Top: Frenchi | Camisole: Random | Skirt: Stem | Shoes: DV by Dolce Vita | Jewelry: Nordstrom Rack, Francesca’s, Beauty Store & Salon | Nails: Zoya ‘Midori‘ and ‘Gweneth‘
Ok, here is my first outfit post. I love this outfit because it’s easy, comfortable, and on trend (colorblocking, maxi skirt, stripes, neon), which adds up to a fun, fashionable ensemble.
I really need more options like this in my closet. Outfits that don’t take too much effort (no buttons, zippers, hook & eye closures, snaps, or other tricky things that can trip up my Autoimmune Arthritis self in the morning when I have to dress myself all by myself because I am the last to leave the house), but look really pulled together when I step out of the house.
I am an outfit post newbie, but my hope is that these posts will give more insight into how I put my looks together. I definitely mix high and low price points together. And I buy what I like, I do not care where the item is sold. What I am wearing today is from Nordstrom, Nordstrom Rack, Beauty Store & Salon, Francesca’s, DolceVita.com. An eclectic hodge-podge of fabulousness.
I am trying to follow in the glamorous footsteps of some of my favorite fashion bloggers: Kendi, Folake, Blair, Karen. As if these blogging rock stars and I are on a first name basis. Maybe one day…
Be patient with me, remember. First. Outfit. Post.
So what do y’all think of my first outfit post?
Source: nomorerack.com via Kara on Pinterest
In a savvy cost cutting measure, I have put myself on a strict $50 or less fashion shopping budget for May. I have been mentally preparing myself for this challenge for weeks, and I am now ready to find great fashion finds I love for less. The goal? Save enough cash for some fun weekend getaways and start a fund to finally get a few items on my wish list.
I kicked off my budget shopping today with a great find from nomorerack, a Bebe Fringe Festival Bag. I love boho, fringe, silver, and I needed a summer fringe bag I love as much as my fabulous fringe bag from Camila Alves. This Bebe purse came in under budget at $39 (originally $120). The Fringe Festival bag is a perfect companion to some tan Bebe wedges I recently scored from Nordstrom Rack, so it must be meant to be!
nomorerack is the place to find your favorite brands & hot items for up to 90% off with one hand-picked product in eight categories added everyday. Learn more how nomorerack deals works here and click to use my referral link to join nomorerack. I would appreciate the love since it would help me earn some free goodies, another budget friendly move. And once you join, you’ll find out about their great daily deals. Then you can share nomorerack with your friends to score your own goodies!
Challenge: Can you put yourself on a shopping diet to reach a short term financial goal? What is your fashion dollar limit?
Source: neimanmarcus.com via Kara on Pinterest
Truth? My dream shoe is a skinny heeled stiletto. I know I can rock a wedge and look fierce and on trend, but it’s only going to meet the haute criteria, not the sexy. I am looking for both. And if you ask a man, more than likely he is going to mention that sky high stiletto when you ask him what’s hot.
A recent article by the New York Times, Who Made That Stiletto, shares the history, definition and impact of the stiletto. In the article Patricia Field, the costume designer for ‘‘Sex and the City,’’ deemed the stiletto “the sexiest, most feminine shape”. I agree, but at this point I am grateful to wear any kind of heel at all. You know why…my frenemy RAD. So to stay fashionable and healthy, I have to find the perfect stiletto replacement.
The dream shoe criteria:
- 4″ high or less: I max out at 4″ heel height, but less then 3.5″ is a lot better.
- Chunkier but not clunky heel: The heel can not be super skinny, so I get more stability.
- Textured sole: The bottom of the sole needs to be textured in some way so that I have traction.
- Platform: A platform is essential so that the pitch of my foot (the angle from ball of foot to heel) is not so high. Don’t care that fashion is trying to push us away from platforms. Not ready to move on from them just yet.
- A padded footbed, arch support, and shock absorbers: Every shoe should have these qualities. I guess that this is my dream shoe list.
- Easy to put on: I have to be able to put them on and take them off, all by myself. Autoimmune arthritis does present its challenges.
- Rounded toe: Can’t be pointy toed because my foot does not taper to a triangle.
- Lightweight: Shoe can’t be made of lead or stone, or something else heavy so I don’t clomp around all day.
- And most of all the shoe needs to be sexy and haute!
A quick look at my pins on my Shoe Haute Pinterest board shows that almost all the heels are over 4 inches and most are stilettos. I tried to pin some wedges too, and although they are cute, fun, on trend, they just don’t have the same impact as a stiletto. I didn’t say this process was going to be easy. But I am trying.
So for now, if you must wear sky high, sexy, red soled heels, (jealous. party of one.), at least pack some comfy flats to wear, to and from your destination.
What do you think is a haute sexy stiletto replacement? Please comment and give me some ideas. No really. Otherwise I got nothing.
After the Nordstrom ‘Beauty Getaway’ Fashion Show, healthy clean skin with Clarisonic, glowing skin with Kate Somerville Skin Care, my day of beauty would not be complete without a stop by the MAC Cosmetics counter. I am indeed a MAC Addict! I might dabble in a product or two from other companies, but most of the color cosmetics on my face are from MAC.
They have a tremendous range of color options, from natural to fashion forward and avante garde, and I know I can get the latest scoop on spring makeup trends. The MAC Fashion Forward Spring 2012 Trends Guide listed the major looks:
- Ath-Elite: beautiful, glowing, no-makeup look with a more sporty and real feel; skin radiates a sportive, ultra-luminious freshness and health tunes into the season’s chic, athletic vibe
- Nou-Veau: romance, nature-inspired shades, sinuous shapes and sensitive colouring; color washes pickup on the soft side of the season as tints of color form the most relevant way to wear subtle color and definition
- Ore-Inspired: tan shades with a metallic edge have a preciousness and sophistication; beautifully buffed burnished metallics accenting lips, cheeks and eyes make for a modern way to reference the idea of a summer tan
- Neo-N: neoprene colour against plum, workout-fresh skin in an effortlessly chic way; pure-pigment eyes and lips go edgy with a lack of aggression to their application
I like a natural look, so I selected the Ath-Elite look to try. The MAC makeup artist designed the look and incorporated MAC colors I already own and love. I really appreciated that. I also asked her to write down which brush she used for each step. The proper tools are essential to achieving a makeup look. I have brushes at home and wanted to take time to check what I had against what she used.
The makeup tips I picked up during my appointment:
- Apply Embark eyeshadow to my brows! Defined them without the harshness that brow pencils sometimes give
- Run a round eyeshadow brush across the Lord It Up eye pencil to apply it as an eyeshadow. It added a nice iridescent sparkle that was soft and very pretty
- Using Rubeneque eye shadow as a brow highlight gave my eyes a beautiful pop
Pictured below are the specific shades that were used to create the Ath-Elite look on me. It cracks me up that it takes all these products to create a “no-makeup look”, but I love the way it looks.
MAC Highstrung Lipstick
$15 - maccosmetics.com
$15 - maccosmetics.com
MAC Dark Mineralize Skinfinish
$29 - maccosmetics.com
$29 - maccosmetics.com
Mac Rebenesque Paint Pot
$18 - maccosmetics.com
$18 - maccosmetics.com
MAC Gleeful Mineralize Blush
$24 - maccosmetics.com
$24 - maccosmetics.com
MAC Instant Gold Lustreglass
$15 - maccosmetics.com
$15 - maccosmetics.com
MAC Blacktrack Fluidliner
$15 - maccosmetics.com
$15 - maccosmetics.com
MAC Lord It UP Pearlglide Intense Eyeliner
$15 - maccosmetics.com
$15 - maccosmetics.com
Mac Embark Eye Shadow
$15 - maccosmetics.com
$15 - maccosmetics.com
MAC Chestnut Lip Pencil
$14 - maccosmetics.com
$14 - maccosmetics.com
Mac Mulch Eye Shadow
$15 - maccosmetics.com
$15 - maccosmetics.com
Now that I am set for Spring because I have embraced the Orange Glow! beauty trend and picked up some great products to help me achieve this look during my beauty appointments. Check out my other posts in this series on the Nordstrom Spring 2012 Cosmetics Trend Show, at Dallas Galleria:
- Orange Glow! Spring 2012 Beauty Trend
- Get Healthy Skin for Spring with Clarisonic
- Get Glowing Skin with Kate Somerville Skin Care
Are you a MAC Addict? What are your color cosmetic must haves for Spring?
I know, I know. It does seem that I’m obsessed with the color Orange. And maybe I am, just a little. I mean I did graduate from THE University of Texas at Austin. So my love for all things orange is constant and enduring, well beyond this season.
But imagine my delight when I stumbled upon the most amazing partnership between Pantone Color Institute, the world’s color authority, and Sephora to become “the leading beauty authority on color”.
This video explains the breakthrough partnership between Pantone and Sephora, and how they hope to change how women feel about color.
Their groundbreaking partnership kicks off by celebrating the color of the year, Tangerine Tango. The Sephora website has quite a few ways to enjoy this collabo:
- The first limited-edition Sephora + Pantone Universe Collection Sephora Collection inspired by the color of the year
- Sephora + Pantone Shade Finder to find your way to wear Tangerine Tango based on your eye, hair, and skin color
- Palette Picks to learn how to mix & match shades to get a great look. 5 looks to choose from!
Ready to add Tangerine Tango to your beauty lineup? Check out this video that shows you how:
This limited-edition collection is selling out fast so don’t wait to get some for yourself. I am loving the orange eyeliner, lipgloss set, and nail color. Read the review of the collection by Vogue.com about the Sephora + Pantone Pop Up Shop in New York City for more scoop.
What do you love from the new limited-edition Tangerine Tango Collection? Are you as excited about the new Sephora + Pantone Universe Collaboration as I am?