My little and I went exploring at The Lab/The Camp in Costa Mesa. It’s an “anti-mall,” so mostly outdoors, sustainable, very green, and extremely artsy. It was such an amazing experience. Stay tuned for a blog post and pictures from our time there.
Shirt: Charlotte Russe ♥ Shoes: Steve Madden (via Nordstrom) ♥ Shorts: Urban Outfitters ♥ Bralette: Foreign Exchange ♥ Sunglasses: TOMs ♥ Watch: Kate Spade
Boots: Steve Madden ♥ Skirt: B.P. Nordstrom ♥ Tank: Target ♥ Scarf: Nordstrom ♥ Watch: Kate Spade ♥ Bracelet: Kate Spade ♥ Ring: Charming Charlie ♥ Bracelet: Alex and Ani
I feel incredibly blessed to have such a generous family that spoiled me this year on my birthday! I’ve had my eyes on this Michael Kors Jet Set bag for as long as I can remember. I mean, it’s perfect. It even fits my Microsoft Surface, wallet, and planner perfectly. With a cross-body strap and the option to hold it as a handbag, it’s completely versatile. Made out of beautiful leather, it really is a masterpiece. My parents were so generous in giving this amazing gift to me, it would be criminal if I didn’t show it off! I’m obsessed to say the least.
The New Year is the best time to set new goals! Most people have difficulty following through with their goals, but one great way to stay on track is to create a “dream board.” Even Oprah swears by it! Essentially, a dream board is a collection of pictures, words, and phrases that will inspire you and remind you daily of your objectives! I was shocked that only a few short months after creating one for myself, I had accomplished over half of the goals I set. Images are so powerful and it’s a great feeling to use them in such a positive way!
More digitally inclined? Check out Oprah’s online dream board creator: http://www.oprah.com/spirit/O-Dream-Board-Envision-Your-Best-LifeTM
My 20th birthday is coming soon and I’ve got a great wish list. I only expect to get one or two things from my list, but I thought I’d share it just for fun! Enjoy!
Christmas Eve is my favorite night of the year! Every year, we have a nice family dinner and then go to the 11pm candlelit church service. I absolutely love the music and everything about that service – it really is so amazing! Then, we go home and get to open one present – it is always a new pair of pajamas. My dad then reads “The Night Before Christmas” to us and we head off to bed. Church is always fun because everybody gets super dressed up. I love picking out my Christmas Eve outfit and this year I had a little fun shopping for an entirely new outfit. I had a budget of $150 which I met, but I went slightly over it with tax.
The first item I purchased was this amazing skater dress. From B.P. at Nordstrom, it is the perfect LBD – fitted where I’m the smallest (my waist) and then it flares out where I’m the largest (my hips). It has a high neckline which I usually tend to stay away from, but I thought it would look beautiful paired with a statement necklace. It’s fancy enough to be dressed up for special occasions, casual enough to be worn during the day, and modest enough to be worn for an interview. Very versatile, flattering, and high-quality, it’s shocking that it was only $46! I paired it with a beautiful royal blue statement necklace also from B.P. Nordstrom that was $24 to add a pop of color and liven up the neckline.
This is the skater dress I bought from B.P. Nordstrom for only $46 paired with a lovely statement necklace also from B.P. that was $24
Next, I had to find shoes. Most of my heels are too high to be appropriate for church, so I wanted to find some that were lower but not frumpy. Immediately, I saw these amazing blue pointed-toe suede heels from B.P. Shoes at Nordstrom. They matched the color of the necklace perfectly, fit well, and didn’t look too old lady-ish. I fell in love! I had to buy them. They actually were not that expensive for the quality of the shoe, coming in at $70. Without tax, I came in at $140 – under budget! It was so fun to pull together an entire outfit for a set budget and really get quality items. I had a blast and I can’t wait to wear this outfit tonight.
Beautiful blue suede heels from B.P. Nordstrom to go with the rest of my Christmas Eve outfit for only $70!
To say I love a good deal would be an understatement. You can always find me scouring the sales racks, obsessing over coupons, and frequenting thrift stores. I was recently helping my little sister find an “ugly Christmas sweater” at our local Value Village and came across the most amazing find – a Ralph Lauren sweater in pristine condition! It was the perfect chestnut color and fit me like a glove. I was beyond excited when I saw the $7.99 price tag! I have been looking for some new, warm sweaters, so this was absolutely perfect. I dressed this sweater up by putting a white classic button-up dress shirt from B.P. Nordstrom and a statement necklace from Forever 21.
Ralph Lauren sweater from thrift store, Value Village
Dress up a basic sweater with a classic button up and a statement necklace
My beautiful Ralph Lauren sweater that I got at a thrift store for only $7.99
I have a very serious problem. I’m addicted to picking nail polish off my nails. I don’t know why, but there’s something so satisfying about peeling it off. Call me crazy, that’s okay.
Anyways, I’m always on the hunt for polishes that are difficult to peel/pick off. As a broke college student, I don’t have money for manicures or expensive polishes. So, I’m limited to the typical drug store selection.
I recently discovered the Maybelline New York “Color Show” polishes that are a gift from above – very affordable, long-lasting, quick-drying, and come in tons of colors. The best part about these is that once on, they do not chip or peel easily – making picking at them impossible. The polish dries really hard and thin on the surface so that it’s almost like another layer of nail. I’ve bought so many colors since originally buying these first two to experiment on and I love them all.
This is the best drug store nail polish I’ve found yet. Do you have any favorites? Share them in the comments section below!
“I want to write a love letter to these”
That was what I told my roommate when I came back from Target with every color they had available of the Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Lip Balm Stains. There are actually a lot more colors than pictured above, but these were the only ones available at the store near me.
I have been on a quest for as long as I can remember to find the perfect lip stain. I never wear lipstick because I don’t have the kind of money you need to invest in one that is long lasting, non-smudgy, and highly pigmented. So I have spent hours scouring the shelves of drug stores to find the perfect stain. Stains are fantastic because they go on extremely thin and actually really do stain your lips. They’re the definition of long lasting.
Now, I’ve tried a lot of stains. So many of them are too thin. The lighter colors show up translucent and are completely ineffective. The dark colors tend to turn the skin around your lips a darker color – making your makeup look smudged and messy. On a whim, I picked up the 025 Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Lip Balm Stain because I wanted a hot pink lip. I tried it at home and was astonished – the color was so pigmented and bold! I fell in love. I wore it all day to work, through my night class, and every meal. I left the dorm at 9am and returned at 10pm. The stain was STILL there! Not only was it still there, but it was the same hue, texture, and color. I was beyond thrilled. When I went to take off my makeup, I literally scrubbed my lips for several minutes because the stain was that strong. I will say that the only difference between 9am and 10pm was that the look was much more matte and not a gloss anymore (which I like better anyways). If you want to keep the glossy look throughout the day, I would just dab on a bit more stain to the lips to freshen it up occasionally. But besides that, there’s no need to touch it up at all.
I was a little weary about buying the 040 color because I hardly ever buy anything with orange in it. However, I was excited to see that it wasn’t a tacky neon color – but an understated and mellow orange. As far as the other colors go, the 001 is a very natural look – it was the exact hue of my lips which was perfect. I love wearing natural colors on my lips for a polished everyday look instead of just going with some chapstick. The 055 is a deeper red – it has darker tones to it and is more of a wine red than the typical bright red lip. It’s the perfect shade for the holiday season!
Anyways, two huge thumbs UP for these stains! I’m so impressed. Highly pigmented, long-lasting, ability to be a gloss or matte, and very beautiful colors – I couldn’t ask for anything better. I’m so glad I can say I have finally found the perfect lip stain!
