Summer Trend: Plaid Prep

If there's one trend I love to wear year round, it's plaid. When worn the right way it can be the perfect combination of casual and preppy. I love pairing a plaid button up with a pair of denim shorts and sandals for an evening bonfire on the beach. Though some might worry they'll look like they're wearing a table cloth, when accessorized correctly I think plaid makes for a fresh, pretty style. I especially like the idea of pairing a plaid sundress, like the pink Abercrombie number above, with a great pair of wedges and golden brown skin. 

If you don't want to incorporate plaid into your everyday look, opt for a pair of plaid boxer shorts like the Juicy Couture pair above and a cute tank so you can sleep in style. I'm a firm believer in looking your best all the time, even when you're lounging around the house. I have a new post coming up about fabulous summer pj's no matter what your sleep style is!

Summer Skirt Style

When the weather gets hot it's time to show some skin. Though I'm a huge fan of the sundress, it's always nice to mix things up with a skirt. Pair one with a cute tank and wedges or flip flops and you're all set for almost any occasion. With all the different options out there I thought I'd try to narrow down what you might need this summer. Which is your favorite? 

Get Your Book On

I think most of you would agree that all the beauty in the world won't get you too far without brains. Though I spend a lot of my summer socializing with my friends and family, I love relaxing on the beach and feeding my mind with a great book. Below are some of the ones that are on my list of reads (or re-reads) for the next few months.

If you haven't already.

Unless you've been spending way to much time in that walk in closet of yours, you've heard of The Hunger Games.  I read the trilogy over Christmas break this year (I still haven't seen the movies though). I read all three in about four days! I couldn't put them down. 

The One They're All Talking About

I've had six different friends recommend this book to me. It's supposed to be a very adult read (A LOT of sex is involved apparently) and everyone's raving about it. So I've decided to jump on the bandwagon and read this one next.

 The Classic.

There are some books that I can read over and over no matter how many times I've already experienced their ups and downs. The Great Gatsby is one of those books and with the new movie scheduled to come out this Christmas I thought it would be a good idea to refresh myself on the plot details.

The New Release.

The lovely Lauren Conrad has released her third book about life in L.A. I for one am excited to read all the juicy details this time around. 

The Remake.

The Innocents is based on Edith Wharton's The Age of Innocence, released in 1920. Wharton's novel was kind of an 1870's version of Gossip Girl and though the  remake covers the lives of London's Jewish community it's supposed to be just as scandalous.

The Vacation in Your Head.

Ann Patchett's newest novel takes place in the Amazon rain forest and is filled with tons of adventure. If you can't afford a vacation this summer try getting away from everyday life by exploring the world she creates. I plan on doing just that with a nice cold iced coffee and the sun on my shoulders. 

Insta-weekend

Happy Memorial Day Monday! Well, after a glorious weekend filled with family, friends, food and (lots of) drinks, I'm back to work here at color the coast. Unfortunately, due to some technical difficulties I don't have an outfit post for you guys. Instead I decided to give you a little recap of my weekend through instagram. So here we go...

started the weekend off right with some

 coconut mocha deliciousness from the starbs

favorite book of all time, and my current beach read

my best friend and I got these matching cups

for our margaritas!

my best friend's sister (soon to be mommy!!) sarah

these tiki torches kept blowing flames off the deck,

it was a little scary

my little craw fish friend

 a couple of the girls and I last night :)

Well, there you go that was part of my fantastic weekend. I hope you all had a good time this weekend, let me know what you did! Feel free to follow me on instagram! @amandamn. I'll follow ya back!

MDW Looks: Night Out

Hello friends, happy Friday! I'm super excited because it's finally here, Memorial Day Weekend! As my last piece of advice for your weekend attire, here are two ideas for what to wear out this Friday and Saturday night!

For the rebel, or the good girl who decides she wants to get a little bad this weekend, try a look like the one above. Nothing is sexier than a pair of super skinny jeans and I love this sheer blue top. It adds a bit of softness to the outfit without looking too girly. Pair it with some hard(core)ware like the Alexander McQueen skull bangle and you'll be the toughest (and hottest) chick at the club.

If you're going for a more romantic look this weekend, go for a lighter, brighter look. Tangerine against bronzed skin is absolutely beautiful. I'm a big fan of doing a slim fitting bottom with a flow-y top but I love the idea of switching that around. These shorts are gorgeous, especially with this white tank tucked in. Plus, I adore those Ash platform wedges, they're a great accent to the shorts.

I hope you all have an amazing MDW and kick off summer in style. I'll try to get some shots of what I wear this weekend to show you all!