Home Again

Sweater// LF Robertson Blvd
Jeans// Carmar Denim 
Sneakers// Superga

I'm probably the worst blogger ever. I have been so MIA since I moved to SF. I literally never leave my apartment though unless it's to go to class, or the grocery stores that is in front of my apartment building. But........ I'm done with finals now!! Which means I have a life, and I can wear real clothing again and eat avacado toast and do all the stereotypical bloggery things for an entire month. Obviously, I plan on taking full advantage of it. I am currently getting my LA fix and then Im jetting off to NY to visit my bestie. Plan on seeing lots of pictures, and a lot of new outfits. Im also really excited to finally just explore the new city that I am living in. It is the most bizarre feeling to have lived in a city for about a few months and not know a thing about it, so that clearly needs to change. If you live in SF or have spent time there and you have suggestions for me let me know! Or if you live in NY and you have any great food or cupcake suggests PLEASE let me know!! Hope all of you had a lovely thanksgiving. 

-- Xoxo Becca 

Espadrilles

Photo Credit// Stephanie Fantauzzi

Top// LF Robertson Blvd (last summer)

Denim// Carmar Denim (similar jeans here)

Shoes// Dolce Vita Ceyla d'Orsay Espadrilles 

Necklace// LF Robertson Blvd

These last few weeks have been so crazy!! I flew to portland for a grad school interview (and got in!!!), then one of my good friends and cofounder of Southward Apparel stayed with me for a long weekend, and this weekend I have birthday festivities for my bestie and I fly to Philadelphia for another interview! The rest of my month only gets crazier, but I love it! Next year my life will be all about the books and paper writing, so i'm enjoying every last minute to hang out with friends, go on unexpected trips, and be almost care free. 

So I don't know if you guys follow Sincerely Jules  but she's my absolute favorite blogger and style icon. I'd be twenty times more excited to meet her then I would be to meet Kerry Washington from Scandal which is saying a lot... though maybe not as excited as I was to meet my favorite pig in the world Hamlet. Anywho, if you follow her blog you have probably noticed her insanely cute Espadrilles by Isabel Marant that she often wears. Honestly, at first I kinda hated them, and I wanted her to stop wearing them. But like many things in style, the more and more I saw them the more they grew on me. It's pretty rare that I openly seek out items that I see other bloggers wear, the only other item I can really think of is my Mink Pink slasher shorts that have become an absolute staple in my closet for the last 3 years. Not prepared to spend the money on the Isabel Marent Espadrilles (I'm not even sure if you can still buy them), I was so excited when I spotted these Dolce Vita look alines! They also come in black. They are sooooo comfy and I know I will be wearing them so much this summer. 

Have you guys grown to love something in fashion that you once hated before?!

I pulled a few pairs of Espadrilles that I'm currently loving, for you to shop right now.

Espadrilles 

-Xoxo Becca

P.S. follow me on Instagram @leather.lace.andcupcakes for more outfit pictures and my trip to Philadelphia this week! Any good recommendations for places to go eat or things to see?!

Jean Lovin'

Photo Credit// Stephanie Fantauzzi
Top//Top Shop USA (similar here)
Soft Coat// LF Stores (currently on sale!)
Jeans// Top Shop Moto Grey Jamie Jeans 
Booties// Free Bird By Steve Madden
Tote Bag// JCrew 20% off with the code SHOPPING TIME
Gold Necklace// Double or Nothin All The Wire

Sunday Morning's are my favorite morning of the week. I'm an early riser, so when I get up in the morning and I'm ready to venture out for my first coffee of the day the streets of LA are empty and BEAUTIFUL! I'm especially excited when it's rainy and cloudy. It makes me so happy inside, it might as well be Christmas morning. Am I the only one in LA that loves it when it's not Sunny outside? 

After a fun Saturday night making a new friend and eating at SugarFish the bestie and I had a sleepover, woke up early on Sunday and drove to The Original Brooklyn Water Bagel Co. for some delish bagels and iced coffee with coffee iced cubes.  Why doesn't every establishment make their iced cubes out of coffee?! I fully plan on making some vanilla coffee creamer iced cubes soon and trying those out! 

I'm dying for these Top Shop Moto Grey Jamie Jeans! They graze just above the ankles, which is such a flattering cut I think. I find that I prefer the look of cropped jeans over cuffed jeans lately. These may be close the most comfortable pair of jeans I own, and on top of that they are pretty reasonably priced compared to other brands like JBrand (always a plus to save a little money!). Do you have a go to favorite pair of jeans right now, or a favorite style? I'd love to hear!!

I've selected a few pair of cropped jeans I'm obsessed over right now, that you can shop! 

Cropped Denim

-Xoxo Becca

P.S. Spotted this out and about the other day, and wanted to share! Any thoughts?!

My Superbowl Sunday

Photo Credit// Stephanie Fantauzzi
Sweater// on Sale at all LF Stores 60% off (similar sweater here)
Skirt// LF  (similar skirt here)
Shoes// Matisse Footwear (similar boots here)

I imagine that most of you spent your Superbowl Sunday with an excessive amount of guacamole, 7 layer bean dip, and whatever other kind of wonderful food you are capable of cooking and for good measure some beer while you watch Katy Perry perform and more commercials in one sitting then you will watch the rest of the year (and I guess the game). I however am not a fan of the Superbowl, including the halftime show and commercials. I've tried to get into it a few times, went to some parties in college, occasionally watch the halftime show and commercials online so I know what the rest of the world is talking about the next day...but I couldn't really find it in myself to care this year. So I did what any non loving SuperBowl human would do, I brunched! I picked up Steph and we headed to Square One Dining in East Hollywood (fun fact it's across the street from the Scientology Center). I've been wanting to try this spot for a while, the last time my mom was in town visiting we attempted to go there for breakfast but after 30 minutes of searching for parking we gave up and headed to GRUB one of my favorite spots in Los Angeles. I will admit parking is quite difficult, and there was about a 25 to 30 minute wait for a table but it was absolutely worth it! The restaurant kinda looks like a whole in the wall but it has a very charming outdoor patio that we were lucky enough to be seated in. This place really cares about the quality and freshness of their ingredients. After debating between the pancakes with a bacon infused carmel sauce and breakfast tacos, I went with the tacos and a fruit salad that consisted of mangoes, apples, pears, oranges, and pomegranate seeds. It was easily the best fruit salad i've ever had, and I wasn't complaining about the tacos! I can't wait to go back and try the pancakes. 

 While very slowly cleaning out my closet the last few weeks I've discovered that I have too many pieces that I've either never worn or only worn once or twice. When I was getting dressed for brunch I decided to try to wear some of these neglected pieces. I honestly can't tell you the last time I wore the patterned skirt, and almost positive my Matisse shoes have never seen the light of day. I love the look of an oversized sweater thrown over a short dress or skirt, and this sweater is especially fun because of the low v back.

 What did you guys do for Superbowl Sunday?!

-Xoxo Becca

My Life In Yoga Pants

Photo Credit// Stephanie Fantasize
Top// Lorna Jane 
Yoga Pants//Lululemon
Shoes//Nike

Yoga pants are plentiful in my closet, and make me smile almost as much as cupcakes. While I clearly LOVE clothing, I almost never want to get dressed. I am an extremely lazy human being, I usually consider myself a lazy overachiever. I do just enough in life to be considered an over achiever...but really not a thing more. I love to sleep, I love to lay on my couch with my purple fuzzy Z Gallerie blanket, and I love to drink tea... those activities literally equal a perfect day in my mind (and i'll do this all while wearing yoga pants). I'm not the kind of girl that will do my hair and makeup and get all dressed up to make a trip to whole foods, go to a study group, or even to a movie.

Each time I buy a new pair of yoga pants, a sports bra, or a top I usually call my mom up on the phone as i'm walking out of the store with a renewed sense of excitement and commitment to my physical well-being. I just know as I'm handing over my credit card that I'll start making daily trips to Equinox and weekly trips to Runyon, I'll ask for a fitbit for my birthday and start keeping track of how many steps I take everyday. About an hour into wearing my new purchase...I know that none of that will happen. If you live in the LA area and you wanna drag me out to Runyon or a yoga class let me know! I've been walking a few miles a few days a week...so I'm starting to get there! I know i'm not going to have a fast metabolism forever. 

I became oddly obsessed with this bird while I was taking pictures and took like 50 of him

After I spent all day Saturday with Mallory from BadWolf Brunch I had a dinner date with my bestie Stephanie and a girlie sleepover at my apartment. We figured the only way to spend our Sunday was to head down to Malibu, grab a quick lunch at the Malibu Kitchen (their carmel apple bar is LITERALLY everything, I kid you not) and head to Zuma beach to take pictures and walk around. Obviously one of the best parts about being besties is sharing clothes and not caring what we look like around each other! So we decided it was a yoga pants kinda day, which worked out perfectly for me because i'd been wanting to do a post about this. She happened to not bring any clothes with her so I dressed her in a few of my favorites! 

 

Photo Credit//Me!

Top//Lorna Jane

Yoga Pants// Lululemon

Sports Bra// Lululemon

Shoes//Nike

Here are some of my favorite looks you can shop! 

Yoga Pants

  Sports Bras

Tank Tops

But really guys if you live in the LA area and you wanna take a yoga class with me or go to Runyon let me know!

-Xoxo Becca 

The Unpacking Game

Mesh Top// LF Robertson Blvd
Bralette// Victoria's Secret Pink
Skirt// Windsor Navy Plaid Sweater Skirt c/o
Shoes// The Blonde Salad X Steve Madden ( on sale from $149.50 to $44.98!)
Coin Purse// LF Robertson

 Why do you always need a vacation after you go on a vacation?! Whenever I come back from a trip whether it's someplace like Hawaii or London (this time Quebec City) I need multiple days to learn to function like a real human being again. One of the most dreaded things about returning from a vacation is the process of unpacking. I put it off for dayyyssss, and the longer I put it off the worse I feel and the more anxiety I get. So lately when I unpack I tend to place dress up. I try to figure out new ways to wear things in my suitcase with things I didn't bring along with me. It clearly does not shorten the unpacking process, and often causes my room to become a disaster for a few hours, but it does make the process a little more bearable and I come out of it with some great new looks! While I started this trips unpacking process I took my Blonde Salad X Steve Madden shoes out of my suitcase (why I thought they would be appropriate for 0 degree weather is beyond me) and realized that I have never actually worn these shoes...and I bought them last year. I decided that I absolutely needed to find a cute outfit to wear them with! My goal was also to make sure the outfit was appropriate daytime wear, because I tend to become a homebody at night and don't go out that often. I paired the shoes first with my cozy Navy Plaid Sweater Skirt from Windsor  , and  began trying to straighten up a mess in one of my closets which led me to the white mesh top I picked out. I love this outfit because it's easy and comfortable but left me not looking like a homeless person. You could easily wear this out on a lunch date, a coffee meeting, or even a shopping trip. I could also see myself swapping out the white mesh top for a cute leather crop top and wearing this out on a Friday night.

I'm trying to come up with some new post ideas for the new year, is there anything you guys would love to see?! You can comment below, email me, or find me on instagram @leather.lace.andcupcakes and send me a message.

-Xoxo Becca

New Years Resolutions

Sweater// Free People 
Dress// Wonderland Honolulu c/o
Hat// Janessa Leone
Booties// Jeffrey Campbell 

Happy New Year!!!!! I hope everyone had an amazing New Years Eve/Day, and didn't struggle to much during the recovery process. I tend to find New Years a bit overwhelming and always choose to stay in watch a movie (Pitch Perfect this year) and order some yummy pizza (Dough Pizza on Sunset Blvd is my new fav). My mom was still in town from our trip to Quebec so she joined my pizza fest, and asked if I had any new years resolutions. To be honest, I'm not a fan of resolutions at all. I don't understand why we wait until the first of the year to try to improve our lives, and usually by day 2 we have broken them anyway. Some of you may or may not know but I moved out to LA in 2011 for grad school. I got my Master's in Clinical Psychology, and when I graduated in 2013 I went to USC for a post bac premed program because I thought I wanted to go into psychiatry. After a miserable year, I was able to admit to myself that medical school was clearly not in my path. I was really scared to leave the program, because I felt like it provided me stability and structure. After a lot of praying, talking to family and friends I decided that, that's what was best. So I left USC and I've spent the last year gaining research experience and doing a lot of volunteer work while applying for doctoral programs. Leaving the program at USC really forced me to step outside of my comfort zone, and I realized how important it is to do that in life. If you don't leave your comfort zone you can miss out on so many amazing opportunities. I've tried to spend the last year actively stepping out of my comfort zone whether it's trying a new food, wearing a new color, taking a trip to a new country, or whatever life throws at me. So I guess my new years resolution is really to just continue doing that!

I'm usually not a fan of body con dresses at all, but when I saw this dress from Wonderland Honolulu I thought this would be a great chance to try something new. It can be difficult to buy clothes online because you're never to sure how it's going to fit. The top of this dress was a bit big on me, so it took me a little while to figure out how I could style it. I thought this Free People cut out shoulder sweater looked really cute over the dress and made the dress easier to transition into a fall or winter piece. 

I really can't wait to see what 2015 has to bring. Starting this blog and applying for doctoral programs have been two of my biggest ventures of 2014, and i'm so thankful to all of you who have been so encouraging along the way it means so much to me! Do you guys have anything you'd really love to see on the blog?! Let me know, i'd love to hear! I'd also love to hear what your resolutions are for 2015!!

-Xoxo Becca 

Oldie But a Goodie

Photo Credit// Stephanie Fantauzzi
Top// LF Robertson Blvd
Jeans// Express
Choker// LF Robertson
Shoes// Steve Madden
Star Bracelets// A Marketplace in Maui

I don't know about you, but I tend to keep things in my closet for wayyyyy to long. I really hate cleaning out my closet, it takes more time and energy then I feel like I have. The bright side to my lazy disposition and somewhat messy closet, is that every once in a while I stumble upon an old gem. I recently found these old jeans I got from Express when I was an undergrad at Baylor University. I probably haven't worn or thought about these jeans in five years!! I'm absolutely loving everything about them now, probably more then I did when I first bought them! 

After being gone for Thanksgiving and being sick with Strep AND a Sinus Infection for what seems like forever, this weekend was about watching Netflix and catching up with friends over coffee! I paired these newly found favorite jeans with an oversized black button down (that boyfriend look) with a sheer back, and a bunch of large bracelets for a more put together look. I also wore my favorite black velvet choker with a large cross, it really makes me feel like a product of the 90's. It was the perfect outfit to wear in order to be comfy but cute while still feeling slightly under the weather. 

Do you guys tend to save items in your closet for too long?! Have you recently found an old item of clothing that you now love more then when you originally bought it? I'd love to hear! Also don't forget if you want to be featured on my blog or instagram account on Wednesday's hashtag your pictures #llcstreetstyle or feel free to email me laprade.rebecca@gmail.com 

I've put together some similar looks below that you can shop! Have a great week beautiful people :)

Oversized Button Downs 

Similar Denim

-Xoxo Becca