Spring is my second favorite season and every year I look forward to its arrival and renewal of all things beautiful. After several cold and dreary months, there is nothing better than fresh blooms, greenery & the chance to wear sandals. Spring provides hope of hot Summer days to come and just the thought of being sun-kissed gets me giddy.

With only a few weeks left until the official arrival of Summer, I want to share this pastel-hued look with you. Pastels are usually popular this time of year especially with floral prints while tropical prints tend to be reserved for Summer. This look intersects the two seasons perfectly; combiing the soft colors of Spring with patterns reminiscent of a tropical Summer on the islands. It's the perfect mix for a Caribbean gyal such as myself.

While walking around the Wynwood art district in Miami a couple months ago, I spotted what I assumed was a flamingo wall in the distance. We had just left my children in Aruba and my flamingo-radar was at an all time high. My pink laser eyes scanned everything at approximately 299,792, 458 miles per second and when I saw the top of this wall my indicator went off, I shouted Flamingo to Stef and pointed in the distance almost speechless. I'm confident you understand my reaction.    

Obviously we decided to get a better view to determine if there were indeed flamingos on said wall. Stef and I walked a few blocks and the closer we got, the more excited I became. I even whipped out my phone to share the excitement with you on Instagram story, did you catch it?  As I held my phone towards the wall and approached the building my anticipation and excitement shifted to utter disappointment. How could this be? A flamingo appeared before me but not at all what I imagined.  How could the mother of all Flamingos not be excited by this?

Last night I got home from work, ate dinner, spent some time with Stef then began sifting through images on my laptop trying to decide what I'd post on the blog. I chose this look, shot in Aruba, and began uploading the images. After that was done, I put fingers to keyboard since we no longer put pen to paper and was stumped!

What should I write about? I had no clue and wasn't feeling any of the concepts that came to mind so I ate some kettle corn, closed the laptop and got ready for bed. This post was not making it to the blog today, or so I thought. 

Basket bags are all the rage this season and I've been admiring all the various modern styles that are popping up. I have a soft spot for them and a (not so) small collection consisting of mostly vintage ones mixed with a few modern styles in various shapes, colors and materials.

They're the perfect statement accessory and are versatile enough to transition throughout the seasons but there can be a downside to these pretty pieces.

Basket bags often come with short top handles and no shoulder strap which can become annoying when you're doing activities that require both hands such as vintage shopping or sampling ice cream at a food festival.

While doing both activities (not at the same time although that would be dreamy), I decided to turn my vintage silk scarf into a shoulder strap for my modern wicker bucket bag

Continue reading to get the full tutorial!   

Happy Friday! It's the beginning of a four day weekend and the unofficial start of Summer so I decided to share another beach look with you. Last year I brought you Turbans & Tassels - Cartagena Vacation Style and this year I'm sharing the Aruban beach version of my signature retro-glam style. 

We're less than a week away from Memorial day and in my mind that's the beginning of Summer! I know it's not the official calendar date but family and friends usually get together on this weekend for activities that are synonymous with Summer. Grills are being dusted off right now and many are prepping for a weekend BBQ or picnic. Some may even venture to the beach if the weather permits (fingers crossed).

It's also that time of year where Cherries (one of my favorite American fruits) starts appearing on fruit stands and in supermarkets. If you're wondering why I call it an American fruit it's because they're different from the cherries we have in Guyana. The first time I tasted one was almost 11 years ago when I first moved to the US. We were at a family BBQ for Memorial day, I took one bite and couldn't get enough. It's one of the things I look forward to when Summer rolls around in NYC. 

So as we approach the season, Mildred decided it would be fitting to share her cherry pinup beach look for the weekend. We're hoping the weather permits our first beach day of the season so we can wear this cute retro swimsuit again. 

Last Spring my bestie and I came across a beautiful pair of Parrot Heels from Kate Spade and couldn't get them off our minds. As we waited and hoped they would go on sale, I was inspired to DIY a Macaw version of my own.  Yes, you can make these heels yourself!!!

I shared a teaser a few months ago on IG but actually created this DIY about a year ago when I got the patches.  I initially shared it with my family in our group chat and my big sister gave me the great idea to do something additional. I got stuck on the idea and held off from sharing the tutorial while I tried to source additional supplies. I still haven't found the right supplies but with the recent parrot craze popping up in the fashion world, I figured I might as well share the initial DIY with you. This way you can get the look in time for Summer. 

A few weeks have passed since my Aruba trip and it's now starting to heat up in NYC! When we got back from Aruba, we were welcomed by hot summer-like weather which made me very happy. It felt as though I had brought the good weather back with me, however, a day later NYC reminded me of who she was. It got chilly again!

Yes folks, my space heater, furry bedroom slippers and coat were in full effect again and I was bummed. Now, a couple weeks later, we're starting to feel the heat and all I can do is think about the sun, sand and all the fun Mildred had getting ice-cream.

Hello everyone! Today I'm so excited to share my first culture and style piece with you. I wrote this article for Aphrochic.com to highlight & discuss the history of the headwrap as a cultural symbol. I’ve been noticing the rise of women wearing headwraps even on catwalks and wanted to review and provide perspective on its historical context with the goal of maintaining it's meaning

Kindly click here to read the full post over on Aphrochic's site and let me know your thoughts! 

Two weeks ago, Stef whisked me away to Aruba to celebrate my 30th birthday, tropical-style! Yes, #KrystlesVintageThirty was in January but we're celebrating all year long (Beyonce diva-style) and it was time for #KrystlesTropicalThirty! 

If you can't tell by now, I LOVE Flamingos! F to the L to the A to the... okay we might be here for a while if I continue. Seriously guys these beautiful pink birds have a special place in my heart, yet I'd never seen them in person until now!

I've linked to some cute Flamingo beach wear so continue reading to get your Flamingo Friday on! 

You've probably been told you need a LBD (little black dress) in your closet and I'm all for it, but I'm here to let you know you need a LWD (little white dress) as well. Yes you do!

I'm all about bold prints and bright colors but a white dress is also one of my closet staples, especially during the Spring & Summer months. I love how refreshing white is after the dark & cold Winter months. Crisp, bright white provides the perfect backdrop for colorful patterns, tropical prints and bold accessories.

Continue reading to get this LWD and more, just in time for sizzling Summer days!

Right before heading out on vacation, the boyfriend and I had a little dinner date and it was the perfect opportunity to wear this beautiful lace bell sleeve top.

The night was cool here in NYC, so I paired it with these black lace pants that have been sitting in my closet, unworn for about two years now. Sometimes it takes me a while to wear my pieces but two years was enough! When I got this white lace blouse from Tobi, I knew it was the perfect pairing pice for my pants. 

Continue reading to see how I styled this pretty bell sleeve top and get all the detail!