Rocksbox Lately

It's been a while since I posted about the Rocksbox accessories that I've gotten thanks to a wonderful friend as a birthday gift in December. I've received two boxes since my last update so today I'm sharing Rocksbox 6 and 7.

Rocksbox #6

Kendra Scott
Rayne Silver Necklace in White Pearl
Loved - purchased for $60  
(Link here)

Jill Michael
Layered Chain Bracelet in Silver

Liked - returned (wore once)

Perry Street
Bethany Necklace
Liked - returned (wore once)

Rocksbox #7

Kendra Scott
Danielle Earrings in Black
Loved - purchased for $48  
(Link here)

SLATE
Half Pavé Triangles Bracelet
Too Dainty - returned (never wore)

Loren Hope
Sylvia Necklace in Crystal
Liked - returned (wore once)

Overall, I was pretty happy with these two boxes mainly because both included pretty Kendra Scott pieces (I've been buying all the KS pieces). Other than that some pieces were just okay and I wore a few pieces once just for novelty and then returned them.

Links to my previous five boxes:
one  /  two  /  three  /  four  /  five

Rocksbox Holiday Jewels

A friend of mine gifted me a Rocksbox subscription for my birthday and I received my first box of goodies right before Christmas which included a beautiful pair of Kendra Scott earrings, a statement necklace and a dainty silver ring. I used to have a subscription over a year ago and was always quite happy with the pieces they sent me but I eventually decided to cancel it since it wasn't a necessity for my wardrobe. I posted about my previous boxes here, here, and here.

Kendra Scott Elle Earrings

Perry Street Noelle Necklace

Sophie Harper Pavé X Ring

 

I absolutely love the earrings and necklace and while I really like the ring as well, it came a bit tarnished so it looks quite worn.

From this box I decided to purchase the earrings and I'm still deciding whether I want to purchase the necklace or not. Overall I'm really happy with the pieces they sent despite being slightly disappointed with the ring.

What do you think about the necklace? I wish I had taken a photo from when I wore it on Christmas night. #badblogger

Rebecca Minkoff Statement Rings

When I started holiday shopping around Black Friday, I stumbled upon Rebecca Minkoff's jewelry and immediately fell in love with all of her chunky and bold rings. I've always loved her purses but didn't think to check out her line of accessories. Statement necklaces have always been my thing but now I've opened up a new love for statement rings because of her collection. I bought myself this dual stone ring in silver as an early birthday gift and thought I'd share some of her other beauties.

1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5 / 6 / 7 / 8 / 9

Hope everyone has gotten most of their holiday git shopping done but, if not, maybe these rings might appeal to some of the spumky ladies on your list.

Happy Holidays!

Swim Lover's Holiday Gift Guide

Luckily Florida doesn't stay cold for very long so beach/pool weather is usually in our favor. As you can probably tell from the name of my blog, I'm a big fan of swimsuits and beachwear in general. The holidays is the perfect time to stock up on some new suits for the year ahead and I usually pick up a thing or two for the husband and my girl friends as gifts.



SwimOutlet.com contacted me to review their online store and merchandise and of course I agreed. I purchased the Volcom Wild Marks Bikini top and matching Brazilian cut bikini bottom for myself and the Rusty Men's Boardshorts for K with the gift card they provided. I have to say the material of the bikini is so incredibly soft you can tell it's great quality. Actually same goes for the shorts. I also love that they kind of (not on purpose) match each other.



From growing up in the Caribbean I've always been a fan of good quality swimsuits and beach clothing that will withstand the salt and sun. Luckily SwimOutlet.com carries most of my favorite brands including Vix, Betsey Johnson, Volcom, Roxy and Kate Spade just to name a few. I picked some faves for Him and Her that would be perfect for gifts or just to gift yourself.

Gypsy Road Kimono / Wrap Bikini Top , Bikini Bottom / Pineapple Kaftan Cover Up
Free Spirit Dress / Jaime Bikini Top, Bikini Bottom / Pineapple Paradise Tank

Desert Fringe Crochet Shorts

Pineapple Paradise Beach Bag

One / Two / Three / Four / Five / Six

Garmin VIRB X Action Camera

They offer a whole lot more than just fashion swimwear like for competitive swimmers, techies, kids, and water sports such as surfing and water polo. The fashionista in me naturally drifted to the beach clothing and bikini sections of their online shop.

If you're looking for gift ideas, SwimOutlet.com's Holiday Gift Guide is a good place to start as they offer some great ideas for different types of swimwear and equipment. I also like that they offer free shipping on purchases over $49, which always helps to cut the cost of shopping online.

Booties & Scarves

Florida has been getting it's first taste of Fall mainly at night which means it almost time to pull out our sweaters, booties and scarves. I love booties with a medium height heel and just bought the first pair of studded ankle booties in gray since I wore my other gray pair to the ground. All of these booties are under $75 and look very comfortable yet stylish. I also own a black pair like the bottom left one which I've only had a chance to wear a handful of times.

1 * 2 * 3 * 4 * 5 * 6

 I own several cute scarves but there's only a small window here in Florida when a thick scarf is needed so most of mine are on the lighter side but it's good to own a few of each especially for traveling to colder temp places. All of these are super cute and very affordable in the under $25 price range.

1 * 2 * 3 * 4 * 5 * 6 * 7 * 8 * 9 * 10 * 11 * 12

Over the next few weekends, I'll slowly be putting away the summer clothes and pulling out all the cute Fall things.

Where do you shop for affordable boots/booties, sweaters and scarves?

 

Fall Fashion Finds

Even though it doesn't feel quite like Fall here it doesn't mean we can't start preparing our outfits for the cooler months ahead. The one thing I'm looking forward to is not breaking a sweat as soon as you step outside. My office feels like the Arctic tundra and then outside is hot and humid so it's hard to plan outfits for opposite conditions. I'm all about some booties, furry vests and, cute scarves this year along with some warmer colors for tops and skinny jeans/pants. I'll just be here twiddling my thumbs until we can bring them out to play.

What's your favorite Fall find or purchase?

Faux Fur- Knit Vest * Long Sleeve Ribbed Tee * True Religion Army Skinny Jeans

Kate Spade Owl Stud Earrings * Tory Burch Booties * Miu Miu Top Rim Sunglasses

Michael Kors Printed Infiniti Scarf * Belted Faux Fur Vest * Tory Burch Riding Boots

Snake Skin Style

I'm a big fan of different prints and one print I clearly don't own enough of is snake skin. I was searching for snake print sandals like the Michael Kors sandals pictured below and found so many other cute pieces clothing and accessories that I'd love to add to my wardrobe. I'm also in love with the Vix Snakeskin bikini but it's too bad colder months are ahead of us. The Snakeskin Pumps
 would also look great with a little black dress for an evening out.

Michael Kors Charm Sandals * Strapless Dress * Dolce & Gabanna Compact Mirror Case

Snake Print Leggings * Michael Kors Snakeskin Wedges * Lumier Snake Charmer Skirt

Snakeskin Pointed-Toe Pump * Michael Kors Faux-Wrap Sheath Dress * Vix Swim Bikini

Snake Skin Multi Cross Bag * Karen Kane Snakeprint Scuba Skirt * Snakeprint Stappy Heels 

Do you like the snakeskin style?

The Prettiest Statement Necklace

If this statement necklace doesn't make a statement then I don't know what does...

I was so excited when a representative from the Happiness Boutique reached out to me because they have really stylish and fashion-forward clothing and jewelry. The Happiness Boutique is an international online store that sells women's clothing and accessories that are timeless classic with a charming vintage touch. The best part is that their items are very affordable and they offer free shipping which I'm always a fan of!



I picked the Ocean Treasures Statement Necklace because the detailing is absolutely gorgeous and I can't get enough of statement necklaces. As described on the website, it's a mermaid worth necklace full of ocean inspired colors and pearls. I immediately went through my closet to see what would go best with the color combination of the necklace.

I have a "thing" for statement necklaces and I think they are almost a necessity for high neckline tops and dresses so I have quite a few of them in different colors but I honestly think this one is the prettiest of the bunch. 

I like that the necklace goes well with both high and low necklines but I happen to own several high neckline peplum tops which matched perfectly with the necklace.

 
I've already worn it to work and out with friends and seriously can't get enough of it!

I love that the Happiness Boutique has a pretty awesome Customer Rewards Program that allows you to earn points with your purchases which you can redeem for clothing and jewelry.

They also have a Giveaway going on now if you want to enter to win their Art Deco Style statement necklace pictured below.  The winner will be announced this Friday (09.18.2015).

Pink & Rose Gold

Pink and rose gold, when paired together, is such a fun, feminine, and classy look. I'm no fashionista and rarely get to dress up other than for weddings and the occasional work or charity event. I also wasn't a big fan of pink up until recently but I've slowly been adding more pink clothing and accessories to my wardrobe. Here are some pretty pink and rose gold pieces that can be mix and matched together to create outfits for work and play:

1. Motif Pavé Triangle Pendant Necklace  2. Cap-Sleeve Sheath Dress  3. Benidorm Square Flash Sunglasses

4. Flared Poplin Shirtdress  5. Pave Huggie Earrings  6. Opi Nail Laquer, Kiss Me On My Tulips

7. Samantha Cropped Floral-Print Pants  8. Mac Flat Out Fabulous Lipstick  9. Jet Set Crossbody Bag 

10. Rose Golden Bradshaw Chronograph Watch  11. Boucle Tweed Bustier Dress  12. Padlock Toggle Bracelet, Rose Golden

13. Graphic floral resin iPhone case  14. 'Glam' 57mm Retro Sunglasses  15. Samantha Cropped Shantung Pants

The Little Black Dress

That little black dress. Every girl needs one. It's your go-to dress that's flattering and comfortable yet stylish. It's your plan B dress when all else fails. It's your saving grace.

It doesn't have to be expensive or a designer brand. It just needs to fit your body in a perfect way that makes you feel confident. The best thing about your little black dress is you can dress it up with any color and combination of accessories/shoes/purses transforming it into a new outfit every time you wear it.

All of these are from H&M and are very affordable under $40.

1. Sequined Dress    2. Fitted Dress    3. Off-the-shoulder Lace Dress

4. Flared Dress    5. Strapless Jersey Dress    6. Short-sleeved Jersey Dress

7. Chiffon Dress    8. Lace Dress    9. Jersey Dress with Lace

10. Dress with Lace    11. Sleeveless Chiffon Dress    12. Sleeveless Dress

13. Sleeveless Dress    14. Sleeveless Chiffon Dress    15. Lace Dress

Turqouise Coverup

The warm summer months are the perfect time to enjoy family getaways and beach trips which calls for cute swimsuits and, of course, coverups. This Mikken pullover coverup in mermaid blue was too pretty to pass up and the price tag was very affordable. The crochet material is light and airy with a cute pom pom trim on the sleeves so I've loved wearing it out to the beach and pool this summer.

 

Pullover Tunic Cover Up * Tory Burch Sunglasses * Alex & Ani Bangles * Tory Burch Thora Metallic Snake Print Sandals

Friday Favorites + Urban Decay Giveaway

What can I say about this week? It really didn't start off too fabulous on Monday and Tuesday when I thought I was getting sick but by Wednesday all my energy kicked back in and I was ready to take on the world. I met up with a girl friend for Thai lunch on Wednesday which was fun catching up on our different travel adventures and life in general. 

I also had fun going through all my photos from Vegas and recapping my trip on the blog yesterday here. K and I cooked up healthy dinners every night because you know traveling can throw everything off so I've been trying to get back on track. I also somehow managed to crush it at work and get so much done which called for a glass of wine or two last night. At the end of the day, it turned out to be a pretty great week ;-) Now it's time to join Amanda for some of my weekly faves. 

Favorite Fashion Accessories: 

These adjustable Alex and Ani necklaces are so pretty and perfect for layering. I'm a big fan of starfish and sand dollars.

Favorite Makeup Lust:

Has anyone tried out the Ultimate NARS lip pencils? I love all three colors in this set. 

Favorite Recipe:
Tracie's Edamame and Bacon Succotash recipe looks like the perfect side dish for summer days.

Favorite Nail Design:

I recently tried out Jamberry nail wraps which come in every color and design imaginable. Check out my Jamberry post from earlier this week to see how they work along with some of my favorite designs.

Favorite Giveaway:
Of course the Naked Smoky palette giveaway hosted by Kate, myself and several other of my favorite bloggers. Only 2 days left to enter!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Happy weekend everyone! 

Summer Swimwear

A friend of mine recently introduced me to ViX Designer Swimwear and I love the quality and styles they offer. The price point is slightly higher than Victoria's Secret swimsuits which is what I typically purchase but I believe in having good quality suits that will last a long time and withstand chlorine and salt water. The photos don't give them justice but the material of these swimsuits are unbelievably soft plus the patterns and bikini cuts are a bit more mature compared to some other swimsuit retailers out there.

Kai printed bikini bottom * Kai printed triangle bikini top *  Macram trimmed triangle bikini top *  Macram trimmed bikini bottom *  Manteon bikini bottom *  Manteon triangle bikini top *  Pyramid Embellished Bandeau Bikini Top *  Faux Leather-Trimmed Bikini bottom * Stone printed bikini bottom *  Stone printed triangle bikini top 

Summer Nighttime Wear

I'm on my way to Vegas this morning so I may not be very in tune with blogging for the next several days but I'm surely going to try to keep afloat. As many of you know, we've been planning this trip for our anniversary for the past several months. While I'm super excited to get away and have some fun with the hubs and some friends, I'm also very aware Vegas is 100+ degrees during the summer so I wanted to shop and pack accordingly for the trip. Light and airy outfits are a must to survive the heat so here's some cute ideas for summer nighttime wear.

Pink Side Cutout Hi-Lo Hem Dress * Mirrored Skinny Strap Heeled Sandal *  Strapless Sweetheart Neck Jumpsuit * Crocodile Rhinestone Heeled Sandal * Contrast Mesh Inset Sleeveless Sheath Dress *  Snakeskin Print Heeled Sandal *  Pink Ruffle Front Romper * Carrini T-Strap Wedge Heel 

And, of course, some cute accessories and quality cosmetics are a must to tie the outfit together....

Colorful Coverup

 

If you follow me on instagram (emilyalisonb), you might have seen my sneak peak post about dabbling in fashion blogging so today I'm bringing you my very first and not very established fashion post! I really don't consider myself a fashion blogger. In fact, I'm quite the opposite ~ I feel fairly awkward in front of the camera, I don't have a signature pose, and I tend to smirk instead of smile but I decided to suck it up and give it a serious try only because I want to showcase some beautiful and affordable summer clothing I recently purchased.

This chevron-print swimsuit coverup is one of my favorite coverups for summer days at the beach or pool. The semi-sheer material is light and airy and provides great coverage and I love the plunging neckline.

Chevron-Print Cover Up * Tory Burch Sunglasses * Alex & Ani Bangles * Victoria's Secret Bikini Top