Gingham Check Shirtdress

 Shirtdress: J. Crew {similar version by BB Dakota} XXSP // Shoes (℅): Wills Vegan Shoes // Bag: Anthropologie (similar options here and here // Bracelet: Kiel James Patrick // Lips: Tarte 'Bae' // Belt: Ralph Lauren

It feels like the year has just started, and it's already the end of February.  I can't believe it!  Spring is almost here and it feels like the past two months have been packed with so much that they've just flown by.  

Honestly, it feels weird posting this outfit today because it's such a spring outfit, but California lacks proper winter weather and I've already broken out the short dresses and sleeves.  But hey, shirtdresses are okay year-round, right?  I love this gingham petite-friendly one from J. Crew (old, but I linked a similar one above)- it can be worn tunic style which is also cute, but I like adding a grosgrain sash to cinch the waist.  

I just want to say, thank you for all your kind messages and support left in the comments on my last post.  I'm so glad that you will be following along on my adventures this year- I think it'll be one of the most eventful years of my life.  Reading your sweet comments was the highlight of my weekend- well, that and curling up in a blanket with a mug of hot tea and watching the Oscars (that Best Picture twist at the end had me, for lack of better words, shook).   

What to Expect from Me in 2017 // Anthropologie Fairy Dress

These photos were shot in Hawaii around Christmas, but since I was travelling I didn't have a steamer and I failed to notice that my dress was hella wrinkled until I was editing the photos later.  I knew I wouldn't be able to make a full post out of these pictures, so I figured I'd use them for this post.  Look for a better post featuring this dress, coming to the blog soon.  :-)  This one is a post that I've been excited to share with you guys: What to Expect from Me in 2017.  

I know, it's the middle of February, and I'm a little late in posting this, but better late than never.  I've got some really exciting things lined up for this year and I can't wait to share them with you all.  So without further ado, here's what to look for from me in 2017.  

New York City

Perhaps the biggest event of the year for me will be living in New York City for a little bit this summer.  I'll be studying at Columbia University, so I'm temporarily moving to the Big Apple!  I am so excited to explore New York City and experience living in a urban setting.  I've already started planning out where I want to go and what I want to see, but if anyone has a recommendation that I should check out in NYC, please let me know in the comments!  And of course I'll be sharing a little bit more about the trip here on the blog so follow along.  I'm so happy to see where this adventure leads.

Ireland

This year I'll be taking my first international trip in a long time (it's been almost 5 years since I've left the USA last).  My destination is Ireland, a place that has been on my travel bucket list for a long time, and I'm going this spring.  International travel is something that excites me and terrifies me at the same time- on one hand it's so amazing to experience different cultures on the other side of the world, but on the other hand flying, especially long flights, always mess up my body in some way and I usually end up sick, not to mention the insane anxiety I get whenever I fly.  With that being said, I've been anticipating this trip for a long time.  I can't wait to snap some pictures and share this adventure with you as well.

Social Media

I've gotten much more regular about posting on Instagram, which I hardly ever did at the beginning of the year, and now I've got a schedule of almost every other day for IG posts {follow me @juliacmazzucato}.  This year I'm actually going to try and be more active on YouTube as a social media platform for my blog.  I'm going to try to put together fashion and lifestyle videos- some things I've considered are a Makeup Routine video, clothing/beauty hauls, vegan recipes, or maybe even travel vlogs while I'm in Ireland and New York.  Let me know if you would be interested in any of those things, and subscribe at Julia Mazzucato.

Self-Love

Over 2016, even though it was a difficult year, I got to know myself even more and become much more comfortable with who I am and how I look.  I talked a tiny bit last year about how I sometimes get really neurotic about photos of myself and how I tend to nitpick little details of myself until they're all I can see in a picture, sometimes leading me to trash entire photoshoots.  This is not mentally healthy at all.

I used to wear sunglasses in almost every blogpost to cover up my face.  There's nothing wrong with sunglasses, but I would wear them in posts where they were unnecessary to the outfit.  I just wanted to cover up my face because I was pretty self conscious about it.  Toward the beginning of the year I wore sunglasses in basically every post, but as the year progressed I started posting more and more outfits without me wearing them and showing my face a little more.  2016 was a really hard year, but the struggle makes you stronger.  I'm coming into 2017 with a renewed confidence in myself and my goals.

~~~

So that's what's coming in 2017 for me!  I'm very excited for this year's adventures and I can't wait to share them with you.  Thank you for following along on my blog and connecting with me.  The friends that I have met on here have made every single minute spent blogging completely worth it.  I hope you'll stick around with me this year.  Let's make 2017 a good one!

Parisienne // Striped Midi Skirt + Sweater

Sweater: BP at Nordstrom // Shoes (℅): Wills Vegan Shoes //  Dress (worn as skirt):  Who What Wear (similar here and here) //  Bag: Matt & Nat // Bracelet (℅): Kristine Lily // Watch (℅): VOTCH // Lips: Tarte 'Bae'

Let's talk breaking style rules.  I'm sure you've heard of more than a few so-called "style rules" as prescribed by "experts" that tell you to steer clear of a certain thing while getting dressed.  For example, I always grew up hearing that horizontal stripes aren't to be worn because they make you look wider.  Or that turtleneck's aren't stylish because they cover up the collarbone, a part of the body that's universally thought of as feminine and therefore should be exposed.  There are also a few special "rules" that apply to petites, like the rule that you cannot wear ankle strap heels because they cut you off at the ankle and make you look shorter.

Well, I'm here to say: throw those style rules out the window, and wear whatever the heck you want.  I didn't have any silly regulations in my mind as I put together this outfit, which was inspired by that effortlessly chic Parisian style.  I paired a few minimalistic and classic items like this black mock-neck sweater, a black and white striped midi, and my favorite pair of shoes, these block heels.

At the end of the day, fashion is our greatest form of self-expression and if we listen to all the rules, we won't have anything left to wear.  I happen to love horizontal stripes, and I'll continue to wear them.  I love that turtlenecks and mock necks are back in style right now, but even if they weren't I would still wear them because they're so cozy.  And no matter what kind of shoes I wear I'll still probably look short, because I am short, so I'll go with my block heels any time!

Roses are Red // Valentine's Outfit

Dress: Herve Leger // Bag (℅): 88 Handbags // Shoes: LC Lauren Conrad // Bracelet (℅): Kristine Lily // Lips: Tarte 'Bae'

Happy Valentine's Day!  The big holiday is rolling up on Tuesday and love is in the air.  I personally don't have any plans (being a happily-single Pringle), but that's probably a good thing, because for some reason- every year, without fail- something bad happens to me around Valentine's Day.  Case in point: I had surgery on Thursday.  It was a total surprise- I didn't know it was happening until the day before the procedure, but thankfully I'm healing up without too many problems.  It was just a small surgery on my shoulder with ten sutures.  I was a bit worried about shooting blog photos this weekend, but in the pictures above I just strategically used my hair to cover up the bandages!  Hope it's not noticeable.

Speaking of bandages (smooth transition there, Julia), I've been in love with Herve Leger dresses for the past year or so.  Previously, I'd always thought that HL exclusively made skintight bodycon dresses that were totally not my style, but I fell in love with their fit and flare Makayla dress- such a classy take on their iconic bandage dress designs.  I managed to snag this Phoebe dress on Poshmark and I thought it would be perfect for Valentine's Day!  Unfortunately it's only available in white now, but I linked some more gorgeous red HL dresses below in the widget.

What are your plans for Valentine's Day?  I'd love to hear what you're doing in the comments below.  As for me, I'll be sitting on the couch wrapped in blankets, popping ibuprofen (stitches get sore!), and watching La La Land.    Have a great week, loves!