In preparation for the Lady Gaga Concert I was having a serious fashion block.  Obviously I want to look effortlessly chic and cool while being comfortable as well, so what is a girl to wear? I decided on skinny jeans so that I would have a clear pallatte to work with, so all I had to do was shop for a fab top to go with the jeans..no biggie right?

After work I stopped in at Forever 21 for a session of speed shopping ( I had a late meeting after work) So I had 30 minutes to get in, find something fabulous and get out.  Well 6 tops, 2 necklaces, 1 pair of shoes and $90 later I exited Forever 21 with a plethora of options for this weekend’s concert.

What did I buy might you ask?

Forever 21 Lunch Break Shopping by mlj2374 featuring peep toe heels

Forever21 top, $15 Tribal print is in abundance at Forever…I couldn’t pass up this cropped oversize tribal top.  It is going to look so great over a tank with skinnies and the lace up cone heels below.

Forever21 racerback tank top, $9.80 I am in love with the color of this tank.  I am calling it AC Slater pink.  It is the obnoxious early 90s neon pink.  I am so exicted to wear it!

Forever21 peep toe heels, $25 These heels are super comfy and super cute.  With a lace up front and cone heel I think I will be dancing to the tunes of GAGA all night in these bad boys.

Forever21 chain necklace, $5.80 This is such a great staple piece of jewelry.  It can be worn with tanks or a cocktail dress…so versatile.

Forever21 chain necklace, $3.80 I am in love with this little medallion necklace..its says “Tree of Life” on it and at $4 it is a lot more affordable than some of the other gold medallion necklaces I have been lusting over.

Forever21.com – Sweaters – 2052468567, $28 This little crochet top is such a cool piece.  It could be layered over a tank and paired with jeans or it could be paired with a girly skirt to make a super cute spring date outfit.

Forever21.com – Fabulous Finds – 2069710191, $15I am in love with this cardigan.  The colors are super cool and its really light so its perfect for pairing with tanks in the spring

Forever21.com – Tops – 2055986000, $3.50 basic tank…how can you go wrong

What do you think I should wear to GAGA?

-Drama mama out

Share on Facebook

In South Louisiana this is what we call “Festival Time” The spring and early summer in this area is packed with festivals of all shapes in sizes celebrating things from food, family music, culture and everything in between.  The largest festival in my area is Festival International which is a music festival celebrating music from all over the world.  Its so big around this area that people have dubbed it “Festival” and this year its the 25th anniversary so I am sure that its going to be a great one.  When it comes to festivals people gather to enjoy great food, music and company but if you are like me dressing for festival is almost as fun as going.

My best friend, who hates festival, says that people pull out their “hippie clothes” for festival and I would have to agree with him.  You see lots of braless women in earth tones and sandals but that doesn’t mean that you can’t rock a great outfit while fitting in and being cool and comfy too.

There are a few essentials that any festival goer needs in order to be cool, comfortable and crazy cute during a fun filled weekend in the sun.

Festival Attire by mlj2374 featuring topshop shoes

1.  A Sundress in a fun print or earth tone color - A dress is key for staying cool.  It is normally so hot this time of year in Louisiana that if you are in pants at Festival you won’t make it past lunchtime.  Choose a fabric that will stand up to getting wet (with sweat eww I know) and won’t stick to you, cotton is the best choice.  If you go for a longer style like a maxi dress you may want to tie the bottom in a knot so that it doesn’t drag in the dust all day long leaving you dirty

2.  Sunglasses - You will not make the full weekend without a great pair of sunglasses.  Not only do they keep you from squinting they complete the look of a laid back, music lovin, carefree girl.

3.  Sun Hat - I would say that a hat is optional.  I have a crazy big head so I can’t get away with wearing most hats but referencing the heat again a hat is a nice way to keep your scalp form getting sunburnt and staying cool.  Also who can resist how freaking cute most girls look in a sundress and big floppy hat.

4.  Sandals - You will want something more than a standard flip flop for Festival.  There will be lots of dancing and walking and most of the time regular flip flops will hurt your feet after a long day.  I like to choose strappy sandals, they stay on your feet and have little to no friction in between your toes, because regular thong flip flops when mixed with dirt can leave some pretty nasty blisters.

5.  Cross Body Bag – You will need to have your hands free while at Festival mostly for holding your schedule and a cocktail but who wants to carry around a big bag anyway? These super cute cross body bags are really versatile and surprisingly cheap.  There is just enought room to fit your phone, keys, ID and money for a great weekend of fun at Festival.

Other essentials you should think about:

• Sunscreen – from one white girl to another apply sunscreen before you leave home..once you have had a few drinks you will forget and you will be sorry
• Baby Wipes – after walking around in dust all day long you may want to clean your feet up from time to time, not to mention the bathrooms don’t normally have toilet paper..yuck.
• Coozie – great for keeping your drink cool while you sway to the beat of the drums.
• Water Bottle – keep hydrated throughout the weekend, not only will this keep you from having a hangover but it will keep you going throughout the day.
• ID and money – Don’t forget your ID and cash so that you will be able to buy all of your Festival goodies and sample some of the great food and drink there is to offer.

No matter what festival you are attending this spring/summer these essentials will work for you.

Are you going to Festival this year? What’s your favorite thing about Festival International? Leave your thoughts in the comments or tweet them to me @mlj2374.

See you there

-Drama mama out

Share on Facebook

I was absolutely inspired by Forence Welch, of Florence and the Machine’s copper gown at the Oscars tonight.  The color of this gown was captivating and made such a statement on her beautiful skin.  I am partial to this color becuase I am fiar complected and i find that it looks so great on people with a fair complexion, so great that I color my hair copper

I also think that copper is the absolute best of the metallics, it never comes of looking cheapy like gold and silver can and its always a unique metallic choice.

So here are a few items that I am loving in copper right now.

Copper by mlj2374 on Polyvore.com

What do you think of copper? What is your favorite metallic? Would you wear any of these copper items?

-Drama mama out

Share on Facebook

I love to shop on my lunch break, its like a contest, see how many stores you can go into in an hour. The prize, all of the great deals you find and the goodies you get to bring home with you.

This is compilation of items that I bought while out to lunch this week.

1. Banana Republic Men’s Tees - I bought these for my husband obviously but there is nothing like a good t shirt. I bought both a V neck and a crew neck. I bought him a turquoise and a brown. These are great colors to work into his wardrobe b/c he wears lots of brown. He normally pairs these with jeans or cargo shorts and either flip flops or athletic shoes.

2. Charlotte Russe Wedges - These are my favorite purchase for the week. Charlotte was having a sale, buy one get one for $10…crazy right. I purchased two pairs of wedges. They are both tan but totally different at the same time. One pair is a patent sling back with a rossette on the toe, the other is a super tough wooden heel T strap wedge with a chain detail across the toe. I love both and cannot wait to wear them…be on the lookout for them in the next 9 days of my shoe challenge.

3. Carter’s Baby Girl Spring/Summer Clothes - I cannot resist spring and summer outfits for my baby girl. I scooped her up some bright rompers and seperates at Carter’s. The clothes there are great quality and look super cute on my baby girl.

4. Vogue – I picked up the newest issue of Vogue with Lady Gaga on the cover. I don’t get Vogue at home so this will be a nice treat.

Lunch Break Shopping – Feb week 3 by mlj2374 featuring platform shoes

What do you think of my purchases?
-Drama mama out

Share on Facebook

After watching the Justin Bieber episode of Glee last night I was wildly surprised by how many things I liked about the episode as a whole.  I am not a Bieber fan but I am not a hater either.  I have done the boy band thing back in the late 90s and while I can definitely see the appeal of the Biebs, its just tough to really get into the craze without feeling weird about it.

Well if you missed the Glee episode last night Sam dresses like and sings like Bieber in order to peak the interest of his girlfriend, Quinn.   There were some great items that the boys’ of Glee wore that I fell in love with, not because they are Bieber inspired but because they are great fashion pieces for men.

1.  Subra Vaider Sneakers – I love the look of these shoes.  They look great paired with a pair of slim fitting jeans.  They are super casual but instantly look with cool when paired with the most casual of items, tees and hoodies.  Try them in a neutral like black or gray or go out on a limb for a pop of color like purple or turquoise.  At about $100 these are not a high end pair of shoes and almost anyone could afford to add these to their wardrobe.  A few key points with high tops.  NEVER wear them with shorts, DON’T wear them with loose fitting jeans.

2.  Casio G Force White Watch – I loved the look of this watch on Glee’s “Sam” not only does this type of watch allow guys to accessorize in a fun way but a watch instantly makes a man’s arm look more toned. Also in white you will instantly look tanner than you are, which is always nice.  These watches come in a slew of colors but Justin wears mostly white and black…i say go with the white…It can be paired with anything. Another great thing about this watch it while its really casual it can be added to a dressier outfit easily due to its color and cool factor.  Also this is something that you can wear that is not so obviously “Bieber” Everyone’s gotta wear a watch right? The watch retails for about $120 which seems about standard for a good watch.

3.  Slim or Straight fitting jeans - I caught quite a few photos of Justin wearing  G-Star 3301 Plus Sudden Straight Leg Jeans in 3D Aged.  These jeans are a slim fitting straight legged super dark denim.  He only wears dark denim which works well for everyone….dark denim automatically looks chic and works well with all colors.  These jeans retail for about $220 which is a bit pricey for jeans.  If this is out of your budget I would suggest going with a pair from forever 21 Men or American Eagle which come in under $40.

4.  Anything Purple - Purple is allegedly Justin’s favorite colors (and mine) and I find that most guys shy away from purple as they feel its a “girl” color (what does that even mean….since when do colors have gender???) Justin’s got it right here with his array of purple tees, hoodies and cardigans, purple looks great on almost any skin tone and instantly makes you look alive and happy.  I would suggest looking for great purple items to work into your wardrobe.  The great thing about purple is that it works with all neutrals like black and brown and looks FAB with gray. Try it out you won’t be disappointed.

Justin Bieber by mlj2374 featuring suede leather shoes

What do you think about Justin’s style? Do you think its something that you, as a guy would wear? Ladies, would you like it if your guy adopted some of these looks into his everyday fashion routine? Let us know in the comments.

-Drama mama out

Share on Facebook