Black & White

Yesterday I had a couple of meetings at work so I wanted to be a little bit more formal, however when it comes to wearing a suit I can never be traditional. When I interview or if I have meetings with executives I will typically go for a standard black suit with a colorful blouse to give it a little bit of flare, but on a day-to-day basis I am just not a suit person! I think my style should always reflect my personality and I have always found ways to dress work appropriately without being stuffy. Below I am wearing basically all new items that I purchased this weekend s they should mostly be available still. I went shopping crazy this weekend so I have plenty of purchases to share!

Blazer: H&M; Blouse: Zara (Old); Necklace: Express; Pants: J. Crew

Short Hair, Don't Care!

And again, apologizing for the infrequent postings lately. No excuses, but I have actually been thinking of different ways to make my posts more creative and more programmed in a sense that I want to have topics that you can count on me discussing regularly. For example, on Monday I will do a work outfit, Tuesday I will talk about beauty products I'm enjoying, Wednesday I will post about trends, etc. If you have any suggestions for topics you would like to hear about, leave a comment below!

Since it has been SO long since I last posted, I have yet to share with you guys the news of completely chopping off my hair. My hair was getting insanely long and when your hair is as thick (and damaged) as mine it can get a little crazy when it's too long. I decided I wanted to look more like a grown up for work and wanted something more trendy and manageable. Here are a couple photos of the new 'do.

Top Photo: Top: J. Crew Factory (Sale); Jeans: Banana Republic; Necklace: J. Crew; Shoes: Tory Burch; Clutch: Anthropologie (Old); Bottom Photo: Same Necklace from J. Crew; Sweater: Forever 21

Been a While! [Hello Spring Fashion!]

Hi everyone! I just wanted to take the time to apologize for not posting in FOREVER. As every Corporate gal knows, work can sometimes take the best of you! It has been insanely busy at work but now that it has finally calmed down, I will definitely resume posting regularly. Thanks for your patience and just so this post isn't a total waste of space, here are a couple spring items I am coveting right now:

Counter-Clockwise: Dorothy Perkins Dress; Lulu's Dress; Minted Art; Stila Palette; Forever 21 Necklace; Steve Madden Stecy Shoes; Formula X Nailpolish in Over the Top; Zara Sweater; Mac Lipstick in Girl About Town; Rebecca Minkoff Mini MAB Tote; Kate Spade Wallet; J. Crew Necklace

Valentine's Day

I just wanted to wish everyone a happy and loving Valentine's Day! I hope your day is full of joy and you are able to spend it with the one's you love most. I did post an outfit below that I intend to wear on my date tonight with my honey. Enjoy!

Dress: Blake & Brady Boutique (Similar Here); Blazer: The Limited; Clutch: Kate Spade (Old, Similar Here);
Watch: Kate Spade; Bracelet: J. Crew Factory

Valentine's Make-Up!

Sweater: J. Crew; Top: Target (Old, Similar Here); Necklace: Baublebar (Sold Out, Similar Here)

I wanted to do a fun, feminine look that people can replicate for Valentine's Day. I know that last picture is not crazy flattering but I really wanted you to be able to see the colors I used. On my eyes, I used my Lorac Unzipped Palette, however I'm sure that the look can be replicated with other similar shades! The Naked 3 Palette is very similar to the Unzipped so if you own it you can definitely replicate. On my lips, I wore my Bite Beauty Lipstick in Fig and I applied bareMinerals Marvelous Moxie Lipgloss in Rebel over it.

For my eyes, I applied the shade unreal all over my lid. That is the lighter pink, frosted shade. In my crease all over, I applied Unbelievable. I then took the shade Unconditional and applied it in the middle part of my crease to sort of break-up all of the frosted shades. Last, I applied Unbridled, the dark eggplant shade, in the outer part of my crease and lid in a sideways V motion. My liquid liner on my top lid is Tarte MultiplEYE Lash Enhancing Liquid Liner (here) and I lined my waterline with the Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On Pencil in Mushroom. My mascara is Too Faced Better Than Sex. Last, I applied my Benefit Eye Bright under my eyebrow to highlight.



Buy the Lorac Unzipped Palette Here!

Photo c/o: cafemakeup.com

Fun Storage Ideas

Since we moved into our new loft, my biggest goal has been to keep everything organized. I have found a couple creative ways to store my jewelry and make-up and wanted to share with you! I plan to share more pictures of our new apartment shortly.

Photo 1.) I wanted a cute glass tray to store my favorite bracelets and watches. I have a pretty jewelry box that was my grandmothers where I store the rest of my jewelry but these are the items that I reach for the most and wanted on my dresser. I got this tray from my local Home Goods.
Photo 2.) This J. Crew necklace is my absolute favorite this month and I don't think you can see it in the picture but my monogram necklace is hanging on this stand too. I love the looks of this stand and also got it from Home Goods. I typically just swap out my favorite necklace of the month to hang on this stand.
Photo 3.) Do you think I have enough necklaces? I have a J. Crew and Baublebar necklace addiction. I got this hanger from The Container Store and even though it is screwed into the wall...I am starting to think I need something more heavy duty! When we moved I couldn't believe how heavy that hanger was with all of the necklaces on them.
Photo 4 and 5.) Because my make-up collection seems to be growing daily, I knew that I needed something pretty large. Hopefully I won't be outgrowing this any time soon! I store my brushes in a large glass cup from Home Goods. Every morning I pick out what products I am going to wear that day and then put them in the Tory Burch case that goes into my purse with me to work.

My Week in Make-Up

I have been having so much fun playing with different make-up looks over the last couple of weeks! I know none of the looks appear drastically different since I try to keep everything pretty toned down for work overall but there are subtle changes.

On the far left I was going for a more brown undertone. The top I was wearing had burgundy stripes so I really felt like the brown tone went well with it. What really topped off this look was my Cover Girl Lip Perfection Jumbo Gloss Balm in shade 270 (Cocoa Twist).

The second look I wanted to go for super neon bright colors to match my bright green top from Forever 21. Obviously you can't see my eye make-up but on my lips I am wearing Bite Beauty Luminous Creme Lipstick in Fig.

In the third look I wanted to go with a really silver eye and nude lip. I used my Naked Palette and the main shade I wanted to pop was Gunmetal which is the most silver/blue shade in the palette.

In the look on the far right I wanted my make-up to be pink overall to go with my cream colored top. I used very pink shades on my eyes from the Lorac Unzipped Palette. My lip gloss is bareMinerals Marvelous Moxie in Heartbreaker.

Sephora & Drugstore Haul

This week I purchased some great make-up products-some from Sephora and a couple drugstore products from Target! I am really excited to share my thoughts with you.

Sephora Products:
Nars Blush/Bronzer Duo--So my main reasoning for purchasing this product was because I went to Sephora and yet again they were out of the Orgasm blush! I mean this stuff is hard to get your hands on and I was too impatient to order online. I did buy the Super Orgasm shade last time I was unable to find it, and I really love that shade! However, after buying this duo, I definitely see why Orgasm was sold out. After just a couple uses I am close to saying this is my all-time favorite blush. The coral color is just perfect for my skin tone has just the right amount of shimmer. I also am really enjoying the Laguna bronzer in the duo. It's a really good matte shade that I have been using to sort of balance out the shimmer in my Sun Bunny. It's a little pricey but it comes with a good amount of both blush and bronzer so I feel like it has ended up being a good deal!
Laura Mercier Caviar Stick Eye Colour in Sugar Frost-I won't spend too much time on this one since I have talked about the Amethyst shade previously and how much I love these Caviar Sticks. However, I will say this is the BEST shade! I have been using it almost like a base/primer and have been able to do so many looks using it with the Naked Palette and my Lorac Unzipped Palette. May do a tutorial soon so stay tuned!
Make-Up Forever HD Invisible Cover Foundation-I just recently ran out of my Smashbox HD Foundation and decided to switch it up. I wanted something with a lighter consistency and also felt that I just couldn't find the right shade match with Smashbox. The Make-Up Forever foundation feels great and light on my skin, has excellent coverage and the shade is the perfect match. I use 125 Sand.
Bite Beauty Luminous Creme Lipstick in Fig-I wanted a pretty pink/matte lipstick. Almost all of my lipstick is Nars so I did want to try a new brand. I had heard great things about Bite Beauty and love this shade! It is the perfect natural pink and looks great on its own if you don't want to apply lip gloss over it.
Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencil in Mushroom-I wanted to get a liner that was another color aside from black. This shade looks great on the waterline and really makes your eyes pop!
Sephora Collection Pro Angled Contour Brush #75-I have a ton of brushes so not like I really needed another one but since I have been focusing more on contouring when I apply my make-up this brush looked like a good one for bronzer. So far I am really enjoying it!

Target Products
Sonia Kashuk Pointed Foundation Brush (#121)-I am LOVING the Sonia Kashuk beauty line for Target. Her line is a little pricier then the typical drug store products but I feel like you really get a great quality for your money. This is the perfect brush for blending my under-eye concealer and I am really pleased with the quality. I may be paying Target another visit soon to get more of her products!
Revlon Brow Fantasy: I am close to giving up on my brows! I have tried so many products and I just cannot get them the right shape. I really like this Revlon product because it is a pencil on one end and a gel on the other. I don't use the pencil as much as I use the gel to get my brows to stay in place after I comb them. I plan to pay the Benefit Brow Bar a visit this weekend so I will definitely blog about that experience soon!
Maybelline Dream Bouncy Blush in Candy Coral-Since I love the Nars Orgasm so much I wanted to try to find a drugstore option that had the same coral tone. I haven't tried this product yet but I will let you know how I like it! The color looks really pretty.
CoverGirl Lip Perfection Jumbo Gloss Balm in 270: I really like these Jumbo Gloss Balms! This is the second one I've purchased. This shade is more of a bronzey pink. It's definitely a hard color to describe. It has a brownish hue to it but I really love it because it's such a unique shade.

It's a Lilly Day!

Dress: Lilly Pulitzer (This Print is Sold Out on the Lilly Site, but is available here); Boots: Ralph Lauren; Watch: Kate Spade; Necklace: J. Crew Factory  (40% off!!)

Even though it's pretty chilly out in DC, I was excited to bring some bright, warm colors to the office! Lilly Pulitzer always has a season-end sale and I grabbed this dress on discount and it has been calling me from the closet since. The material is actually fairly heavier than it appears which was a pleasant surprise. I definitely think it's a year-round style and is offered in other colors. Shirt-dresses are a big style trend this year and with Lilly you just can't go wrong.

It looks like 6pm got a new shipment of Lilly products so I would definitely check it out! If you don't know what 6pm is, they have an assortment of designer clothes at discounted prices. I love buying Lilly products from this site!

French Hen

Sweater: J. Crew Factory (Old, Similar Here); Pants: Loft; Shoes: Tory Burch; Purse: Michael Kors (Old, Similar Here); Necklace: J. Crew (Sold Out, Similar Here); Watch: Kate Spade; Glasses: Dolce & Gabbana

When I saw this sweater at J. Crew during the fall season,I knew I had to have it. Not only did it make me smile but I love a cute cardigan! Most people were obsessing over the one that I linked to with the large graphic of the french hen on the front. This cardigan was a little more me! I like the subtle hen print all over the sweater. I also love pairing it with colorful pants. It's a little hard to tell from the lighting but my pants are a pretty burgundy color. I did link to purchase above! My make-up I stayed very neutral and simple. I never go too crazy with eye make-up when I know I'm going to wear my glasses.

Stay tuned this weekend if you want to see me review more of the make-up products I received this week. I plan on posting my first video this Sunday!

This post is being hosted on the Simply Lulu Style Friday Link Up (Here) and Style Elixir's Fab Favorites Link Up (Here).

Ulta and Sephora Hauls! [Video to follow shortly]

Eyeliner: Sephora Collection Waterproof Smoky Cream Liner; Nail Polish: Formula X by Sephora in Pyrotechnic; Lip Treatment: Sugar Lip Treatment in Petal; Lipstick: Nars in Niagra; Blush: Nars in Super Orgasm

I am so excited to share with you some major Sephora and Ulta purchases I have made over the last week and my thoughts on all of them. I will be reviewing my Ulta purchases on the blog tomorrow. I do have more on the way from both stores that I will be reviewing later! I plan to post a video once I have compiled all of my purchases. There are some I am waiting on that I want to make sure I am able to review in the video.

-Sephora Collection Waterproof Smokey Cream Liner: I have never tried a liquid liner in a pot before so this was my first experience. I didn't want to spend too much so this seemed like the perfect pot liner to start with! I have to say that I really am enjoying this. I love the line I am able to get with it and how close I am able to get to my lashes. I use an angled liner brush to put it on and I love how easily I am able to create a wing with it.

-Formula X by Sephora: I am not going to spend too much time on this one since I have talked about how much I LOVE the Formula X polish in a previous post. I love this polish because it applies thick, looks professionally done, and dries quickly. The color and glitter options are also just incomparable.

-Sugar Lip Treatment in Petal: I had heard great things about this lip treatment and I am sort of having mixed feelings. I really like the way it feels on my lips when I apply it. It goes on like butter and makes your lips feel super smooth when wearing it. I don't really feel like it is having a lasting impact or "treating" my lips and I can't say that I LOVE the color. I maybe should have purchased it in a more neutral shade. Not sure if I will be re-purchasing this one since I have a similar product coming my way that I am excited to share with you later in the week!

-Nars Lipstick in Niagra: Majority of my matte lipsticks are Nars so I am no stranger to their lip products. I liked Niagra because it was a little more neutral and looked like something I could wear to work if I didn't feel like wearing a gloss. I love the color and think it's definitely an essential if you like matte glosses.

-Nars Blush in Super Orgasm: So, I was really disappointed because I went to Sephora to buy this blush in the shade Orgasm. I had heard great things about it from other bloggers but it was totally sold out. The shade Super Orgasm was right next to it so I decided to give it a try. I definitely LOVE it and am actually really glad I ended up with this one. Orgasm is a little bit more coral and this one is a better mix of pink and coral. I love this with my skin tone and love the shimmery flecks that give my cheeks a great glow.

Warm Neutrals and the Lorac Unzipped Palette

Top: J. Crew (On Sale Now in Navy); Gigi Pants: J. Crew Factory (Navy); Boots: Ralph Lauren; Bag: Kate Spade (Old, Loving this one); Bracelets: J. Crew; Watch: Kate Spade

Today since the sun is shining I wanted to wear warmer tones. I have been wearing a lot of black pants/black boots so I opted for my new navy Gigi pants and brown boots. To compliment the outfit, I wanted the tone of my make-up to be warm as well.

I have been absolutely loving the Lorac Unzipped Palette and am kind of on a Lorac kick right now! I will talk a little bit more about that in my upcoming Ulta/Sephora haul post. Today I am wearing:

Primer-Lorac "I'm So Sensitive" Soothing Face Primer
Foundation-Make-Up Forever HD Invisible Cover Foundation (Shade 125)
Bronzer-Guerlain Terracotta Light Sheer Bronzing Powder (Brunettes 03)
Blush-Benefit Rockateur Blush
Concealer (Under-Eye)-Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Eraser Dark Circle Treatment Concealer
Lighting Powder-Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powder in Luminous Light (FAVORITE PRODUCT!!)
Eyeliner-Urban Decay 24/7 Waterproof Liquid Eyeliner
Mascara-L'Oreal Full Definition Voluminous Mascara
Topcoat-Anastasia Beverly Hills Lash Genius Waterproof Topcoat
Brows-Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Wiz Skinny Brow Pencil
Lip-gloss-Maybelline Color Elixir Lip Color in Rose Redefined

Last but not least is my Eye Shadow-Lorac Unzipped Palette. I am absolutely loving this shadow palette. I have tried a ton of them (including the Naked palettes, Marc Jacobs, etc) and this one is my favorite so far. Part of it may be the limited amount of shades. I get intimidated when a palette comes with too many shades because I am the furthest thing from a make-up artist! I love simple, easy and neutral. This palette has shades that are great for any complexion/hair color. It has some great matte colors to choose from and some frosted shades that really make your eyes pop. Today I wanted to mix together a couple of the more bronzey shades with the darker eggplant shade.

I used the "Undiscovered" shade all over my lid. I then used the "Unspoken" shade in my crease. Last, I used the "Untamed" shade lightly in the outer corner of my lid and sort of blended it in with the other two. Make sure with these colors to blend them in with a clean brush once you have applied them. This will keep them from looking too unnatural.

This post is hosted on Simply Lulu Style's Friday Link Up (Here), Style Elixir's Fab Favorites Link Up (Here), and The Grits Blog Little Friday Link Up (here).

Bold Colors

Top: Forever 21 (Old); Pants: Express; Necklaces: Baublebar & Personalized Necklace Shop on Etsy; Boots: Old

I love wearing fun BOLD colors during winter and love color blocking. I am pretty prone to only wearing black and gray during the winter but I am trying to break the habit and wear more colors that stand out. This shirt from Forever is super fun and and design is surprisingly flattering! I also decided to break out my monogrammed necklace. I haven't worn it in a while and it is definitely one of my favorite gifts from my boyfriend.

I have been playing with a ton of new make-up products that I plan to talk about in tomorrow's blog post. With this look, because I was playing with some major colors in my wardrobe, I wanted to go with a pretty neutral make-up palette. Don't want to discuss the products too much since I plan to talk about them a lot tomorrow so stay tuned!

My Favorite Accessories (Lately)

Vest: J. Crew (Sold Out); Tissue Turtleneck: J. Crew, Pants: J. Crew; Boots: Hunter; Wallets: Kate Spade (Sold Out, Similar Here) & Tory Burch; Watch in both photos: Kate Spade; Nail polish: Sephora Formula X in Potent; Bracelet: J. Crew Factory; Cheetah Scarf: Express

 I know not all of the above are considered an "accessory" to some, but I think of an accessory as any item you add additionally to complete your look and make it pop! My J. Crew Herringbone Vest was definitely one of my best purchases of the season. I say that, but I didn't actually purchase it. When I thought it had sold out and I had called every store in our area, my boyfriend surprised me with it for our anniversary! Best gift ever. My lagoon Hunter Boots have been a fairly recent addition. I own Hunters in black as well but I really wanted a fun color and I actually could not pass these up when I found them at Nordstrom Rack for only $90.


My obsession with wallets has gotten out of control. The photo above only captures a small percentage of my collection. I especially adore Kate Spade Wallets. I just LOVE all of her products. They are so feminine, fun and I honestly feel like I could buy any design of hers and it would suit me and my style so well. The glittery wallet pictured here is my most recent addition and I'm loving it.

I consider well-polished nails to be an important accessory. I have talked before about how I used to get a professional manicure (the gel nails) every other week, but when the nail tech actually said to me that it wasn't very good for your nails and that mine were getting very thin, I decided to stop going. It saves me money to do my own manicures and I have more control! Obviously I have loved OPI and Essie for a long time, but I recently discovered how amazing Sephora's Formula X nail polish is. It just goes on so smoothly and it gives a really thick, gel-like appearance. It also dries much quicker then the other products!

I saved this final accessory for last because it is my most recent addition and I have been literally wanting this watch for YEARS! I finally broke down and bought it during a 15% off Loyalist sale at Bloomingdales. This Kate Spade watch is so classic and I will treasure it for a lifetime. How can you resist that pink spade?

Black on Black

Shirt: J. Crew Factory; Pants: J. Crew; Boots: Ralph Lauren; Necklace: Baublebar; Bracelets: J. Crew Factory & Kate Spade (Here, Here, and Here); Watch: Kate Spade; Purse: Michael Kors (Old, Obsessed with this one)

One of my favorites styles during the winter is an all black ensemble with fun accessories. I am styling a black top and black bottoms with bright brown boots and my tortoise Baublebar necklace. Not only is black super slimming but you can also really dress it up or down. We were just going out for lunch when I was wearing this outfit, but I could even style it up in the evening by pairing it with a cute pair of stilettos and using a colorful clutch. My goal is to clean up the area by my bedroom mirror. As you can see in the bottom photo, it's my puppy's favorite spot.

Pretty in Pink

Sweater: Lilly Pulitzer (Sold Out during this week's sale, Similar Here); Pixie Pants: J. Crew; Bracelets: J. Crew Factory (Here and Here); Boots: Forever 21 (Old)

When I saw the email about the Lilly Pulitzer MAJOR seasonal sale on Monday, of course I had to participate. The deals this year were great and I am so happy with all of my purchases that were quickly delivered yesterday. This sweater was one of a couple purchases I made. Obviously my obsession with bows made it a definite must-have.

I also ordered two dresses. One I plan to post on the blog next week so make sure to check it out!

This Week in My Closet

Look 1: Herringbone Vest-J. Crew Factory, (Sold Out), Tissue Turtleneck-J. Crew, Hunter Boots in Lagoon
Look 2: Emerald Blouse-Forever 21 (Sold Out), Pixie Pants-J. Crew, Boots-Forever 21 (Old), Necklace-J. Crew
Look 3: Tissue Turtleneck-J. Crew, Jeans-Banana Republic, Boots-Ralph Lauren, Necklace-J. Crew
Look 4: Puffer Coat-Nordstrom Rack (Laundry by Shelli Segal--can't find online but this coat is SO adorable, it is lined with cheetah print), Cowl Neck Sweatshirt-J. Crew Factory (Sold Out), Jeans-Express, Boots-Forever 21 (Old)

**Please excuse the mess in the background of all of the photos. I have a puppy who loves to sprawl out with his toys**

Slightly Casual

Sweater: Anthropologie (On Sale!); Pants: J. Crew Factory; Booties: DSW (Brand is UNISA); Headband: Anthropologie

Okay truly, I don't wear my hair up as often as you have seen it up this week. I am trying to give it a little rest from all the blow drying/straightening/curling because it has been feeling incredibly dry. However, my newest shampoo discovery (Aveeno Nourish & Shine) has been working WONDERS! I will talk about that in another blog post.

Today, to be totally honest, I really felt like being more comfortable. The weather isn't great and I wanted to be comfy and cozy. I didn't have any big meetings today so I decided to go for it! This sweater is so warm and fun. It is incredibly itchy but totally worth the pain. My new booties I just bought this weekend. I had never heard of the brand before but I loved the hardware on them.