Stylewatch: Designer Collaborations Spring 2015

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Geez! It seems that winter has been lingering like a pesky, unwanted houseguest. I’m so desperate for spring that at this point, when we reach 20 degrees F, I’m ecstatic! Lol. Anyhoo, I’m uber excited about some designer fashions that are set to debut this spring. Most are set to be available during March and April but some may make an appearance in stores later towards the summer. I’ve mentioned the ones I’m most excited about below. I’m most excited about Milly for Kohl’s. I will seriously stalk Kohl’s lol. Which ones are you looking forward to? Get ready to make a list a wish list… 

 1. Target X Lily Pulitzer

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2. Kohls X Milly

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3. H&M X Coachella

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4. Aldo Rise X Misha Nonoo

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5. MAC X Mia Moretti (Coachella Theme)

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6. Athleta X Derek Lam

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Blogging In Detroit: The Lip Bar Event

If you are from Detroit you know there were a ton of popping events going on this weekend. One of the best happens to be The Lip Bar launching at none of other than Thrift On The Ave (located on Cass Ave). I am too excited that I was able to attend. The event was AWESOME!! If you don’t know about The Lip Bar, let me give you a brief overview. The Lip Bar was created by a woman by the name of Melissa. She comes from a background of the corporate world where cosmetic creativity is stifled…among other things. Anyhoo, she thought that women should be able to create lipsticks they love without compromising color, quality or individuality. This company has been featured on the hit show Shark Tank. The Lip Bar travels by a mobile truck to accommodate clientele. To learn more about The Lip Bar, check them out on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram…all under the name @thelipbar (except for Facebook which will exclude the @). You can also get the ultimate experience at the company’s website: www.thelipbar.com. So now that you have been introduced to the company by a friend (me lol), let me describe my experience.

Thrift On The Ave was an absolutely a gorgeous place to not only shop but also to host this event. As guests, we enjoyed champagne, as well as the fine opportunity to get The Lip Bar experience through information and demonstrations. Lastly, we all got to network with other ambitious and driven, fabulous women. YouTube guru Chanda was there looking stunning and is just as beautiful on the inside. Side note: Thrift On The Ave definitely gave me an invitation to go back and shop because their clothes were calling my name honey!! Lol. I digress. Check out my pics below and definitely follow me on Instagram so you can see more candid pics and let me know what you think below. Be sure to check out The Lip Bar online as well as Thrift On The Ave the next time you are in Detroit!

My review on the lipstick:

I tried on the lipstick Sweet Shiraz and I loved the color so much that I bought it. The formula is between the Retro Matte of Ruby Woo by MAC and a “regular” Matte MAC lipstick.* The color is full on and wears for hours. I wore mine for about six hours and it stayed put regardless of my eating and drinking. The packaging is absolutely gorgeous and unique. The price point is $18.00/lipstick and you get 3.5 grams.* That’s about 0.5 more product than a regular MAC lipstick. All in all, I am very happy with my purchase and will make another in the future.

*MAC mentioned for reference, not comparison*

Fur, Velvet, Snow & Such….

I’ve been apprehensive since I started this blog about posting fashion looks. So, I’m being very transparent in this post when I say that I have a fear of failure and not being able to measure up to myself and what I expect to become. Welp, I’ve decided this year that I need to be adventurous and willing to take risks! So….here I go! The weather is not necessarily permitting but this snow is not going anywhere anytime soon. I decided to incorporate a little velvet (velour), fur, leather AND of course, snow! Please let me know what you think of my first fashion post/ootd! Peace!

P.S. I was an event for The Lip Bar.
(Blog post on the event will be up Monday).

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Stylewatch: Minimalist Jewelry

For most of the country, we could care less about showing off any form of jewelry. It is so frigid outside, the only accessories we care about wearing consist of scarves, hats, gloves/mittens and any other piece that can keep us warm. Welp, there is nothing wrong with preparing for warmer months when we can actually see one accessory in particular: jewelry.

Knuckle Rings, toe rings, slave bracelets, anklets, chokers and such are of some of my fave pieces of jewelry. The most growing popular trend is the minimalist trend. With all the various fashion trends that are emerging this year in the spring and summer season, most involve plenty of detail that beg for only simplistic style of jewelry. Never over-power an already decorated outfit with excessive jewelry, accessories nor shoes. Doing so takes away from the look. No need to paint the peacock right? In fact, even the most basic outfit looks a bit classier with dainty jewelry. Remember, minimalist can mean both the style of jewelry (less gaudy) and the amount of jewelry worn.

Celebs are rocking the minimalist jewelry trend as I have noticed in recently red carpet events and runways are putting less gaudy jewelry and accessories on display. Check out the pics of my teeny tiny haul of minimalist jewelry below and let me know what you think. Ciao!

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Fashion Trends for Spring/Summer 2015

….Well I don’t know about you but it has been a long and drawn out winter. The snow seems relentless and the temperature, even worse. I’m ready for spring and summer as of last month so let’s talk trends for the two upcoming seasons.

Currently, everyone that is someone in the fashion world is at NYFW…and I am at home trying to stay warm lol. At fashion week, Fall 2015 fashions are being previewed to most that are still in threads that exhibit fashions of 2014…of the Autumn season of course. I sit at home reeling over the fantastic trends that are emerging for the two season ahead of us. I am going to note some of the trends that are becoming increasingly popular as well as share what my favorites are.

1. Lace– everyone will be rocking some kind of lace this upcoming season. I found a lace duster that I absolutely love (but I will share all the details later). Lace is a bit of a refreshing style of fabric…simple yet complicated, with a drastically feminine flair. My go to color for lace will be white.

2. Floral Prints– Vintage style, tropical, abstract, monochromatic, faded…all of these have a unique look although we have seen floral print so many times so many different ways.

3. 70s Fashion– I just bought a duster that I love! It reminds me of the 70s but isn’t the drab brown, mustard and burnt orange colors that usually come with fashions of this era. Now modernized, fashions could include fringe, suede trench coats/jackets, gladiator sandals etc. I will discuss these as other trends later on.

4. Jumpsuits, Wide Leg Pants/Jeans & Maxi Dresses- Skinny jeans will take a back seat in fashion along with two piece sets and mini dresses. Flowing wide leg pants as well as 70s style inspired jeans, will make a serious comeback. I am partial to flowy wide leg pants. When wearing these, be sure to also wear a fitted tank or top (perhaps crop) to continue a nice balance in the outfit. Jumpsuits are great for those that are not great in piecing separates together. They compliment the silhouette and are a complete outfit in one piece. Jumpsuits are one of my faves of all trends. Maxi dresses offer the same benefits of jumpsuits with a free flowing feel. Try a wide leg jumpsuit to combine two trends in one!

5. Fringe– This trend has been around for a while as a “new” trend but combined with a duster…fabulous!

6. Gladiator Sandals– I honestly did not think that I would see this trend back so soon but it seems gladiator sandals will be wildly popular this summer. The new thing with this trend: skin tone colors. Avoid black or white. Flat gladiator sandals will be worn the most.

7. Cleated Sole Chunky Platform Mules/Clogs– I am excited about this trend. I love platform heels, when done correctly. Single soles are of my favorite when it comes to heels. Well, the chunky soles of the 70s and 90s are making a comeback baby!

8. Wrap Skirts– Anybody call the 90s back? It seems that this upcoming pattern of trends include a lot of influence from the 70s and 90s. The wrap skirt was extremely popular in both eras. This season, the wrap skirt will boast being partially open to show a little thigh. The best I’ve seen had buckles, suede and a longer length to boast its style. Pair one of these lovelies with a bodysuit to emphasize this trend.

9. Denim Shirt Dress (or denim anything)- What is there not to like about this trend? Casual or dressy, dress this trend up to the occasion. (I saw a fab one that I intend to go back and purchase. Nothing bugs you more than the item of clothing that you didn’t purchase). Welp, I will be going back to get that denim shirt dress and it will be featured in a future blog post! For denim ad ons, try a denim vest, duster or jacket.

10. Waterfall Skirts– Chiffon fabric for a waterfall skirt makes a rather bold fashion statement. Make it casual by pairing with a denim vest or chambray button up. Perhaps a black lace tank will make the outfit fancy and a bit more formal than the latter.

Of the trends I’ve listed, gladiator sandals are probably my least favorite. The rest I am equally excited about. There are more trends that are going be popular among the fashion world. What trends are you noting to make a comeback. Which ones are you most excited about?

Fitness, Food and Future Body Goals

Warning: Long Post!

2015. January 1. A significant date for so many people because it marks the first day of a new beginning and that includes new fitness and body resolutions. I don’t believe in new year resolutions. I try to resolve that I will improve on me every day of my life. That being said, last year hubby and I decided that it was time to really invest in ourselves. We took our butts to LA Fitness and got ourselves memberships. I think I was most excited because we previously had memberships at Planet Fitness and I hated it!! I won’t even honor them by giving details of my experience, let’s just say THEY couldn’t pay ME to go to their gym. Anyhoo, we also had a very short experience with Fitness19 (I won’t even call it a membership…long story). Anyhoo, on to my experience with my membership at LA Fitness. I am truly enjoying myself. I love that the environment is nice and bright, there are various different equipments for each body group, personal trainers, saunas, a swimming pool as well as a kids center. I find all the amenities make it easier to WANT to go and work out. That being said, on to what I’ve been doing.

Working Out….

I typically go to the gym AT LEAST four days a week. I love to “confuse” my muscles because I want the max results from the workout that I do when I strength train. Each visit, I change up my routine, the exercises as well as weight amounts, reps, sets and so forth. I spend two days working on one body area and two days for the two others and then I switch up each week which body area I will work out for two days. For instance, I may do my arms and shoulders on Monday and Tuesday then I will work on my abs one day and legs the other day. The next week, legs will get two days and the others one day and so on and so forth. I always like to push myself past what I think I can do. Every few days, I incorporate some cardio and HIIT (high intensity interval training). I intend to start attending spinning classes, I heard they are very intense and that is what I love.

Moving on to my nutrition….

I happen to love “healthy foods” by nature so it is not very hard for me to eat clean. I tend to stay away from fried foods as well as sweets and a lot of salt. I drink tons of water (which happens to be my favorite beverage) and as a treat, I have sparkling water of different flavors. I don’t buy sweets, chips and other tempting foods that can sidetrack me from my goals. My fave snacks are non-sugar dried fruits and nuts, steamed shrimp, soft boiled eggs and popcorn. If I can’t purchase fresh vegetables, I buy frozen because they contain less salt content. I drink tea and not as much coffee as I used to. I am then able to avoid cream and sugar.

Words of advice: LEAVE THE SCALE ALONE! The scale is not the only way to measure progress. Measure your fat percentage as well as inches and “before and after” photos. Find an item of clothing that can help you gauge your progress. DON’T COMPARE YOURSELF TO OTHERS! All of us are different and our paths will be different as well. Compare yourself to your old self, bad habits and all and you will feel encouraged.

My goals: I plan to be at my ideal body by April 2015. I started in November. That gives me six generous months to get to my goal. I see progress and I will keep going. I hope to once again have my 25 inch waist!

Lime Crime Haul and Review

Happy weekend lovely people!!

I am so happy that I am able to do this blog post because I have been wanting the products that I will be talking about for a very long time. I am talking about my two lip items from Lime Crime makeup. I have been in LOVE with neutral colors lately. That being said, I bought a lipstick in the color “Coquette” and a Velvetine in the color “Cashmere”. Both of the colors are beyond gorgeous and beyond my expectation. “Coquette” is very creamy and has a pale orangey neutral base with a slight pinkish taupe pop of color. It glides on to the skin and on top of my brown skin is so complimentary! I’m obsessed!!

Cashmere is an absolute favorite of mine now. First off, for those that are not aware what Velvetines are, Lime Crime describes them as “ground-breaking…goes on liquid and dries completely matte. Touch proof, transfer proof, long-wearing and utterly addictive”. I would venture to say that I agree with every word of these two statements. The formula is excellent and the color is magnificent to say the least. I was shocked because I thought “Cashmere” would look too cool on my skin but it actually translates to a wonderfully neutral based color. I am now on the site looking to see what other colors of both Velvetines and lipsticks I want to purchase next. I can’t wait for “Riot” (Velvetine) to be released. Hopefully, it is released around the time “Wicked” is restocked.

My only but big complaint about Lime Crime? The shipping is awful (in my opinion). I ordered on the 8th of January and I just received it on the 23rd of January. That can be a problem if you have an upcoming event and need these products. My advice: order a month in advance. Anyhoo, please share your review and experience with Lime a Crime makeup below, what do you think of the swatches?

. Top: “Coquette”               Bottom: “Cashmere” (not yet dried)

Fall Makeup Shopping & Trends

Autumn happens to be my absolute favorite season and when I see the red, berry and plum lips colors I get excited! One trend that is sexier than ever for the fall are nude lips and nude eyes. I still am quite obsessed with berries, plums and red for lip color. I’ve done some shopping and posted pics below of my haulage. Some old goodies and some new finds of newly released collections are all mixed in. Have you played in makeup lately? Have you made any good beauty purchases? If so, share what you got…I may be inclined to purchase based on your suggestions! Lol.

JustFab.com Review

If you have not already, soon you will realize that I am a shoe feen so I like to show and review shoes that I deem fabulous. Speaking of fabulous, I think it’s time that I review a subscription company for shoes: JustFab.com. This site has been reviewed by others and is one of many subscription services but opinions are like belly buttons so yes…I have an opinion. I’ve made more than one purchase from JustFab so this review is over a longer period because mishaps don’t happen during the first order necessarily. I made an order on February 15, 2014 and February 18, 2014. Here are where the “mishaps” occur. I was on Instagram and saw a post of a shoe that I was previously not so excited about. The picture changed my mind. I made my purchase for not only the shoe that I saw on Instagram but also a bag and a pair of sandals that I had been lusting over. I have a tendency to not be trusting so I felt the need to check on my order status after two days. When I checked my orders, neither budged from the warehouse. In fact, one of the orders failed fulfillment. I called Justfab to get some insight on why my order failed, (and why I was not notified). The first person I spoke to seemed helpful enough. She claimed the sandal “Gillian” was out of stock (even though it did not say that on the Justfab site) and that’s why my order “failed fulfillment”. She promised that she would get my order out asap with ALL of the items included with rush shipping. I was temporarily comforted and relieved. The next day, I decided to check on my status again. Both of my orders had been cancelled! I was annoyed at this point. I called Justfab again and spoke with another person who told me I had been charged for the cancelled orders but that she could re-order my items and charge my card…again. I was furious so she suggested I wait until I was refunded my money to place the order again. The problem? One of the items I wanted was very low in stock and she added that the item might not be in stock by the time I order again. I was so frustrated at her non-chalant attitude that I hung up. I called back later that night and a very helpful person answered. He listened to my frustrations and promised to take care of everything. He did just that. He put a rush on the order and gave me free rush shipping. The order was at my door in two days. I had combined both orders into one. I am LOVE with the items I got. My experience with Justfab was tricky but the last representative bettered my experience. My shoes and handbag helped as well. Both shoes fit great and the handbag is so classy and versatile. Check out my pics below and let me know how your experience with Justfab has been if you are a member. If you’re not a member, I can send you an invitation if you’re interested. Also, which item do you think is your favorite of my picks this month?
*Update: I was recently informed by a Justfab representative that the rewards program has changed. They no longer offer a credit for a free pair of shoes when you gather enough points. There are knick-knacks that you can choose from instead. I just wanted to pass on that information to all those who are customers and those thinking about becoming customers. Hope this info helps!

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"Hattie"
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Detailing Up Close
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Gillian (Natural Light)
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With Flash
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Up close

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"Industry" Handbag

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Get The Look for Less!

While I love to shop, I like LOVE a good deal even better. Since spring is right around a small corner, I think a spring fashion post is in order. I found some popular styles of shoes and sandals with comparable styles for only a portion of the inspiration style. *Disclaimer: while these shoes may not represent MY personal style, I’m sure these comparisons may help some of you save some of your coins.* Check out the pics below but don’t forget to comment and share your favorite shoe brands!

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Zara vs. Shoedazzle
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Zara vs. Forever 21
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Isabel Morant vs. Jeffrey Campbell
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Steve Madden vs. Go Jane
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Steve Madden vs. Justfab
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Steve Madden vs. Go Jane