OOTD/Fashion: Keepin’ it casual!

I may have hinted with the lack of posts this past week that life has been super duper busy for me — there’s more to do at work, and I started the new semester with my grad class, so I’ve got plenty on my plate. (Plus, we’re still getting adjusted to the much bigger new house, so decorating, cleaning and unpacking is still on my to do list every weekend.)

So, what’s a girl to wear when she’s got so much going on in her life that she doesn’t have much time to devote to pulling together a cute outfit? T-shirts! I know what you’re thinking….yawn. But T-shirts don’t have to be part of a drab outfit. You can add a few touches here and there to make an OOTD with a T-shirt really fun and fashionable.

During the week, since I work in an office, I wear slacks, skirts, sweaters and dresses. But on the weekend, I’m a total T-shirt girl. I was recently sent a few shirts from Crazy Dog T-shirts, a website where you can buy custom T-shirts with funny designs, including some vintage-looking styles and 80s throwback logos.

I was really impressed not only with the cute styles of the shirts I was sent, but also with the quality. If you’ve got several T-shirts in your wardrobe, you probably know that not all shirts are made equally, and some tees can be pretty cheap and fall apart after one wash. But these have worn well, and I’ve really been reaching for them the most out of all my T-shirts.

You can see here that I ditched the usual sneakers that most people pair with T-shirts and went with a soft black boot with tucked in jeans. I really like this shirt because it’s a reference to the HBO show True Blood, but it’s not an overt T-shirt with Sookie and Bill on the front.

Merlotte’s Bar and Grill is the restaurant where Sookie works on the show, but you’d have to be a fan to know that. I’ve gotten tons of compliments when I’ve worn this, from people who love True Blood!

One really cool thing about this site is that they have a variety of fits and sizes in their shirts. This one is an adult size, which I got in a small, but you can also get women’s slim fit, which would fit more like a baby doll tee (more fitted sleeves, shorter in the waist).

This shirt is also a nod to True Blood, with a graphic that features “Bon Temps football,” the name of the town that the show is set in. Love love love this one, and when I wear it, I go for a super casual style with laceless Converse slipons and baggy boyfriend jeans, since the shirt itself is really soft and loose.

They also sent me this women’s slim fit shirt with a Bayside Tigers athletic logo (Saved by the Bell, anyone?), which I got in a size large. It fits just right, with a little bit of give in the chest and stomach but still fitted enough where it doesn’t feel like I’m wearing pajamas. Whenever I wear T-shirts, I like to do my makeup really soft, girly and glowy so that I don’t feel like a total bum!

I’d definitely recommend checking out Crazy Dog T-shirts to see what unique tees you can find that are fun little pop culture references. And, when you’re wearing a tee, remember that you can definitely go extremely casual, but you have other options to pull your outfit together and look chic!

OOTD – discount fashion

Here is part two of my recent ROSS haul (part one was my makeup find, a BareMinerals palette). I got 2 pieces of my OOTD in my ROSS shopping trip.

I got this top and sweater at ROSS, and both were under $10! Really, shopping at stores like ROSS, TJ Maxx, Marshalls and Target for clothes has made me such a thrifty shopper — I rarely will pay full price for an item, and if I do, it has to be pretty inexpensive.

The sweater was on clearance for $4.99, and the top was $6.99.

Here’s a better look at the sweater — love those gold sequined pockets! This outfit was perfect for me for work because it was neutral with a few pops of style, like the pockets on the sweater or the lace detail on the top, which was a sleeveless striped tank over a black tank.

Here’s a close-up of the detail on the pocket…

Here’s the bottom half of the outfit, purchased during  a previous JC Penney haul. I got a $50 gift card from JCP for Christmas, along with a $50 VISA gift card, and I went shopping there the day after Christmas — taking advantage of all the doorbuster deals and seasonal clearance! I got these slacks for $14.99 and the shoes were around $12!

I kept the makeup for this look pretty neutral, soft and work-appropriate, and I just pulled my hair back into a messy bun.

Hope this post (and all my fashion posts, actually!) inspires you to look for those deals — you don’t have to spend a lot to look great!

Kymaro giveaway winner!

Just in time for the Thanksgiving feast, I’m announcing the winner of the Kymaro giveaway sponsored by 5WPR. The random number generated for the comment winner was…6!

6. Tina Renee Barker  |  November 6, 2010 at 8:32 pm

I love spending time with my family during the holidays!

Congratulations, Tina! I loved reading everyone’s comments about their favorite holiday traditions, and Tina posted some great ones! I’ll contact you by email soon to get your mailing address and send the info to my friends at 5WPR so they can get your prize in the mail!

Regretting all that Halloween candy?

I love this time of year! Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year’s…there’s so much to celebrate in the next few months! That means that I’ll get to do lots of dressing up, but it also means that I might make some bad food choices.

I think we’ve all had that year (or is it every year?) where we gain a few pounds from November to January, and it can be really depressing to notice your waistline expanding. Diet and exercise are of course important, but shapewear can be another way to feel better about how you look during and after the holidays.

And now for the super exciting news for you…I’m having a sponsored giveaway of some amazing shapewear and denim designed to help you look your slimmest and sleekest! What’s up for grabs?

One winner will receive Kymaro’s New Body Shaper, which has a patented, breathable design that will instantly make you look 10 lbs thinner and hide cellulite while still being comfortable! The winner will also receive Kymaro’s Curve Control Jeans, which contours the same way shapewear does, but it’s denim!

Here are the contest rules:

• You must be a subscriber to my blog. If you’re not already subscribed, make sure you head to the homepage and click the “i wanna subscribe” button on the right side of the page.
• You’ll receive one entry per unique comment left on this post. Comment telling me something you love about the holidays (we know we all don’t like gaining weight over the holidays, but I’m sure there are a ton of things to talk about that we love). You can comment as many times as you want, but they must be different things.
• You can get an extra entry by tweeting, blogging or sharing the link to my blog and giveaway (just leave a comment telling me how you shared).
• Contest begins now and will end in two weeks, on Thursday, Nov. 18, at midnight CST.
• The winner will be selected through random.org. I’ll announce the winner in a blog post and also by email. You’ll have 24 hours to reply with your mailing address, and I’ll pass it along to 5WPR, who is sponsoring the giveaway and will be mailing out your prize.

Good luck!

UPDATE 11/8/2010 – U.S. residents only, please! Any comment entries from outside the U.S. made before this update will still be counted. Thanks!

Battle of the Nude/Neutral Palettes: Too Faced Natural Eye Kit

Ready for round two of the Battle of the Nude/Neutral Palettes on What’s On My Face? My first post in this series focused on the Urban Decay Naked Palette (which I consider the holy grail of all nude/neutral palettes), and this one will be all about the Too Faced Natural Eye Kit — another higher-end offering that some have compared to the UD Naked palette.

I bought this palette I believe in September, when I was on the hunt for the UD Naked palette and couldn’t find it anywhere! I stopped in my local ULTA and asked if they had any in (of course they didn’t!), and the salesgirl recommended that I try this palette instead for a similar product.

Here’s the inside of the palette. First big difference from UD Naked? Fewer shadows. Another difference? No mirror or coordinating eyeliner! But, I like this one because it’s got three sets of coordinating three shadows that you can use to create looks (Day, Classic, Fashion), which they have detailed on cards that come inside the top of the kit.

You of course don’t have to use the shadows in the ways they’ve described on the cards, but it’s helpful if you’re new to eye makeup and have no clue what to put where. The good thing is that all the shades are really complementary and blend well together. You can use the lid color in the Classic row, add the Day crease color and top off with the Fashion outer v/darker shade, and you’re good to go!

On to the swatches!

I swatched the shadows according to the “looks” in the palette. Left to right -

First set of three – Day

• Heaven (which you can barely see, but this one is great for inner corner and brow highlight)
• Velvet Revolver (a really great taupe-y crease shade)
• Sexspresso (a deep matte brown…love this for outer v and to set brown eyeliner)

Second set of three – Classic

• Silk Teddy (a shimmery champagne that is amazing for all over the lid)
• Push Up (this one is a shimmery medium brown and intended for the crease, but since I like a matte crease, I usually stick with Velvet Revolver and use Push Up to darken the outer third of my lid)
• Erotica (a deep brown with shimmers…this one works well for the outer v)

Final set of three – Fashion

• Nude Beach (whoaaaaa, this one is glittery! I use this sparingly, here and there, to add some fun shimmer to my lid but I don’t think I’d use this all over my lid, especially not for a daytime work look. Guess that’s why it’s in the Fashion lineup!)
• Honey Pot (love this one! It’s comparable to Half Baked in the UD Naked palette, and I love to apply it in the center of my lid to add some dimension and shine to my eye look)
• Cocoa Puff (you can’t really see the shimmer in the swatch, but this is a deeper brown with some fun gold glitter)

My favorite shades in the palette are probably Velvet Revolver (not the most interesting but definitely the one I get the most use out of), Honey Pot (so much fun to experiment with how you wear this one…can be part of a really bronze/gold eye look or a fun, unexpected pop of color) and Erotica (it’s deep and dark, but it’s also got a nice shimmer that makes it perfect for outer v).

Here are a few ways that I’ve used the Too Faced Natural Eye Kit to create neutral eye looks:

Here, I used a combo of Heaven and Silk Teddy all over the lid, placed Push Up in the outer corner, and brushed Velvet Revolver in the crease. I also used Sexspresso to set my brown eyeliner. Oh, and Heaven as an inner corner and brow highlight.

This one is pretty similar to the one above, but I’ve used Honey Pot as well, in the middle of my lid, blended out, and also in the inner corner for an unexpected touch of gold highlight (which you might not be able to detect in the pic).

So, final thoughts? I really do like this palette and am happy that I bought it before UD Naked. I think it does a similar job as UD Naked and offers some comparable shades. Of course, if you’re picking one of the two, definitely go for UD Naked — it’s in the same price range (around $45 for UD and $35 for TF) and it offers more shadows, plus 2 liners and a mirrored palette. But, if you’re like me and couldn’t find the UD Naked, this Too Faced palette is a good second choice.

Up next in the Battle of the Nude/Neutral Palettes? The final post, complete with drugstore options and dupes!

Fall Fashion – OOTD #2 (all buttoned-up!)

I love fall…it’s my favorite season for clothes, like I’ve said. So, you get more OOTDs because I’m having more fun getting dressed! This one is from a weekend or so ago, but it’s still appropriate for the current weather. I might throw a light cardigan on since it’s about 7 or so degrees chillier, but otherwise, it’s perfect for the crisp autumn air!

The top is a super cute button-down with a twist…ruffles! Ruffles are still very trendy right now and add a feminine flair to this otherwise neutral top. Got it for around $15 at Marshalls. I’m wearing a brown cami underneath (even though the shirt is a button-down, I still felt like I needed something underneath…I’m always worried about the space in between the buttons!) The jeans are the same as what I wore in my previous Fall Fashion OOTD — The Flirty skinny jeans from Old Navy.

And on my feet? Gladiator sandals from Forever21! I got these over the summer for under $8 (liked them so much I bought them in black and brown!), and the weather was still warm enough to wear sandals instead of boots. Love that I still can show off my pedi for another week or two!

They zip up the back…love these shoes!

This is what I call my “lazy hairdo” — it’s what I do when I want my hair out of my face and off my neck, but I don’t want to put any effort into it. My hair is so super duper long right now!

Since my hair was up, I wanted to wear a pair of dangly earrings. These are from Kohls and they’re Mudd.

I wish I could remember what exactly is on my face, but I’m 99.9 percent sure it’s a combo of Revlon ColorStay in 150 Buff, MAC eyeshadow in Gesso in the inner corners, a bunch of shades from Urban Decay Naked Palette, and on my lips? Eeek, totally no clue. I do something different there almost every day because I have a billion lip products!

And a closer look at my face! Lots more Fall Fashion posts to come! Hope you’re enjoying the amazing weather, wherever you are!

Fall Fashion – OOTD #1

It’s beginning to feel a lot like….fall! I love the cool weather, where it’s no longer hot and humid, but it’s not so cold that being outdoors is unbearable. Autumn is my favorite season, by far. It’s got the best holidays, and definitely the best possibilities for fashion.

Here’s a recent Outfit of the Day so you can get some ideas for how to dress in the cooler weather.

I LOVE browns and earth tones in the fall. Right now, purples and burgundies are really trendy. You can see that my OOTD is featuring a deep, chocolate brown, but the same top would be adorable in a dark violet, maybe with black skinny jeans and boots.

The top is a tunic-style short-sleeved sweater from Forever 21 — a great deal at only $9.99! This is an awesome basic piece to have for fall, and even into winter weather (especially if you live in a state like Texas where the two seasons aren’t that different, weather-wise). You can keep it casual like I did and pair with skinny jeans (mine are another steal of a deal from Old Navy…they’re The Flirt style and in a dark indigo wash), or you can dress it up with patterned tights and make it a standalone piece.

I tucked the skinny jeans into boots. These are a recent purchase from ROSS, and I can’t find a brand on them, but they’re just slouchy suede ankle boots in the same color as the tunic. I’ve seen these types of boots in lots of stores already this season, and I bet you can find something similar online, too.

I kept my accessories simple and added this super cute headband from Target that incorporates brown tones and adds some gold in there as well, bringing me to…

My earrings, which were a cheap-y but cute purchase, I think from Target. They’re little gold flowers with a jeweled center.

For my face, I kept the makeup light and natural, using Revlon ColorStay foundation (in Buff) and the Urban Decay Naked palette for my eyes, using mostly Virgin all-over the lid and popping a bit of Half Baked in the crease and outer v.

I’m going to continue to feature fall fashion OOTDs in the coming weeks, as the weather gets cooler and I find some great deals on staples you need in your closet this season, as well as some trendy pieces here and there.

August 2010 favorites

Just like last month, I’m a tad behind on posting my blog about my favorite products and things from the month of August. Oh well, it’s still in the single digits of September, so I’m not that late, right?

Makeup: Purples & lavendars (nails, lips and eyes)
I’m super excited to hear that purple is trendy for fall/winter makeup this year because I’ve found a way to make it work for me! You know I love a neutral eye look, so I was sort of intimidated to try colored shadow. But, there are some amazing purple shades in the e.l.f. Beauty Book – Neutral Edition that I bought earlier in the summer, and I wanted to make use of them.

I’ve started using the lighter, more shimmery purple (3rd column, 2nd row) as an all-over lid color and sweeping a more midtone brown (like the medium matte brown in the Wet n Wild Vanity palette) in the crease, and then deepening the outer corner with a combo of a darker plum (like the one here in the 4th column, 2nd row) and a darker brown (4th column, 3rd row).

After I dipped my toe into the purple shadow waters, I was hooked and wanted to try more, like the Maybelline Stylish Smokes quad in 06 Amethyst that I showed you in a recent CVS haul.

This is a great, inexpensive palette. Upon first swatch, all the colors seem really pigmented, but after blending out the lid color (top left) is the one that really keeps its color. But, they’re all good to blend and define into a pretty eye look.

I love the unexpected pop of purple! You could go all out and do a really bold colored eye look, but I’m sticking with soft and conservative! Here’s the lid close-up:

I’ve been topping off all of these purple eye looks with the Prestige Total Intensity Eyeliner in Powerful Purple on my top lash line (but still using Bold Brown on the bottom lash line).

Purple has also found its way into my lip products!

I love doing a light eye with a pretty pinky peach blush and a bold lilac lip. I’ve found a couple good options at the drugstore for purple-y lip shades:

• Sally Hansen Natural Makeup Inspired by Carmindy lipstick in Lilac (see this post for a swatch)
• Revlon ColorBurst lipstick in Lilac (see this post for a swatch)

I definitely plan on expanding this list over the fall and winter! I’ve also found what is quite possibly my holy grail nail shade in a purple tone:

This is Lucky Lucky Lavendar, from the OPI Hong Kong collection, and I’m in love! I first got a manicure with this last month and have since bought my own bottle. It’s definitely got a pink undertone, but there’s also that subtle, sort of quirky hint of purple that I love. Even though this was a summer color for me, I plan on wearing it into the fall and winter. Won’t that be unexpected and really pretty, to have a light lavendar nail when I’m wearing darker, heavier clothing?

Shopping: Target clearance!
Target put a bunch of its more high end makeup brands (Sonia Kashuk, pixi, Jemma Kidd, Napoleon Perdis) on clearance in August to make room for new products from each line. And I scored!

This was just Round One…I went back to different Targets many times throughout the month and built up a little stockpile of clearanced goodies! I also got some cosmetics — NP Set Lipstick (favorite is in Minneapolis, a creamy pink). I’ve only used the big powder brush from Sonia Kashuk above, not the brush set, but I’m really loving that particular one to set my foundation using the e.l.f. High Definition powder.

I’ve seen a few stragglers from this big Target cosmetics clearance in the endcaps along the health/beauty aisles, so be sure to check those out and you might be able to score, too!

Reviewing: All-in-one products
In August, I was really fortunate to review a ton of great products, and the highlight were a couple that I consider “all-in-one” products. Whether they’re intended or marketed that way, these two items have helped me to consolidate at least two products/steps into one, and that’s definitely a favorite!

I just posted a full review of the pixi Lid & Line, and it’s definitely one of my favorite all-in-one products of August. It’s a pen that has a matching shadow and liner, plus a smudger to make it nice and smoky — what more can you ask for? I’m also loving pixi’s YouTube channel where makeup artist Amanda Bell has videos about priming your eye and creating the perfect smoky eye. Really useful videos!

I’ve also reviewed (and loved!) the RUSK Deepshine Oil this month. For me, this was totally an all-in-one product because it gives me the benefits of two different products that I used to use as a hair treatment — argan oil and CHI Silk Infusion. It’s an argan oil-based product, so that takes care of that, and it gives me the same (maybe even better) results as the CHI Silk Infusion that I used as a styling aid to tame the frizz and increase shine when I blowdry. Love this stuff!

Fashion: Business dress with a twist!
I wish I’d been able to photograph more OOTDs for you guys in August because I had to come up with a ton of looks that were appropriate for business meetings and events, but I was able to style them so I still felt cute and comfy.

One standout for me was this awesome grey dress from Express Last Hurrah (an outlet version of Express) topped with a black blazer with 3/4-length sleeves and two buttons at the waist. I got the blazer at ROSS and love adding it to a really simple dress, like this one, to add that final element to tie everything together. It’s also good to top a summery dress or skirt to make it more business/office appropriate.

That’s it for August favorites. Thanks so much to everyone for sharing this month with me and reading my blog. I’ve been having so much fun posting about my favorite products and beauty finds. Stick with me in September. I’ve got tons of great posts planned, along with a giveaway or two!

 

7/16/2010 – Outfit of the Day!

Happy Friday! For those of us who work a 40-hour week Monday through Friday, there’s nothing like the start of a weekend.

So, to celebrate the awesomeness that is Friday, here’s my first ever Outfit of the Day. I love these types of blog posts and YouTube videos, so I hope my fashion interests you.

This is actually my Outfit of the Evening…during the day, I wore exactly this, but I had on a shirt with the name of my employer, which I didn’t want to post, and didn’t want to wear when I went out after work, so only the top is different from the day look! We’re probably just going to go out to dinner, so I’m keeping it casual!

My shirt was an awesome find from our trip to Austin, TX, last week. We ate breakfast one day at Magnolia Cafe (which you MUST do if you go to Austin; everyone eats here!), and stopped by Prima Dora, a shop next door to Magnolia that had shirts for the restaurant for sale! I found this super cute, thin tee that’s black and has adorable pink flamingos on it! I thought it was apt since the meal I got at Magnolia was called The Flamingo.

The jeans are a gray wash from Banana Republic Outlet (we went to the massive outlet mall in San Marcos, TX, on our vacation last week…it was a sensory overload!), and the shoes are the brand nicole, purchased at ROSS a month or so ago.

Ruffles are really on trend right now, and I love how the leg of the jean hits my foot so that the little ruffles on the shoes just poke out a bit. So girly and pretty!

I got the headband at Target — they have a TON of really cute ones in stock right now, very sweet and stylish. This is second-day hair, so when I got ready this morning, it wasn’t giving me much volume, so I just stuck the headband on it, and bam — looks like I put a ton of effort to style, and I didn’t!

As for jewelry, I went simple on the earrings, since I’ve got the jeweled headband up top, too. These are probably my favorite earrings of all-time. They’re from Forever21, and they came in one of those sets of 3 pairs of earrings for $3ish. Just cute little white flowers, and I get a ton of compliments on them.

I also threw on this rosary bracelet that I got from a local vendor at a craft show a few months ago. (I lost her business card, though, so I can’t find her name. I don’t think she had a website or anything.) I think pink and gray work really well together.

And a quick face of the day, list-style!

Products used:

• Laura Gellar Spackle Tinted Under Makeup Primer (fantastic primer, gives you a nice base of color under foundation)
• Lancome Effacernes Waterproof Concealer (I dot this under my eyes and blend in before foundation)
• Milani Cosmetics Secret Cover Concealer Cream (I use this to cover up any redness, blemishes, discoloration, etc.)
• Physicians Formula Healthy Wear  SPF 50 Tinted Moisturizer in Fair to Light (Yes, the $0.74 score from my Target haul yesterday! Tested it out today, and I liked it. Very silky to apply, blended well, but I was left with a super dewy, almost oily finish — and I have dry skin! So, just set it with a powder, and it was fine.)
• MAC Just a Pinch Gel Blush – limited edition (Got this at the CCO in San Marcos outlet mall. I use it over foundation but under my finishing powder, then follow up after powder with a light wash of powder blush.)
• e.l.f. High Definition Powder (love this to set my foundation and cream products! It really softens the face and is not at all cake-y.)
• Almay bronzer in Sunkissed (I apply this with a light hand to my cheekbones, forehead and under my chin, just so I’m not so pasty white!)
• NARS blush in Orgasm (This truly is the perfect color, pinky-peach and makes you look so alive!)
• Laura Gellar Baked Body Frosting in Sugar Glow (this is the prettiest highlight! Goes above my cheekbones, on my browbone and in my cupid’s bow.)
• e.l.f. Mineral Eyeshadow Primer (a total dupe for Urban Decay Primer Potion!)
• MAC Painterly Paint Pot (after the primer, this gives my lids a really even base to start applying shadow)
• MAC Phloof! (I use this eyeshadow all over the lid and in the inner corners, to open up my eyes and add some shine)
• Lancome Color Design Eyeshadow in Moccachino (I use my crease brush to softly blend this into the crease, adding some definition without making my lids too dark. Plus, it’s a matte, so it helps to balance out the shimmer of Phloof!)
• Smashbox Etch eyeshadow (Is this no longer sold in the Smashbox line? I got mine in a set through HauteLook so I’m not sure. Anyway, I tap a bit of this into my outer corners and blend to the middle of the lids.)
• Christian Siriano for Victoria’s Secret eyeshadow in Royalty (This was limited edition, and I bought at the VS outlet in San Marcos. It’s a gorgeous chocolate brown shade, and I use it to deepen the outer V.)
• Rimmel Soft Kohl Kajal Eyeliner in Pure White (I line my waterline with this to open up my eyes and make me look wide awake!)
• Prestige Total Intensity Eyeliner in Bold Brown (I line my upper and lower lash lines with this for definition.)
• Urban Decay Skyscraper Multi-Benefit Mascara (After curling my lashes, I apply this to my upper lashes. I have a mini-tube of this, and I love the control I have with the brush!)
• Upper Canada Naturally Lip Butter in Sweet Vanilla Fig (Holy gosh, I got this at a Buc-ees convenience store on the road during our vacation last week, and I LOVE it! Most conditioning lip butter ever, and I have super dry lips!)
• MAC Viva Glam Gaga lipstick (such a Barbie pink!)
• Revlon Super Lustrous Lipgloss in Lilac Pastelle (softens up the Gaga and gives me a baby pink pout)

Gosh, that looks like a lot in a bulleted list, doesn’t it? But remember, I’m doing a full face of makeup, and I’m not blessed enough to have such good skin that I can leave stuff out.

So that’s what I’m wearing tonight. Hope you like it! What did you wear today?