The Future's So Bright...

Take a note from Lady B's style book. For an easy date night look at a recent Knicks game with her hubby, Beyonce turned a pair of skinny jeans and basic white tee into something a bit more chic by simply tossing on a blazer in a saturated color and sexy pumps. Keeping baby Blue in mind, she continues to pay homage to her newest joy with polished blue tips.

J Crew elbow length tee, $33
Forever 21 light weight jacket, $28
Black jeans, $22
Luichiny black pumps, $81
Deena Ozzy studded handbag, $39
BLUE CROWN Sundance Square Sunglasses, $9.99
Imperial Blue Nail Polish, $2.80

Diva's Desires - Michael Kors Hamilton Bag

My Loot

I finally spent up my winnings and am rather pleased with my loot. Even though I'm a shoe fanatic, oddly, I didn't buy one pair of shoes. It wasn't the mini marathon shopping spree that I was anticipating, it happened more in "bursts," which I think really worked out because I wasn't dead set on spending up all my dough at once. I did buy accessories or other odds n' ends, but my sweepstakes money was spent purely on apparel.

Being the budget minded diva that I am, all the clothes I purchased was either on sale or clearance. I also looked for items that I would get a lot of wear out of.

I didn't focus on purchasing primarily work or casual attire, but the result was a good mix of both and think I ended up with some good wardrobe mainstays.

In all, I purchased thirteen items:

4 pairs of pants (all ankle length)

3 tops

2 dresses

2 skirts

1 cape

1 coat

And on that note, I'm super psyched about some other spring purchases I've made. I'm over the moon about the fuschia pants in the photo, but I've also added cobalt blue and kelly green ankle slacks to my wardrobe as well. Along with soft blousy tops in shades of coral and peach. It may still be winter, but spring has sprung in my closet!

Lucky Editors Answer: How Can I Work a Bright Bag Into My Wardrobe?

It may not yet be spring, but it's never too soon start adding a dash of color to your look!

Unsure how to move out of the rut of basic blacks and calming creams?

Lucky Editors Answer: How Can I Work a Bright Bag Into My Wardrobe?

Maracuja Oil Review

I'm a lover of QVC. I watch it pretty much like I do reality TV. Recently, after fighting the temptation to order a bottle of tarte's 100% Pure Maracuja Oil for $46 (plus tax and shipping), I was intrigued enough to try out the oil if I could find it at a more affordable price point. I also wanted a smaller bottle in case it didn't work out for me.

What you must understand is that my skin has a love/hate relationship with me, and we've just recently been able to come to a sort of friendly accord. Which I owe to a regular skincare regimen, that I was finally able to fine tune, and a fabulous aesthetician that I see every month (shout out to Valerie!). I was curious, but also reluctant to disturb this harmonic balance. However, I was just product obsessed enough to give it a trial run.

Keep reading to find out how things turned out...

Imitation is the Greatest Form of Flattery

Or so they say...

If it can happen to Beyonce and Rihanna, I'm sure it can happen to anybody - the "copycat."

I can honestly say that I was never aware enough to really catch it in videos or most advertisements. And then Saturday, that changed. While flipping through a magazine, I happened upon this advertisement from Tignanello:

I've never purchased one of their handbags, but I really liked where they were going with their visual. Polka dot sheath with a bright bag...that's me all day.

Fast forward literally 3 pages or so and I had an immense déjà vu moment:

There it was again...polka dot sheath with a bright bag. But this time it's for Rosetti handbags. I liked the ad just as much, but couldn't deny what seemed obvious. That of the two brands, somebody had...well...you know.

It looks like both bag brands paid the same creative director.

However, I will say it was a job well done, despite the lack of *cough* originality, I was drawn to both ads. They were memorable and left me a bit curious as to whether they had modernized their brands and could be worth checking out. And that's really what it's about, right?..


But on real, what I really wanted to know was where I could get those dresses!

DD's Style File - Touch of Teal

I wore another skirt today, mostly because I'm having issues with pants - most of them don't fit anymore! This skirt is one of my favorites, it's the loveliest shade of teal and I think it can work with a lot of different color combinations. Plus, with it being a classic pencil cut, I should get a lot of wear out of it.

Cream V-neck cardigan - Papaya
Leopard blouse - Express
Teal pencil skirt - The Limited
Tassel pumps - Charles by Charles David
Earrings - Express
Collar necklace - JCPenney

My legs look a tad pale in this pic, but I'm wearing nude color fishnets. I don't care for regular stockings, I prefer tights, and these have been my best alternative to bare legs in winter.

Traditional with a Twist

There is nothing more chic to me than a sheath dress with long or three quarter length sleeves. I have a black, boatneck Laundry by Shelli Segal in a jersey knit that is my go to "little black dress" (I got it for a steal on eBay), but some days you might want to take a detour from the traditional "little black" or even "little red" dress.

If you want to stand out and let your confidence shine, switch things up a bit with a traditional cut done in a fabulous print or punchy bright like these fab ladies:

Tracee Ellis Ross

Mary J. Blige

Viola Davis

I have to say, I love Viola Davis in that pink! She has worn that color before as a compliment to her skin tone, but the classic simplicity of that dress paired with such a powerful shade of pink really was a great match!

Keep reading a few diva-fied selections for you...

e.l.f. Studio Brush Set Review

I guess you can say I have a minor makeup brush obsession. I can't even really say why, I'm no makeup artist. I just like them and wanted a brush for every job that I might want to do to my face. Typically, I'm an avid user of BareEscentuals brushes and I have a few other randoms. About a week a go I snatched up this e.l.f. Cosmetics Studio Brush Set in one of the MYHABIT flash sales for $20 (normal retail value $30) and I couldn't be more pleased.

Though I've read good things about their brand of brushes in general, the Studio Collection are considered e.l.f.'s higher quality brushes, advertised as "ultra luxe" and "professional". And thus far, I can't say I'd argue with that, there appears to be no sacrifice of quality over price. The brushes are made of antibacterial, synthetic Taklon hair and are super soft and smooth against the skin. I haven't washed them yet, but if I have bad results, I'll be sure to post about it!

In the 11 piece set you receive: 

Eyeshadow "C" Brush

Complexion Brush

Small Angled Brush

Small Smudge Brush

Fan Brush

Powder Brush

Angled Foundation Brush

Concealer Brush

Small Precision Brush

Blush Brush

Contouring Brush

A water resistant case was also included with the set, but it's rather flimsy and cheap feeling. Though it would definitely serve it's purpose if you're not a hardcore makeup maven and just need a way to stash and carry your brushes, but I prefer to use my BareEscentuals brush roll. 

Of the set, my favorites are:

"C" brush

Can be used wet or dry, this is a great dense brush for picking up a lot of pigment and applying to the outer corner and crease of the eye.

Flat powder brush

Let me just say that I love, love, love this brush! I guess it's typically used for applying finishing powder, but I use it to apply my mineral makeup foundation. I think it picks up more color and applies evenly, providing me with deeper coverage (for those bad skin days). And its soooo soft! I think I'm going to buy another just because I adore it so much.

Blush Brush

This is a soft, fluffy brush with a domed head, which I do use for applying blush, particularly the lighter shades. It picks up and holds color well and the shape of the brush allows for controlled application to the apples of the cheeks, giving you that giddy, flushed look.

There are always great coupons available for this site and their prices are really affordable (single Studio Collection brushes retail between $3 - $8), visit e.l.f Cosmetics to see more.

UPDATE: I actually did end up ordering another flat powder brush shortly after posting this review, and good thing I did. Though the brushes wash fabulously with no shedding and returning to their original shape, the flat powder brush takes twice as long as all my other brushes to dry. The brush head is denser and needs longer to thoroughly dry out, so my routine is to rotate them out after washing/drying, which I do about every two weeks. And it works perfect for me.

 

 

The opinions expressed in this post are purely my own and I received no compensation for it.

Necklaces & Necklines

Have you ever tried on several different necklaces before rushing out the door, and none of them look quite right? Often times, the issue is just a matter of the style of necklace versus the cut of the neckline. Here are a few hard and fast rules, courtesy of The Kit, that can help save you some time when you're caught in that next mad dash.

1. Ornate bib necklaces can be great for jazzing up tops and dresses with higher necklines or even adding punch to a basic crew neck tee when headed out for lunch with the girls.

2. Long, sleek dangling pendants work best with deeper necklines, by adding interest to that open area.

3. Try a bit of sexy by wearing a substantial choker with the timeless cut of a button up or blazer. It makes for a sophisticated, yet sassy look and provides an extra bit of personality to classic attire.

Click here for information on the items pictured above or to learn more about the Canadian digital magazine, The Kit. Which has become my new best friend on my Kindle Fire! It's all about women's fashion, beauty and health, it's accessible on all of my devices, they have a great digital presentation and best of all - subscription is free!



Photo credit: all images courtesy of thekit.ca

Miranda Priestly Tells It Like It Is...

"This... stuff'? Oh. Okay. I see... You think this has nothing to do with you."

"You go to your closet and you select... I don't know... that lumpy blue sweater, for instance, because you're trying to tell the world that you take yourself too seriously to care about what you put on your back. But what you don't know is that that sweater is not just blue, it's not turquoise. It's not lapis. It's actually cerulean. And you're also blithely unaware of the fact that in 2002, Oscar de la Renta did a collection of cerulean gowns. And then I think it was Yves Saint Laurent...wasn't it, who showed cerulean military jackets? I think we need a jacket here. And then cerulean quickly showed up in the collections of eight different designers. And then it...uh...filtered down through the department stores and then trickled on down into some tragic Casual Corner where you, no doubt, fished it out of some clearance bin. However, that blue represents millions of dollars and countless jobs and it's sort of comical how you think that you've made a choice that exempts you from the fashion industry when, in fact, you're wearing the sweater that was selected for you by the people in this room from a pile of stuff."

~ Miranda Priestly of the Devil Wears Prada

 Mean isn't it?

However that happens to be one of my favorite quotes from, of course, one of my favorite movies. With that statement, she snatched a knot in Andy's behind over her fashion incompetence -because it's truth, the runway designers and fashion mag editors of the world (yoohoo, Anna Wintour...) are the people who deem the "trends." And from there, they ultimately make their way to my local Old Navy where I can revel in a fashion bargain!

So, I ain't mad at ya, Miranda!

After an impromptu shopping stop, I was happy with my haul of clearance clothes, and thought it would be fun to see just how my purchases were inspired by the fashion powers-that-be...

I'm thoroughly smitten with the cream collarless coat! I've been wanting a coat with a three quarter length sleeve - it's very Jackie O, Mad Men-ish and the gold stripe lining is adorable. The winter has still been extremely mild here, so I plan to were it ASAP!

My Experience with Jason Wu for Target

These items were pretty much what I had on my "Wu Wishlist" as I excitedly made my way out to my local Target. I don't even like cats, but that kitty from the Wu for Target commercial won me over.

To find out about my experience, read more after the jump.

DD's Style File - Girlie Flair

Sometimes it takes a minute before I jump on a trend, it'll kinda take me a while before I decide whether something can work for me. This time, it was accordion pleat skirts. I happened to snatch one up last minute while at the mall last week. It was on clearance and pink - I figured I could make it work for something. Turns out, I rather love it!

V-Neck sweater - Express
Button up shirt - NY & Co
Belt - The Limited
Skirt - The Limited
Tights - Payless
Pumps - Macy's
Bracelet and earrings - The Limited

It was a welcome change from my normal pencil and swing skirts. I can't wait until the weather warms and I can wear it was strappy sandals and breezy tops.

The Original Diva

Long before my Barbie obsessed days, I fondly recall watching the blonde bombshell, Miss Piggy, and all her ferocious sassiness on the Muppet Show.

A girlie girl with a mean left hook and a glamazon fashionista in every since of the word! After the comeback success of their recent Muppet movie this past fall, I've been pleased as punch to see Miss P gracing the glossy pages of fashion mags W, InStyle and others. She inspired me for today's celeb style book post...a Parisian infused look done in primary colors.

Short cocktail prom dress, £44
Dorothy Perkins black mary jane heels, $57
Lauren Ralph Lauren glass necklace, $44
Pewter jewelry, $75
Leather glove, $48
Black wool beret, $5.95