Monthly Round Up – May

June 3, 2012 in Uncategorized

Wow.  May was an action-packed month for me. We had some beautiful weather in Portland and I tried to get out and take advantage of it as much as I could. Now June is here and I have another busy month ahead, not just personally, but for mock-off as well.

June marks the 3 year anniversary of the site. That means taking a step back and evaluating where it started and how far it has come. It really is amazing! As part of the birthday plans, the site will be undergoing a major redesign. I’m excited to be venturing into new territory here, taking on the redesign all by myself. Updates will be rolling out throughout the month so be sure to check in to see what’s new.

Here is what you may have missed in May as well as some awesome links from around the web:

Celebrity Styles: 

Smash star Katharine McPhee
Beautiful actress and mock-off favorite Jessica Alba
Always stunning Rachel McAdams 

Designer Styles:

Madewell Spring 2012

Designer Pieces:

Studded Gladiator Sandals ($895 VS $59)
Classic Structured Handbag ($1795 VS $30)
Printed Jeans ($187 VS $80)

From Around the Web:

Bolt Bus - my new go-to between PDX and Seattle
One of my favorite Ikea hacks ever
The worst kept secret in Portland
Beautiful photos from the Met Gala
The Manhattan Bridge then & now
Creepy Disney

 

Hat Attack

May 15, 2012 in Portland

Sun hat and Minkoff BagI’ll admit it. I’m a wuss when it comes to hats. I dream of being able to rock a fedora, but when it comes down to it, I’m terrified to try. But I decided to suck it up when hats.com sent me their Carmen Sun Hat to try out.

When you think of Portland you probably don’t think of sunshine. But it does happen occasionally. While we need to suck up that vitamin D while we can, we still need protection from the sun.  Last weekend was particularly nice, so I figured I’d better take advantage of my new hat while the opportunity was there. The husband and I grabbed some brunch and headed down to uncharted territory for us –  the Eastbank Esplanade on the Willamette River.

Hawthorne Bridge Portlan d

The esplanade stretches along the east side of the Willamette and features amazing views of the city along the walkway. It was a bit breezy along the water so I was nervous the hat would fly off. But it managed to stay put very well. Though I had my sunglasses on I was thankful to have some extra protection from the sun. The small holes in the hat are breezy so my head never got too hot. In fact, most of the time I felt as if I wasn’t wearing a hat at all.

Panoramic of Portland

I managed to get a few shots of the hat along with the city in the background. I must say I am impressed with the style and affordability of the hat. I’m confident I’ll wear it throughout the summer.

Hat on the Willamette

If you are interested the hat is a very affordable $26 and can be worn by a man or a woman. Hats.com offers a variety of products including sun hats, handbags, and even adorable hats for kids.

Monthly Round Up – April

May 5, 2012 in Uncategorized, Weekly Round-Up

Rachel Zoe Knock off

Ah, April. In Portland that means rain, rain and more rain. We haven’t gotten out to enjoy the city much because of the consistent downpour. Now that May is here I am hoping we can do some more outside whether it is hiking or just walking around neighborhoods.

April was also celebrity month on Mock-off.  You probably noticed an increase in celebrity styles featured. Did you have a favorite?

Here is a break down of what you might have missed, as well as some of my favorite links from around the web:

Celebrity Styles:

Nina Dobrev in NYC
Jennifer Lawrence promoting The Hunger Games
Nicole Richie in Proenza Schouler
Eva Mendes in LA
Kate Bosworth in Palm Springs
Lauren Conrad in NYC

 Designer Pieces: 

Brown Leather Backpack ($435) VS ($68)
Tassel Necklace ($98) VS ($8)

Blogs:

Lately – April Edition
Earth Day Freebies
New Life: Letter Holder 

From Around the Web:

New-to-me site with great accessories
Amazing nail designs on this French blog
Great words to live by
A heartwarming story
Where else would you want to get away?
I would donate money for this cause
A very cool German hotel
Pretty front door surprise
Speaking of front doors
My sis-in-law has a cool new blog
This is such a great idea

Chic Gifts that Mom Will Love

May 4, 2012 in Gift Guide, Uncategorized

I’m not a mother (unless you count our very needy, very neurotic cat as a child), but I know what it is like to love like a mother. When I think of my nephews, just the thought of something hurting them or making them sad overwhelms me with nauseous worry. I can only assume that feeling  is my own maternal instincts. It makes me appreciate all the mothers in my life, especially my own.

Mother’s Day is next Sunday (May 13th). I hope that you use the occasion to take a moment to thank the mothers that you know. If you are a gift-giver, here are some great gifts that any mother would love.

 Mothers Day Gifts

1. Owl Vase – Kate Spade, $60
2. Cosmetic Case – Tory Burch, $125
3. Nail Polish Collection – Deborah Lippman, $45
4. Printed Scarf – Mango, $25
5. iPhone Case – Diane von Furstenberg, $48
6. Rosegold Watch – Besty Johnson, $69
7. Poppy Necklace – Baublebar, $175
8. Lipstick – Kate Spade, $24
9. Candle – Bond No. 9 New York, $98
10. Rifle Paper Co. Print – Urban Outfitters, $34

New Life: Letter Holder

April 24, 2012 in DIY

When I was in college I made some silly impulse purchases.  I bought Marc Jacobs sneakers that were a size too small,  Paris Hilton perfume and generic wall-art from Kohl’s. While those days of ill-advised  purchases mistakes  are (mostly) behind me, some of the things I bought back then still lurk in corners of our apartment. One of them is a letter holder I bought to hold mail and other paperwork. While I have used this faithfully as a means to hold important desk items, the baby-girl-pink color has always bothered me. I recently took a can of gold spray paint to it and came up with brilliant results. See for yourself:

Letter holder Before

Mail Holder After

Looks great on my desk, n0? I much prefer this bright metallic gold to the dull baby pink.

Gold Letter Holder

It just goes to show that you don’t need to get rid of something just because of the color. Especially if it is something you use regularly. Just open a can of spray paint and, voila, something new!

Some Earth Day Freebies

April 22, 2012 in Holidays, Uncategorized

Earth Day Freebies

Happy Earth Day! Since 1970, April 22nd has been a day dedicated to bringing worldwide enviornmental issues to the forefront. Are you going to be one of the 1 billion people worldwide who will do something today to make a difference?

Here are some freebies that you can take advantage of today (4/22):

Origins – Trade in any empty cosmetic container for a free full-size moisturizer. Simply fill out the form here and bring it to any Origins counter.

Nordstrom – Bring in any empty beauty bottle, tube or jar to the Kiehl’s counter for a free lip balm. While you’re there stop by the Nordstrom Coffee Bar with your reusable mug for a free cup of coffee 0r tea!

Starbucks – Starbucks will also give you a free cup of coffee when you bring in your reusable mug.

Target – If you love reusable bags, stop by the customer service desk for your free bag filled with samples and coupons.

In addition to taking advantage of a few of these offers, I will be spending Earth Day soaking up the sun around Portland. What will you be doing?

Lately – April Edition

April 16, 2012 in Uncategorized

I feel like this is getting redundant, but I must again apologize for my lack of updates. My health issues have sort of come to a head the past few weeks and to say I’ve been exhausted is a major understatement. But I am being treated and should be on the mend.

Despite the illness life goes on. Here’s a bit of what has been going on in my world.

Vintage PiecesThere’s always room for some vintage shopping. I picked these up on Easter at one of my favorite stores, Stars Antiques. That necklace was just $5 and I’m using the old wire basket as a magazine holder.

Outdoor Dining

As the weather has been warming up, I’ve been dreaming of some Al Fresco dining. How great is this rooftop space?

Mad Men

How phenomenal is Mad Men this season? Of course, Roger Sterling is my favorite and he’s always fun to watch. And Don’s new pad? I can’t…

The Webster for Target

The Webster for Target is coming May 6th. I will be picking up this colorblocked dress.

Boat Deck

I’m so ready for a vacation. Preferably someplace sunny with lots of boats…

Did you catch Cooper Anderson (HA!) on Glee? Matt Bomer is on fire right now. I love his Transformers audition.

Keep an eye out for new updates this week!

Monthly Round Up – March

April 3, 2012 in Uncategorized

Striped Pants

Hello, hello. Before I start I must apologize for the lack of blog posts in the month of March. I have had some health issues lately and I’ve taken some time off to deal with them. This past weekend I took an impromptu trip down to Cali to help out some family down there. After some much needed rest I’m feeling back in the swing!

April is going to be “celebrity style” month. If you have any suggestions of celebrities you would like to see please let me know in the comments.

Here is what you may have missed in March as well as some of my favorite links from around the web.

Celebrity Styles:

Olivia Wilde in LA
Rachel Zoe in Beverly Hills
Miranda Kerr in Australia
Designer Looks:

DKNY Spring/Summer 2012
Hoss Intropia Spring 2012
Juicy Couture Spring 2012
Maison Scotch Spring 2012

Designer Pieces:

Denim Flats ($238) VS ($59)
Peter Pan Collared Top ($133) VS ($25)
V-Neck Dress  ($1590) VS ($55)
Ombre Coral Scarf ($795) VS ($38)
Striped Metallic Pants ($1500) VS ($48)

 Blogs: 

It’s Easy Being Green
Structured Stripes
Cold Weather Fashion (guest post)

From Around the Web: 

Amazing Paris Fashion Week invites
Who wouldn’t covet this dressing room?
I will be visiting this cute vintage trailer on an upcoming outing
How had I not discovered this site before?
If you love Pixar like I do you must see these
I love every detail of this wedding.
LC’s lovely office space
A colorblock clutch anyone would adore
On my must have list

 

It’s Easy Being Green

March 15, 2012 in Holidays, inspiration, my outfit, Uncategorized

St.Patrick’s Day isn’t a holiday I usually celebrate with much enthusiasm, but this year is different. Armed with my new “Vitamin R” shirt I plan to hit the town with some friends. Since Portland is a big drinking down, it goes without saying that this green-themed holiday is heavily celebrated here. I am looking forward to gathering with the masses this Saturday night.

In the meantime, I’ve been inspired by some of the new green pieces coming out for Spring. Just a touch of green can go a long way to spruce up an outfit for any occasion. See what I mean.

Weekend Brunch OutfitStriped Top – Far Fetch, $85  |  Skirt – Modcloth, $35  |  Jacket – Steffan Schraut, $375  |  Earrings – Kate Spade, $48  |  Necklace – Lori’s Shoes,  $31  |  Wedges – Calvin Klein, $119

 Dinner Date OutfitGreen Dress – Top Shop, $120  |  Clover Ring – Max & Chloe, $264  |  Earrings – Leslie Danzis, $98  |  Clutch – BCBG Generation, $60  |  Shoes – Gomax, $45

Bar Hopping OutfitGreen Top – Modcloth, $30  |  Jeans – Seven for all Mankind, $295  |  Clover Necklace – Jennifer Zeuner, $189  |  Earrings – Alexandra Beth, $66  | Bag – Cleobella Cantina, $83  |  Shoes – Chinese Laundry, $50

Structured Stripes

March 5, 2012 in fashion

Stripes  seem to come back on trend season after season, especially in the Spring. Immortalized by icons like Audrey Hepburn, stripes have been associated with sophistication for years. It is no surprise that they have showed up on everything from sunglasses down to heels.

Here are a round up of some of my favorites this Spring. Each piece is worth every penny.

Structured Stripes1. Jacket – Mod Cloth, $85
2. Sunglasses – Wet Seal, $8
3. Clutch – J Crew, $98
4. Bracelet – Kate Spade, $58
5. Scarf – Kate Spade, $100
6. Skirt – 10 Crosby by Derek Lam, $295
7. Heels – Ted Baker, $185