Shameless Self Promotion

Check out the shoutout I got on BB Becker's site! For those if you who didn't read my post on their "It's Okay" bracelet, take a gander at it here!

The Look For Less: Bow Rings

Since I'm so crazily girly, I'm always looking for cute jewelry.  I'm particularly in love the bows.  There's really nothing girlier than a little silver bow.  I have a couple necklaces that feature dainty bows, but I've really always wanted a ring.


Pictured above, I have a couple of gorgey bow rings.  I'd love to wear either of them (or let's be serious--both at the same time!)  Unfortunately, my budget simply won't allow that.


On the left is a beautiful ring by Stackable Expressions.  I absolutely LOVE it.  The bad news? It's on sale for about $140.  The regular price is a steep $300.  It's a pretty ring, but I just can't imagine shelling out that kind of cash for it.


So I found a fab alternative.  On the right is a fab ring from Forever21.  The cost? Under $2.  Pretty amazing, right?!


I love finding great deals! Yippee!!

Super Adorable Clutch for Spring!

Purses are my weakness.  I recently got rid of a bunch of them, but I'm slowly building my collection back up. And when I say "collection", I mean that I probably own over 50 handbags.


What can I say? I love accessories!


I am totally smitten with this fabulously feminine Large Floral Cabbage Print Clutch from Target. 


Let me list the reasons why I'm so obsessed:

1. The print.  There's nothing prettier than light purple flowers daintily printed on a bag.  It almost has a vintage feel to it.
2. The metal closure.  It takes a super girly bag and adds a little bit of "badass" to it.
3. The size.  I can't get the exact dimensions, but I have seen this in stores and it's totally large enough to hold everything you need for a night (or day) out.

So yeah. I love it.

The best part? You can grab one of these bags for under $17!  Total steal! Woohoo!

Fashion Faux Pas: Pants You Can Eat Off Of

Much as I love Italy, I'm definitely not down with their latest trend. A company called Acquacalda has created what I consider to be the most horrifying pants in the world.


The idea is that the pants transform when you sit in a cross-legged position to create a table-esque surface.  Apparently they are perfect for picnics.


Umm...are you kidding me??! First of all, anyone wearing these pants in public looks like an MC Hammer reject.  The fabric over the crotch area is super unflattering and looks just plain confusing.  I also hate the cut of the pants in general.  They puff out, then come in at the calf, kind of like pantaloons.


How is wearing anything like this acceptable??


I mean, if for some reason you constantly sit and eat on the ground, I guess it's okay.  But in reality, who eats outside that much? And is the practicality worth looking like you have some sort of elaborate crotch issue?  I don't think so.


Oh and another weird/hideous bonus? The pants also include a cup holder on the side. No joke.


This is very disappointing.  I can't find a price anywhere for them, but I'm willing to bet that they're as expensive as every other ugly pair of pants out there.


Please people--just stick to regular jeans.  Put a blanket down if you want to have a picnic.  Or just sit on a park bench!


That is all.

The Prettiest Dress I've Seen In a While

As most of you know, I'm a total girly-girl.  That means I'm constantly on the lookout for fabulously feminine dresses.


My new love? Alloy's Bliss Embroidered Tank Dress.  It's seriously the girliest, prettiest dress I've ever seen.


It comes in a super light rose hue, which I absolutely love.  I mean, pink in general usually has me hooked, but there's just something so pretty about the light rose.  I especially love the color when paired with sparkly, silver embroidery.  


Another bonus?  The cut of the dress.  Because it goes in right under the bust, then flows out, it's flattering on nearly all body types. Yippee!


You can pick up the dress for about $45.  I think it's totally worth it for such a pretty dress!

Beauty Boo-Boo: Impress Nails (I'm NOT Impressed!)

I've been obsessed with press-on nails for months.  I've tried just about every brand and style out there.  So when I saw the adorable packaging and patterns of the new ImPRESS Press-On Manicures by Broadway, I was definitely intrigued.


The patterns are amazing.  I especially wanted the nude and black lace print (pictured).  I held off on buying them for a while though because I was quite skeptical about the easiness of application that the box boasts.  In my experience, the only thing that will hold press-on nails on is actual nail glue.  Since these nails come with a gel glue already applied, I had a hunch that they wouldn't really stay on.  I was right.


Basically, you're supposed to peel a piece of plastic off the back of each nail, apply it to your own nail, and simply hold it down for a bit.  After trying that method with one nail, I could tell that it simply wouldn't hold.  At all.


But I still was obsessed with the nails themselves, pattern-wise.  So, I dug out some nail glue from my own stash and applied the nails like all the other press-ons I've used in the past.  Of course this didn't really work, because the gel glue is still on the nail.  So, the end result was super messy and the nails only stayed on for a day-ish.


Not good.


The only thing that they're good for is if you want to wear them for an event or something.  Since they'll only stay on for about 24 hours, that's really all they're good for.  And even then, you have to use a bunch of nail glue and clean up the edges. It takes way longer to apply these and make them look somewhat decent than any other press-on nail I've ever tried.


If you want to try them out for yourself, each pack is about $7 and they can be found at most drugstores.

Super Cute Spring Dress ON SALE!

I don't know about everyone else, but I am absolutely loving the fact that it is somehow basically summertime in New England! Today, it got up to at least 86 degrees.  In March. And I am totally not complaining.


All this warm weather makes me want to run out and buy tons of  new dresses.  I like to spend my time in dresses whenever I can.  What can I say? I'm crazily girly.


Right now, Victoria's Secret has a bunch of their Bra Top Dresses on sale! They're all 20% off for a limited time.  So now is def the time to stock up.


I've always found their dresses to be really flattering.  They also come in tons of different colors, so once you find THE PERFECT DRESS, you can grab it in a couple other colors too.


My fave find is their Drape-Front Dress.  It gathers in at all the right places and does everything in its power to give you an amazing hourglass figure.  And really, who doesn't want that?! The Coral Kiss hue (pictured) is my fave, but there are about ten different choices.


The best part? This particular dress is on sale right now for $31.60.  All you have to do is enter the code 20STYLE at checkout.  Pretty amazing, right?

My New Obsession: BB Becker's "It's Okay" Bracelet

My jewelry style is fairly predictable.  I love huge earrings and wearing tons of bracelets.  The key to my style is that most of the jewelry that I wear (especially my bracelets) actually mean something to me.  I don't just go out and buy cheap bangles.


That's why I am currently head over heels in love with BB Becker's "It's Okay" Hand-Knotted Eclipse Bracelet.  There are so many things I love about it.  First of all, the message is perfect for when I'm having a bad day. Or even just when I need a little reassurance.  The inscription on the bracelet reads:  Everything will be okay in the end.  If it's not okay, it's not the end. It sounds so powerful and simple at the same time.


The fact that the bracelet is gorgeous is a nice added bonus.  Silver and black go with just about any outfit.  Plus, since the bracelet is adjustable, it fits almost every wrist size.  That's HUGE AWESOME NEWS for me, as my wrists are crazily tiny.  That said, I also loaned it to a friend who has, what I consider to be "normal-sized" wrists and she totally rocked it.  So everyone can carry the message.


The bracelet also makes a fabulous gift.  It comes in a super cute powder blue pouch with the inscription on a small card.  Mother's Day is coming up and I can't think of a mom out there who wouldn't love this.


Each bracelet is $139 and is of amazingly good quality.


BB Becker has tons of other goodies to offer in their Signature and Boutique collections.  Also check out their Facebook page to hear about new products and sales!

Disclosure: This post contains a sample product sent for consideration by BB Becker. My priority is to you, and I honor that commitment by being honest! If you have any questions about this, please email me. 

Five Fast Ways to Dry Your Nail Polish

As you may have guessed, I'm almost constantly painting my nails.  I just love the way a fresh coat of polish can totally change up your look.  Plus I just get bored with wearing the same color everyday.

The issue? I end up spending more time waiting for my nails to dry than I actually spend painting them.  This isn't a huge problem if I'm just lounging around.  But it can be a total bummer when I want to pretty-up my nails with only minutes to spare.

BellaSugar has some amazing tips for speeding up the drying process, so I figured I'd pass them along!


Blow it up
Salons use fans to help speed up drying, but your hair dryer works just as well. The secret is to put it on the "cool" setting. Heat actually keeps polish from firming, so giving your digits a shot of cold air is much more helpful.

Freeze it out
Since cold hardens polish, ice water baths are also a great setting trick. Before you start painting your nails, fill a mixing bowl with ice cubes and run cold water over the top. Then, when you're finished painting, dip your nails in for about a minute. This is a great way to help protect against divots, since it helps solidify polish all the way through, not just on top. The opposite also holds: if you're having trouble removing polish, soaking your hands in warm water will make it easier.

Spray it down
You can get nail-drying spray at the drugstore, and it really does help your polish set in a couple of minutes. But Pam (and other cooking oil aerosols) legendarily does the job as well. Just wait a few minutes after you spray it on and rinse your hands so you don't smell like canola oil.

Thin it out
Instead of putting on one or two coats of thick polish, apply three extremely thin coats, and let each dry for a couple of minutes before you layer on the next. It might seem like it slows down your manicure, but it actually makes overall drying time much faster.

Top it off
Using a quick-dry topcoat is always smart, because it helps keep everything in place and protects your polish. The only caveat is that the still-liquid polish underneath can move around, resulting in lumps or ripples, so don't treat it as a cure-all.


Not bad, right? I usually stick with my fave fast-dry top coat, Seche Vite, followed by spraying my nails with  OPI's Rapid Dry Spray, or their Drip Dry Drops.  But all of these tips are great for drying your nails on the go!

Sniff This: Victoria's Secret Very Sexy Touch

I seriously wonder if there's some sort of black magic behind Victoria's Secret's fragrances--I've yet to find one I don't like!
Their latest, Very Sexy Touch, is absolutely amazing.  I've been a fan of the Very Sexy line for a while, so when I heard about the latest addition to the fam, needless to say I was crazily excited!
First of all, let's talk about the bottle.  I've always been obsessed with pretty perfume bottles (okay, let's be honest: who doesn't love a cute bottle?!)  and this fragrance doesn't disappoint. The bottle is super-sleek, with a gorgey mix of bright raspberry and hot metallic gold.  The modern VS logo takes center stage.  It's a bold-looking and sexy.
Here's a breakdown of the what's in fragrance:

A FRUITY-FLORAL FRAGRANCE TOP--Juicy Red Pear, Honeysuckle, Gilded Apricot, Fresh Citrus
MIDDLE--Vanilla Orchid Blossom, Blooming Magnolia, White Peony, Italian Iris
DRY-DOWN--Vanilla Bean, Creamy Coconut, Clean Vetiver, Amber Wood, Musk
The scent itself is very seductive and tempting, without smelling overbearing.  It's a fairly light scent that's perfect for the upcoming season change.  It's not heavy, and people won't smell you a mile away (FYI: that's a good thing!), but those around you will be enticed and want to get closer.  
Basically, it's great man-bait.
You can buy the collection in stores or online.  The Eau de Parfum ranges from  $42-$62, the Fragrance Mist is $25, and the Body Lotion is $20. 



Disclosure: This post contains a sample product sent for consideration by a PR firm. My priority is to you, and I honor that commitment by being honest! If you have any questions about this, please email me.

Fashion Faux Pas: Wearing Crocs to the Gym

Only recently have I begun frequenting the local gym with my boyfriend.  Okay. I get that the gym (especially here, basically the middle of the woods) really isn't meant to be the most fashionable place.

But that does not make it acceptable to wear Crocs while working out.  EVER.  

This is a true story.  I was working out in a section that works as a "30 minute express workout".  You alternate between using machines and doing step aerobics. And, yes, you guessed it.  There was a woman wearing a pair of disgusting Crocs.

Not only is that totally ugly, it's also completely unsafe.  Crocs are not meant for working out--they fall off too easily and don't really stay on your foot.

I'm actually really surprised that an employee didn't see her and tell her how unsafe it was.

This is yet another time that I should have written out a Fashion Citation.

How many times do I need to write about my hatred of Crocs before they disappear from my life??!

Cotton Candy Nails: So Good You'll WANT To Bite Them!

Yet again, I'm posting my latest nail art design! And yet again, I used the same idea from my Just the Tip post.  The only difference is that I was much more precise with the tape and didn't need a glitter line to cover up any mishaps!

I actually asked my boyfriend what colors to use and he suggested bright pink and teal. The colors I ended up using were Orly's Gumdrop for the tips, and Sally Hansen's Presto Pink for the base.

I think this is a fab combo for spring/summer, so it might have been a bit premature season-wise.  But, whatevs! The colors are super cute. Give it a try for yourself, ladies!

Fashion Faux Pas: Is That A Keyboard In Your Pants Or Are You Just Happy To See Me?

Wow. I realize that I've been doing a lot of men's fashion faux pas lately, but I just keep stumbling upon worse and worse articles of clothing that simply cannot be ignored.

This pair of pants does in fact have a working keyboard attached to the crotch area.  And that's not all.  A Dutch design company has created a pair of jeans with a keyboard, wireless mouse, and speakers sewn right in. They’re fashion-forward too: dark denim with orange seams stitched to resemble the wiring of a circuit board. Oh my.

They are not available to the public as of yet, but Discovery News estimates that once they hit the market, they will cost around $400 a pair.

Umm...seriously??!

Springtime Shoes (It's Not Too Early to Look!)

Regardless of the fact that here in New England we've had oodles of snow and ice, I def have spring fever.

The cure? Looking for fab pre-spring deals to curb my fashion appetite.

I'm absolutely in love with these Federle Peep-Toe Pumps from JCPenney.  I don't usually look there for shoes, but luckily these cuties found me!

Lately I've been obsessed with lace.  I've got lace scarves, lace clothing, and other various lace accessories.  So clearly these shoes need to be added to my collection.

The color pictured, is actually called Light Pink, but I think it's more of a Nude hue. That makes it perfect for elongating your legs when you pair them with a gorgey dress!  They also come in black, which I think we can get away with wearing now.

The shoes are currently in sale for $50. Not bad for a pair of shoes that are girly, delicate, and match almost any item of clothing!

Jackie’s Corner: How to Dress Well on a Budget

Everybody’s got a budget, so the first thing to do is figure out how much you can comfortably spend on stocking your closet. A killer wardrobe won’t do you much good if you can’t afford to go out in it.

Follow these 10 tips to build your best wardrobe on a budget:

1. Assess what you already possess and what you actually need. Take inventory of your entire wardrobe and make a shopping list.
    
2. Invest money on important wardrobe workhorses — a fabulous blazer, the perfect jeans, a gorgeous skirt — in your best colors or neutrals like charcoal gray.
   
   
3. Buy fewer but better quality pieces that you love — and that can take you from work to weekend. It’s infinitely better to love everything you own than to own a whole closet full of poorly made, uninspiring apparel.
   
   
4. Avoid wasting money on clothes you won’t wear. Resist the temptation to buy anything solely because it’s on sale or you think it’ll be useful. If you don’t absolutely love it, walk away. If you do love it, think about how you’ll wear it and what you can pair with it.
   
   
5. Try on everything and look at yourself from all angles. It’s not a good buy if it’s a poor fit or the color is unflattering.
   
   
6. Get garments tailored. Hemming a good quality skirt or pair of trousers that you’ll wear for years is worth the investment.
   
   
7. Focus your shopping efforts on your best colors and all your garments will coordinate easily. For example, if you look fabulous in blues, purples and greens stick to those colors. Add more colors with less expensive accessories like belts and scarves.
   
   
8. Shop for pieces that can do double duty. For example, a well-made gabardine or tweed pencil skirt paired with a tailored blouse is office appropriate. Switch to an embellished t-shirt and a denim jacket for Sunday brunch with the girls.
   
   
9. Sign up for email alerts at your favorite stores so you know when to hit the sales. Shop discount stores like T.J. Maxx, Marshalls and Nordstrom Rack.
   
   
10. Take proper care of your wardrobe to make it last. Read and follow garment care labels, keep leather items clean and conditioned, repair items when necessary, etc.
    

Jackie Houston is an image consultant, based in Rhode Island.  She offers up tons of fashion assistance, including closet makeovers, online personal styling, and personal shopping.  For more info, check her out on her site, Facebook and Twitter.