Thursday, February 28, 2013

Work It: Bird is the Word






I've had this bird print top for a while now but I usually wear it in a really casual way.  I decided to try something a little different and wear it tucked and under a blazer for a cute work look.  It's easy to look stuffy or boring at work, but bright colors and unexpected prints can make your look fun and reflective of your personality.



Blazer: Worthington / Blouse: JCPenney (similar 1) (similar 2) / Pants: Worthington Heels: Sole Society "Alison" / Bag: Steve Madden / Belt: Old Navy

Monday, February 25, 2013

Bright Blazer & Old Faithful (OOTD)





Shirt: TJ Maxx / Blazer: Old Navy / Jeans: Old Navy / Boots: Seychelles / Bracelet: NY&Company / Earrings: Target / Bag: Mon Santino

I've lost count of how many times this denim shirt has popped up on the blog. It literally goes with everything! 

Saturday, February 23, 2013

Layering With Style



When you have a statement coat, it's easy to get lazy with your outfit underneath. After all, it is cold out so you're going to keep that fab coat everywhere you go, right? Not so! I get cold and hot easily so layering is my best friend--at work I cannot even count how many times I take off and put on my cardigan throughout the day. It is important to make sure that you still look presentable (and fly!) no matter how many layers you are wearing.

For this outfit, I started off with a basic black on black outfit (accented with a chunky gold chain-- Nino Brown style! lol)





 I added a red bomber jacket for warmth...





...and finished the look with a colorful scarf. 

Coat: Kenneth Cole (also comes in yellow!) / Turtleneck: H&M / Jeans: Bisou Bisou (similar) / Boots: NYLA / Scarf: Asos / Handbag: Steve Madden




*I'm linking up with The Fashionista Next Door's weekly Style Me Friday feature! The inspiration for this week was this photo:  
A bright coat! Olivia Palermo Image Via Coco Lee


Friday, February 22, 2013

Work It: Paisley





Cardigan: Old Navy / Blouse: JCPenney (similar)  / Pants: JCPenney / Shoes: Sears / Belt: Target / Bag: Steve Madden 
It's been a long week. All I can say is...TGIF!

Wednesday, February 20, 2013

Spring Dreaming

Spring Dreaming

Spiral Curlers Review

I ordered a package of spiral curlers from Amazon that are similar to the brand Curl Formers. For $27, I received a pack 40 curlers (about 20in long) and 1 application hook.  These were about the same size as the Curl Formers Extra Long & Wide option. 

After freshly washing my hair, I applied a moisturizer (homemade mix of shea butter, aloe vera gel, and grapeseed oil), a litle bit of grapeseed oil, and a bit of EcoStyler olive oil gel to my hair.  I applied the curlers in a little over an hour (actually 1hr and 5min--I timed myself lol) and ended up using 39 of the curlers.  I watched a youtube video to see how to apply these curlers, but honestly it was really quick and easy. The only trouble I had was that sometimes the application hook would latch on to the top band of the curlers as I began to pull my hair through, however as long as I held the top band slightly open as I started pulling the hook through the curler, the hook would slide through with ease. 


When I finished setting my hair, I got a little anxious to see how it would turn out so I pulled out the first curler I had applied and was surprised to see that after only an hour (and with no heat applied), a nice ringlet had already formed!



Seeing that I didn't really need alot of heat to get a good curl, I only sat under the dryer for about 15min just to make sure my roots were dry to minimize frizz, as I was planning to sleep with the curlers in my hair. I do NOT recommend sleeping in these if you can avoid it, b/c it was so uncomfortable and I really had a hard time figuring out how to hold my head so I could actually fall asleep, and everytime I turned over I had to go through the process all over again. 

Despite my restless night, the results the next morning were well worth it--Perfect spiral ringlets! I was concerned about the possibility of breakage from pulling my hair through the curlers and pulling the curlers off my hair to remove them, but I did not see any pieces of hair caught in the curlers and felt no hair pulling from my roots as I removed the curlers. Also, my hair in the front did not look completely smooth on a few of the curlers while they were in my hair, but after removing them all the curls looked sleek so you don't really need to worry about about everything being perfect while setting, as long as all of your hair is in the roller and is given enough time to dry.




Separated Curls:





Overall, I am very happy with the curlers & they will definitely be a regular tool in my styling regimen!

Key takeaways:

  • Easy to use
  • No heat needed
  • Uniform spiral curls

Monday, February 18, 2013

Valentine's Day OOTD



I hope everyone had a wonderful Valentine's Day that was full of love! My honey surprised me with a great gift (none of that flowers & mixed heart shaped candy business) and took me to a nice Italian restaurant for dinner. I had planned to wear a sassy and sweet little black lace dress, but at the last minute I switched to this animal print wrap dress from BCBG. In the spirit of Valentine's Day, I finished off the look with a red lip and red pumps.

 


My hair is a styled in a twist out, but instead of my usual twist pattern I tried this style I saw on The Fiesty House.  I did a trial run the day before Valentine's day and it turned out great, but I couldn't recreate the magic the next day so I ended up having to pin my hair up in he back to create a cute faux bob.   


Dress: BCBG / Bracelet: Charming Charlie / Earrings: Target / Clutch: Asos (similar) / Heels: Sole Society "Dahlia"






Friday, February 15, 2013

***New Blog Series: What Would __ Wear?

I'm starting a new series on the site called "What Would (___) Wear?" 
On the 15th of each month, I play the role of stylist and showcase celebrity-inspired outfits based on my interpretation of their style.

It is only right that the first post of the series features our First Lady Michelle Obama!

What Would Michelle Obama Wear




The FLOTUS is Commander-in-chic, and Fashionista-in-chief. Her looks are perfectly tailored and flattering to her toned frame.  She is no stranger to showing off her sculpted shoulders in sleeveless tops and dresses, yet is often seen layering these items with cardigans and sweaters in classic prints and bright colors.

Comfort is also key, as the First Lady often wears modest heels, and even rocks flats--because you never know when she may hit her dougie or do a quick double dutch!

Michelle Obama also makes sure to accessorize--waist-defining belts, embellished brooches, and ladi-like pearls are key players in her style arsenal.