But First.....

Let me take a #SELFIE

I know, I know. It's a stupid song and the fact that I'm take mirror selfies with a DSLR is also stupid but listen. Summer is close enough that if I reached out far enough I would feel the warmth. Just stepping outside doesn't have the same effect so I'm confined to my bedroom playing dress-up in my summer clothes. The sunshine has me inspired (although not warmed) me and has me thinking about what it is exactly that I plan to spend my summer in. I've been fishing around stores and my closet and discovered these are my three favorite things I can't wait to wear this summer.


Tulle

shirt: forever xxi

vest: forever xxi

skirt: candida

I found this ballerina tutu-esque skirt in Italy for 5 Euros in a little grungy boutique. I'm still trying to decide exactly what kinds of things to wear with it but it's so fun and different that it makes the challenge quite worth it. I also saw a dress like this in Urban Outfitters (on clearance too) attached to an overall top for all of you who think I'm crazy; I swear these do exist outside of theater costumes.

Backless dresses

love culture

brandy melville

There's something so great about a dress with a fancy back. Even if the dress itself is plain in design or pattern, once you turn around you'll have everyone watching your back (ha ha). Dresses like this scream summer through all the holes and openings so I'll be taking full advantage the second the sun wants to cooperate with my style.

Printed shorts

jacket: forever xxi

tee: who knows I got it at D.A.R.E lolz

shorts: forever xxi

Since high-waisted bottoms came back in style a year or two ago I've been noticing stores getting more and more creative with the patterns they put on their high-waisted shorts. I've decided I'm thoroughly impressed, especially since they've been becoming more and more comfortable as the trend lives on. Comfortable, stylish shorts and french fries are all anyone really needs in life. 

- nali xo

Dancing Shoes

Prom season is quickly approaching and I'm sure there are lots of you stragglers out there still scrambling to find your dress or last minute accessories. Everyone knows that the focus of prom is what dress you choose to wear but I'd like to switch the focus downward. Prom shoes get so easily ignored because they are generally hidden beneath gowns, but they can change the entire feel of your dress and style for that special night. Let's accent those dancing feet, ladies!

If you just can't find the right color or style yet, take these options into consideration.


Metallic

free lance

Finding a pair of shoes that matches exactly to your dress can be impossible. Get a pair of simple pumps in either a metallic gold or silver (depending on the color of your dress) and own the dance floor.

Printed

forever xxi

Patterns take a solid-colored, not-so-ritzy dress to a whole new level and don't necessarily need to be animal spots. Stripes, aztec patterns, floral or abstract patterns can help dazzle under your simple prom pick.

Sneaks

 converse

For all the grungy prom-goers, wearing a dress doesn't necessarily mean you need to be formal. Converse have been the classic alternative for prom-going rebels since proms were invented (probably). If you're daring enough to sport these to the big night I would suggest high-tops. Feel free to match them to your dress (Converse makes every color ever invented) or not! I would say stick to solid colors for these babies, you wouldn't wanna overdo it. History also shows prom sneakers are best worn with short dresses.

Shiny//Matte

Thank god for nail polish brands that make it easy for you to be creative. 

I recently discovered Revlon's 'Shiny Matte' nail art polish which gives you an entirely new manicure effortlessly. It is a double sided tube, one side containing matte nail polish and the other side containing shiny polish. The shiny side has a much slimmer brush to allow for easier access to design. Here's how I played around with it:

Silver and black are a classic couple that many people seem not to appreciate and keep them apart. I am determined to reunite these two colors in love with a subtle and not too fancy heel-worthy outfit.

When I was about 15 years old, I thought anything worth wearing would need to have sequins on it. Now that I know that is very far from the truth, I hesitate to dress in sequins at all. There is a happy medium, however, and as long as the sequins are simply an accent and not the main focus, they can be tastefully worn. 

Just because you are planning on a night out on the town, does NOT mean you must sacrifice your comfort. Loose rayon pants are all the rage these days and they look cute and classy without the discomfort of having to worry if they need to be pulled down (like a skirt) or adjusted at all (like jeans). They are also a killer pair with heels. If you can find a high waisted pair of rayons, you've already got half of a winning outfit and the other half can be easily completed with a crop top. Crop tops will look more dressy than you ever expected when they don't show too much skin and aren't worn with jeans or shorts.

Loosely knit sweaters are a great way to create layers and texture. Whatever you're wearing underneath shows through just enough to make a huge statement or none at all depending on how you wear it.

- nali xo

Boston Strong

As everyone should know, on this day last year our sacred Boston Marathon was viscously attacked resulting in three deaths and over 260 injuries. Two pressure-cooker bombs exploded just near the finish line on Boylston street about 12 seconds and 210 yards apart. The two terrible conductors of this violent act, two brothers, didn't stop terrorizing Boston at the marathon. Three days or so after, the brothers highjacked an SUV, shot an MIT officer and engaged in a gunfire fight with Watertown police officers. One of the brothers was killed and the other eventually taken into custody, but today should not be spent thinking about them and their coldhearted and thoughtless acts.

Today is a day of remembrance and respect for all the first responders and people who came together to help the fallen and injured. We should spend at least a moment today thinking of how although this event was tragic and unnecessary, it showed the world just how strong Boston is. The people of Boston were not scared or terrorized the way these two selfish men hoped they would be. Instead, this event brought forward the many heroes of the city who donated their time and energy for the recovery from this event whether it be one of the many runners who finished the race then went straight to donate blood, or the people taking the blood of all those wonderful people who donated in the weeks following the marathon or even the people who created charities to raise money for relief. It seems as though everyone in Boston gathered together and helped in their own way and it is no wonder that this year's marathon is expected to be 9000 runners stronger than last year. The people involved in the marathon and all Bostonians alike can not be terrorized out of their home or traditions and today is dedicated to all of us. All the people who were injured and are still recovering from losing a limb or their hearing, all the people who suffered emotional trauma or lost a loved one and all the people who were not directly affected but still share the spirit of Boston: today is for you. Don't let those terrible men take anything else away from you.

 I am of course sporting my city's colors today and you should too.

- nali xo

Cuppa Coffee

Because I am Catholic and because I love coffee, I've spent the past almost 40 or so days not drinking coffee as my little humble sacrifice. However, I will repeat how much I LOVE COFFEE. Easter is next Sunday so it isn't long before my one true love and I are reunited but until then, I have found a way to (somewhat) satisfy my coffee cravings through my #ManicureMonday nail art.

(No there's no coffee in the mug or on my nails. That is, in fact, brown nail polish even though it would be nicer if it tasted like coffee)

shirt: delia's

sweater:

pants: wet seal

belt: desy-d

Spring is (finally) here and I'm whipping out the floral prints to celebrate.

The back of this sweater is really dainty and I'm obsessed. Even though the cardigan is a little warmer than is usually necessary in the spring, I live in New England so A. it is perfect for the weather and B. it's a light color so hopefully no one will look at me funny.

Coffee lovers: indulge. You have no idea how hard cutting yourself off is.

- nali xo

This Week in a Nutshell

I am very pleased to welcome you all to my first Friday wrap-up post!! Please hold your applause until the very end as it is distracting to the photographs and drawings. (;

Monday

Here is #manicuremonday in my imagination vs. in real life:

And here is how I imagined I would dress up with nails as fancy as these. For pink lovers only, obviously.

Monki pink top $21 - monki.com, Paige Denim denim skinny jeans matchesfashion.com, LeCrown laced up boots farfetch.com, Givenchy round handbag farfetch.com, Feather charm $48 - oliverbonas.com, Dolce Gabbana dolce gabbana jewelry $380 - profilefashion.com, Ball earrings boticca.com, Headband bandana etsy.com, River Island Girls cream frilly socks $4.15 - riverisland.com

Although the white heart accent is a bit subtle, I find it is a great twist on a typical statement nail. It doesn't overpower the manicure and brings an even more feminine touch to a soft, powdery color.

Tuesday

#ShoesdayTuesday this week was one of my favorite pairs of shoes I've ever seen. These Belinda cutout suede sandals are so sophisticated they could very easily pass as wedding footwear and shaped in a way that pairs with jeans easily as well. They were an absolute pleasure to draw and would be even more of a pleasure to slide my feet into (as if that would ever happen). As I'm on this dream boat here is what I would wear with them if I ever got the chance:

Red hi low dress / M2Malletier top handle leather handbag / Michael Kors crown jewelry / Magnet jewelry / Stella Dot stella dot bracelet / Michael Kors golden earring, $81 / Circle scarf, $41




Wednesday

Rihanna has just recently won CFDA's Fashion Icon Award for 2014 and I'm not confused why. Riri has a style all her own and somehow manages to make anything she wears look flawless and effortless, a dressing trait many of us strive for. Here are some of my favorite looks from this fashionista: 

Denim on denim on denim is a SERIOUSLY hard look to pull off but you'd never know it when you see Rihanna dressed like this.

This is probably the first and last pair of jeans designed like this that I will ever see and I'm so glad she was the one to wear them.

As if red isn't hot enough as a color already

This is my favorite color combo I've seen on our favorite diva and Wednesday's pencil-drawn inspiration. 

*Silently spends the rest of life with crossed fingers hoping to get on Rihanna's fashion level one day*

Thursday

I have a knack for finding the best slogan tees and tanks when I go thrift shopping and this week was no exception. What first caught my eye at Buffalo Exchange was the American Apparel tag on the collar (for anyone who doesn't know, AA shirts are comfy enough to die for) before I realized the funny slogan written across the chest. For anyone who doesn't already know (shame on you) a Birkin is a type of bag designed by Hermes usually valued at more than my entire life's worth. I will probably never be able to call one of those bags my own, but at least I'll be able to cry about it in my new tank.

One of the gorgeous bags in the flesh, erm, leather.

And now that it's #FlashbackFriday, here is a link for Britain's top vintage fashion brands for you to chew on. I stumbled upon this gem of an article a few days ago and was more than pleased with the brands on the list. I hope you'll enjoy them as much as I did. Have fun reminiscing on the styles of the past, I hope it will inspire you for your own trends of the future.

- nali xo

Back in Action

After a long but much needed hiatus, Good, Better, Dressed is now back and better than ever! I've decided to switch up the theme of the blog just a little bit and include my Instagram account to make everything even more interactive. The weekly schedule will no longer be a daily post on this blog, but instead a daily post on my Instagram account (@goodbetterdressed) and a Friday Blogspot post wrapping everything up. Don't worry, I'll still be posting all your favorites like #ManicureMonday & #ShoesdayTuesday, while mixing in some new ways of presentation for you guys. Thank you so much all for your patience and be sure to check out my daily post on Instagram today!!


- nali xo

Happy Valentine's Day all you lovebirds! Today is about expressing yourself to the one you love so do it! Whether it be in a nice card, a heartfelt voicemail left with a sigh of relief after someone didn't answer the phone, or a piece of paper with cheeky candy hearts glued onto it. Today is also especially fun for all the single pringles out there because we all know how much getting your nose rubbed into something you want no part of is. SO. However you feel about this holiday, I'm sure most of us can agree it's a perfect day to watch a romantic comedy. All my favorite rom-coms were shot in the past four decades and have tasteful and diverse fashion in them. Each of our leading ladies are lovely and here are the best outfits in some of the best movies. (Side note: I created these on my sister's Polyvore by accident so if you click the links to see where all the items are from, that's why it isn't my name.)

1980s - Pretty in Pink

http://www.polyvore.com/pretty_in_pink/set?id=113394225

1990s - Clueless

http://www.polyvore.com/clueless/set?id=113390691

2000s - The Notebook

http://www.polyvore.com/notebook/set?id=113393610

2010s - One Day

http://www.polyvore.com/one_day/set?id=113394977

I hope you all have a happy love-filled day, no matter how you choose to spend it!

- nali xo

USA

After a brief break I'm back and sporting my country's colors in support of the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi! All the events and athletes have been fantastic so far and I'm looking forward to the remaining competitions and all the medals Team USA will bring home! Here are some supportive gold, silver, bronze and 'team pride' outfits.

sweater: forever xxi

sweater dress:

leg warmers: wet seal

shoes: target

sweater: forever xxi

pants: one clothing

shoes: jessica simpson

 

sweater: target

shorts: urban outfitters

boots: flea market

jacket: xhilatation @ target
sweater: marshall's
leggings: marshall's
shoes: no name

What have your favorite sports been so far? 

- nali xo

Split Purse-onality

When I was younger and first started becoming interested in fashion, my mom would always tell me that when she was growing up the most important thing you could do when getting dressed is match your purse to your shoes. It pulls your outfit together in a way that matching any other elements can't and keeps your handbag relevant to what you're wearing instead of just being a bag you're forced to carry around. Nowadays, I usually only do this when I'm trying to be fancy. It's quite easy, especially for black and brown bags. This method is even better if you have colorful taste in bags and shoes and make it your mission to find exactly the right matching shades. Here are my three favorite purses and shoes I have to match them:

 This shade's a little off, I know, but I'm still on the hunt for the perfect shade of emerald.

bag: michael kors @ macy's

shoes: free lance

This shape was all over the fall fashion Vogue this past season and I was lucky enough to be able to find a great one that also had a great price!

bag: target

shoes:

bag: forever xxi

shoes: forever xxi

This last one is my personal favorite combo. The bag is probably still in Forever XXI stores if you're interested (and you should be) and is just big enough to not be small with lots of handy pockets and compartments. 

- nali xo