Current Favorites + #FlirtyFallFlatlay

Denim Shirt: Old Navy | Bralette (similar): Aerie | Necklace: H&M | Wool Hat (similar): Nordstrom

You'd think after a year of living in Los Angeles, I'd come to terms with the fact that fall doesn't officially start until end of October. Nope. The second September came around, I was forcing myself to subside the overwhelming heatstroke while I proudly walked around in knit sweaters and ankle booties.

Eventually, I got sick of my righteous parade and accepted that Los Angeles needed some time. It was as far in denial as I was and we're all going through some transitional period in our lives, right? So I reined in my need for cloudy weather and crunchy leaves and started with pulling back in the wardrobe department. Today, I teamed up with Adore Me, a subscription lingerie brand, to bring you a typical LA "fall" outfit for me in the form of a #FlirtyFallFlatlay (pants not pictured but most definitely worn).

I know. Me and lingerie? What?

A Mess Is Just An Opportunity To Clean

Oh hey! Remember me? The girl who said she'd try (keyword *try*) to regularly blog throughout the year? The one who you didn't believe anyway because you're pretty sure she has said that in almost every post?

Well I'm still here... and I'm taking it easy.

Waiting For The Sun

Who is Jim Morrison and why does he have a hidden “cave” named after him on Corral Canyon Road? When I first approached writing this post, I didn’t bother to think twice about it. But then I thought, well I climbed through a narrow claustrophobia-inducing crack to his now pink abyss, so I better know who this man is.

Muses and Amused at The Getty Museum

Is it unconventional to go to a museum on Christmas Eve? On a day that should be spent home with family, friends and feasting, Jenn and I did the opposite. We made the trip to The Getty to get lost in our own world for a bit.

Those Are Swans, Not Flamingos

Imagine the earth-shattering moment Jenn exclaimed, "those are swans, not flamingos!" The doe-eyed look on my face could never express the sadness that overcame my body (and the feeling of utter stupidity). How many times have I looked at the countless flamingos-now-swans in their screen printed eyes and gushed over how much I loved them. The betrayal.

Not A Lot Going On At The Moment

Turning (and feeling) 22 wouldn't have been complete without an outfit homage to the happy, free, confused, and lonely at the same time woman herself: Taylor Swift. How many outfits have I dedicated to Miss Swift by now? I feel like this is a not-so-secret fan blog at this point. But in all honesty, I've admired Taylor's outfit for quite some time now and since it is my "trick-or-treat yo'self" birthday month, I decided to semi-splurge on an outfit.

Artisans Love Cheese and FroPud

I think it's time I put my foot down. No more cheese for me, at least for the time being. I'm already thinking of all the mac and cheese I'm missing out on as I type this, but after a week straight of cheese-infused meals I'm all dairy-ed out. Let me tell you something about cheese: hipsters love it. Over the weekend, I attended Artisanal LA with Jenn since I got free wristbands from work, and almost every other booth was an artisan cheese booth. What is it about cheese that makes it so versatile to cater to the masses of us artsy hipsters (as if they would accept me as one)? Is it the different farm animals it comes from? How many other hipster ingredients they can somewhat seamlessly blend with it (ex: espresso and lavender)?

Stay tuned as BTB's Bella investigates.

I Love My Boyfriend (Jeans)

Today, I had the pleasure of shooting with my sorority sisters, Jenn and Tiffany, to be featured in UC Davis' online magazine. When I was told to wear an outfit that described my style and personality, my boyfriend jeans were the first piece that jumped to mind. I love my skinnies, but boyfriend jeans have earned a special place in my heart... right next to chicken nuggets.

Back to Bella: Blog Inspiration

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Back to Bella is still in the works, but I am very excited about the direction it's heading in. For years, I've been struggling with keeping up with my blog because it's been so hard to figure out its purpose. I didn't believe I was blogging for the right reasons, but I knew deep down that I loved blogging. So I am so excited after taking a year hiatus to announce that I am back. And yes, with a new blog name. Again. Sorry.

Back to Bella is exactly what it means: the blog is getting back to me and who I am, what I like, what inspires me, and more. Before when I blogged, I focused solely on fashion and becoming a "fashion blogger" when truthfully, as much as I love the fashion world, I love blogging about everything that resonates with me. That usually means more than just fashion. So now I am a self-proclaimed fashion and lifestyle blogger. Not much of a difference, but for some reason I feel like a huge weight has been lifted off my shoulders, and more importantly, a clearer mind to get things rolling.

This blog is me getting down to the bare bones - thus going back to the basics (hoho, see what I did there?). It's a reminder for me for whenever I start to stray from my philosophy, to get back to what makes me Bella and to stay grounded. A lot of this has been reflected in my wardrobe. I've always gotten swept up into the tornado of fashion trends and after noticing my yearly pattern of purging out my closet, regretting almost every purchase made that only lasted a few wears, I ended up with the same loyal pieces that have witnessed and comforted me through it all. Now that I'm reaching my official "legal adult" year as a 21 year old, I found out what works best for me are basics. I love a good white tee, a pair of insanely comfy boyfriend jeans (thank you Gap), and I've practically worn my black ballet flats to death (but really, I should get another pair. What? Excuses? Maybe).

Above is my inspiration mood board for both my wardrobe and my blog. I'm loving minimalism, clean and crisp whites, chunky gray knits, funky patterns, and a touch of botanical influences. I'm even planning to redecorate my room (more posts on that to come). In the meantime, enjoy my mood board, make one of your own, and tell me what basics are your must-haves!

Until next time,

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