In my dressing room

If you've ever traveled with me to the mainland the one store I must stop at is H&M. Living in Honolulu we have a lot of the stores you'll find on the West Coast and our tax is usually a lot cheaper so I prefer to shop at places we don't have here. Case in point... H&M. There have been rumors that H&M will be coming to Oahu soon and I've been considering picking up a part-time job just so I could get the fabulous discount! Although, H&M is still available in an online version to us Hawaii shoppers who have yet to have an actual store. I also verified, they ship to Hawaii and it's not oobber expensive like most online shops :) 

The top, I love how it's slouchy enough to hide all the right places yet the waistband allows me to show off that I do have a waist. The royal blue tasteless add a pop of color that I like. 

The ripped jeans. I personally don't own a pair so I would want to try it on. I also gives the look an edgier and relaxed look.

The purse. I love how it's two toned. Big enough to fit everything I need and fashionable at the same time. 

The shoes. Gladiator sandals are always in style when you live in Hawaii. This just pulls the whole outfit together. 

H&M is currently holding a contest 50 STATES OF FASHION. How it works:

1. Upload a picture of yourself on Instagram with the hashtag corresponding to your state.

2.  Share your image with friends to get more votes. The top voted images from each state will be sent to judges for final judging. 

3. H&M will pick the Grand prize winner who will receive a $1,000.00 H&M gift card and trip for two to New York to attend an H&M event. 

Good luck and happy voting!

STYLE - Back to school back packs

One thing I've always loved about a new school year was a new back pack. Nowadays, back packs come in all sorts of styles and colors it makes me want to go back to school just to go shopping for one all over again. 

Jansport. This was the most reliable back pack I've found over the years. Hugely popular among students, this back pack is very reliable and pretty affordable. I would totally rock this color by Tillys

Over the years, Jansport evolved to offer the same durability but came out with differnent styles and colors. I love this denim with flowers print from Tillys

As I got older, Roxy was the brand to have. Although always cute in style, these were not very durable and more on the pricier side. In my sophomore year of high school I went through two Roxy back packs in one semester and by the end of the year it was my Jansport bag from the year before that held out the best. I love this cute Roxy bag from Roxy 

As I transitioned into college, my back pack style started to stray way from the bright and bold colors and prints and went more in a simple and basic direction. Something like this Roxy bag from Zumiez was more college appropriate.

Now out of college I rarely use back packs. The only time I really use them is for travel. These are more of my current style. What do you like in a good back pack? Share your thoughts in the comment section below. 

LIFE: Young adults and religion

Religion is always such a touchy subject to talk about especially in public but I'll give it a try. As a young adult, I've found it difficult and sometimes impossible to connect with other church goers my age. Either they're too young, too old, in different life stages, or sometimes I just don't feel like being sociable myself. The young adult age bracket is so spread out that there are a variety of young adults out there. 

1. The just graduated from high school and now I'm in college.

2. The I just graduated from college and now I'm a working professional.

3. The single one looking for their perfect match.

4. The I'm in a serious relationship but not yet married.

5. The we're already married.

6. The I have kids.

Somewhere somehow everyone falls into one or more of those categories. Trying to get everyone from the different categories come together... challenging.  It's no hidden secret that managing the young adult group at your church is not an easy task. But what makes a young adult group strive? The Huffington Post came out with an interesting article that shares How to Attract Young Adults.

For me, going to church was always something I did. Whether I liked it or not I was there. Sometimes I went for the pure satisfaction of my parents and other times it was simply because I had nothing better to do. But, there were times that I knew I needed it. There was something about being at church that gave me a sense of peace and I felt complete. 

Finding the right church and young adult group took a lot of "growing up" on my part. I parted ways from a church that I grew up in and ventured out to another church that still shared the same beliefs yet was able to meet my needs in a different way. There are a lot of great churches and ministry centers out there it just takes some time finding the right one for you. 

Nails and Fashion

This weekend I stumbled upon NCLA, a fashion forward, runway inspired nail polish and wraping company. Worn by my personal favorite Lauren Conrad, I had to check it out.

NCLA's mission is beauty. fashion. California. They produce nail wraps inspired by high fashion. Partnering with big names such as Fashion Week, Glamour magazine, and worn by celebrities such as Beyonce. In addition to wraps, NCLA offers tons of nail polish colorings to match any outfit.

How its used: Simply apply the wrap of your choice and coat with with a clear nail polish. Claimed to be "combined with a Gloss it base and flawless top coat, we deliver a chip free manicure."  This product is not tested on animals and their color listing evolve constantly just as fashion does.

I haven't gotten a chance to test out NCLA yet but be assured that this is definitely on my MUST TRY list. I  personally love the galaxy and Aly En Vogue wraps. Pair them up with outfits from the STITCH.

Take two...

I know I promised myself (and readers) that I would start blogging on a more consistent basis but these past two months have been nothing but crazy! Yesterday, as I had happy hour with a friend she encouraged me to continue my blog. This blog has definitely been my outlet to share what's on my mind and utilize my God given talent to write. So here we go, take two!

I've always had a niche for fashion but never in my wildest dreams would I ever think to myself, I'm going to own a boutique one day. This was a huge risk and an even bigger leap of faith. 

I'm proud to announce to you the STITCH. It's an online womens clothing boutique that offer cute and trendy clothes at affordable prices. Shoppers can visit www.shopthestitch.com to view amazing items from dresses, bottoms, tops, and even SALE items. This process has been quite amazing. Every day is something new and find myself smiling at the end of every day knowing I'm exactly where I'm supposed to be doing exactly what I'm supposed to be doing. 

Thank you to all my existing the STITCH customers who help support me in doing what I love and pushing me to continue fueling this passion. 

STYLE - Bralettes

A fashion trend I'm starting to see more of now a days are the trendy bralettes. Now if you're anything like me and is a little self conscious about your middle torso region, my first thought would be "cute, but probably not for me." The short midriff action doesn't look particularly good on a girl of my shape (at least I don't think so). If you're tall and skinny and have a flat belly then sure. But I am far from that. So, how does one of my body figure pull off such a cute look? Look no further than to Lexi Demos a blogger and fasion contributer at oBaz. She writes about wearing a bralette without showing too much or in her words "giving it all away". Here are a few inspirational styles you could use without baring too much.

  

  

  

BEAUTY - Face moisturizing creme

Today, I'm writing about my all time favorite face moisturizer. After several failed attempts of trying face moisturizers, I've finally found the one product that doesn't make me break out, lasts all day, and doesn't feel greasy or like I have goo on my face. Ole Henriksen has been known to be a more natural brand and this particular brand can generally only be found at Sephora (at least in Hawaii that is). It's definitely on the more expensive side of facial moisturizers but the benefits and outcomes are definitely worth it. I've been using this moisturizer for over a year now and I will not go back to any other brand.

One thing I love about Sephora is that they let you take home little sample sizes before dishing out the money for it. Other moisturizers left my skin feeling greasy and I would break out. Since I was a kid I've always very sensitive skin especially on my face. This product lasts all day and I only re-apply after a bath or when I wash my face. The only downside to this particular product is that it does not have SPF. Ole Henriksen sells another product that is backed by the Skin Cancer Foundation. The truth revealed super creme SPF 15 goes for a whopping $55.00 through the Ole Henriksen and Sephora websites. I assume you could put the truh revealed cream on first, then add in the nurture me creme as a second layer.

Here are the active ingredients for Nurture Me Creme

Dimethicone Hydrates and binds moisture to the skin
Evening primrose oil Calms, softens and soothes the skin
Chamomile extract Improves health of skin with essential fatty acids gamma linolenic acid and linoleic acid
Vitamins A and C Nourishes and protects with vitamin E
Wheat germ oil Regenerates and repairs with powerful antioxidants