Museum of Ice Cream | Miami Girls Trip Recap

Cue every Pitbull, Enrique Iglesias *swoon*, Will Smith, and LMFAO song that references Miami because that is the soundtrack to my FIRST EVER trip to Miami!

Growing up in small-town West Virginia meant that I didn't really travel a lot-- if ever. So now that I am an adult (kinda LOL) I like to take every chance possible to see new places! Since Florida is now my home, I figured it was time to see more of what this beautiful state has to offer!

I loaded up in a car with my friends Kristyne, Faison, Faison's two little's, Walter and Eloise, and set off for the Museum of Ice Cream Miami for its final weekend before moving on to their next location! It was a quick trip of only about a day and a half, but it didn't matter because we still packed in so much fun in a short amount of time!

Such an occasion calls for the perfect outfit! Can I get an AMEN?! I, of course, spared no attention to detail in curating the perfect outfit for the MOIC and if you've been following me for a bit, you know I've started a movement in my wardrobe called Picnic Chic (trademark pending ;).) I coined this term when I started noticing that gingham and classic, summer ready pieces were taking over my heart and my closet! I'm really big on shopping locally and discovering boutiques in the greater Orlando area and Winter Park, Florida is always one of my go-to places for boutique shopping! Since Picnic Chic had become my aesthetic, when I saw this cutie two-piece made with-- you guessed it-- pastel gingham material from The Impeccable Pig, I immediately swooned! I actually tried it on and wasn't sold at first because I was a little worried it was too revealing (it isn't). I don't typically wear things like this, but both Faison and Kristyne talked me into it and once I got home and paired it with things I already had, I was SOLD and SO excited to wear this to Miami!

This two-piece set is beautiful on its own, but I truly feel my accessories took this outfit to the next level! My picnic basket purse, also from a local Winter Park boutique called Forema, paired with these darling and whimsical ice cream shoes, my trusty boater hat, and these beautiful earrings that Faison let me borrow made me feel like an ICE CREAM QUEEN! 

The MOIC itself was such a different experience. Sure, I frequent the most Instagrammed place on earth on a weekly basis, but I had yet to visit the many installations opening up that were created solely for getting the perfect IG shot! You can bet that we were all in heaven wandering through the various ice cream themed rooms trying out the little sweet treats and scoping out the perfect angle for a good photo! We definitely joked the entire time that we wished we could pay more for an empty museum though! There are lots of people who come to see the MOIC, so I was not surprised to see it packed! Even still, we were able to get really creative with photos and you are able to take as much time as you want through each room! We spent about 3 hours in the museum itself, but time flies when you're having fun! Even Walter, who was being a typical 4 year old and bouncing off the walls, got in on the photo action and showed off his best blogger poses! (HE IS A STAR AND I LOVE HIM EVEN WHEN HE IS BEING ROTTEN LOL!)

As for the most memorable part of the trip, I have to say it was when we got back to our room at the Lowes Miami Beach Hotel, ordered room service with champagne, and just unwinded from a jam-packed day. I always enjoy little moments like this the most when the makeup has come off, the IG worthy outfits have been stripped in exchange for PJ's (or in Kirstyne's case one of Faison's comfy rompers because she forgot hers HAHA!), LIVE PD is on the TV, and we are all just enjoying each other's company and chatting about life. These people are my best friends. They always make for the best time. And that is what I will always remember about this trip to Miami-- them and how happy they make me. 

I also just want to brag on Faison for a bit. We took this trip on Mother's Day weekend and I was so excited to celebrate HER. I tell her all the time that she's like SuperMom. She is amazing with her kids and I don't know how she juggles it all. Aside from being an amazing mother and friend, she is ONE HECK of a talented photographer! She takes a good majority of my photos for paid campaigns and just everyday photos like these at the MOIC. She has a SUPER POWER of making even the most packed place look empty for your photos (see sprinkle pool photos above for proof!) and she can truly capture your best angles and personality. If you're looking for a photographer, I can't recommend her enough! Whatever your needs, she's your girl! You can contact her for shoots here or here.

I had such an awesome time in Miami and I'm looking forward to more travels with friends and making memories in the most unexpected ways. <3

Until next time...

xoxo,

Chelsea 

Princess Power | Sponsored by OtterBox

Subtle Disney Style is my specialty and Disney Bounding is the perfect form of subtle Disney fashion, so when I received the new OtterBox Princess Power cases, I knew these would be the perfect accessory to showcase how I would Disney Bound using these two beauties as inspiration!

The cases are adorned with two of my favorites-- Jasmine and Snow White!

I love Jasmine for her strong will and killer eyeliner game and I love Snow for her kind heart and striking red lip! I basically feel like I'm a mashup of these two personality wise!

For this post in particular, I really wanted to let the cases shine, so I built my outfits around them doing my best to use pieces I already had in my closet! I wanted to do this to really show you guys that you don't have to buy new pieces for these outfits! 

So with that, let's talk style!

Jasmine:

The only new piece I bought for this post was this romper, which as you can see, is too perfect for a Jasmine bound! It's color and cut channeled the key aspects of her outfit perfectly and it was surprisingly lightweight and comfortable to wear for a day at Magic Kingdom! For the rest of the outfit, I really wanted to incorporate lots of rich texture, so this purse with beadwork and shoes with a slight pointed toe and gold foil detailing really drove the Arabian Nights theme home!

Shop this look: romper, purse,  similar shoes, case

Snow White:

I think we all know that I'm obsessed with Snow White at this point. I love everything about her--her color palette, personality, and that ever-perfect red lip pout! Doing this look inspired by her was easy peasy! I used articles I already owned for all of it. I'm sure y'all have seen me wear this skirt a time or two before! ;) I liked showing a bit of sweet spunk in this outfit by adding in some polkadots! My main rule when Disney Bounding is to focus on the colors being right and then getting creative with patterns, prints, and accessories! Speaking of accessories, this poison apple purse from Shop Harvey's was the perfect bag to hold my phone and other essentials for this dreamy park day!

Shop this look: shirt, skirt, purse, case

I always love getting to showoff my OtterBox cases with my outfit! They truly make my outfits so magical when they match what I'm wearing! 

Can't wait to accessorize with more of them for future outfits!

Which look was your favorite!

Until next time,

xoxo

Chelsea

Dressed to the Dots | Late Night Disney Springs

When coming to Disney, the opportunities to really dress to the nines aren’t always feasible, but if you’re anything like me, you enjoy that part of your vacation where you get to dress your best and hit the town in (Disney) style. So naturally when I had the opportunity to experience all the late night offerings at Disney Springs, I jumped at the chance to put together a evening look that was sure to stun but still be wearable for the weather and kept comfort and sensibility in mind!

Before I get started, I want to thank Disney Springs for inviting me and hosting me at this event! 

Of all the times I've spent at Disney Springs, I had yet to really take advantage of the way it transforms from casual, day time shopping, to lively nightlife full of some of the best entertainment, food, and spirits. Late Night Disney Springs, which takes place every Thursday night - Saturday night and lasts up until 2 am, gives guests the opportunity to unwind and let loose while experiencing a different kind of magical and electrifying night! 

I took full advantage of trying some of the best drinks and food Disney Springs had to offer and hit up some NEW places that just opened or I had yet to try!

My first stop was dinner at Maria and Enzo's and if you're anything like me you love carbs and pasta, so this new Italian restaurant was right up my alley! I was able to sample several of their signature dishes, all of wish were amazing, so I really don't feel you can go wrong by getting a table here!

To kick off the night of late-night fun, The Edison was just the place I wanted to start! With the vibe of a 1920s speak-easy complete with live singers doing time-period cover's of Beyonce and many more (you're sold, aren't you?), dancers that will leave you hypnotized and wowed, and drinks that will definitely life your spirits, this is sure to be a place you'll want to stick around and soak up for a while! If you're looking for a drink to try when you visit, I recommend The Mistress! It was soooo good and I will be getting one again soon!

After making a few more stops at STK (try the Strawberry Cobbler cocktail if you're wanting a dessert-like drink and truffle fries for a savory snack), Morimoto Asia (my new favorite place for a late-night bite and a more relaxed atmosphere), and Jock Lindsey's Hangar Bar, I was convinced that I hadn't been doing Disney Springs to its full potential! 

What I loved most about this whole night, and what I think really makes it a place that anybody can come and enjoy no matter your budget for fun, was the fact that Late Night Disney Springs has NO cover charge which means you and your friends and family can enjoy a lot of the entertainment without breaking the bank to do so! I definitely recommend trying and sampling as many as the drinks and plates as possible though because they are so delectable and yummy and will only enhance the experience you have!

All the raving about my night aside, I want to tell you a little more about what I wore!

If you checked out my last post on shopping at Disney Springs, you’ll know that I can always find the pieces I’m looking for to fit the occasion. 

Shopping for this outfit was no different! I immediately laid eyes on this semi-sheer polka dot dress from Zara and fell in love!! It was such an eye-catching piece with it's red dots, asymmetrical cut, and ruffle detailing. Nights in Florida can still be pretty warm so I knew this dress would work perfectly for keeping me cool, but also ready to dance the night away, drink in hand! To make the overlay pop, I layered it with a fitted, basic sleeveless dress and kept the accessories sleek and simple opting for velvet, block heeled sandals that DID NOT hurt my feet all night long, drop earrings , and a simple clutch I already had in my closet.

I did my favorite pin-up girl makeup for this look and if you're curious about what products I use, you can check out this post for a complete list of products! I hope to film a tutorial on my signature glam look soon!

I loved getting to style this evening look for this occasion! It's not something I get to do very often when showing off my Disney Style so It was refreshing and oh-so-fun to do! Getting all glammed up is always a good idea and Late Night Disney Springs is the perfect event to do it for!

Thanks so much again to Disney and Disney Springs for inviting me to such an amazing event!

AND a special thank you to Dylan for being the best plus one ever!

Can't wait until the next one!

Until next time...

xoxo,

Chelsea

 

That's Amore | Shop Disney Springs Outing

If there's one thing I love more than going to Disney, its going to Disney Springs and shopping for some new closet must-haves for my frequent Disney Park Days and beyond. I'm always looking for new subtle Disney Style inspiration and my go-to stores at the Springs never disappoint!

Disney recently invited me to an event where we got to check out a new Disney Style store coming SOON to the Disney Springs area as well as giving us the opportunity to shop and check out some of their newest retail locations! The Disney Style store that will be opening aims to immerse the shopper into the feeling of walking into a park for the first time! I was able to learn all about what went into planning this store, what their inspiration was, and how they are planning to incorporate magic moments that guests can take advantage of right on the spot! Think perfect photo moments that will be great for taking pics with your friends and sharing on Instagram and beyond! It's sure to inspire guests when picking out their park day outfits!

I was in complete awe learning and hearing all about what goes into making a store like this come to life! It's so much more than clothing racks! Disney plans everything down to the finest detail and I think y'all are really going to love what they are bringing to the table!

As for the merchandise Disney will be offering in this new location, you can expect some NEW items to be sold there! Over the past year or so, Disney has really stepped up their game and is really starting to get an understanding of what people are wanting when showing off their Disney Style. They are of course still keeping comfort in mind when it comes to the styles they are offering as well as the larger audience of Disney goers and families. There were several pieces that I'm excited to style myself and put my own spin on and I can't wait to see how you all get creative with the styles too!

If you watched my stories, you'll have already caught a glimpse to some of the items that will be sold there! My personal favorites were a bedazzled "I live in Fantasyland" tee as well as a sweet little number from The Dress Shop that features a cardigan with carousel horses on it!

I just can't help but be inspired by this whole process. It is my dream to one day be working on this creative team and bringing some of my own style and design ideas to life. (I'm telling you this because I strongly believe in speaking your dreams into existence.)

After the morning of inspiration, I spent the rest of the afternoon hitting up some of my favorite stores with friends and treating myself to some new pieces courtesy of Disney! 

I really wanted to showcase the amazing retailers at the Springs, so I tried to include as many pieces available there for my outfit as possible! Zara is always one of my go-to stops for Disney Style inspiration! They often carry Disney pieces (like the Mickey shorts and pants everyone obsessed over) and there's never a shortage of staple pieces that will perfectly mix with your Disney tees and accessories! Another thing I can always count on Zara for is finding lots of polka dot options that are perfect for any Minnie Style!

For my outfit, I really wanted to look chic and polished with some pops of fun color! This definitely wasn't a Disney-centric outfit per se, but it wasn't lacking in Disney nods or inspiration! It was still very me and fits in perfectly with the Disney aesthetic. 

My shirt and trousers were both from Zara and were light and comfy for a day of checking out some stores!

What I loved most about these pants is that they are so versatile and fit me so well. They're perfect for dressing up a Disney tee or pairing with a polkadot blouse! You can bet I'll be doing both with these!

The graphic tee has "More Amore" on it with sunflowers and gemstones and totally had me singing "That's Amore" from Lady and the Tramp when I saw it! 

My purse from Harvey's isn't a Disney design, BUT if you check out one of my fave stores, Ever After Jewelry Co. (located in Disney Springs next to Anthropologie), you'll find several of their Disney inspired designs available for purchase! They carry an array of magical accessories ranging from handbags, ears, and jewelry! It's a not-to-be-missed stop if you're looking for a little pixie dust to add to your outfit.

My mules were my subtle nod to the iconic yellow shoes dawned by Mickey and Minnie! These make the sweetest, colorful statement and make me feel so well put together! Talk about bringing a little Disney inspiration in even the smallest way! 

My hat has been a current staple for me and goes with so so much in my wardrobe and it went perfectly with this ensemble in place of my usual ears!

The yellow daisy sunnies were the perfect finishing touch for the sunny day we had while shopping and always give any outfit that cute factor that I love!

If you're looking to shop my other favorite stores, I've compiled a quick list of my usual stops!

Zara

Anthropologie

Sephora

Kate Spade (I recently picked up the Minnie Mouse ring as a treat to myself!)

Francesca's

Vera Bradley

Ever After Jewelry Co.

World of Disney

The Co-Op

Basin

Free People

and I'm sure the new Disney Style store will be a part of this list once it opens!! AH!!

Thanks so much again to Disney and Disney Springs for having me here for this event! As a frequent goer to Disney Springs, it was a true honor to see what goes into making our experience there so magical!

Be on the look out for a recap of my Late Night Disney Springs Outing!

Until next time...

xoxo,

Chelsea

Fun in the Sun | Disney's Typhoon Lagoon

Summer is fast approaching here in Florida...heck, it's already hot here! BUT, with summer coming, I know that will mean lots of you will be making your way here for vacations to the Most Magical Place on Earth! I wanted to get ahead of the game a little so I could give you guys the deets on what all the Disney water parks have to offer!

Summer in Florida can be almost unbearable! With temperatures getting well into the 90's and exceeding over 100 degrees on some days, staying cool is ESSENTIAL! In the summer, you won't find me in one of the normal parks between the hours of 11-5. It's just tooooo hot and since I live here, I have the luxury of just choosing to stay home until the sun starts setting. I know it's not quite that easy for visitors coming the area, so I wanted to be able to recommend a compromise that would mean you'd still get to experience the magic of a Disney park, have fun, and stay cooler while doing it!

The Disney water parks are a perfect compromise for that! 

I ventured out to Disney's Typhoon Lagoon with some of my best pals Walter, Faison, and Kristyne to enjoy a day in the water and sun all for the sake of being able to recommend some things for you guys! I know what you're thinking... tough gig right?? LOL!

All joking aside, I really did want to not only find out if going to a water park here is worth it, but also wanted to let you guys know my tips and tricks for doing a water park during your stay!

Let's DIVE in... (get it?)

How I recommend fitting a water park trip into your stay:

- Go to a water park on a hotter day of your trip!

 The best way to maximize your time efficiently if you are wanting to go to one of Disney's water parks is to look at the weather forecast for the time your trip will be taking place! I would recommend hitting one of the water parks on a hotter day! This will be good if you're wanting to avoid the stagnant heat at Magic Kingdom or the other parks.

- Get to the water park at opening!

The way I would choose to do a water park day would be to get there at opening, stay until 2ish, head back to your room to freshen up, then head to either Magic Kingdom, Hollywood Studios, Epcot, or Animal Kingdom for the evening when the temps are cooling off with the sunset. Doing this will also probably help you miss the daily rain showers that happen in the summer mid-day. There's nothing more uncomfortable than being stuck at one of the traditional theme parks while it pours the rain!

With all that said and now that I've told you how I would do a plan a day at a water park, let's get to what I wore and what I packed for my day!

What I wore:

When it came to dressing for the Typhoon Lagoon, I wanted to keep practicality in mind, but also didn't want to sacrifice being cute! Haha! So, I thought about all the practical items I needed and started searching for ones that I liked! 

From head-to-toe I'm wearing:

- a sun hat to protect my scalp and face from the sun

(The one I wore gave me total Minnie Style vibes and will be a summer staple in and out of the water parks!)

- my signature sunnies to protect my eyes from glare

- this ADORABLE swim suit from Vera Bradley (top & bottom)

(Seeing this suit was love at first sight for me! I loved the cut of the top with the ruffly overlay, the off the shoulder detailing, and the pattern! It fit just what I was wanting! (Just so you know, all the Vera Bradley items in this post were provided for me, but trust that I would only wear and use things I LOVE and would honestly recommend!) ALSO, if you’re shopping at the Vera Bradley location in Disney Springs THIS WEEKEND (April 6-8), if you mention my posts you can get 15% off your total purchase! If you aren’t in the area but still want to shop, you can order via phone by calling their store!)

- a lightweight coverup to give some protection and coverage when not in the water 

- denim shorts to throw on when grabbing food, drinks, and other sweets

- flip flops

What I packed:

Comfort in any type of park is key, so I wanted to make sure I came prepared for anything and everything!

To carry all my things, I used my personalized beach tote! (ALL THE HEART EYES BC IT'S EMBROIDERED WITH "DINGLEHOPPER HAIR, DON'T CARE!")

The Vera Bradley located in Disney Springs can do on-site, same day embroidery on almost all of their stuff! I loved getting to customize my bag!

I put my drying off beach towel (not necessarily needed- Disney provides complimentary towels to guests), beach blanket, and portable speaker, that plugs into your phone to listen to your favorite tunes when lounging, all in the tote with room to spare!

I also brought a sand resistant, waterproof bag to hold things like money, my phone, and anything else you wanted to keep separate from a damp towel, etc. in my bag as well! (I got my "Chill Out” one from Walmart for $9) 

I had my sunscreen, battery operated fan, lip balm, keys, ID, bank cards, phone, fuel rod, and other miscellaneous things all kept together in here for easy grabbing! 

If you don’t have someone staying at your beach chairs at all times, I would recommend renting a locker to store any valuables while you play! 

After enjoying lots of slides with my girl Kristyne and the rest of the gang, snacking on popsicles, mini donuts, and having a TASTY chicken and rice bowl, I was sold on definitely coming to these water parks more! I'm really excited to hit up Blizzard Beach next!

I hope this post encourages you all to consider coming to one of them next time you visit Walt Disney World! 

Until next time...

xoxo,

Chelsea

(p.s. Enjoy this too-cute-for-words photo of Eloise on my beach blanket! She showed it off better than I ever could!)

DIY Character Inspired Easter Basket

With Spring here and Easter coming up in just over a week (April 1st), it gave me the perfect excuse to wear all the pastels and to bring you guys a fun, festive DIY that is perfect to do with or for your kids/ friends as a sweet surprise! I love any excuse for a good theme, so I wanted to put together a little basket (and outfit) inspired by one of my favorite characters: Daisy Duck! Her pastel pink and purple color scheme makes this a dream to do. I used her color palette for inspiration and picked out little goodies that fit her personality so I encourage you all to pick your own favorite character or a loved one's favorite and get creative when creating one of these yourself!

Here's what you'll need:

-Basket

-Ribbon (your color preference)

-Basket Filler

-Plastic Eggs

-Scissors

-Hot glue gun

Since I was basing mine on Daisy, my color choices reflect that, so definitely pick whatever colors best fit your character of choice!

I wanted to keep this cost efficient, so I didn't get too fancy with the decoration of the basket. I liked just filling my basket with the filler and then simply tying the ribbon on the handle. I chose pink for this to be like Daisy's bow! I also just cut little triangles at the ends of the bows to give it a more finished look! To nod to her purple top, I tied purple ribbon around the basket itself and just hot glued in a few places to keep the ribbon in place!

When it came to filling the basket, I really wanted to incorporate more than just candy, so I got some little things that were girly and just so perfectly Daisy! I included things for pampering like sheet masks, lotion, and nail polish all the way to fashion accessories that would add the perfect touch of pastel sass to your spring outfits! The rose gold sunglasses with little daisies on them were too perfect! If you're giving this as a gift, this is a perfect way to show you know someone and really pick out things that fit their interests and personality! This basket is definitely for the girly-girl in your life, but there's so many ways to cater to who you would be making one for!

All that's left to do is arrange your goodies in the basket and fill your eggs with yummy treats! Your basket made-with-love is ready to be gifted!

By now you guys know I could't stop with the basket and that I HAD to create a Spring outfit that channeled Daisy as well! When I saw this purple pastel dress, I knew this was the perfect Easter dress! It paired perfectly with my BIG bow headband (Daisy approved), glitter Keds, and for the occasion of meeting the Easter Bunny and Mrs. Bunny for the first time ever, I threw on my White Rabbit purse as well!

Since this is my first Easter as a local, and just first Easter being at the parks in general, I wanted to make sure I got to meet these fluffy legends! They absolutely loved my color coordinated outfit, accessories, and my DIY basket SO much! Just look at their cute, little, surprised faces! (Cue the happy tears!!) Meeting them was a bucket-list adventure achieved! I'll have to stop and see them again before they leave until next Spring! 

I plan on experiencing a few more special Easter offerings with some friends this coming week! I'm really excited to hunt for Easter Eggs around Epcot, look at the special eggs created by artists at the Grand Floridian, and see an Easter parade at Magic Kingdom! So many cute things to experience! 

I hope to see you all create some baskets of your own in the coming week! If you do, be sure to tag me in your photos!

Until next time,

xoxo

Chelsea

Winnie the Pooh Street Style

I can’t tell you how excited I was to bring this vision I had to life with Rachel Branham! I’ve never wanted to limit my style to just the parks, and if I’m being honest, I love styling stuff like this SO SO much! I always love showing you guys how I subtly do Disney Style outside of the parks and this outfit and concept was a dream come true for me! You guys may remember that I Insta-storied getting this outfit 2 months ago, but I knew it was a special one. I waited until I thought I could bring my photo ideas to life properly! Rachel was AMAZING in making sure everything I had in my head became a reality! My style has evolved over the past few years and while I'm at the parks a lot, the way I dress there is a lot different than how I style outside of the parks.  I hope you enjoy my take on what I call elevated Disney Bounding. I love incorporating chic and classic pieces with just that right amount of ~magic.~ Before I dive in and start sharing my favorite pics from our session together, I wanted to say a little bit about the outfit and concept and what Winnie the Pooh means to me...

For this outfit, and for any outfit I buy, I'm always looking for a way to pay a subtle nod to Disney with on trend pieces from quality retailers. I was shopping at Anthropologie and came across this outfit. It felt so nice and so chic and that's what initially drew me into it, but if you know me, my mind is always going a mile a minute with ideas of how I can bring my love for Disney in to it! The pants and blouse obviously channeled Pooh's colors, but not only that, the fabrics of them made me think of him too! Once I got it, I worked on getting accessories that would tastefully channel him as well. To bring some HUNNY into this outfit, I wore an amber ring and to continue with the hunny theme, I got a purse that featured a bee. It all felt so chic to me and I will forever love wearing this outfit for its rich colors and luxurious feeling accessories!

As for the shoot itself, I wanted to go for a more street style vibe and really wanted to show a different side of me and my passion for being in front of a camera and modeling clothes. I think most of you are probably used to seeing me be super happy and smiley in the parks and that's definitely me, but I also love busting out the smize and fierce poses too! Rachel did such an awesome job with showcasing all of that! You'll see lots of fierceness in the photos below!

As for why this shoot was so special:

Winnie the Pooh has always held such a special place in my heart, as I'm sure it has for many of you.  Even now as an adult, I owe a lot to the lessons my friends in the Hundred Acre Wood taught me about love and friendship.  They always gave the most unconditional kind. I can't help but smile every time I read an excerpt from the books, see a quote from Pooh on Pinterest, or even see that silly old bear in the parks for meet & greets! Chances are if you ask me what I want to do if I'm ever feeling sad or down, I'll probably tell you I want to ride the Pooh ride in Fantasyland. It always lifts my spirits and gives me such an overwhelming sense of joy. With the news of the Christopher Robin movie coming out, I knew now was the time to wear this outfit and show my love for Pooh through style. I hope you enjoy the photos!

If you'd like to book a shoot with Rachel, contact her here. If you want to see the magic she captures in photos, follow her here.

Hope you enjoyed seeing this different vibe from me! I look forward to doing lots more of these! :)

Until next time...

xoxo

Chelsea

Park Day Essentials | Sponsored by OtterBox

If there's one thing I've learned after my many trips as a non-local and park days as a current local is that you always want to come to the parks prepared and that means always having some things on hand in your backpack! Even now as a local, you will hardly ever catch me coming to the parks without a backpack. They keep my hands free to enjoy snacks, snap pics, and it just provides more room to hold all my things. (I have a lot of things. LOL)

I really wanted to do this post to share the things I've learned about doing Disney for a long day or trip. When coming to Disney, you don't want to let the magic be disrupted just because you forgot something or need something to make your day more comfortable and enjoyable. 

I'll be talking about all the things that have worked for me and I hope they are helpful for you when it comes to packing your bag for a day at Disney!

NOTE: *SOME* of the items in this post were sent or given to me. Please trust that I would never recommend any products that I don't love and use myself. I take so much pride in giving you guys recommendations I would give my own family. <3

All Photography in this post was provided by Faison Anne. Get in touch with her here if you would like to book a shoot.

Here's everything I pack on a day-to-day basis:

Backpack:

The backpack is just as important as the contents! You want one that is a good size for your needs, is durable, and will sit comfortably on your shoulders. Bonus points if it's cute! This one from Vera Bradley has quickly become my new favorite and go-to for park days and meets all that criteria! It's denim material and color make it great to wear with most things in my wardrobe and it's also sturdy, durable, and won't show stains easily! It fits more than I thought it would, which made me really happy! It also has super thick straps so you won't feels a strain on your neck and shoulders! Perhaps what I love most about this backpack is that I was able to customize it with a little saying of mine "Magic Seeker." The Vera Bradley store in Disney Springs can do embroidery right in store and this definitely made my backpack more magical and special to me!

Rain Jacket, Poncho, Umbrella (Your preference):

In Florida, especially in the summer months, it's crucial to have some sort of rain gear with you at all times! I personally prefer a rain jacket like this one because it keeps my hands free unlike when you have an umbrella. The one pictured above of mine is loose enough that I'm able to keep my backpack on while wearing it which is great because it protects my backpack from getting wet as well.

Sunglasses: 

After the rain comes the sun. When it isn't raining, it is VERY sunny in Florida, so sunglasses are a must! This is also a another fun part of accessorizing my outfit, so don't be afraid to rock a fun pair like these ones! I love these daisy shaped ones for their shape and quirkiness! They look cute in photos, but they also, most importantly, shade my eyes from the sun so I don't have my eyes constantly squinting. 

Water Bottle:

Hydration is so important. I can't stress that enough. Coming to Disney, especially in the summer months, means it's going to be VERY VERY hot and humid and your body is going to do its best to keep you cool by sweating A TON. It's not pretty, but it will be even worse if you aren't drinking water to replenish your body. Disney food stations will always provide you with tap water for free, but you will get a new plastic or paper cup every time. Even though Disney does an excellent job of recycling, I think it's still a good idea to bring your own reusable bottle. This one is insulated and keeps my water ICE COLD for hours.  I've completely stopped drinking pop (soda, coke, LOL), so drinking water is something I've come to really put a lot of effort in and this water bottle makes it so easy. You can always get refills at most restaurants, food stations, or water fountains-- EVEN STARBUCKS! The point is-- STAY HYDRATED!

Hair Tools (comb & scrunchie):

If you're anything like me, you want to try and keep yourself looking as fresh and polished as you possibly can in a theme park. Whether you're just here with you family and IG worthy photos aren’t  your priority, you'll still probably be making memories captured on film and having the ability to comb your hair after getting off a ride like Big Thunder Mountain is sooooo nice! I'm super tender-headed so I literally never go ANYWHERE without my comb to keep the tats and tangles at bay. I also always have on my wrist my trusty Rarity by Casey scrunchie! She makes these by hand, with love, and I will NOT go on a ride without being able to put my hair in a low pony tail to keep it from flying around everywhere! I love hers so much because they are secure, but they don't leave an unsightly crease in my hair for when I take my hair down after the ride or for photos! It's also just nice to have one if you just need to get your hot hair off your neck.

Fan:

This is a recent addition to my arsenal, but MY LIFE HAS BEEN CHANGED! After seeing tons of my Disney friends have this handheld fan (available in 3 colors) and hearing them rave about it, I figured I needed to get one too! I didn't realize how much of a difference this little thing could make, but it is AWESOME! With 3 speeds, USB charging capability, and the ability to fold up for storage, it is so nice to have and it really is just such a nice comfort luxury to have when you're making your way through a scorching park packed with people or waiting in a line with stagnant air. 

Makeup Setting Spray: 

Y'all always ask me how I keep my makeup looking good and the truth is that it doesn't always stay looking perfect, but having a good setting spray definitely helps with the wear and longevity of my makeup that day. No makeup is going to stay looking flawless in 90-100 degree weather, but I just try to minimize the activity that makes my makeup melt off the fastest. Using my fan to keep sweat on my face at bay and making sure I use a good spray does WONDERS! My favorite is the Urban Decay de-slick setting spray. It works well with my oily skin and keeps my makeup in place! If you want to know more about my makeup and what products I use, check out THIS POST!

Fuel Rod:

An extra, rechargeable phone battery is a necessity! Nothing is more frustrating than having your phone die JUST as you're getting ready to snap that pic you were really excited about! One of the best investments I made was buying a Fuel Rod from one of the many stations throughout Disney property.  You pay a one-time $30 fee and you get a fully charged battery, a power cord, and several different attachments that will fit most standard and popular phones. You get infinite and unlimited swaps of a fully charged battery so YES, I would say this is something everyone needs with them when coming to the parks! Even cooler, this will also charge the fan I mentioned above so you don't have to worry about your fan dying at the parks either!

ID/ Wallet/ Passholder:

When coming to the parks, I don't want to be weighed down by my normal, bulkier wallet. A great fix I've found for this is bring a smaller ID holder like this one that holds my ID, Annual Pass, a few essential bank cards, and some cash. I keep a lanyard attached to it in case I want to wear it around my neck! This makes getting to the things you need to make purchases so much easier!

Camera:

Camera's aren't essentially important, especially since phones can typically get the kind of photo you're wanting, but if you're like me and you want to get a really nice shot for a blog post, a family photo to be framed, or even just of the scenery, a camera is nice to have. I included mine in this post as it is typically does come with me on most park days and because so many of you are always asking what camera I use. I'm no professional, so I just a pretty basic, user friendly camera. It does what I need and provides a crisper photo than a phone can. Shop the next generation of my camera here.

Phone & Phone Case:

I think it's safe to say that most of us don't go anywhere without a cellphone anymore. It's our way of communicating and sharing the things we are currently doing and as someone who uses social media a lot to connect with all of you, my phone is very important. What's even more important is making sure it is protected. Between the castle photos, selfies with friends, Insta-storying, and IG posting, my phone goes through a lot of wear. To keep my phone safe (and cute) I use my OtterBox cases to show my personality, style, and to ensure that is stays crack free through rides and occasional drops. This Cinderella Castle case, sold exclusively on Disney property, is the perfect souvenir to take home! Not only is it useful, but it will bring the magic with you wherever you go! OtterBox also has other Disney cases available on their site, so check those out if you're in need of a new case and aren't coming to the parks anytime soon!  

Not pictured, but always with me:

Sunscreen: because DUH. LOL! 

Lipstick: Between eating, laughing, and smiling, you'll want to be able to touch up your lips so definitely bring your lippie of the day with you. I'm wearing Fenty Beauty Stunna Lip Paint in Uncensored.

Band-aides: Disney First Aid will provide you with band-aides for any cuts, scrapes, or blisters. I often just stock pile the ones they give me in my bag for future use.

With all of these tips and knowledge in tow, I hope your next trip to the park will run smoothly by having some, or all, of these things with you! 

If there's something you always bring that I didn't mention, I would love for you to share with me! Always looking to make all my park days full of magic and without any stress or worry!

Until next time...

xoxo,

Chelsea

Dumbo DIY- VHS Purse

Hello, beautiful friends! Today I'm bringing you something I had been wanting to do for a while, but was waiting for just the right time to do BUT the time is now!

DRUM ROLL PLEASE...

Today, I'm going to show you how to make your own very VHS novelty purse! If you've been following me for a while, then you know that purses, especially novelty ones, are my WEAKNESS! I love the sweet sass and quirkiness they bring to an outfit. And let's be real with this-- nothing is more novelty than the VHS tape holders of our childhood past! Making this was the perfect mix of happiness and nostalgia and it was pretty easy and oh so inexpensive to make! 

What's even more exciting about this post is that I've teamed up with my friend Hailee, who runs the blog Bounding on a Budget, to show you BOTH of our takes on how to make a purse out of a VHS! We realized we were both working on a post on how to make one of these and decided to come together to mutually support each other and to bring two different versions to the table! You can check out her post here!

Hailee rocking her version where she used an old "The Lion King" VHS tape case!

Without further ado, lets SOAR into it!

I kept this as simple as possible to save on cost and to make it a no fuss DIY. This is most certainly a novelty item and probably won't work for everyday use, but it is a fun accessory for a day of light, ocassional wear.

Here's what you'll need:

- VHS Tape (I always see tons of these at Goodwill and yard sales! Heck, you may still even have some yourself!)

- scissors

- X-acto Knife (not pictured because I originally thought a hole punch would do the trick, but the knife worked better)

- hot glue gun and sticks

- pliers (not pictured)

- felt (your color preference)

- metal rings 

- purse strap

Once you have all of your supplies, you can take the X-acto knife and carve out 4 holes, two on the outer corners of the BACK half of the VHS. This makes it so the front of the VHS is what opens. Try not to make the holes too big and keep them centered on the edge of the case.

You'll then want to take pliers and pull apart your 2 metal rings so you can loop them through the holes. Depending on your rings and their bend-ability, you may not have to use them to pull the rings apart. Mine were very stiff and took a lot of effort to pull apart and put back together, which is why you'll notice in the pictures below that I didn't close them back. I instead opted to make them a little more secure by putting some hot glue in the holes and around the ring. I wore this to the park for over 5 hours and it didn't come loose once.

Next, I decided to use some pieces of felt, cut to size, to line the inner part of the case. I did this to reduce noise of the items moving around inside of the VHS case and to give it a more finished look. I simply hot glued them in place and over the corners that had the rings looped through.

Once you've glued the felt down, all that's really left to do is hook on the strap. There's many choices you have when it comes to this... You could use ribbon, a chain, an old strap from another purse-- GET CREATIVE and do whatever you have on hand to save money-- or you could go my route and buy a pre-made strap from Jo-ann's Fabric for under $8!

By using everyday craft products I already had on hand and cutting down on frills by keeping this simple, I was able to convert this VHS into a simple purse for under $15!

This doesn't hold a crazy amount of things, but it fits just about as much as any other clutch type purse would! I was able to fit my lipstick, comb, a few cards, and a phone in this. If you don't want to keep your phone in it, then I was able to fit my card holder in it as well!

I had so much fun making this and will definitely convert a few more whenever I need something a little fun to add to an outfit! I'm so happy I got to use this Dumbo one though that my dear friend Alex gave me! It makes it all the more special and magical!

Hope to see you guys create your own! If you do, be sure to tag Hailee and I so we can see your take on this fun DIY!

Until next time...

xoxo

Chelsea

Charming, I'm Sure | Prince Charming Inspired Outfit

They say a dream is a wish your heart makes and I'm here to talk about how putting this outfit together and shooting it with my friend Alex (Alexandra Royer Photo) was truly a dream come true for me! When I'm shopping, I always keep my imagination open for all the possibilities I see in everyday, non-Disney clothing. To me, it's where I can best let my personality and individuality shine! It's always so much more challenging and rewarding to me to make a Disney inspired outfit from something that was never created with the intent of being styled to Disney. So when I was shopping in Free People a few weeks ago at Disney Springs and laid eyes on this vest, I KNEW I had to do something with it. My mind immediately went to Prince Charming from the live action adaptation (CAN WE ALL TAKE A MOMENT TO APPRECIATE RICHARD MADDED?! SWOON. THOSE EYES). The color and detailing of it was so regal and elegant. I was completely obsessed with it. However, I tried to tell myself I didn't need it because as we all know, Free People can be a tad pricey and it's something I don't always feel good about recommending. I always try to shop and showcase more affordable pieces for you guys so for a few weeks I passed on buying it.  I just couldn't get it out of my head though! I was having literal DREAMS about styling this outfit! It was so bizarre!

So, I finally went back in and it must've been fate, because after looking at the vest again and drooling over it, I went to my rightful place in the sale section (LOL)! There, I spotted this wrap skirt with diamond pattern and luxe gold threading. It just had that feel of an almost uniform-type material. Literally a PERFECT fit to go with that vest. I decided right then that I deserve for my dreams to come true and I bought the outfit along with a cream bell sleeved top to go under the vest. Something about the drama of the sleeves and that extra fabric used to make it made it fit just as well as everything else. It gives it a sense of luxury that royalty would wear. To top it off, I added my silver sequin ears and a glass slipper pin I picked up from the parks. Ugh, it was just all so perfect!

From then, I was just waiting for the perfect moment to shoot it, but I knew I wanted to do it right so I wanted to wait until after all the holiday crowds went home before I even tried to get castle shots! I can't say how eager I was to finally shoot this outfit with Alex! She played an even more special part in this besides just being a photographer. She was so kind to let me borrow the final piece to this Prince Charming inspired outfit-- THE GLASS SLIPPER. This little detail makes the perfect finishing touch and was well worth bringing in one shoe through security. Definitely got some questions about it though! HAHA! 

I am so excited to share this dream that was brought to life. I hope you enjoy all the photos as much as we enjoyed shooting them!

I can't thank Alex enough for taking these photos. She is truly such an astounding creative person who vibes so well with my style and creative inspirations. She knew exactly what I was going for and really helped tell the classic story of Charming chasing after Cinderella. I am so lucky to have a friend and a working partner in her. 

I so hoped you all enjoyed this dream of mine! I love sharing outfits like this! I can't wait  to share more!

xoxo,

Chelsea

Product links:

Vest (on sale!)/ Similar Shirt/ Similar Skirt/ Similar Boots (on sale!)/ Ears

Call Me, Mickey! | Sponsored by OtterBox

There's no question that accessories make any outfit, but we often forget that one constant staple in today's outfit is our cell phones! Just like a good pair of dazzling shoes or colorful bag, cell phones can make a statement too! That's why I've teamed up with OtterBox as an OtterBox Ambassador to show off their Disney Classics line of cases! I took 3 of their cases and put together 3 different outfits to showcase that a cell phone case can add just the right amount of magic (and cellular protection) to any outfit!

With all I do on my phone; castle selfies, foodgrams, blogging, posting, emailing, Insta-storying, etc, It's important to me that I protect my phone and it be cute! OtterBox does just that! With the sleek, well-made design that OtterBox boasts with this line of cases paired with adorable graphic designs of Mickey and Minnie, it was so easy to put together 3 outfits that showcased my style in 3 different ways! I put together a chic, girly outfit Minnie herself would love, a sporty Mickey inspired look, and a more edgy look that was inspired by the new generation of Club Mickey Mouse! 

Before I dive in, I really do just have to attest to the quality of these cases. My first ever cell phone I had lived in an OtterBox case and it made it through soooo many drops and other oopsie moments! This new line of cases is no different and I am so proud that I have partnered with such a quality company that I am happy to tell you guys about! I will never promote a product I wouldn't buy myself, so with that said, LET'S GET STYLING!

"Who's the leader of the club that's made for you and me?!"

This outfit was the lead-off for the day and I LOVED it! I went for casual-edgy by wearing a simple ribbed midi dress with ringer detailing that added a little bit of a varsity-school vibe! It was so easy and comfortable to wear! To spice it up, I added this cool red faux leather jacket, and sparkly platform sneakers! To add some Disney magic and sparkle, I accessorized with my trusty silver sequin park ears, a shimmering circle bag, and last but not least the Mickey Scramble case! I loved how this case popped against my outfit! Since this case was more of a pattern in itself, I felt it really fitting to keep the rest of my outfit patterns minimal so that this case could SHINE! I loved seeing this case really standout in photos! It's definitely my favorite case for its subtly and it's the one I've chosen to keep on my phone! The trick to any good outfit is knowing when to go simple but still keep it fun! The red of the jacket and sparkle of the shoes were just the right pops to be great enhancements to the case!

To show off this Mickey Stride case, I wanted to go sporty, but incorporate some funky details that added some much needed texture and color! Mickey Mouse is comprised of such classic, iconic details and coloring, so I wanted to put a new spin on that! For my shirt, I went with this bright yellow tee with silver button detailing on the shoulders! Not only did this mimic and nod to the buttons on his pants, but it added some interest as well! To drive home the sporty look, I paired these striped leggings and kept the same sparkly sneakers on from the first look! The leggings fit like a dream and I loved the waistband on these! It added a nice break in the outfit and paired with the case so well! To top this look off, I paired my fave Mickey hat and fury backpack! This was Dylan's favorite outfit that I put together and I must say that I will be wearing this again (in and out of the parks) because it's just such a cool look! 

Minnie Mouse would definitely approve of this chic, dot filled outfit and for that reason it was my personal favorite overall! I had a blast mixing patterns, textures, and colors to make this a standout look! Even though Minnie's dress on the Minnie Stripes case features just that- stripes, I wanted to keep it classic and add contrast with this feminine polka dot blouse paired with distressed and embellished mom jeans! This outfit needed some color and my go-to is always RED! This worked out great because it pulled from the red in her dress on the case and the purse (similar) and heels (similar) made for such girly and striking accessories! I felt like I was going on the chicest coffee run ever! Minnie will always be my style icon and this outfit is just one of many ways I love to channel her!

I will be keeping all of these pieces, including the cases, in my wardrobe rotation for the new year! All of this refreshed my wardrobe in a much needed way and I can't wait to mix and match everything and style these cases in different ways! I plan on channeling Emma Swan from Once Upon a Time in that red jacket!! Isn't it perfect for that?!

I so hope you all enjoyed how I took inspiration from and styled all of this! I feel like I say this every time, but I think this is my favorite post yet! I loved getting to show off all the facets of my personal style in a cohesive way and I have to thank Alexandra Royer Photography for capturing it all and bringing my vision to life! I also need to thank Kristyne for always being there to fix details we sometimes don't catch! They're definitely my favorite Mouseketeers!

Now, the only question I'm asking myself is WHEN CAN WE DO THIS AGAIN?!

Until next time,

xoxo

Chelsea

Crop Your T's and DOT Your Eyes (Sponsored by Cath Kidston)

I stepped out in vintage-inspired style with Cath Kidston featuring Mickey and his friends to bring you this delightfully fun and quirky ensemble! I spent the day exploring the Orlando Eye (had to pay homage to London's Eye for this since Cath Kidston originates from there!) and having an absolute ball in this simple, yet cheerful outfit!

It's a such a perfect pairing to me that Cath Kidston collaborated with Disney to create this whimsical line of Mickey and Friends inspired pieces. Much like the nostalgic prints Cath Kidston uses in their designs, the Mickey & Friends collection fits right in with their overall aesthetic. What can I say, #DisneyxCathKidston is something that will never go out of style!

They've released an entire line featuring our pals and each piece is as surprisingly fun and original as the last, so when Cath Kidston reached out to work with me to style an outfit, OH BOY, was I excited!! 

 I was gifted the Button Spot Skirt and the Little Patches Round Bag, but trust me when I say that these are 2 pieces I would've been happy to buy myself. I was blown away at the quality of both pieces I was sent! The bag is so sturdy and is also easy to clean! (HUGE bonus for me as I often take these bags to the parks with me on rides!)

Before I dive into how and why I styled this outfit, I wanted to talk about the details of the 2 pieces I was sent!

When I first pulled the purse out of the box I immediately gasped! It was so stinkin' cute, a great size, and let's be real-- anything that's Mickey shaped is bound to make my heart happy! Not just that though, but the overall quality of the materials used to make the purse and how it is constructed is impeccable! It's so well-made and is made of a material that is easy to wipe clean if needed! The size was perfect for my everyday essentials and held my phone, car keys, wallet, comb, lipstick, and phone charger with some room to spare!

The skirt immediately made me happy because it's a beautiful, bold red adorned with sweet polka dots and a few familiar faces! I loved the doodle-look of the characters and how they complimented the pattern so well! This skirt features an elastic waistband in the back, so it can stretch and doesn't feel to restricting. The only slight drawback of this skirt is that it is a little sheer. I personally don't mind this because it keeps it more light and flowy, but just be advised that you may want to wear a slip under this like I did! Other than that, the skirt too, was excellently made with care and was so easy to wear!

Now let's get onto the details and more photos!

Cath Kidston is the Home of Modern Vintage for a reason!! Their signature prints and detailing paired with modern and easy-to-wear silhouettes is right up my alley. I love all the bright reds they used in this collection as well as the polka dots! I take a lot of inspiration from vintage designs, so styling this outfit was something I really wanted to get creative with! I used the Modern Vintage tagline to really guide my ideas about how I wanted this outfit to be represented.  So, with the 2 pieces I was working with, I wanted to create a nice juxtaposition to the vintage elements and add just the right dash of modern to really make this an eye-catching outfit. Once I put it together, I couldn't stop smiling! :)

I loved wearing this outfit out to explore the Orlando Eye Plaza which boasts the Eye itself with breathtaking, 360 degree views, but also lots of shops, restaurants, and even an arcade! It was the perfect place to wear this outfit and it was such a sweet way to pay homage to Cath Kidston's brand birthplace of London!

For this, I chose to pair a simple, form fitting striped crop top to add some quirky-ness with the pattern mixing, a pair of black booties that wouldn't steal away from the focus of the rest of the outfit, and this fun French braid that gave just a touch of edge to this sweet outfit! All of this together made for an awesome Disney Street Style which just yet again demonstrates that Disney elements can be worn anywhere, no matter where you live or how often you frequent the parks!

Both these pieces are ones that I know will get lots of love in my wardrobe and will be on constant rotation! I can't wait to style these 2 pieces for a park day to show you how universal and fit for purpose they are! Who says being an outfit repeater is a bad thing?! (Looking at you Lizzie McGuire! ;) )

If you haven’t heard of Cath Kidston, make sure to visit their site! You can shop the entire Mickey & Friends line of Disney products here.

Shop my skirt and bag here and here!

Thanks so much to Alexandra Royer Photo for capturing these images for me!

Stay styling, friends!

xoxo,

Chelsea

The Most Wonderful Time to Style (Sponsored by Francesca's)

It's the most wonderful time of year and it's also the first time I'll be spending that time in Florida! It's been a little over 6 months since Dylan and I made our big move here and we are so excited to see Disney at Christmas for the first time together! This is my first time seeing WDW transform into its beautiful state of holiday goodness and it's been nothing short of ~magical!~ Between seeing the castle light up and dazzle, to the resorts putting on their best garlands, I've been in awe of it all! With so many twinkling lights, rich colors, and festive trimmings, it's easy to get inspired when it comes to holiday wear!  That's what made putting together this outfit so fun! 

I've teamed up with Francesca's once again to bring you some serious holiday party outfit inspiration! Francesca's sponsored this post, but trust me when I say that I will only ever recommend brands and products to you that I would buy myself. :) (We all know I'm a devoted Fran's fan which is what always makes me so excited to work with them!)

Dylan and I love having date nights! We try to have one night a week that is just for us and we always try to make it a little special. When I heard that the resorts finally had all their holiday decorations up, I knew it would make for such a wonderful evening for us to go around and see them all and to take advantage of some of the special things they do during this time of year. The life-size gingerbread house at the Grand Floridian was the TOP of our list! Dylan and I were in awe of the MASSIVE tree in the Grand lobby as well as the carefully constructed gingerbread house that you can actually buy freshly baked and decorated gingerbread from! The Grand Flo does nothing half way and I was totally blown away! The gingerbread was truly scrumptious and worth the splurge of getting one of the intricately decorated snowflake "ornaments." We spent the rest of the evening just soaking everything in, enjoying each others company, and nibbling on the sweet gingerbread. It was so much fun and I can't wait to check out more of the decorations at other resorts on the loop!

When it came to what I would wear for this holiday outing, I wanted to shake up the proverbial style snow globe and do something a little less conventional! I didn't want to do the typical red dress and sparkly shoes (though Fran's has some insanely GORGEOUS options if you're looking for that), but I wanted to do something that could be used for several different occasions that happen between the months of November and early January. Think New Year's Eve, office parties, date nights, Christmas, etc. I wanted to style an outfit that could carry through til spring and not be too in your face Christmas. I also did my normal Styled by Magic ways and tried to channel a Disney character for this outfit.

If you've seen Cinderella, both the classic animated original and the live action version with Cate Blanchett as Evil Stepmother, then you will totally see where I got this inspiration. Even though the 2 characters who played a hand in inspiring this outfit are villains, you can't deny that they slay when it comes to the style and color palette inspiration category! Lucifer (from the original) and Evil Stepmother (from the live action) were the inspirations for this and I thought it was spot on! 

The fur vest was the perfect piece for adding a layer to make this more wintery, but still bearable to wear in Florida's basically nonexistent winters and it was my anchor piece that gave off total Lucifer vibes. It added just the right contrast of texture and is easy to be layered with sweaters and long sleeves if you get a real winter! 

The dress immediately reminded of the STUNNING Cate Blanchett and her vibrant, elegant, luxe wardrobe in Cinderella. Never have I drooled over a movie's costuming for a villain more! WOW! The colors were just, ugh, EVERYTHING. I am fan-girling and I am NOT ashamed! This deep purple color complimented with crushed velvet, floral detailing made for such a sweet party dress that could be worn for so many occasions. Not to mention that velvet is so luxe feeling and SO on trend! I chose to pull the jewel tones out with my accessories to add the dazzle and bling that makes for any perfectly festive holiday outfit.  The  marbled statement earrings, cluster ring, and gold glitter clutch added just the right amount of sparkle to lighten up all the rich tones and made this feel more holiday ready.

My favorite part of this entire outfit (besides the earrings) were these sock boots! Can we just appreciate those babies for a minute?! They are such a statement but in the most subtly amazing way. Their neutral color make them easy to pair with a plethora of things in your closet, but their style and embossed filigree make for such a chic style statement. I will be pairing these with everything that I possibly can because I just feel 10x cooler wearing them! It was also a good alternative to wearing sparkly heels, which aren't always practical if you get snow where you live! With every outfit I showcase for you guys, I always try to think about all of you who don't live in sunny Florida or near a Disney park, so I hope you guys enjoy that I style things that can be easily adapted to whatever your needs are!

I'm looking forward to styling all of these pieces individually in different ways to get the most wear out of them all through the winter season!

Until next time...

xoxo,

Chelsea

p.s. These photos were taken by my incredibly talented friend Alex Royer of Alex Royer Photography. She truly blew me away with these which is why I had to include a whopping 30 of them instead of my normal 10-15! I just couldn't choose!! Sorry not sorry! HAHA!

Details: Dress // Vest // Boots // Clutch // Ring // Earrings 

The Fairest Dapper Day | Fall 2017

Mirror, mirror on the wall, who's the fairest of them all? 

Hi friends! I am so happy and thrilled to be writing this post! I finally got to attend my first Dapper Day and it did not disappoint! I got to see so many lovely people step out in style for a day of fun at Magic Kingdom and I was so proud to be apart of it!

For those of you who may not know, Dapper Day is a day where people come together to show their appreciation for classic style and to strut their stuff. Since many Dapper Day's are held at Disney Parks, lots of people choose to put together dapper outfits that channel their favorite Disney character! That's exactly what I decided to do too!

For my first time attending, I knew I wanted to make it special and memorable so I went with the classic (and my favorite) princess-- SNOW WHITE! 

I had a ball finding the perfect pieces and getting just the right styling for this get-up.

Keep reading for all the details...

With any outfits I do, I always try to be as frugal as possible and reuse things I already have or get creative with where I source my pieces!

For this outfit, I reused a dress I had previously purchased from Unique Vintage to add the yellow I needed as the base for this Disney Bound. The 50s style swiss dots on this dress added such a sweet touch and was so flouncy and fun to walk around in!

For the other small, but crucial parts of this I went searching on Amazon.  I can't say enough how much I love Amazon for its convenient Prime shipping and VAST options. My gloves, socks, bow belt and blue cardigan all came from Amazon and I spent less than $45 for all 4 pieces! It was so gratifying to me that I was able to find such quality pieces that really just added SO much to the overall vibe of my outfit!

I knew I needed some show stopping accessories to add that WOW factor, so this is where I chose to funnel most of my budget for this outfit.

My sparkly Snow White dress purse is from Danielle Nicole Handbags and what I love most about this is that the shape of it was perfect for the era I was channeling. The glitter, size, and details made this the perfect purse for holding my necessities for the day! (Pro tip: While this purse typically costs $72 dollars, I was able to get my AP discount by buying at Disney Springs! Score!)

My parasol, which was the icing on the cake for this bound and really came in handy when keeping the sun off of me in the parks, was also from Unique Vintage! It really just made me feel so fancy and as if I stepped back in time! The pattern of it features apples, crowns, diamonds, and poison apples and could not have been more fitting!

For my shoes, I wanted to comfortable, but still stay true to the style and to Snow's look, so I decided to wear this $5 pair of flats from Walmart. Yes, you read that correctly! HAHA! 

Like I said, even though I planned this outfit for months, I also didn't want to break the bank, so it was important to me to save where I could without detracting from the feel of the look. I felt I achieved that the day I put it on and it just made my heart so full to see it come to life the way I envisioned in it my head!

This look would not have been complete without the beautifully retro style that Mychael from Atelier Salon (located in downtown Orlando) did for me! They were kind enough to do this style for me and I couldn't be more grateful for their kindness and generosity! I LOVED my experience I had while at their salon and if you ever need a cut, color, style, or even makeup application, look no further than Atelier. They treat you so well and go above and beyond to make you feel as beautiful as you all are on the inside. 

Mychael took so much time to make sure I had the style I wanted and he killed it! It was the cherry on top and I don't think I would've felt as put together and beautiful without it. 

(I just want to mention that I was in no way paid or told to say that and all the words above are my genuine feelings. <3)

I wouldn't have these beautiful photos of my look if it wasn't for Alex of Alexandra Royer Photo. She was a total STAR when it came to taking these for me! She has such a true eye and vision for fashion photography and she captured the details and my happiness so well! 

All in all, I had the most dazzling day and I loved seeing everyone! Everyone that attended inspired me so much with their creativity and style and I so look forward to Spring Dapper Day! 

I've gotta get to brainstorming on what I will do next!

Until next time...

xoxo

Chelsea

Hair: Mychael Peters of Atelier Salon

Photography: Alexandra Royer Photo

Product links: 

Purse// similar dress// socks// gloves// parasol// cardigan// belt

Archie's Girl | Betty and Veronica Style

I've got a major new crush in fashion and it happens to be the Betty and Veronica line! If you're familiar with Archie comics, or the hit new show Riverdale (my guilty pleasure at the moment), then you'll recognize Betty and Veronica as the babes and style icons of them both! Before I go any further, do yourself a favor and go watch the show! It's SO good! It has Cole Sprouse in it and that's all I really have to say about that! HA! But really, one of the main reasons I am enamored with this show and the comics is because of the fashion! So, when I got the chance to work with the line inspired by B & V, I just knew I would have loads of fun with it! 

What was so fun about this shoot and putting it together is that from the get-go is that we knew Mel's Diner at Universal Studios Orlando would be the perfect place for it! It's old fashioned, just like Pop's, and had that overall aesthetic that we were looking for! I shot this with my friends Kristyne and Alex and we all repped our best B&V style! 

Also, holla at yo girl because I am now a Universal Annual Pass Holder! Bring on all the Universal fun!

I can't thank Alex enough for taking all these photos! She is such a blooming talent, so definitely be sure to follow her photography account too to keep up with her creative mind!  

When it came to putting together all our outfits, we really wanted to each bring something different to the table.  We are all three so different but that's what made this so FUN! The Betty and Veronica line is filled with quirky, colorful, subtle, and not-so-subtle pieces, so it was a blast seeing how each of us made our own personal style shine! I think that really speaks volumes to the line itself too that 3 different girls were able to create outfits we all loved! 

I was all heart eyes for my denim patch jacket which the total star of my outfit! The denim itself was so soft and I loved looking at all the colorful patches on the back! Then I just threw on this cute Veronica beret (V is my FAVE), and felt like I had popped right out of the comics!

Between sippin' on shakes, chatting, and just having some photo fun, it was one of the best days I've had in a while! Can't thank these girls enough for that! 

I have a few more ideas for items from this line and I can't wait to share them with you all!

xoxo

-Chelsea

Product links... my denim jacket / beret/ purse

Kristyne's polka dot bomber

Alex's Veronica tee

Purrrfectly Paired in Paris | Dress the World Series

Can't mention Paris without thinking of the chic style that was born there so that's why I was so excited to put together this outfit in collaboration with Box Lunch Gifts! If you read my first installment of my Dress the World series then you know that for this post a $100 donation is being made on my behalf to Feeding America! I am so honored to be working with them on this as it is such a worthy cause! With that said, let's talk style because "after all this is France!" ;)

I took so much inspiration from Paris, France for this outfit which meant I wanted to have a white and black color scheme, polka dots, and feminine detailing! With Marie being one of my favorite characters and my Disney spirit animal, pairing this backpack with it was purrrfect! She adds just the right pop of color and was perfect for toting around my camera and other park essentials! I also chose to pair my Disneyland Paris 25th Anniversary ears with this outfit because DUH! I was able to snag these at the Paris pavilion and they have since been restocked a couple times but I'm unsure if they will be coming back! Fret not though because I will be giving a pair of these away SOON so keep and eye out for that!

I spent an early morning here in the France pavilion and I highly recommend coming here in the morning to enjoy some quiet time with a cup of coffee, a sweet treat from the bakery (MY FAVE), and possibly a girlfriend to chat with! Being in the pavilions before everyone crowds the park for the day is such a tranquil experience! Besides me and my friend Katie, there were only 5 or so people in the pavilion with us which was soooo nice! It really gives you time to take in all the detail and beauty without being overwhelmed by all the people! It also makes for really good photos with no other people in the background! HA! 

Paris offers my favorite scenery and quick service at the bakery, so it's so fun to visit even when the Food and Wine festival isn't happening! Since it is though I highly recommend that you check out their booth as they offer some of my favorite dishes of all for the festival! Here's what I would suggest:

The Boeuf Bourguignon

La Passion Martini Slush

Creme Brûlée a la Confiture de Framboises 

That's basically a triple threat paring of cuisine perfection and you will not be disappointed! 

I look forward to sharing my next Dress the World series installment with you! I'll give you a hint: It's an outfit worth fighting for! 

Until next time,

xoxo

Chelsea

What I'm wearing... Backpack (similar), skirt (similar)

Unfortunately the top I am wearing is currently out of stock, but I will update this post if it comes back!

Time for Tea

There's nothing I love more than a chance to get dressed up and be fancy for a day, so that's why The Grand Floridian Garden View Tea experience is one of my absolute favorite things to do on Walt Disney World property. I went for the second time with my friend Katie a few weeks ago and I'm already wanting to go again! Katie and I both took this opportunity to get all dolled up in our best tea attire and have a girls day! I was positively mad over how fun it was! Keep reading for all my outfit details and for why I love going to have tea so much!

You can't mention tea and Disney without thinking of Alice and all her friends, so when Katie invited me to tea, I knew this dress from the Dress Shop located in the Co-Op at Disney Springs would be perfectly classy and whimsical for our outing at the Grand. I am just so thrilled that Disney is offering dresses like these! Not only do they channel some of our favorite characters and attractions-- think Cinderella, Haunted Mansion, Orange Bird, Hollywood Tower of Terror and many more-- but they are quality made and worth the price in my opinion! This Alice dress was $98 (a little less if you have an AP! WOOT!) and fit me like a dream! I chose to wear mine with a crinoline underneath to add to the volume of the skirt and then paired it with the White Rabbit purse that is also available at the Dress Shop! This purse was roughly $50 if I remember correctly and is also well made and extremely adorable! The purse even boasts a little white fluffy tail! My favorite aspect of this outfit was the shoes though!! All the heart eyes for these darling lace brogues that really just pulled this outfit together to make it perfect for a day spent at the Grand. I love pieces like these shoes because they encapsulate a style from years past and it really just paired so well with the aesthetic that the Grand nails so perfectly. The look was finished with the classic silver sequin ears that are available at the parks and online! I'll link what I can below!

Now that I've gushed enough over this outfit, I want to give you my opinion on the actual tea experience!

To start off, this is a reservation only experience that can be made by calling Disney Dining or going to the Grand in person to make it.  This experience cannot be booked on the My Disney Experience app at the time that I posted this blog.

Tea at the Grand is certainly a special experience-- one that not all people would enjoy as much as I do or think is worth the money, but if you do in fact like tea, cute, yummy finger sandwiches, scones, marvelous jam spreads, and a decadent choice of desserts all while you sit by massive windows soaking in the Florida sunshine and receiving world class service from the amazing Cast Members that the Grand Floridian offers, then this may be PERFECT for you!

One thing you shouldn't expect from this experience and it's something I think that takes a lot of people off guard is that this isn't a heavy meal that you're sitting down to enjoy.  It is very much so a traditional tea experience with light fare. There are several different tea packages you can select off the menu that offer varying different things. I have personally went with the Bedfordshire Tea package both times that I have been to tea here. This includes your choice of a full pot of tea (I suggest the Enchanted Forest tea), an assortment of finger sandwiches, a selection of tarts, scones, and biscuits, and your choice of dessert ( I selected the fresh cream and strawberries for this time. HIGHLY recommend. The cream is AMAZING! The red GF dusted bowl I'm holding above is the dessert. I must say though, I don't feel you can go wrong with any of the selections offered.  They are all prepared by the GF's amazing kitchen and are all SO yummy looking! This package is around $35, but there are other packages that cost anywhere from $35-$150. The $150 package offered serves 2.

I think what makes this worth the money besides the fact that the food is amazing, but that the experience is as well. It is such a relaxing but fun experience that lets you feel as though you are British royalty just enjoying a day in the life. The service is excellent, the experience unique, and when done with some girl friends, it's truly something you'll cherish for years to come.  I also just love the change of pace that this is from doing the normal sun up, sun down park day.  This gives you a chance to unwind and just enjoy the 1st class amenities WDW resorts have to offer. Doing this would be the perfect opportunity to celebrate a birthday or any special occasion so keep this in mind next time you're looking for something different to do to celebrate someone or something in your life.

Now, if you don't like tea or are looking for a large meal, don't book this experience. This isn't something I would rush either, so if you're on a tight schedule and your main focus is the parks, then this won't be where you'll want to spend your time. If you're like me though, then you'll love getting all gussied up, chatting with your friend, and just taking in this lovely experience. 

This is something that I hope to be doing again soon and I hope some of you will think about doing it too! If you do, I would love to hear about your experience!

It's *time* for me to wrap this post up, but if you have any questions, don't hesitate to reach out to me!

Until next time,

xoxo

-Chelsea

Details:

ears// The dress and purse are only available for purchase at the Co-Op at this time.

Everyday Magic

Ever want to take that magic that Disney provides everywhere with you? SAME. Me too!! I've come to dress in a way that always makes me feel like a princess sprinkled with Disney magic and it is just so fun for me to put outfits like these together! This outfit is my ideal dinner date outfit because it mixes the perfect amount of whimsy and trendiness and I basically just want to twirl around in this skirt forever! I recently went to the Winter Garden area of Florida for the first time and I fell in love with its old southern charm mixed with modern establishments. The streets are lined with quaint boutiques, coffee shops, restaurants, and even an old fashioned ice cream parlor! I was swooning over this town that looks like a picture out of a storybook with its lush wisteria dripping from pergolas and fountains adorned with intricate tile mosaics. I was truly surrounded by magic and I felt like I was floating because of it! 

When I first saw this Balloon My Day skirt from Chicwish, I knew this was a skirt that needed to find its way to my closet! I gravitate so heavily towards dreamy, whimsical prints because they give me that feeling of magic without being in your face Disney.  In fact, I loved this skirt so much because it wasn't Disney, but more rather looked like an outfit a character in a Disney movie might wear! The full and feminine cut of this skirt made it perfect for prancing around and doing my best princess sashay while the blouse added just the right balance and focus on trends happening now! The bell sleeves, bow detailing, and neck cutout really gave this look just the right sweet sass. I paired this with a pair of glittering sandals (fit for Cinderella herself) and a high voluminous pony (this is Florida heat we're dealing with after all LOL) and made my way to Winter Garden to twirl under the setting sun and fragrant wisteria before heading out to eat with Dylan and some friends!

It was a lovely day all around and I so look forward to many more days like this spent exploring the gems my Florida has to offer.

Until next time,

xoxo

Chelsea

I'm wearing... skirt c/o Chicwish //similar blouse, similar blouse//shoes//lipstick

P.S. Why yes, I am that level of extra that brings a Mickey balloon to have with an outfit! HAHA! 

Do You Suppose She's a Foodie | Dress the World Series

I've fallen down the rabbit hole of Epcot's Annual International Food & Wine Festival and I cannot complain! Yesterday was the kickoff for all the yummy goodness and I was there bright and early to scope out all the booths! Before I dig into my favorite foods I tried, I wanted to talk about a little series I am starting in honor of the festival! Dress the World is an idea I've had for a while that I'm finally able to see through! Each look will be inspired by a country or a famous classic character from said country. This works out splendidly as all the posts will coincide with the Food & Wine festival which lasts until November 13th! Even more perfect, BoxLunch Gifts is sponsoring a few of these posts and each post I do partnered with them means a $100 donation will be made on my behalf to Feeding America. This is one of those posts! I am so proud to be working with a brand that seeks to aid and help those in need all while spreading happiness and magic with the products they sell! Without further ado, let's hop into this outfit!

The first stop on the Dress the World Tour was the United Kingdom pavilion! This has long been one of my favorites for many reasons! They have a whole entire shop dedicated to tea, they have some of my all time favorite subtle Disney merch, and it's home to 2 of my most favorite characters: Mary Poppins and Alice!

This look is obviously Alice in Wonderland inspired and I just love the pieces I was able to pair together for it! Purple is my all time favorite color so I especially enjoyed wearing this darling peplum top with sweet embroidery.

The shirt itself is loose, airy, and light which is great when walking in the sun around the World Showcase. To carry all my essentials, such as my rain jacket (one should never be caught at the parks without some rain gear), wallet, lipstick (obviously), comb, Tide-to-Go pen, and camera, I used this adorbale mini backpack from Loungefly! This backpack is so well made and the print is so whimsical and fun with its featuring of the Golden Afternoon flowers, Alice, and the sly Cheshire Cat's grin. The backpack may be little, but I was quiet impressed with all I was able to fit inside!

To keep this look light and cool as possible, but still looking sharp, I paired my trusty white pants with it, but cuffed them up a few times to give the look of capris. To finish off this look I laced up in my glittery sneakers and dawned my favorite purple polka dot mouse ears from the parks! 

It's important to me to wear clothes that are picture ready but also comfortable when going to the parks and this outfit was the total package for me! 

I'm wearing...Alice in Wonderland Mini Backpack, Alice in Wonderland Peplum Top, Glitter Sneakers , lipstick.

Now onto some highlights of the actual food...

Ireland Food & Wine Booth

Canada Food & Wine Booth

Now that I'm a local, I have the luxury of taking my time when it comes to trying all the booths the festival has to offer! The UK pavilion is the second pavilion you hit when taking a right into the showcase, so I made sure to hit up several of the booths on my way to the United Kingdom. I tried foods from Patagonia, The Almond Orchard, Australia, Canada, and Ireland! While I loved everything I tried from each booth, the Twinings Pumpkin Chai Tea and Caramel Shake (non-alcoholic) from the Ireland booth and the Canadian Cheddar Cheese Soup, Le Cellier Wild Mushroom Beef Filet Mingnon with Truffle-Butter sauce, and Neige Premiere "Apple Ice Wine" were the standouts! The shake was a perfect fall time treat and the pairings from the Canada booth were absolutely delightful! I especially enjoyed the ice wine for its sweet taste!

I am looking forward to trying more of the delectable offerings with each trip to Epcot I take! You can bet I'll be taking some magical style with me when I go too!

Katie, my ever patient and incredibly kind photographer for this post! Thanks for helping me shoot this and for braving the heat to make sure I got the shots I needed! You're the best! You can follow Kaite here.

Until the next food and fashion adventure...

xoxo,

Chelsea

Lady in the Street (Style)

Morning coffee and lunches with friends are one of my favorite things to get a little dressed up for! So that's why when I saw this feminine and light ASOS top, I knew it would be perfect for those sweet occasions. I created this lady-like look with my favorite lady feline Marie in mind and I love how easy it was to throw together! Feminine and whimsical detailing is what I always look for in my clothes and I think this outfit is such a perfect example of it!

When I first originally ordered this tank, I didn't have this precious purse to go along with it. I mainly bought the tank because I knew it would be easier to wear and it fit in with the rest of my clothing really well! However, one trip to BoxLunch (basically a trip down the rabbit hole) caused me to stumble on it and I KNEW I had to have it to create this outfit! I just loved the crispness of this look.  The all white of it gives it such a dressy aspect even though it's super comfortable. 

I'm pretty sure I have said this before, but my favorite way to add Disney to my outfits is with the accessories. I think you all are starting to notice that with my choice of backpack and purses! (; I also added a subtle nod to the feline aspect of this look with a cat eye makeup look and then some pink bracelets that mimicked a collar and tied in with the pink gingham bows on my shirt! 

I didn't do much with this outfit, but I love the final impact it gives for a perfect Lady Street Style! 

Now, I must go practice my arpeggios and pour that second cup of coffee.

xoxo,

Chelsea

I'm wearing... tank (ON SALE),bracelets (ON SALE), purse, eyeliner, pants (similar), shoes (similar)