Disclaimer: I didn't buy this all at one time because I am a poor grad student and that would be insane, but I got all of this in the last month or so, largely on sale (yay!).
Madewell Afternoon Dress, $98 at madewell.com, J. Crew Collection Cashmere Plaited Sweater, $129.99 at jcrew.com: I am a huge fan of dresses like this, that are very simple with classic shapes in comfy fabrics and fun colors. Why? Because you can wear them so many ways! I put a blazer over it and wore it to work, but I can also wear it with a pair of wedges and some fun statement jewelry for a night out, or with a cozy sweater and a pair of boots around for errands. However, I am the most excited about this sweater. I've loved this silhouette that J. Crew has been doing in all cashmere for a long time, with the French girl sweatshirt-chic vibe, but those sweaters run about $250. This one was a magical sale find for $45. TWO HUNDRED DOLLARS DOWN FROM THE ORIGINAL PRICE. INSANE. Granted, pink stripes is not the world's most practical color choice, but it's really cute (and much more neon in person), it's a cozy, flattering fit, and I think I can wear it a ton of ways.
J. Crew Button-front Dress in Linen, $138 at jcrew.com: This is the kind of dress that I saw online and I saw in-store, and I thought it looked kind of blah and dumpy. But then it was on super sale ($45!), so I tried it on (it also comes in an adorable black and white print that I think is sold out online). I got this in a 6, as it's a heavy linen blend with no stretch, so it seemed safer to size up. It's much shorter on me than on the model, and I like to wear it with the top two buttons undone and the sides pushed back so it's more of a v-neck. What I really like about this dress is that it's really well made--it has a lining, bra keeps, deep pockets, etc--and it has a shape that's pretty universally flattering. The wide, full skirt would be great for adding the illusion of curves if you have narrower hips but also has lots of room for my ridiculously wide hip bones. The top fits my chest really well, which is great for me, and the waist is also fairly fitted, which is also great for me. However if you have a large ribcage, this may not be for you, as the torso is fitted and has no stretch. My absolute favorite thing about this dress, however, is that it manages to look like something Sophia Loren would have worn while also still being modern. It's a perfect warm-weather sundress.
J. Crew Drapey Elbow-Sleeve Tee, $39.50 at jcrew.com, J. Crew A-line Ponté Dress, $128 at jcrew.com: I have this weird thing with t-shirts where I accumulate a lot of basic tees, realize I have no blouses or nice tops, end up trading in all my tees for blouses, then realizing I have no tees, and the vicious cycle continues. I wanted a basic tee to wear with my colorful minis and my legging-pants, and this J. Crew version fits the bill. It comes in a bunch of colors, was 25% off today, and has a fit that is the perfect combination of slouchy-casual and slightly sexy. I got this pink dress for work (wohooo unpaid internships) and for $45 as well! I got it in a 6, and I really like it. It's a good length, short enough to be flattering but long enough for an office, the v-neck is flattering without being scandalous, and the combination of the fitted waist and a-line skirt is both comfy and flattering. I just realized that this is the third pink dress I've bought in the last few months. I have a problem.
Tell me about your shopping adventures! What have you bought lately?
Images via jcrew.com, madewell.com.
You've probably seen these little bar necklaces everywhere--the ones on the short, delicate chains where the bar sits right below the collarbone. I wasn't sure how much I would like them on me, because short necklaces aren't usually my thing, so I picked up a gold plated one on Etsy with an 18 inch chain for $20-something from this little shop. I got the hammered version, where the bar is slightly textured (you can kind of see it in the second photo).
I absolutely love this. I wear it every day. I think it would feel cheap, because it was pretty cheap, but it looks and feels pretty expensive. The chain is so thin that it almost disappears on me, and it's just the gold bar floating below my collarbone, which looks really pretty. I love it because it's the kind of necklace you can wear with everything--it's fancy enough to wear out or to a nice event, but it's simple enough that you can wear it with a tee and leggings. It's just a great, easy to wear piece of jewelry.
I also super recommend that Etsy shop! It shipped quickly, came in cute packaging, and it was super affordable.
I've almost used up the entire tube of this, which is how you know that I love it. I got this while frantically rummaging through CVS on the way to class in desperate need of concealer after my MAC Studio Finish had gone MIA. Honestly, I think I grabbed it because it was cheap (about $7). I picked up Ivory, which is between NW15 and NW20 in MAC shades, and it's literally an exact match for my skintone--woohoo! It comes in a little plastic tube, and unscrews to reveal a doe-foot applicator. It's about the size of a lipstick, maybe a little longer, but I've had it since maybe February and it's still going strong.
Shade range: The shade range, sadly, seems extremely limited. It's probably only going to work for you if you are very pale, like me. However, if you are very pale, you are in luck! They have a few options on that end of the spectrum.
Formula/coverage: I love love love the formula of this. A lot of concealers I've used tend to sit on top of skin and be tacky. This one is almost like a watercolor--it sinks into skin immediately, dries down, isn't at all tacky, and feels just like skin. I've been using it on my dark circles and acne, and the fact that it dries down so quickly makes it great for covering blemishes. I also love it on dark circles because it is extremely pigmented and doesn't crease. This stuff is so pigmented that I can use just a dot and cover up a horrible zit. While it claims to last 24 hours (who is testing that?!), I can definitely get a whole day's wear out of this without needing to retouch.
Application: It comes with the doe-foot applicator, which is handy for applying to dark circles and dabbing on blemishes. However, I usually try to dab it on my hand and then apply it with my fingers because I don't want to get bacteria in the tube. The one qualm I have about application with this is that you have to blend quickly. It sets very fast, and then it doesn't budge, which is nice, but can be bad if you're like me and get distracted in the middle of blending in your concealer.
Awkward Chic Rating: A. I wish it had a wider shade range, but it is a great concealer with stellar coverage and lasting power for a crazy cheap price. Pale friends, rejoice!
Image via: Maybelline.com.
Sooo life kicked my ass and basically thesis + finals + graduation + a week and a half in Istanbul (!!!) and here I am. But I am officially doing nothing this summer pre-law school, so time to blog!
I picked up Benefit's Dallas at Sephora two weeks ago, and I have been using it every day since. Let me contextualize this purchase--I am extremely pale. Like burning after half an hour in the sun, mistaken for a ghost in photos with flash pale. I use bronzer and blush, but I have a hard time finding colors that make me look alive without making me look like a clown. Enter Dallas! Sephora calls it a rosy bronze, which is exactly what it is. It'll cost you $28, and comes in Benefit's typical cardboard box packaging that unfolds at the top with a mirror. It also comes with a flat blush brush, but I was never going to use that, so I gave it away. How hilarious is that rearing pony over the sunset? So soapy--in typical Dallas fashion.
It's a mostly matte powder--it has just the smallest hint of silvery shimmer, but barely enough to notice (I didn't even see it until I swatched it), and is fairly sheer, but builds up nicely, like you can see in the swatch. I apply it with my Real Techniques blush brush (more on that later) on the apples of my cheeks, on top of my cheekbones, and lightly on my chin, nose, and temples. The combination of blush and bronzer makes for the perfect natural flush--when I tan, I always burn first, so straight up bronzer usually looks unnatural on me. The hint of rosiness in this combo looks insanely natural, and because of that and the sheerness, this is basically impossible to overdo. It is literally foolproof--hard to overapply, easy to blend, and looks great even on super pale people! The lasting power is typical for powders on me--all day, with maybe one touch up around lunchtime if I go to the gym.
Awkward Chic rating: A+! It's a huge box, so it'll last me forever (and $28 for a blush/bronzer combo isn't bad), it's crazy flattering and easy to use, it smells like roses, and it wears nicely!
Real Techniques Blush Brush: Guys, I love Real Techniques brushes. They're all synthetic, affordable, and great quality (plus I love the Pixiwoo sisters, so it's a win-win). I have four now, AND I WANT MORE! The blush brush is $8.99 at Ulta, and it is a steal. Let me break it down--it's about 6 inches tall--the height of my palm--has a brushed pink metal barrel and a black plastic base that's wide at the bottom, so you can stand it up on its end, which is super convenient. The brush head is extremely soft, but packed with bristles, so it's firm enough to pick up a good amount of product. The rounded head means that the tip picks up product while the edges blend it out for a flawless application. I can't even tell you guys how fluffy this brush is. Sometimes I get distracted while putting on my makeup and just play with this brush. I use it for contours, blush, bronzer, powder, everything!
Awkward Chic rating: A+. It's hard to find cheap brushes of this quality. I've paid three times as much for brushes that I like less. Buy this!
