Haute Summer Daze

Shameless plug to follow….

Beat the heat in "haute" looks from Bamboo Sky! From tribal chic to poolside pretty we've got you covered. Check out some of our new arrivals here and stop in this weekend for the best sale of the summer!

I wear short shorts!

Or at least I dream of wearing short shorts right now! Just because I can't fit anything but knit dresses (ugghhh, I never thought I could actually hate dresses), it doesn't mean I can't fancy up some cute outfits from my closet that I plan to wear as soon as I lose the post-bun chub. OMG!!! I miss all my shorts!!!!!! Anyway, here's a few outfits I've been dying to wear lately….

TIERED LACE

I can't remember the site I bought these shorts from, but I bought them in February shortly after my SF trip, thinking I could just squeeze into them. NO SUCH LUCK. Good thing lace is forever. Even if I miss the trend this season, I have a feeling these bad boys will be just as savory next spring/summer. And it's an even better thing that I live in Hawaii where it's summer year round. I like the idea of mixing ultra casual (graphic tank) with girly (lace shorts) topped with a dash of glam (beaded cardigan).

FLIRTY HEARTS

Though I tend to be more boho, I also love a clean preppy look. I own a few of these "sexy librarian" type blouses and I can't wait to wear them tucked into cute skorts like this mini heart print one I've owned for a while. I particularly love the scallop hem detail of these. So flirty, just like me!

SUMMER BLOSSOMS

Of course my summer wardrobe would not be complete without a pair of floral chiffon shorts. I bought these from H&M during my SF trip intending to wear them with longer tunic tops to cover the belly but it just seemed so wrong to hide the gorgeous orange and mint hue under something. These adorable shorts need to be the center of attention, so when I can, I will wear them with my go-to, skin tone bustier from Urban Outfitters, brown floppy hat and platform wedges.

PERFORATED PLAY SHORTS

I like the idea of sporty chic and nothing is more fashionably sporty than these faux leather, high waist gym-style shorts! And I especially love them because of the perforated design. When I bought these I knew they would be "for later" as you simply can not wear anything high waisted after the 4th or 5th month of pregnancy. I couldn't NOT get them though, so I've been patiently waiting to debut them.

LEATHER

I love my leather sport shorts! They go with everything, but I'm dying to wear them with fun neutrals like this silk kimono cardigan. I found this lonely cardigan peering from beneath an overpacked rack in Forever 21 months ago. It was the only one and it was a size L. The size however, did not discourage me from falling in love with it. In fact, I tend to buy all my cardigans in size medium or large for an intentional oversized fit. I feel that coverups like these should always look like they're falling off your shoulders for a truly "nicole richie" boho look.

PASTEL CUT OFFS

And finally, I CAN NOT wait to get back into my trustee ole' Camilla cut offs by Siwy. This style is my numero uno fav of all time (I have them in every wash) and now they're available in fun, pastel summer colors like this one..."Lucky In Love". I carry them on shop.bamboosky.com and they're also available in "Desert Rose" (light pink) , "Sand Castle" (beige) and "Love Spell" (white). Besides wearing them with all sorts of tees and tanks, I imagine they will be just as rad with this old pastel plaid button up.

A shower for the lady bug...and me

If it's ok, I would like to brag about not only how haute my friends are, but also how wonderfully loving, thoughtful, creative and generous they are. Last weekend, my lovebugs threw Shane and me the most beautiful, classy, fun-filled baby shower. I'm so lucky to have them in my life, but I think the lady bug will be even luckier.

If you didn't already know, I can't keep it a secret much longer, because the following photos reveal it everywhere, but the lady bug's name is Willow Lily. Here are the photos from our shower (taken by uncle Terence). You can see all the pictures by clicking on the jump link below.

Stage Restaurant:

Diaper cake made by Terence. I think he can quite his day job! lol!

Currently, swooning...

tomato reds

crochet/lace anything, like this & this

men's watches

cold PBJ's

Donatila Rose

yami yogurt

these wedges...

tye dye cardigan (issa d'mar via art n flea) crochet dress (f21) "paige one" wedge (jeffrey cambell via bamboo sky) leather cuff (bamboo sky) "i stole my husband's watch" watch (michael kors knock off )

How to hide a watermelon

Someone commented on a recent post of mine, asking how I manage to stage "small" during my pregnancy. First of all, flattery will get you EVERYWHERE! Lol, I kid : )

Thank you for the much needed boost of confidence at this particular point of my pregnancy, but I certainly do not feel small. I have slowed down quite a bit in past month and have chronic lower back pain almost every day. Honestly, I can't really attribute my size to any consistent diet or exercise regimen (it's fluctuated from trimester to trimester) but I will share with you how my pregnancy has been since the beginning. Also, I think I've learned a lot about how to dress while pregnant which maybe one of the reasons why I just look "small." I assure you, I'm currently hoarding a watermelon.

crochet top (shop.bamboosky.com) skirt (f21) hat (bamboo sky) boots (target) bag (nine west via Ross)

FIRST TRIMESTER

The moment we found out we were pregnant, I was determined to eat only things that were nutritious for me and my baby, ensuring a healthy developing fetus. My first "secret" is that I was very, VERY blessed to not have any morning sickness, so I was able to control my eating habit with ease. In fact, I craved nutritious things like fruit and veggies over ice cream and pizza. Papayas, apples and bananas to be specific. And because my energy level was not affected by lack of sleep and nausea, I was able to continue with my hectic work schedule without skipping a beat and my pre-preggo work outs which included at home kick boxing routines, yoga, free weights and ballet exercises remained undisturbed.

As with most, this trimester, my body didn't change much. Perhaps my jeans felt a little bit snugger, but it was nothing the good ole' rubber band expander trick couldn't take care of. When I did feel somewhat bloated, I looked to the oversized boho styles for comfort AND fashion. I feel, if any trimester to rock this look without feeling "maternity," it would the first. Usually, your 1st trimester belly bump isn't nearly big enough to make you look like a tent yet so I suggest not heading for the maternity stores yet. Just rock what you can for as long as you can! You can see what I wore during my first trimester here, here and here.

SECOND TRIMESTER

My diet and cravings remained the same, except now I wanted to eat more often and peanut butter anything was a must. I was constantly thinking about what my next meal would be. Not typically a breakfast person, by the 4th month, I absolutely had to have cereal and fruit in the morning. The belly growled for lunch by 1pm (when before I could wait until 4pm), dinner was bumped up to 5pm instead of 8pm and dessert was now a part of my daily vocabulary. As for my exercise routine, my doctor (and Shane) advised me to take it a little easier. So I replaced the more aggressive kickboxing routines with long walks. I walked anywhere and everywhere I could.

Dressing during the 2nd semester became significantly more taxing. I now had a belly that could still be hidden under loose tops, but I was challenged to figure out my bottoms. I refused to wear empire waist dresses or long maxis yet, partly because I was in denial that I was no longer a size 2, but also because my current fashion loves called for cute separates. Shauna, one of my besties and veteran m.i.l.f taught me to buy things that had a flat stretchy waist band. We frequented F21 for cheap bottoms that would hug and flatter our growing bellies, without constricting it. Printed stretchy mini skirts and elastic waist skorts became my new best friend. You can see how I dressed during the 2nd trimester here, here and here.

THIRD TRIMESTER

So here I am, 7 1/2 months in with about 5 weeks to go. My diet has taken a turn for the sweet! The bad sweet. I can no longer resist pastas, breads, pastries and candies. Although I still like fruits/salads/veggies, I like to chase them with chocolate treats. I've gained the most weight in the past month and she has definitely made herself known. With a lot of discomfort lately, my exercise regimen has also suffered. If do have the energy, I try to incorporate light free weights to keep the arms taught and ballet exercises to flex the hips and tone the legs. I used to walk from Kapahulu to Kahala 1-2 times a week, but now I can hardly walk to the bathroom without feeling out of breath. So you see why your compliment comes at an ideal time for me: )

I suppose my "trick" to hiding the malasadas and kit kats is to simply show her off. I can't wear the boho tunics anymore because now, they really look maternity! When clothes stand too far away from the body, it doesn't disguise anything, it actually adds pounds. I think that as soon as your belly becomes an obvious pregnant belly, it's best to wear things that hug the "curves." I've been wearing fitted dresses, and knit tops that drape over my stomach. Also, I continue to seek refuge in mini hemlines because it adds lengths to my rounding body. I figure, I'm obviously pregnant so why not show it off!

Ta da! And that's how you hide a watermelon : )

A new year, new things

Well, at least it was the beginning of a new year for me today. I turned 30 something years old today and I'm thrilled for this new chapter in my life. With the lady bug on the way, I couldn't help but to feel (for the first time since turning 21) excited to be older (albeit, this go around much wiser). Previous celebrations involved, in fact required, a "big deal" dinner with friends, stressing about an "it girl" b-day outfit, 1,000 pictures of us getting shit faced and club hopping until wee hours of the night. Yes, those days were EXTREMELY fun, but this year I thoroughly enjoyed a low key weekend with Shane and my family. As I approach new mommy-hood, I revel in the thought of doing things new things with my new family.

8am: Woke up to this sight and knew it was going to be a good day

9am: Took vinny to the beach for some personal QT

11am: Came home to a petal lined stairway and these beautiful & thoughtful flowers from Shane. I love getting flowers from him. Maybe I'm a sap, but this gesture means the world to me.

12pm: Wore this to lunch at Pineapple Room with the family. Enjoyed my favorite dish, New Zealand Salmon Ochazuke.

2pm: Mom spoiled me/the lady bug by buying us a new rocker for the nursery (amongst many other things). Is 30 something too old to still be spoiled by your Mom?