Next stop: San Antonio

Since the semester has ended I’ve done a lot of thinking about continuing my blog. After a few weeks off and a well-deserved girls trip, I’ve talked myself into it. I love getting to showcase all my neat finds and style combos. Things might be a little different now just because I’m starting to find my place as a stylist vs. a model. Dressing up is my favorite hobby…that’s a hobby right?? Anyways, it is to me. BUT, I’ll try to dress up as many of my fam/friends that will let me. 

ANYGUEYZZZ. My super awesome friends and I had a getaway to San Antonio. Everytime I come to this beautiful city, I become more mesmerized by it. 

Day 1. Kehlani Concert

I completely sucked and didn’t get to take good pictures of my outfit. We all wore customs from Pink Penthouse Closet. 

Isy (far left) wore a cropped Hard Rock San Antonio tee paired with some acid wash shorts. THOSE ARE REAL SAFETY PINS. Pink Penthouse Closet was super crafty and cut out the neck and pinned it back together, and used the similar technique all over the shirt.

Morgan (middle) wore a cropped Tommy Hilfiger tee and was paired with some white cargo pants from Forever 21. 

I wore a leotard that was cut up on the seams and laced up all the way down. THIS PICTURE DOESN’T DO IT JUSTICE. The cut out v-neck was added on for extra sass. I paired it with a black distressed denim skirt from Vici Collection. 

I will be doing a separate blog post for this leotard, wait on it. 

Day 2. Six Flags

We did NOT drive 10 hours for nothing. This was my favorite day of the whole trip, mostly because of the sunshine and roller coasters. 

This HOT pink mesh top and silver metallic track shorts are from Forever 21. My bralette is from Monroe Clothing. And my fly kicks were an early birthday present from Gabby. They are the MOST comfy Birkenstocks in this entire world ++ they’re hot pink too. Don’t let my pony tails frighten you, I just really didn’t want to have my hair up/braided/down. 

Day 3. San Antonio 

For our last day we had an amazing brunch at Chisme, drove to a mosaic mural, and roamed the Riverwalk. This part of the trip convinced me that I belong in this city. We discovered this beautiful city’s most precious places. 

Everybody say a mental thank you to Forever 21. The rainbow crochet halter top and denim skirt are both from there. The shoes, unfortunately I have no details about. I stole them from my sister Ashley’s closet. 

Disclaimer: I won’t be moving to San Antonio anytime soon, but you better believe that I’ll be there full-time in the future. 

If you have any questions about any of the outfits, feel free to contact me and I can give you further information! 

 

Fiesta like there’s no tomorrow!

Themed parties are the best excuse I have to play dress up. This weekend I got to celebrate my grandmas 86 birthday with a ¡Fiesta! My family and I, with the company of one of my best friends, traveled 14 hours to McAllen, Texas. It is not a stereotype that people of Mexican culture know how to party. So here is all the deets!

Hair: Braiding my hair has become creative hobby for me. I have a lot hair + it’s thick. Yes, I love it and I understand that most people dream to have it. BUT braids allow me to get it out of my face without weighing me down. I decided to do a Dutch crown braid that linked up to a side braid. Like I said it’s light weight and I also have mastered getting it done under a couple of minutes.

Top: I got this embroidered beauty in San Antonio last summer. It has easily become one of my favorite pieces. During the year I usually wear it with jeans, my denim skirt and recently this flowy orange maxi.

Bottoms: This skirt is another find from Ashley’s (my sister) closet. I do have issues with the length but I’m too stubborn to hem it. I’m going to save this skirt for more formal outings. I enjoy the pop of color but the pleats just add some sophistication.

Shoes: I admit it, I cheated. I wore my forever comfy black suede Birkenstocks. I am Tex-Mex after all.

***sorry for the lack of photos but we were too busy celebrating

 

Deep in our hearts we believe that being Mexican has nothing to do with which country one lives in. Being Mexican is a state of soul – not one of mind, not one of citizenship. Neither eagle nor serpent, but both. And like the ocean, neither animal respects borders- Gloria Anzaldúa

 

Guest Blog: The Photographer’s Side

Hello everyone! My name is Gabby Billingsley, owner of Pink Penthouse and Dora’s roommate/photographer.

Today, I will be guest blogging about my side of the story—the “photographer’s” side. I’ve always been creative; I love to paint, sew and obviously take pictures! My family has always supported my dreams, so in junior high, I decided I wanted to explore photography and my grandpa bought me a DSLR camera. It was the best and most expensive thing I owned at the time, so I seriously treasured it. When Dora and I were in ninth grade (and on the dance team together), we loved playing around and taking pictures for fun. She was my volunteer model when I was just experimenting and we always had so much fun! I was (and still am) an amateur photographer, so my pictures are for fun and not taken too seriously. 

Dora and I at her Quinceañera in 2011. 

Since before going to college, Dora knew that she wanted to start a blog. We even came up with a joint-blog name and took to Dickson Street to take pictures for our first post! But of course, college started and we were far too busy to run a blog. 

Still, three years later, Dora had a dream of starting a fashion/style blog. This class was the perfect opportunity for Dora to finally make her blog a reality—it is a requirement after all.  I jumped on board and agreed to take her blog pictures and support her all the way.  Around the same time, I started my small business, Pink Penthouse. In return, Dora agreed to be the stylist for photoshoots, while our other friends agreed to model for me and we do photoshoots almost weekly. The blog and my small business happened to go hand-in-hand and Dora has blogged about it a few times. 

Photographing Dora is such a breeze because she’s a natural in front of the lens. She knows her angles and poses, so she makes my job extremely easy. When photographing people who aren’t as natural or experienced, my job is a bit more difficult, but I really like to capture people in their natural state. I love authentic, real pictures where the subject’s personality really shines through. I’m also really good at making people laugh, and those pictures usually turn out so good. 

The camera that I use is a Canon EOS Rebel T6. Definitely not a cheap camera, but also not the most expensive that Canon makes.  Dora also has a Nikon camera that we occasionally use, but I’m more of a Canon girl.  The lens I use most is an 18-55mm, which works the best for our blogging purposes (this is one of 2 that came with my camera, which is linked here.)  This is a really good starter camera, especially if you don’t plan on becoming a pro photographer and just need quality photos.  It’s super simple to use and on the more affordable end of the DSLR spectrum.

If you have any other questions regarding photography or Pink Penthouse, comment or email me directly at gabby_billingsley@yahoo.com!  Thanks for reading!

Just for fun, here are some pictures of Dora and I from high school to now!

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I mean business.

There comes a point in a college student’s life where it consists of applying for jobs and interviewing, all in hopes for a somewhat-smooth transition into the workforce after graduation. I am so at that point. After hearing “no” multiple times, I started questioning all my hard work to this point.

I needed to snap out of it and I knew exactly how to do that. I walked around Target for two hours before my interview, filled my outfit with my personality, and asked my best friend to go with me for support.

I get it.l, trust me. Interviews are hard and no matter what anyone says, you will be nervous. I channelled my zen through my outfit choice. I wanted to make sure to stay true to myself so I could have some level of comfort during my interview. So here is how I mean business.

Hair: I love loose curls but I’m in the process of growing out my bangs. This means I have to have them pinned back most of the time. So I went with loose curls in a pony. The look is more classic. I wanted to make sure the red in my hair wasn’t completely hidden but still subtle. This pony is key for dirty hair days that happen to fall on GNO nights or just a busy day.

Top: Kohls is the place to be at right now. This black top with ruffled sleeves… SLAYED MY LIFE. It was pulled from Gabby’s closet because I was in dire need of something chic enough. The ‘Peter Pan’ white collar ties in well with the bottoms I have on. A top like this can be easily worn for business days or even for church!

Bottoms: I have to brag about my bottoms. While on my path of self pity before my interview, I decided to walk into Style Encore. For those who aren’t familiar with the store, it’s a like a Plato’s Closet, but with better and nicer brands. I saw these Ann Klein white pants with subtle black stripes. The tags were still on them!! $15- SOLD.  This is exactly how you add flare to business attire.

Shoes: My shoes are a closet essential. These are Jessica Simpson nude pumps. Everyone’s closet should (if they don’t already) have nude heels. I’ve worn these to a prom, conferences, and many interviews.

Accessories: Of course, my Apple watch 🙂 This is my favorite accessory. I wear this every single day, no matter the occasion.

Shop. Buy. Delivered.

Shopping online is the greatest pastime (and guilty pleasure) of our generation. It’s easy—you scroll through pages and you “add to wishlist” all the items that catch your eye. There’s no commitment to buy it and I LOVE THAT. So it’s out there, I spend a lot of time shopping. I have now built up a catalog of my favorite online shops and I’d love to share my top 5.

Target: Target is one of my biggest guilty pleasures, whether it’s in store or online.  The Target website makes it so easy to find what you want, check in-store availability and even have items that aren’t in stock shipped to store FOR FREE.  The website is easily navigated and offers lots of filters to narrow down your search results.  This is my go-to website for home goodies and swimsuits. Here are a few things I’m currently obsessed with:

Guava Glaze KitchenAid® Artisan Mini

Women’s Fuchsia Twill Flared Trouser

Women’s Western Multiple Buckle Quarter Strap Sandals

Old Navy: I can’t really explain my love for this store.  It’s so affordable and such a great way to build your professional wardrobe.  I stay up-to-date on their sales and splurge every now and then.  Every one of their pieces are versatile and can be worn for multiple occasions.  Shopping Old Navy online versus in-store can be beneficial because they have more and better sales.  Not to mention, their clearance is almost always fully stocked.  Here are a few pieces I need in my closet right now:

Ego Shoes: Although not very popular, this website changed my life.  No, really.  They have the trendiest, most affordable shoes AND they offer a student discount AND they are comfortable.  Win, win, win.  Their selection ranges from thigh high boots to sneakers and everything in-between.  They are based in the UK, but shipping is reasonable,the packages are easy to track and always come quickly.  

ASOS: If you’ve ever visited ASOS.com, then you know that they have a little bit of everything.  They carry so many brands for every single person—probably dogs too.  Since Victoria’s Secret got rid of their swimsuit line, this has been my swimsuit headquarters.  It can be hard sometimes because their prices range from $10 to $500 and I have very expensive taste, but that’s where filtering comes in handy.  Set your price range, select your size and they’ll show you what’s available.  Best part is that they also offer a student discount. Check out these things I have heart eyes for currently:

Floral Embroidered Beach Co-ord

Tulle Midi Prom Skirt with Embroidery

Vero Moda Straw Fedora Hat

Amazon: I don’t think I even need to go into detail with this one, but I will anyway.  Amazon is amazing.  Prime is amazing.  Almost anything you can think of, Amazon has AND you can get it to your door in 2 days.  I’m talking essentials (like laundry detergent) to books to clothes.  I even ordered a UCA Bears flag on there that was eligible for Prime.  Not to mention, students get a free 6 month trial of Amazon Prime.  You can also giveback to your charity of choice while shopping by using Amazon Smile. If you haven’t shopped on Amazon, you need to. It doesn’t get much better than this.  Here’s just a few of the things on my extensive Amazon wishlist:

March Madness in Memphis

Free People white split back top- Plato’s Closet, Super skinny jeans Ombre Wash- Abercombie, Layered Bralette- Monroe Clothing in Conway, Chevron Cloadfoam Adidas- TJ Maxx, Fringe Fanny Pack- Target, Crescent moon/ Pearl earrings- Target 

The last day of Spring Break was incredibly fun to say the least. We woke up Friday morning and took off to Memphis. We never set out an itinerary for the day so we expected nothing but fun and adventure!

As soon as we touched ground in Memphis, we went straight to IKEA. It just opened in December so it was a must. If any of you are big IKEA fans, you know that no matter what you’ll spend at least two hours there.  Since we didn’t have plans, we made it our mission to go through every show room in the 271,000 square-foot store. Two hours into our day at IKEA, an announcement comes on the intercom and we are told to evacuate the premises. Can you imagine that? Having a cart full of furniture and supplies and just leaving it there?

To be safe, we left and had lunch at The Cheesecake Factory. We decided to go back to IKEA after and check if they reopened the store, but they were still on lock down for an anonymous called in bomb threat. 

Instead, we decided to go shopping! Urban Outfitters has a location maybe five minutes from IKEA, so we took off. The store is in an amazing location—there’s murals EVERYWHERE. We pulled out the camera and captured away.  (I’ll tag outfit details below the photos)

LC Lauren Conrad layered slip dress- Kohl’s, Baby pink studded cross body purse- TJ Maxx, Pom Pom earrings- Forever 21, Pink Birkenstocks- Urban Outfitters

Since it’s March and we were in Memphis, we headed to BEALE STREET! If you’re keeping up with the basketball tournaments, you know how crazy it was this Friday. We decided to stroll down Beale St. and take in the environment. So many families, so many fans, and to say the least so much alcohol. Just as the games got started we got restless to leave so we called IKEA and found out they reopened!!

Four hours, a few beers, and multiple pictures later we finally were able to re-enter IKEA and grab our bag full of stuff from exactly where we left it! Thank goodness. We checked out and were back on the road. 

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you have been wish-listed

It’s ok to want, right? My online wishlist would completely and entirely second that. No harm is done when you don’t actually intend to buy it or add it to your cart. So lets talk about some of my biggest wants at the moment.

 

Blue Bell Sleeve Ruffle Denim Doll Blouse

Ok, can y’all blame me for the want? In all seriousness the amount of outfit ideas running through my mind is equivalent to the time I first laid eyes on my favorite Kate. This top would look amazing paired with your favorite frayed hem denims or a denim pencil skirt. If that is just waaayy too much blue for your comfort, you can always add some flare with patterned pixies/capris or of course with white pants. 

Accessorizing can be left at a minimal, just because the baby doll style and the bell sleeves don’t really require much more. I would add a choker, my favorite stringy necklace, or a bandana if you’re tuning your inner 90’s chick. I wouldn’t add anymore statement pieces though.

 

KEDS X kate spade new york TRIPLE DECKER TASSEL

Kate Spade and Keds, this is a match made by the fashion Gods. Yea yea, I am extremely brand loyal to my home girl Kate but can we take a second here? These shoes. The fringe. The platform. Although they are a pretty bold color, imagine that white tee and skinnies that would add flare to? I would totally wear these with my off the shoulder black and white striped top tucked into my culotte denims, just to add a little personality. 

MULTI COLORED POM POM EARRINGS

Again I have to give credit to Savoir Faire, they are SLAYING it. These earrings are offering the right amount of personality for your favorite outfit. I know I say this often but these can go both ways. Either paired with something dressy or a casual outfit. I can see these on with a bomber jacket the perfect black jeans and pleather booties. Or an alternative option would be with a Spring dress.

black wide leg side stripe joggers

Shout out to Sporty Spice for making these a thing to begin with. The amount of comfort these pants have to offer completely have me SOLD! The alternative way these are being used currently is by pairing them with some fishnet leggings and heels. The top I envisioned was one the fab shirts from The Pink Penthouse Closet. 

Perasima Mug

Okay, yes, this is a very strange want but look at it. It’s so adorable. I have a very strange cup addiction and I swear if I bring anymore cups home my roommate will evict me. 

I give, you give, PINK PENTHOUSE GIVEAWAY!

YES, GIVEAWAY! You and your best friend have the opportunity to get your hands on custom made shirts. Follow the steps below.

HOW TO ENTER: Tag a friend on the GIVEAWAY (click on link to enter) post. Both friends must be following to win. (Multiple entries allowed, tag a different friend in each comment)

Winner will be chosen on Sunday, March 5 at 9 PM and notified via DM.

These shirts are still available! Check out our Insta for more details on each shirt! ☺️