Forever21 Doesn't Have All the Cute Clothes.

      In my hometown, the fashion choices are limited.  Few department stores, a small mall and an extremely over priced downtown.  With those factors in mind, it isn't uncommon to see someone at my college who owns the same shirt as me.  It shouldn't bug me, but it REALLY, REALLY does. I'm a selfish fashionista, I guess. Lately I've been hitting etsy.com for some style steals.  When it comes to online clothes shopping, Etsy has never been the first choice my mind but after some searching I've fallen in love with the art and talent people put into their handmade clothing.  My brother has even taken note of this market and has started making his own shirts (pictured on me below).  Fair trade, unique, handmade with love, United States made...do I really want to even go back to shopping at the mall?

10 Ways To Get Through Growing Out Your Hair.

It happens to the best of us, you get the Victoria Beckham bob and then you decide you want Megan Fox's long locks.  Growing out hair can be a pain, but thankfully there are some tips to make the process a little smoother.

1. Hair accessories.  Headbands and barrettes can go a long way and you're in luck, they are totally stylish right now!

2. Biotin.  This vitamin is known for helping hair grow a little better.  Keep in mind that hair grows about a half inch per month

3.  Work with your natural texture.  Heat styling breaks your hair, making it seem like it's not growing.  Seeking out a stylist who is an expert with your curly locks may prove to be a godsend.

4. Switch up your part.  Switching your part to the side, or to the middle, can switch up your look enough to tolerate the growing process. Plus, middle parts are making a serious comeback right now.

5.  Put your hair up.  Messy buns, ponytails, braids, half-up do's are always a DO!

6. Add layers.  Sometimes changing the shape(not the length) can totally revive your "growing out" look.

7.  Try bangs. Trying out blunt bangs that go across your forehead, or sweet bangs that sweep across your face can make miles of improvement!

8. Get a new styling device. Straightening your naturally curly hair or curling your naturally straight hair may be just the easy remedy that you need. You can even try out a deep waver for a more beachy look.

9.  Extensions.  Choose from clip-ins or professionally sewed in, if you're really desperate for some length.

10.  Embrace it.  Wanna know the great thing about hair?  It grows! Keep repeating that to yourself, it grows.

Topping my Christmas Wishlist

Dear Santa, Daddy dearist, Boyfriend, the guy in the green house down the street...
     I would really love a Vera Bradley side-by-side tote in Suzani!

I was never big into Vera Bradley but after seeing this bag in a boutique I think it's super cute and would be perfect for school. Granted, I want a Betsey Johnson necklace, a crockpot and a Southern Living subscrption too..but hey, I've been damn good this year!

What's at the top of your Christmas list?

Never Season-ly Satisfied

I'm that weird person that actually does like winter but, for once in my life, I'm wishing it was warm.  I blame Victoria's Secret for already putting up their 2012 swim preview. While daydream Google-ing, I found the cutest swimsuit that I think I'm gonna have to have. I may actually lose that ten pounds I say I'm going to ever year for bikini season.  Finally, before you get on me about the tan lines, remember I don't tan...I burn then go back to pasty white.  My brother likes to call me "milkshake"...yeah, it's that bad.

Swell.com Tigerlily "Luminescence" swim suit.

Beauty Flash Back

     Styles change, preferences evolve, and as people we are just an ever-changing bunch. It's fun to look back on old pictures and remember what your signature look was (even if maybe it was a major faux-pas). I'm totally guilty of thick rimmed raccoon eyeliner in middle school and it really didn't help that black was my choice clothing color either.  Anyway, moving a few years forward, here is my senior picture from 2010 and although this wasn't all that long ago (or even really embarrassing), I've noticed that my beauty style has changed quite a bit.  I prefer thicker brows and brighter lips now...I wonder what I'll love in the next two years! Anyone had any big personal beauty changes recently?

Happy Veteran's Day!

Okay, yes, today I am posting a ton! But, I haven't had reliable internet in awhile so I am abusing McDonald's free wi-fi at the moment!

Not-so beauty related but I wanted to give a shout-out to my dad, Len, who served in the Vietnam War and continued to serve our countrys military for a total of twenty years.  I'm so proud of my dad, he has always been my hero and, hey, he was handsome back in the day, ladies! A thanks to all the Veteran's, your service is appreciated!

My dad (on the right) in training at Fort Bragg in the 1960's.

A Surprisingly Great Red.

     It's no secret, wearing red lips is an instant way to feel sexy and this product was a surprising sexy for me.  Burt's Bees Lip Shimmer in "Raisin" was a lip balm I picked up on a whim. I love Burt's Bees but I wouldn't expect the brand to produce a stunning red and therefor I expected Raisin to be more of a sheer wash.  Boy, I was wrong!  Raisin is a stunning rich red with a great minty smell.  Not only is it actually good for your lips, but it really looks gorgeous on! I recommend you give this lip balm a try. I'm also loving their "Watermelon" color which wears as a berry/wine/pinkish color.  Burt's Bees has me hooked!

Concert Cute.

Tonight I am super excited to attend a Foo Fighters concert.  Not just because my brother went to high-school with Dave Grohl, or it's one of the few bands that my boyfriend and I agree on, but I really think t thathey are an awesome band!

I've made the mistake of dressing up too much for a concert before (heels aren't a good idea, I'm telling you, don't do it) but this time around I have came up with a totally cute, and totally comfortable, outfit for what I'm sure will be a fun night. (Edit: at the concert, girls with heels literally gave up and sat on the floor...see shoulda read my blog!)


I paired a lace crop top with a black tank underneath, jeggings, a vintage-inspired long necklace, and my new favorite Adidas sneaker-flats.  Comfortable and cute...check!

Illamasqua "Liv" Review.

Okay, so I bought this lipstick back in September when I went to New York's "Fashion's Night Out" but it has taken me this long to really decide my opinion on it.

The color is a really fun lavender-pink, that has been described by others as "Pepto-Bismol" on the lips and well...they are kinda right.  Even though the color is a little unorthodox, I have to admit that I like it.  I wouldn't consider it a every day color but it's bright, it's fun and Illamasqua did an excellent job in terms on color pay-off and a long-lasting formula.  I definitely want to try more Illamasqua colors after this, if only it wasn't a whopping $22 a tube...

You Could Buy This or You Could Buy That.

     Certain trends just really "speak" to me but not all the time can I pay up the designer price.  This season I am loving the look of feminine shorts layered with tights, so when I came across these Free People shorts, I almost died.  On sale they are running for $60, which is a bit steep for this broke-ass college student.  I debated being pathetically sad over a pair of shorts, or shelling out the cash but not eating for a week.  Finally, I found a compromise! Forever21 has a pair lace shorts for less than $20! They don't have the same scalloped detail as the FreePeople pair but with a $40 discount, they are still incredibly cute! A little searching on the internet can really save you money, which is important for an impulse buyer like me! What do you think of this trend? And are $60 shorts ever worth it to you?
          FP                                                                              F21

Oldie but a Goodie.

Basically, this is a product I've used for years and have never been disspointed with.  I wanted to share it with you so, incase you've thought about trying it, you know it has my two thumbs up!

The Clinique 7 Day Scrub Cream, is a creamy exfoliant that is gentle enough to use every day if you wanted.  I use it about once a week to give my skin a jolt of radiance.  The scrub is fine, so it never feels like you're scraping your skin (the biggest problem I had with St. Ives) making it great for sensitive skin, and the cream is unscented, which is great for sensitive noses!  One bottle lasts forever, which makes the $18.50 so worth it.

The Best Compliment a Girl Can Get.

"You're such a sweet person." You're so funny."  "You're so smart." Nope...the winner is: "I love all your clothes!"

Sure, being called smart and sweet is great... but as a woman, there's nothing like a compliment on my fashion sense!  Yesterday, after class, a girl came up to me and said my dress was cute and that she admires all my clothes.  Score! Then she said she thinks the charm bracelet my boyfriend gave to me was really pretty.  Double score for having a sweet boyfriend with good taste! My work has payed off.

YSL "Faux Cils" Review.

 
     I received this mascara as a freebie from Sephora.  YSL is a luxury brand, therefor my standards were high and although I like this mascara, it could be a little better.  YSL advertises this mascara by saying that it gives dramatic lashes in just one stroke, but it didn't give a "faux lashes" look like I was expecting.  The formula has good color pay off, lasts all day, defines and lengthens well, but really lacks in the volume department.  That wouldn't be a big deal if YSL didn't advertise Faux Cils as a voluming mascara.  It also has a slight fragrance to it, which took me by surprise.  It's not a bad smell, but why does mascara need to smell at all?

Before.                                                     After.

NARS "California" Review.

     I hadn't really ventured into the world of Nars eye shadows before this, mostly because of the high price tag. After all, I'm a broke-ass college student that admittedly steals lip gloss from Wal-Mart. However, Sephora recently had two shadows (California and Night Sun) for only $8! I purchased California, which the company describes as a "molten copper".  I passed on Night Sun since it was essentially yellow eyeshadow with gold glitter, which is not my style.

       California is a smooth and highly-pigmented eyeshadow with just the right amount of shimmer.  The color is a bronze color with some red undertones, "copper" is a good way to describe it.  I found it looks beautiful smudged into the crease of the eye.  If you're fair skinned like me, this color works best to accent other colors, opposed to wearing all over the lid because of the red undertones.

My one pet peeve is that not too long after buying it, the shadow broke up in the container.  Obviously, I still use it but it's a little more messy.  I'm not sure if this is characteristic to all Nars shadows, just this color, or if it's just my luck!

Latest Song Obession

Thanks to my cousin, this song is constantly stuck in my head.  The beat is great from getting glammed up to go out...or in my case getting ready for Computer Processing class.

Sephora is Like a Mini Christmas.

Sephora is like Christmas, actually more like Christmas mixed with Crack.  Receiving that package in the mail invokes a kind of excitement that you can only also get when you pop open a fine bottle of champagne. The free samples, point-perks, free gifts and constant promotions make Sephora impossible not to return to. Sephora is a candy store from grown women, with a gravitational pull like the mothership is calling you home. So, I really love Sephora, okay?

Latest goodies(some swatches/reviews coming soon.) :