{Halloween} An Enchanted Walk...

Because you never know what might be lurking in the woods... Happy Halloween from Kastles and Adventures in Fashion! xx

{Nailed It} Blood-Drop Mani DIY...

Halloween is nearly here, and what better way to spread some ghoulish cheer than with a blood-drop DIY mani a la Prabal Gurung? This was beyond easy to do, and it took no time at all... So basically all you vampire-loving, Dexter-obsessed peeps have no excuse not to try this one. Here's what you need to do!

Step 1: Paint your nails with a nude base coat to give them a clean, polished look. Alternatively, leave nails completely bare� it's up to you!

Step 2: Dip a toothpick or bobby pin into a deep red polish and apply small dots at random to the bottom third of your nail (2 or 3 dots per nail looks best).

Step 3: Drag the nail polish from the dots you just created down to the tip of the nail.

Step 4: Repeat for all nails, finishing with a uneven horizontal line at the tip of each nail.

And that's it! For a mere 10 minutes of work, you've got yourself a creepy, yet surprisingly chic manicure... How's that for doing it yourself? xx

Packing for Europe: Early Winter Edition

Today I'm off for the UK and France, and since I'm going to be gone for awhile, I thought I'd share my travel wardrobe before I go. It's going to be a whole lot colder over there than it is here, sad to say. My itinerary will begin in Edinburgh, then a few days in York, an overnight in Liverpool, and then a few days in London. After that I'll be working in Strasbourg and ending the trip with a free weekend in Paris. As always, I'm taking lighter layers rather than any bulky pieces. Below are the major items I'll be wearing for the next 3 weeks.

5 shirts (2 long-sleeved layering tees are not shown):

3 cardigans:

2 dresses (these two have traveled with me before and have proven to be ideal travel items
for their wrinkle-resistance and comfort):

3 pairs of pants:

2 jackets (the zip-on sleeves of the vest aren't shown here):

The anorak is a recent purchase, and is something I've been seeking for well over a year. I kept seeing the ideal style on ladies around town, but could never seem to locate it in stores. Finally I was on the bus and spotted it in the window at Gap the other week, and quickly hopped off the bus to get it.

As you can see, I've made the entire wardrobe of jewel tones and neutrals, with black as my major neutral and olive as the secondary. Almost every piece goes with every other piece; below you can see how the shirts, cardigans, and layering tanks placed side by side look like a cohesive collection.

Finally, here are a few different combinations I put together using the same pieces.

And finally, my traveling outfit. I chose my most comfortable, soft, stretchy items and will be carrying the jacket since it's one of the larger items I'm taking. I also fully expect it to be cold when I get off the plane, so I know I'm going to want it when I get there.

And with that, I'm off! I didn't end up getting any new posts lined up except for this one, so the blog will be silent for the next 3 weeks. I'm really excited that I get to skip the rest of the election nonsense (though I did of course vote by mail already), and even better, that I got to see my SF Giants sweep the World Series before leaving the country. What a perfect send off! See you in a few weeks!

{Style} Hearted Girl...

A couple weeks ago I saw a pic of a heart sweater on my friend Kassie's blog and thought to myself, "Man, that's one cute sweater; I wish I had something like that to wear." About 30 seconds later I realized that I had a nearly identical sweater already in my wardrobe (last seen here) and that the only reasonable explanation for my memory lapse is that I hoard clothes like a mo-fo. Hey, what do ya do.

In other news, I'd like to draw your attention to my lips in this post... Notice anything different? You guessed it friends, I am sans red lipstick here. Not something I plan on making a habit of, but a fun little change nonetheless. 


Happy Monday, lovelies! xx 

Outfit details: heart sweater c/o West 49; blouse- Topshop; pants- H&M; pumps- Joe Fresh; clutch- American Apparel; ring- YSL

{Style} Making a Statement...

October is nearly over, and let me tell you, I've never been more excited for the start of a new month to begin... Can you guess why? That's right my friends, as of November 1st my self-imposed shopping ban will lift and I will be reintroduced to the land of the living... or, well, the shopping. I haven't stepped foot in any kind of store since before the ban started (what, what!), so to say that I'm excited is a bit of an understatement... Whoever said material things can't bring happiness was a total chump. xx

Outfit details: top- Ralph Lauren (super old); bubble skirt- Joe Fresh; cap toe pumps- Zara; houndstooth tights- Joe Fresh; statement necklace- Zara; watch- Michael Kors; bracelet- random NYC find

Cutout

This outfit wasn't particularly noteworthy, but I photographed it mainly to show you the back of this top, which I picked up at Saks Off Fifth in Minneapolis (I also bought another one in peacock blue). Because of the cutout in the back I figured it might end up getting relegated to weekend and after-work wear, however when I tried layering it over a tank I found that it worked perfectly well for the office. The tank covered up my bra strap but left enough skin showing to still be interesting.

As you can see, the rest of the outfit is pretty plain. But I like the fact that the neckline on this top is high in the front; to me if you're going to have a big cutout on one side, there shouldn't also be a lot of skin showing on the other.

Next week I'm heading back to France again for work, and this time I'm tacking on 2 weeks in the UK to visit friends and family. I'll have a few posts for you while I'm away, and I'll come back with a trip recap after I get back.

Top: Red (Saks)
Pants: Club Monaco
Boots: Ecco
Necklaces: Betsey Johnson, Defy
Bracelet: Leslie Danzis

{Style} Leather + Leopard...

Baby it's cold outside, but I refuse to bust out the parka and winter boots just yet... Call me crazy, but there's no way I'm giving in to the upcoming harsh weather without a fight. Come hell or frozen blue extremities, I'm going to wear what I want, even if it means improvising with a giant (and admittedly super warm) sweater. Hey, I do what I can. xx

Outfit details: oversized sweater- Zara (old; similar style here); leopard print jeans- Joe's Jeans; studded leather jacket- Zara; pumps- Joe Fresh (old; similar style here); ring- Forever 21

{Style} Plaid & Persona...

Nothing says fall quite like forest green, so I figured why not double up with a blazer-boot combination? These boots were an Urban Outfitters find about six or so years ago, and they only see the light of day during certain circumstances; namely, clear days when the suede won't get utterly destroyed by rain and gooey dirt... Yes friends, I'm smart like that.

In other news, I'd like to draw your attention to the snazzy new bracelet on my wrist... My good friends at Persona were kind enough to pop it into the mail for me, and I couldn't be more thankful. It's a super versatile piece from their Black Label, and I love how I can mix it up and wear different combinations with the marcasite beads (and even mix metals� peep the gold watch combo!). Thanks, Persona!

Outfit details: tartan blazer- Joe Fresh (old; similar here); denim shirt- Forever 21; jeans- Michael Kors; suede boots- Urban Outfitters; head band worn as necklace- Forever 21; bracelet & beads c/o Persona; watch- Michael Kors

School Marm

This dress is about a month and a half old, though I haven't gotten around to wearing it until now because we kept getting random warm spells just when I was wanting to wear it, and then I kept putting off ironing it. Finally the temperature dipped down a bit and I decided I just didn't care that it was a little bit wrinkled. All the stars were aligned.

I love the mix of fabrics in this dress, and that big wide collar is such a great detail. I think I might hem it about an inch or two though, because something about the cut combined with the length just felt a little... school marm, perhaps? I guess it might also have been the lace-up booties and opaque black tights that I chose to pair it with.

Which reminds me, I desperately need to restock my patterned tights, as many of my favorites are starting to get worn or develop holes. I feel like an interesting pair of patterned tights might have kicked up the sophistication factor in this outfit. Just in case, I'm still going to hem the dress.

Dress: eShakti
Bag: Foley + Corinna
Shoes: Tsubo

{Details} Nautical Stripes...

It's no big secret that I'm a huuuuge fan of stripes� I mean seriously, can you think of a more versatile print? It's an all-season style that can be rocked just as easily in spring as it can come fall, which is precisely why I love it so. This particular dress is perfect for brisk days because it's lined, long sleeved and lovely... How's that for your daily dose of alliteration? Throw on a woven belt, breezy vest and a pop-o-colour cuff (nicely done, Joe Fresh!) and you've got yourself a fall-tastic look. Easy peasy.

Outfit details: nautical striped dress- Michael Kors; military vest- Old Navy; woven leather belt- thrifted; kitten heels- Zara; necklace- Forever 21; leather cuff- Joe Fresh

{Style} Oxblood & Camo...

Casual layers, rich saturated colours and a touch of print mixing... Happy Monday! 

And since I'm still recovering from my Corso 32 food coma last night (locals, you know what I'm talking about!), this one's going to be short and sweet... More stream of consciousness rambles to come, I promise. xx

Outfit details: camo jacket- Zara; leopard tank- Forever 21; oxblood leggings- H&M; booties- Aldo; oxblood tote- Zara; necklace- Forever 21; bracelet- random NYC find; watch- Michael Kors