Monthly Beauty Favorites

April went by faster than the speed of light, and May seems to be going at the same pace (Feliz Cinco de Mayo!) Last month there were a few items that I found myself constantly grabbing for (aka permanently attached to).

Liz Earle Cleanse and Polish: The first item I talked about a few weeks ago when I first got introduced to it through Birchbox. Though I have been using this for the past few weeks, since it is a moisturizing cream based cleanser and the weather is warming up, I will probably switch to something lighter for the months to come.

Sephora Rose Gold Cream Blush: This is the first cream blush I've tried and though there was some getting use to (umm can we talk about how much brush hair gets stuck in this thing) I've really been loving the subtly color of  this blush and the long-lasting power of a cream vs powder.

Clinque Stay Matte Oil Free Foundation: I had been eyeing this product for a while and finally decided to take the plunge and buy it, and I'm sooo happy I did. As someone who doesn't wear foundation everyday, I wanted something that would be light and help to even out my skintone on those rough monday mornings. Although it's considered a foundation, this product is more of a tinted moisturizer/ BB cream with buildable coverage. Love this product for Spring/early Summer weather.

Clinque High Impact Mascara: Another gem by Clinque, I was gifted a sample of this mascara through some means and finally tried it last month. After using the sample up, I went out and bought the mascara and haven't looked back since.

Lush Cupcake face mask: Also another item I was introduced to through gifting. As someone who never really got the deal when it came to masks, I  can honestly say that this product produces a noticeable difference with my skin immediately. After using this product my face is brighter and tighter.

And there you have it. My favorite beauty goodies for the month of April. Comment below and let me know if you have tried these products or plan to. What were your favorite beauty products from last month?

xoxo,

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Weekend Wardrobe Inspiration: Quilted Leather

We're well into March, and although March sounds like a "warm month" (at least in my southern minded head) it's actually still pretty chilly. So to spice up your weekend wardrobe with out freezing your butt, try a quilted leather skirt as you brunch and party it up this weekend. A quilted leather skirt is a fun twist on the leather skirt trend that's been ohhh soo popular for so long now.





Pleated Leather and vegan leather skirt options for all budgets:

More MICHAEL Michael Kors...

Phillip Lim for Target Collection Launch

The Phillip Lim for Target collection is launching online and in stores today as most designer collab enthusiast are already well aware of. As a precursor to the launch, Target held a "Phillip Lim for Target" collection party in Manhattan last week. I was there to view the collection (and the mayhem) and survived to tell about it.



By the time I got inside the party around 8pm, the clothing racks had seem seriously ramsacked and the bags were only a whispered rumor. I contemplated picking up the "drop dress" but had to reconsider when I saw the immense line.



As I wondered around trying to get a good look at as many pieces as possible so I could form my plan of attack for when the collection went online, I stumbled across Jessica Alba looking amazing as ever in the "boom print sweatshirt" and navy tuxedo pants.

 



Overall the event was great and I am really impressed by a lot of items in the collection. Although I have a hunch a lot of the print items are going to be very popular (be ready to see everyone walking around in sweaters that say "boom" soon), I gravitated more towards the solid print/work wear appropriate items.



Saturday night/ early Sunday morning I engaged in #Limsanity with the rest of the twitter world to get all of the pieces I saw and wanted. Through diligent twitter stalking and insomnia I was able to score the following:

Peplum Top in Tan, $34.99

Knit to Woven Pullover in Navy/Green, $34.99

Dress with Faux Leather in Black, $49.99

Tote in Black, $54.99

Drop Dress in White/Black, $44.99

Tote in Plum, $54.99

Top Handle Crossbody in Taupe, $34.99

Mini Satchel with Gusset in Taupe, $34.99

Twill Trench Coat in Navy, $79.99

Twill Trench Coat in Khaki, $79.99

Long Sleeve Blouse in Green, $24.99

Brand You Should Know: Make Up For Ever

Spring 2013 April Clothing Haul

Haul Video

Comment below and let us know what you purchased last month!

xoxo,

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How to wear the Sporty Chic Trend

 

Whether your typical style is ultra feminine or tomboy sexy, the "sporty chic" trend is a fun and casual look to try this spring and summer. Check out our three tips on how to rock this trend.

How to Wear Polka Dots

Outfit Details: Green Blazer from H&M (similar) | Necklace from Forever21 (similar) | Polka Dot Dress c/o Darling (similar) | Black & White bucket bag from H&M (similar)

What I Wore Wednesday

Irish Creme

 

Photos taken by Andrew

December is finally here and that means spending time with friends and family during the holiday season. This is definitely my favorite time of year and I've already started getting in the holiday spirit by picking out decorations to hang inside my apartment. If you follow me on twitter than you know I've already attended my first of several holiday parties this season. With all the holiday parties coming up, I've already started mentally planning outfits ( look out for a few look books on the blog soon). Aside from wearing traditional colors such as red and green, I also love dressing for the season wearing white, cream,and metallics. Recently I got in the holiday spirit wearing my new favorite cream colored sweater and leather leggings.

Comment below and let me know what are your holiday season wardrobe stables? What do you wear to show your holiday spirit?

xoxo,

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I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls Collective, and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.

How I Style Tights in the Winter

Dressing for winter is like a double edge sword, twice as useful but also twice as many chances for mistakes. On the one hand you have soo many more cute cold weather accessories you can mix and play with, but on the other hand it can be a challenge trying to figure out how to layer, add, and subtract pieces all the while remaining stylish. This tricky equation gets all the more complicated if you're not actually prepared for winter and have none of the a fore mentioned cute winter accessories. I admittedly was so NOT prepared for this winter. Being a southern girl true and true, this is my first real winter I've ever experienced in my 20 something years (apparently we're still in "Fall weather" and haven't even hit Winter in NYC yet). Despite it being officially ridiculously cold outside I've been in denial, hoping that maybe if I pretend it's not cold, I won't actually be cold). Needless to say, after basically freezing my butt off for the past few weeks I've been forced to admit defeat.

Luckily, I was recently given the opportunity to try out the No nonsense brand of tights and leggings. I received a pair of denim leggings and a pair of patterned black tights. For the first outfit I wore, I layered a basic long sleeve shirt under a bright chiffon button down shirt. I added a blazer for extra warmth and paired it with the denim leggings and knee-high boots. I loved the fact that everyone thought they were actual jeans, but I had the comfort of wearing leggings! In the second outfit I choose to amp up the warmth factor of a sweater dress by pairing it with patterned tights and another bright blazer.

Like these looks? Keep reading to see more photos of these outfits!

How I Style Tights in the Winter

Dressing for winter is like a double edge sword, twice as useful but also twice as many chances for mistakes. On the one hand you have soo many more cute cold weather accessories you can mix and play with, but on the other hand it can be a challenge trying to figure out how to layer, add, and subtract pieces all the while remaining stylish. This tricky equation gets all the more complicated if you're not actually prepared for winter and have none of the a fore mentioned cute winter accessories. I admittedly was so NOT prepared for this winter. Being a southern girl true and true, this is my first real winter I've ever experienced in my 20 something years (apparently we're still in "Fall weather" and haven't even hit Winter in NYC yet). Despite it being officially ridiculously cold outside I've been in denial, hoping that maybe if I pretend it's not cold, I won't actually be cold). Needless to say, after basically freezing my butt off for the past few weeks I've been forced to admit defeat.

Luckily, I was recently given the opportunity to try out the No nonsense brand of tights and leggings. I received a pair of denim leggings and a pair of patterned black tights. For the first outfit I wore, I layered a basic long sleeve shirt under a bright chiffon button down shirt. I added a blazer for extra warmth and paired it with the denim leggings and knee-high boots. I loved the fact that everyone thought they were actual jeans, but I had the comfort of wearing leggings! In the second outfit I choose to amp up the warmth factor of a sweater dress by pairing it with patterned tights and another bright blazer.

Like these looks? Keep reading to see more photos of these outfits!

WIWW: Breaking all My Norms

 



 

No one ever believes me when I tell them how quickly I get dressed for work in the morning. Although I'm a blogger and love all things pretty and wearable, I also enjoy my sleep and just like everyone else, I don't have time to spend countless hours each morning determining what to wear. My secret? Nearly ALL of my wardrobe is made up of neutrals. Okay so maybe that wasn't a ground breaking secret BUT it gets better. Since most of my clothes are neutrals  anything I "throw on" basically works. Once I discovered this little "color uniform" I became obsessed with navy, black, and browns (boring I know).

In an attempt to break myself out of my style norms, I purchased a pair of the red polka dot Rockstar jeans from Oldnavy when they first came out. I simply couldn't resist the polka dots and gave myself TWO pats on the back for putting down the navy color option and going for these instead.

Wardrobe Inspiration + WIWW: Leather Pleated Skirt Edition

As you know from the post I did yesterday (and if you follow me on Snapette and see the ridiculous amount of leather goodies I've snapped pictures of) I'm beyond in love with the leather trend that's happening this season. So naturally I've been scooping up affordable vegan leather pieces ( I even scored a vintage leather skirt and backpack when I went thrifting a few weeks ago). One of my first purchases was a black pleated vegan leather skirt from H&M.

How to Style Combat Boots: WIWW Edition

 

 



Back in late August I shared my love affair with combat boots, and promised to do a follow up post on how to wear them. Some how between attending events for New York Fashion Week, working work appropriate outfits during the week, and the somewhat warm weather we had in September, I didn't get many chances to wear my boots. So recently I decided to defiantly pair my boots with a sundress as  I spent a day in the city sucking up the last few days of warm-ish weather.

 I choose to do a variation of "hard as a feather light as a rock" (if you have no idea what I'm talking about check out this previous post I did) by pairing a soft flirty dress with edgy combat boots.

Love this look? Keep reading to see how you can recreate the look for yourself.

Currently Craving: Metal Toe Cap Shoes

1. Dolve Vita Loafers / 2. Tory Burch flats / 3. Messeca New York Jaqueline Flats / 4. Yves Saint Laurent Flats

If you follow me on twitter then you know that I recently got a pair of Dolce Vita metal cap toe loafers (pictured below). I'm in love with the metal cap toe trend and can't wait to get my hands on a pair of pumps as well!

Dolve Vita Metal Cap Toe Loafers

 Tory Burch cap toe flats

Messeca New York Jaqueline Ballet Flats

Yves Saint Laurent Flats

What do you think of the metal cap toe trend? Comment below and let me know what's on your "currently craving list"?!

xoxo,

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Boots Made for Walking... {Current Crush}

Combat boots are one of my secret lovers.  Last year I wasn't prepared to dish out the cash on an actual pair of Doc Martins so I decided to test drive the trend with an inexpensive pair from a Forever 21 es store named "Love Culture" and they almost instantly became my go to shoes for school, shopping, and sometimes even parties (don't judge it was college...frat houses don't exactly call for stilettos). Fast forward to almost a year later and even though it's still as hot as a monkey's elbow in the city, I can't help but look forlornly at the few brave chic girls defiantly wearing combat boots in 90 degree weather. Although I'm not enough of a die-hard fan to show my solidarity all seasons long, to say I'm excited to see them back again this Fall would be an under statement.

Now that I've gotten you hopefully thoroughly as pumped up as I am, be sure to look out for part 2 of this post where I show you 3 ways to style your new-found love. Keep reading to see where you can get these great finds from!!!

I wear my Sunglasses at Night...

For those of us who aren't lucky enough to have 20/20 vision, or the hipsters individuals that choose to wear eye glasses for style, the battle between eye glasses and sunnies has been in full swing. Debating whether to forgo sight or protection from sunlight is one call no one should have to make (and PLEASE no one even mention transition lenses as if that is even a slightly acceptable compromise). I myself have been meaning to invest in a pair of prescription sunglasses ever since my eyes decided that after almost 7 years of matrimony, contacts suddenly annoy them and I've been forced to wear my glasses a lot more. Needless to say I was thrilled when Firmoo contacted me to do a review on one of their products. I naturally chose to review a pair of sunnies since I already have glasses that I love, and plus what girl can resist having one more pair of sunglasses! :)

Weekly Wardrobe Inspiration

This past weekend's festivities seemed like the perfect time to break out my recent purchase from Necessary Clothing in Soho.

I absolutely love the carefree floral print on this chiffon dress!

Keep reading to see how to style this dress for yourself!

Opposites Attract

Few things are better than sipping lemonade while watching the sunset from the rooftop on a lazy Sunday evening. Although I technically didn't have any lemonade this weekend, the beautiful yellow and tan "Opposites Attract" dress sent to me for review by Sugarlips Apparel, was a sweet substitute. My favorite thing about this dress is how easy it is to dress it up or down, simply by changing your accessories! I wanted the dress to remain the focal point of the look, so I kept the accessories more subdue; I decided to go with my nude and black BCBG Generation pumps, a gold necklace from Forever21, and a rose gold "boyfriend" watch from Juicy Couture. Keep reading to see a few of my suggested ways to style this dress!

What to Wear to Graduation

This past weekend I officially graduated from college! The past four years have been the best of times and sometimes the worst of times, to say the least. I will miss my friends and peers but I'm excited to start the next chapter of my life. Thank you again for everyone who submitted their opinions on what dress to wear under my cap and gown. I ended up purchasing a white lace peplum dress from H&M (unfortunately I couldn't find a picture of it online but below are two similar dresses).

                                                                           Source: asos.com

                                                                                 Source: nastygal.com

 I was super excited to wear my dress but then
the night before I decided that I wanted to wear a dress with pockets! Since it was such a last minute decision, I didn't have time to go out and purchase a new dress. I ended up wearing a dress that I purchased last season. (pictured below).

 

Although I didn't end up wearing  the white dress, my floral print dress was a big hit. I'm sure the white peplum dress will come in handy this upcoming summer! :)

Comment below and let me know what you think!

xoxo,