Fashion Faux Pas: The Beret

Fun fact: wearing a beret and black sweatpants does not make you French. Or cool. Once in a great while, I will see someone who has not gotten this memo. Usually an older gentleman trying to look artsy, or a younger girl with red lipstick smoking...both people would look much better sans beret.

If you're going to wear a beret, just go all the way and pair it with a black and white striped shirt and a purse shaped like the Eiffel Tower. The sad thing is, if you wore this outfit in France, you would immediately look like a tourist. Real French people do not look like idiots.

Cut the crap and throw out the beret, Francois de la hat.

Wanna Hear a Joke?

As I was stalking one of my many fave style blogs, I stumbled upon Bag Snob's blog about this hideous bag. It is literally a joke. A joke bag. There are corny jokes written on the bag.

Louis Vuitton is going downhill as far as I'm concerned. I love LV's classic bags, but now it's like they're trying to think outside the box, and they're coming up with crap. Every time they come out with a new bag, it seems like t is just like one of their old ones with either cheesy pictures or words slapped on it.

I am not a fan.

But if you like jokes, and always want to have a few handy, feel free to purchase this joke. Bag.

Drugstore Delights

Hello, my lovely fashionistas! I've been away for a bit, and for that I apologize. But onwards and upwards we go...

I've bought more makeup over the past couple weeks than I thought was humanly possible. I've become obsessed. At this point, I have at least 30 eye shadow compacts (some of them even being palettes with multiple shades). And don't even get me started on lip gloss--I must have 50, all in roughly the same shade of pink or red. It is an addiction.

The best find from my latest drugstore adventure is Wet N' Wild's "Ultimate Expressions Eyeshadow Palette" in Paradise Cove. With eyeshadow, I usually stick to the more upscale brands (either department stores, Sephora, or the "high-end" drugstore finds), but this palette was a mere $4.99 so I took the plunge. It offers 8 shadows--4 shimmery daytime hues, and 4 darker smokey shadows. Surprisingly, the eye shadows are very highly pigmented and a little goes a long way. I especially love the shimmery shades. I use either the light gold or pearl color in the inner corner of my eyes to make them appear larger. The darker shades are great for screating a smokey eye for an eve out; brush one of the darker hues on the outer corners of your eyes and blend inwards for a fab look.

That said, Imust confess that I'm officially in love with Wet N' Wild again. They lost me for a while--everything was kind of unflattering and not of the highest quality. Luckily, they've really stepped it up and added some great products to their line. And everything is still cheap! This is definitely the brand to stick to if you want to stock up on anything, or if you want to just try out a new color without breaking the bank.

That's all for now. Stay fabulous, ladies!

Don't Say a Peep...Toe

Oh Fall. As much as I love the crisp weather, it's always a gamble for me to find stylish shoes that aren't clunky boots. For some reason, once it begins to get cold, I go right from wearing sandals to wearing my "man shoes" (ridiculous manly boots), and never see a pair of shoes to make me do otherwise until Spring.

Not anymore! This season, peep toe wedges are totally appropriate for Fall. As long as they're in a sturdy fabric and in a darker, jewel toned color, they're good to go!

Wear shoes like this with some black opaque tights (yes, ladies--they're still in this season) and a wrap dress, or throw them on with some jeans for a gal's night out.

This pair is a real bargain. The wedges go for $19.99 (on sale!) at Payless.

Fashion Faux Pas: Doggie Bag

I love purses so much. I collected them all through high school and only recently cut down to about 20 bags. I consider myself to be somewhat of a handbag guru.

That said, there are some pretty hideous purses out there. One ridiculous example is this "Faithful Friend" tote bag from collectiblestoday.com.

I am so against cheesy photo/picture bags, AND people who are overly obsessed with their pets. I actually enjoy cute dogs and know first-hand what it is like to love your pet. Still, I don't feel the need to advertise your love by carrying around a bag that is simply unacceptable to use in public.

The purse is customizable with your choice of dog breed, and even comes with a matching doggie charm. Oh my. But I haven't gotten to the worst part yet. The tote actually sells for $80. The same price for a decent fashionable leather purse.

My advice? Save your money and buy a couple bags from Target or something. Cheesy purses will never be in style.

Drustore Beauty Secrets

In case you didn’t already know, drugstores have some great beauty finds for fairly cheap. When I first became a self-proclaimed makeup-whore, I instantly fell in love with department store cosmetics: Lancome, Clinique, and all the others. What I didn’t know at the time was that many of the high end brands actually own some of the drugstore brands. In fact, many of the products in drugstores are exactly the same formula as their high end companion.

One of my fave makeup brands, Lancome, actually owns L’Oreal. When I found this out, I automatically went to CVS and stocked up on mascara, lipgloss, and eyeshadow. Indeed, I found that most of the products were identical to my fave Lancome buys. The only difference is the packaging and how the lines are marketed.
My best find so far is L'Oreal’s Voluminous mascara –it is the same as Lancome’s Definicil mascara. It plumped my lashes and no clumps were to be found. Another great find is the Line Eraser retinol lotion by L'Oreal. It is so similar to Lancome's Resurface that an actual Lancome employee couldn't even tell them apart! L’Oreal’s Rouge Pulp lip gloss is the same essentially as Lancome’s Lip Brio. Most of the shades even match up.

The one thing that I would suggest still purchasing from Lancome is their skincare products. The line is incredible and I haven’t found a drugstore match yet that can quite compete. Their moisturizers can’t be beat.

Lancome is great and the packaging is usually gorgey—but give me the cheaper version anyday!

(a post I wrote for herfablife.com)

Gorgey Lips for Fall

Okay, so recently I've been obsessing over red lip stains. I only recently discovered how wonderful they are and now I'm basically going crazy and buying bunches of different brands.

My fave so far? Vincent Luongo's Lip and Cheek Gel Stain in Liquid Kiss. For a stain, it's actually pretty blendable until it fully dries, and the color is perfect for Fall (a deep red with a touch of plum)--it flatters all skin tones. One sweep gives a sheer wash of red, and each layer you add intensifies the hue. Perfect for day or night. Plus it really does have staying power; one application lasts all day without drying my normally dry, cracked lips.

So, yes. I'm in love.

The best way to wear the stain is under a clear gloss or balm, and with very little eye makeup to avoid that drag queen look. Go for a simple wash of light brown, or bronze on the lids and a coat of black mascara.

Sit back and relax. Let your lips do the rest.

My Obsession with Markers

So today I was at work (in my boring office) and I suddenly noticed that all my eye makeup was smudged--my liquid liner was chipping off and it looked awful.

Usually I carry a little makeup compact with everything I need for this type of thing (eye shadows, blush, eye liner, mascara, concealer...) but today was the one day I forgot.

I ended up washing my face just because I looked too hideous with big pieces of liner missing (and it was impossible to blend!). So, I searched through my office trying to find something that would work as eye makeup. The end result? A non-toxic marker. I found a great black one and just drew a thick line on my lid. In all actuality, it was way easier to use than any of the liquid eye liners I've tried so far. Plus it is non toxic and as long as you don't actually stick the marker in your eye nothing bad will come from it.

A thick line above the lash line is so in for this Fall. It's dramatic enough for nighttime, but even for the day it looks fab.

That said, I actually stole the marker from work and I might just add it to my routine! So now I have a marker for eye liner AND for a lip stain (as I wrote about in my Sharpie post). Hooray!

For those of you who are too scared to try the whole marker thing (I don't blame you) Covergirl has a great liquid liner that acts almost like a marker. Give it a go, you foxy ladies!

(again, from a post I did for herfablife.com)

Shockingly Red Lips

With Fall coming up, it’s high time we take a gander at some of the trends for the new season. Here’s an article I wrote for HerFabLife.com. Enjoy!:

I'm already starting to feel the brisk weather of Fall approaching, but I'm not too worried. Why? Because the makeup trends for this Fall are ridiculously great. Gone are the days of sheer glosses--Red lipstick is in!

Red lips are so classic, and everyone can pull off the look . Cool skin tones look fab in blue-based reds while warm tones simply glow in tomato reds. Pale gals like me can pull off a bright cherry red, just skimp on the eye makeup to avoid looking overdone.

The one thing that makes me hesitant to wear red lipstick is that it is so high maintenence. It seems like you have to check it every five seconds to make sure it's still there and looking perfect. And most times you have to actually fix it (which requires pulling out a mirror and spending a while making your lips look decent).

Luckily, there are a few steps you can take to avoid having to redo your lips constantly:
1) Apply a bit of foundation to your lips. This gives the lipstick something to hold onto.
2) Dust on a bit of translucent powder (again--something for the color to grab).
3) Line your lips with a color that matches your actual lip color. Matching the red lipstick could potentially leave you with a red rim around your lips if the lipstick begins to fade.
4) Apply the lipstick to your lips using a lip brush and working from the center of your lips out.
5) Blot.
6) Apply a second time.

Once you complete these steps, you'll be left with a lasting pout that flatters you. Enjoy!

Sorry for the Delay!

Sorry my lovlies, I know I've been preoccupied lately. I'm moving (in less than a week! ahh) back up to New Hampshire to be closer to my fam. So between that, working my ass off in Boston to save money, and job hunting in NH, I haven't had any time to breathe! But my guess is that I will be basically unemployed other than a few freelance writing assignments for a while, so I'll probably be blogging a lot more. In the next post I'll post an article I wrote for another website so that there will at least be something to read! But keep on looking fabulous ladies!!

CVS is my Guilty Pleasure

I. Love. CVS.

Near my apartment, there is conveniently a 24-hour CVS that I constantly go to even if I don't need anything just because they have the best beauty section...plus sales on chocolate. But today I made a great discovery: CVS has a clearance section.

I know, I know...most places do and I'm stupid not to have found it. But the section is no where near the regular makeup--it is hidden away by the tampon section!! There was a whole shelf of beauty goods that were 50% off and I almost peed myself with delight. I bought some mascara, eye shadow, and a fun little manicure kit for practically nothing. But still--don't tell my boyfriend. Hahaha. Seriously.

It almost made it better for me that the clearance shelves were hidden because there was still such good makeup to choose from. You know how in other stores there is only crappy dark brown lipstick and neon green nail polish? Well, not in this case. I had to restrain myself, but I know I'm going to go back later this week and check to see if anything new got added. Oh CVS. How I love thee.

The moral to the story is this: Don't overpay for beauty goods. I've been known to splurge more than a few times at Sephora and Department stores, which is fine every once in a while, but bargain hunting is the best. Most high end makeup brands (Lancome, Clinique, Estee Lauder) also own drugstore brands. I believe that Lancome owns Loreal and there is a great mascara out there that is the exact same formula as a popular Lancome one, just packaged differently.

Anyway, this lesson is getting rather lengthy. But take the time to look for sales. It can literally be a scavenger hunt sometimes, and today just proved it.

My Love Affair with Lip Gloss

I literally own over 50 lip Glosses. Alright, probably closer to 100. No joke. Whenever I go anywhere that might possible have a funky gloss, I check them out and usually buy one or two, be it a drugstore, the dollar store, Sephora, or even 7eleven!

It is an addiction. And I will continue to feed the addiction forever.

My newest true love is Cover Girl's Wetslicks Fruit Spritzers in Strawberry Splash. In fact, I bought it for $1.99 at a dollar store near me. Seriously,I hunt for bargains. But the rest of you folks can still get a good deal--it goes for a cheap $4.99 on drugstore.com.

I'm always a little bit wary to try Cover Girl stuff just because to me it seems so middle school-esque. I mean, I remember Cover Girl eyeshadow being my first makeup purchase ever. But this gloss is amazing. Not sticky at all, and it adds just a bit of a pink tint to your lips, which is perfect for the hot weather and is easy to apply sans mirror. Plus it smells groovy.

Side Swept Glamour

The side ponytail is huge lately. And I've got to say, I don't hate it. The look is glam, yet low maintenance and is the perfect solution for what I like to call "next day hair".

You know what I mean. It's Sunday morning and your hair is still a little wavy and styled from your Saturday night hair look...Instead of simply pulling it back into a messy bun or regular ponytail, try an updated side version.

The look is a throwback to the 80s (which is still hot right now), but with a little more elegance. To pull it off, leave your hair fairly natural. Mine is a little wavy, but if you have straight hair or super curly hair it still looks great. Run a pea-sized amount of smoothing hair lotion through your locks, give yourself a side part, and sweep your hair to the side (low, at the nape of your neck). Secure with an elastic or a big hair clip. For going out, I love some of the new embellished ones that are coming out with huge crystals or small simple flowers.

Paris Hilton does this well, and lately it seems like all the celebs are embracing this side swept look. It's different and can definitely take your look from day to night. It is just so versatile that it literally works for every occasion. And what's not to love about that?

Vintage Chic

I love lockets. Always have, always will. I just love the idea of being able to keep your fave picture (in mini-size) with you at all times. Not to mention, looking totally fab while doing it.

Kuo Ting’s "Vintage Heart Necklace" (found at CoutureCandy.com) is absolutely gorgeous. It is tiny and delicate, and actually looks like something that could have been passed down for generations.

The piece is $66. Not cheap, but not steep either. You could easily get away with wearing this everyday, so I think it's well worth it.

Lockets are big right now, but they never really go out of style. So, ditch your huge layered necklaces for a while, and throw on a classy locket. I promise, you'll look divine.

Glossy Hair Sans Grease

So getting my hair to do anything decent can take me up to two hours. No joke. as I've said before, my hair is literally a cocktail of wavy frizz grossness when left to it's own devices. I've tried to embrace my waves, but I find I have to put so much product in my hair to get rid of the frizz, and by that point my hair just looks greasy.

So I usually stick to flat ironing it.

Still, that is damaging to the hair (I have breakage galore) and getting all the flyaways and frizzies straight is ridiculously difficult.

So thank god for Frederic Fekkai's Glossing Creme ($19.50-$26.50 at Sephora). Now I can get away with doing a so-so straightening job and smoothing out the rest with this stuff.

To use correctly, I take a tiny bit (really, just barely enough to feel on my hands) and work it through my hair from the tips up--the tips are often the most prone to breakage and frizz. Then I blow dry. Then out comes the flat iron and I do my thang for a bit. Immediately, my hair looks shiny and all hairs are in place. Simply amazing.

For particularly humid days, I'll take another very small squirt and run it through (again from ends up) to avoid frizziness later.

I'm in love with this stuff. If you aren't sure you're ready to spend the big bucks, a small trial size is available from Sephora as well for around $9. The best part is that this stuff lasts forever since you only use the smallest amount at a time.

Woohoo! I love hair miracles!

Lip Smackin' Good

No matter what expensive lip gloss I find, I keep on coming back to Lip Smacker Dr. Pepper lip gloss.

It's the perfect color for us fair-skinned mavens. When I put it on, my lips immediately have just a tint of light red to them, which looks natural and simply gorgeous. I love wearing this particularly in the summer, because who wants to look overdone with bright red lipstick while beachin' it? Not me.

You can pick up this fabulous beauty find at most drugstores for under $2. Not bad for a natural lip look. An added bonus? The flavor is divine and smells just like that classic soda that we all know and love. Yum.

Tweeze Please!!

If you've been reading this blog for a bit, you must know how I feel about unruly eyebrows--I hate them.

My brows are fairly decent, and I usually only need to pluck a few stray hairs every couple of weeks.

That said, I'm in love with Tweezerman's animal print tweezers. I mean, come on! They're adorable. Personally, I really dig the zebra print, but they all rock in their own unique ways.

And for $25 at Sephora, how can you go wrong?

Have a friend who is tweezer-wary? Show her these gorgeous pluckers and let the magic happen. They're too awesome to resist.

Sorry, Guys!

It's been a while since my last post. My grandpa died on June 26th and I've been an emotional wreck, and just simply haven't felt like writing or even had the time.

But I'm starting to get back into the swing of things and figured I'd start off with a blog about my gramps.

He was really like a second dad to me, and really was the most hilarious guy in the world. He was really special to me.

Fashion-wise, he was always dressed for success. Even while he was in the hospital (battling lung cancer) he looked pretty suave.

My grandpa has really helped me become who I am today and I miss him greatly. I have so many great memories of our time together and I know that he is in a better place now.

Love you always, gramps!!

Fashion Faux Pas: Full Camo Print Outfits

A while back, I wrote an article about chic camouflage frocks (like a nice mini skirt). While I still do think that a camo print can be hot (my mom has a bitchin' pair of camo ballet flats), there is a time and a place to wear it. And if you're going to wear it, stick with one great piece and leave it at that. There is little worse than camo overload.

There is a guy who comes into my place of employment (suffice it to say I work in a doctor's office. ish). More often than not, this fool of a man waltzes in wearing baggy camo print pants, a matching fitted tank, flat ironed hair (though he did fancy the cornrow look for a while) and, to top it all off, I've been informed that he also wears bright orange glasses.

The most amusing part is that he thinks he looks fabulous. I hate to single this guy out. He is nice, if a little eccentric, and he is flamboyantly gay (which I actually am a fan of). And while, I do admire his gusto, his style simply does not cut it.

I really do pity him and I want to take him under my wing. He has such great potential. Alas, approaching the situation is difficult. So I pass on this information to my readers: with prints like camo, wear only one amazing item. Otherwise, you may just get recruited into the army by accident.

Lesson learned? I hope so.

Ode to the Ballet Flat

Ever since I broke my pinkie toe (ouch!) a few weeks ago, I've only been able to wear flat shoes. My doctor recommended sneakers. No thanks. I'm simply not a sneaker type of gal unless they happen to be encrusted in gems and are fuchsia. Even then, I'd probably only wear them once and then throw them in the back of my closet.

I found my own solution: my coveted black ballet flats from Target ($15!).

I know ballet flats have been in for a while, but I have a feeling that this trend will last for a bit. Ballet flats are chic, comfy, dressy, casual, and all-around gorgeous. I own the ones in the picture and a pair in patent leather. Fine...I've also good them in a bunch of other colors, too.

Every gal should own a pair, in my opinion. To have a classic, chic look, all you need is a pair of ballet flats and some red lipstick. Am I right, ladies?

Bang Cutting Mishap--and the Solution!

As I browsed the pages from my fave glossy mags a few weeks ago, I was amazed by all of the blunt-cut bangs that all the stars are sporting. So, being my crazy self, I grabbed a pair of shears and ran to the bathroom to cut my own.

Mistake? Yes. My hair, of course, is concoction of wavy frizz grossness and cannot handle the aforementioned bangs. I looked like I had a mullet.

After days of wanting to shave my head ala Britney Spears, I found a solution: headbands.

I immediately ran out to CVS and bought three, and stole a few from my mom. Currently, I am wearing one daily until my "bangs" (if you can even call them that) grow out.

Lucky for me, headbands are HUGE right now. I particularly am a fan of the simple thick black satin ones out there. They match everything and can go from day to night with ease. And they look so posh!

The one in the picture is from Delia's and goes for $3.99 (on sale!), but everywhere has got 'em.

Thank you headbands for saving my life and keeping me out of the Mullet Club.

THIS IS BIG: Sharpies as Makeup?

This is BIG. Bigger than big. I have actually found a new way to use Sharpies. I'm not sure if this has been done before, or if I am a genius. I am leaning towards the genius side. Let's get on with it, shall we?

Lately, I've been big into lip stains. They're great because I work all day, or run around doing stuff, and much as I love lip gloss, I hate applying it in public. So, rather than run off to the bathroom every ten minutes to slather some on, I've been going the stain route. I've found some beauties, but I had a brainstorm late night when I saw my pink marker: Why not use a Sharpie?

Sharpies are permanent makers and I remember trying to"tattoo"myself in middle school. Usually the marking would wash off completely in a couple of days, and that was with black, the most potent of the Sharpies.

I have this great fuchsia shade marker that I knew would look simply fab on my lips. So I went to it. I literally drew on my lips. And it looked great. It lasted for the whole night!

Sharpies are totally nontoxic (I checked, I'm not a fool) and I cannot think of any sort of disease that would come from this use.

The best part? Sharpies are super cheap, and there are about five pink shades, a few reds, and even PEACH. The most interesting part is that the marker didn't even dry out my lips (which most stains tend to do for me. Also the color was even a little sheer-ish--not like some sort of full-on fuchsia paint. Simply amazing.

Have I found some sort of new beauty miracle?

Sexy Eyes for the Bedroom...or Anywhere Really...

I have found a new love.

Today I took a trip to CVS to pick up a new mag (don't tell my boyfriend) and I stumbled upon the makeup section. Or maybe I purposefully went there to buy lip gloss (again, don't tell my boyfriend).

While browsing through the store, I saw Revlon's "Bedroom Eyes". Now, I had seen ads for it, and was slightly interested, but I just forgot about it. I decided to give in today because there was only 1 dark blue liner left and lately I've been obsessed with the whole blue smokey eye look.

The shade I got is called "Sultry Sapphire" and I think that describes it pretty well. Unlike many blue liners, this blue is VERY dark--almost black. No neon blue hues here. This liner is actually a powder, so I was worried about coverage. Somehow though, it managed to line my eyes with the precision of a liquid liner, but the blendability (is that a word?) of a powder. It went on really thick, coverage-wise, but blended soooo easily. It is impossible to make a mistake with this stuff.

I can't wait to wear it to work tomorrow! I am already mentally planning out an outfit full of rich blue and black shades...Hmm...

"Bedroom Eyes" comes in oodles of colors (well, about 6 but really, how many more dark shades are there?) and they each cost around $10. Huzzah!

Purse-Friendly Hair Helper

I have the worst hair in the world. It is, what I call, wavy frizz grossness, and I think that is a pretty accurate description.

I usually flat iron my hair, especially if I'm going out on a weekend. But my hair is ridiculous and usually starts frizzing up after about an hour or so depending on the humidity and such. I wish I could just bring a flat iron with me and use it in the bathroom...

OH WAIT, I CAN! Now, Sephora carries a "Professional Cordless Straightener" that is only a little more than 7 inches long! Perfect for throwing in your purse. It costs a steep $225--but it's well worth the price if I can have fun evenings out sans frizz.

Mellow Yellow

Except this yellow isn't really mellow. It's more like awesome.

The thing I love most about Charlotte Russe's fab new yellow polka dot peep toe heels is that they combine two of the seasons biggest trends without seeming trend-whoreish. Bright Caribbean-flavored colors are huge right now, as are retro polka dot prints.

These heels could dress up jeans and a tee, or dress down a LBD (Little Black Dress). They're appropriate for work (because I said so), and yet they're perfect for a Sunday morning stroll through the park.

What could be better really? Oh maybe this-- they go for about $23. So yeah, they pretty much rock.

My Latest Beauty Must Have--Bacitracin!

Hear me out. I know that Bacitracin is supposed to be used for cuts and such. But one glorious day a few months ago, I found its other use.

I have verrry sensitive skin and fairly severe eczema. In the winter, I have to constantly apply what I call "anti-decay lotion" which is a mixture of prescription cream and Curel lotion on my body and face. Without it I look like I have some sort of flesh eating disease.

In the summertime, however, I breakout in zits. My dry skin is less severe, but applying any sort of blemish medication just makes my skin dry everywhere. My solution? Bacitracin.

My mom suggested it tome when I told her my dilemma. I wasn't sure it'd work, because Bacitracin seems almost oily. But I gave it a go one night and found that it really works! It dries up zits, and hydrates my skin at the same time! I think it has something to do with the fact that it basically gets rid of all the bacteria in skin (which is what causes acne). Now I apply it every night unless I am having a horrible eczema flare-up, and I must say that my skin has been particularly flawless.

Drugstore.com has the Rite-aid brand of it for a mere $3. Try it out--you'll be pleasantly surprised.

Long Lucious Lashes

I'm constantly after finding some miracle solution for elongating my stumpy lashes. I've tried all the mascaras, worn fake lashes, and tried ridiculous overnight lash treatments. Some of them work decently, but I've always wondered about getting lash extensions ever since I heard of them a year ago.

The idea seems great. Extensions work for hair, so why not lashes?

I did a little investigating to see how it all works. Apparently, the process is basically like putting on fake lashes, but with a little more bonding. You have to find someone who is certified to do this (and having them done can cost anywhere from$100-$300 or even higher). The end result looks amazing (the picture is a before/after shot of this). They last for a couple months, but you can't rub your eyes or wear waterproof mascara. Regular mascara shouldn't be worn frequently either. I guess with super long lashes, you wouldn't really need mascara anyway.

I'm still not totally sold on the idea. If there was a permanent way to get better eyelashes, I'd be all for it. But judge for yourselves!

Take the Plunge

With one-piece swimsuits becoming so popular lately, I've decided that I need to get myself a one-piece ASAP.

But where to look? When I first began my search, I came upon oodles of speedo graphic print ones, and old-lady dress ones. Neither really hit the target in this case.

Luckily, I stumbled upon this La Blanca suit today and I think I may have found the most flattering swimsuit ever made. The halter style with the plunging neckline is universally flattering. It draws the attention to your chest/neck/shoulders rather than to your hips and waist. The shirring covers up any "pooch" that you may have going on, and it also enhances your waist, making it appear slimmer. Plus it comes in black, which I am a huge fan of.

The swimsuit costs $110, but it will never ever go out of style, so I say it's a go.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, JENNA-ROSE!

My super stylish sister turns 18 today!

Flower Power

Pardon the cheesiness of the title. I cannot express my love of floral motifs in words at the moment.

For some reason, I keep forgetting about the best store in the world, Anthropologie. With their ultra feminine frocks and dainty accessories, springtime always reminds me to at least check out their website, if not hit up the local Boston storefront.

My current fave? These super classy sea blossom earrings.

I always love pieces that can work for day or night and I can definitely see wearing these to my fashion-deprived workplace and out to dinner. Even a trip to the parental unit's home in NH would work with something like this.

Simply divine. At $38, these earrings are a little pricey but they'll stay in style forever and go with everything. Simply delightful.

Camo Print That Won't Blend In

I have to start by saying that I usually hate anything with a camo print. I think that this stems from being brought up in a tiny town with millions of trees. The color green is almost enough to make me shudder.

However, I do like the idea of a camo mini skirt. I'm not sure why, but just the fact that camo seems so masculine and mini skirts are the epitome of girlishness...well, it rubs me the right way, I suppose.

I could definitely dig wearing a camo mini with a ruffled blouse, or a satin camisole. Add some classic black pumps and you've got yourself an outfit that works for day or night.

Victoria's Secret is having a huge sale right now and the mini in the picture is on sale for $25. Not bad, at all.

But here is a warning for all: save the combat boots for another day. Keep it simple with a skirt like this, unless you actually want to join the army. And I doubt they'd let you wear this hot little number to battle, anyway.

Sorry, Lovies!!

I know it's been 10 days since my last post...but I broke my pinky toe and I've just been all-around busy. Expect like 10 entries or something in the next week! Mwah! Stay fab!

LBD is now LPD--Because I Said So

Let me explain in English.

The basic fashion item that we are all supposed to have is the LBD--Little Black Dress. It is the clothing staple that can be used for formal occasions, backyard parties, and even work with the appropriate accessories.

But I am taking a stand. This LPD (Little Plum Dress) from American Eagle just screams glamour and class. I must have it.

The reason why it works is that the cut is simple, much like the typical LBD, and the color is highly saturated (aka: dark). This is a slimming dress that would be flattering on a size 2 gal and on a size 14 lady! The low v-neck style elongated the neck and makes ya look like a tall model-esque type. And who hates that idea?

I would totally wear this to a wedding, the beach over a swimsuit, or to the mall. If it were socially acceptable, I would by 7 of 'em and wear them everyday for the rest of my life.

LPD--I love thee.

Sparkle and Shine Overdose

On my morning commute to work this morning, I was blinded by a strobe light-esque brightness. What was it, you ask? A crazily sequined bag much like this offensive number:



Now don't get me wrong--I'm all about a bit of bling from time to time, but let's save it for the nigh time people, shall we? I'm already jilted away by my alarm in the morning, I don't really need a follow-up seizure caused by tons of shimmering sequins shaking in my face.

Enough is enough.

If you simply must have some sparkle in your everyday life, try a tote trimmed with something shiny. San Diego Hat Company (click on the purse for link) has a great red tote that will brightened up any wardrobe without causing accidents on the street:



This is a great option for you loons who need so much bling that it overlaps into your daytime life. Shine on!

Blue "Suede" Shoes for the Masses

Fun Fact: Cobalt blue rocks my socks off. It is the hottest color of the season, and surprisingly goes well with the blue eye shadows that are so tempting these days as long as you pick a hue that contrasts a bit. No one likes a matchy-matchy gal.


The color is so unexpected. Not quite a navy blue, certainly not a pastel blue; cobalt blue is in its own league. My fave way to wear it? A hint of blue poking out either with a cobalt cami under a cardigan or with some groovy looking platform pumps with some casual jeans. Or even with a LBD (little black dress for the fashion un-savvy).


Payless has a great pair that they are practically giving away for $16.99 so you have no excuse to jump on the blue train of delightful fashion.

Mind you, they are flip flops, in a sense, but also they are chic and look vaguely like a wedge/heel combo.

They would look adorable with some khaki capris. Enjoy!

Bad Hair day? HA--I Laugh at Thee

A great trend this season is a headband. There are so many ways to wear them and there are tons of different styles out there. One so sure to tickle your fancy, The hottest ones now are the bohemian scarf look, like the one above, from Avon's Mark line. It is $10 for two of 'em--the other style is just as cute; a burnt orange hue perfect for heading off to the beach. Plus the bands are actual headbands. I mean I've tried and tried to wear regular scarves like headbands but they constantly slide off and bunch up and tangle in my hair. It's ridiculous. This is a great alternative. The band is hidden inside the scarf part and it is pretty stiff (in a good way; it won't move but also will not give you a migraine from tightness). So you pretty much just slap it on your head and tie the cute ties underneath. They flow out and blend in the the hair. I enjoy wearing them over one shoulder so all can admire the great print.

Most of all, I love this for "bad" hair days. You know what I mean. You overslept and have no time to shower, let alone do anything to your hair. Either throw on the band and leave you hair loose, or for those particularly nasty days, do a low ponytail with one. The result is chic and groovy. I wore one today and even flipped out the ends of my hair to give myself a retro 60s look.

The most hilarious part? I stole the headband from my mom. I'm sure I will have to give it back, but she let me use it last night when I went for Mother's Day and now I'm hooked. Moms with style are pretty groovy themselves.

P.S.: I'm an Avon lady so feel free to order this from me! Oh glorious self promotion!

Clean and Gaaageous

I am in love.

Let's rewind and I'll tell you all the story. I recently read a blog (I think it was on Styledash, which I love love love). Anyway, one of the blogette's wrote a review of oodles of foundations and Cover Girl's "Clean Makeup" was quite near the top of her list.

I had been looking for a new foundation for some time. I like Clinique, but they don't usually have a good color for me (I find them to have a lot of yellow-ish grey undertones and my face is practically neon pink). I tried some Neautrogena and it actually hurt my skin, so I knew I needed something different.

I should probably explain that I have severe eczema all over my face and often times I have what I like to call a goatee of redness. Not very attractive to say the least. So it is often a struggle to find makeup that doesn't irritate my skin, looks pretty, and covers up any redness I may have.

This foundation is pretty rockin'. And I really am in love. First of all, the color I got was, of course, the lightest and it actually matches my skin exactly. That never happens. The coverage is great-- not wicked sheer, but it doesn't get cakey even if you reapply throughout the day. I think it is fragrance-free, but whatever the case I don't even feel it on my skin. If anything, it feels like a nice lotion. But it is oil free. It's pretty much perfecto.

The only sucky bit is that it doesn't come out of the bottle. I have to pound it ketchup-style on my hand for a few minutes to get anything. But it is less than $4, so for that price I would be willing to smash open a new bottle daily to get it out.

Happy Mother's Day!

In honor of Mother's Day, I give you a picture of me and my mom. Of course I look disgusting and am holding a pig puppet (why, I cannot even remember), but my mom looks gaaageous as always.

Pamper your mom's today, ladies!! They gave birth to you, raised you, and made sure you didn't wear the wrong shade of lipstick. Well, my mom at least.

I'm Smitten with Just Bitten

I love a bright red lip color. The thing is, I don't usually wear red lipstick because it is such a pain to keep up. I mean you've got to touch it up every 5 minutes to avoid having it it smudge and fade in weird spots. And forget about giving your boyfriend a smooch--it ain't happenin'.

That's why I was excited when I saw an ad for Revlon's new lip stain, "Just Bitten". It comes in four colors (a pink, an orange, a red and a purpleish color). My fave is "cherry tart". I searched all through my local CVS for this, but couldn't find even the ridiculous purple shade! Finally, I randomly ended up in the makeup department at Target and found the last one on the shelf! It was clearly meant to be.

Anyway, I took the stain for a test run yesterday. It was my day off and I spent it with my boyfriend who isn't shy about a good 'ole smoocharino, so I knew the lip stain would really get a good test. Amazingly enough, it lasted all day and even after I washed my face, slept, and showered this morning there was still a faint tint.

But remember ladies: if you're going to do a bright red lip color, tone down the eyes or else you'll look like a hooker. Sorry, but it is true. A bold lip goes with a fairly neutral eye and vice versa.

Another fun fact: this stain can be layered to achieve different looks from a sheer rose to a deep blood red. Just delightful. I really am smitten.

Beauty Boo-Boo: Eyebrow Blunders

Is there anything worse than un-groomed, ridiculous, thick eyebrows? I think not.

Since I live in Boston and take public transportation daily, I see a lot of uni brows, and general brown unruliness. I'm very close to packing some tweezers in my bag and pulling them out to help these unfortunate people when I come across them in my travels. I think that the MBTA frowns upon that, sadly.

So the best I can do is try to convince the people who stumble upon this blog to tame their brows.

Here are the worst mistakes people make with their eyebrows:
1) Not doing anything to them
2) Plucking too much
3) Waxing once and then letting them grow back in (and thus creating a beard-esque patch over your eye)
4) Plucking random hairs and having uneven brows.

What people don't understand is that eyebrows are actually quite important. Whether you know it or not, well groomed brows make you look younger, more awake, and just plain gorgeous. People generally look at each other's eye area and guess what, gals? The eyebrows help shape that area. And FYI, they are noticeable.

The bottom line is: if you don't groom your eyebrows, you make yourself look less attractive. And it is so simple to take care of them.

Here are your options:
1) Plucking (best if you naturally have decent brows but just have a few out of place)
2) Waxing
3) Crazy laser treatments that I do not recommend just yet

For those who choose to pluck, I highly suggest getting a stencil for your brow shape. Sephora has some good ones, I think by Anastasia. But if you can't get one that is fine. I usually like to take a white eye pencil and "white out" the hairs that I don't want to be there. Then when I go to pluck, I don't really pluck anything else by mistake. Get yourself a good pair of tweezers (go for more expensive because they last longer and grab the hair more precisely--meaning it hurts less). Just grab the offensive hair with it and pull it out! Very simple.

If you lack this sort of motor skill, go somewhere and have them waxed. These waxing peeps know what they're doing and you'll look great. Just make sure to keep going back to avoid the eye-beard. There are some DIY waxing kits, but they are tricky and it can be very easy to take off your whole eyebrow by mistake.

So those are the basics. I'm just begging you people. I can't bear to see anymore of these people with painted on brows, eye-beards, or uni brows. Something has to change. Take it from me, you'll be happier once you give in and embrace the idea of beautiful brows.

This Just in: Silver is the New Pink!

The rumors are true. Silver is the color for nails this season. Beauty experts everywhere are telling us to throw away the pale pink shades and go for the gold. or, uh...silver in this case.

Silver is a great neutral color and is much more flattering than that ridiculous black that was oh so popular this winter. The look is fresh, young, and easy to maintain.

The great thing is that there is a shade of silver for everyone out there from pale-skinned ladies (such as myself) to ebony beauties! Pale gals should opt for a light color (like beige) with silver mixed in. The result is very low-key, but pretty and noticeable at the same time. Darker ladies can pull of the mirror shine of a true silver. Everything in between is fair game. And to be honest, I'm even thinking of giving the bright chrome a go.

A good color for all: Essie's new "Loophole"polish. It's one of those middle ground shades that looks amazing on everyone.

So Wild, You'll Need a License to Have it

I'm a firm believer that using the right brushes can make your makeup look amazing and flawless. Now there are a lot of great brushes out there--the choices are endless. But finding a set as groovy and cool as Jilda's "Custom Couture Makeup Brush Kit" is near impossible.

With leopard print satin lining, bright pink piping, and matching cotton-candy colored brushes, this kit is the absolute coolest. The kit is small enough to throw in your bag for afternoon touch ups on the go, yet the brushes are large enough to use for your morning makeup routine at home.

The best part? The retail value of the kit is around $52. But lucky you, b-glowing.com is practically giving them away for $29.20.

Safety First!

Sephora's news "Sun Safety Kit" is totally fabulous. The set includes: 1 oz Murad Waterproof Sunblock SPF 30, .17 oz Bliss Sunban Face SPF 30+, .10 oz Clarins Sun Wrinkle Control Eye Contour Care SPF 30, .15 oz Juice Beauty SPF 15 Tinted Lip Moisturizer in Playful, .25 oz Peter Thomas Roth Max Sheer All Day Defense Moisture Lotion SPF 30, .5 oz Korres Natural Products Watermelon Sunscreen Face Cream SPF 30, .5 oz Cosmedicine Global Health Face SPF 30, and a .09 oz DDF Glossy Lip Therapy SPF 15.

Yet it is only $22.

I bought one of these bad boys for my mom for Mother's Day. It's a really great gift because who doesn't love lots of travel-sized products specifically designed for summer? It all comes in a cute little mesh makeup bag that is perfect for taking to the beach, or just throwing in your purse. A bonus that really goes without saying--every product keeps the gift-ee safe from the harmful rays of the sun( that causes 90% of all skin cancers).

There's still time--show your mom you love her with a gift that could quite possibly save her life. And is totally stylish to boot.

Kathy Van Zeeland Handbags are ROCKIN'

So, I decided to treat myself to a fun spring purse with my tax return money this year. I spent hours looking online trying to find a good quality one that was stylish and would go with a lot of my outfits. But I just couldn't pick one from online--and all of the ones I found were over $100.

Last night, my boyfriend Tyler and I went to Marshall's and I figured I'd have a quick look at the bags just in case. Well, I found two really great Kathy Van Zeeland handbags for $29 each! I bought the one in the picture, and another bronze-y brown shoulder bag complete with charms galore.

The best thing is that these bags retail for a lot more. The bag in the picture goes for about $99. So the way I see it, I got two bags for less than the price of one!

Now, I hadn't really ever heard of these handbags before. I saw them once on some home shopping channel and thought they were cute, but never really thought about getting one. But once I saw them in person I realized that they actually look like they are very expensive (she uses a lot of hardware and charms and such) and they are roomy. Also, they have a lot of little pockets inside that are quite convenient for my cell phone, lip gloss, etc.

These are great bags to have if you want to treat yourself to something fab, but don't feel like spending hundreds of dollars. I love them.

If it were socially acceptable, I would probably marry one of my new handbags. Creepy, huh?

Fashion Faux Pas: Sandals and Socks

Socks and sandals are a huge no-no. Even my fashion-ly challenged boyfriend knows that. But apparently, Marc Jacobs does not.

Marc by Marc Jacobs platform sandals and socks were a focal point from Marc’s spring 2007 New York fashion week show. And I am not a fan. Granted, this looks better than the typical Adidas sandals with white athletic socks. But how much cuter would these look sans socks?

I'm worried that now people will see this line and think that wearing socks with sandals is now a fashion trend. Don't be fooled. Even major fashion designers make mistakes sometimes.

Fashion Faux Pas: Overalls Make a Comeback

I was browsing on the Guess website today to see if they had some fun summer clothing options--which they do, by the way. But I found a whole section devoted to the most ridiculous item of clothing since tapered jeans: overalls. Or shortalls, to be more accurate.

This particular pair features a zipper on the top, a denim belt, and short shorts. I don't know...it's not that I hate overalls. I can comprehend wearing maybe a baggier pair with a cute cami for some sort of juxtaposition of fashion. But something like this just isn't flattering. The gal in the picture looks good. But I mean, she is a stick and has awesome legs. But even looking at her, I can see that it makes her look like an auto mechanic gone wrong.

And the heels make her look like a cheap hooker.

So steer clear of this summer's "trend". If it looks to ridiculous to be true, then it probably is.

Be Your Own Makeup Artist

Though it isn't really portable, Sephora's new "Summer Blockbuster Palette" is perfect for experimenting with new looks at home.

This kit offers 24 flattering eye shadows, 24 gaaaageous lip colors, 5 blush hues, and 1 shimmer powder all for a mere $36. I mean, come on! This is pretty great. I love trying out new colors and such, but I hate having to throw away an entire eye compact because I ended up hating the color. With this divine array of colors, even if you hate half of 'em, you're still getting a bunch of great colors. Another plus: this kit is sans kelly green and hot pink (two of the least flattering colors for ANYONE), so the chances of actually hating any of the colors are slim to none. My only qualm would be that most of the blush colors look too dark and tan for me. But I'll settle for the pink one in the upper right corner and all the shadows and glosses.

And at least I'll be able to try some unflattering shades for pale-skinned mavens and know for certain that it doesn't look good without spending the funds on individual compacts. And I can use the offensive shades for 80s themed parties. It's really a win-win situation.

Singin' the Blues

As a gal with pasty white skin and green eyes, I never really thought I'd be able to pull off wearing blue eye makeup. The last time I tried, I had swiped some of my mom's 80s neon blue liner on my lids and found myself looking at a circus clown in the mirror.

But that has all changed. Makeup has gotten more advanced and now there are blue shades that flatter everyone. Neon blue hues are forever gone.

I love the look of a smokey eye--especially when done with a color other than the predictable black. Blue is perfect for this. Avon just came out with a really great palette of blues, the "Denim Blues Quad". Here's how to wear it:

1) Brush the lightest color (the second from the right) under your eyebrow and on the inside corner of your eye.
2) Take the next lightest shade (on the right) and brush it over entire lid.
3) Next, brush on the second darkest shade (second in from the left) right on the lash line (almost like a liner) and under the eye a bit (again like a liner).
4) Brush the darkest shade only on the outside corner of your top lid and blend upwards. If you have a darker complexion, use this color as the liner instead of the second darkest.

The result is a smokin' smokey eye that is unpredictable and gorgeous. Finish it with some black mascara and you'll be good to go. The best part? Blue intensifies every single eye color--especially brown.

Shoes of Sea Grass

These Stella McCartney Sea Grass sandals are gracing the pages of practically every single fashion magazine this month. Cosmo (I think it was them) loved them so much that they featured the sandal in two separate sections in different colors!

They seem like they'd be great versatility-wise. I could see wearing them to work with some business-y capri pants, to the beach with a sarong, or even out to dinner with a little black dress.

That said, I'm not totally sure if I think that these sandals are the best shoes EVER...They're very cute, but for $575, I think I'll probably pass on 'em.

Mother's Day Swag

Clinique is doing a great Mother's Day promotion, that involves this crazily great tote bag. All you have to do is purchase two fragrance products, and you get the tote bag AND a purse-sized Clinique Happy spray. And I don't hate it.

Clinique usually has great "free" gifts and I've been a fan since I was in high school. I'd spend $25 on a foundation or something and get a huge makeup back full of sample sized products. It was pretty fab back then and I still love it to this day.

But I really have to give Clinique props this time. The tote bag really is perfect for Spring and it almost has a Coach-ish feeling to it. Very cute.

Alas, I've already done my Mother's Day shopping. So I might have to use the deal for myself. What a shame.

Fashion Faux Pas: Tapered Jeans

I read somewhere that tapered jeans are God's ugly gift to the world. I can't say that I disagree.

I'm now inspired to write about why tapered jeans are the worst pants in the world. Here's a bit of a lesson for those who aren't as fashion savvy.

If you don't know what tapered jeans are, you might be wearing a pair of them right now. Gasp! The telltale sign of these ridiculous jeans is as follows: the opening at the bottom of the pant leg is smaller than the circumference of the jeans at your knee. Hence the word, "tapered". Here is a picture for those of you who still don't know what I mean.


Photo: zafu.com

Now, this is from a website that is trying to sell the idea of wearing these jeans. But when you look at the model (who must be around a size 6), it becomes apparent that she looks big in the middle. And she is not big. The reason for this is that because the bottom of the pant legs are so small, the hips look HUGE by comparison. Unless you have the body of a 6 year old child, they will not be flattering on you. In addition to this, the wash of the jeans is light which magnifies flaws and makes everything look larger in general. There is not a worse pair of pants in the world to own. Throw them away, if you have a pair, and never look back.

Instead, find yourself a pair of flattering jeans like this:


Photo: people.com

The bottoms flare out a bit (don't worry--I'm not telling you to wear flares). They are called boot-cut jeans. Because they go out a bit at the bottom, this is very balancing for someone who possesses hips. These pants literally make you look two sizes smaller than the other jeans. The dark wash helps too--there is some truth to that whole "wearing black makes you look thin" thing. But not only black accomplishes this. Any heavily saturated color (dark denim, burgundy, navy blue, etc) can do this.

So that is my lesson for the day. Please, please please. Throw out all of your tapered jeans and embrace the idea of looking good!!!

Surf & Sand

If you're looking for eye shadows that will make a splash at the beach, you've found it! Bobbi Brown's "Surf & Sand" eye palette is perfect for a night on the town, or for a stroll on the boardwalk. You can either use all of the shades separately, OR mix them together to create a custom golden blue hue. The shadows are shimmery and go great with summer's bronze glow look.

My Love Affair with Target Continues

For those of you who don't know, I am obsessed with Target. I always find great stuff and it is never expensive. They do a great job of keeping up with the trends.

I just found another great summer tote (delema! I might have to get a few different ones)!



This is designed by Rafe (an upscale designer who makes cheaper items for Target). It is great quality and looking at it, you would just assume that it cost over $100. But no, It is a small price of $39.99.

As with Gap's Seahorse bag, I love this because it has an unexpected splash of color, yet it will match practically everything in your spring wardrobe.

I'd pair this with some chunky gold bangles for a rockin' daytime look for work or play.