Mary-memorandum

Wedding Guest: Cocktail Attire

Styling Tips:

Cocktail attire means any formal dress that's tea-length and above. Just remember that this is a family affair, so you don't want to go too short. For fall and winter weddings, I love bright colors and rich jewel tones but if I go with a black dress, I try to balance the somber tone with some other festive element like the ladylike lace and fun, twirl-worthy skirt of this dress.

My Favorite Boots Styled Two Ways!

 Despite being an incurable shoe 
hoarder lover, I don’t believe I have ever owned a pair of shoes that I have legitimately worn 16 hours a day, six days in a row… by choice.  As you may have seen on my insta stories lately, I have been completely, utterly, hopelessly obsessed with these Tamara Mellon Hustler boots and have (truly) been wearing them every single day since their arrival.  From work meetings to casual Friday at the office to swanky holiday parties and everything in between, the boots have not left my feet.  Today, I’m showcasing two favorite ways to style them, and breaking down all of the reasons why they’re officially my favorite boots.

 First, let’s talk about the brand.  If the name Tamara Mellon doesn’t ring any bells, let me give you a quick tune up:  Tamara Mellon co-founded a little footwear line called JIMMY freaking CHOO back in 1996.  I should probably mic-drop it there, but let me just tell you that after winning the shoe game with Jimmy Choo, this epic lady boss decided she wanted to change the game and rewrite the rules.  I have to say, every mantra of her new eponymous brand rings true with me after trying out these “Hustler” boots.  The shoe’s design is truly perfect, and the quality is unparalleled.  But, the best part?  By cutting out corporate fat and industry middlemen (remember, this isn’t her first rodeo) she’s offering up a TOP notch luxury shoe, at a fraction of the price.  It honestly looks and feels like a $2K boot, but retails for $525.  Insanity.

 Not only is every last detail of the tapered toe and sleek silhouette absolutely perfect, but somehow, the shoe is UNBELIEVABLY comfortable.  Combining this comfort factor with the versatility of the style… well, I may never wear another shoe.  The pointed toe lends a classic touch making it appropriate in a dressy or professional setting, while the block heel and sleek suede construction allow it to pair effortlessly with your favorite weekend duds.  And, especially during the brutally cold winter months, I’m in desperate need of a true alternative to a classic pump—something with more coverage that doesn’t sacrifice style.  The only question is whether I buy the tan or the sand color next…

 As evidenced by today’s photos, I wore the boots earlier in the workweek with a classic glen plaid sheath dress and a camel coat.  As the work week came to a close, these boots didn’t skip a beat when being dressed down.  I love how effortlessly chic they look with a pair of relaxed mom jeans, basic black turtleneck, and this leopard statement jacket.

In addition to blathering on about the boots, I also have to give a special shoutout to this dreamy Tamara Mellon bag.  I’ve been fielding constant emails and direct messages asking about it after wearing it several days this week on insta stories.  It should come as no surprise that like the boots, the bag is also one of my favorite wardrobe additions of late.  It strikes the perfect balance of structured and relaxed with beautiful gold circular handles and an adjustable cross-body strap.  You can expect to see this beauty in heavy rotation for months and years to come.

 Outfit 1: 

BOOTS: c/o Tamara Mellon  |  BAG: c/o Tamara Mellon  |  DRESS: Mango  | COAT: Topshop (old, similar HERE)  |  BELT: Old, Similar HERE  |  NECKLACE: Kenneth Jay Lane (sold out, similar HERE)  |  SUNGLASSES: BP (similar HERE)  |  LIP: Nars (Under My Thumb, currently on sale!)

 BOOTS: c/o Tamara Mellon  |  BAG: c/o Tamara Mellon  |  JACKET: Smythe  |  JEANS: Old, Similar HERE  |  TOP: Splendid (old, similar HERE)  |  BELT: old, similar HERE  |  SUNGLASSES: LeSpecs  |  LIP: Nars (Under My Thumb, currently on sale!)  |  EARRINGS: Chanel (vintage, love these!)

Interview

 Believe it or not, today's dress is, in fact, a dress! It has all the stylish appeal of separates, with all the comfort and convenience of a dress. Major wins all around! HOWEVER, in the interest of full disclosure, I have to advise that anyone purchasing this dress for interview/professional purposes buy it one to two sizes larger than their normal size. In my opinion, the dress fits me a little tighter than a dress should if you're headed to an interview, but assuming you get the right professionally-appropriate fit, I think it makes for a perfect updated interview look. If you're interviewing for a position in a more formal/conservative office or industry, you may want to go for a coordinating suit jacket and dress set, so I've included several amazing options in the additional favorites section below! Regardless of whether you go for a sleek dress or a suit, remember these four tips for a winning interview look: (1) invest in a well-fitting, tailored ensemble, making sure nothing is too low-cut, too tight (!!) or too short; (2) make sure your shoes are polished and practical; (3) keep accessories simple; and (4) go for minimal, fuss-free hair, nails and makeup.

Date Night

 You want to look great but not like you're trying too hard, so pick one thing to show off. If you go with a shorter dress, go for a higher neckline. If you go with a plunging neckline, offset that element with a longer hem. Similarly, amp up your make-up, but don't go overboard. You want to feel confident and look like yourself!

Client Meeting

 When it comes to client meetings, you want to take your professional style from worker bee to #girlboss. Dress professionally, but don't be afraid to up the ante from a basic suit. If you're not sure about the dress code, err on the side of caution and dress more formally. It's always better to be over-dressed than under-dressed at a client meeting!

Baby Shower

 If you know the gender of the baby, it can be fun to dress accordingly! If it's a boy, wear blues or greens, if it's a girl, wear pinks or purples, and if they're keeping it a surprise, wear gender-neutral hues like yellow! I always find florals to be the perfect way to celebrate the impending arrival of a new little bundle of joy!

Original post----https://www.memorandum.com

Sandra from Netherlands

New Year’s Eve dress 

My search for a New Year’s dress all started in the shopping mall Centro in Oberhausen. A big indoor shopping mall with a ground floor and first floor and is ideal if you want to go shopping for a day, because it’s literally shop till you drop! In front of the shopping mall is an awesome Christmas market with several stands. We took a look there of course and had authentic bread with sausage and sauerkraut HMMNNNN…

The shopping mall Centro belongs to the biggest ones of entire Europe and has more than 220 stores with a food court where you can try diverse cuisines. During shopping I saw a beautiful dark blue dress with light blue glitters on it at Zara. I saw it hanging and I was immediately sold! Besides that, the dress was also discounted from €30,- to €18,-! The decision was quickly made for me! This is the New Year’s Eve party dress for 2016!

The dress starts at my shoulder and on the bottom it goes diagonally, which creates the dynamic look. The fabric is flexible, elastic, not frayed and it feels good, especially if you eat something before, this one is perfect for me! So I matched it with the glitter jacket from the very awesome shop Juul in Den Bosch. This makes my outfit even more glamorous and lastly I add the subtile rosé bracelet from My Bendel. Ready to go into 2017!

Merry Christmas & Happy New Year!
May this Christmas be bright and
cheerful and my the New Year
begin on a prosperous Note!

XOXO

Christmas look

It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas. Everywhere you go, Take a look in the five-and-ten, it’s glistening once again, With candy canes and silver lanes that glow – Micheal Bubble.

This songs stays beautiful to listen to. Only one more week to go and it’ll finally be Christmas. These warm days, spending time with the loved ones, where food and drinks shouldn’t be missed.  Nom nom nom!

Solidarity, coziness and a full stomach, that’s the most important thing for me!

Gold and black Christmas look
But with Christmas, an awesome Christmas outfit goes with it of course. One of the outfits that I will wear is a black/golden dress with a col from H&M. The dress gives as you see emphasis on the waist and is so glamorous. So I matched it with a warm fur coat with a hood from Zara. It’s by the way fake, because real fur, I can’t accept. The bracelets and earrings are from My Bendel, which makes my outfit shine more BLING BLING! At last the shoes from Unisa! To keep the elegance, they cannot be ignored.

I already indicated in the article ‘Black sweater with red dots’ that I will wear a black sweater with red dots during Christmas. Unfortunately I haven’t found a black pleated skirt, so I will match it with a suede skirt that I already have. My 3rd Christmas outfit is just simple, a nice Christmas sweater with a reindeer on it with a Merry Christmas on it and a skinny jean. What will you wear for the holidays?

My advance Christmas wish for you:
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

XOXO

Sandra Espina

2 ways to style the colour blue with stripes

The colour blue is one of my favorite colours. It means calm, compassion and caring for me. It also stands for patience, perseverance, conscientious and sensitive. That partly corresponds to my properties except the first one and the last one, because I’m totally not that, haha. Who knows, I might develop it in the course of time 

Anyway, I’ve got two nice outfits for you. In my previous fashion post (link) I had paired pants matched in two different ways. In this post I do that with the colour blue and stripes.

Outfit 1
With the second outfit, I wear a striped Zara dress. Also the dress on the back has the text ‘sorry, no princess here’. YUP, that’s so true! For the dress I chose a panty with print to make the look a bit more fun. Have you seen the velvet shoes with little pineapples? So summery, cute and cheerful! If it’s a bit chilly, you can combine the velvet jacket of Lolly’s Laundry. It gives a very beautiful mother of pearl effect, WOW! To complete the outfit totally, I wear a floral bag from & otherstories. You probably spotted it on my Instagram @esseremoda occasionally 

 Outfit 2
With the first outfit I have a blue garden trousers with white stripes from Weekday. Under the denim garden pants, I have a striped blouse from Weekday. The blouse is airy and very wide. With this you have to be careful that you won’t lose your female shapes quickly. Of course, with this kind of casual look it fits All-Stars. And finally, the shiny sunglasses with feline shape from Monki and the cool gift bag of Pepe Jeans. Have you seen the print?! <3

Sweater weather days

The new year is just a few days old and the first snow has fallen in the Netherlands. Meanwhile the temperature is fluctuating, because in the next few days the temperature will rise a bit. Too bad, we still didn’t get rid of the winter, because since the end of this week, the temperature will be below 0. HASHTAG not so cool!

I often wear sweaters lately, because of the weather, under which a green sweater from H&M. And how comfortable it is for only twenty Euro! So, I have matched this with a black skirt, pantyhose with details on it and glitter shoes. Luckily you can combine sweaters in different ways. By this I created a few combinations.

Sweater with…

• A short/long skirt with eventual pleat/fringe/godet/pencil. With this, the sweater can be put in the skirt as well as over the skirt. High knee boots below and ready to be fashionable!
• Skinny jean, where the sweater is put half in the trousers. For this look, an oversized pinstripe blazer will suit for example. As for shoes, you can go for white sneakers or ankle boots with heels.
• Culotte trousers, styled with a long coat with ankle boots.
• Pantalon, with a basic cardigan, eventually with a detailed waist belt. Ankle boots or pumps below it and done!
• Another sweater (choose one with print) to wear over it to create layers. Go for a turtleneck, so that it will stick out, cover the other sweater. Also you can go for a sweater/blouse that sticks out at the bottom. Wear an awesome blazer or a jacket with sneakers, ankle boots or pumps.
• A dungarees. You can make it a bit sportier by wearing a bomber jacket. Now you only still need all stars shoes below it and you look fab!

And there are zillions of other awesome combinations! As you can see on the photos, I chose for the first one, but without the high knee boots. Unfortunately they won’t suit me, because of my height. Maybe I haven’t found the right one.

Hello autumn!

We cannot avoid it; the leaves are discoloring. Trees are losing their leaves and the busy squirrels are looking for nuts. The nature is changing, in other words: Hello autumn!

In the past days we certainly couldn’t complain, because it was abundantly enjoying the last summer days, but since the autumn weather is coming closer, it’s time to look for a nice autumn outfit or one for the holiday in advance.

Loavies
I found Loavies through Facebook and the first thing that came up to my mind was: ‘trendy, classy, elegant, casual, urban or a combination of it’. Something for everyone! They have very nice items that made it hard for me to send products to the shopping cart. After scrolling for 1 hour, clicking, going back and forth on the pages and clicking again, I made my choice to create a nice outfit.

Personally, I’m in fond of the colour bordeaux. I think it’s a warm, happy colour that is also outstanding during the winter days. This colour with for instance blue and green are colours for this season. As you can see, I chose a bordeaux top with very beautiful details that are partly invisible and with wide sleeves. As Loavies calls it ‘stuck on you red’! To combine this top, I chose a black skirt made of suede that is very warm. By doing so, the top stand out even more beautifully.

To not to get cold, I chose for a sort of navy blue coat with buttons in a double row from the Zara. What I like about this coat is the collar with thin golden stripes. You also see this in the pockets and sleeves. The gold coloured buttons and the patch add some extra to it! Really my style. I love it!

Below my outfit, I’m wearing black pumps from the brand: Unisa. I have to admit that my legs look more elegant now. Lastly, I put nude nail polish from Barry M. for once and I’m wearing a grey twisted headband that keep my ears and head warm. Autumn and the holidays, I am totally ready for it! You too?

And great news! I can make you and your two friends very happy with a gift card that can be used from Loavies, worth 3×50 euro! How awesome is that?!
What to do? For more information check my social media now and a week 

XOXO

Sandra Espina

How to match your phone case with your outfit

In a short while, perhaps a half year, I had two different phone cases from Claires. Maybe you already know them. If not, you can find them on my Instagram: a colourful phone case with the letters adventure on it and an Ibiza style phone case. Both are very summery!

Too bad, the last one gave up after two months. After dropping my iPhone, my phone case cracked immediately. Goodbye €10! Then I was left with only one phone case that could take it a little longer, namely four months. Also with this one the same thing happened: Kaboom, crack, €10 gone! Though, I was thankful for my iPhone being intact after two times dropping. Time for a new one!

During looking around, I saw a super nice phone case from Richmond & Finch on Instagram. They are so beautiful, chic and you can match them with your outfit! PERFECT! But who are they actually?

Richmond & Finch
Richmond & Finch is a Swedish brand that was founded during a weekend trip in London 2014. Through a combination of Scandinavian and British influences chic phone cases are made and they’re operating since June 2015. Thanks to the qualitatively materials, designs and prints, these phone cases are outrageously outstanding. They’re also matched with the present day fashion which they do this by creating assortments precisely every season.

What I find so beautiful about Richmond & Finch is that they pay attention to the environment and animal welfare. The phone cases are handmade for 70% with the best artificial leather and cruelty-free materials with help from good developed production process.

Richmond & Finch their aim is simple: to create the extraordinary

My phone cases matched with my outfits
I got two iPhone phone cases from Richmond & Finch, namely the Berry Satin Stripes and Galaxy Carrara Marble White. The Berry Satin Stripes is equipped with a beautiful combination of Masala and Blush Pink. The phone case is mat textured and has golden accents that totally cheer up my phone. The Galaxy Carrara Marble White got a design from a beautiful abstract marble, which also has golden accents and turns my iPhone into a unique, one-of-a-kind piece.

In my previous article “hello autumn” you can see my outfit where I’ve combined the Berry Satin Stripes which fitting very well. For the Galaxy Carrara Marble White, I’m wearing an outfit that you haven’t seen before. It makes the phone case notable. I find them super nice! I hope you too?

Because I adore the products from Richmond & Finch, I have a very nice discount for my followers. Use the unique code esseremoda20 for 20% off for your entire purchase at Richmond & Finch. I hope you will enjoy it as much as I do.

Would you buy these lovely phone cases?

XOXO

Original Post---https://sandraespina.com