OPINION: MINT JULEP BOUTIQUE + GIVEAWAY

Keepin' it casual

this time around...

By now many of you know that I am not one to squeeze into a pair of jeans everyday. Dresses and skirts are definitely my go-to clothing of choice, but on the rare occasion that I do wear some denim, I like to keep the rest of my outfit very comfortable. 

Take this look for example: I paired my favorite pair of skinny jeans (high-waisted for the illusion of longer, leaner legs) with a simple white t-shirt and this unique fringed cardigan I received from The Mint Julep Boutique. 

What I love most about this combination is its simplicity! I really didn't have to think too hard to make the look as good it does here. The geometric print and subtle gold details on the cardigan, in addition to the cute fringed edges, create more dimension and movement while the fitted t-shirt and jeans keep the look pulled together. Also, doesn't everything just look so warm and cozy??

OUTFIT:

Fringed Cardigan-The Mint Julep Boutique

Shirt-Forever 21

Jeans-Seven for All Mankind

Boots-Korean

Sunglasses-Lucky Brand

*GIVEAWAY TIME*

Need to buy a Christmas gift for your friend? Got the urge to buy a new holiday dress? The Mint Julep Boutique and I have partnered up to offer ya'll one awesome giveaway! Enter for a chance to win a $25 gift card for online store. Rules are simple:

-FOLLOW @therachelstory & @shopthemint on INSTAGRAM

-LIKE + REGRAM my giveaway photo and HASHTAG #therachelstorygiveaway for a chance to win

-winner will be announced on 12/10/14!

May the odds be ever in your favor, 

Rachel

BACK AT IT:

Did you miss me?

Woohoo! I am back on The Rachel Story! 

It's been quite an intense quarter at school so far and the thought of posting on my blog was honestly the last thing on my mind. However, I didn't want to neglect something I actually enjoyed doing (plus writing an entry is a bit of a stress reliever). I have been busy, but I'm still so thankful to God for the many things He's blessed me with. So, here I am with another OOTD post that my lovely friends help me shoot.

The weather is finally cooling down and despite the harshness of the sun, I can still wear my fall/winter clothing like my trusty ol' Dr. Martens boots and this lacy black dress I've been saving all summer. This dress was actually bought on sale for less than $15...The Rachel Story strikes again!

How have you been styling your outfits for this season? Any style steals?

OUTFIT:

Button-Up-Thrifted

Dress-Urban Outfitters

Boots-Dr. Martens

Hat-Roomie's

Bracelet-Bouton Bracelets

See ya'll soon!

p.s.-I've got some exciting new reviews and GIVEAWAYS coming up so stay tuned for those!

I GOT IT FROM MY MAMMA:

Just kiddin' 

I got it from the thrift store...

It's high-waisted. It's comfy. It's everything your mom would have worn in her prime days. It's...the mom jean. 

So what's so special about this fine piece of fabric that simultaneously creates the illusion of longer legs while making some people cringe? Personally, I have two reasons why I'm currently loving this trend: one, because it's a refreshing change from the skinnies and boyfriend jeans that many people wear and two, because I copped this from the thrift store for SEVEN DOLLARS. Am I a crazy good shopper or am I a crazy good shopper?

I love the fashion industry for its tendencies to recycle trends. I'm so glad that this particular style is "in" because I truly am a sucker for comfort (especially since I am not one to sport jeans all the time). 

OUTFIT:

Shirt-Urban Outfitters

Mom Jeans-Thrifted (Goodwill)

Cut-out Ankle Boots-Amazon

Sunglasses-Amazon

Watch-ASOS

That pink hair-tie you always see me wearing-Korea (from like 4 yrs ago~)

Busy but blessed, 

Rachel

P.S.-OMG, I found the perfect, industrial spot to take more #ootd photos. So stay tuned for more outfits in this setting!

GOOD PRICE, HAPPY RACH:

I love me some

sale items....

Whenever I shop, the first area I visit is--you guessed it--the SALE SECTION. I thrive off of red tags and marked down prices. Knowing that I'm saving tons of money as well as gaining another awesome piece in my wardrobe makes me one happy fashion lover! 

The star of this outfit of the day has to be my delicate black dress. Not only does the dress have the prettiest lace details and flattering neckline, it also was a bang-for-your-buck kind of deal as it cost me no more than ten dollars! That's right: TEN DOLLARS. This dress is extremely versatile and can be styled up and down depending on how you feel on a particular day. I decided to pair it with a comfy flannel tied around the waist and wore my studded ankle boots for a more structured look. Of course, I was also excited to sport my incredibly soft Free People strappy back bra I had been wearing all throughout this past summer.

How much do you enjoy them sale sections? As much as frugal ol' me?

OUTFIT: 

Dress-Urban Outfitters

Strappy Bra-Free People

Flannel-Thrifted

Boots-H&M

Have a fantastic day, 

Rachel

P.S.- My current schedule this quarter is pretty crazy so I may not be posting as consistently as I had done during summer. BUT, do not fret! I have weekly articles posted on CollegeFashionista and am in the works of launching a special little project of mine soon~

GETTING READY FOR FALL:

This hot So Cal weather

is not the business...

Fall is all about those crunchy leaves, layered clothes, and pumpkin-flavored everything...right? 

I don't know about other folks, but I sure as heck am ready for a drop in temperature and the sweaters in my closet are just begging to be worn. Of course, you can't have everything: I'll have to wait patiently like every other So Cal resident for any sign of real fall weather. In the meantime, I braved the heat and wore an outfit I thought was very appropriate for the season.

I've had this dress for several years now and it has served me a great deal of good use. For this outfit, I layered it under my new cropped, hooded sweater and put on my comfortable Skechers (click HERE to read the review I did for the wedges). I pulled the look together with a black hat and cat-eye sunglasses*.

I hope the weather is somewhat fall-like for you, wherever you are!

OUTFIT:

Dress-Kohl's

Cropped Sweater-Urban Outfitters

Wedges-Skechers

Hat & Sunglasses-Forever 21

Watch-ASOS

(This outfit is also featured on my Style Guru article for CollegeFashionista! Check it out HERE)

Keep on keepin' on,

Rachel

*shortly after this post, my sunglasses actually broke, so now I am a sad college student who is also cat-eye sunglass-less :(

MODELMANIA:

What's fashion 

without its models?

Gisele Bundchen, Heidi Klum, Naomi Campbell, Kate Moss. Anyone familiar with the fashion world can, without a doubt, attribute these names to four amazing models of their era. Of course, these four women are only a few of the many influential bodies that moved with great force and prestige during fashion weeks (and let's not forget those editorials either). Some of my personal favorites from both the 90's supermodel era and the more recent pool of runway must-haves include: Devon Aoki, Beverly Peele, Gemma Ward, Kelly Mittendorf, Christy Turlington, Malaika Firth, Daphne Groeneveld, and honestly the list can go on and on...

But lets get into the outfit shall we?

I paired this awesome supermodel tank with my new floral "kimono" (still not sure about the use of the word kimono, but we'll go with it for now). Since the fall weather is slowly approaching--emphasis on the slow--I decided to bring on the jeans and wore this distressed black pair I recently bought on sale at Cotton On. I accessorized a bit with an amethyst necklace, gold hoops, and heeled sandals to lean out my legs and give me that extra height. 

OUTFIT:

Tank-Love Culture

"Kimono"-Marshalls

Jeans-Cotton On

Sandals-ASOS

Necklace-Anthropologie

Who's your favorite supermodel or model? Let me know in the comments below!

Best wishes, 

Rachel

P.S.- I'm finally going back to school tomorrow to start my sophomore year!! So excited for what God has in store for...stay tuned for some exciting blog post on campus! 

NYFW IN LA?

What would you have worn to New York's 

biggest fashion event of the year?

I think this outfit would suffice!

One of the top items on my bucket list is a visit to New York Fashion Week (in addition to fashion weeks in Milan, Paris, London, etc). However, since I'm currently a college student on a budget, I decided to bring fashion week to Los Angeles! 

Fashion week is about bringing your A-game when it comes to personal style. Bloggers, editors and models alike all dress to impress and go against whats conventional in order to show off what they enjoy wearing to the myriad of street style photographers wandering around in hopes of getting a perfect shot.

I chose to wear this ensemble in honor of NYFW and wore a bright pop of hot pink to make it even more eye-catching. I paired it with a denim-like jacket worn over the shoulder (very fashion blogger-esque, no?) and a cropped tank to really allow the pink skirt to play the leading role. To accessorize, I added hints of gold through my necklace, studded boots and watch. I also balanced out the femininity of the outfit with a black beanie.

With my phone in hand and eyes peeled for the latest trend, don't I look fashion week appropriate?

OUTFIT:

Jacket-Mom's Closet

Cropped Tank-H&M

Skirt-Thrifted

Boots-H&M

Necklace-Vintage

Watch-ASOS
Beanie-Forever 21

Thanks for reading, 

Rachel