If it makes you happy, wear it!

Hope you enjoyed your Valentine’s Day, whether single or in a relationship! I actually love Valentine’s Day. A lot of people think I love the holiday because I’ve been in a relationship for a few years now, but I’ve actually loved it since I was younger.

As a young girl I watched wedding shows sometimes more than cartoons…I know, weird right. I was the student who wanted to give Valentine’s candy and cards to all of my classmates growing up. I just always loved the idea of love.

I know some people believe that Valentine’s Day is just a superficial and commercialized holiday, but I see it as a special day to go all out for your signifcant other in a different way than the other 364 days of the year.

And if you are single, practicing self-love and taking yourself on a date that makes you feel beautiful, confident, and happy is also a perfect way to spend Valentine’s Day.

Yesterday, Shawn and I actually had a very lowkey Valentine’s Day. It was a rainy LA day so we decided to stay in and catch up on all of our tv shows, which was fun and relaxing.

I only left my apartment to take the pictures you see in this post and then went back to the comfort of my bed, blankets, and snacks.

A few days ago I was trying so hard to figure out what to wear on Valentine’s Day just in case we went out somewhere. I was thinking about buying a pink skirt or a cute red dress to wear, but I honestly wasn’t feeling pink or red this year for the holiday.

I felt like every year I aimed for something pink, red, or white in my outfit to match the usual theme of the holiday, so I switched it up this time for a less bright and less girly look and I loved it.

Don’t get so tied up on themes or what other people are wearing, wear what makes you happy. For my non-traditional Valentine’s Day outfit, I decided to wear navy and black!

I wore a navy blazer from H&M and paired it with a black Topshop bralette, black FashionNova jeans, and black dress shoes from Nordstrom Rack. I felt like this outfit was sexy enough for the lovey dovey holiday while still being simple and stylish.

As I mentioned earlier, it was a rainy day, so I was excited to add my umbrella to my outfit. My umbrella has pink and white polka dots on it, which added a nice pop of color to my Valentine’s Day look.

If dresses make you happy, wear them. If crop tops make you happy, wear them. If you don’t feel comfortable in shorts and they make you unhappy, don’t wear them.

Anybody can wear anything that makes them feel confident and happy. All bodies are good bodies!

Have a lovely weekend!! 🙂

Floral Maxi Dress and Marley Twists

Hey hey! Today I wanted to showcase a new dress and a new hairstyle. As I mentioned in my last post here, I love dresses!

Maxi dresses, like the floral one I am wearing above, are so stylish along with being super comfortable. You can wear maxi dresses and flats for a casual, errand day or pair it with heels for a chic, brunch outfit.

I decided to pair mine with flats for a more casual look. This floral maxi was a great deal at Nordstrom Rack for only $12!

I love shopping at the Rack because the deals are so great and it helps that I get an employee discount too. My flats are from Nordstrom, my only issue with them are that they get dirty so quick because they are white. During the summer time, I definitely plan on wearing this dress with cute sandals.

On this past Monday, I decided to do my hair. I love red hair on me. I’ve even considered dying my natural hair red because I love it so much, but that will happen later in life.

I’ve done red braids before, but this was my first time doing red twists. Besides how they look, the main difference between braids and twists are how many pieces of hair you use. To form a braid, you use three strands of hair and to form a twist you use two strands of hair.

Once I get a video camera, I will showcase how I do my protective styles (braids and twists). Be warned, it is time-consuming. These twists took me 8 hours to do, but once you get the hang of it its fun and definitely worth while.

My twists allow me to give my natural hair a break and it’s a cute, new hairstyle. What’s your go to dress style? What hairstyle are you currently rocking? Let me know in the comments below!

And I will leave you with this quote my boyfriend and I came up with today as inspiration to help you get through your week:

Flowers bloom even in darkness. So even if you feel like there is no light in your life right now, you can still bloom in your dark place. You are a flower 💐

Rocking a Topshop Hoodie Dress and Vans for a Casual Slay

Hey hey! I hope your week has been fun and productive so far. It’s been a chilly and rainy few days here in LA, so after work I’ve been staying warm and cozy inside my apartment, doing yoga, catching up on a few of my favorite podcasts, and reading.

When it gets chilly in LA is definitely nothing compared to chilly in Baltimore, but i still try to dress appropriate for the weather. LA chilly is around 50ish degrees and requires a light jacket or sweater.

Some of the LA natives would call 50ish degrees cold but thats because they never felt 20 degree Baltimore or east coast weather lol.

I love dresses more than any article of clothing. Anytime i get to wear one I will. I recently found a great deal on this topshop hoodie dress.

Right when i saw it I knew I had to have it in my closet. It comes in a dusty rose pink color and the bright red color I purchased. I purchased it in red because I actually don’t own a lot of red and I loved how bright it was. I love having a colorful wardrobe!

Now some might say that this dress is outside my normal dress attire and they would be correct. My dresses are normally fit and flare, bodycon, or maxi dresses. Having it be so different from what I already own is one of the main reasons I wanted to buy it.

I paired this dress with gray and white checkerboard Vans that have red roses on them. The red in the shoes popped along with the red dress. I wanted this look to be casual, but still stylish as well. Buying a dress that is super comfortable and cute is a great find! Throw on some boots or heels with this dress and you have a cute brunch outfit or party outfit.

Aside from loving dresses, I also love fun walls! That’s why I was so excited when I found this wall near my job. The wall is green plants in a wooden pot fixture in the shape of arrows. I didn’t realize how cool the wall looked with my outfit until I saw the pics.

Visit my Instagram page @coralbuttons to see more pictures and to get some style inspo. Let me know in the comments below if you would rock a hoodie dress and if you would wear it more casual, dressed up, or both. Have a lovely rest of your week!

#OOTD

Hey hey!

This #ootd is actually from my birthday which was November 18th, but life has been a little busy since then with Thanksgiving and flying back home to Maryland from LA to visit my family! 🙂

I don’t have many pictures from visiting my family because I was trying to focus on spending time with everyone and staying disconnected from social media as much as I could.

I did however take a lot of pictures on my birthday so I hope you like my outfit pictured throughout this post!

This dress was actually given to me by one of my previous coworkers…thanks Kelly! It fits great and it is super flattering.

I got my blue heels from Macys last year for my birthday and I thought that it would be a cool tradition to wear them every year on my birthday until I forget or outgrow them lol.

On my birthday, Shawn and I just went to the movies and out to eat at a restaurant called Sizzler. Have any of you eaten there before? It was yummy!

I am blessed to see another year and sorry for the late post showcasing this outfit, but let me know in the comments below if you like it! Enjoy your week lovelies!

Dresses are my fave!

One clothing item I could wear forever are dresses! They are so easy to wear and have a style for every occasion. Want to go for a walk, but still look cute, wear a sundress. If you are going to a party, wear a cocktail dress. Attending a black tie wedding, a fit and flare gown will look gorgeous!

Any event you need to attend, you can wear a dress for that occasion. I wore the dress pictured in this post is for a dinner date with my boyfriend Shawn. I wanted to wear something flattering, but also fun. The bold pattern on my dress, paired with the pop of orange makes this a stylish look. The best part of this dress is that it has pockets!

All my ladies know that we love when dresses have pockets, it makes the outfit 10 times better 🙂

I actually recieved this dress as a gift from one of my former coworkers so I’m not sure how much it cost. The shoes I paired with the dress are white BP flats from Nordstrom that cost around $20. 

What’s a clothing item you could wear forever and never get tired of? Maybe it’s a dress for you to or maybe it’s button up shirts; let me know in the comments below. And don’t forget to relax and stop and smell the flowers often!l

Janelle Monae concert at The Greek Theatre!

Happy humpday lovely people!

I realized I never posted my outfit from the Janelle Monae concert I went to a few weeks ago so here it is!

It was amazing seeing Janelle Monae in person because she is a great performer and her new album, Dirty Computer, is so empowering.

It touches on topics such as love, racism, sexuality, America, and so much more. It was my first time going to the Greek Theatre, here in Los Angeles.

It’s an outdoor venue set up where the stage is in the middle of the venue. Below is a sunset above the theatre.

My outfit for the concert was definitely fun and colorful since I know Janelle Monae loves unique and outside-of-the-box looks.

I wore a baby blue, Free People bralette, paired with FashionNova black jeans and yellow Birkenstocks. For my accessories, I wore blue and gold hoop earrings. To complete the look I wore a rainbow cardigan, also from FashionNova, over the bralette.

I also tried out blue-gray lipstick which was a big step outside of my comfort zone, but I think it was a perfect addition to my look.

I was dancing and singing all night and even ending up losing my voice, that’s how you know it was a lot of fun 🙂

Next time your favorite musician is performing at The Greek Theatre in Los Angeles, definitely try to go. It’s a great concert hall!

Who is your favorite musician/artist right now? What do you think of my outfit? Leave a comment below!

Visiting La Brea Tar Pits!

Hey everybody!

These past few days in LA have been scorching hot, only 90 degrees and above!

When it’s hot and sunny, it’s great weather to explore . Recently, I visited La Brea Tar Pits. The Tar Pits are a fossil excavation site along with a museum.

You learn about California’s history, prehistoric creatures, fossils, and nature. It’s interactive, family freindly, and definitely worth going to if any of the topics I mentioned previously interests you.

Pictured above is a mural showcasing the numerous animals, now extinct unfortunately, that surived and thrived before us.

My boyfriend Shawn and I, also went to a 3D movie that was playing at the museum called “Titans of the Ice Age.” I learned a lot of new fun facts; it was definitely informative and exciting.

We also walked around outside of the museum to visit the various tar pits where excavations are taking place to this day. Excavations occur when scientist and paleontologist go down into the tar pits and dig up the fossils of dinosaurs, mammals, birds, and sometimes even humans.

Path near one of the excavation sites

For this bright, sunny day I wore yellow pants that fit similarly to joggers.

I paired my yellow pants with a black, wrap top and checkered slip-on Vans. It made for a sporty chic look.

The lush flowers and trees around the museum made for a perfect backdrop.

What do you think of this look? And please visit the La Brea Tar Pits if you are in the LA area, you won’t regret it.

Have a great week lovelies!

Little Red Dress From Express

Happy Monday, hope your week is off to a great start.

Today’s featured look is a little red dress from Express. This is actually the dress I purchased for my college graduation 2 years ago and it still fits great and is in perfect condition.

I’m obsessed with the side cutout detail on this dress because it adds just the right amount of sexy. I paired this dress with my Topshop mules for a simple, sophisticated look.

I found this wooden structure in a walkway near my job and I had to get a picture in front of it. I like choosing artistic backgrounds for my pictures because i feel like the scenery is just as important as the pose and outfit.

Of course, the wooden structure allowed me to try new poses as well which was fun. What do you think of this look and background?

How important is scenery for you in your photos? Let me know in the comments below and have a great week lovelies!

Acknowledge your Glow Up!

Happy Thursday lovelies, I hope your week has been great so far.

It’s Day 29 of Motivational March and if you follow me on Instagram at Coralbuttons, you already know what the goal for today is, but if not here it is: Acknowledge your Glow Up! (Hence the title 😄)

If you don’t know what I mean by that, no worries, I’ll explain!

I posted the picture above on IG to show how I changed over the last four years and to acknowledge my glow up. Urban dictionary defines the term “glow up” as: “To go from the bottom to the top to the point of disbelief. An incredible transformation.”

Not saying I was at rock bottom in 2014, but I wasn’t as healthy or confident then. I just big chopped and that was the shortest my hair had ever been so I was adjusting to that and I was in college stressed about everything.

My style was still evolving and changing and my eating habits weren’t the best. This year, I’m happier, more positive and healthier.

My confidence is boosted because I practice self-love and self-care a lot more. “Positive” is a word that comes out of my mouth on the regular because I surround myself around positive people, do things beneficial for my life, relationship, and career, and make sure to take time to just sit and be happy.

In four years, I graduated college, continued my relationship with my highschool sweetheart and moved across the country from Baltimore to Los Angeles. It’s not about bragging about your accomplishments, it’s about recognizing how much you’ve grown!

Take time to acknowledge your glow up today. You are amazing!

Be Happy!

Hope you all had a great weekend!

Today is Day 4 of Motivational March and my goals for today were simply be happy and smile often.

Somtimes we get too caught up in the negative or superficial aspects of our lives and we don’t appreciate the simple things.

I recently purchased this Topshop shirt that has rainbow stripes and the words “Be Happy” on it.

This was a great investment for me because it’s a reminder that everything is going to be ok and that I need to take things one day at a time.

I paired my shirt with simple black leggings and teal Vince Camuto chunky heels.

Let my #ootd be an inspiration to you this week. Be Happy!

Stay tuned for more Motivational March posts and let me know in the comments below if you are down to take the challenge as well.