Summer Time Sundresses

It's the middle of Summer and its hot and humid. These are the days where you want to look carefree and beautiful. Especially, since it is music festival season, which leads to long days in the sunshine! I'm sharing my trick to looking gorgeous with sandy toes and sun kissed noses. 

 Sun dresses. I love them and I swear by them. They are feminine yet flirty and perfect for these hot days! Pair them with sandals, booties or even sneakers and you'll look like a million bucks! Just don't forget your lipstick, girlfriend! 

Lately, I've been shopping my roommates' closet for sundresses. Let's just say I've fallen in love with a few and I don't think she'll be getting them back anytime soon. Thanks, sissy! The key is to make sure they're feminine yet comfortable! I love shift dress but they can make you look like you're wearing a fashionable trash bag if they're not styled correctly. That's why I usually opt for a sleeveless sundress that accents the waist. 

If you're going to be attending a country concert or a three-day affair then I wouldn't suggest going overboard. I'm all about investment pieces, but not for these kind of occasions. This is when I suggest  H&M or Forever 21. They are stylish yet affordable and the perfect answer. They won't last forever but you'll look cute during the concert and that's all that matters, right?

The Summer Solstice

As the temperatures warmed up you started to put the jeans away and bring out the shorts. Yet in San Francisco fog takes many by surprise, causing chilly days even in summer months. 

It might be too cold for shorts, rompers or maxi dresses all the time, but that doesn't mean I still can't be stylish. Some days I want to be comfortable yet cute. This is when I opt for neutrals. They are the perfect go-to on brisk days and you can pair them with just about anything! 

 Thankfully, I have one type of sweater in my closet that always works! I have about 15 colors  [Okay, maybe four] of these and they are so cozy. I picked up these black pants because I love a good pair of legging pants. They also work with a more casual look such a cheeky tee or a flannel. 

I accessorized with an full arm of Alex and Ani bracelets and a classic black cross body. I decided to go a little wild with a pair of slip-on sneakers. You make think animal print is so last year but I can't deny my love of leopard! I usually stray from slip-ons because of how chunky they look but I loved how feminine these are.  

PHOTO CREDIT | Rachel Radcliffe 

Kill it, Girl

We all have those introspective moments of doubt as we scroll through our Facebook feed and see success story after success story. 

A marriage here, a new job there, even the ones who you doubted would make it got their shit together. Before you find resign yourself to a day of depression drinking - remember that your killing it as well.

You have a job. All right, I'm not talking corner office or CEO here, but you've managed to break into the 'real world.' Your day to day may involve coffee fetching but it's all about experience, and at some point you'll leverage one hell of a recommendation. 

You've been through shit. The phrase "what doesn't kill you makes you stronger" may sound like motivational bullshit, but the heartbreak and loss you've had to go through has changed you for the better. 

Needless to say, you have your own space. Even if it just amounts to one room in a three room apartment, it's your space where you have the final say over what goes. This may not be a big deal, but we all need a place to call our own. 

You can travel. I'm talking as far as you want to go. You might not be able to make it to Spain just yet, but you do have enough money to keep your metro card charged or gas in your car. However, next time when you see that girl from your high school English Literature class is traveling the world - don't get jealous. Instead take a weekend trip [I suggest Napa, I hear the wine can clear your head and the landscape can make your heart soar].

Just remember you have a goal. You've moved to a different city, you're in the midst of graduate school or you going traveling, whatever it is, you are moving towards a milestone. You may be married or you might actually be single, but no matter what you've been through, it has made you one hell of a person and what you are doing is pretty mature!

Oh, and you can buy a neon cross body without anyone thinking you're crazy!

PHOTO CREDIT | Rachel Radcliffe 

Pink Lace + Silver Oxfords

Things that make me giddy:

1. Metallic Oxfords 
No offense to shoeshine boys - these oxfords are the shiniest pair I've ever laid eyes on. These shoes revise the borrowed-from-the-boys silhouette of a kicky oxford flat. They are the perfect excuse to leave your high heels at home [even though I never need an excuse to wear flats.]

2. Exploring San Francisco 
San Francisco or the City by the Bay as many call it is darling yet urban with its quaint neighborhoods and steep hills. Every time I shoot, which is when I do the most exploring I am continuously captured by the cities loveliness at every turn. Cable cars, magnificent bridges and natural beauty - it's easy to understand why so many people leave their heart in the City by the Bay. 

3. Farmers Markets 
Farmers markets offer an abundance of incredible products and it's never been easier to eat local. Let me be honest that isn't why I go though. Hungry? They offer some of the best street food to tide you over and if you're like me you love them for the atmosphere as well as the beautiful fresh blooms. 

What makes you giddy?! Spill, sister!

CLOTHING DETAILS 

JCrew Factory Printed Classic Button Down Shirt [Similar]

Juicy Couture Neon Cord Lace Jacket 

JCrew Turner Pant 

Kendra Scott Lucca Bangle Bracelets 

Kendra Scott Cassie Bracelet 

Kendra Scott "Atlantic" Deily Drop Earrings [SOLD OUT]

J.Crew Factory Metallic Oxfords

PHOTO CREDIT | Rachel Radcliffe 

Life Is A Party, Dress Like It

Let’s talk dress up. 

I have gotten a lot of emails in regards to what I think you should wear to specific events or what needs to be in your closet. Sometimes they are just a question and sometimes it turns into a flown blown styling.

So I've decided instead of emailing together, I figured you could just take me with you! I am now offering styling sessions. I get it. This can sound ridiculous. "You can invite me to play dress up with you." Who would do that? And why on earth would you...

Because it is an investment in yourself. I love styling services and this way we can go through your closet, put different looks together or just plan out what you should wear for  a summer wedding. What better way to feel confident than knowing you have 10 outfits planned out for the season, than freaking out right before you go to a birthday dinner where a guy who doesn't know he is your future husband will be there?

I can service San Francisco. However, for those of you outside the Bay Area, you are in luck, personal styling can easily be done over the internet. You and I can work together to help you achieve a wardrobe you love while sitting on your couch. We can shop online together or your current closet, while creating a list of times that would spark up your wardrobe. 

One of my favorite aspects of blogging is getting to meet you and help find styles to suit you individually. This new venture is a great way for me to get you over those wardrobe hurdles. The best part is there is no cost associated with the service because I want you to think of this as time spent with your fashionable best friend! 

E-mail away at annachristinapalagi@gmail.com!

{all images found via Pinterest}

The Dress Code

Good Morning! I hope you all had an incredibly relaxing weekend! I'm sorry I've been so absent over the past month, I took a mental checkout in order to focus on real life. God has curved my path. I am not sure where it will lead and I am on the road to find out.  

I haven't stopped thinking about you all and I have some fabulous posts planned for you! 

  

In the PR industry looks aren't everything [but they sure can help.] How many films hinge on a simple wardrobe change as a transformative experience for the character? The Devil Wears Prada showed us how public relations is an image business and how you look is as much your calling card as the one in your wallet. In simple terms: dressing well is a form of good manners. 

The safest way to dress is to stick with simple, understated clothing  For women, it is important to keep color, accessories to a minimum. Whether you work in a casual environment, teach or are in a more strict office, we all need color in our wardrobe. This skirt is the perfect touch of feminine meets office and the material is light for summer! I even like to pair mine with one of my favorite graphic tees with sandals for a summer date. 

In the business of PR, looking the part is key to being able to communicate effectively to your audience. Appearances in general are important and the clothing one wears can, at a minimum, be a distraction. For example, don't wear a ball gown to a baseball game. But always remember beauty begins at the moment you decide to be yourself.

PHOTO CREDIT | Rachel Radcliffe 

Write Down All The Things

Someone once asked me why I started blogging and well I don't really have a specific answer. If you read from back when I started Anna Christina you might notice that I started blogging right out of college. I had just received my PR degree and wanted to grow my knowledge of how the industry worked, while pursuing my passion for fashion. [Blogging is a PR tactic. When I was at a PR firm I was running blogs for specific accounts, now I’m just running mine.]

I didn’t start blogging because I wanted to be a blogger. It sounds ridiculous, but blogging and Instagram have created this false reality of always having fresh roses at home and perfect manicures. I think a lot of bloggers start because they think they want that life. It isn’t real. I started because I love writing and playing dress up. It gives me more satisfaction than a seemingly perfect life ever could.

I never started a blog with the thought that people would read it, I just had a degree that taught me how to blog for companies. I wanted to transcend that into a blog that would help girls do what I do best, spending money on frivolous things: clothing. However, life isn't solely about fashion and beauty, although you've seen plenty of both.

I love blogging because it allows me to create a place where readers can learn new things and be inspired to try something different. In order to compose a successful blog though it takes a lot of work and a notebook.

As I’ve mentioned before Etsy is my best friend. It truly is the world’s most vibrant handmade marketplace. I recently discovered Jillanastasia Paper Co. based in Omaha, Nebraska. The company is rooted in love for design, paper and people. Jillian the owner started her business after college as a way to express her passion for love for creating something that makes people smile. She finds her inspiration in her day-to-day life from travel magazines to conversations with friends. Oh, and she’s the sweetest too! Don't forget to check out her blog too!

She offers high-quality paper goods uniquely customized for you. I am thrilled to announce that one lucky reader has the opportunity to win a notebook by Jillianastasia Paper Co.!

Isn’t it so cute? And the saying is so true for bloggers, especially.

Head on over to Instagram for a chance to win this fabulous notebook! 

To enter:
1. Follow me @annachrsitinapalagi and @jillianastasia 
2. LIKE today’s photo

Giveaway ends Thursday, June 4th at 5PM PT!