Looks I Love {Spring is in the Air} & A Giveaway!

When I think of spring outfits, I think of easy layers, unfussiness, and bright colors. Maybe it's the fact that when it's spring I want to quickly throw something on and run outside to enjoy the day, instead of overthinking what I want to wear. A light jacket + a t-shirt + jeans, or a light jacket + a dress is the key to cool mornings and warm afternoons for me.

P.S. -- Check down below for a collaborative giveaway I'm doing!

 Army jacket, plain tee & distressed jeans

{The Fancy Pants Report}

 Pink lace dress with booties

{Sidewalk Ready}

 Mint, red & stripes

{Kacie's Kloset}

Jean jacket + yellow dress + white converse = spring perfection

{Kailani's Korner}

Floral!

{Signernoo}

Mixed patterns

{unknown}

 Denim shirt & flowy skirt

{Pinterest}

Patterned cardigan & citrusy colors

{Pinterest}

 ♥♥♥

Hello, everyone!

My name is Rachael from Letters from a Mermaid.

I am so excited to host my first collaborative giveaway with some of my absolutely fabulous blog readers! I have thoroughly enjoyed watching my blog grow and grow, and it only seems right that I give back with some help from some of the most loyal readers who have helped sponsored this fun giveaway. 

I am excited to announce that one lucky giveaway winner will receive a gift card to $15 Starbucks and also 2 bottles of Professional Color Concepts Nail Polish in Gold and Red!

What better way to treat yourself than 2 or 3 trips to the best place on Earth eating this...

While looking like THIS?!

 

This...

Or THIS combined?!

It's a sure fire plan to make you feel like a million bucks. 

Make sure you share the love and share this giveaway via your social media !

Good luck, everyone !

xoxo, 

Rachael + Friends

The Host: Rachael @ Letters from a Mermaid

Bloglovin /  Facebook / Twitter / GFC 

Beautiful Sponsoring Co-Hosts: 

     

Sincerely Sara

 Twitter / Bloglovin  

Cute LA 

Twitter / Bloglovin 

Fabulous Petite 

Bloglovin / Twitter 

Happiness Isn't a Destination
http://happinessisntadestination.blogspot.com/
GFC / Instagram

Lulu And Daisy 
Bloglovin / Twitter

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Which looks do you love?

Happy Monday!

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A Blogger Book Swap: I Love New York City

The next link-up post for the Preview to Summer: A Blogger Book Swap is I Love New York City!

I love the idea of this link-up because I live right outside of New York City, or as people here call it "the city," so I'll always soft spot for it in my heart. One of the reasons I love this city so much is because people from all over the world live here. On a regular day I hear three languages in the span of five minutes, I meet people who are from a different country, and come into contact with ideas, religions, and politics that are dissimilar than my own, and I think it's amazing!

ONE | Forever by Pete Hamill

In 1741, a young man from Ireland named Cormac O'Connor sets out on a journey to avenge his father's death at the hands of the Earl of Warren by following the Earl to the island of Manhattan. While on the ship, Cormac meets Kongo, an African slave, and after the two join the rebellion against the British, Cormac is shot saving Kongo. Kongo's dead priestess grants Cormac eternal life so long as he never leaves the island. The book follows Cormac as well as this thriving city as it grows into the 21st century. {Buy the book}

TWO | Manchild in the Promised Land by Claude Brown

An autobiography, this book a thinly fictionalized account of Claude Brown's childhood as a hardened, streetwise criminal trying to survive in the tough streets of Harlem in the 1940s and 1950s. Published in 1965, it realistically portrays Harlem life: the tough kids, the hardworking parents, the hustlers, drug dealers, prostitutes, police. What's oddly great about this book is the underlying humor and the fact that Brown is unapologetic about what he did as a child and teenager. {Buy the book}

THREE | The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald

The classic book follows Nick Carraway when he first arrives in New York in 1922 and moves next to the mysterious man named Jay Gatsby, who throws lavish parties every weekend. Through the eyes of Nick, we see all that Jay Gatsby has done in order to win over the love of his life, Daisy Buchanan. As Nick becomes more involved in the glamorous life of the rich he sees that in actuality it's a life of empty, immoral people. {Buy the book}

Have you read any books that take place in NYC?

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New Buys

I realized that I haven't done a new buys post for quite a while. I've been trying to incorporate what I purchase into outfit posts instead, so I can just show how I wear it. Although maybe now and then it is nice to show you the items and then let you wonder how I'll style it. I'm so mysterious, I know.

Prabal Gurung x Target Dress {50% off in stores!} & Forever 21 Cuff {worn here}

This was the first time I bought a designer collaboration dress from Target!

Reasons I wanted it: it's red, fit and flare, has pockets, and it was 50% off!

Old Navy Dress & Forever 21 Headband

Cute bright summer dress

 Ever + Mi Crush Peplum Top (via giveaway) & Old Navy Polka Dot Jeans

Love this lace peplum top & my first pair of subtle printed pants -- polka dots!

 ByLucianaM Hashtag Heart This Tee {worn here} & Forever 21 Neon Coral Jeans

Super soft t-shirt and bright coral jeans

Forever 21 Button-Front Romper

Perfect for lounging around!

What do you think?
Have you bought any summer clothes recently?

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Inspired By: The Spring Season

I'm so excited that spring is finally in the air! It's sunny, warm, and breezy, and it makes me want to spend all my time outside basking in the sunshine. Suddenly running errands doesn't seem so terrible if it means I can feel a warm breeze on my skin.

This past Sunday wasn't a great day personally*, but it was still absolutely beautiful outside. Perfect temperature, sunny, a little breezy, so even though I was feeling like crap I laid out on the grass in the sunshine for a while (with my dog Princess to keep me company) in my dad's large backyard and it made everything a little bit better.

*The hearing in my right ear was off and I thought I had an ear infection, so I wasn't feeling good and was anxious about what was wrong. On Monday I went to see a doctor and it turns out my wisdom tooth had hit my Eustachian tube, which connects your mouth to your ear, so the tube was inflamed which did something weird to my hearing. I'm taking Sudafed and things are slowly getting back to normal! The body is a weird thing.

Sunny Days

{Click here for item info} 

Days are so much better if they're sunny, doesn't you agree? There's something magical and happy about a sunny day and feeling the sunshine on your skin, even if you're just walking to the bank to pay your bills. In order to feel that happiness on cloudy or rainy days as well, why not dress in the sunniest color there is -- yellow! Try a striped yellow dress, floppy hat, yellow earrings, tie-dye Keds, and a crochet-covered belt. Or instead put on yellow jeans, a white tee, a sky blue cardigan, blue pointed flats, and a yellow necklace.

Flowers in Bloom

One of the great joys of spring is seeing flowers popping up everywhere -- on trees, in bushes, on your front lawn, in your windowsill, and even in cracks in the pavement. It's so nice to get a colorful bouquet of your favorite flowers to spring-ify your home. To dress a little bohemian, put on a floral headband, flowy coral top, floral-print jean shorts, floral bracelets, and colorful sandals. Or if you feel like dressing up, try a delicate floral dress, a light blue floral necklace, cute blue wedges, and a floral clutch.

Bicycle Rides

One of my favorite things about spring is being able to break out my bike from the confines of my dad's basement. Nothing makes me happier than dusting off my purple bike and going on my first ride of the season. If you're bike riding on a date, then wear a white pleated shirt, bicycle print skirt, orange flats, and bicycle print scarf. Or if you're riding to do errands, put on a bicycle print shirt, distressed jeans, bicycle necklace, teal sneakers, and cute blue backpack.

Little Flying Friends

Of course spring also means the re-emergence of those tiny little creatures called birds and bugs. Yes most of them are annoying and creepy (Can I get a restraining order for bees and mosquitoes please?), but lots of them are so cute and the perfect spring wardrobe inspiration. If you're happy about hearing the happy chirping of birds in the morning, then wear a nude bird-print top, navy trousers, nude heels, bird-print scarf, and blue backpack. Or if you're fond of insects, try a lady bug-print top, dark jeans, red ankle-strap flats, bee dangle earrings, and insect ring.

P.S. -- Check out my guest post from yesterday on I Believe in Story!

What's your favorite thing about spring?

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(via Pinterest, Pinterest, Britta Nickle, Britta Nickle & Pinterest)

Movies I Want To See (May 2013)

I didn't get a chance to see any movies last month (if you did, what did you see and did you like it?), but I'm pretty sure I'll be going to the movie theater many times within the next few weeks. My brother Ben won six movie tickets, so Ben, Leo, and I get to see two movies for free! Now we just have to decide which two because there are so many that look amazing! 

P.S. -- Check out my guest post on I Believe in Story!

Iron Man 3

When Tony Stark's (Robert Downey Jr.) personal world is torn apart by a new enemy called the Mandarin (Ben Kingsley), he goes on a harrowing quest to rebuild his life and find the man responsible. He will have to rely on his ingenuity in order to protect those closest to him. But does the man make the suit or does the suit make the man? (May 3)

The Great Gatsby

Based on the classic novel by F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby tells the story of Nick Carraway (Tobey McGuire) when he comes to New York City in 1922 in the hopes of attaining the American Dream. He moves in next door to Jay Gatsby (Leonardo DiCaprio), the mysterious millionaire who throws parties every weekend, and across the way from his cousin, Daisy (Carey Mulligan), and her philandering husband, Tom (Joel Edgerton). Nick is drawn into the dazzling but deceitful world of the rich. I can't wait to see this one! (May 10)

Star Trek Into Darkness

In this sequel, the crew of the Enterprise is called back home to Earth to find an a man who has sparked terror within the organization and has left the world in a state of crisis. With a personal score to settle, Captain Kirk (Chris Pine) sets out to a war-zone world to capture a one man weapon of mass destruction (Benedict Cumberbatch). My dad is a huge Stark Trek fan, so I'll definitely be seeing this! (May 17)

The Hangover III

In the third and final film the series, the Wolfpack (Bradley Cooper, Ed Helms, Zach Galifanakis, Ken Jeong, Justin Bartha) hits the road and all bets are off. This time there's no wedding or bachelor party, so what could go wrong, right? (May 24)

Now You See Me

This adventure thriller pits an elite FBI squad (Morgan Freeman, Mark Ruffalo, Melanie Laurent, Michael Cane) in a game of cat and mouse against "The Four Horseman," a team of the world's great illusionists. These illusionists (Jesse Eisenberg, Woody Harrelson, Isla Fisher, Dave Franco) have pulled off a series of daring heists during their performances while staying one step ahead of the FBI. This movie looks so intriguing! (May 31)

Other movies coming out in May:

• Aroused (May 2)
• Generation Um... (May 3)
• Greetings from Tim Buckley (May 3)
• One Track Heart (May 8)
• And Now A Word From Our Sponsor (May 10)
• Peeples (May 10)
• Black Rock (May 17)
• Epic (May 24)
• Before Midnight (May 24)
• Fast & Furious 6 (May 24)
• Fill The Void (May 24)
• After Earth (May 31)
• Shadow Dancer (May 31)
• The Kings of Summer (May 31)

What movies do you want to see this month?

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(via 1, 2, 3, 4 & 5)