August Favorites

No Hello Dolls!

It seems like I was just typing out my July favorites post only a few days ago and now we are at the end of August coming to September. 

Just a quick little update on my life for those that care: SCHOOL HAS BEEN CRAZY(and it's only been two weeks since it started!). Being said, I still somehow find time to post these blog posts and I'm so happy that I get to do this. It's a dream come true to have people read my stuff so I just wanted to take the time to say thank you for that. 

Anyways, back to the reason why you clicked on this link...to see my favorites for August!!

1.  CopperTone Sunless Tanning Lotion

Yes I am aware of the 'irony' of being from California and using tanning lotion. This summer I was not outside as much as I used to be in the past and I was so upset to see my self a "California pale" color. I was strolling through Target like usual and decided to try this lovely little product. Let me just say how impressed I am with this product!! It is so perfect for maintaining or even gaining that desired tan you want during the fall and winter seasons.

2. Eyes Lips Face (ELF) Acne Fighting Gel

Having acne prone skin absolutely sucks! I am always on the lookout for a product that works at a decent cost. This gel is just that product! It is only $2 and has ingredients such as salicylic acid and tea tree which really help clear up your skin. I use this every night before I go to bed and in the morning before I apply my makeup and I LOVE this product!! Definitely a bang for your buck.

3. Lilly Pulitzer Agenda

I guess this one isn't really fair because it is a favorite of mine every month, however it has helped me stay so organized since school has started that I just HAD to mention it in this post! (If you want to see how I use my Lilly Pulitzer agenda to stay organized click here)

4. Nailene French Manicure Kit 

I love a salon manicure look, however I don't have the time to sit in a salon and being in college I feel like I can put my money to better use elsewhere. This is why this manicure kit is everything! It is so easy to get that salon look and this is coming from the girl who can barely paint her own nails. I highly recommend this because it doesn't take more than 15 minutes to do your nails!

I hope y'all enjoyed this month's favorites. Seriously these products mentions are all products I live for and wanted to share with you guys! If you have ever tried any of these products or if you have any of your favorites this month you would like to share then just comment down below! (don't be shy! All comments are welcome, and yes you can post anonymously) 

XOXO,

The Californian Belle 

Fashion Friday: Let's Get Nauti(cal)

Hello Dolls!

Unfortunately my summer has come to an end and I decided to dedicate this post to what I believe has become the style of this summer: nautical. Of course all of the preps have been into nautical for such a long time, it's practically in our blood. Most of us have heard of a brand called Kiel James Patrick (KJP) which is the ultimate all American and nautical brand, but this summer I have seen so many stores such as Target, Nordstrom, J Crew, Vineyard Vines, and local boutiques really go all out on the nautical theme. I am all for the nautical style (it is probably one of my favorite styles) and I was delighted to see it spread around more this summer than I have ever seen before.

1. Stripes

Stripes really are the way to go when going nauti! I, myself, am a huge stripe advocate and believe that stripes are a great way to make any outfit a little more exciting! A personal favorite striped top of mine is the striped J Crew painter tee that you can find in almost any color! 

2. Anchors

The beloved universal symbol of all nautical preppiness: the anchor! As we know, KJP is known for their infamous anchor bracelets and necklaces, but did you know they are coming out with pearl anchor earrings? These are definitely something I will be on the lookout for! They're gorgeous!!

3. Navy

As they say, navy is a neutral, and they definitely aren't wrong about that one! Within the past year, I have noticed my closet shift towards having what seems like 2/3 of my closet be the color navy. But seriously, can you blame me? Navy matches with practically every color and who doesn't love something that matches with everything?

4. Knots

Knotted accessories are the perfect nautical accessory that goes with any outfit! So understated, yet shows that you have that nautical flair!

5. Woven Accessories

Don't ask me why, however I've always felt like basket woven type accessories are so nautical and perfect for a day out to the beach, yacht, pier, etc. I believe that Sarah Vickers definitely captures the beauty of woven accessories in her outfits the best!!

Summer may be coming to an end but that doesn't mean our summer style inspirations don't! What is so great about the nautical style is that bits and pieces of it can be worn throughout the year, even in the coldest of months!! Hope y'all enjoyed this weekends Fashion Friday!

XOXO, 

The Californian Belle

Travel with me: Family Weekend Get-A-Way

Hello Dolls!

First, I would like to apologize for not posting my new weekly "Fashion Friday" post last Friday, between going to work and then going out of town that day, I just didn't have enough time to plan accordingly. 

So, my weekend get-a-way, it was great! This is an annual trip that my family does every year at a retreat in Aptos, CA every year with my mom's company. The company rents out villas for every family and then has great clam bakes, lunches, brunches, and activities for everyone to do! So, Im going to go chronologically from start to the end of our trip! (I tried to take as many pictures possible, however sometimes my phone would die and I wasn't able to get a picture of everything).

Day 1: Friday

Driving into the resort

This is the first floor of the villa and I wasn't able to get a normal picture of the rest of the room because my brother quickly messed it up and made it his own. So behind the table and chairs there is a sitting area with a couch that turns into a bed and then a balcony with a great view!

Seriously like wow!

So this is my bedroom, which was located on the second floor, (totally reminded me of Nantucket) and connected to it I had my own bathroom.

My mom's room looked very similar to mine, and she also had her own bathroom connected on the second floor. Most importantly, LOOK AT THE VIEW SHE HAD!!

The company always gives us a duffle bag filled with goodies from all over California and they gave us these AMAZING chocolate dipped oreos (as if regular oreos weren't enough calories).

The following is a collage of pictures from our walk down to the beach for dinner:

So it is buffet style dinner, and as y'all may or may not know I do not eat meat, so my plate was emptier than others. I had some great salmon, roasted vegetables, and then a vegan pasta. (Trying to stay healthy on vacation!)

Day 2: Saturday

The morning view! We got really lucky and didn't have too bad of an overcast. (Sorry I didn't get a picture of breakfast but I just had eggs, fruit, and half a bagel)

Lunch we had on the bluff overlooking the Pacific Ocean, which was just stunning!

After lunch, my brother and I headed down for the beach to go play the activities that the company had set for us. 

It was ridiculously hot on the beach (to the point where our feet burned from touching the sand!) so we decided to hang in the water instead. (P.S. excuse my sandy feet)

For dinner there was a clambake on the beach (I don't eat shellfish) so instead I had some asparagus, bell peppers, and some scalloped potatoes. 

Here is a panoramic shot I got during the clambake on the beach. It is a breath-taking view. 

And here is the lovely sunset, (the sun was so much bigger in person, I wish I could have got it on camera) but trust me when I say it was amazing in person!

Day 3: Sunday

We had an amazing brunch to send us back home! I had a great veggie omelet with half a bagel and some water.

So that was my little weekend get-a-way trip! This is honestly just a great trip to relax and have fun at! Today, I start school and I feel completely refreshed and ready for classes because this trip definitely relaxed me for it! For those of you who have school, best of luck to you guys on your first day!!

XOXO,

The Californian Belle

Whats in My Travel Bag?

Hello Dolls!

First I would like to apologize for not posting this earlier today. I have been running around helping my aunt and others and finally now just got home to start this post.

One thing I absolutely love is to travel. Unfortunately being a full-time college student tends to prevent traveling more, but when school is out, I always try to get to go somewhere exciting. This coming weekend I am going out of town and I thought it would be fun to show y'all what I am bringing with me. This weekend I am going a small and more secluded beach near Santa Cruz for a company event for my moms job. We get our own villa with a magnificent view of the beach while lounging around and indulging on delicious meals provided for us. (YES I will be using my tips on how to be healthy on vacation, you can see them here!) (I can make a blog post about this trip if y'all would like to see it! If you would like to see it then comment below and let me know!)

The suitcase I use is a hard shell  hot pink one that I purchased at TJ Maxx. They have great suitcases at reasonable prices (I definitely recommend going to check them out!).

Everything I put inside my suitcase:

1. Survival Kit
   As y'all know I carry this with me in every bag I have, here you can see what exactly goes inside my infamous survival kit.
2. Toiletries Bag
   In here I keep everything I could possibly need! I got this lovely bag at Target during the Lilly for Target collab. 

• Travel sized shampoo & conditioner
• It's A 10! Leave in hair conditioner
• Toothbrush
• Toothpaste
• Contacts case
• Contact solution
• Travel sized body wash from Bath & Body Works in the scent 'Pink Chiffon'
• Travel sized deodorant
• Number 7 makeup
• Botanics facial cleansing set

     3.  Macbook Air 

I always bring my laptop with me everywhere! It is so important because you never know what you may need it for and it never hurt to bring a small laptop along with you! 

     4. Clothes

Of course this varies on the type of trip I am going on. Since this weekend is a beach get-a-way I will be bringing mainly cute printed shorts, plain tees, a couple shep shirts, pajamas, and a dress for the annual clam bake.

     5. Accessories

Obviously this depends on the type of clothes I am bringing. I always bring my gold monogram necklace, gold nautical knot earrings my late grandmother gave me, Tory Burch wrap bracelet, Hermés H clic clac bracelet, J Crew paved link bracelet, and my silver Michele watch. As for a purse I bring my Rebecca Minkoff mini quilted affair and for shoes I bring various types of flip flops. 

     6. Necessities for the specific trip (Beach Bag)

Since I am going to the beach I am obviously bringing my beloved beach bag! I have an entire post of everything inside my beach bag and you can check that out here.

7. Lilly Pulitzer Agenda

If y'all know me, then you know that this is a given. I carry my agenda with me everywhere and a weekend get-a-way is no exception! You can see how I organize my agenda here. 

I guess my travel isn't too different from others, however if there is something you carry with you on every trip let me know down in the comments section below! (and yes you can comment anonymously and let me know if you want to see this trip documented in a blog!) 

XOXO, 

The Californian Belle

How To: Organize Your Backpack for College/What's in my Backpack

Hello Dolls!

It is officially been one week before school has starts for me and I have been schlepping around and making sure I am keeping myself organized. I thought I would share what I do to keep myself organized in my backpack.

The main issue I have always had with organizing my backpack is after a month it fails because I am too lazy to keep up with it. Then once I realized my backpack is a mess I start to get discouraged about school (so weird but for me its the little things).

So I finally found a way that is simple yet so effective I can't imagine this one going downhill. I have learned to carry the minimal amount inside my backpack over the years. The more you carry the more of a mess it will make.

I am currently a "commuter student" which means I live at home and drive to my school, because I am a commuter student, my organization is a little different from those who live on campus. First off, I like to stack my schedule and then use downtime to go to the school library and study there. It is also a coincedence that I work at school, so I typically get to stay in one place all day.

Due to that, I keep a lot of my stuff in my car, and then just take out what I need thoughout the day. I keep all of my text/lab/notebooks in my car and periodically walk over to switch my books out as I need them. This eliminates all of the stress on my back of carrying a million books with me all day.

So here are the items that I keep in my backpack at all times (keep in mind that the items mentioned above go into my backpack on an "as needed" basis). The backpack that I currently have is a simple Jansport backpack that I've had since high school. I plan on getting a North Face backpack once I transfer and need to have more room in my backpack, so for now this bag works just fine for my needs.

Expandable File Folder:

This has been my true lifesaver in school. I absolutely love this system so much better than a binder and here is why: I don't have to punch holes into my paper. This sounds so silly, but in the past I would put my papers in a folder pocket inside my binder and then neglect to hole punch them. The idea and organization of a binder is a great method, it is just not practical for me. I'm also in love with the tortoise print on them and I got it at Target for only $8!

Laptop:

The laptop I have is the 13 inch Macbook Air and let me just say how much I love it! I also have an older Macbook Pro that I use as my home computer, but this Air is perfect for carrying around in my backpack when I'm on the go! Its very light and I don't feel like I'm breaking my back.

Pencil Pouch:

Yes, this one has definitely been overdone. Everyone has a pencil pouch and uses it, but doesn't always stick to it and keep their pens/pencils in there, well I keep mine in the front pocket so it is always handy when I need it. Taking a few extra seconds to put your pens/pencils back into here will help you out in the long run because you won't lose your writing utensils.

Supplies Pouch:

Yes this sounds funny because I also have a pencil pouch, but in here I keep any other type of school suppy that is not a pen/pencil. I keep this pouch inside the larger compartment of my backpack. Inside my supplies pouch I keep: sticky notes, white out, stapler/stapler remover, high lighters, clips, pencil sharpener, flash drive, pencil led, and an eraser.

Flash Card Expandable File Folder:

I love this folder because it keeps all my flash cards together when I am trying to keep everything in one place. This file folder fits perfectly in my front pocket, however I keep it in the larger section because I put other things inside the front pocket. Keeping my flash cards together is so crucial because it is mainly how I study for my vocabulary terms. Without this file folder I have no idea what my grades would have been like. Also purchased at Target, I think it was $4.

Survival Kit:

My infamous survival kit, as y'all know I take this with me everywhere, and school is no exception. If you want to see what is inside my survival kit, then click here.

Lilly Pulitzer Agenda:

This is my holy grail organizer. School hasn't even started yet and it has made me so productive already, so I'm beyond excited to use it! I keep this in my larger pocket as well, and if you would like to see how I organize my Lilly agenda, click here.

Miscalaneous:

This are all kind of "obvious" items that I keep in my backpack but I thought I would add them anyways. I have my iPhone 6, car keys, phone charger, J Crew water bottle, Tom Ford sunglasses, and I used to carry my calculator, but since I am done taking my math courses, I don't think I'll be needing it.

So this is how I organize my backpack, I like to keep as little as possible inside because remember, this is all stress on your back and you want to keep it at light as possible. Let me know what is the number one thing you MUST have in your backpack in the comment section below!

XOXO, 

The Californian Belle

Fashion Friday: Iconic Fashion Pieces of All Time

Hello Dolls!

If it's one thing I absolutely a d o r e it's fashion. There is something about outfits that just make me so happy. 

I thought I would share with y'all (what in my opinion) some of the most iconic fashion pieces of all time. (Keep in mind there are so many more but I just picked my personal top 5).

1. Burberry scarves and trench coachs

Burberry, which originated in London, England in 1856, is known for their gorgeous scarves and classic trench coats. Both of these items so classic in this brand that they even have their own section on the website! 

2. Malono Blahnik heels

If the shoe fits then get it in every color right? Best known from Sex and the City as Carrie Bradshaw's "addiction" Manolo Blahnik is the fairytale princess shoe that we can find at our local Neiman Marcus. 

3. Louis Vuitton Luggage 

I know that luggage is a very unusual piece to put in this post, however, a Louis Vuitton is not. Louis Vuitton, known for their iconic monogram print and desired across the world, is definitely a piece worthy of being called iconic in the fashion world. Style runs from more then just head to toe, it runs all around you and the Louis Vuitton luggage does just that. 

4. Chanel 2.55 Quilted Classic Flap Bag

Everyone knows that the quilted Chanel bag is a must because...well...look at it! It's the definition of perfection! What I love the most about this purse is that it's timeless and will ALWAYS be in style! 

5. Hermés Birkin

And of course, I saved one of the best for last, the infamous Hermés Birkin bag. The most recognizable bag on the planet and the most desired. These bags may cost and arm and a leg but you can't deny its pure beauty. Get them in any color imaginable and cherish them for a lifetime because they are truly perfect. 

These items are all so iconic and have been displayed everywhere in the fashion world since the time they introduced to us. Definitely something to be admired and appreciated are these gorgeous pieces. I would love to know what fashion piece you love! Comment below (you can comment anonymously and all comments are welcome) and let me know what pieces you loved in and outside of this post.

XOXO,

The Californian Belle