Ruche Summer Lookbook 2014 + get a 20% coupon code!

guyssssss. i KNOW you've seen the new Ruche lookbook. ISN'T IT SO AWESOME?! so many goodies in this one, guys. just in case you haven't seen it, go check it out here! also, guess what? i have a special 20% off coupon you can use at shopruche.com until July 31st. best part? no exclusions and you can use it as many times as you want! 

i'm trying to win a contest at work* and if you use my personalized code, i get a point! obvi, person with most points wins! only rule: my code cannot land on a coupon site. which explains why i'm asking you to email me instead of just posting the code for the public to see. ;) feel free to email me directly at leeda@atthisvolume.com or you can also use the contact form on here. you can also leave me your email in the comments and i'll email you, whatever! help a sistah out! ^__^

alssssooooo....let me mention that you can also use the same code over at ThreadSence.com! so what are you waiting for!? contact me! we'll all w i n! haha :)

back to the lookbook though...can i just sayyyyy....i think it's awesome they didn't use a professional model for this shoot but rather used photographers. the Kidds work on most of the Ruche lookbooks and i've admired their work for so long i'm so glad they're being featured in the Ruche summer lookbook. they're the freakin cutest and kristin has the best smile! anywayyyy, i have so many favorite items from this lookbook i know my paycheck is going to sufferrrrrr. my top faves are in the first image, but believe me, it was ridiculously hard trying to narrow that down. you should see my wishlist right now, it's a hot mess. sigh.

*if you're new here...yes, i work for Ruche, Inc. No, my posts are not sponsored by Ruche, Inc. I do love Ruche (obvi or else i wouldn't work there silly!) so any time i post any items from Ruche, Inc it's because i truly love the items!

through the heatwave

well, it's finally happened. triple digit heatwave everybody! i was fortunate enough to have the last two days off so i happily stayed in and managed to stay cool for most of this heatwave. according to the acu weather app, we'll be in 70s on saturday. hallelujah! i don't fare well in sweltering heat. i know, i know, i should move somewhere where it's always cold. but you show me a place that's cold and has amazing mexican food A N D vietnamese food and we'll talk. if you ain't got all three i'm not going anywhere! 

i really have nothing to report. life is good. mother's day was cool. got to spend some time with my momma although not enough time as i had anticipated, but a little time is better than no time. then spent some time with my boy's momma. split duties nowadays. good thing christmas will never be an argument as mexicans celebrate it on christmas eve and pretty much everyone else focuses more on christmas day. 

love my Live Beautifully tote bag from Ruche! they made these puppies for their 5 year anniversary and to celebrate their Live Beautifully campaign. i bought five of them and gave away 4 to some pals and one to my sis. i think they're perfect reminders to live our lives in a beautiful way, a way that makes us happy and fulfills us. i know it can be very easy to fall prey to intrusive thoughts always badgering us about not being thin enough or pretty enough or w h a t e v e r, we just need to take a step back and go in another direction. the one that will light the way to not caring what anyone else has to say--that's the road we wanna be on. self love is tough, partly because we are our own worst critics. but i think little by little, letting that hatred go opens up the path to living beautifully. and truthfully, we all deserve to be on that path.

rosy cheeks courtesy of this hot hot heat!

details:

top: urban outfitters | skirt: ruche | shoes: urban outfitters (really old) | tote: ruche | glasses: london retro via myoptique | bracelets: vanessa mooney, brooke hill jewelry & vintage

In Dreams: A Day at the Farmer's Market

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go ahead and tell me this isn't the perfect outfit for a day at the farmer's market! you can't! hahah. but on the real, i would probably wear this everywhere. can i please have these jett modern vice booties?! P L E A S E ! They are seriously so perfect in every way. In person, the leather is just so soft and dreamy. But that price tag. I just. I can't. HOLD ON. I need a moment to collect myself. 

okay. i've decided just now, i'm going to start saving them pennies for these babies because i just don't think i can live without them. ever since the day i saw them in real life i've needed them. i dont even know why i do this to myself. can i just win the lottery? liiiiiike am i going to get a second job so i can buy these? maybe.

okay. okay. let's move on before i have a breakdown. when i was a kid i loved fringe on everything! everything! i had a little fringe jacket and it was my favorite thing in the worrrld! until we moved and no one was able to find it. i was seriously depressed at age 6 over a fringe jacket. which btw, i didnt list here but cleobella has the fringe jacket of my dreams. this second job is probably gonna need to happen isn't it? ahaha anyway this little bag from irene's story is a good compromise for now, right?

this dress from Ruche is too perfect. i need it. need it. neeeeeed. i freakin adore the floral embroidery so much. it seriously makes the dress. there is also a similar one in sage green if you're interested. ;) i find that lately i've been gearing towards more blue clothing. all shades of blue. i don't know what this means. 

okay i'm getting loopy i have to get food now. have a good weekend and be good to your moms tomorrow.

schoolin'

i know. i know. WHERE ARE THE CORGI PHOTOS!?  i promised them and i definitely didn't deliver on that. sorry about that. i owe you guys corgi photos okay? i edited half of them and then when i picked up the editing for the second half i realized i didn't like any of them. that's what happens when you shoot in bright daylight guys, it just messes everything up. sooooo when i redo them i will post them and you will all die from cute attacks. just sayin.

so guess what's finally happening? SPRING CLEANING! it's taking me forever because i just have so. much. stuff. !!! It's exhausting. not going to lie i feel like if i start a fire it'll be easier. for a long time i didn't really know where to begin, it was so overwhelming. but i just got to it and i've been throwing things away and setting things that deserve better homes aside so i could list them somewhere. it's been kind of like a scary episode of hoarders. first step is admitting you have a problem right?

my goal for the end of the day is to clear everything from one side of the living room so i can move the couch. in hopes that this weekend i'll be able to set up my drafting table that i keep freakin talking about. lol. we're also thinking of getting rid of the couch. yikes! where am i going to take all my cat naps!? sigh. it's probably a good idea though, we have a really small apartment and we should probably get a smaller couch. i'd probably be more productive without a couch though let's be honest. i dunno, i'll keep ya'll posted on the very important couch decision of 2014. 

enough rambling, now on to this outfit. im 26 still lookin like a high schooler. lol. ay dios! i can't help it. sometimes i get dressed and this happens. i gotta say, these warby parker shades are everything. i wear them all the time even though sometimes i have to admit that they don't really go with my outfit. prescription sunglasses are the shit though. feels so good to not have to induce headaches by being a dork and wearing sunglasses with no prescription. on another note, i think i have to mention that this skirt is not crooked. the buttons are actually to the side. i bought this skirt in two colors because i thought the side button thing was ridiculously cute but when worn it totally looks like i'm dorky and wearing the skirt weird. although, that's definitely happened before with other skirts so, yeah. 

by the way, this backpack is so rad. i got it when i worked at the bookstore and found it in the sale bin for half off. plus i had a coupon AND a membership card. so majorrrrr $aving$! ah, the types of thrills around here. haha. man, i don't even know about this obsession with backpacks. one day i'll grow up and be a real adult with a handbag.

but, until then, you'll see lots of backpacks around here. haha

details:

sweater: h&m | top: urban outfitters (men's section) | skirt: tulle | socks: h&m | boots: zuriick (similar) | glasses: warby parker x leith clark | necklace: 31Bits via Ruche | backpack: barnes & noble (sale section heck yeah!)

Meet Ein

So if you follow me on instagram, then you know that two weekends ago i totally died of a cute attack at the amazing Corgi Beach Day event at the doggy beach in Huntington Beach. Over 250 corgis just running around all over the beach! Some were off leash and they would just come by and play with you and leave. It was insane! I had to seriously fight everything within me so that i didnt steal a corgi that day. i want one so bad!

My date to corgi beach day was this handsome pup, Ein. he's seriously so adorable. Everything is exciting to him and he looooves making new friends. Also, Ein is the most passive dog i've ever met. I didnt hear him bark once! AHHHHH I can't wait to hang out with this little doggy soon! His owner, my pal Jenn, and i have lots of adventures planned for this coming summer so hopefully there will be more of Ein around here!

he's very well trained!

On a different note, i loooove this super comfy outfit. Both top and bottoms are from Ruche and while i normally would not have worn these together, i'm so glad i did because i'm totally digging it now. Happy accident! The embroidery detailing on this top is sooooo nice. I'm really glad embroidery detailing is popular again because i love lurking for new clothes that have great little details. But really though, i don't think it ever really went out of style. Maybe, that's just my opinion because i'm always buying stuff with a folksy touch. Love that embroidery!

Also, these lounge pants! I LOVE THEM. i'm turning into a lounge pant crazy lady! ayyyy. These are so freaking awesome. Breezy and comfy and rad color too. I'm pretty sure you're going to see these a lot around here. sorryimnotsorry! haha. Only thing that drives me crazy about these pants is how easily they wrinkle. T___T but everything that wrinkles drives me crazy.

yes, he was named Ein because of Cowboy Bebop!

details:

top: Ruche | bottoms: Ruche | necklace: st. eve via threadsence | bracelets: brooke hill jewelry via prism boutique & anthropologie | shoes: mia | glasses: london retro via myoptique | lip color: MAC see sheer

doggy hugs!

Actual corgi beach day photos to come tomorrow, i promise!

Brick Walls & Bike Progress

Coachella weekend was awesome! I didn't go but all the bros/douchebags in my city did so getting around town this weekend was so nice! We even got a table right away at my favorite breakfast spot on Sunday. You can totally think I'm making a joke here but seriously that's how it was!

While everyone was at brochella I even took my bike out for a spin! I haven't ridden the bike in probably three weeks (maybe four?) and out of nowhere we decided to ride out in the street. Not entirely the best idea but I was feeling rather courageous and I got my new helmet in the mail. I got the silver glittery one in case you were wondering from last time. (It's awesome makes me look/feel like robocop). We rode out on the sidewalk a little to get to this industrial part of town where no one goes on weekends so I could get some practice. Now this is the craziest thing, riding on the sidewalk freaks me out, makes me really nervous and it throws me off balance, but when I ride on the bike lane (even with a few cars passing me by) I'm totally not nervous! Talk about being backwards. Either way, our next step is to take the basket off my bike because I'm 100% convinced its what's throwing me off balance. It's too bad because its such a nice Linus basket. Maybe we'll put it back on when I feel ready. I can't wait to get better at bike riding so I can bike to work from the train station. :)

Anyway keepin it short today. 

Don't be fooled by this outfit. It's hot out today. Unpredictable California weather, you know. 

Have a nice Monday folks! 

 

(lol my necklace is out of place)

Details:

sweater: urbanog | necklace: 31Bits via Ruche | dress: tulle | boots: urbanog | glasses: London retro via myoptique (giveaway win yay!)

Festival Style: Coachella 2014, A Practical Guide

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(hypothetical outfit & essentials for day 1)

(yeah i forgot 7, whoops)

I think we're all aware by now that unfortunately Coachella has become this parade of "look at my cute outfit" instead of "my favorite band is playing at noon so we have to get there early!" Everyone and their mom knows blogs and big time street style photographers and your favorite clothing companies hang around the grounds to take photos of stylish kids. what you don't know is that most of these people always hang out in VIP during the actual festival so your chances of getting on Refinery29's coachella "best dressed" list is preeeeettty slim. 

I highly suggest that you throw all notions of being photographed out the door and focus on having fun and fine tuning your schedule so you can see as many bands possible. Not to mention think about the p r a c t i c a l i t y  of what you're going to wear. 

so, you're going to Coachella with all your friends and you're so stoked you don't even know what to bring. So here a few tips of what NOT to bring to Coachella:

• expensive jewelry (you'll be crying when you lose your expensive Vanessa Mooney cuff bracelet)
• heeled booties (you'll be walking on grass and DIRT all weekend. heeled booties need not apply)
• rompers (do i need to remind you about the porta potties? put two and two together)
• leggings (you do know you're in the desert right? you don't care? okay. enjoy your tan)
• leave your expensive dslr at home. bring a point and shoot instead
• expensive hats (they will get crushed and you will be sad)
• expensive sunglasses (you're probably going to lose them)
• okay well expensive anything because odds are you WILL lose them or they will get completely wrecked

take the advice from a four year coachella veteran. 

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(hypothetical outfit & essentials for day 2)

(obvi the sweater is for night time you guys)

If you're not camping I highly suggest you rent a locker. Bring all the goodies you would want when the sun goes down like a sweater or a blanket, extra water. Plus if you bring a hat or something you can always put your stuff away so you don't have to carry things with you. I rented a locker the last two times I went to coachella and I dont regret it! Super helpful and I only really paid $30 for it for the whole weekend (you get your deposit back when you turn in your key). 

And probably my most important tip: 

If you're going with friends odds are your schedules are going to have conflicts you wanna see band X but your BFF wants to see band Y. Don't compromise! Go see who you wanna see you won't regret it. It would be wise to compare schedules with your friends and find a meeting spot. Have a gameplan! I know I'm a stiff and I like plans but I kid you not having a plan at a festival helps out the most. obviously know that it's just a gameplan because you guys might at the last minute decide to go see band Z. 

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(hypothetical outfit & essentials for day 3)

(add a top if it gets chilly and you don't actually want to wear a sweater at night)

On a parting note, if you're not going for the music and you're just going to be seen, just.don't.even.go. 

If you are going for the music, then i hope you have a great time. stay hydrated, don't forget your sunblock and remember to eat. Please have a frozen lemonade and giant slice of pizza for me and go see Neutral Milk Hotel. 

xo, Leeds.

Monday, Monday, Monday

Happy Monday, friends! Hope you all had a rad weekend. Things have been quiet around here and it's all out of pure laziness, I'm not even going to lie. My apt is a mess and I just can't stand to be in there because its such a mess. I don't even know where to begin! Sigggghhh. I didn't want to be home last week so I picked up extra shifts at work just to avoid it. Yikes. I'm going to do better this week I promise. I'm just gonna come up with a plan of attack and hopefully get enough done so I can set up my drafting table this weekend. I need a crafting place. We'll see how that goes.

Now lets talk about this amazing necklace from 31Bits. It's completely handmade! 31bits is an organization that empowers women in Uganda giving them the necessary education to be able to use their skills to provide for their families. 31bits also offers these women healthcare while they're training for their program and everything is funded through product sales. And to make it even cooler part of the necklaces are made out of recycled paper! I didn't even know until I bought the necklace that 31bits organization operates out of the city I live in! I don't know why but knowing they're local to me makes it that more special. I think because I always hear of cool organizations and they're always in another state. I want to feel like contemporaries in my area care about things too. I don't know. Does that even make sense? I like knowing that I could drop by their office any time and ask questions about their products or their mission or whatever. It sets the mind at ease. Either way, check out the 31Bits page for more info about their mission and their products. 

On a parting note: remember when I said I loved jellies? I went out and bought two more pairs. Haha. 

the trademark schlump.

details: 

top: Ruche | necklace: 31bits via Ruche | pants: LA | shoes: urbanog | glasses: derek cardigan via coastal | lip color: tarte lipsurgence matte lip tint in lively

*This post is not sponsored by 31bits, just my opinion here. 

Mercury

For once mercury in retrograde isn't totally ruining my life and I don't know if I should be happy or freaking out waiting for something terrible to happen. Yikes, how pessimistic! Okay, okay, I choose to accept the universe's greatness, so let's roll with it!

First thing's first, I got a transfer to a new department at work! I'm so stoked because I get to work with such great gals and now I can finally feel useful instead of just going through the motions. Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed my time in the warehouse and made great friends but it just wasn't where I wanted to be permanently. I've realized that I just enjoy customer interaction and I'm so grateful to be able to help others. I'm still trying to figure out what I'm going to be doing with my life in the long run but for now this is good and an improvement. I just want to enjoy what I do and enjoy the company of others.

Also, D was blessed with a schedule change at work so we'll have one day off together now and he'll be getting off earlier! All of this is great because now we'll have more time to cook dinner and enjoy each other's company. I have found that things are more fun when I have a partner in crime.

And finally, I ordered my bike! I dropped a ridiculously pretty penny customizing it but in the long run it's totally worth it since I plan on using it a lot. More info on that later since I wanna dedicate a whole post to it later.

Patience, hard work and gratitude pay off. 

Outfit details: 

dress: ruche (sold out, similar), sweater: urbanog, boots: doc martens via macys, tights: target, glasses: derek cardigan via coastal

that birthday life

What is it about my birthdays never ever going as planned? At least I found the humor in it this year and I'm actually not upset at all. It's super silly though, how literally ALLLL my birthday plans foiled. All! But regardless we made the best of the crazy and I still had fun. I even did a few unplanned things and they were so much fun. I suppose I had forgotten what it was like to be totally random.

One of those unplanned things was go to the Orange County Museum of Art with my twinsie, Marla. It even worked out for us because it just so happened to be the second Sunday of the month which was their free day! It was a really small museum but they had a good collection.

A few favorites:

(so bad i can't remember who did these except for bottom right: Llyn Foulkes)

one of my favorites was this rad room with projections and lights. it totally made our reflections look like we were in a cool 90s music video. (i believe this installation was by Diana Thater, but i could be wrong).

Outside of the building was a peeing dog. Yes. A peeing dog. Hilarious and ridiculously surprising for conservative Orange County. "Bad Dog" by Richard Jackson.

And because it was my bday celebration I had to wear a cute dress! Here's this Dear Creatures dress I got from Ruche during the major winter sale and I won't tell you how much it cost me because then you'll be suuuuuper jealous! ;)

Outfit Details: Dear Creatures dress via Ruche, Tulle sweater (old), betsey johnson shoes  (sold out, similar here), fjallraven kanken mini (now found at urban), wet n wild purty persimmon lip color

Also we had lunch at Lemonade. I def broke paleo for that and it was totally worth it. Yes, that is mac and cheese and pot roast in that sandwich topped off with a very refreshing mint cucumber lemonade! Ugggghhhh I want one now!
x

Hamburger Helper

first of all, i have to tell you guys...bare with me here with the grocery store outfit photos. i think it's pretty hilarious, but seriously, i have no other time to take photos and i feel like the blog has been quiet lately solely based on the fact that i just don't have any photos to post. D & i never have time off together during the day and we only ever go out to the grocery because we're boring old people, so here were are. also, we'll have to deal with crappy iphone photos for now my loves, because i just can't be bothered to carry a giant dslr everywhere with me. until i buy a nice dslr quality point and shoot type of camera, this will have to do!

on a more sartorial note here, can we talk about how i'm actually really into flares as of late? i loved them in jr. high and then after that i was just grossed out by them. i couldn't get past them. but nowwwww, i want all the flares! maybe it's all the 70s rock music i've been listening to lately that's really influencing my mood which in turn influences what i wear. that's just how it works and i'm totally not mad about it. 

remember how i mentioned that i mixed teal dye with black and ended up with a witchy green? well, here it is! you normally can't even tell but i think it really pops out with this chartreuse sweater. also, too bad we didn't get a closer shot of this rad zodiac necklace, but take my word for it about how it's both equally creepy and awesome. the water bearer's face is just hilarious.

coat: tulle, sweater: urbanog, top: ruche, bottoms: urban outfitters (scored on major sale! sold out, similar), boots: frye via macys, glasses: derek cardigan via coastal, necklace: anthropologie, rings: vintage & threadsence, lip color: wet n' wild megalast in purty persimmon no. 970

all in all, i had a freaking amazing weekend of pure relaxation. i had thurs and fri off work so technically i had a four day weekend! sadly, i didn't get to spend much time with D to go out and play, but it was nice to get some relaxation time after the crazy holiday work hours i had been working. i've spent my weekend cooking like crazy and i'm super stoked! i've been trying a lot of Diane Sanfilippo's recipes from her newest book Practical Paleo and i have not been disappointed. now that we have car access it's easier for us to drive out and get grass-fed meats and organic produce for our paleo meals. don't worry guys, when i'm out with friends i'll go ahead and eat that cupcake, i just cook paleo mostly for my guy. it's just easier if we both do it and i'm not being that jerk eating a sandwich in front of the poor boy. but i'm not going to lie, eating paleo has made me feel more energized and i no longer feel lethargic all the time--let's face it i was heading towards prediabetes there, and i'm not kidding, it runs in my family. but let's leave all that diet business for another time!

Black.

I suppose now would be a good time to mention that I got rid of the teal in my hair. I was pretty bummed about letting it go because I have never before felt so "me" until I went teal but, it's been a long time with it and I needed a change. A fresh start for 2014 if you will. But of course, knowing me, you know I had to do it my way--so i mixed leftover teal with the black and it created a freak color so indoors it's black and in the sun it's a witchy black with a greenish tint. Come on, you know me, I couldn't just let it go 100%, but honestly, i'm stoked for it. I like it and that's all that matters. Now moving on to try to tame my bangs to do the middle part thing and eventually get layers so I can try to rock a 70s rocker babe look. Onward!

dress: Ruche, shoes: Betsey Johnson via Macy's (sold out, similar) , necklace: Erica Weiner, glasses: Derek Cardigan, groceries: Sprouts ;)

Back to School with Ruche: Take Notes

you guysssss
Sorry I have been away. I haven't actually been doing anything, just chillin', staying away from the Internet. I have to catch up on blog reading, but i'll leave that for later. Sorry, dudes! I'm enjoying my time off hanging out with the boy. If you're, you know, bored and want to catch up on my adventures or silly things i encounter feel free to add me on instagram!

In the meantime, you should all head over to ShopRuche.com and look at their new lookbook: Take Notes! It's so rad. Here are my favorite outfits from it:

i love this, it has an anthro touch while still being totally Ruche!

um...it says I LOVE RUCHE on the chalkboard...SO CUTE.

this skirt is such a great color!

these pants. need these pants.

this last one is my total favorite! i have to fight the need to buy this. fight. fight. fight. oh damn, who am i kidding?!

photos shot by: Brandon Kidd
styled by: Mara Ferreira

In Dreams: Midsummer Wishlist

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currently obsessing over these little guys. Got an email from Ruche highlighting this little dress so i know it will be gone by the time i'll have $ for it so i'm already sad about it. haha. but i can still dream! this cute fit and flare style is so flattering for everyone and always in fashion. And that print! man it's quite something. I would totally pair this dress with this rad anorak from Nasty Gal and i'm pretty sure if i bought it i would probably want to live in it forever haha. Also, these shoes. ugh. THESE SHOES. dear Madewell, why must you always always always be out of my price range? If you guys know of any similar shoe styles for a broke-ass let me know!