Flower Power

Posted on May 18, 2016 by itsapplesandorangesblog

Two weekends ago I was in Brooklyn celebrating a birthday when I stumbled upon some amazing murals along the sidewalk. It’s such a rare occasion when I am able to take outfit photos that I of course jumped at the opportunity and made my friends take some of me on their cell phones.

(Disclaimer: Hence why they aren’t the best quality, but I thought why not share).

Not sure if living in London for part of last year had some influence in my style but as of lately I’ve been very much into dark colors, (Shocking right!). When I saw this dress it immediately caught my eye because it has dark undertones but what really stood out was the pop of orange. The dress is from H&M and I purchased it back in the Fall for $14.95! Side note: I am loving the fact that H&M now carries more of their clothing items in a size xl. Unfortunately it is no longer available but, there’s a similar sleeveless style at the moment in stores.

Now on to the boots! These white block heeled boots are one of my favorite purchases I’ve made in a while. I saw them on the Aldo website and proceeded to hunt them down in store. They are sort of an off white/beige shade with a chunky black and silver heel. They can easily be worn with jeans, dresses, skirts, shorts, you name it! Once again they are not available but I did tag the clear heeled missguided boots my sister wore in a previous post.

H&M Dress
Missguided Boots
Ray-Ban Aviators

Hope you all enjoyed this quick ootd. Ari and I will be traveling together soon, which means I’ll make her take loads of photos of me!

Till next time,

xx, Gwen

Spring Forward

Posted on March 23, 2016 by itsapplesandorangesblog

It is technically Spring in the North East, although it seems as if winter wants to stick around a little bit longer. For the most part I enjoy wearing which ever color I fancy on my nails, but I do tend to stick to darker hues for the winter and lighter for the summer. Which is why I went ahead and dug up some of my favorite pastel colored nail polishes in lieu of the “warmer” weather. Check them out…

From left to right:

Essie – Bikini So Teeny (Periwinkle blue shade, with a slight shimmer)

Essie – Mint Candy Apple (Minty turquoise shade)

OPI – You’re such a Budapest (Periwinkle purple shade)

Essie – A Crewed Interest (Light peach shade)

Barry M – Coconut (Milky Off white shade)

All of thee Essie and OPI shades were purchased either online through Amazon.com or at local drugstores/beauty supply stores. The Barry M nail polish might also be available on Amazon, but I purchased mine in the UK.

These five shades are great spring staples and are muted enough to wear even at the office (except for the minty blue). Hope you enjoyed this quick post and please share down below what some of your favorite “springy” nail polishes are.

Until next time,

xx, Gwen

Im in love with the COCO

Posted on April 29, 2015 by itsapplesandorangesblog

It is approaching the unbearably hot and humid temperatures that we all have a love hate relationship with here in Florida. Fair Disclaimer- I will be wearing less and less clothing in my fashion posts! On this day it was a particularly sticky one and I needed to be comfortable to walk around outdoors and explore. I found these awesome American Apparel high waist shorts with floral detailing at a local thrift shop. They are old season but I found some links below of the exact identical item if you are looking for a similar outfit. You can’t go wrong with denim shorts, a crop top (featured here before from Nasty Gal), any neutral cross-body like my favorite vintage Salvatore Ferragamo one and my pink Converse chuck’s that I’ve had since the 9th grade. Easy no brainer outfit perfect for what is sure to be a scorching summer. P.S this coconut was the best thing ever!! Links to items down below.

Similar Nasty Gal- Crop Top
Denim Floral Shorts- Here & Here

XOXO ARI

All roads lead to Rome

Posted on April 22, 2015 by itsapplesandorangesblog

Whilst in the UK I figured I would take advantage and travel around Europe as much as my pockets will allow me to. Italy has always been on my top places to visit list, but having to choose what city to fly to was the hard part. So we chose Rome, the capital of Italy, one of the oldest continuously occupied cities in Europe and home to an amazing array of historical sites. I thought I would share some photos of my time there as well as a quick look at two comfy outfits I wore while site seeing.

This city is absolutely breathtaking! To be amongst some of the most intricate and greatest works of architecture is such a humbling experience! Oh and I can’t forget to mention how delicious the food was! Splendido!

Before leaving I needed to pick up some lighter pieces of clothing and where better to find quick basic pieces than Primark! (I apologize for not having close ups of these outfits, but I’m sure you can still get the idea of what I’m wearing). I opted for comfort as we were going to be doing loads of walking. A cardigan is a must as there are times of the day when it feels a bit chilly or a gust of wind brushes by (especially while on the tour bus). I also picked up loose fitting tank tops and casual pants, once again perfect for walking.

I hope you all enjoyed my quick look into an amazing holiday! Have any suggestions as to where else I should visit? Leave them down below!

xx Gwen

Maybe she’s born with it

Posted on April 13, 2015 by itsapplesandorangesblog

Spring time is finally upon us! I am so excited to bring out some bolder and brighter lip colors now that the sun has decided to come out and play. Maybelline has launched some fun new products lately including these velvet lipstick pencils. I first purchased two colors from the Maybelline Color Drama range back when I attended London Fashion Weekend. I opted for a deep plum color and a blue toned red. I have recently added some brighter shades to my collection and thought I would share them with you all…

From top to bottom
Fab Orange: A fiery orange toned red perfect for those caliente summer nights!
Fushia Desire: An amazing blue toned hot pink shade, great with a flowy sundress!
Nude Perfection: No better name to describe this peachy beige nude shade, a good option when you’re on the go but need a hint of color on your lips

These velvet lipsticks glide on your lips just as the name suggests, super velvety! The texture is incredibly creamy and pigmentation is amazing! I do have to say they aren’t as long wearing as you would want them to be but I myself don’t mind having to re-apply every few hours or so. Also, I read a blog post stating that these could possibly be a dupe for the NARS velvet lipstick pencils (I cannot give my personal opinion on this as I do not own the NARS one) but hey for the inexpensive price tag of only £4.99 I would definitely give the Maybelline ones a go!

(To all my U.S peeps I am not sure if these are being sold back home yet, I know don’t kill me for posting things that aren’t available, I’m sure they will be soon)

What are some of your favorite bright lip shades for spring? Share down below!

xx Gwen

Nautical Spring Look

Posted on March 30, 2015 by itsapplesandorangesblog

We are well into spring although the weather has taken an odd turn towards cold these last few days in Florida. With that being said the day time is still very enjoyable for a nice casual outing. I went to the farmers market with friends and spent a lovely Sunday relaxing and sampling amazing food and crafts. My oufit of choice was based around these awesome horizontal navy blue striped pants purchased from Primark on my recent trip to London. Not only are they versatile and appropriate for work and regular life (a must these days) they are also trendy and have a nautical flair perfect for spring and summer. I paired them with this Ralph Lauren peplum button up, nine west tassel flats and my Kate Spade bag that is attached to my body at all times. All american and preppy, perfect for the weather and any occasion. Links to similar items below!

Striped Pants
Ralph Lauren Shirt
Nine West Flats

XOXO -Ari

The Backpack

Posted on March 25, 2015 by itsapplesandorangesblog

Is everyone totally on board with the backpack look? It seems to be one of those trendy pieces that takes a while to grow on some people. Although I am unsure of when it became cool again to rock backpacks I am certainly digging it! A hands free way of lugging around all of your possessions without sacrificing the aesthetic of a handbag is just pure genius! I figured with all of the walking around I’ve been doing in London I needed a stylish yet easy bag to wear while perusing through markets over the weekends (My favorite thing to do). So I went over to Asos.com and saw this faux fur backpack which I fell in love with! It has easily become my new best friend! I love how roomy and easy to carry it is. The faux fur also adds a nice touch to a mostly plain drawstring backpack (or rug sack? living in London has made me question every word that comes out of my mouth). Check out this bad-boy I picked up below as well as some other low & high end options for the spring time.

xx Gwen

London Fashion Weekend

Posted on March 1, 2015 by itsapplesandorangesblog

Based on the title of this post I am sure you can all guess I was over at London Fashion Weekend and boy did I have loads of fun! Upon arriving I located the tote pick up area (which was filled with amazing goodies as you will see below). I then proceeded to walk around the shops for a bit but not before grabbing some bubbly of course. Here’s a closer look…

I made my way to The Cambridge Satchel Company to check out a bag I’ve been lusting over for quite some time now. I am utterly delighted to say I am now a proud owner of one. I chose the 11 inch classic satchel in oxblood. So gorgeous! They were also offering complimentary engraving, which is such a nice way to add a personal touch to your new love.

I was also able to sit in on a catwalk show presented by Theoutnet.com in which they show cased this springs most popular trends. Hyper Florals, Shimmer and Shine, Make it Monochrome and That Seventies Show were the four categories demonstrated. Here are some of my favorite looks.

I have been in love with London fashion upon arriving here but being a part of this amazing weekend has taken my love to a higher level!

I leave you with a quick look at my outfit (although it isn’t too visible as I am still wearing my pea coat) Boohoo dress (Similar, the one I am wearing is velvet material), Target Booties.

xx – Gwen

NYFW Spring 2015

Posted on September 12, 2014 by itsapplesandorangesblog

“Every Year the women of New York leave the past behind and look forward to the future… this is known as Fashion week”- Carrie Bradshaw Sex and the City

New York City is at the forefront of fashion innovation which was beautifully displayed during Fashion week. Although I did not attend any shows this year I made sure I walked by Lincoln Center to catch a glimpse of the amazingly dressed people. Here’s a quick look at some of the designers I think did an amazing job to get us ready for this upcoming spring.

First up is Delpozo his collection displayed soft pastel hues, embellishments and pops of neon, great focal points if you ask me. Also we cannot leave out the beautifully floral embellished chunky oxford shoes.

delpozo by gwendolyn-pena featuring sandals

Next up is Ralph Lauren, a timeless man who I feel can never do any wrong. A glamorous safari is what I feel was the look he was going for and he accomplished it very well.

Ralph Lauren Spring 2015 by gwendolyn-pena on Polyvore

Then we have Marc Jacobs waist conscious jackets with a bit of military appeal which I think are to die for!

marc jacobs 2015 by gwendolyn-pena on Polyvore

And lastly Nanette Lepore’s collection was super fun and vibrant. A yellow laid back dress with pockets has my name written all over it!

nanette lepore by gwendolyn-pena on Polyvore

On to Street Style! Now we all know New Yorkers have hands down the best street style there is! (Sorry to everyone else all over the world. I am only kidding) Seriously though there were so many amazingly dressed men and women, I literally could not take my eyes off of some people as I was walking by.

street style by gwendolyn-pena on Polyvore

And there you have it my friends!
Waiting not so patiently for Fall fashion week 2015.

-Gwen

Spring has sprung!

Posted on April 3, 2014 by itsapplesandorangesblog

Hey Everyone! Not sure if where you live you are able to experience the joys of all four seasons, but here in the big apple we have finally managed to break away from a grueling winter and are slowly but surely welcoming Spring!
My favorite part about the weather changing is of course wearing less layers of clothing, adding more pops of color into my wardrobe and wearing fun and fresh makeup. I created a bright look to go along with Ari’s Spring Duo outfit.

Main products I used.

First I mixed the Loreal lumi foundation with the Revlon illuminizer in order for my face to be nice and dewy. Second I applied the Loreal magic lumi concealer/highlight pen (using the beauty blender for both). Third I used the entire Physicians Formula eyeshadow palette (on the right) so the colors would appear multi dimensional. Fourth I lined my bottom lash line with the Jordana mint eyeliner and smudged it out with a teal color in the BH cosmetics 60’s palette (not pictured, find link below). Lastly to give my self a sun-kissed glow I dabbed Sonia Kashuk’s bare illuminating bronzer to the area where I would normally place my highlight (above cheek bone). I finished off this look with Loreal’s voluminous mascara and a nude lip.