Hair & Beauty Routine

Hello! Today, I wanted to share a little bit about my hair and beauty routine with you guys. For the most part, my hair and beauty routine is very low-key.

Hair:

As you guys can probably tell from the photos on my blog, I typically wear my hair down. To be honest, I’m actually extremely lazy when it comes to doing my hair. Usually I take a shower at night, comb my hair out, put either a little bit of Herbal Essences curl mousse or gel in my hair and then tousle it slightly to give it shape. I let it air dry over night. When I wake up in the morning, my hair is dry and I just wear it as is. If it is a little bit frizzy, I will take the slightest amount of herbal essences curl gel to eliminate the frizz. If it is slightly too “bedhead” for my tastes, I take my curling wand and fix a few pieces of hair so that it seems more defined.

However, there are days when I don’t really feel like dealing with my hair and those days, I just throw it into a topknot. I don’t really have any secrets on how to create the perfect bun. I simply throw it up into a pile of hair on my head and bobby pin it down.

Hair Products that I use:

-Herbal Essences curling mousse

-Herbal Essences curling gel

-Suave shampoo

-Suave conditioner

-Remington curling wand

Beauty:

For my beauty routine, I probably spend the most time working on making up my eyes. First, I slick on a line of Wet ‘N Wild eyeliner in black. I typically wing the eyeliner out- cat eye style. After that, I let the eyeliner dry completely and then curl my eyelashes with my Revlon eyelash curler. Following that, I apply a few layers of Cover Girl mascara. Occasionally, I will wear ULTA eye shadow but typically in neutral colors like nude and light brown.

I also enjoy wearing lip color and lipstick. I love ULTA brand and Wet 'N Wild lipsticks. Although they are relatively inexpensive, they work very well for me. About a month ago Cate McNabb sent me their lip stain in blackberry. This product retails for $9.50 (on sale!) and can be found HERE. This lip color is a great addition to my makeup collection- it stays on very well and I adore the color. 

Usually, I wear a light foundation to cover up any slight skin imperfections. Luckily, I have a clear complexion but I do prefer a little bit of coverage on my face to cover any slight blemishes or the occasional pimple. Cate McNabb recently sent me their cream foundation in fairest which retails for $17 (also on sale!) and can be found HERE. They also sent me their foundation brush which retails for ($14- yet another sale!) HERE. I am very pleased with both products. The foundation applies flawlessly and the brush is an absolute dream- it is so soft and luxurious. I will definitely be adding this foundation to my daily beauty routine. It is perfect for covering up any small imperfections. Additionally, I appreciate the fact that it is very light and it doesn’t feel as though it weighs my face down. Besides foundation, I don’t typically wear anything else on my face- no cover-up, no moisturizer, no BB cream, etc.

Makeup products that I use:

-Wet ‘N Wild black liquid eyeliner

-Covergirl mascara
-ULTA eyeshadow

-Cate McNabb foundation

-Cate McNabb lip stain

-Revlon eyelash curler

-Assorted Wet ‘N Wild lipsticks
-Assorted ULTA lipsticks

Layering

Hello! My look today was all about layering. I started with a basic black and white polka dot, bodycon dress. Following that, I layered a flowy, neutral-colored leopard print blouse and a gray sweater for warmth. I accessorized with a cream-colored scarf, thigh-high socks, winged sunglasses and a skull ring. I added a pop of color to the look with my red lipstick which perfectly matched my freshly painted red nails. 

Polka dot dress: H&M

Leopard button down: Vintage

Gray sweater: Vintage

Black thigh-highs: Betsey Johnson

Winged sunglasses: c/o Giant Vintage

Red lipstick: Wet 'N Wild

Black combat boots: Doc Martens

Skull ring: Urban Outfitters

Cream-colored scarf: c/o Lulu's

Merry Christmas!

Hello! Merry Christmas! To celebrate, I pulled out my favorite dress from my wardrobe- my black & white cat print dress from H&M. I've been home for about a week and have already worn this dress several times. If I could, I'd wear it everyday. The little cat print is simply adorable and the shape is beyond flattering. How could I say no to that?

I decided to keep the animal motif going and added a cozy purple reindeer sweater over top of the dress. What can I say? I have a weakness for prints especially quirky, animal prints. And this reindeer print is perfect in keeping with the holiday spirit. 

Black, fleece-lined tights and black Doc Martens kept my legs and feet warm. I accessorized with a leopard print crossbody bag and several golden necklaces. These two golden necklaces are actually a Christmas gift from my parents. They had these necklaces especially made from Chanel buttons by Kay Adams. And so far I'm loving them; they definitely make a statement. I'm sure that you guys will see more of them in the future!

Purple reindeer sweater: Vintage

Black & white cat dress: H&M

Black tights: Urban Outfitters

Black combat boots: Doc Martens

Leopard print bag: Urban Outfitters

Chanel necklaces: Kay Adams

Christmas Eve

Hello! It's hard to believe that it is already Christmas Eve. Where did December go?

I styled my look around this luxe, velvet skirt. The deep red color and glam fabric make it the perfect holiday piece. So festive! I decided to let the skirt shine and paired it with a basic black tee, black fleece-lined tights (swoon!) and black oxfords.

I layered a stunning, cream-colored coat over my outfit. Although I don't wear this coat very often, it is one of my favorite coats in my wardrobe. The oversize golden buttons and luxurious texture of this coat practically scream my name. This coat also holds a special place in my wardrobe because it was actually passed down to me by my grandmother.

To play up my red velvet skirt, I accessorized with a ruby red necklace and bold red lipstick. To accentuate the gold buttons on my jacket, I grabbed a golden necklace and a black bag with golden detailing. 

I hope that you guys all are enjoying the holiday season!

Red velvet skirt: Know Style c/o ShopLately
Black tights: Urban Outfitters
Black oxfords: Vintage
Black tee: Forever 21
Faux ruby necklace: Vintage Heart c/o ShopLately
Golden spikes and diamonds necklace: Lily Wang c/o ShopLately
Red lipstick: ULTA
Cream-colored coat: Vintage
Black bag: Francesca's

Island Cowgirl

Hello! Today I have a new online shop to introduce to you- Island Cowgirl. Island Cowgirl sells beachy, bohemian jewelry. They sell rings, anklets, bracelets, earrings and necklaces. All of their pieces are very free-spirited, inspirational and give off an easy-breezy, carefree kind of vibe. The designer for Island Cowgirl, Heather Kraty, strives to create wonderfully unique pieces.

Island Cowgirl pieces are a great way to treat yourself or a friend. Island Cowgirl sent me "The Open Paw" necklace which retails for $56 HERE. I picked this piece out to give as a gift to my sister for her birthday this past Friday. And I'm so glad that they did! This made the perfect gift that my sister loved. I was very impressed with the service and quality of Island Cowgirl.

The necklace was neatly packaged and of very good quality. If you are looking for a way to spoil yourself or need a gift for a friend, I would definitely recommend checking out the selection of jewelry that Island Cowgirl carries HERE.

***Island Cowgirl did not provide monetary compensation for this post but they did send me one of their necklaces for an Island Cowgirl feature on my blog.  

Glint & Gleam

Hello! My winter break has officially begun and I'm back in Richmond. And pleasantly surprised with the weather and lack of snow/ice on the ground.

Today, the warm(ish) weather allowed me to forgo thick tights and a winter coat. Instead, I simply slipped into my black circle skirt and a simple white top paired only with thigh-high socks and a light-weight camouflage jacket. Like usual, I paired my black Doc Martens with the look. I accessorized with a pair of chic sunglasses, Chanel earrings and a black and white infinity scarf.

Glint & Gleam recently sent me this scarf courtesy of ShopLately. This is the "Ancient Maze Infinity Scarf" in black and white. Unfortunately it is out of stock but you can sign up to be put on a waiting list for it HERE. It retails for $24 with free shipping. At the moment, I consider this my favorite scarf in my wardrobe. It is just such an easy, versatile piece. The stylish black and white print looks great when paired with solid colored pieces yet looks even cooler when paired with other prints such as camouflage like the camouflage of my jacket. The infinity shape of the scarf also draws me to it. And even better, this scarf is not just aesthetically appealing but also very cozy. And who could say no to that? 

Camouflage jacket: Vintage

Thigh-high socks: Betsey Johnson

Combat boots: Doc Martens

White top: White House, Black Market

Printed scarf: Glint & Gleam c/o ShopLately

Sunglasses: c/o Giant Vintage

Circle skirt: H&M

Red Velvet

Hello! These photos were actually taken yesterday but I never got a chance to blog. Too many projects and papers due this week! 

Yesterday, I wore my new red velvet circle skirt. ShopLately sent me this skirt to showcase on my blog. This is the "Velvet Skater Skirt" in red sold by Know Style for $23.99 + shipping HERE. I couldn't be any happier with this skirt than I am. This season, I have been obsessing over circle/skater skirts and this skirt is no exception. My favorite thing about this skirt would have to be the velvet texture. How luxe! The vivacious shade of red of the skirt also drew me to the skirt; the rich color is sure to turn heads. 

I also wore my new cropped sweatshirt sent to me complimentary of SammyDress. This is the

"European Street Style Letter Print Round Collar Long Sleeve Solid Color Cotton Blend Crop Top Sweatshirt For Women"and sells for $6.91 + shipping HERE. I am very pleased with this shirt- the quality, the style, etc. This shirt is the perfect addition to my wardrobe. I have been looking for a cropped sweatshirt for a while and this one fit the bill completely. The fact that it is black and white means that I will be able to wear it with practically everything in my wardrobe. This is the perfect piece for layering!

Yesterday, I layered a black and white checked button down underneath my graphic sweatshirt. Onto the lapels of the button down, I clipped little cat pins. Meow! Fleece-lined black tights, quirky polka dot socks, winged sunglasses and Doc Martens completed my look. 

Red velvet skirt: Know Style c/o ShopLately

Black tights: Urban Outfitters

Gray socks: H&M

Black combat boots: Doc Martens

HERO cropped sweatshirt: c/o SammyDress

Winged sunglasses: c/o Giant Vintage

Checked blouse: Vintage

Cat pins: Unknown 

Stripes, Leopard & Camouflage

Hello! I hope that you guys are enjoying your Thanksgiving break. It went by much too fast! It seems as though I just came back to Richmond yet I leave tomorrow for Philadelphia around noon. I am most definitely ready for winter break. Only a few more weeks to go- we'll see if I can make it through finals!

Today I wore my new boots that LAMO footwear sent me to review on my blog. These are the "Sammi Boots" in Forest and they can be purchased HERE for $107.99 + shipping. What originally drew me to these boots was the unique color and the boho-chic fringe. These two design elements insure that you will hardly ever be caught wearing the same boots as someone else. However, my favorite thing about these boots would have to be how warm and cozy they are. Maybe it's the "extra dense sheepskin insole for maximum cushioning" of the boots that have my feet screaming "yes, yes, yes"?

I am also very impressed with the quality of these boots. They appear to be very well-made and I feel as though they will last a long time. These are the perfect boots for those lazy days when you don't feel like getting all dressed up. If you are looking for a new pair of comfy-cozy boots, I would certainly recommend LAMO footwear. And make sure that you check out their Cyber Monday sale! This upcoming Monday, LAMO will be offering shoppers 30% off with the discount code: CYBERLAMO.

For this look, I styled the boots with a pair of high-rise denim, a leopard print button down and a striped top. I emphasized the stunning color of the boots with my camouflage jacket and green sunglasses. A golden necklace and classic watch completed my look. 

Camouflage jacket: Vintage
Striped shirt: The Limited
Leopard button down: Vintage
Tortoiseshell watch: Breda Watches c/o ShopLately
Olive green sunglasses: c/o Giant Vintage
High-rise denim: BDG via Urban Outfitters
Fringe boots: c/o LAMO footwear
Golden necklace: Lily Wang c/o ShopLately

Happy Thanksgiving!

Hello! Happy Thanksgiving! Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays of the year as it signifies the start of the holiday season. Bring on the holiday cheer, ice skating, candy canes, snow, cozying up in scarves and sweaters, festive decorations and cheery music. 

Today, I wore one of my favorite skirts- my black and white polka dot circle skirt. I paired it with a simple white top followed by an open knit black sweater. The open knit texture of the sweater almost makes it appear as if I am wearing polka dots on top of polka dots and I'm perfectly fine with that as polka dots are one of my current wardrobe obsessions. 

To add a pop of color to my look, I donned a pair of sheer orange tights and an orange knit scarf. I accessorized with a pair of black winged sunglasses. 

Orange tights: Kohl's

Combat boots: Doc Martens

Polka dot circle skirt: Urban Outfitters

Open knit sweater: Thrifted

Orange scarf: Forever 21

Winged sunglasses: c/o Giant Vintage

Camouflage

Hello! These photos were taken last Thursday. Coincidentally, Taisha and I both wore camouflage and I jumped at the chance to take photos together. Although Taisha and I have very different senses of style, we have many similar pieces in our wardrobes (we even have the exact same shirt from Urban Outfitters!) It's not unusual for us to be wearing very similar pieces on any given day but we style them much differently. 

On Thursday, I styled my camouflage jacket with a pair of polka dot leggings. It was freezing outside so I actually layered a pair of plain black leggings underneath of them. I have a feeling that layering up on leggings, tights, pants, etc. is going to become a regular habit here this winter. It's much colder already than I expected! And don't even get me started on the wind. Huge gusts of wind make it seem much colder here than it actually is; the wind just blows right through you.

I also styled a denim button down with the camouflage jacket. I like the utilitarian vibe of the two pieces together. A black tank top also added warmth underneath of the button down. 

That day, I donned go-to pair of shoes: my black Doc Martens. I wore a cute pair of gray and white polka dot socks that peeked out of my boots. These polka dot socks are my absolute favorite pair of socks ever. I purchased them at H&M on sale at the end of last summer and could not be any happier with my purchase. Of course, I love the polka dot print but they also keep my feet infinitely warm and cozy. I wish I had stocked up and purchased more pairs!

I accessorized with a pair of golden, vintage Chanel earrings and a classic, tortoiseshell watch. 

Like I mentioned earlier (and that you can see in the photos!), Taisha also wore camouflage. But instead of wearing a camouflage jacket, she wore camouflage pants. She styled them with a vintage gray sweatshirt followed by an edgy black jacket. I really like the pop of color that her burgundy, velvet creepers add to the look. To follow Taisha's fashion inspiration, you can follow her on tumblr HERE. To see more of her everyday looks, you can follow her on instagram HERE. 

Also, a big shout-out to Terence for taking these photos- thanks! You can follow him on tumblr HERE. 

On me:

Button down: thrifted

Polka dot leggings: BDG via Urban Outfitters

Combat boots: Doc Martens

Gray polka dot socks: H&M

Camouflage jacket: Vintage

Watch: Breda Watches c/o ShopLately

Earrings: Vintage Chanel

LAMO Footwear

Hello! Today I have a new brand of footwear to introduce to you guys- LAMO footwear. LAMO carries shoes for women, men and children. They specialize in comfortable, functional footwear. They stock everything from cozy sheepskin boots to chic sandals. LAMO is based is Southern California and the LAMO lifestyle look is "relaxed, comfortable."

Below are a few of my favorite pairs of shoes that LAMO currently sells:

1. The Sammi in forest. $107.99. LAMO actually sent me these shoes to review but I have not gotten a chance to wear them yet. However, I've tried them on and must say that I am loving them! They are extremely comfortable and just so soft. I don't usually like shoes that are this shape but the color and fringe of these boots make me make an exception for them.

2. The Uptied Sandal in black. $54.95. I am swooning over these sandals. The tie-dye print and slight wedge just call my name.

3. The Bliss Slipper in fuschia multi. $34.95. Talk about boho-chic!

4. The Lamo Rainboot Tall in black. $149.99. When it's raining cats and dogs outside, these rain boots would be a life-saver.

Have you guys heard of LAMO footwear before?

 

SUPERbrand

Hello! Today, I broke out my new dress that I received courtesy of SUPERbrand. SUPERbrand is an online shop that sells both womens and mens apparel as well as surfboards. The pieces that they sell are all very minimalistic yet still unique. All of their merchandise appears to be well-made and luxe. 

When I was told that I could pick out an item to showcase on my blog, my eye was instantly drawn to this black asymmetrical dress. And I am beyond glad that this is the item that I selected. The easy-breezy yet luxurious vibe of the dress simply has me swooning over it. The asymmetrical hem of the dress, silk straps and flow-y fit of the dress all update the classic LBD (little black dress). And one can never have too many little black dresses! 

I am also very pleased with the high-quality of this dress; it is very well-made and the fabric is splendid. The fabric is extraordinarily comfortable and not sheer whatsoever. Unfortunately, this dress is no longer for sale but you can check out other SUPERbrand apparel like this dress HERE. 

My roommate, Taisha, let me borrow her stylish army jacket to wear with the dress. The shape and color of this jacket work perfectly with the dress. My look wouldn't be complete without a print so I threw on a pair of leopard print boots. 

I accessorized with a tortoiseshell watch, Chanel earrings and chic sunglasses. 

Leopard print boots: Target

Black dress: c/o SUPERbrand

Army jacket: borrowed from the closet of my roommate, Taisha (you can check out her tumblr HERE)

Classic watch: Breda Watches c/o ShopLately

Earrings: Vintage Chanel

Sunglasses: c/o Giant Vintage

Wolf-Print Sweatshirt

Hello! This photo was taken last Thursday. I cozied up in my vintage wolf-print sweatshirt. This wolf-print sweatshirt is one of my favorite pieces in my wardrobe right now. It is just such a quirky piece that I cannot resist. 

To keep the look from being too casual, I paired the sweatshirt with my black circle skirt and a checked button down. Although you can't see it very well in the photos, the collar of the blouse peeks out just a little bit adding to the appeal of the look. I also threw on a pair of black thigh-high socks and black vintage oxfords. Olive-green sunglasses and a classic watch completed my look. 

Wolf sweatshirt: Vintage

Black circle skirt: H&M

Thigh-highs: Betsey Johnson

Oxfords: Vintage

Watch: Breda Watches c/o ShopLately

Sunglasses: c/o Giant Vintage Sunglasses 

Button down: Vintage

Breda Watches

Hello! It continues to get colder here in Philadelphia. In fact, it even snowed yesterday morning. I think that definitely means that it's time to break out the layers and winter apparel. For once, I actually pulled out a pair of pants from my wardrobe. Usually, I tend to shy away from jeans and pants but these metallic pants are an exception. Last August, I purchased them on sale for only $10 at H&M. Yes, only $10! How crazy is that? The metallic finish and high-rise waist instantly drew me to these pants. So luxe!

Today, I styled the pants with a chic leopard print button down. Of course, in this chilly weather I needed to wear more than just a button down so I grabbed a neutral-colored, vintage jacket to throw over it. I highlighted the darker colors in my leopard print top by slipping on my black Doc Martens (also known as the shoes that practically never leave my feet). 

I accessorized with a color-blocked tote (the perfect bag to bring to class), stylish sunglasses, several bracelets and a watch. As you guys may have noticed, these sunglasses are one of the latest additions to my wardrobe. Giant Vintage recently sent me these sunglasses to showcase on my blog. These are the "Sweetie" sunglasses in black. They retail for $20 + shipping and can be found HERE. Giant Vintage never lets me down and I absolutely love these sunglasses. They are very classic with a slight twist and can be easily styled with numerous different looks. 

The watch that I am wearing in these photos is also a recent addition to my wardrobe. I recently received it complimentary of ShopLately. This is the "The Brooke in Tortoise Gold" and it is sold by Breda Watches HERE. It retails for $31.50 + shipping. For quite a while, I have been looking for a classic, versatile watch that I can easily slip on with most outfits. This watch fits that description completely. The classic tortoise print and oversize shape have me drooling over this watch. I definitely see myself wearing this watch time and time again this fall/winter. My only complaint with Breda Watches was that the shipping took a while. I ordered the watch on October 25, 2013 and it only came yesterday. So it took a little less than 3 weeks to get to me. 

Leopard print button down: J.Crew

Metallic pants: H&M

Jacket: Vintage

Sunglasses: c/o Giant Vintage

Color-block bag: Unknown

Combat boots: Doc Martens

Bracelets: Vintage & c/o Whimsy Accessories

Watch: Breda Watches c/o ShopLately