Lulu Linden Test: maxi dress

Sunday, May 15, 2016

Hold Up

A summer dress brought to you by Lemonade

While I would need a whole other post to really get into detail as to why Beyoncé's latest release, the now oft quoted Lemonade, is a masterpiece, what I can go on about is her video for "Hold Up," and how it has completely influenced what my summer of 2016 will look like. Case in point, this dress.

It's the perfect shade of mustardy yellow, has the right amount of ruffle and moves like the wind, which will come in handy when I do finally get to dance through the streets tearing apart the city.

If you haven't seen the video (because you live on the moon), see it here. All I'm saying is, if I ever have to take a bat to a car, I can only hope to make it look that good. Though she is on a path of revenge fueled destruction, she's twirling in the streets, dancing on top of cars and, quite honestly, looking like she's having a blast. Basically, it's what I want my summer to be.

When I found this Forever 21 dress, I knew I was one step closer to that goal. It's the perfect shade of mustardy yellow, has the right amount of ruffle and moves like the wind, which will come in handy when I do finally get to dance through the streets tearing apart the city. Bat optional.

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Forever 21 provided this dress for review, but as always, opinions are all my own and not influenced by the brand.

Back To Cali

Tomorrow, I'll be on a plane to the West Coast, Los Angeles to be exact. Since my first trip, I think I've gotten more comfortable with the Cali way of life, which, I've gathered, is all about being super relaxed. Like, "I just threw this on" relaxed.

In my head, it's about throwing a trusty oversized chambray over a teeny crop top and knotting something (a split maxi, perhaps) to show a little skin, which is totally fine on the west coast, because, hello, everyone has a tan and is fantastically fit.

photos by Kaye McCoy

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a little sparkle

After all of the stocking stuffing, garland hanging and gift guides guiding, we can all sing out, Christmas is here! Well, Christmas Eve, but I'm counting it.

That said, I'll make this short and sweet. Merry Christmas to all of you lovely, sweet, beautiful internet girlfriends of mine. May your stocking be filled with all the sparkle your heart desires.

photos by Kaye McCoy

These Gwen Crystal Studs by Perry Street came in my first Rocksbox, c/o. Get your monthly box of hand picked designer pieces for only $9.

a year's time

Around this time, just a year ago, I was finally settling into my new position as boutique #girlboss, taking a semester off classes, turning 22 and freaking out in the process. There were a lot of oh god, what is my life moments going on then. Being the super nostalgic person that I am, it's nice to be able to look back and see the times that life ruffled your feathers, now knowing, "hey, I made it out alive. I'm even better for it." There are still oh god, what is life moments going on now, but at least I know that in year's time, I can look back and go "really girl? That's what you called a problem. Bye."

Another thing I like to get nostalgic about is my closet. A year ago, I bought the Anthropologie Linkbloom bracelet as a birthday gift to myself. It was my first "not Forever 21," semi-grown up jewelry purchase. And, in "not Forever 21" fashion, it's stood the test of time. Or at least a year.

As for the rest of this get up, I'm a big fan of mixing hard and soft pieces and, I mean, what could be harder than a super bad ass biker jacket? This maxi could've easily been one of my lazy-day-throw-on dresses (it probably will be eventually), but with this jacket it felt more complete. An outfit worthy of the 23-year-old me.