I am opposed to buying a Halloween costume that you can only wear on Halloween on principle. Why am I going to spend a good amount of money on something I only wear once (and if I can only wear it once, it's guaranteed to be pretty ridiculous)? This is sad, but I judge purchases like that in terms of how many MAC shadows I could have bought instead. If I spend $45 on a wear-once costume, I just lost out on 3 MAC shadows. Not cool. Instead, I will always find an excuse to do a Halloween costume that involves pieces that I wanted to buy anyways (I justified my Ray-Bans as part of an Audrey Hepburn costume. Yes, I'm that nerdy). Take this year's costume. I need to get this red American Apparel pencil skirt, and I've already started planning non-Halloweeny outfits around it. I'm actually really excited about it. I'm really feeling a '70s-inspired, slightly retro school teacher/equestrian ensemble.
American Apparel Interlock Pencil Skirt in Cranberry, $32 at americanapparelstore.com, KAIN Label Pocket Tank, $80 at shopbop.com: Here's the skirt. It's a rusty red color, which is totally on-trend for fall, and also a complete departure from the rest of my closet. Red scares me. I own officially one red piece of clothing, and I just got it a week ago. The idea of wearing so much red in one outfit would scare me if it was a top, but it totally works as a bottom. You get all the impact of red without all that color up by your face (yes, that much color by my face scares me). Also, I'm trying to stock up on pencil skirts. I have a very hourglassy figure, and the slight a-line skirts I have just don't flatter that. See, it's a practical Halloween costume! I'd pair the form-fitted skirt with a lighter, softer top like this KAIN tank. The skirt is all business and structure, and the tank adds a little flow and a little sexiness with the sheerness. Plus, since it's so thin, it won't look all lumpy and bumpy when tucked into the skirt.
Frye Melissa Button Boots, $318 at shopbop.com, Foley + Corinna Mid City Tote, $395 at museten.com: In keeping with the '70s vibe, I'd do accessories in warm brown leather. The rusty red and equestrian inspired leather pieces just feel so '70s, no? I'd wear the skirt with these boots because, well, I have these boots. And I have this bag. Hehe. But I do think they all really work together nicely. The boots add a rugged twist, and the bag is not only a '70s inspired shape, but ties together the outfit from head to toe. Also it's just an awesome bag. I highly recommend it for anyone looking for a basic, practical bag that will wear well and get you tons of compliments.
Bing Bang Tiny Skull Stud Earrings, $30 at shopbop.com, Erica Klein Horse Necklace, $140 at shopbop.com: I love the idea of adding a little subversive twist with the jewelry. These studs look just like basic studs from far away because they're so small, but once you get up close you see that they're little skulls, which adds a fun, offbeat vibe to the ensemble. Plus, they're gold-plated, which means they won't irritate your ears. The horse necklace ties in with the equestrian vibe, and is unexpected and quirky in a polished way. I think the '70s are definitely about warm, gold jewelry.
Images from americanapparelstore.com, shopbop.com, shopbop.com, museten.com, shopbop.com, shopbop.com.
This is ridiculously random, but sometimes I think to play a little game with myself. It goes something along the lines of, if I could any have designer purse right now, which would it be? Same for shoes, jewelry, dresses, etc, etc. I have built up a very extensive dream wardrobe.
The latest addition to my dream wardrobe is this fall 2010 Versus dress. Versus is the collaboration between Versace and Christopher Kane, and basically my clothing soulmate. I heart this dress. The cut is extremely flattering--just the right amount of emphasis on the bust, a fitted waist, and that fab, flared out a-line skirt. Then you add in the lingerie inspiration and the subtle contrast between colors and textures of the bordeaux velvet and the black satin. It's so sweetly retro and yet so intensely vampy at the same time. I can't find it for sale online, but I'm guessing it's between $2,000 and $3,000, so probably not a realistic choice. All the same, I die.
Christian Louboutin Rolandzip Suede Pumps, $795 at net-a-porter.com, Christian Louboutin Palais Royal Clutch, $2,565 at net-a-porter.com: I'd pair it with these Christian Louboutin pumps. I wouldn't want anything that would distract too much from the dress, so these basic black pumps are great. The zipper running down the heel adds just enough spice to keep them from being boring. Since there's so much edginess going on, I like the girly contrast of this clutch. The silver hardware ties in with the detail on the heels, the pink works with the red of the dress, and the lace goes with the overall slightly Victorian Gothic theme.
Gaaah, it's killing me. Do y'all have any dream pieces?
Images from style.com, net-a-porter.com, net-a-porter.com.
Keira Knightley basically always looks awesome, but I feel like she looks especially awesome here at the Chanel show. The combination of the girly, pastoral dress and the boyish blazer is totally fab, but can we just talk about the hair? That streamlined bob is so darn chic!
Images from gofugyourself.com.
I was going to do some Paris Fashion Week round-ups, but Style.com is throwing a fit right now, so that didn't work out (general thoughts: McQueen = love). So instead I thought I'd do a little round-up of fall beauty products that I'm craving.
By Lauren Luke My Vintage Glams Palette, $32.50 at sephora.com, Narcisco Rodriguez for Her Musc, $92 at sephora.com: So I wear warm shimmery eye shadows basically all the time, but they're particularly appropriate for fall, no? I've watched Lauren Luke's videos a lot, and I love that she has a makeup line now. This palette is so handy; two shades of shadow primer, three shadows, a cream liner, and a blush. You can do almost your entire face from this one palette, and in pretty warm pinks and purples. I basically wear the same scents all year round, but if I had the extra cash, I'd totally buy this Narcisco Rodriguez perfume just for fall. It's like the perfume equivalent of a cashmere sweater, soft and warm and close to the skin.
Philosophy Cinnamon Hot Dots Showergel, $16 at sephora.com, Philosophy Red Apple Shower Gel, $16 at sephora.com: When I think fall beauty, I definitely think of scents first, especially apples and cinnamon and pumpkins. Mmmm, yummy. Philosophy is so great for off-beat, scented body products. I really want to grab the Pumpkin Spice Muffin one when it comes out again, but in the meantime there's Cinnamon Dots and Red Apple. Cinnamon is so Christmassy, and Red Apple reminds me of apple cider, which is basically AMAZINGNESS.
Bath and Body Works Twilight Woods Body Lotion, $10.50 at bathandbodyworks.com, Bath and Body Works Leaves Candle, $19.50 at bathandbodyworks.com: If you like to go the woodsier route, Bath and Body Works has a lot of great options. I like Twilight Woods (aside from it having the unfortunate Twilight in the name and reminding me of pale sparklely people), because it has a subtle, musky scent that's girly but not too cloying. I so wish I could have candles in my dorm room. I'm a scented room freak. Who wouldn't want their room to smell like golden nectar, juicy mandarin, red apple, cinnamon sticks, mulled cider, and red berries? Plus, it's giant 3-wick candle, so it'll last forever.
Zoya Valerie swatch, OPI Let Me Entertain You swatch: I just bought both of these, and I'm SO EXCITED. Valerie is a medium, vibrant purple with gold and pink shimmer, which totally solves the problem of a vampy purple coming across as too dark! Now it just comes across as gorgeously purple and sparkly! GAAHHHH love. Let Me Entertain You is from OPI's collaboration with the Burlesque movie (Cher, Christina Aguliera, etc), and it's a deep magenta with glass flake shimmer. I just can't deal with the level of shimmer going on here. It's astronomical levels of shimmer. As soon as I get these Valerie is going on my nails and LMEY on my toes.
Fresh Sugar Plum Tinted Lip Treatment, $22.50 at sephora.com: I'm not a bold lip color person at all, but even I think of berry lips when I think fall. Lipstick is pushing it a little far for me (I know, I know), but I love tinted lip balms like this Fresh one. I've wanted one of the Fresh lip treatments FOREVA, and this one has this gorgeous wine hue that's just sheer enough to be a little vampy. Plus it has SPF 14, so you're doing yourself good by wearing it!
Images from sephora.com, sephora.com, sephora.com, sephora.com, bathandbodyworks.com, bathandbodyworks.com, vampyvarnish.com, nails.kre.se, sephora.com.
It's monsooning in Massachusetts, which wouldn't upset me so much if it wasn't only OCTOBER. I was promised two months of fall! Not four weeks! I just can't handle the idea of winter descending on me so quickly. Gah. The only thing I like about rainy weather is that I get to wear my Hunter rain boots. Living on a college campus you see a lot of rain boots, some cute and some...not so cute. So I thought I'd round up a couple of adorable rain boots for some gloomy day shopping inspiration.
Hunter Original Boots, $125 at shopbop.com, Hunter Welly Socks, $35.95 at zappos.com: So I have these Hunter boots in black. I got them a little over a year ago, and I wear them basically all the time--in rain, in snow, to the barn, etc. They're super durable, you can wear them with basically anything, and they are 100% waterproof. I literally stood in a puddle of water 12 inches deep to test them, and zero leaks. That's really impressive. Mine are the matte black ones, which means that they go with everything, but I kind of wish I'd gotten this hunter green pair (pun intended). The green is still a neutral, but it's a little more fun and a little more classic English gentry (the origin of said boots). Now, if y'all haven't heard, Hunter also makes welly socks for their boots. These are fleece removable boot liners that come in a wide range of colors and fabrics, and they have the Hunter label attached in case anyone was worried about losing that. These pink ones are so adorable, but I kind of want a pair of green socks for my black boots, just because green goes with so much more of what I already own.
Hunter Festival Short Welly Boots, $205 at net-a-porter.com, Kors Michael Kors Stormy Wellington Boots, $125 at net-a-porter.com: If you like your rain boots with a little more sass, I totally recommend these short Hunters. One, since they're Hunters you know the quality is there, two, that cobalt color is both versatile and completely adorable and spunky, and two, the textured and studded rubber gives these a total rock and roll vibe that you don't usually get in a pair of rain boots. What I really like about these Michael Kors boots is that they look like the Frye Harness boots. They don't look like rain boots at all, just a shiny pair of motorcycle boots. They're very downtown, edgy-hipster chic, no?
Chooka Panthera Rain Boot, $69.95 at nordstorm.com, Chooka Crocodilla Rain Boot, $79.95 at nordstrom.com: These two boots are slightly cheaper (I know none of these are cheap, but trust me, with rain boots you really get what you pay for). I love the idea of leopard print rain boots. It's so spunky, and since the print is in muted greys and browns, it's a lot more wearable than it sounds. Just think about getting up in the morning, already depressed about how it's raining, and then getting to put on leopard print rain boots. It makes you smile, doesn't it? Or, if you're a little more uptown, these mock-croc embossed boots are a great option. The patent sheen, subtle texture, and the gold hardware are all so polished in a Sydney Bristow sort of way.
Images from shopbop.com, zappos.com, net-a-porter.com, net-a-porter.com, nordstrom.com, nordstrom.com.
The editors over at Lovelyish asked me to participate in a style challenge: picking an outfit based on my favorite fall boots. Well, my favorite fall boots also happen to be my only boots, the Frye Melissa boots.
Tada! My babies. I've had them since last January. They are awesome. See how they stand up by themselves? That's how sturdy the leather is! I shopped around for boots for almost six months before getting these, and they were so worth the wait. They've broken in so nicely, and are the perfect blend between cowboy and equestrian boots.
For fall, I generally tend to wear these with jeans (especially since fall in Massachusetts is synonymous with 50 degrees and freezing). Since the boots are on the rugged side, I like to do a more polished, dark wash jean like my J. Brand jeans. To add a little punch, I added this Forever 21 green leopard print tank. It has a nice amount of drape to balance out the structure of the jeans and boots, but it's still flattering. I throw on my Tiffanys key necklace to add a little more visual interest, and then the Walter leather jacket if it's cold out. The leather and the leopard go so well together--very glam rock.
I promise Paris Fashion Week coverage will resume at some point, but I'm so burnt out from midterms this week that my brain can't handle that level of analysis at the moment. So here are some pretty things that I want!
Sam Edelman Naharra Piped High Heel Boots, $225 at shopbop.com, Vanessa Bruno Athe Sac a Main Deux Bag, $589 at shopbop.com: I really love my flat Frye boots, but sometimes you want a boot with a heel for a bit of an extra oomph. They're so '70s chic. I like this pair because they aren't crazy expensive, there's some spunky trim, and the earthiness of the brown leather tempers the dressiness of the heel quite nicely. How cute is this bag??? I like the warm, soft grey hue--it's a versatile, off-beat neutral. The bag is the perfect mixture of slouchy and structured, there's a nice balance between the edgy and the boho detailing, and it's a really practical size.
Tibi Silk and Lace Print Dress, $475 at net-a-porter.com, Veda Fur Holiday Jacket, $990 at shopbop.com: The combination of the lace print and stripes on this dress totally reminds me of doodles on notebook paper from high school. I like the juxtaposition of that with the clean, prim lines of the dress--if you added a pop of color with a purple or a blue patent belt, it would be so adorable. I know this fur/leather jacket is the opposite of politically correct...but it's so cozy looking. Leather sleeves for durability, and that furry body for warm and cuddliness. I'd pair that with a semi-sheer white v-neck and a dark-wash pair of jeans.
Sephora Favorites Glitz & Glam Shimmer and Shine Makeup Sampler, $39 at sephora.com, Smashbox Get Sexy Hallowen Kit, $25 at sephora.com: I love these Sephora samplers. They're such good deals. For just under $40, you can get a Lorac highlighter, Josie Maran bronzing oil, Tarte bronze eyeshadow, Tarte cheek stain, Tarina Tarantino loose highligher powder and lip gloss, Bare Minerals mineral veil, Sephora copper eyeliner, Lorac gloss, NARS Orgasm Illuminator, and a Tarte highlighter. All in slightly reduced sizes, but still, that's a $121 value for a heck of a lot less. This Smashbox Halloween makeup kit is such a cute idea! It works for a ton of different costumes--cat, witch, vampire, etc. You get a black eyeshadow, black creme liner, false lashes and false lash glue, and pale pink lipgloss.
Images from: shopbop.com, shopbop.com, net-a-porter.com, shopbop.com, sephora.com, sephora.com.
I really want to do more of these, it's just that I literally have this one mirror. This one 10 inch wide mirror. Gah. It's very frustrating.
So that KAIN shirt that I ordered last week came today, and I totally love it. It's officially the first piece of red clothing that I own. I know. Red scares me. But I think I actually like the red here. The shirt itself is so comfy, and I love the way it drapes. It is pretty sheer, like all KAIN shirts, and since I currently own zero (ZERO!) nude bras, I layered a black cami underneath. Sheer is a huge trend for fall, though, so I'll definitely be skipping the cami once I rectify the wardrobe situation.
Because check out that back! It's cute with the cami, but how hot would it be without it? I love the basic in the front and the sexy in the back thing--it's very unique.
I'm sorry for the failtastic over-exposure of these pics, but the jeans are J. Brand, the boots are Frye, and the jewelry is all Tiffanys.
I don't know if y'all picked it up from the title, but I'm so, so excited about what I got from Venomous Villains. The whole thing was such an ordeal. It was supposed to hit stores last Thursday, and since I have a midterm that day I was going to go into Boston on Friday with my roomie and hit up MAC. We had it all planned out. But then I heard that MAC was releasing the collection early online, so I decide just to stalk Twitter until it dropped and buy what I wanted ASAP before it sold out. Well. MAC couldn't decide when to release it or couldn't release it for some reason, so it went up two hours late, and I wasn't with my laptop. Cue panic attack. But, luckily, an hour later both things I wanted were still in stock, so it all worked out. The only thing that freaked me out was that I got an email confirming my order saying that I'd get a tracking number when it shipped, and a week later, no tracking number. It just mysteriously showed up at mail services today. No bueno, MAC, no bueno.
ANYWAYS, I got My Dark Magic Mineralize Shadow from the Maleficent collection and Vainglorious Shadow from the Evil Queen collection. I was so happy that the boxes looked like the blogger press hits with the awesome concept drawings of the characters! That's Maleficent on the left and the Evil Queen on the right.
So My Dark Magic sold out pretty much within 12 hours (in fact, almost all of the Maleficent stuff is gone), which makes me so happy that I got it, but sad that most people didn't. I think it has the best packaging of the line, with Maleficent and her crow/vulture BFF on the lid. The Evil Queen packaging is much less awesome. The queen's face just looks so small compared to the shadow itself. I think if it was blown up two or three times it would have been a lot better, but I'm glad that the images were printed on, and not stickers (ahem, Dame Edna).
My camera struggled so much taking pictures of My Dark Magic because it is SO SPARKLY. The picture on the left gives a better idea of the texture, but the picture on the right gives a better idea of the actual color. The surface feels very organic--it's a little bumpy and swirly. The left side is a crescent shaped black with fuschia shimmer and fucshia swirls, and the right is a smaller oval with a black base, some white swirls, and violet and blue shimmer. The shimmer on the right is a bit bigger/chunkier than the shimmer on the left. The white swirls really just blend in with the black and add a little white shimmer.
JUST LOOK AT THOSE SWATCHES. LOOK AT THEM. The left is the pink side, the right is the purple side. You can see the difference between the shimmer sizes pretty clearly, and because the shimmer on the right is a little more noticeable, it's much easier to do a sheer wash of the purple side than the pink side. If you do a sheer wash of the purple side, you can almost blend it out to a sheer base with violet shimmer, which you can't do with the pink side. I found this duo incredibly pigmented. I literally brushed my fingers over it and came up with these swatches. I think you could apply it wet for more lasting power and less fallout, but they seem to do pretty darn well dry. I know I'm not going to be wearing this all the time (it's not exactly class friendly) but it's the perfect thing for weekends or for a fun, going-out smokey eye.
Vainglorious is still up on the MAC website for $15.50 ($1 more than usual because of the licensing fees for the Disney characters). The picture on the left refused to come out right, the swatch on the right is much more accurate. I think the macro setting on my camera hates me. I'd describe it as a brownish-burgundy with red shimmer. It's a lot more wearable than I thought that it would be, for sure. It's a little scary looking in the pan, but if you put it in the crease and blend it out, it's a really flattering warm hue, especially on green or hazel eyes. I was definitely scared by the Frost finish, but I wouldn't call it frosty at all. It has a bit of a sheen to it, but it is in no way reminiscent of '90s frosted lipstick or other scary frosted things.
Overall thoughts: I really love the two things I got. I would have also gotten Revenge is Sweet Lipglass, but I needed more Studio Sculpt Concealer (I'm NW15 now! Ahhhhh so pale), and I'm broke. So. I'm so glad that I got My Dark Magic because I think the packaging is fab and I adore blacks with colored shimmer, and I love Vainglorious because it's surprisingly wearable and a color that I needed.
I'm trying really hard to stay away from basic black, white, and grey tees. Not that I have any issues with those colors, but I've realized recently that 90% of my shirts are v-necks in those colors. Which makes for a nice wardrobe full of basics, but at the same time a little devoid of color and quirkiness. Recently, during my fashion daydreams (yes, I have fashion daydreams, I know, I'm really cool), I've been craving...girly colors. I know, it's scaring me too. Girly isn't really in my dressing vocabulary. My solution for any blah outfit is to throw a leather jacket on top of it. But for some reason, I just really want a blush pink drapey v-neck.
American Apparel Sheer Jersey Deep V-neck, $22 at americanapparelstore.com, KAIN Label Pocket Tank, $80 at singer22.com: In an ideal world, I'd get that KAIN tank. It's the perfect combination of draped and fitted, and the slightly sheerness sexes up the lilac hue. But in reality, I'll probably end up with this American Apparel tee, a nice versatile deep v-neck in that pretty pale pink. I'm thinking that a really light pink (not too Barbie-ish) will be a flattering, off-beat alternative to white or off-white.
KAIN Label 3 Strap Back Tee, $48.50 down from $98 at singer22.com: So in all my searching for pink and KAIN tees, I stumbled across this KAIN tee on sale at Singer22. It comes in black, orange, and this berry-red hue (it's a little less glaring in person). I caved on it. I've always wanted a KAIN tee, it was on sale, I got my paycheck yesterday, and I love that from the front it's a basic scoop-neck, but from the back it's got a little extra sass.
J. Brand Midrise Straight Leg Jeans, $159 at shopbop.com, Frye Melissa Boots, $318 at shopbop.com: But back to the idea of blush tops. I'd pair my blush v-neck with a pair of dark wash, slim jeans and a pair of dark brown equestrian boots. I also happen to be wearing both of these, so they're on my mind. The dark jeans temper the sweetness of the pink tee, and the leather boots add a bit of a rugged touch, while the dark brown doesn't compete with the pink for attention. Throw on a glam statement necklace (maybe some crystals and chains) and you've got the cutest combination of girly and rock and roll.
Images from americanapparelstore.com, singer22.com, singer22.com, shopbop.com, shopbop.com.
It's time for Friday inspiration! Woooot. Here's my favorite spread of the month, Lara Stone in W modeling some looks from Versus (the brainchild of Christopher Kane and Versace).
Lara Stone is officially my favorite model, for two reasons. One, she's a really good model--that girl is a chameleon. Two, she has such a unique and interesting look, and she totally works it. The curves and the gap teeth are part of what make her different from the army of clone-like eastern European 16 year olds.
So simple, but so ridiculously chic. She even looks good with no eyebrows. Sigh.
Images from picsandmodels.blogspot.com
