Tattooed Heart
As we’re now in the peak of 2017’s summer wedding season, I wanted to share a wedding guest look with you today on the Crystal Avenue. I wore Lulu’s “Bariano Ocean of Elegance” dress in grey to a summer wedding I attended over a year ago and never got around to shooting a lookbook to share with you all - sorry! Luckily, I had some time recently to schedule a shoot with Steph to finally shoot this formal number that I have titled “Tattooed Heart,” after Ariana Grande’s soulful ballad, which I will explain after the outfit details why.
When I was on the hunt for the wedding guest dress, I wanted the formal dress to embody a few characteristics. To start, I wanted the formal dress to be fitted and to keep me cool in the summer heat. I also wanted the length to not be a train and drag on the ground while I was mingling around, taking way too many photo booth pictures, or getting down on the dance floor. Lastly, I wanted a cool toned colored dress and was aiming to not spend over $200 for a formal dress that I might not be getting a lot of wear out of. After searching high and low for a dress that fit my style, I found the “Bariano Ocean of Elegance” dress, and was very happy with the choice and purchase. Please note, I did alter the dress because I did not want a plunging neckline.
Unfortunately, Lulu’s no longer carries the “Bariano Ocean of Elegance” dress in grey. However the navy blue, wine red, and ivory colored dresses are still a show stopper if you are interested in purchasing the dress here. Once again, I wanted the dress to be the highlight of the entire look. Thus I leaned towards keeping the overall look cool toned with a pair of rose earrings, white heels with a multi colored block heel, and my Daniel Wellington watch. I’ll be sure to share more wedding guest looks and tips down the road for you all.
As promised, there are a few reasons why I named this look after “Tattooed Heart” by Ariana Grande. First and foremost, the dress is as elegant and soulful as the song. Need I say more? The second reason was the setting. With the beauty of the garden, the aesthetic structures, and the Mediterranean-style villa, I imagined that it would be a possible music video for “Tattooed Heart” in my mind. Conclusively, the main reason why I chose “Tattooed Heart” for today’s outfit title was because of the lyrics. Whether you are receiving or giving, I feel love should feel and be innocent and pure, which I feel Ariana expresses wonderfully through the soulfulness of her voice. I know as a hopeless romantic, I wear my heart on my sleeve. However, I don’t believe you need to go through all the trouble of impressing someone with money or inanimate objects or playing with one’s emotions when it comes to love. If you feel and have expressed the purity and the innocence of love, you have already left a permanent impression on your partner and even on your own heart, like a tattoo. It also doesn’t matter if you have felt the purist form of love in a short period of time and then have it dwindle away, because at the end of the day, at least you opened yourself to it and had the chance to feel it. Give “Tattooed Heart” by Ariana Grande a listen, if you have not heard it and let me know what you think. I will see you all very soon. Take care!
Photography by Stephanie Nguyen
