Summer Semi-Formal

F21 dress (sold out), BCBG heels,  vintage clutch 

Although I wear black religiously in both the colder and warmer months I do like to switch things up with pastels, and this dress is one of my favorites. I originally bought this dress in a massive Forever 21 shopping spree a few years ago and just recently started wearing it. The peachy tone and exposed zipper make the dress surprisingly current, but I absolutely love how I can wear the dress as both a party dress and somewhat formal dress.

Although it is hard to see in the picture, the front flap of the zipper can be pulled down to show a more abstract silhouette that would be perfect for going out. 

With the zipper completely pulled up the dress can easily be worn to a semi-formal event such as an interview, formal outing, honors chapel (which is wear I first wore it), and maybe even a cocktail party.

Thank you for reading! xox

P.S. I am SO sorry for the infrequent posting, things have been quite busy with work and getting ready for school! I will definitely be getting a schedule together so that I can stick to it. Also, feel free to follow me on any of the social networking sites mentioned above!

June Beauty Favorites

When I first thought of starting a blog I never thought of including a beauty aspect because of lack of experience and overall expertise. However, I think blogging my beauty journey will be a fun learning experience for me and maybe even a little entertaining for my readers. So I will be starting my first beauty blog post with “June Favorites”.

First up is Maybelline’s Dream Liquid Mousse in “Caramel ‘Dark 2’”. This was actually the second foundation I ever bought and lately I have been blending this and my other foundation together for an overall even, glowing look. I was introduced to this product by my best friend (who also takes all of my pictures for the blog) after I forgot my makeup bag at my house and was in desperate need for cover-up. I instantly feel in love with how easily it went on how glowing it made my skin without it feeling heavy and oily. Because of the scorching Southern summer heat I easily sweat off makeup, but thankfully this product is surprisingly persistent.

Next up is my favorite fragrance of the month, Our Moment by One Direction (insert any cliché boy band joke here, I’ve heard them all). All jokes aside, I actually love the grapefruit and berry notes, especially for warmer months. I was pleasantly surprised by how often I’ve started wearing the subtly fruity scent because for as long as I can remember I have been a strictly vanilla scented fragrance wearer, but around the time of my graduation I decided that fragrances needed a mature upgrade. I was not completely ready to give up my vanilla fragrances, so I started wearing both and I must say that I am quite happy with the results.

This Maybelline One by One Volum’ Express is also a product that I mooched off of my best friend.  I was actually looking to switch mascaras and I must say that this particular one has caused my recent obsession with mascara. It not only lengthens and separates, but it also stays put even when I begin pouring sweat and when my eyes begin to water.

I am quite positive that every makeup-wearing girl in the world has an EOS Lip Balm in her makeup bag and it is not hard to see why. Not only does it actually moisturize my lips, but I have also realized that it does make my lips plumper. My favorite thing about EOS is that I don’t have to constantly reapply it throughout the day. This particular flavor is Summer Fruit.

Once again, my best friend has proved to be my beauty godmother because she also turned me onto this Shea Moisture Coconut & Hibiscus Curling Gel Soufflé. For any of you who have seen my Instagram you might have noticed that when my hair is not straight, it is quite wavy and VERY volumous. In an effort to grow my hair out I am going completely natural this summer, which means that I will not be straightening my hair at all, or using any heat on it. Despite the fact that I am natural for most of the year, I am experimenting with new styles and this soufflé makes it so much easier to try new styles. I apply it at night and when I wake up in the morning my hair is extremely soft, shiny, and it seems as though my split ends have disappeared overnight. My hair has not looked or felt this healthy in a long time and because of this I intend on buying the entire Shea Moisture Coconut and Hibiscus collection.

Finally, my favorite nail polishes of June (and all time) are Mint Candy Apple, Bikini So Teeny, Urban Jungle, and Turquoise and Caicos by Essie. I could never justify the thought of buying nail polish that almost cost ten dollars, but Essie polishes are definitely worth the price. I am currently wearing Mint Candy Apple on fingers and Bikini So Teeny on my toes and I have gotten a great deal of compliments on both. Traditionally, I only wear coral and light pink on toes and jewel tones on fingers, but I figured that if I was finally going to step outside of my comfort zone why not do so with such gorgeous colors as these? Unlike other polishes that I have used, Essie polishes have been able to survive chores, hair washings, sports, and everything else that causes chipped nails. Although I still think of them as splurges, I will definitely be buying more!

Thank you for reading my first beauty post! Please feel free to comment or message me about what you think! xox

Vintage Black

The amount of vintage tops I have because of my mother is uncanny. Growing up, things would mysteriously end up in my closet and upon further inspection I realized they were some of my mother's clothes from her teenage years or even her "pre-Taylor" days as she likes to call them. As I said in my first post my mother had quite the taste for IZOD back her day and thankfully she never threw them away. This top however is not one of her IZOD items but from another label called GroupLimited (sounds quite retro to me). Considering the wide range of black items I have in my closet there are numerous ways I can wear this top and I am quite excited! I can already see myself going to some after-hours college outing in this top... 

Thanks for reading and feel free to comment or follow me on any of the sites mentioned on the header! xox

Similar can be found here!

Bold in Uniform

Ralph Lauren top (similar here), black skirt, silver oxfords (similar here)

I must admit that living in the South has been an interesting experience. I am incredibly thankful for living here because it made me the person I am today and I am quite happy with that person, unfortunately, because of its conservative nature I was often scared to try new styles. As I mentioned in a previous post I never liked to experiment with fashion too much and would normally just stick to my typical uniform of circle skirts and cardigans. Although I still wear both items today (and quite religiously I might add) I have learned to pair them with some of my more bold pieces. 

As you can see I still wear my simple full skirts but paired it with one of my favorite items in my closet, my silver oxfords, or brogues if you prefer to call them that. Much like my asymmetrical skort, these were insanely hard to find for  under $100. I am proud to say that I bought these for only $8 at thrift shop. Of course, I was a bit panicked at the thought of wearing secondhand shoes, but after realizing that I would never find such an amazing deal I decided I would just drench them in alcohol and Lysol and take the risk. Needless to say, I have no regrets and will be returning to the thrift shop to see what other treasures I might be able to find. 

Thanks for reading! xox

Going Out & Switching It Up

I will always admit that I would much rather stay home with some hot chocolate and Tumblr, but as time gets closer to my college move-in date I am absolutely in love with the idea of going out on the weekends. The few times I did spend my Saturday night at a party in high school I went all out with hair, nails, make-up, and a great outfit of course! This dress happens to be one of my favorites and I cannot wait to wear it next year, although I will most likely be wearing more party appropriate shoes next time. 

This dress was made by Material Girl and despite the mesh paneled cutouts it was actually bought for a family reunion banquet (and by my grandmother no less!) . The first time I put it on I felt incredibly confident and slightly edgy. The form fitting dress was quite the departure from my normal A-line skirt and jeweled cardigan that I would typically wear for formal functions. It's been two years since I first stepped outside my comfort zone and wore the dress and I must admit I have loved experimenting with new items ever since! 

Thanks for reading! xox

Blue, White, & Stripes

Old Navy top, Forever 21 skirt, Forever 21 sandals

Because every school I have ever attended except from one has had the colors of blue and white I have quite the collection of navy blue items. This top is definitely one of my favorites. It was a birthday present from last year so it is unfortunately sold out, but I have found a similar top that can be purchased. I love the top because of its exposed zipper in the top but also because of its textured material.

The skirt was a Forever 21 purchase from a few months ago and has become a go-to item for dressy yet casual events. The shoes are from Old Navy as well.

Thank you for reading! xox

Quilted

Forever 21 skirt, Forever 21 shirt, Candie's necklace, BCBG shoes

I must admit that I am a sucker for anything with a quilted texture. I believe that it started with my obsession with the Top Shop "Wylde" Faux Leather Biker Jacket (which I'll show below) and only progressed from there. My easiest quilted piece to wear however is this Forever 21 quilted skater skirt. It is so incredibly soft that it feels just like a quilt, but it is heavy enough so it does not fly up in the breeze which makes it perfect for the summer and fall. My favorite thing about the skirt is how expensive it looks and feels despite its inexpensive price, it also doesn’t hurt that it is my favorite color of the moment.

My shirt was a recent Forever 21 purchase as well and I although it is just a t-shirt I could not be more pleased. Much like my skirt, it is very soft and because of its charcoal color it can be worn with a number of outfits (especially since my closet is mostly filled with black, white, and gray).

The necklace was a recent addition to my growing statement necklace collection.  It was quite the random purchase for me and I despite it being on sale I was not completely sure how often I would actually wear it, but it has been my most worn piece of jewelry this spring.

Overall, this outfit is full of my favorite spring trends and I cannot wait to wear it throughout the summer!

Thank you for reading! xox

                                                  Top Shop "Wylde" Faux Leather Biker Jacket

(sold out)

Peaches & Cream

Vintage blouse, SheInside skort, BCBG Generation heels 

When I first saw this skort last year, I was immediately loved how it could transform the simplest outfit into a chic ensemble. It was the perfect embodiment of all of the biggest trends. It had an interesting hemline, could work for a number of occasions, and came in a lovely basic white color. 

For months, I searched for similar skorts that were within my budget and actually shipped to the US. Finally, I came across SheInside and was ecstatic when I finally ordered them. Unfortunately, when I ordered mine from I did not keep in mind that tailored shorts and I do not get along very well (as I learned from me getting an unfortunate pair of high-waisted shorts from Urban Outfitters). Even after exchanging the skort for larger size they still were a bit too short for comfort, so I went to the one obvious place that I had somehow missed in my frantic search… Ebay. Thankfully, I was able to find a seller who had larger sizes and I must say I am overwhelmingly pleased that I finally got my asymmetrical skort. 

Since I had an ample amount of time to come up with ways to wear it, I decided to kick off my blog with my favorite combination of a vintage peach blouse and my minimalistic heels. The shirt was my mother’s when she was going through an IZOD phase in the 80s and 90s and the shoeswere an early graduation present.

 Thank you for reading! xox