simple ways to wear Pantone Marsala

bonjour, beauties! the first month of the new year is almost over ~ can you believe it? if you didn't notice, i took a bit of a break... hope your 2015 is going well for you thus far!

in any case, i'm sure by now you've heard that Marsala is the Pantone 2015 color of the year. described as a stirring and flavorful shade for apparel and accessories that is flattering against many skin tones, this shade, appealing to men and women, encourages color creativity and experimentation; if you're like me, you've already adopted it. it's a fab go-to color in your beauty routine as well; you can highlight your cheeks and eyes in Marsala, give the perfect pop of color on nails and lips, and will make a great tint for your hair as well!

this hue all over the place, beauties, and i hope you you'll have fun with it {btw, one very cool thing i'm loving about this year's color selection is that it's so very close to my daughter's main school color, maroon. she's on the basketball team, so i already have an excuse to incorporate this color into my lifestyle…you know, school spirit. ;) }.

here are some items of inspiration i found across the web...

as perfect examples of how to make Marsala part of any ensemble, Jennie Mai rocks leather pants while and Taylor Swift dons a lady-like handbag. 

more examples:

1. Oasis Embellished Textured Lantern Dress
2. Oasis Heart Print Three Quarter Sleeves Top
3. Oasis Plain LS Skater
4. Visible Interest Rainbow Quartz Pendant Necklace by Lumo
5. Jamberry Pomegranate Pop Nail Wraps
6. Jamberry Red Currant Nail Lacquer
7. Jamberry Vintage Deco Nail Wraps
8. Prescriptives Medium U-Pick Refillable Compact (shown: Eye Shadow in Canyon and Campfire, Cheek Color in Wine)


...and here are some items i own:

i found two cropped jackets at Forever 21 {decided to buy the one on the left, and the top, btw}…

 this e.l.f blush palette {in dark} is a fabulous example of how Marsala can be incorporated into your beauty game…

and of course, nail polish! pictured: wet 'n' wild Haze of Love {left} and SpaRitual Fall in Love* {right}.

Marsala is a fabulous shade to incorporate drama, but still keeps an earthy, grounded vibe. how will you be making Marsala part of your life in 2015, beauties?

product sent to me by the brand for feature consideration; pics taken by me :)

holiday 2014: gift ideas for the fashion lover

for the fashion loving gals on your list, consider these fabulous gift ideas…

the blanket scarf is having a moment! any fashionista would love having multiple {because chances are she has one already}. you can find it in many patterns and price points {i just ordered this one on cyber monday, and it's still on sale!}.

a monogrammed necklace is timeless, personal and thoughtful.

a phone case with a playful image {can't go wrong with Kate Spade!}

to keep her organized, consider a new wallet  to house all of her important must-haves

and of course, i wouldn't be me if i didn't recommend some books. these three i recommend highly:

Fifty Dresses That Changed the World by Design Museum {the publisher has other list-centric reads to consider} includes images of dresses worn by Wallis Simpson, Jackie Kennedy, Twiggy and Cher and, of course, Princess Di. this fun volume shares fascinating appraisals of what gave the 50 most important garments their iconic status.

Grace: A Memoir by Grace Coddington, is the gorgeously insightful and overall enjoyable read that any fashion-loving reader would love. Grace is the creative director of american Vogue magazine and her influence is all over its pages. in the book she describes everything from her early career as a model to working with world-class photographers, fashion's best and most influential to her time at british Vogue and shares stories behind some of the most memorable photo shoots and editorials; of course, these's so much more! i listened to the audiobook {read by Grace herself} when it was first published back in 2012, and know it would be fab to have the hardcover.

Teen Vogue Handbook: An Insider's Guide to Careers in Fashion isn't a new title, but it has been updated with 90% new content, including info for our digital age. this book was sent to me, and it's an incredible resource! if you know your recipient is interested in any aspect of the fashion industry, from design to makeup to photography as well as hair, writing online, styling and PR, this book is fabulous. i've really enjoyed reading all the oodles of advice, features and great profiles of industry experts and the overall fact that it helps the reader to understand what each job requires.

what fashionable gifts are you planning to give this year? 

TeenVogue Handbook sent to me for review consideration; pics taken by me :)

beauty girl style: Ely wood watch by JORD

bonjour, beauties! hope yore having a gorgeous week…it's flying by for me…i can't believe it's already october ~ the holidays and gift-giving season will be here before we know it!

that said, i have a fabulous item you may want to consider when putting together your gift list. i mean, if you haven't started yet, you should be at least thinking about it…

if you read my previous post featuring JORD wood watches, you already know i was expecting the brand to send me the Ely watch to wear and experience for myself. you also know that i was curious about the style and material {wood} this brand uses for its watches.

well, i was certainly thrilled when my expectations were met regarding the quality. and i was even more thrilled when those expectations were exceeded!

this JORD Maple Ely wood watch is gorgeous and so elegant in its construction. i admit, i expected it to be heavier, but the fact that it's so lightweight doesn't mean it's not sturdy. i've been wearing it with everything. the maple color works so well with deep jewel tones and neutrals. it looks fabulous worn alone and, of course, dressed up with a bit of sparkle; i think this is not only a fabulous accessory to have in your own collection, but should also be considered for gift giving {have i mentioned the holidays are almost here?}.

so if you haven't already, visit woodwatches.com and be sure to check out their Instagram as well as their hashtag page to see how both men and women are rockin' the various JORD styles. also, let me know if you decide to purchase one {or if you already own one!}

this watch was sent to me by JORD for an honest review; i was not paid for my post; pics taken by me :)

nyfw spring '15 {trend}: glossy, natural nails

new york fashion week has wrapped up, and i'm sure i'm not alone when i say i'm still absorbing it all; so many looks and trends were created for the runway that will shape and influence what we'll be wearing in the spring and summer of 2015. and not just the clothes, but everything from hair and makeup to nails and accessories…

 one trend that stood out to me was that of glossy, nude, natural nails. this is something every beauty girl has obsessed over, including me; creating the perfect nude, shiny nail ranks up there to finding that  fab LBD, a pair of amazing-fitting jeans and goes-with-everything-but-still-makes-a-statement handbag in your wardrobe.

the nail looks are far from bare, but have a base color on the nail on the natural side. any added art or texture is subtle and simple ~ good news for me since i rarely have time to spend on elaborate designs. let's take a look at some of these interpretations, shall we?

at Prabal Gurung models' tips were coated with wispy stripes as they prepared to walk the runway.

 Katie Jane Hughes created a nude nail using a Butter London nude base and completed the look with a diamond embellishment at Lela Rose.

the graphic nail art at Tibi was created by Jin Soon Choi using Georgette ~ a nude color ~ as the base with Chamonix used to finish the look.

Michelle Saunders for essie created a classic pink nail for the hands and an opaque pale pink nail for the toes {classics mademoiselle and fiji, respectively}, which paired perfectly with the colors and prints found throughout the Diane von Furstenberg collection.

for Altuzarra, Michelle Saunders created a delicate, feminine nail by using spaghetti strap on both the hands and feet. the sheer pink hue, reminiscent of rosy cheeks, completed the overall look.

for BCBG Max Azria the models took the runway in nude, natural nails that perfectly complimented the airy, boho ensembles.

to compliment Proenza Schouler's american sporswear-inspired collection, a minimal, glossy nail was worn by the models both the hands and feet

Julie Kandalec for essie used fiji to create a nail look to represent the Naeem Khan girl ~ elegant and done up, but not too glamorous.

at Rachel Zoe, butter LONDON polishes were layered {first Tea with the Queen, followed by Nail Foundation, topped with 999 Base Coat} to create a glossy, creamy effect.

Jin Soon created a soft, glossy nude to complement the sheer romanticism of the Vera Wang collection

a "new nude" by Deborah Lippmann coated model tips at the Narciso Rodriguez show

a high-shine nude nail was creed using Jin Soon Tulle to complement the cool, utilitarian aesthetic of the Rag & Bone show.


will you be wearing the glossy, natural tone nail look come spring 2015?

frugal fashion: my $24 ensemble

bonjour, beauties!

i don't know about you, but j'aime faire des emplettes {i love to shop}. believe it or not, it's not something i actually do frequently. i mean, i do shop, but it's always for pesky things…food…cleaning supplies...household items…you know, all the things i need to keep my home functioning…

totally kidding! all of those things are {obviously} necessary...

in any case, when it comes to shopping for clothes, i'm always one for a fabulous deal. i also need what i buy to be of quality. that's why i love shopping at lower-priced stores {TJ Maxx, Forever 21, H&M} and thrift shops. in these places i get a great bargain without sacrificing style, find unique pieces, and save a ton of money!

what i wore this past wednesday is the perfect example…

fyi, i have to say that the idea for this post came while i was waiting for my doctor {they always take so long, don't they? LOL}, so please forgive that i have no actual head-to-toe image and the pics aren't the best...

for the jeans {$10, Forever 21}, top, jacket and shoes {$3, $9, $2, all found at my local thrift shop}, i spent a total of $24.

amazing, right?! 

yep, i'm quite pleased with myself for this… ;)

but it is possible. and if your new year's resolution is to save money, shoes and clothing are definitely things that you can save on. sometimes it may take some searching, but trust me, when you find items you love to wear you'll feel so proud, not to mention look fabulous {i know i do!}! :)

tell me: how do you save money on things you love? share in the comments!

all items my own; pics taken by me :)

my fall 2013 beauty and style haul!

over the past several weeks, i've been collecting some new goodies…

wanna see??

oh, just fyi, i created the collages kind of randomly {and not everything is pictured}, but i know you'll get the idea…

take a look…

first, i have to blame thank Emily {she's fabulous!} for my current Wet n Wild product obsession. and she may have also had some influence on some all of the e.l.f {blush/bronzer duos, lashes, brushes} purchases i've recently made….

most everything from wet n wild is fabulous, so pigmented and they apply gorgeously! 

i've collected all of the blush/bronzer contouring powders from e.l.f. as well as some of their lashes, makeup brushes {their $1 eye shadow and crease brushes from the Essential line and the Complexion and Small Stippling brushes from the Studio line}; also added to my makeup collection: a couple of wet n wild palettes, blushes and liners…

sweet, cozy scents are essential this time of year. so, of course, the fact that i've bought some new candles should be no surprise. i'm sure you've already made at least one purchase from Bath and Body Works yourself! in addition to pocketbac hand sanitizers {must-haves when on-the-go and/or you have kids}, i chose the candle flavors Leaves, Marshmallow Fireside, Frosted Cranberry and Sweet Cinnamon Pumpkin. other candles i've purchased {a great wallet-friendly option, but just as happy-making and fabulous} came from Glade  {Apple Cinnamon Cheer, Fall Hayride, Sweet Holiday Treat and Ginger Bread Jingle} they're small, but big on yummy fragrance, and shouldn't be passed up if you see them!

other lovely fall beauty purchases:

e.l.f eyelid primer {i'm testing it out to compare to higher-priced primers; look out for that review soon!}; Cover Girl's classic Super Thick mascara {fab for volume that's not too over-the-top}; Maybelline nail polish in Impeccable Greys, a great deep gray shade; Chi and Rusk hair treatment minis i bought from Cosmoprof;

OPI polishes: Every Month is Oktoberfest {from last fall's Germany collection}; Miami Beet, a gorgeous beet-purple that was released way back in 2009 and i somehow never bought until now. and from Mariah Carey's holiday 2013 collection: All Sparkly and Gold, self-explanatory, and Warm Me Up, a shimmery brown-grey, i also bought these at Cosmoprof.

two pretty holders for the candles from Bath & Body Works, above, and two from Target that i decided to use as containers for other things ~ you can see one with some makeup brushes in the pic, below...

also hauled hair treats...nail polishes...lashes…accessories…you know, just the usual…

i have to blame YouTube beauty videos again for my lash purchase, ha! but really, it's been so long since i've used them. i'm so looking forward to throwing them into the mix and dressing up my look this season! the Sally Hansen nail polishes {pictured top right} came as a set found at Target. and i'm so late to the party, but i just started using Jordana Best Lash Extreme mascara…have you tried it?? it's fab! i can't wait to try more products from the brand.

love my little owl earrings and this ceramic Sweet Dove container, both from Forever 21…

in the style category, i've bought a couple of scarves, more than a few pair of earrings, some rings and necklaces; a hat…

these skinny jeans {love the zipper at the back of the ankle!} and flowy top from Target…

 
two Mossimo jackets {discovered on the 50% clearance rack ~ yay! ~ from Target}...

 a couple of casual tops from H&M...

 as well as other pieces from various shops. i'll have to share those on another post...

this isn't too much, is it?? in my defense, it wasn't all one big purchase. it started in september…maybe august…

and finally, i just have to share, this tea called Matcha Maker from Good Earth. i already love their Sweet and Spicy teas, so i was incredibly happy to find it! it's an amazing, sweet blend of green and matcha teas infused with orange, ginger and other warm, citrusy goodness…so yummy!

:)

tell me: what have you hauled for yourself this fall…so far?
please share in the comments ~ i'd love to know!!

all items shown were purchased by me; pics taken by me :)