The Closet Confidential // Rebecca

I've known Rebecca ever since 3rd grade when our last names happened to line up right next to each other in class, but I feel as if one day, her style just got up and took on a life of its own. There is always that one girl you know who just can't look ugly.  That's Rebecca.  Last time I was at her house, we actually didn't spend all of our time watching Netflix, and I had the chance to ask her about  the clothes she puts on her body and such.  Here's what she had to say...

"I'm all about the colors! Ever since I could piece together an outfit (5 maybe?), I was a fashionista.  I remember my mom debating with me, "Either wear this, or you are going to school naked." Clothes and all the things that come attached with it give me confidence to express myself.  Throughout the years I have tried out many different styles from edgy to boho to preppy to sporty, and I think I've finally found it.  Through the inspiration of Youtube beauty/fashion vloggers, bloggers, and Pinterest, I can distinguish what my 'style' is.  And the truth is, it's not about preppy or edgy, style is based upon our personalities.  I guess I'd describe mine to be classy, conservative, colorful, and chic.  With that, you can put together a preppy outfit, maybe?  But also, style depends on what we're feeling.  I find that in the summer, I tend to lean more towards the bohemian side of fashion and 'preppy' in the fall.  Another thing, I don't wear a certain style/outfit for anyone, maybe for the sanity of my dad; I wear it for me.  That's crucial.  Wear something you feel good in, something you feel you look great in, and strut your stuff."

What influences your style?

"This goes along with how I got my style, and that’s what I’m feeling that day and what I feel comfortable in.  I don’t want to go out wearing something I don’t feel 100% confident in, and trust me, there have been times when I’ve had these moments (too much cleavage? are these shorts too short? *pulls shorts even further down*), and they don’t feel good! nor do they probably look good, haha!  My fashion inspirations would be thanks to YouTube fashion vloggers, bloggers, and Pinterest (of course!).  And let’s admit it, we’ve all worn something that shouldn’t probably be worn during that season.  For example, is it bad that I like to wear my denim shirt in the beginning of August.. in Texas?  Maybe not, but hey! It’s what I’m feeling right?  And let’s just keep this between us, but sometimes everything works out and I don’t even sweat with it on! Always a plus."

Who do you look up to?

"Carrie Underwood & Audrey Hepburn — two ladies of style, grace, and class.  One forever remembered in history and the other an inevitable and gorgeously talented country legend.  Both their personalities and what they stand for are two of the many reasons why I title them my celebrity role models.  Audrey stood by her duty as a woman.  She remained ladylike, lovely, positive, and humble.  She ‘believed happy girls are the prettiest,’ and they absolutely are.  She is one of my reminders on how to live my life as a lady from the inside out.  Carrie presents these qualities as well, along with her love for God.  Not only is she an amazing singer and a beautiful woman, but she is also a God’s girl! It’s awe-inspiring to see how throughout her fame and success, she still shows humility and her gratitude toward the Man who gave us life.  And don’t even get me started on that heck of a voice! Do I find myself dancing in front of the mirror struggling to reach those high notes? Oh yeah."

"At the end of the day, what you think is truly best for you and your life is all that matters." - Rebecca G.

DIY // T-shirt Romper

This summer is apparently the summer of arts and crafts for me.
Recently I have found myself exploring the world of sewing and making clothes and all that fun stuff. Honestly reading over that last sentence makes me seem like quite the granny, but I think it is so useful to just know how to resize a dress or make a romper out of your dad's super chill t- shirts.

 T-Shirt #1

Y'all. Look at how massive this t-shirt is. It was a men's extra-large sleep shirt that my dad bought and never wore and so passed it down to me.

I loved the graphic and I love the brand Life is Good therefore I had to figure out something to do with it.  And a romper was born.

I guess you could say this post is just a preview because honestly I totally just made up the steps as I went using knowledge from other bloggers and YouTube, but if you would like I can post a real step by step video tutorial!  Meanwhile, check out these two tutorials / Merrick's Art // sloabn /

I did take some pictures along the way though and will explain basic steps!

The awesome thing about using t-shirts is that you can use the hems already on the shirt!! I made a pair of shorts using a pattern I made based another pair of shorts I have and cut it out along the bottom of the shirt.  Making shorts is super easy and you can learn by watching simple tutorials.

The shirt portion took a bit longer, especially because the shirt was so huge that I had to cut out new sleeves and fix the size of the body piece.  (I might have gotten impatient and accidentally sewed all along the side of the body piece before I realized there was no hole for me to put my arms in. Sigh.) You can use a basic t-shirt to figure out the patterns for the body and the sleeves.

The hardest part was definitely attaching the two pieces and adding elastic. I used this tutorial to add the elastic and I was done! The first time through this project took me about a day so not too bad!

T-Shirt #2

*psstt.. this one was my favorite!!
I basically followed the same steps but obviously I knew more of what I was doing this time around and it turned a lot better!  This one took a lot more guess work with proportions, though, because I hadn't made a pattern for long sleeves yet and the material was a lot thicker and therefore less stretch than the white shirt.  I kinda just winged it, but it turned out great.

I had to add a button hole and slit in the back of this one because there was no way I could possibly get it on without ripping approximately 457 stitches out.

I seriously just want to wear this out into the wilderness.. it would be very hard to pee in I suppose.

You guys have to try this out!! TJMaxx and Marshalls have so many Life is Good t-shirts at great prices and they are seriously so comfy and high quality.  I have been wearing the long sleeve one for three days now and wore the white one to bed last night!  Of course, try this with any big ol' t-shirt you have.  It is simple once you get the hang of it and you can start whipping these out in about 2 hours! 

Give it a whirl!

An Upgrade to your Go-To Look

Come on. We are all guilty of having that one very simple and not attractive uniform that we always throw on when we are in a hurry or simply can't be bothered.  For me personally, I always keep a pair of Nike athletic shorts and a baggy souvenir t-shirt at hand for these special occasions, but lately, in my efforts of revamping my style and closet, I have tried to limit myself from always gravitating to my t-shirt drawer.  (Okay but how awesome are those Texas flag shorts.. I mean, does your state have a pair of shorts?)

But, I came up with a very simple solution.

one // Replace your unflattering running shorts for a pair of loose, nicely constructed, and most importantly comfy pair of shorts.  These have been so on trend this summer and you can practically find them anywhere.  The ones shown are rather plain, but I have seen so many adorable floral and lace shorts in stores currently!  My favorite part of these shorts is that little elastic band at the top--they keep it comfy and casual.

   J.Crew White Shorts // Blue Crochet Shorts found at Marshalls // Denim Lounge Shorts similar found here

two // Swap the baggy t-shirts with slightly more stylized and embellished tops that still have the loose fit with more flattering cuts and softer fabric.  Even just swapping your t-shirt for a graphic linen tee or a patterned crop top will make you look more put together.  These three tees are honestly so extremely comfy and come with that worn-in t-shirt softness.  You can find so many different tees that are sure to fit in with your style.  My personal favorite is the baseball tee--it gives an effortless, tomboy look that I have been digging currently.

J.Crew Baseball Tee // J.Crew Linen Tee similar found here // Aerie Tribal Crop Top similar style found here

Add a pair of classic aviators and a bright lipstick and there you go, an upgrade to your go-to look.

xx Christine

The Current Favorites #1

 Whew! So the dreaded first post is over.
 Now we can move on to actual content.

Revlon Nail Polish // Rayban Aviators // Clarisonic Mia // Fossil Watch // YSL Volupte Sheer Candy 04

This summer has been all about the basics for me.

Revlon Brilliant Strength Nail Enamel in 060 Allure
If you are a simple girl like me, you will love this polish.  I picked it up when I noticed its extreme resemblance to Essie's Urban Jungle--which costs 2 dollars more might I add.  The color is simple and clean and goes with everything.  It just seems to add a touch of "put together-ness" to your not so put together summer look.

Ray-Ban Classic Aviators
Oh, boy. I have been lusting after these since last summer and I think my mom and I both knew that it was inevitable that I would come home with them one day.  There isn't even anything to say-- they are a casual, go with everything, girl-next-door, all-American pair of sunglasses.  They are just a style staple for me nowadays.

Clarisonic Mia with Acne Cleansing Brush
You guys, I don't even remember the last time my skin was clear.  Thankfully I reintroduced my Clarisonic to my daily skincare routine and I have been seeing some differences.  I think it is too early to tell if this will be the miracle product for my skin, but I have definitely enjoyed using it and truly believe that it lives up to all of its claims.  I have always believed that the key to the kind of dewy and fresh no-makeup makeup look that I adore is a clear and radiant complexion so I have definitely been focusing on that aspect of my beauty regime.

Fossil Leather Watch
This is, yet again, a summer staple of mine.  Scratch that, I wear it year-round.  My mom gave it to me this previous Christmas and I love it.  I think that, like the aviators, this watch gives off a very easy-going vibe that is very suited to the summer time and also goes really well with my own sense of style.  I like that it is light and easy to throw on with everything, and the rougher you are with it, the cooler it looks.

YSL Volupte Sheer Candy Glossy Balm in 04 Succulent Pomegranate
This product is pretty straight-forward.  It's basically an overly expensive and beautifully and extravagantly packaged tinted lip balm with a really long and fancy name that has accent marks in it. I don't necessarily think it's worth the price that I paid, but the formula is actually pretty amazing and the bright pink color really is beautiful especially for the warmer weather.  I really like wearing this color because while everything else I seem to use and wear and surround myself with during the hottest months of the year are just easy, simple, and basic,well, this is my pop of not-so-basic.

Watercolor
So in the summer I tend to get bored really easily.  It's like all those things that I wanted to do so badly during the school year but couldn't just decided to skip the few months I was free.  But, one thing I always made time for was art, specifically watercolor.  I really got to dive into the realm of watercolor this year in my art class and I have been obsessed.  The card you see was actually one of the invitations I made for my birthday awhile ago.  I think if I was an art form, I would be a watercolor painting.

Dancing with the Stars
I have been binge watching Dancing with the Stars.  Literally my life pretty much revolves around it now.  Half the time I just want to break out into dance and do a really fancy lift where I spin around while doing the splits.  Meryl & Maks forever y'all.

Ha. Did I get the point across that I like everything to be simple, easy-going, and basic? Those three words could seriously sum up every single aspect of my life currently. I'd love to know what your staples have been lately and which three words could sum up your style and beauty look this summer!

xx Christine