BOHEMIAN WAYS

These images from the For Love & Lemons Spring 2012 campaign get me real excited for hot desert weather, bare legs and backs, going back to California, and Coachella. I want to dress like a rock and roll gypsy and dance the night away with my hands way up above my head. That's the Dylana way. And heck yeah am I going to be wearing a rose halo around my head.

Images from Studded Hearts

WHY HELLO THERE

The backseat of a NYC cab always make for the best photo ops. Surprised that my hair even looked this good the morning these photos were snapped. It was the middle of fashion week and we were in such a rush getting from one place to the next. Thank goodness for beach bum hair wax. Does a head good.

Hoping to use my off time after work this week to get back into some things that used to be the norm in my life, like strumming my guitar and learning a new song on it, reading before going to bed, and writing poems down in my notebook. Sometimes it is hard to make time for things you really love and are passionate about when you work 24/7 and work hard to keep up a blog. Some things just get thrown on the back burner without you even realizing it until it hits you way too late. By the time I get home from work, it's usually already 7 PM, and then I usually either go to the gym or cook. When that is all done and I'm ready to relax, it already feels like it's bedtime and all I can think about is sleep. I tried to get back on track with my book last week, but ended up falling asleep before finishing the chapter I was on. I was bummed out, but my eyelids just couldn't stay open. I work very hard, sometimes too hard I feel, but now I want to work even harder to find balance amongst every aspects of my life. Besides all the good stuff that I love and want to reintroduce into my life, I also want to go through everything in my room and start on a little spring cleaning. Out with the old. Spring is just around the corner. I can taste it on the tip of my tongue. I'm looking forward to a fresh new season and a fresh new start. I've never experienced a nice spring on the east coast before. I hope it treats me well.

LINCOLN CENTER

Sequin Top - Disco Pony, Blazer - vintage, Skirt - Willow + Clay, Boots - Steve Madden, Bag - Rebecca Minkoff

Hello Monday! Back to the work week after an exciting weekend. My sister and I spent all day Saturday working on a photo shoot with Volcom for my sister's Holiday 2012 design collaboration with them. The photo shoot turned out to be a total success. High fives all around. We shot all around Philly at my favorite places. The whole process from styling and location scouting to the actual angles and moments captured on camera was completely organic, and just felt spot on. I think this look book is going to be even better than the last one I shot! I can't wait for you all to see the finished result. Sunday was spent chilling around the city and catching up with my girl Kim, whom I haven't had an actual hang session with in quite a while. It was like the good old days gain, when I first came to Philly, and it made me happy to get back to that place again. Oh, I was also recovering from a short food poisoning bit (never am I again eating crab!). It kind of sucked having to stay in when really I wanted to be out dancing, but sometimes you just have to stay in bed and deal with it. The weekends just couldn't be longer. I need another chill day . . . pronto.

These pictures were taken during NYFW, right before running into Lincoln Center for the Diane von Furtsenburg show. It was extremely windy and bone-chilling, but we took it all head on to get a few shots. I'm in love with the bright hue of this romantically delicate skirt. The wind actually really helped in showing off its beauty. And once again, I busted out the sequins. My friend Zoey, the designer of DISCO PONY, sent me this top from her latest collection. As soon as I laid eyes on it, I knew I had to wear it to fashion week. It really is something special. Pairing it with the skirt was the icing on the cake. A match made in heaven. Two extremes together can sometimes make the perfect combination in actuality. This vintage blazer was the only jacket I brought to NYFW (other than a basic black wool coat), and it worked with nearly every outfit I packed for the few days I was in the city. I like to pack smart, reworking a few key items that will save me room and time. I think this blazer is one of my favorite items in my closet. There really is nothing I can think of that doesn't work with it.

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Heard Somebody Say by Devendra Banhart

PARTY IT UP

Some fun party picks of me and my girls Natalie, Bonnie, Caylee, and Christina getting down on the dance floor at the Rebecca Minkoff after party. We know how to have a good time! I miss these girls so much! So much fun, so down to earth, so real. More NYFW posts to come :)

** Pictures taken from Caylee's blog If You Seek Style

Edition01 // $3,000 Shopping Spree GIVEAWAY!

Edition01 is a special shopping experience, presenting collaborations with the most talented fashion designers, such as Yigal Azrouel, Narciso Rodriquez, and Reem Arca, to create limited edition collections of their quintessential pieces. Each collection is perfectly edited and made exclusively for Edition01. It embraces the true definition of luxury, value, and artistic design. I dream about every piece featured on the website!

Be sure to sign up to Edition01.com to be entered to win a $3,000 Fashion Week shopping spree for you and a friend. Details here.

And make sure to follow me on Bloglovin' HERE!

Below are my favorite items on the website right now. Now you know what I mean by pure luxury?

1. Quilted Cuff by Anndra Neen

I like how tough this bracelet looks, but also how expensive it looks at the same time. I would totally pair this piece with an oversized leather moto vest, a rugged white tee, and a slouchy pair of distressed jeans to dress it down.

2. Floral Shift Dress by Bibhu Mohapatra

The perfect little spring dress. All I would need is a pair of flats with attached ankle straps, a bright red leather satchel worn across my body, and oversized sunnies to be good to go.

3. Deco Knot Bracelet by Ben-Amun

I'm big on stacking a lot of bracelets on my wrist, and when doing so, I like to mix grungy with pretty for the perfect balance. That means throwing this piece on with a bunch of my colorful friendship bracelets and studded metal cuffs.

4. Lace Back Gown by Reem Acra

If I were a movie star, this is the dress I would want to wear on the red carpet. All it needs is a red lip and glossy side parted hair to be fully camera ready. This simple yet fantastic number blows my mind.

5. Draped Maxi Skirt by Yigal Azrouël

When the weather starts to get warmer I always want to bust out an easy, breezy maxi skirt. I love that they let your legs move and breathe. This one is a perfect powdery fresh color for spring. I'd pair it with strappy gladiator sandals, a sheer tank, an oversized blazer jacket, and a slouchy knit beanie for a day out.

Make sure to enter to win a $3,000 shopping spree at Edition01 and maybe you will be able to own your dream designer piece.

HOT PANTS

Shorts - Ruche, Blouse and Blazer - vintage, Bag - Rebecca Minkoff, Boots - Steve Madden

What I wore during my second day of NYFW. I wanted to look put together and classic, but daring at the same time. Nothing is more daring than sequins on your booty, so I thought, why not?? This day was a long and fast-paced one, beginning with a rehearsal of the Polyvore Live runway show, a quick stop at the Chelsea Market (which I am dying to go back to again soon), the Erin by Erin Fetherston presentation, and a blogger dinner celebrating Threadsence and Ruche's new PR agency they just signed with. We also ended up meeting friends out in Williamsburg for a night of dancing. By the end of the night, I felt like my feet were going to break off. We walked to catch a cab at a zombie like pace. It was like The Living Dead all over again. The first thing my sister and I did when we got back to our hotel room was collapse onto our beds and fall into a deep sleep. Getting enough sleep just never really happens during NYFW. You try to fit so much into your mornings, days, and nights that time flies so fast and before you know it, it's already approaching midnight and you still have so much to do! It's a crazy time, but I thrive off of it, as well.

Going to try to treat my body well this week with lots of water, sleep, and exercise. I am shooting a Volcom look book featuring my sister and her collaborative designs with the brand this Saturday, and I need all the energy I can muster so that I can give this shoot my all. My sister and I spent all last weekend right here in Philly (where we will be shooting) location scouting and brainstorming ideas. I am so excited to get this project into action and see what we come up with!

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Lonely Boy by The Black Keys

On a The Black Keys kick this morning!

I WANT IT WARM AGAIN

Spring and summer loving invading my mind like a swarm of aliens. I dream of pink hair even though I know I will never get it. I want to wear Hawaiian prints and floral on floral. I want to run around in airy neutrals and pretty pastels. I want to throw on some short shorts and show off my legs (without the tights, please). I want to ride my bike with warm air brushing against my cheek. I want to spend long nights out with friends, sipping milkshakes and playing card games on the grass. I want to wake up and smell the flowers. Literally. Mr. Alien, take me to Summer Land please.

** Pictures from Free People, Maison Scotch, Wildfox, Studded Hearts

GLITTER PARTY

Dress - Free People, Skirt (worn under dress) - YesStyle, Hat - H&M, Boots - Steve Madden, Bag - Rebecca Minkoff

These pictures were taken on my first night in NYC for fashion week. Right after I arrived, Natalie and I checked right into Yotel for three beautiful (and extremely comfortable) nights. I threw this skirt on underneath my dress, put on some tights, and popped a hat on my head. We danced the night away with other bloggers and the Rebecca Minkoff peeps at the brand's after party. But first we danced in the hallway of our floor to get us pumped for the night. It was a rad way to kick off my NYFW.

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GLEE's version of Michael Jackson's Smooth Criminal

DIANE VON FURSTENBURG // FW 2012

Being able to attend the Diane von Furstenburg show at Lincoln Center was like something out of a dream. Diane herself is such an icon, such an inspiration and a beautiful person overall. Just hearing her name gives me chills. The music, the models, the striking colors, and the strong silhouettes all came together for one amazing show. I really didn't want it to end. Elegant, seductive, and easy. Those are the three words I would use to describe the clothing. DVF designs for the strong, independent woman at heart, exactly what the designer herself resonates inside and out. A reflection of this in the show was all the bold hues and color blocking techniques. At the end of the show, Diane waked the entire runway with a huge smile on her face and Whitney Houston blasting from the speakers. A bittersweet moment indeed. I left the show feeling so happy and so lucky to be a part of fashion week. I felt like I was 5 years old again when I came across my very first fashion magazine, pointed at a picture, and just knew that this is what I wanted to be a part of. An unreal sense of déjà vu for sure. The best feeling in the world.