Friday, July 27, 2012

everything is better on vacation






skirt: Anthro clearance
peplum blazer: Anthro clearance
polka dot top: Old Navy
heels: Target
giraffe necklace: [un]possible cuts 
 sunglasses: Target

Summer school ended yesterday and I am officially on summer vacation. And how do I kick off my first morning of vacation you ask? By completing an online food handler certification and watching an episode of glee. But it's okay because no matter how mundane your day, life is just better on vacation. 

I bought this lovely lace skirt and peplum blazer with the last of my birthday money. Lace and peplum are favorites of mine so they had to be paired together. I love these bright, happy colors...these shoes however are gonna have to go. As far as Target shoes go, they are the exception...super uncomfortable. So cute, but painful after 5 minutes. How I wore them for even a half day of teaching is beyond me. I will rave about how comfortable Target shoes are to anyone I meet, so I am so disappointed that these never broke in :(

Tuesday, July 24, 2012

summer continues






 skirt: Anthro clearance
tshirt: GAP sale
heels: Target
doe necklace: [un]possible cuts
sunglasses: Target

Summer life has been nice. Busy, but busy with fun stuff. Dancing, weekend trips, movies, dinner with friends. I have heard other teachers commenting on summer winding down or counting down (with dread) the weeks until school starts back up. I am not winding my break down yet. It is not yet time to start easing back into another school year: writing plans, hanging bulletin boards, hitting Lakeshore for supplies. Oh no. Not yet. It is still summer. I'm going to wear my summer clothes, enjoy life and am quite content to have absolutely no idea what day school starts. That is a detail that can be put off until another day.

Wednesday, July 11, 2012

too hot for summer




 chambray button up: GAP sale
pencil skirt: JCrew sale
heels: Steve Madden sale
necklace: Francesca's 

Umm, so it's not fall. These chilly mornings have been confusing me. When I got home from work at noon, I couldn't rip these clothes off fast enough to change into something cooler. Wool skirt and heavy button up are not summer wear even if it is chilly when I leave home. I don't know what I was thinking.

lipstick low down

I love bright, bold, vivid lipstick. A few years ago I discovered, contrary to what I believed all through my teens and 20s, that lipstick look good on me. I always thought I couldn't pull off bright lipstick. Now I never leave home with out it. I have gone through a ton of trial and error with different brands, formulas and colors. I thought it might be helpful to any lipstick novices out there.

As with clothes I do not like to waste my money on expensive designer brands. Drug store lipstick is just as good as pricey Sephora brands.

Case in point...the absolute best red lipstick out there, that looks amazing on EVERYONE.

Revlon Super Lustrous in Love that Red.
 This is the best lipstick I have found. The color looks awesome on everyone...most of my friends and family have at some point borrowed this color from me. The formula is perfect. Creamy, vivid color that stays put. It doesn't bleed, fade or dry up your lips.

All of my favorite lipsticks are Revlon. Favorite pink...

Revlon Color Burst in Fuchsia.
 This fuchsia is great! A deep rich color that is not at all bubble gum, the formula is actually a little better the the Super Lustrous above. Again, very creamy with great staying power.

My favorite coral...
Revlon Moon Drops Creme in Hot Coral.
This shade of coral stands out. The color is so vivid and bright, I get asked what lipstick I am wearing all the time. The formula is not quite as good as the other two. Not as creamy and it has that weird lipstick smell. However, it's still the best coral I have found.

I am going to go through some other shades and brands that I have tried just to give you my two cents. However, you could totally stop reading here, go buy the 3 lipsticks above and you would be set for life. :)

Urban Decay Super Saturated High Gloss Lip Color.
The name is a mouthful but it lives up to every word. If you want to spend a bit more, this is well worth the money. I have only tried Punch Drunk (orange) and Crush (hot pink) as I don't like pearlescent or shimmer on my lips. This formula is kind of amazing. It is glides on like a lipstick, shines like a gloss and the finish is vinyl (in a good way). Great staying power.

Lipsticks to never waste your money on
Lancome Rouge in Love 181- I was so excited to splurge on this lipstick and then sooooo disappointed after wearing it a few hours. I had been obsessing over it since trying it on in Sephora. So creamy and light but still bright and vivid color. Sadly, this lipstick bleeds outside of your lip line :(  I suppose I could add a few steps like lip liner or powder or use a lip brush. But why would I spend 4 times as much money and twice as much time when with Revlon I can apply it straight from the tube and it looks impeccable? Waste of money.

Revlon Super Lusterous in Siren- This coral is way too light if you are looking to do a bold lip and somehow this shade lacks the creamy, vivid finish of Love that Red.

Maybelline Color Sensation in Very Cherry- This shade of red looks garish. The formula is dry and cakey. Perhaps it would work on a darker or lighter complexion.

A word on glosses...Glosses can look beautiful but at the end of the day they are too much of a pain in the ass. They don't stay put and my hair always ends up in my mouth. However if you like glosses here are a few good ones I have found.

Revlon Infallible Gloss in Rebel Red
Great color. A deeper red with the tiniest hint of shimmer. Can be applied lightly to be more sheer or layered for more pigment. Tends to clump around the inner edges and corners of your mouth, so check and reapply every couple hours.

Bare Minerals Pretty Amazing in Strength

A red without any shimmer. The color is very rich, bold and highly pigmented. On me it tends to have a pinkish cast that I am not a fan of. Hard to apply. Works best over a red lip liner. Slightly drying.

Revlon Super Lustrous Lipgloss in Cherries in the Glow (discontinued)
 This was my first foray into red lip color. It is very sheer and pretty. This would be a good option for anyone not quite ready for a bold lip. Though it is discontinued you can still find it through google.

A word on lipstains...they all suck and are a giant waste of money. I love the idea of lipstains and have tried several. However, they never live up to the dream. Your lips have to perfectly smooth and conditioned for lipstains to go on and actually look nice. This means moisturizing and exfoliating. But once appiled, they invariably dry your lips out and the color gets weird. I have scoured the interent for tips on applying lipstain and none of them help. Save your time and money. You'd do just as well eating a cherry popsicle or going the jello route.

This was a super long post. These are just my opinions. If you are still with me thanks and I hope it was helpful. If you have recently hopped on the cat eye liner look and would be interested in hearing eyeliner recommendations please let me know.

Tuesday, July 10, 2012

worth the wait

 
 
 
 
 skirt: Nordstrom Rack
top: Kohl's sale
wedges: Lela Rose for Payless
flag pendant necklace: [un]possible cuts

Buying a long flowy, pleated skirt like this has been a long time coming. I have been talked out of and talked myself out of purchasing one multiple times. They never fit quite right...the fit, material, length, quality was always off. Apparently it was because this gorgeous number was out there waiting for me to scoop it up from the clearance rack at Nordstrom Rack. I was actually in the fitting room trying this skirt on last month. I was standing in front of the mirror debating whether to bypass it as I had many similar skirts. As I turned this way and that, another woman walked up to the the mirror and complemented me on the skirt. We got into a discussion about whether I should buy it and chatted for a few minutes. As I turned to go back to my fitting room she offhandedly asked how much it was. I kind of frowned as I told her "$30" implying I thought it might not be worth it (mind you it was originally almost $200). She rolled her eyes and told me I was crazy and to buy it immediately.
DONE!

Monday, July 9, 2012

sneaky sneaky

 
 
 
 
 skirt: GAP clearance
top: Forever 21
boots: Romance by Seychelle's
Don't tell, but I am NOT supposed to be up here. And I know this. But seriously, when you have a beautiful rooftop with sweeping scenic views, you bend/break the rules. You creep quietly up the staircase that is off limits, unlatch the chain barring the doorway, ignore the sign telling you to stay off the roof, push open the door, and step outside. At least that is what you do until you get caught :) Then, well I'll cross that bridge when I come to it.
I am happy to have found a new photo location. Even if I do have to be sneaky to utilize it. I also have, on loan, a new camera. I am using my sister's digital camera again. Being able to use a tripod makes things so much easier than having to find places to prop my camera phone.

Yesterday, I pulled out two items that have typically been part of my fall wardrobe. This yellow pleated skirt was a favorite of mine year before last and I have worn these Romance boots to death. I have always tucked tops into skirts as leaving things untucked isn't usually flattering on me. Like I mentioned the other day shapeless and curves aren't a good match. Definition and structure are best. That being said, I found that this looked better left untucked. Could be that the sheerness paired with a lacy bandeau underneath left less to the imagination ;)

Saturday, July 7, 2012

Not the 4th





 skirt: H&M
top: Anthro clearance
platforms: Jeffery Campbell
hella necklace: [un]possible cuts

Despite my color combo here, this is not what I wore on the 4th of July. This morning, because I am incapable of sleeping in (barring heavy sedatives), I was up before 7am. I had perfect Saturday plans...meeting up with some girlfriends of grab brunch and walk the farmer's market. But since all other normal, single adults sleep in on the weekend, I had a few hours to kill until I could text them to meet up. So I did laundry, cleaned my apartments and FINALLY hung some pictures.

This outfit is loose and flowy enough to be comfortable but still cute. It's actually too shapeless for a someone curvy like myself. I thought I could pull it off because the skirt is so short but I won't be putting these two together again. I think shorts would have been a better fit with this top.

I had the most delicious brunch EVER! Burrata, heirloom tomatoes and basil on toast. Words can not fully express the tomatoes and this is from a girl who grew up hating tomatoes with a burning, fiery passion. I am thinking of making another trip down to the farmers market to pick up some tomatoes. Don't yuou just love having a Saturday afternoon of leisure. My time is normally so scheduled that afternoons like this are such a treat. Here's a peek at my morning's efforts. I have a little studio so this shows my "living room" corner.