Tag: blogger

Winter Blues & Plaids

Posted on by The Style Cake

So I think the past few months I have talked about winter so much we’re all tired of winter right? Lol. Well, I’m officially sick (no literally) of winter. Currently, I have an ear ache, sinus infection and a cold but I’m pushing through it. The light at the end of the tunnel is SPRING!!! In the meantime, I’ve become slightly uninspired due to not just the weather and the lingering on of winter but the current state of my health. This swinging weather of 60 degrees one day and 18 degrees with snow the next is very hard to plan by. Guys, I have so many looks lined up for warmer weather, I’m quite uninterested in dressing up to be cold. Regardless, tis life and I must dress for it.

I decided on this bold and colorful plaid poncho to be the “center” of my look. In true stylist fashion, I “thinga-ma-jigged”  my poncho into a scarf instead. It’s still a poncho but it is much more cozy and beneficial as a scarf. My coat is of a faux wool/felt material. It honestly is a decently warm coat. It boasts an extra large collar that pretty much envelopes my upper half. I’m wearing fleece leggings. They are sooooo cozy and warm!!! My boots, you all have seen a number of times. They’re from Justfab’s Luxe line (now no longer) but there are similar styles on the market. Mine are genuine suede which I love. Since this look is cozy, I have a large handbag I purchased from H&M to store everything I need while out and about to make me comfortable in this cold. I opted for sunglasses because of the brightness of the snow. My accessories are minimal. Let me know what you think! How do you stay inspired in the long months of winter and when it’s cold?

Later Cupcakes!! ❤️💙

Boots: Justfab (similar here). Leggings: Gifted (similar here). Poncho/Scarf: Thrifted (similar here). Denim Blouse: Thrifted (similar here). Jewelry: Neon Wild & Layered Chains. Sunglasses: eBay. Bag: H&M (similar here).

[True Upload] Essence Beauty Box: Fab or Fail? (Review)

Posted on by The Style Cake

Like many of the monthly boxes of marketing’s past, I was interested in a new box that hit the scene that promised to give subscribers a taste of hot and poppin items currently and to-come on the market. That being said, when I heard that Essence would be releasing a monthly subscription for those interested in testing out products seemingly catered to ethnic groups of color and curlier hair. That piqued my interest. I signed up for the service. Here I sit 2 months later (well three really) as a canceled subscriber. Why, you may ask? Short and sweet, three reasons:

  1. (Non-unique items) In all of the two boxes that I received, most of what was in those boxes had nothing that was unique or beyond what I had already seen on the market for years. I wasn’t even remotely interested in some of the things that were sent to me. In fact, most of the things that I received I’ve tried to avoid buying for years. Honestly, I felt like I had spent my money to buy things that I promised myself I would’t spend dime on anyway. (Side eye). I guess thats the way the world works huh? One of the only thing out of both boxes that I actually liked was the sample of Smashbox Full Exposure mascara…which brings me to my next point.
  2. (Tiny Sample Sizes) I realize the box was only $15 but you CAN get this very sample (Smashbox) for free right on the website with purchase. That is a temporary offer, however, some have gotten it free with a Sephora purchase as well. See how this point ties into the first? Well, the items are so non-unique that you can literally get them anywhere…and not pay a dime for it. I guess you are getting a deal if you would really buy the travel size at Macy’s for $9. (Insert wide eyed emoji). I mean, even the Black Radiance Lipstick was not full sized and that’s normally not more than 4 bucks! Anyhoo…
  3. (There are “Better” Boxes) So I am not here to bash Essence at all. I don’t want to be fussed at via the internet because I am not supporting a “black owned business” because it is not black owned anyway. (Which is also beside the point). I am not supporting because I feel that there are other boxes that offer much more for a better price. My advice, try it. Everyone is different. One person’s glass may be another person’s diamond, I don’t know. I personally like the Target box better. It was half the price and I got two full sized products that retailed for more than the $15 that I paid for the Essence Beauty Box. The only problem with the Target Beauty Box is that you have to chase the releases every month. It isn’t a subscription. No problem to me because I don’t like to be tied down anyway.

 

Let me know if you’ve tried the box and if you have, what did you think of it? What other boxes have you tried? 

(Pictures to follow…)

   

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

Winter White

Posted on by The Style Cake

Around this time of the year, I start thinking of good vacation spots because I am usually ready to get out of the cold. I can’t say that it is necessarily the weather being the reason that I want to vacation (it’s been kind of warm) as much as I can say that I need a change of scenery. The dark looks are not doing it for me lately. I want to spend some time on the beach, see some sun and wear neon colors. Seeing as that probably won’t be happening anytime soon, I will dress in a more upbeat colors in this outfit of the day. I’ve been saying that I love to wear nudes in the winter. I think that it brightens up one’s mood instantly and breaks the monotony of dark colors. Don’t get me wrong, I love dark colors. In fact, the outfit for Friday shows some dark colors…but it’ll be color nonetheless. I wanted to showcase my winter white coat so thats pretty much what this outfit revolves around.

My coat is from SheIn online and I have a love/hate relationship with this coat. Ugh, if you want me to let you know more in a personal review I can. Anyhoo, the coat boasts a large collar that is feather light and pretty much flops around in the wind. Trust me when I say this is not great if you are wearing lipstick. (Insert side eye here). It also has only a belt to close it. I would think that this is a better fit to be called a cardigan than anything else. The color is the perfect winter white and can add a nice accent to an otherwise toned look. I wore the coat over a pair of boyfriend jeans (husband jeans for me cause I’s married lol) and a semi-matte looking silk shirt from H&M. My shoes added the bad girl effect to the look with gunmetal colored studs atop a blush colored platform shoe. These shoes are so comfy! The peep toe of the shoe further balances the femininity of the look. My earrings are my favorite from Layered Chains you can find them here >>>> (barred-earrings). Use my discount of: thestylecake for 10% off your purchases. Of course if there is a current sale, use the bigger discount. (wink). My necklace is an old one. This is my first time wearing it but I didn’t keep the tag so I suggest searching for tribal statement necklaces to find it or something similar. I liked the contrast of the teal in the necklace. If you like my look (or hate it because that’s okay too), let me know below and be back here tomorrow for another outfit post!! I know, Im cranking these puppies out to make up for my semi-hiatus…not hiatus. Life just got hectic. Until tomorrow…

Bye Cupcakes!!

Coat: SheIn.com. Shoes: Wild Pair. Blouse: H&M. Pants: JC Penney. Earrings: Layered Chains. Necklace: old. 

That Gray Area…

Posted on by The Style Cake

Lately, I’ve been drawn to certain colors naturally. I end up picking up wardrobe pieces that are the same color. Ugh, the dilemma right? Well, I am happy about this particular outfit because I picked up a few pieces in my color of the moment, gray. I picked these pieces up all at different times but all the pieces compliment one another for a calm and cozy look. I felt so relaxed in this look. I bought this turtleneck poncho a little more than a month ago. It kept me warm and kept me from needing outerwear. My only gripe is that it get wrinkled very easily and by the time I get to my destination, it never looks like it was ironed at all.

There’s always that gray area of times when you may not need outerwear. When wearing capes, things get tricky. Not every cape is a good fit for outerwear. If the cape is too thin and you live in a colder area, you may not want to wear a cape without a coat. The idea of a coat over a cape sounds crazy but it’s worse to be freezing, that’s not cute! It was about 50 degrees when I wore my cape so I didn’t need to wear anything else. Of course, I did wear a tank under my cape for good measure but I was comfortable. You have to decide if weather permits a cape alone along with making sure the fabric fits the weather as well as the style fitting the occasion. I could have worn this cape as outerwear but it isn’t warm enough for less than 50 degrees in my opinion. In colder weather, you’d want something warmer.

I paired this cape with some high waisted jeans and a tank from H&M. My boots are old and fur cuffed. I honestly don’t remember where I purchased them because it’s been longer than a decade that I’ve purchased them. My earrings are simple but make a delicate fashion statement. I chose a large statement necklace that is quite glamorous to fancy up the look. The gold stands out against the gray. I grabbed one of my fave handbags from Justfab and again the tan color contrasts the outfit but also warms up the look. Let me know what you think of this look. I will be back here on Wednesday of course for another outfit post.

Bye Cupcakes! 💋

Poncho & Jeans: Forever 21. Necklace: eBay. Earrings: Layered Chains. Handbag: Justfab. 


La Fourrure

Posted on by The Style Cake

Despite what my calendar says, the weather says it’s officially winter. It’s about 45 degrees and to me, that’s fur weather. Well, almost. I decided to go against the grain a bit and wear a fur shawl instead of a full on fur. Furs are extremely warm for bitterly cold climates and you won’t need much more outerwear coverage than that.

I bought this fur a couple years back while thrifting. The only thing I don’t like about it is the bit of shedding it does. I need to get the fur conditioned (treated) and it’ll be fine. To have that 1930’s bit of flair, I thought the fur would look awesome with a big floppy hat, a clutch bag, fur booties and simple basic outfit. Turtlenecks are my “thing” this season so this navy blue one is perfect against my “lace down the leg” leggings. Pretty simple right? That’s the point. I’ve been trying to show that you don’t need much to put together a haute look. I promise I’ll complicate my looks starting with the next look!!  *wink* My hat color is intentional to give some nudeness to an otherwise dark look. The brightness of the shawl gives the perfect tinge of elegance on an otherwise casual look. I didn’t want to take away or add anymore to the look so wearing my favorite black American Apparel clutch. Let me know what you think!! I’d love to hear from you!!!

Until tomorrow for another “Style Lusts” post….

Bye Cupcakes!!! 💋

Shirt: JCP. Pants: Karmaloop (old).  Booties: Shoedazzle (old). Hat: Gadzooks (old). Shawl: Thrifted. Earring Studs: H&M. 

Peace and Tranquility (OOTD)

Posted on by The Style Cake

This world can truly get the best of us if we allow it. The traffic, tall buildings, large crowds and daily pressures can all be too much. We can all find ourselves needing to unplug and get away. Sometimes I take a few days from social media to unwind and to find my calm. Being a mom and a wife are not easy and sometimes, the world seems to loom over my shoulders. As a blogger, I know how dedicated one has to be to be growing and successful. You can’t just throw things together because others can detect that. I am very thoughtful when it comes to my blog and I am sincere in every post.

Some may view bloggers, vloggers and Youtube personality as above human but this is hardly the case. In fact, I think as a blogger, being exposed to much criticism can hurt sometimes. We have to be creative and always present original and personalized content. Our goal is to always capture and grab the audience. With all that being said, I needed a moment to refocus and get motivated again. I had been feeling so drab and drowned by other things that I had lost joy…and a some of my determination to keep going on my blog. I took a few days and got inspired by the things around me and to just take in nature. I captured my outfit one of those days and decided to put it into this OOTD with no makeup. Please share how you unwind and what keeps you motivated (besides money and notoriety). Also, let me know what you think about my outfit. A girl still has to be fashionable while relaxing right?! Lol. 

Until tomorrow for a beauty post and Wednesday for a fab ootd…

Bye Cupcakes,

Candy.

 

September/October Loves (Blogtober)

Posted on by The Style Cake

I hadn’t had a chance to do monthly favorites and due to being a mom, an ootd is not going up today. Sorry cupcakes! I promise this won’t be a regular occurrence. Anyhoo, I comprised a visual list of things that I am loving in September into this month. I bought yet another pair of feather heel sandals (from Missguided), a statement necklace and some makeup and beauty products I’m loving for this fall. I’ve made some redecorating efforts and am in love with gold spray paint lol. I will be shopping my closet this month (saving efforts) and I will be sharing things I have gone back to using. I have a series coming called “OOTD Shopping My Closet” where some of my loved pieces will be debuted to you guys to make up fabulous outfits. Stay tuned for Wednesday for another ootd. In the meantime, check out the pics below! Ciao cupcakes! 💋

 

"Modestly Modifed Maxi"

Posted on by The Style Cake

This is probably the last summer post I will be doing this year. Temperatures are now in the 60s and the wind has picked up with an occasional all day rain fall. For my last summer post, I decided to take a chance and wear a skirt that I had not worn yet. I bought this skirt years ago but because the style had become way too popular, I never wore it. Nothing much behind my idea. I wanted this look to still remain modest while maintaining the sexiness of the look. I decided to modestly modify the skirt by wearing a pair of biker shorts so my whole thigh and crotch area don’t get exposed. The skirt is from Urban Outfitters and the tank is from H&M. The clutch is from the clearance section of American Apparel and the shoes are Jeffrey Campbell. I only spent 40 bucks on them but they are so fab I would have paid more for them. They boast genuine suede, multiple straps up the leg and a zipper up the back for the ease of putting them on. For accessories I decided on a gold slave bracelet, hoop earrings and a vintage inspired gold toned watch. My headband was one dollar at the beauty supply store. It adds a rockstar touch for some edge to this look. Now that you know about the pieces in this look, let me know what you think! Til Friday for another post cupcakes!! 💋

 

"Modestly Modifed Maxi"

Posted on by The Style Cake

This is probably the last summer post I will be doing this year. Temperatures are now in the 60s and the wind has picked up with an occasional all day rain fall. For my last summer post, I decided to take a chance and wear a skirt that I had not worn yet. I bought this skirt years ago but because the style had become way too popular, I never wore it. Nothing much behind my idea. I wanted this look to still remain modest while maintaining the sexiness of the look. I decided to modestly modify the skirt by wearing a pair of biker shorts so my whole thigh and crotch area don’t get exposed. The skirt is from Urban Outfitters and the tank is from H&M. The clutch is from the clearance section of American Apparel and the shoes are Jeffrey Campbell. I only spent 40 bucks on them but they are so fab I would have paid more for them. They boast genuine suede, multiple straps up the leg and a zipper up the back for the ease of putting them on. For accessories I decided on a gold slave bracelet, hoop earrings and a vintage inspired gold toned watch. My headband was one dollar at the beauty supply store. It adds a rockstar touch for some edge to this look. Now that you know about the pieces in this look, let me know what you think! Til Friday for another post cupcakes!! 💋

 

Almost "All Black Everything"

Posted on by The Style Cake

Raise your hand if you love a good sale! Okay well don’t really raise your hand, you might look a little crazy doing it. Lol. I happened upon a sale from Asos.com and let me tell you, that sale was the bees knees! There were so many great items available for below clearance-like prices. I was late to the sale and while much of the things I wanted were already gone, I was able to snag a cute black dress. The price: $14.99!!! Yes! I was so excited. I had another discount (10%) and saved a little more. Of course, since I am uber excited about the fall season, I put my foot down (to myself) and said that I was not going to wait any longer to wear my fall pieces. Hence, the inspiration behind this post. Back to my purchase, I didn’t have to wait long at all for my package (which made me even more excited) and I wish had been able to find more things (in my size) but…no bueno. My advice: if you can, keep an eye out for their sales because the good things go super fast!

My outfit is not really inspired by anything other than this dress that I was determined to wear. I love that it is still warm and wanted to wear Ankara print to compliment my outfit and “celebrate” the last bit of summer hanging around. I chose to wear one of my favorite pair of shoes, Ankara wedges by Aldo. These were apart of the “Julian Louie” collection from a few years back and I am just now wearing them. These were a hit and got TONS of attention. I chose a simple Justfab every day style bag so that the shoes and the dress got the spotlight. I popped on a dark lip “in honor” of fall lol and left the rest of my face pretty nude and glowy. Pretty simple right? Let me know what you think below and please stop by tomorrow for some helpful hints on building a wardrobe and finding your style! New OOTD Wednesday!