Can a piece of coral...

...really inspire a whole outfit?

In this case, the answer is overwhelmingly, YES.

Ever since I got this remade vintage coral ring from my momma, I can't stop crushing on all things coral. The ring is even extra special because the coral was originally one half of an earring mom wore on her wedding day. My sister-in-law has the other half, made into an identical ring surrounded by white and yellow tiny diamonds.

I wore this same dress earlier in the week to JK Model's Anniversary Party held at the upscale LEONE boutique. It was a fun night hanging out with some local bloggers, including Kelsey of The Anthology, Nicole of Le Mode Du Jour, Aces, Nikki of A Haute Mess, Olivia of Stylestruck, Lisa of Solo Lisa, Raul of Hummingbird604, and Erin of Haus of Hybrid.

Wearing:
Strapless dress with diamond back cut-out, by Elizabeth and James
Brown leather jacket, by Blues Heroes
Gypsy macrame thong sandals, by Elizabeth and James (available at ShopBop.com)
Remade vintage coral ring, gift from mom
Silver seahorse pendent, custom
White bone carved flower pendant, Simply Sublime
Mother of pearl cuff bracelet, from Knysna, South Africa
Bronze cuff, from Morocco
Floppy hat, American Apparel

A New Crop

Fashion, like the seasons, come and go, but I surely did not expect I would try the latest rounds of cropped tops. I picked up this lovely black racerback crop top at Simply Sublime last Friday, and I pulled it out for a holiday-Monday brunch with one of my besties, Sam, visiting from out of town. These pics were somewhat hastily taken, and I forgot to snap my paint-splattered purse, a notorious item that some of my friends have called the ugliest, most hideous thing they have ever seen, while others just love it. Ah, another day.

Above: Sam and I taking a stroll on the marina walkway after brunch.

The new crop has come a long ways since the old belly-baring-low-rider days; the new school are draped, asymmetrical, cut and layered in creative ways.

Along with the crop top, I brought home a slinky gold snake - my come-hither power piece.

Layered underneath is my new multi-coloured neon, leopard print bikini from Roxy (I hit the beach later that afternoon). The bottoms are reversible. Neon has been strong all year, and I see it carrying into the next season.

As the hazy days of August meld into the first Fall leaves, we can look ahead to some exciting style trends. I was polled on Twitter by the lovely Dream Sequins on what Fall trends I'll be rocking - check out my answer here along with the results from other Twitter stylistas.

What Fall trends will you be rocking?

RIDDLED REVEALED: For those wondering, the answer to the handbag riddle in this post is....Chloe!!

Wearing:
Black Racerback Crop Top, KZ Jerzey from Simply Sublime
White High-Waisted Bloomer Shorts, American Apparel
Neon Leopard Bikini, Roxy
Electric Yellow Wedge Peep Toes, from Hong Kong
Snake Necklace, Simply Sublime Jewelry by Constantina James
Floppy Hat, American Apparel