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one shoulder.

How to wear black to a one shoulder dress. | A.Viza Style | amazon fashion - minkpink dress - dc blogger
dressminkpink (under $40!) | heelssam edelman (old.) | lipsticknyx 

If you follow me on snapchat (@avizacard) or Instagram you would have seen that 
I ventured out to Austin, Texas this past week with my good friend.

I had never been to Texas minus a few headache filled layovers in the Dallas airport so I as very excited to put some new, and more pleasant, experiences in the books.
I hardly mentioned the trip to anyone so I hadn't built up too much excitement in my head on what I was going to be doing/seeing/eating so going into the weekend with no expectations was so nice and Austin was so fun!
How to wear black to a one shoulder dress. | A.Viza Style | amazon fashion - minkpink dress - dc blogger
How to wear black to a one shoulder dress. | A.Viza Style | amazon fashion - minkpink dress - dc blogger
I will be doing a little recap of all of that next week.

This dress form MINKPINK was a last minute purchase via Amazon Prime and luckily 
was delivered just in time to make the trip to Texas with me.
It traveled well - it was a little wrinkled but you couldn't tell much while wearing it.
I love the asymmetrical hemline and how it is parallel to the one shoulder detail.
The floral print it also so perfect and I can't wait to wear this with a bomber or leather jacket this fall for a totally different vibe of the dress.
How to wear black to a one shoulder dress. | A.Viza Style | amazon fashion - minkpink dress - dc blogger
How to wear black to a one shoulder dress. | A.Viza Style | amazon fashion - minkpink dress - dc blogger
dress: minkpink | heels: sam edelman (old.) | lipstick: nyx 

Quick funny story about the shoes:
I decided to only bring 3 pairs of shoes with me on the trip : sneakers to travel in; heels to go out in; and flats to go to brunch and the river in.
Well, the flats were somehow lost in said river and never made it to brunch.
I also managed to get one of the biggest blisters ever on my big toe from wearing these heels the night before so I basically walked around all day like a slug.

shop fun one shoulder dresses:


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milly.

My oh my how summer if flying by!  <-- I did not mean for that to rhyme...

This past weekend I headed down to Virginia Beach to celebrate my coworker tying the knot.
Earlier in the day, I began to get nervous a little bit because despite the fact that a friend and I left my area near DC around 8AM, we almost ran late for this 5:30PM wedding.
Crazy right?
How to wear black to a summer wedding. | A.Viza Style | milly rent the runway dress - wedding guest outfit - dc blogger
| dressmilly via rent the runway (rent for only $35!) | 
| heelsthe mode collective | bagloeffler randall |

If you're not familiar with the wonderful Interstate 95 consider yourself lucky.
While I have had pretty good luck the last few times I've jumped on that particular, luck was not on my side Saturday morning.
The normal 3.5 / 4 hour drive turned into a closer to 6 hour drive. 
Yes. Ouch.
Needless to say, I was a little tired (no time to nap!) and had to immediately get ready once we arrived at our hotel.
How to wear black to a summer wedding. | A.Viza Style | milly rent the runway dress - wedding guest outfit - dc blogger
How to wear black to a summer wedding. | A.Viza Style | milly rent the runway dress - wedding guest outfit - dc blogger
Luckily, and not surprisingly, I completely forgot about the almost debacle from earlier in the day once the ceremony started.
This past weekend I went to my last wedding of the year and it is funny how I have begun to measure my summers by the number of weddings I have attended.
This particular wedding was for a coworker that I've known and have been working with for the past few years.
How to wear black to a summer wedding. | A.Viza Style | milly rent the runway dress - wedding guest outfit - dc blogger
How to wear black to a summer wedding. | A.Viza Style | milly rent the runway dress - wedding guest outfit - dc blogger
It was such a beautiful wedding on the water in Virginia Beach and the weather was actually perfect which just added to the great day.
I was so thankful to witness the lovely couple commit themselves to each other.
How to wear black to a summer wedding. | A.Viza Style | milly rent the runway dress - wedding guest outfit - dc blogger
| dress: milly via rent the runway (rent for only $35!)| 

About the look:
Not sure why I am on a I-want-to-wear-black-to-a-wedding kick but I am.
This is the third wedding I've worn a black dress to in less than a year and the second within the last month.
Even though black is usually reserved as a color option for a wedding in cooler weather, it is still totally acceptable to wear for a summer wedding.
This fun Milly dress has such a fun and flattering fit that despite the dark color choice it is a great summer wedding outfit option.


My other black wedding looks are here and here.
My colorful wedding looks and throwbacks are here, here, here, here, here, and here


Other great wedding looks for under $50 at Rent the Runway:


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Movode Reveal.

I am so excited to share the final photos from my portrait session with Movode!

I talked about the first part of my Movode experience here before my "reveal".

After my shoot with Mahmoud and Christina, they scheduled a time for me to return about
two weeks later to reveal the final product.
I had an awesome shoot with Mahmoud, so the wait felt like forever but I was really excited to 
see which outfits and poses would make the final cut.

When I went in for the reveal day, I was greeted by Mahmoud and Christina 
and we caught up since our last meeting.
I was anxious to see the photos so after a few minutes of talking Mahmoud and Christina walked me over to the reveal wall where they had my final 10 images covered with white paper waiting for my approval.
They had me cover my eyes and then open them on the count of three.

...one...

...two...

...three...

I honestly was blown away by the final images.
Everything turned out better than I imagined that it was hard to decide what pieces/pieces to take home.

Once I saw all the final images, it was time to sit down and decide what I wanted to take home.
That was the hardest part!
I am currently in a house with terrible wood paneling walls so it was a little hard to envision a photo hanging or how it would fit with my other artwork.

I sat there going back and forth on images and possible purchasing something to hang but I literally could not decide.

Movode offers a great folio option with six or all ten images.
The folio is a sealed box with a solid magnetic closing and a perfect coffee table alternative where 
you can store all of your 8x10 pictures. 
Once I move I know I am going to purchase a frame so I can swap out the different photos to display.
Because everything is printed on such high quality paper and coloring, cotton gloves are included to ensure you can handle the images without damaging them with fingerprints.
The other awesome thing about the folio?
Since all the images are initially printed in the 8x10 size, you get to walk away with it that day.

INTERESTED in your own Movode experience?
If you use code AVIZA100 you will get $100 off of your session.

In all it was such a great experience.
Mahmoud and Christina are such professionals and (obviously) the work is amazing.
When I had spoke to them the first time they both described this as a life changing experience and it really was.
I have felt more confident in my everyday life and really have started to wear little to makeup during the work week.

I am so excited to have these photos to look back on and remember this amazing experience.

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wrap sundress.

dress: urban outfitters (under $40!) | heels: joie | bag: cuyana

All I can say about this past weekend is : heat.wave.
Tabitha and I met at the Blogger Scene event and decided we wanted to meet up and snap some pictures for each other.
We both have pretty hectic schedules leading into Labor Day, this past Saturday was the best time for the both of us.

Since hearing about the upcoming insanely high temperatures we opted for a very early call time, 7am.
Luckily, we did pick such an early time to meet in Georgetown because within an hour street parking filled up and the heat was beginning to be unbearable.
I think by 9 am is was over 90 degrees and the heat index was out of this world.
This little black dress from Urban Outfitters is probably the coolest thing I could have worn in 
that kind of heat and it still was unbearably hot.

After sweating my butt off snapping pictures, I headed home to a close friends house who I hadn't seen since 
my birthday last November and we spent the whole afternoon in the pool sipping on La Croix and wine.
About this dress:
I LOVE wrap dresses but normally that don't fit me all that well - I'm bustier but have a smaller rib cage so 
wrap dress are normally a little too revealing on me.
I had tried this dress on in a cute purple print earlier in the summer but couldn't 
bring myself to spend $60 on it then.
Once Urban Outfitters started marking down their summer items I kept stopping by my local 
store for the dress to pop up until I found the black one.
It is a faux wrap dress but still gives off that look that I love and even though it has a plunging neckline, 
it is secured in place with the side zipper and the tieback detail.
dress: urban outfitters (under $40!) | heels: joie | bag: cuyana


some great dresses to get you through the rest of the summer:



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casual lace skirt.

Ease and efficiency.
This is my main goal I try to achieve in every facet of my life and though I do not think I have found my "groove" just yet I think I have almost 100% is what I wear.
I do not have an unlimited spending money to just buy anything and everything so when I add a new piece to my wardrobe I really try to make sure it will get worn.
How to style a lace skirt. | A.Viza Style | sam edelman sandals - lace skirt - dc blogger
top: j.crewlace skirt: c/o banana republic | heels: sam edelmanbag: banana republic |

Questions I ask myself before taking the plunge on any particular piece of clothing:
Is this just an impulse buy or do I really like the item?
How often can I really wear this piece?
How many times do I actually see myself wearing it?

This particular lace skirt from Banana Republic passed my mini test with flying colors.
How to style a lace skirt. | A.Viza Style | sam edelman sandals - lace skirt - dc blogger
I do really like this skirt and know I will get a lot of use out of it. 
If you have been following me for awhile you know that I love a great skirt especially one that hits at my natural waist.
At Banana Republic I'm normally between sizes and for this skirt I opted for the larger size so it would fit a little more loose and be slightly more appropriate for work.
The color is a great also a great fall green.
How to style a lace skirt. | A.Viza Style | sam edelman sandals - lace skirt - dc blogger
Here I've styled this lace skirt in a dressy-casual kind of way.  
Perfect for a a nice summer dinner or a casual Friday in the office.
I know I could also style this lace skirt with a neutral crop top and wedges for a night out at the bar or pair it with a button down for the office.
It really is a great skirt I can't wait to wear a ton when the leaves start to change.
How to style a lace skirt. | A.Viza Style | sam edelman sandals - lace skirt - dc blogger
topj.crew (last worn here)| lace skirt: c/o banana republic | 
heelssam edelman | bagbanana republic |


shop the look below:



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tulip skirt.

Every once in awhile I head to a local store or mall just for the sake of it.
I have no intention of buying anything and then you accidentally stumble
upon an item that you can't walk away from.
How to style a tulip skirt. | A.Viza Style | joie sandals - jcrew skirt - dc blogger
How to style a tulip skirt. | A.Viza Style | joie sandals - jcrew skirt - dc blogger - flower crown
I stare in the dressing room mirror making an internal pros and cons list
as to why I should or shouldn't buy the piece, why my life was empty before it
graced me with it's beauty, and how my life will only be better after purchasing it.
Or is that just my dramatic self?

I think of all the places, this skirt in particular, I could go while wearing it
and why it would be the perfect addition to my wardrobe.
MUST.HAVE.IT.
But then... I slowly pick out the flaws.
Is it really that cute?  
It kind of makes my hips look big, right?
Is that a loose string I see?

Honestly guys, this is probably what my internal struggle sounds
like in my head on a pretty regular basis while shopping.
How to style a tulip skirt. | A.Viza Style | joie sandals - jcrew skirt - dc blogger
How to style a tulip skirt. | A.Viza Style | joie sandals - jcrew skirt - dc blogger
In the end, I decided to "say yes to the skirt" and walked out of
J.Crew a few weeks ago a happy camper.
PLUS the fact that it was an extra 50% was an added bonus.
I have been wearing it nonstop and really glad I talked myself into this decision.

These particular photos were taken this past weekend when I ventured to
Fredrick, Maryland for a surprise Bachelorette party for my coworker.
We went to Black Ankle Vineyard in Mt. Airy, Maryland
It was slightly overcast but was very humid and muggy so we made sure to quench our
thirsts with wine and celebrate out friend.
How to style a tulip skirt. | A.Viza Style | joie sandals - jcrew skirt - dc blogger - flower crown
top: urban outfitters (similar) | skirt: j.crew (EXTRA 40% off!)| sandals: joie

STYLE NOTE: I am wearing a 4Petite in this skirt.
Being 5'4", I always lean more towards petite sizes in skirt so the
hem hits better on my frame than a normal regular size.

shop similar pieces:




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the vest.

Like I mentioned here, I attended the Offline Society's first birthday party a few weeks' ago.
Originally I had planned a different outfit but I woke up with too many bug bites so I did a quick outfit change to this vest from  Kit + Ace that I recently scored.
How to style a long black vest. | A.Viza Style | kit ace vest - white denim - joie wedges - cuyana tote - dc blogger
If you don’t remember me mentioning the Offline Society  but they are a great startup 
founded in DC to bring about an alternative online dating option.
They curate fun gatherings where other singles, or people who want to network, 
to meet each other in real life.
How to style a long black vest. | A.Viza Style | kit ace vest - white denim - joie wedges - cuyana tote - dc blogger
The birthday party was so fun! 
DC had terrible traffic that day so it was frustrating but we finally made it into Shaw.
There was lots of great food, yummy drinks, so many familiar faces(one of my best friends Whitney,
  Deanna from The Pretty Girl’s Guide, and a fun photo booth!

The one down side – it was a million degrees. Literally, it felt like it was which is 
why I’m slightly shocked these photos came out so well.
How to style a long black vest. | A.Viza Style | kit ace vest - white denim - joie wedges - cuyana tote - dc blogger
I feel like I get in moods where I want to throw a vest over everything and I may be in 
one of those mood’s at the moment (last week’s vest post may tip you off).
Over the past two season’s longer vest’s have been popping up in so many stores 
but I hadn’t found one I really loved.
Side note :  I’ve been a little hesitant for longer vests due to my larger chest, 
normally they don’t fall quite right.
How to style a long black vest. | A.Viza Style | kit ace vest - white denim - joie wedges - cuyana tote - dc blogger
When I tried on this one at Kit + Ace I knew I had found the one.
The construction and quality are awesome, it’s the perfect length on my borderline
petite frame, and the ability to cinch in the waist is genius.
I know this vest is super versatile so I’ve been brainstorming new outfits to share.

More to come :)
How to style a long black vest. | A.Viza Style | kit ace vest - white denim - joie wedges - cuyana tote - dc blogger
vestkit+ace | crop topurban outfitters | denimloft 
tote: c/o cuyana | heelsjoie | lariat: loft

shop similar vests:


other pieces:


How to style a long black vest. | A.Viza Style | kit ace vest - white denim - joie wedges - cuyana tote - dc blogger
How to style a long black vest. | A.Viza Style | kit ace vest - white denim - joie wedges - cuyana tote - dc blogger
How to style a long black vest. | A.Viza Style | kit ace vest - white denim - joie wedges - cuyana tote - dc blogger