Take a Peek.... With Vida!

So I asked the ladies to show off their favorite accessories right now, however they see fit. So we have a nice combination of posts from some great bloggers the next few days! Hopefully I will come back having won some money and the boy having won his race! Fingers crossed! To kick off our week of posts we have Vida. She is a bundle of energy and pulls off some great combinations when she gets dressed, and have you seen where she takes photos? I am jealous of the outfit AND were she is at! 

Hello there, all you The Weekend File Philes {everyone loves a little Latin suffix pun, right...?}! Hayley is taking a much-deserved break by heading to Vegas with her man. But fret not, she is graciously hosting some guest bloggers in the meantime so you all still have some reading material, which you may have already been told by one of my fellow posters but I can't be sure. So just in case! And for all the people who start reading a guest post and immediately wonder what the person must look like since you've never seen 'em before, this is me, Vida Crystal from Call Me Life.

Now that you know what I look like, the next logical step would be a big confession. Sadly, I must admit that this is my FIRST guest blogging experience ever! I had apparently been avoiding it for a while. It just seems a little unnerving. Or maybe that's just me? Have any of you guest posted before and thought it was a breeze and I'm just a wee bit paranoid? Please do tell. I put that all aside though when I saw that one of my fave bloggers was looking for some guests to host while she was gone. I e-mailed Hayley right away hoping there was still a spot for me. As soon as I found out I made the list, I panicked. What would I write about?! Especially in maybe keeping with the theme of accessories?! I'm a newbie when it comes to pulling them off! But then I realized there is a first time for everything. For guest blogging, for making breakfast while you write up a post, and for letting your boyfriend prove he can handle that tricky DIY tutorial on how to make a woven bracelet. Wait, What? Yes, that's right. My boyfriend somehow managed to make this cute bracelet for me all because of a matter of pride. and I didn't even have to ask. Glorious!

Before:

After:

So, like I mentioned earlier. I'm not too big into accessories. Or at least, I wasn't before I was doing the 30 for 30 Remix Challenge. Then it became: hurry, cut some bangs! wear that scarf even if it's 70 degrees! Who says that ring and bracelet don't "go" together?! And since then, I haven't looked back. I think accessories are my new favorite way to enhance any outfit. Take for example this dress I adore. It's silk, French Connection, has a sweet pattern, and was originally $158 but I paid $30. I know this because it still had the tags attached! It's true, I practically screamed with delight right there in the store. The only problem is, it's a little frumpy when it hangs loose. And since wearing a cardigan, because it's not warm enough to omit it, covers up the cool twisted and crossed "straps", I knew I had to give it some oomph. That's where the skinny leather belt always does the trick to cinch a shapeless dress.

To break up the white/gray/red-orange, I added a tiny {literally} pop of color with the mint rose ring. 

Sometimes I like to add bigger splashes of color. Like stripes straight outta a Who's closet. You know, a Who, from Dr. Seuss. I know, not exactly a style icon, but hey neither am I. And whether you're doing a 30 articles for 30 days challenge, or you just can't seem to spruce up a boring outfit, sometimes you've gotta "go big or go home". Which is why I wore these bad boys, err, girls.

And my fancy ring, of course! 

So yes, this was a big step for me, but what I've come to love about blogging, and the subcategory of fashion blogging specifically, is that you can take bigger risks than you ever would have thought possible! And chances are, it'll be okay. Actually, better than okay. You'll find the confidence to wear those pieces that have been sitting in the back {or in boxes on the floor} of your closet. And although taking pictures of yourself often and posting them for the world to see is no easy task, it often helps me figure out what works and what doesn't. The ladies and gentlemen in the blogosphere are some of the nicest people I have ever {sorta} met. They will give you praise, tips, inspiration, and share with you so many aspects of themselves. Sure, taking pictures can get awkward in public and you may not have time for it as often as you like, but for me, there was no other way to put aside all my doubts about wearing such bold tights. 

In case you missed it, you can find me at Call Me Life. I hope you drop by and say hello! I'd love to have you!