Style: In The Jungle

And when I say "In The Jungle" I actually mean "In the upscale, suburban, grassy park of Lido Island residential community"... But let's just use our imaginations for the sake of this post...

The first thing I must address is that these are my favorite jeans.  I found them at H&M over a year ago and they are called HI SQIN.  They are high waisted skinny jeans and they fit me unlike any pair of jeans I've found before.  I have a butt and hips, but my waist is relatively small in comparison, so I've found that wearing things that sit at my waist tend to be most comfortable, don't cut me off in unflattering places, and usually stay put.  Not to mention these couldn't have cost more than $30!  Unfortunately I can't seem to find the style in any store anymore so if you happen to come across this fit, PLEASE let me know. Or buy them and resell them to me at an astronomical price.  Either option is fine.

Now, I've been seeing a ton of crop tops over the last year or so and although they look really cute and summery, I found that most of them weren't particularly flattering on my body type.  I wasn't about to pass up all these cute styles though, so I found my own way to make them work.  By pairing them with higher-waisted jeans or skirts, I was able draw attention to my waist, rather than the lower, lets say "squishier" part of my stomach, that low rise jeans often highlight.

I found the leopard top on Hautelook and it is made by designer Annalee+Hope.  This is my first piece of clothing from them but it definitely won't be my last.  Leopard print can be tough as it can teeter on the "cheesy vs. chic" border very easily.  I really liked this print though and I thought the sheer black panels on the shoulder gave it a little extra flare.  Of course, because I am no professional stylist, I wore a nude bra with straps for this shoot that you can see quite clearly through the sheer.  If it means my boobs are a couple inches higher though then it's all worth it.

With neutral colors like browns and blacks I usually like to add a little touch of color.  The turquoise in these St. Eve bracelets added just the right amount when mixed with more gold and brown toned bracelets.

Photographer: Stefan Brysha

Hair: Lindsey Carter

Location: Lido Island, Newport Beach, CA

Shirt- Annalee+Hope; Black Jeans- H&M HI SQIN; Nude Pumps- Vince Camuto; Turquoise Cross Bracelet, Turquoise Skull Bracelet, and gold chain triangle necklace (worn as bracelet)- St. Eve Jewelry; Braided Brown Leather Wrap Bracelet- Marc by Marc Jacobs;  Brown Multi-Strand bracelet with Gold beads- Unknown (gift)