.Garden Rose.

Blouse, Forever 21 {similar here & here & loving!} // Skirt, Forever 21  {sold out, loving this & this}// Shoes, Old Navy {old, similar here & here} // Sunnies, Karen Walker // Glitter Clutch, c/o BNB Styling // Necklace, c/o Coralee Boutique {sold out, exact version here, similar here} // Bracelets, c/o Sage K. & Co., Jcrew {old, similar here} // Rings, c/o In Pink // Lips, MAC 'Pink Nouveau'

Recently my cousin got in engaged to her longtime boyfriend & one of the sweetest guys I have ever met. When she asked all of us girls out to dinner because she "had something for us" we had a feeling we were going to be asked to be in the wedding! Shelby's the baby out of all of us girls so this was a really special moment. When we were all younger, we'd stay at my Grandma & Grandpa's and play wedding for hours, weird to think that this is the real thing. We all met at one of my favorite restaurants, Beau Bo's, in La Mesa. If you're in San Diego, this is a must and you have to try the Brussels sprouts, yes you heard me correctly! They are simply delicious. Also, the "City Lights" cocktail is maybe the most delicious cocktail I've ever had! Anyways, back to the wedding talk! She made the cutest little boxes for us girls filled with glittered champs, nail polish, Burts Bees lip product, the color swatches, and the sweetest handwritten note that brought everyone to tears....except me, I'm missing the girly gene when it comes to crying at special moments :) Of course we all said yes!! Let the planning begin. Did I mention we have 8 weddings already in 2015?! It's going to be a crazy, fun year filled with lots of love!!

{When I grow up I want to be...Shelby's Bridesmaid!}

Naturally the moment Shelby asked us to go to dinner for girls night, I started planning my outfit. Am I the only person that plans their outfit the moment an event is even being thought about?! I knew I wanted it to be girly, shocking I know. I really wanted to wear a dress, but nothing in my closet was cutting it and I have been trying to be good and not shop the past couple weeks. Because, did I mention I have 8 weddings next year, yeah I need to save all the money I can! While trying to come up with an outfit, I randomly paired this top with my fav blush eyelet skirt {last seen here}. Smitten is the first word that comes to mind when I think of the outcome. I felt like I should be at a tea party in an English garden. The rose print with the eyelets just works perfectly! Don't you just love mixing things up in your closet and coming up with outfits you never knew you had!!

I hope everyone has the best Friday and a fabulous weekend! Don't forget to enter the #StarlingDarlingGiveaway for your chance to win a gift box valued at over $300!!!

XOXO, Kayla

Daily Doses of Darling:: Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest & Bloglovin'

.Beauty Must Haves.

I am by no means a beauty expert, heck most of the time I have NO idea what I'm doing. The past year or so I have been obsessed with watching Beauty YouTube videos to help learn tips & tricks.  I have  tried a lot of different brands and products that I never would have if I didn't watch the videos. While I'm still a beginner when it comes to applying makeup, I do have a handful of products that I can count on & I wouldn't be able to live without. I always enjoy reading about other bloggers/YouTube girls favorites, so I figured I would share with you!! I would seriously LOVE it if you told me what your "go to" products are!

Urban Decay 'Chill' or 'All Nighter' Setting Spray- I cannot live without this magical spray!! Seriously, this little baby has gold in it. It takes your makeup from looking so-so, to wow in three little sprays. I use it every time I get ready. I especially love it when I'm wearing mineral makeup because it gives you a dewy look without looking oily. It makes my makeup last all day long. Since I get ready Monday-Friday before 6am and we typically take blog photos 12 hours later, this is a major must have!! I typically wear the "All Nighter" formula, but Sephora & Ulta were out last time, so I tried "Chill" . I don't notice much of a difference, but I do prefer "All Nighter". This spray is serious Holy Grail for my makeup collection.

Benefit POREfessional Primer- This is one of those WOW products. The first time I used it I think I was speechless. I don't use it all over my face, I just pat it into my pores on my nose and sometimes the T zone. It's a flesh colored primer that seriously makes your skin look flawless. Once you try this product you won't be able to live without it.

L'Oreal True Match Lumi Foundation- Over the past couple years my skin has changed drastically and is now typically very dry. While I would rather deal with this, than being oily with breakouts, it can be quite frustrating when trying to find foundation. I have tried numerous brands and formulations, ranging from high end to drug store, I would have to say this is my favorite formulation so far. I have been using it daily for about 5 months and have nothing but praises. I get ready really early in the morning, I'm talking before 6am, and it's still on well into the night. If we are going out at night, the only thing I would do is touch up with powder. It's very hydrating without being greasy or too dewy looking. I don't even wear an all over primer with it. If you have dry skin I would definitely check this out.

BareMinerals Matte Mineral Powder- I know what you're probably thinking, I just talked about how my skin is and I'm using a "matte" powder. Well, for whatever reason this powder does not dry out my skin. This formula has been my go to powder for about 4 years now. I also have a backup of this on hand. I opt for the matte version because I don't like the shimmer that's in their original formula. This is my favorite powder for blog shoots because it takes all the shine out of my face without leaving my skin looking dull.

The Balm Mary-Lou Manizer- This highlighter is perfect! It's creamy, buttery, and blends in SO easy! It can be a little much, so make sure you apply sparingly so you don't look like a disco ball!

Maybelline Fit Me Concealer-  This is a fabulous under eye highlighting concealer. It works just as good as any high end one I have tried. I love how awake it makes me look even when I feel half asleep!!

Tarte Amazonian Clay 12-Hour Blush, Flush- Tarte is one of my favorite makeup brands, so it was no surprise when I fell in love their blush. Just like the name suggest, it's long lasting, almost like a cheek stain. I love the baby doll pink color of this one and I'm dying to try more from the line!

Mac Lipgloss 'Saint Germain'- The perfect milky, creamy pink. I typically wear it layered over any Revlon's 'Prim Rose' or MAC's 'Pink Nouveau'. It looks great with just about every pink lipstick from light to dark. It also looks great on it's own for a more natural look.

MAC 'Pink Nouveau'- My favorite MAC lipstick, ever! It's the best bubble gum pink I have come across. Some of MAC's colors can dry my lips out, but not this one; I love the formula. It stays on for hours and goes with just about anything. When I don't know what to wear, this is usually what I reach for. Chances are if you read my blog, you have seen this color in just about every picture lately!

Revlon 'Prim Rose'- Another product I tried thanks to one of my favorite YouTube girls, Melmphs! This is another lipstick that I cannot live without. In fact, I'm running dangerously low and will have to pick up another ASAP! It's a cool-toned pink that leans towards a slight purple shade. I remember her saying that it was a dupe for MAC's 'Snob' and that's what got me to try it. I love this color on it's own when I'm tan and really love it layered with MAC's lipglass in 'St. Germain'. I really recommend trying this color, since it's drugstore, the price tag is nice too!

Maybelline Pumped Up! Mascara-  This is the BEST drugstore mascara I have tried in a really long time. I have tried just about allll of them too! The reason why I really love this formula is because it gives me length and volume all without getting clumpy or super hard! I'm not a huge fan of when mascara gets hard and you have to spend 15 minutes getting it off.

Make Up For Ever, Smoky Extravagant Mascara- I have to thank Sephora for this discovery! If you're one of their beauty insiders, you get a little sample pack this year from Make Up For Ever. This mascara was included. I fell in love with the formula and the fact that it didn't transfer to my eyelids, even after a long day. I ended up buying the full size because I loved it that much. While I think this is an amazing mascara, the formulation did dry out pretty fast and for $25 a tube, that doesn't make me very happy. I am enjoying it layered with the Maybelline mascara. The two work so well together that I have been taking a break from my false lashes when we go out!!

Ardell Lashes '109'-  {not pictured} When I do feel like having that "something extra" & wearing lashes, these are my go to! They really open up the eye while still looking natural. As natural as you can look with fake lashes :)


{A couple of my favorite YouTube girls: Fleur De Force, Essiebutton, Missglamorazzi & Kylie Rose}

XOXO, Kayla 

Daily Doses of Darling:: Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest & Bloglovin'

.Ruffled Tunic & A Huge Giveaway.

Blouse, c/o Starling // Jeans, Old Navy // Wedges, Steve Madden {old, loving these & these} // Necklace, c/o Accessory Concierge // Bracelets, Jcrew, c/o Sage K. & Co., c/o In Pink // Rings, c/o In Pink // Sunnies, Karen Walker //Purse, Rebecca Minkoff // Nails, China Glaze 'Dance Baby' // Lips, MAC 'Saint Germain'

From the moment this ruffled tunic arrived in the mail I knew it would be one of my summer favs. It pairs perfectly with everything from skinny jeans to boyfriend jeans. Seeing that it's a million degrees outside these days, I opted for the more laid back, cooler, boyfriend style. I, of course, had to pair the two with the leopard wedges I can't stop wearing. Seriously, they look perfect with everything!! 

Exciting news today!! I have teamed up with Starling to bring you a pretty amazing giveaway. One lucky winner will win a box of goodies worth $300! It will be filled with things girls love like jewelry, clothes, hair accessories, nail polish, and makeup!! To top it all off, depending on where the winner lives, there will be an extra prize. Something along the lines of concert tickets. How fabulous does this sound?! I wish I could enter with all of you!! The giveaway runs until August 13th and the rules are below!!

Rules on How to Enter:

*Follow Kotineru {here} & StarlingStyle {here} on Instagram

*Purchase this Tunic at any Nordstrom {under $40!!} & post a picture showing off how you styled it using the hashtag #AStarlingDarlingGiveaway

I'm dying to see how you style it!! The giveaway will end on August 13th & the winner will be picked at random and announced on Instagram!

PS Stay tuned and make sure to check out my girlfriend Mary-Katherine over at "Gold Hatted Lover" because she will be styling the tunic as well!

.Light Blue & Lace.

Blouse, Gifted {Similar here & here & dress version} // Shorts, Marshalls {Similar here & here} // Wedges, Steve Madden {old, loving these & these} // Necklaces, c/o Shiny Mix, c/o Tom Design Shop via Jane, Mindy Mae's Market  {on sale!}// Bracelets, c/o Sage K. & Co, Jcrew  c/o In Pink // Rings, c/o In Pink // Sunnies, Karen Walker // Purse, Tory Burch // Nails, China Glaze 'Dance Baby'

You know the pieces of clothing that you have a mad love affair with that runs it's course, but you can't seem to part ways. That's exactly how I felt back in the day with these Steve Madden wedges. I never thought I would wear them again, but couldn't bring myself to say goodbye. Thank the lord because I just rediscovered them last week in our storage and I can't stop wearing them! Little did I know, 7 years ago when I tucked these babies away, that leopard was going to be considered a neutral and here to stay. Point of my story, hang on to your favorite pieces because you never know when you'll fall in love all over again!!

P.S. I had a pretty tough time trying to find cute leopard wedges to link up for you guys. I went ahead and linked some other cute options that are now totally on my wish list! The strappy leopard heels are a total must have as we transition into fall!!

Thanks for stopping by!

XOXO, Kayla

Daily Doses of Darling:: Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest & Bloglovin'

.Black Boxes.

Blouse, Anthropologie // Jeans, 7 For All Mankind via Nordstrom  {old, similar here & here} // Flats, Old Navy {not online, splurge or save} // Purse, Tory Burch {on sale at Nordstrom but not online, similar here, here & here} // Necklace, c/o Socal Gems // Bracelets, c/o Sage K. & Co., Jcrew {old, similar here & here} // Sunnies, Charlotte Russe {not online, similar here}

There will always be a place in my heart & wardrobe for a classic pair of dark skinny jeans, a chic black top, flats, a statement bag, and lots of sparkle. I really have stepped out of my style comfort zone this past year and fully embraced color with open arms, but I have to tell you I will always be a black & white girl deep down. I get it from my mama, along with a lot of other great traits :) This past weekend her and I were shopping at Fashion Valley when we popped into Anthropologie. As much as I LOVE that store, my wallet does not. I have a routine and it involves me darting straight to the sale section. Saturday they were having 15% off and I had a gift card....game on!! I could have easily purchased the whole store, but the one thing I was not parting ways with was this blouse. From the moment I put it on, I never wanted to take it off. It has a silky lining that is seriously heavenly, but on top of that is just adorable with jeans, flows perfectly, and makes my girly side very happy. I love the way it looks with jeans, but I can't help but picture it with tights and my gold sequin skirt for the holidays! This blouse is going to pay its self off and that makes the bargain shopper in me very, very happy!

On a side note run, don't walk, RUN to your nearest Charlotte Russe. You need these glasses!! I nearly screamed when I found these sunnies for $5 in their accessory department. They are almost  identical to the Oliver Peoples version, but oh just $300 cheaper!! You seriously can't beat that. Sadly they don't have them online, so I can't link them up but they should be in the store!

XOXO, Kayla

Daily Doses of Darling:: Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest & Bloglovin'

.Sun Dress.

Dress, c/o ShopbellaC // Vest, Forever 21 {not online, similar} // Belt, Target // Wedges, Steve Madden {old, save or splurge} // Necklaces, c/o Urbanite, c/o Armed & Readi // Bracelets, Jcrew {old, similar} c/o Sage K. & Co. // Sunnies, Charlotte Russe {only $5!} // Purse, Tory Burch

I'm not sure about where you live, but here in San Diego it has been crazy hot! Not just our normal summer heat either, it's so humid you feel like you need to shower within 5 minutes of being outside!! I'm not going to lie, summer is not my favorite season! I'm more of a fall/winter gal. I think it's because we don't get many cold months around here. Since it has been SO hot, I have been living in dresses! I find they're the best solution for staying cool and still looking put together. My day job has me in an office most the day, so they're easy to dress up and transition into life outside the office, all while looking cute and chic because let's be honest, that's the most important thing, right?! If you're like me and always find yourself on the hunt for cute dresses to fill your closet then ShopbellaC is just the place for you! Seriously, they have the cutest dresses. I'm tempted to fill my closet with just about every piece! This dress is next on my list, it would be so perfect for a summer date at the beach. To make shopping that much sweeter they are offering all my readers 10% off until August 28th!! Make sure to use the code: KaylaLovesSBC {case sensitive}...Happy Shopping :)

Another fun online shop that I have been crushing on is Armed & Redi. If you follow me on Instagram you probably saw their too cute anchor midi ring that I can't stop wearing!! Equally as cute is their Sandy Beach necklace. It's a such a unique piece that pairs perfectly with all my sparkly favorites. Sadly it is sold out but make sure to check out the Golden Bombshell Necklace, it's to die for!! 

XOXO, Kayla 

Daily Doses of Darling:: Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest & Bloglovin'

.Insta Lately.

My obsession with Instagram continues to grow on a daily basis! I'm constantly refreshing my feed looking for #ootd inspiration, new places to shop, delicious recipes & restaurants to frequent and even home decor ideas. If we aren't friends already let's change that! Follow along {here} 

Romper, Forever 21 {old, similar here & here} // Sandals, Forever 21 // Bracelets, Brina Box, Jcrew {old}, Forever 21 {old,} // Ring, c/o Armed & Readi // Nails, OPI 'Elephantastic Pink'

So this past weekend I went shopping in my own closet! I thought I had lost this romper forever but as luck would have it, it was just hiding waiting to come out and play again! It's a couple years old and I still love it as much as the first day I bought it, got to love it!! I also can't get even describe the amount of love I have towards this midi ring from Armed & Readi!! I have been crushing on midi rings hard this season, but the anchor takes it to a whole new level! This little beauty is only $10 and comes in silver too. I highly suggest you go get yourself one....or both!! 

Blouse, c/o C.C. Lake {last seen here} // Skirt, Jcrew Factory {sold out, loving this} // Purse, Tory Burch // Sunnies, Karen Walker // Necklace, c/o Shiny Mix // Bracelets, Brina Box, c/o Sage K. & Co.

One thing about blogging that I really enjoy is always finding neat little spots to shoot our photos at. It's usually places that I would never stop but something catches our eye. This past Monday Tyler and I ended up at a park over by his work. It was huge park and there was not a person in sight. It was the perfect time of the day, the sun was about to start setting and it had cooled off. It was was one of those moments you just want to freeze! I'm thinking we may go back this summer for an evening picnic!

Ring, c/o Emmajoy {sold out, get on the waiting list!} // Bracelets, Brina Box, c/o Sage K. & Co. // Watch , Kate Spade // Nails, Essie 'Cascade Cool' 

This past weekend we had a tea party for my Grandma's 70th birthday and it was beyond fabulous. I wish everyday was spent sipping tea and chatting with the ladies in my family. I couldn't help but snap a picture of the adorable teacup with my armparty! My favorite piece from that day was hands down this ring from Emmajoy. I admired it for months before receiving it and it was well worth the wait! It's such a fun and elegant piece! 

Mason Jar, c/o Dawlens // Bracelets, Groopdealz {old, similar here} & Jcrew Factory

Ok, we all know I'm a cup addict. I like cute cups and I cannot lie!! You probably remember this adorable mason jar from the giveaway I did with Dawlens at the beginning of the month.The 4th of July has come and gone but I'm still rocking my patriotic mug. This beauty will never get old!! I am dying to get my hands on this flamingo one too!! Oh and how about this wine glass with a lid & straw, perfect for beach nights to keep the sand out!! I could seriously link up her entire store, I need it all :)

Sunnies, Karen Walker // Blouse, Target  {on sale!} // Earrings, c/o Accessory Concierge // Necklace, c/o Brin and Bell // Bracelets, c/o Sage. K. & Co., Jcrew {old, similar here & on sale!}

Funny little story about this blouse. I bought it about two months ago and I was SO excited to wear it with white pants or a fun little skirt. As soon as I got home I tried it on for Tyler and he said it looked like I was wearing PJs. Needless to say I took his comment seriously and tucked it away to take back. Well, fast forward to last week and I see everyone wearing this little number, it's all over Instagram, Pinterest and all my favorite blogs!!! I knew this blouse was a gem. Since all my favorite girls were rocking it, I decided I would too!! Moral of the story, always go with your fashion gut! From now on I vowed to not second guess my instinct to wear something fabulous, even if I a little nervous :)

Necklace, c/o Accessory Concierge // Flamingo Card, Pigment 

My flamingo print obsession is at all time high and there was no way I was passing up this cute little card! I found it while exploring Pigment. If you're in the San Diego area, I strongly advise taking a trip to the North Park area to check this store out! They had some of the coolest home accessories, cards and jewelry. They even have a succulent designing station. I will be going back asap! 

Champagne Sign, Vintage {similar here}

While antique shopping with my girlfriends a couple weekends ago in Ocean Beach I stumbled upon this sign. I'm sure if you're on Pinterest or Instagram you have seen an imagine of this sign floating around. I had to fight every urge in me not to snatch this up! It was priced at over $100 but I was able to find it on Etsy for just over $50! You will definitely be seeing this on my bar cart in the near future!! 

Nails, Essie 'Splash of Grenadine' // Mint Tulle Puff, Peace, Love & Tulle // Chevron Straws, Dearest Jane

Fruit infused water has been my go to beverage of choice lately. I'm not a fan of of sweet drinks, but do find myself growing tired of drinking plain water alll day! My favorite flavored combo has been lemon & strawberries. It tastes like a mild version of strawberry lemonade. Holy deliciousness!! My mom has a lemon tree so I am looking for other combos I could try, any suggestions?? 

Blouse, c/o Starling {30% off code with: DARLINGDREAM} // Necklaces, Bauble Bar & c/o INpink // Sunnies, Charlotte Russe {not online, similar here}

I'm all about the graphic tee shirts these days! I just love the way you can easily dress them up for a night out! This "Eat diamonds for breakfast and shine all day" shirt from Starling is one of the cutest around! Don't forget if you want your own I have a 30% off coupon code! 

XOXO, Kayla