG, shoes: No. 704 b, 

clutch: Coach, sunglasses: RayBan, earrings & ring: Rachel Rachel Roy]

        Inspired by the sunsets of these last gorgeous days of summer, I felt the need for an intense combo of bold color. When I spotted this tomato red silk blouse I could only imagine pairing it with one of my most quintessentially summer items, a turquoise bandage skirt. Adding a coral clutch and a few pops of blue bling keep the palette punchy. The gray suede shoes provide an unexpected balance to this vibrant ensemble.

All photo credit: Lauren Mantilla.

All content property of Lauren Mantilla.

Eco Chic

{water woes meet the Bobble}

We all know the benefits of drinking 8 glasses of water daily and staying properly hydrated like more luminous skin, fuller lips, stronger immune system, fewer headaches, etc.


For these reasons, I am always that girl carrying a water bottle. I keep them in my purse, in my car, in my gym bag, even in my garage, so I can grab one on the go.


So needless to say I have tons of empty water bottles, all of which I recycle. Still, at week's end, I can't help looking into my recycle bin and feeling really guilty about all the waste I've created trying to give my body a little H2O.

Enter, the Bobble, a refillable water bottle with a built-in carbon filter. Not only is this genius water bottle really cute, it's super eco-friendly, and the filter can be reused 300 times! A feature I find truly fantastic because it means I can fill up my Bobble at any faucet or water fountain and have yummy, purified water! Another plus? No need to keep buying water bottles, one 18.5 ounce Bobble is $10. That's about 3¢ a bottle.


Celebrities such as Kristen Bell and notoriously eco-conscious Rachel McAdams are fans of the Bobble.




Bobbles can be purchased at www.waterbobble.com

Or for those of you that crave instant gratification:

AMERICAN APPAREL

BED BATH & BEYOND

BLOOMINGDALE'S

CONTAINER STORE

CRACKER BARREL

GNC

HALLMARK GOLD CROWN STORES

JC PENNY

KITCHEN KAPERS

MACY'S

WEGMAN'S

Haute Hosiery

Over the weekend, the temperature plummeted! Having chosen my outfit for my friend's birthday party earlier in the week, I couldn't go with my originally planned black dress and bare legs. Such necessity gave way to the brilliance of pairing my burgundy hose with my lbd and black boots, creating a really subtle contrast but a definite departure from an entirely black ensemble.

When I arrived, the chill in the air had noticeably affected the party attire. It seems legwear of all kinds was the choice for the evening! I had more than a few favorites that night; an elegant lace pair, many variations on non-traditional fishnet, and even metallics.

{WOLFORD bondage tights. KATE SPADE enormous swiss dots tights. VICTORIA'S SECRET signature stripe stockings. WOLFORD leo tights. HUE bold lace tights. URBAN OUTFITTERS open panel tight.}

{ASOS 80 denier opaque tights; ochre. EMILIO CAVALLINI opaque tights; heather gray (ASOS). HUE opaque control top tight; navy. ASOS 80 denier opaque tights; damson. DKNY HOSIERY opaque control top tight; port. SPANX tight end tights; cobalt}

Honorable Mentions:

www.asos.com*

Bloomies*

Nordstrom

Urban Outfitters

Target

Victoria's Secret

Macy's

www.hue.com

Headbands & Hairbows

As a child, I took particular pleasure and pride in the beautiful bows my mother made for my hair. My St. Patrick's Day bow was by far my favorite. It was a gorgeous combination of two green grosgrain ribbons, one with black polka dots, the other with black stripes, and adorning the center was a precious little pot of gold. I called it my "lucky bow".

{Little did my mother know, my little girl love of hair accessories would endure.}

While many of my headbands are little treasures, like my faux coral cluster, whose entire appeal lies in their prettiness, the best part about hair accessories is the attention they draw to your face. Plus, they are the easiest and chicest way to jazz up a ponytail or extend your blowdry one more day.

With the onset of colder weather, I discovered this headband that covers your ears but is cute enough to wear indoors! So bring on the those chilly November days!

{D&Y hand made knit headband}

Honorable Mentions:

FOREVER 21 bow knit headband

WOODEN SHIPS Isadora turban (Urban Outfitters)

URBAN OUTFITTERS oversized flower earwarmer

AMERICAN RAG flower ribbed knit earwarmer

DAVID & YOUNG knit flower headband

All content property of Lauren Mantilla.