Who loves free nail polish?

Unless you live under a rock, you've probably heard of the current Zoya promo.  If you have an account with Zoya already (you always need to make an account before they release their promos) you can go to the promo code section and see one for a 'buy one, get two free' code.  You pay for one $8 polish and shipping (comes out to around $14) and you get $24 worth of polish.  Woohoo!  

Zoya Armor Top Coat, $8 at zoya.com: Now what I did (I was very proud of this idea) was get a top coat and 2 polishes.  Zoya is on the eco-friendlier side of polishes, and the polish tends not to work as well with chemical heavy top coats, like my favorite, Seche Vite.  I get average wear time with that top coat.  However, I hear that with the Zoya top coat you can get like 7-9 days before it starts chipping, which is AMAZING.  So I got that.






Zoya Roxy, $8 at zoya.com, Zoya Neeka, $8 at zoya.com: As far as nail polish goes, I got Roxy and Neeka.  Roxy is a sheer red-toned purple base with bright purple glitter.  I have a ton of glitter nail polishes, but none that are medium berries, so obviously I had to buy this.  I like sheer jelly glitters, because they make the glitter seem to float in the polish.  The deepness of the berry gives it a little more maturity than the average glitter, and all the glitter makes it great in a Disney princess kind of way.  And Neeka is a greyed amethyst with subtle red duochrome shimmer and bright gold glitter.  It actually reminds me of Katherine of Aragon by Rescue Beauty Lounge, with it's dusty lavender base with glitter.  I love that the base here is such a soft, pretty, romatic/Jane Austen-approved color, but the red duochrome and gold glitter add a glam, modern twist.




On a totally random note, I was thinking about what to wear to a summer wedding the other day.  And then I realized that other people probably have the same question, so I thought I'd mention it.

J. Crew Arabelle Silk Chiffon Dress, $225 at jcrew.com: J. Crew is the source for wedding/bridesmaid dresses.  I love this little coral number.  The ruching/draping on the bodice is very flattering, as are the cinched waist and sweetheart neckline, and the a-line skirt hides any sins.  You could take this all sweet with a white satin ribbon around the waist and nude peep toe platforms with pearl earrings, or you could take it a little edgier and do a dark grey patent leather belt and peep toe platforms with a statement cuff bracelet.  Either way, it's demure enough for a wedding but still fun enough to make that open bar work for you.




Images via zoya.com, jcrew.com.

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Cute Sundress for Less than $20?

I love weekends.  I really love three-day weekends.  I slept till 11 today.  It was beautiful.  Anyways, here are some pretty things:



Forever 21 Summer Tiki Dress, $17.80 at forever21.com, Frye Kara Trapunto T-Strap, $136.80 at zappos.com: I picked up this dress a week or so ago at Forever 21, and I love it.  First off, it's less than $20.  That's a win in my book.  It's not the sturdiest dress in the world, but it costs less than going out to dinner, so I've accepted it.  The cut is adorable, a flattering sweetheart neckline, fitted to the waist, a-line skirt.  The print is a little on the funky/tribal side, but I think it's really fun and festive.  Plus, since the print has so many colors, it makes the dress easy to accessorize.  I like to pull out the brown in the print with a brown leather belt and a pair of brown heels like these.  It feels very summery and easygoing, but at the same time it looks very polished and chic.





 Mod Cloth Object of Confection Dress, $94.99 at modcloth.com: Last night I was telling a friend about how I'm making pumpkin spice cupcakes today, and mentioned how I'm really a closet '50s housewife.  And then she turns to me and goes, "sweetie, you've been out of the closet on that one for a while."  So, in keeping with my repressed retro tendencies, how cute is this polka dot dress?  I love the shape, with the sweet little neckline and the slight a-line skirt.  The polka dots and layers on the skirt make it look like a little wedding cake, but the red hue keeps it from feeling to formal and bridal.




Images via forever21.com, zappos.com,

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What I'd Like to be Wearing to Work

I am the worst with dressing for work.  In theory, I have all these adorable outfits that I'd wear, but in reality, I just wear what I already have, which is lots of cardigans and sundresses.  Gah.  But people at my office wear JEANS.  It's so weird to me.  Anyways, here's one of those theoretical outfits I'd wear to work.  I really like slightly '50s, retro work ensembles (Joan Holloway = my icon) with a slightly modern twist.


J. Crew Ruthie Shirtdress, $118 at jcrew.com, J. Crew Skinny Patent Belt, $34.50 at jcrew.com: This J. Crew shirtdress is ADORABLE.  It's a lovely camel color, which is very of the moment but also flattering and versatile.  The cut works well for a lot of body types--it's fitted through the smallest part of your torso, and glides over the lower body.  The elbow-length sleeves add a hint of sweetness to the utilitarian feel of a shirtdress.  To add even more emphasis to the waist, I'd do a skinny patent leather belt.  The patent gives it a bit of an urban edge, and a cinched-in waist is always a good look.




GUESS Osten Heels, $99 at zappos.com, J. Crew Oval Heirloom Locket Necklace, $50 at jcrew.com: For a bit of modern sass, I'd do a suede platform heel in this lovely ruby red.  The rich visual texture of the suede adds a sense of warmth and luxury that livens up the shirtdress, and the pop of color from the red is just so fun and girly.  To top it all off, I like this vintage-y locket necklace.  It works with the general '50s feel, and adds a personal touch (since generally you put adorable family/pet pictures in lockets.  I would totally have my dog and my pony).





So what do y'all wear to work?  Jeans? (just kidding)

Images via jcrew.com, zappos.com.

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LUSH Head Case

Confession: I am a total LUSH junkie.  If you don't know LUSH, it's an eco-friendly/natural body shop.  You'll be able to smell it down the block.  They're most famous for their soaps and ball bombs/bubble bars, but since I hate solid soap and I don't take bathes, I've been struggling to find something for me at LUSH.  I really wanted to like something from the store, since I love their brand mission and their products smell amazing.

Well, I found four new favorite things!  Right now, LUSH has 3 limited edition 'Head Case' sets for sale.  They're sets of 4 hair products, each with three sample size products and one full size solid shampoo bar, and they're all just under $24.  There's a Volume & Shine box (which I got), a Protect & Nourish box (meant for curly/frizzy hair) and a Balance & Repair box (for damaged hair).


The Volume & Shine box has a 3.4 ounce tub of Marilyn deep conditioner, which is about an $8.50 value (look at me doing math), a 1.6 ounce tub of Big shampoo, a $3.20ish value, a 3.3 ounce bottle of Veganese conditioner, a $5.25 value, and a full size Total Shine solid shampoo bar, which retails for $10.  So that's about a $27 value.  It's not an amazing deal, but it is a good chance to try out a ton of LUSH hair products and find out if any of them work for you.


So here's the Marilyn deep conditioner and the Big shampoo.  Marilyn was the one thing that I was least excited about.  It's a deep conditioner and brightening treatment for blondes.  I am a natural blonde, but I dye my hair for a reason.  I most certainly do not want a mask that makes me blonde.  So I did a little Googling, and it turns out that this can lighten you a little/add a few golden tones if you have actual blonde hair, but on my dyed dark hair it won't do anything.  It's packed full of chamomile, olive and linseed oils, and a bunch of citrus oils and juices.  It has a very thin, goopy consistency that made it hard to get out of the pot, and smells like olive oil with a hint of lemon.  Now, LUSH doesn't use silicones, which are what make your hair feel all slippery and smooth with normal conditioners and masks.  So this may not feel very effective--it really feels like runny lotion.  But once your hair dries it does add a lot of shine and softness.  The smell lingers pleasantly, and my hair feels happy, so I'm pleased with it.  I probably wouldn't purchase the full size just because I don't want lightening agents anywhere near my hair, but it is a lovely conditioner.  Big shampoo is my favorite product from this box.  It also looks the weirdest.  It actually looks like a salt scrub in the tub, and it honestly smells like laundry detergent to me (very cottony and clean).  I stared at it for a while in the shower before I could work up the courage to use it.  You need about a nickel sized amount, and you rub it vigorously into very wet hair.  It lathers up a lot, and the salt kind of melts away, leaving your hair and scalp feeling very refreshed.  I was a little scared of the idea of washing my hair with a shampoo that has salt and salt water and seaweed infusion in it, since my hair does not do beach hair well, but this stuff is MAGICAL.  It makes my hair feel so soft and look so shiny, and gives it a TON of volume.  I have thick, flat, normal/not-oily hair, and this manages to add texture while still making my hair feel clean but not dried out.  I imagine it would be wonderful for oily, thin or limp hair.  The only downside is that Big isn't cheap (the full size tub is $23), but this is a once or twice a week shampoo.  It would be very drying it used on a daily basis, since it's meant to strip all the product residue out of your hair.  That means even though it ain't cheap, it will last you a long while.




Here are Veganese conditioner and Ultimate Shine solid shampoo bar.  Veganese is a 100% vegan conditioner (no lanolin), and is full of rosemary, lavender, and seaweed infusion.  It's a pale creamy yellow with the consistency of thin lotion, and smells like rosemary and lavender.  The herbal smell doesn't linger long, however.  Again, since this has no silicones it doesn't feel like it's doing much in the shower, and it certainly won't work out any stubborn tangles.  This is LUSH's lightest conditioner, so it's great for keeping your hair from getting weighed down when you want a lot of volume.  I have dry ends, and this is a little on the light side for me.  It made my hair really soft and shiny and happy, but my ends were still a little parched.  I think Veganese could be great for girls with thin hair that's easily weighed down.  Ultimate Shine shampoo bar is my second LUSH shampoo bar.  They're these little hockey pucks of concentrated solid shampoo, and once you get used to using them they are AMAZING.  I like them for traveling, since you can put them in your carry-on, and they'll never spill all over your luggage, plus they're so much lighter than a bottle of shampoo.  Plus, they last forever.  My only issue is storage, since these need to dry completely before being put into any, or they'll basically melt onto whatever surface you put them on.  The Ultimate Shine bar has glitter (?!), violet leaf, gardenia extract, elemi tree oil, and smells just like eucalyptus to me.  The scent doesn't last, however, and neither does the glitter, thankfully.  Ultimate Shine lathers up really nicely, and leaves my hair feeling clean and soft.  It doesn't add texture or body, but it does get rid of any excess oil without stripping hair dry.  My hair is naturally very shiny, so I can't say if it adds shine.




You can only get these sets in store, so hop over to your local lush now!

Overall I'd give this set an A-/B+.  I'd give Big an A+, since it's possibly my favorite shampoo of all time, and Ultimate Shine a B+ for being a good, dependable (if not mindblowing) shampoo.  I'd give Veganese an A-, because even though it's not great for me I think it's still a great conditioner for most people, and Marilyn gets a B for being a decent deep conditioner.

Images via amazon.com, beautyjunkielondon.com.

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Channeling Mad Men

I came to the realization today that I need more big girl work clothes.  Like sheath dresses and pencil skirts.  Those things scare me.  But it had to be done.  So I went into Anne Taylor Loft today (I know, I know, but they have cute work clothes) and picked up a pencil skirt and some other basics.  I felt very old.  It was weird.

Anne Taylor Loft Sateen Straight Skirt, $49.50 at loft.com, Schutz Open Toe Nubuck Pumps, $152.60 at shopbop.com: So I picked up this skirt today.  It's really much cuter in person.  It's a medium grey with a little bit of a sheen, it has a little stretch, it's a nice length, and it's comfy.  My only issue with it is that it's built for someone with a little boy's torso.  Seriously.  Straight up and down.  I dropped it off at the tailor today to get almost 6 inches taken out of the waist.  Yeesh.  Anyways, I've been thinking of cute little outfits to wear around this skirt.  I'd add these mauve platforms.  They're neutral enough to be work appropriate, but the color is still a little offbeat, and the platform makes them comfy.  Plus the suede texture adds visual interest.




Anne Taylor Loft 3/4 Sleeve Crew Neck Cardigan, $39.50 at loft.com, Anne Taylor Loft Rib Tank, $7.25 at loft.com: Obviously if you're going the retro, pencil skirt, Mad Men route, you have to have a little cropped cardigan.  I picked this up today too, and I really like it.  The sleeves are nice and fitted, and it actually hits me at the waist, which makes for a much more flattering cut.  The black and the slate from the skirt play together nicely.  For a pop of color, I'd do this coral tank.  It's fitted and simple, so it'll fall cleanly under the cardigan, and the pretty pink is sweet and feminine, but not too much to wear to the office.




Anne Taylor Loft Braided Jeans Belt, $39.50 at loft.com, Adia Kibur Jumbo Pretzel Necklace, $48 at shopbop.com: To highlight the waist even more (can you ever do that enough?), I like this braided belt.  The black keeps it from being too over the top, and the rustic, braided texture adds a slightly earthy twist to the ensemble.  Lastly, I'd finish it off with a piece of statement jewelry.  This twisted, knotted necklace gives the outfit a quirky vibe.  It's a little offbeat, but not so much that you can't wear it to work, and the gold would be lovely with the pink tank.




Images via shopbop.com, loft.com.

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MUFE Aqua Liner and Tarte LipSurgence Stain

I've just realized how close my work is to Sephora.  Which is dangerous.  I'm putting myself on a shopping embargo as of today.  However I do have two beauty products to talk about...


Make Up For Ever Aqua Liner, $23 at sephora.com: So I popped into Sephora after work yesterday to pick up this Aqua Liner from MUFE.  And then today I promptly returned it (yay for Sephora's generous returns policy!).  This liner got rave reviews from all the beauty blogs I saw it on, so I thought I'd love it.  I use a gel liner from MUFE everyday currently, and have for the last 18 months or so.  I've never done liquid liner, and I thought it would be fun to try it.  I was wrong.




Let me break it down by category:
-Packaging.  There's nothing great or bad about the packaging, it's very simple.  You don't get a lot of product for the price, though.  I'd go through this liner in about a month, and the gel liner I use is the same price and lasts 4-5 months.  So...As far as the brush goes, I really don't like it.  It's a very short, firm, pointed foam tip, and I found it really difficult to lose.  I need a brush with more flexibility.  This I struggled to get to apply liner in straight lines, and I gel-line my eyes every day.  
-Formula: I got this liner in matte black.  My first issue is that it wasn't matte.  It dried shiny.  Also it wasn't the darkest black, and it wasn't very pigmented.  It took me two layers to get it opaque, which is just annoying.  It dried relatively quickly, and didn't transfer onto my lids or crease during the day.  That beats my normal gel liner.  However, this liquid liner doesn't wear well.  It flaked off throughout the day and disappeared completely from the inner half of my eyes.  It took me forever to remove, even with waterproof eye makeup remover.
-Overall: Maybe if you like one of the glitterier colors and you only wear liner along your lash line, then this might be a good option.  But for most people, I strongly don't recommend this liner.  I'd give it a D+.


Tarte LipSurgence Natural Lip Tint in Enchanted, $24 at sephora.com: When I returned the liner, I picked up this Tarte lip-stain in Enchanted.  I've wanted one of these for a while now.  I don't really do lip products.  I own four lip-glosses and one lipstick, and that was a recent purchase.  What I love about lip-stains is that they give a sheer wash of color.  It looks much more natural than a creamy lipstick.  This lip-stain comes in a four-inch long tube that looks like an oversized crayon.  It twists up from the bottom, and you get a good amount of product for the price.  I really like that the name of the shade is in the middle of the tube instead of on the end where it rubs off quickly.



Sephora calls this shade a rose.  I'd add that it's a medium hued, bright rose.  It claims to be ridiculously moisturizing (increases moisture content of the lips 60x.  I don't think so.), which I think is just silly.  Most lip-stains are very drying.  This one adds a little moisture to my lips (not a ton, but a little), so it wins on that front.  It applies very smoothly--like butter!--and feels very comfortable on the lips.  The color goes on in a sheer wash, and is easily layered for more or less impact.  My lips are decently pigmented, so on me this looks like I ate a strawberry popsicle.  It's just bright enough to be noticeable and feel fun, and it adds a little depth to my natural lip color.  For someone that's afraid of non-nude lip colors, I really like this.  You can see the color pretty accurately in the swatch, and how pretty and shiny it is.  Once the glossy wears away, the stain is left behind.  You can see the stain very well for about 5 hours, and then it really starts to fade away.




Overall I'd give this lipstain an A-.  I wish it was a little more moisturizing, but it definitely beats the other stains I've tried in terms of moisture and lasting power, and plus I love the color.  These stains also come in a shimmery finish and a matte finish.  The packaging makes me feel like I'm painting my face with a giant Crayola, which I strangely enjoy.  Oh, and these are certified animal cruelty-free, eco-friendly, and sans nasty chemicals, which is always great.


Images via sephora.com.

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J. Crew Lovelies

 Blargh I'm supposed to be sleeping right now but I am so, so bad at sleeping.  Really.  It's top 10 on my list of things I am terrible at.  So instead I've been trolling the J. Crew website, and I found these two adorable dresses.

Paradisa Dress, $168 at jcrew.com, Ramona Dress, $225 at jcrew.com: This first dress...so.cute.  So cute.  I wants.  I like that the shape is very simple and lingerie-inspired, a little 1940s, a little slip-like.  The basic cotton is simple and versatile, but the coral-red floral embroidery adds a whole other level of luxury and visual interest.  I love that the pattern is at once classic and modern in how abstract and geometric it is.  It's like a deconstructed toile.  Plus the fitted, with the close-cut bodice and fit and flare skirt, is extremely flattering on almost any body type.  J. Crew styled it nicely, with the slightly masculine belt.  I'd add a fitted little cardigan in say, a cobalt or navy blue, and maybe a set of skinny bangles.  As for the other dress, J. Crew totally owns when it comes to versatile, flattering bridesmaid-esque dresses.  This is a fab bridesmaid dress.  The cut is insanely flattering.  A deep-neck elongates the neck, flatters existing cleavage, and emphasizes cleavage if you don't have as much, the wrapped waist creates and hourglass silhouette, and the ruching hides a multitude of sins.  I'd get this in black.  I like the idea of black bridesmaid dresses, and you could style them adorably with crystal/rhinestone jewelry and jewel-tone heels.  Plus it's the kind of dress you can wear to work, to cocktails, to a wedding, etc, etc.




Images via jcrew.com.

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Jetsettin'

So I'm flying back to Boston tomorrow morning (disturbingly early), and as always instead of just deciding what I'm going to wear and take on the plane I have to blog about it.  Obviously.  So here's what I'd like to wear and take on the plane tomorrow!

7 For All Mankind Gwenevere Jeans, $133 at revolveclothing.com, Victoria's Secret Cut-Out Shoulder Tee, $34.50 at victoriassecret.com: My eternal plane dilemma is that I want to be cute, but I also want to be comfy (who doesn't?).  I love these jeans.  They're high-waisted and super stretchy, so they're really comfortable and eliminate all incidences of muffin toppage, but they're also a nice, thick denim in a dark wash, so they look very clean and sleek.  So you feel like you're wearing pajamas, but you look like a real person.  Which is always a win.  On top, I love this shoulder cut-out Victoria's Secret tee.  It's a little oversized, but not too baggy, and the deep neckline and shoulder cut-outs balance out the relaxed fit nicely.  I'd do it in black, so it's a little more formal.  The dark jeans and black tee work really well together, and you end up looking polished but you're still comfy.




Frye Taylor Harness Boots, $378 at fryeboots.com, Emi-Jay Summer Hair Ties, $10.99 at emi-jay.com: I'm not one of those people who's okay with looking schlumpy on a plane.  You never know who you're gonna see.  Totally saw Katie Holmes on a plane a few years ago.  Actually she looked pretty blah, but you get my point.  I love doing boots on the plane.  My feet get really cold, but I don't like wearing Uggs or slipper-shoes in public.  Boots are great because they keep your feet warm, but not too warm, and they instantly make you seem more dressed up.  These dark brown boots are absolutely gorgeous, and the cowboy twist adds a fun, Western vibe to the outfit.  The skinny jeans are perfect, because they'll easily tuck into these skinny boots, and the little heel is so adorable.  I have boots like these and that tiny heel is not only really comfy but totally adds some sass to your walk.  Which is always helpful when you have to be at the airport at 6AM.  Which I have to do tomorrow.  So excited.  Sometimes my hair gets kind of silly on the plane, or it gets all in my face and I want to take a nap, which is when hair ties come in handy.  I hate the skinny little elastic ties that leave lines in your hair, though.  That's why these Emi-Jay ties are great.  They come in fun colors, they double as bracelets, and they won't leave lines in your hair!




Vanessa Mooney Buddha Amulet Necklace, $40 at shopbop.com, True Blood Season 3, $29.99 at amazon.com: You don't want to do a ton of jewelry on a flight (just for the sake of getting through security), but I do like to do one thing to add a little pizazz to my outfit.  This Buddha necklace is fab.  It's a good price, the gold works nicely with the black tee, and the big pendant has gorgeous detailing.  It adds a lot of visual interest to the overall outfit with minimal effort (and I love me some minimal effort).  As for on flight entertainment, I just got True Blood Season 3 and I want to spend the whole flight watching the special features.  Mainly the episode commentaries.  So funny.  Virgin America has outlets on the flight to charge your laptop, so you can watch movies the whole time!




Foley + Corinna City Tote, $485 at shopbop.com, Vitalicious VitaTops Muffins in Fudgy Peanut Butter Chip: When you're flying, you need a bag big enough to hold your laptop, all your snacks, books, magazines, toys, etc, etc.  I have the smaller version of this bag, and it is THE BEST.  I've had it for about five years, and it wears so well.  This version is giant, and can literally fit your laptop + your entire life, and the gorgeous black leather adds a richness to any outfit.  Plus it has a lot of handy pockets to store all your goodies, and a handy-dandy shoulder strap.  As for snacks, these VitaTops are my new favorite snacks (don't mock me until you try them!).  They're muffin tops--literally the tops of muffins--and they come in a ton of great flavors, like fudgy peanut butter chip, corn muffin, pumpkin spice, deep chocolate, etc, etc.  But the best part is that they're large and only 100 calories, plus full of fiber so they keep you full for hours.  Take 2 of these on the plane with you and you're good for the whole flight, plus you don't end up binging on the in-flight snacks.




Images via revolveclothing.com, shopbop.com, emi-jay.com, vitalicious.com, amazon.com.

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Spotlight on: Elizabeth & James Jewelry

I tend to dismiss brands like Elizabeth & James that are celebrity designed because usually, well, they aren't great.  But I do have to hand it to the Olsen twins for doing so well with Elizabeth & James.  The clothes are consistently adorable, but what I really love are the accessories, especially the jewelry.  It manages to blend quirky, natural, and glam details perfectly for an overall aesthetic that works with a bunch of different styles and outfits.


Crab Ring with Ruby Eyes, $125 at shopbop.com, Turquoise Howlite Ring, $85 at shopbop.com: How cute is this crab ring?!  I'm a Cancer, so I love me anything with a crab on it.  It has tiny ruby eyes!  It's so sassy.  The claws curve around the finger so perfectly, and the offbeat shape really works the simplicity of the overall design.  I want to wear this with really girly outfits for a fun contrast.  If jewelry isn't really your thing and you just like very simple pieces, this cabochon ring is great.  The blue is fun but not too bright, so you can wear it with a lot of different color palettes, and the band has a sweetly organic feel that makes it a little offbeat.




Silver Bypass Ring, $125 at shopbop.com, Wishbone Mesh Earrings, $195 at shopbop.com: These pieces are such great value for the money.  This silver ring has silver (obvi), gold, and tiny sapphires, and it's less than $150.  I like that the band and the materials used are very classic, but the detail on top is unexpected and almost a little primal feeling.  I'd do it with a really girly, lace top and jeans.  I love me some chandelier earrings, and these have such a fun twist.  They're made up of tiny wishbones, so they're lucky!  The hammered, rustic shape plays nicely against the inherent drama of the oversized earrings.




Large Seashell Ring, $175 at shopbop.com, Enamel Coral Earrings, $95 at shopbop.com: The ocean may terrify me (sharks! sharks! stingrays!) but I love ocean motifs in jewelry.  A seashell is such a perfect choice for a ring because it's very symmetrical and pretty, but the dots and the distressing give it a bit of a fun edge that makes it a unique, but wearable accent piece.  I.  Love.  Coral.  These earrings are SO COOL.  The shiny black works really nicely with the organic forms of the coral, and these are just the right size--big enough to be a statement but not so large as to be ridiculous.  I'd do these with an updo and a little red dress.




I hope y'all had a great Memorial Day weekend!


Images via shopbop.com.

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Bath and Body Works Apricot Vanilla

I really need to stop shopping.  BUT IT'S SO HARD.  I'm like a hoarder for pretty things.  Gah.  Here's some of the stuff I've gotten/wanted recently.


Apricot Vanilla Tasty Lip Gloss, $7 at bathandbodyworks.com, Apricot Vanilla Body Lotion, $5.25 at bathandbodyworks.com: I am not a Bath and Body Works girl.  So much of their stuff smells so strong and sweet to me that it gives me a migraine and I just don't bother even going in/near the store.  But my mom needed something there the other day, so I was browsing around when I stumbled across their Apricot Vanilla line.  The simple, subdued packaging called to me, and the whole line was on sale for half off, so I picked up a lip gloss and a body cream (the lotion is pictured because the cream seems to have sold out online).  In the store the lip gloss was $3.50, which is a great deal.  It's a thick, somewhat sticky gloss that's sheer but has tons of shimmer.  It doesn't add any color to the lips but it adds some sparkle without looking frosty, which I like.  It smells and tastes like peaches and cream--so not apricots and vanilla, but it smells pretty darn good.  Since it's sticky, it lasts on the lips for a long while--around 3 hours, and best of all it actually moisturizes!  The body cream really does smell like vanilla and apricots, with the boozy sweetness of the vanilla and the creamy tang of the apricots.  It was like $6 on sale for a large tube of the cream, which is a decent price, and the formula is great.  It rubs in quickly and doesn't leave me feeling greasy, but it's thick and creamy and extremely moisturizing.  My favorite part is that the scent lingers all day, but really close to the skin.  So you can wear perfume on top of it and not overwhelm everyone within in a 10 foot radius.  I have basically no loyalty to body lotions, but I would purchase this again for the yummy but inoffensive scent and moisturizing formula.





I'd give those 2 products an A+.  The prices were great, they smelled amazing, and they both did what they claimed to do.  If you like the sound of Apricot Vanilla, act now because I think it's being discontinued.  It was part of a series of vanilla based scents--like cherry vanilla, coconut vanilla, etc--and I think they're being switched out for a series of coconut based scents.


Swingtown Sweetie Dress, $79.99 at modcloth.com: Y'all know I'm a sucker for Southern-style sundresses.  It's actually becoming a bit of problem.  I've been stalking Modcloth's New section for weeks now, and I'm in love with this little white dress.  The black and white color combo is just graphic enough, but the ways that the black is used--in the lace, in a polka dot sash--are so sweet that the color combo still makes a charming statement and isn't too hard or minimalist.  The deep v-neckline in the back and front add a little sass, and the tulle underskirt creates a flattering a-line shape and some old school charm.  I want to wear this with a pair of red heels while sipping a giant glass of sweet tea.




Images via bathandbodyworks.com, modcloth.com.

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Up & Down

I got my bi-yearly traumatic haircut today.  The end result of the haircut is totally fine, I just really hate getting my haircut.  The problem with me is that since I have so much hair--literally enough for 3 people--that hairstylists feel like they can cut and cut and cut at my hair and then you turn around and I have no hair.  It happens all the time and I hate it.  So I just sit there during any haircut staring desperately into the mirror and monitoring every strand of hair that gets cut off and freaking out.  My hairstylist probably thinks I'm a sociopath.  


On the plus side though, she totally made my day by saying (literally) that I have "commercial hair that she would make into wigs for models to wear in shampoo commercials."  Um, AWESOME.  Except I like my hair too much to make it into a wig.  But still.


Anyways, right now I'm sitting on the couch watching Top Chef Masters and whitening my teeth.  Watching Top Chef always makes me hungry, so wearing white strips is a great solution because I can't eat while wearing them!  Haha.  I use Crest White Strips, which are currently $16.20 at amazon.com.  I've used these once before, in high school about 2 years ago, and since I drink a ridiculous amount of tea and coffee it was time for another round.  I think these are great.  They're affordable, and easy to use.  In this pack you get 10 sets of upper and lower strips.  You leave the strips on for half an hour each, so you put on one top and one bottom strip and leave them on while you watch the Office.  You can double up and do two sets in one day if you want faster results.  I find that the strips stay on pretty well and the overall result is noticeably brighter teeth that last a will.  You won't get blindingly white teeth, but they will be nice and bright.  I don't have particularly sensitive teeth, so I haven't had any issues with these, but I have heard that with sensitive teeth these can sting a bit.



On an unrelated note, I popped into J. Crew the other day to get a (blindingly) neon pink v-neck, and I saw these two adorable dresses.  Oleander Lace Shift Dress, $295 at jcrew.com, Eyelet Derby Dress, $158 at jcrew.com.  Aren't they both gorgeous?  I love the simplicity of the shape of this black sheath dress against the Old World opulence of the black lace.  It's textured and layered and intricate, but still wearable and easy to style.  Plus the shape is crazy flattering, with the defined waist and a-line skirt.  Y'all know I love me a sundress, and this eyelet one is so fresh and springy and fun.  The fitted bodice keeps the voluminous skirt from being overwhelming, and the eyelet detail gives such a sweetness to the minimalist white.





Jenna's Cardigan, $70 at jcrew.com, Notched Skinny Belt, $32.50 at jcrew.com: Now, the funny thing about these dresses is that I was thinking about how I would style them, and I would totally style them the same way.  This plum, fitted cardigan works with the black sheath because the jewel tone adds some richness to the black, and the retro, cropped shape works perfectly with the old school feel of the dress.  It works with the white sundress because the plum warms up the white, and the cropped waist would hit right at the waist of the dress, whereas a longer cardigan would get pushed out by the full skirt and hide your waist.  I'd do this menswear style belt with the black dress because it adds a fun, His Girl Friday twist to the lady-like sheath.  I'm all about contrast, and doing a casual belt with the cocktail dress dresses it down a bit while adding a little sass.  The same belt adds a much needed masculine element to the very girly white dress, and a little bit of visual weight as well.  It's just proof that investing in versatile wardrobe staples, like cardigans and belts, is a great idea because they can work with so many different pieces.


Images via jcrew.com, amazon.com.

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Random Summery Cravings

I always forget that Victoria's Secret has real-person clothes.  They sell themselves so much as just lingerie, but when you go on the website you realize that there are so many adorable clothes you can get there!


Cut-Out Shoulder Tee, $34.50 at victoriassecret.com, Retro Push-Up Triangle Top, $38 at victoriassecret.com: I love shoulder cut-outs.  I love them in dresses and I love them in tops, but I especially love them in tees because basic tees with a twist are basically the best things over.  They're comfy like a tee but they have a little extra oomph that makes you look polished.  Also this top is really similar to this other top that I really wanted, but the VS one is half as expensive.  WIN.  So I need a new bikini, and I've just accepted at this point that being a 32DD means that I need an underwire bikini.  There's really no other logical solution.  I love sweetly retro styles like this one.  It's clean, but it's old-fashioned and glam at the same time.  It also comes in a fun bright pink and a ton of ridiculous leopard prints, so there's something for everyone.




Lace-Trim Playdress, $29.99 at victoriassecret.com, Zip-front Dress, $59.50 at victoriassecret.com: The first sundress I got from VS was a total failure.  But I can't help going back to look at theirs because they're just SO CUTE.  I like the offbeat print on this blue dress (as, $30 is a pretty fab price), and it's actually a wearable length!  I have a dress a lot like this zip-up dress, but...it's just so sweet.  The silhouette is very retro and girly and wearable, but the zipper adds some fun, edgy sass, and the pink is just so summery and bright.




Conclusion: Victoria's Secret has real-person clothes that I want to wear.  So weird.


Images via victoriassecret.com.

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