Daily Wear: Dress Blues

What is your favorite color? How do you know? Is it because it's the color you reach for time and time again? The color you wear on your body, the color you paint and decorate your home, the color that makes you smile to see it?



If you asked me what my favorite color is, I'd probably say yellow. I find it cheerful and sunny and happy. It does make me smile. As a redhead, i think it's flattering to me. I have yellow painted trim in my bedroom, yellow stripes on my living room walls to match my yellow chairs.



But blue is like a dark horse closing in. I hardly seem to notice it's even there until I'm surrounded. without even realizing it, most of my wardrobe is blue. I painted my kitchen an aqua blue. I interpret the teal of the dining room as a shade of blue, not a shade of green. As I generate plans for the rest of the house, shades of blue keep coming to mind.



Even the favorite color I really tend to profess, grey, to me, is a shade of palest ashy blue.

Outfit details: blue/white checkered little boys shirt (thrifted); fake denim jumper dress (Macys); blue tights (DKNY); brown heeled maryjanes (???)

Style Icon: Emma Pilsbury

Hurray for neurotic lovelorn guidance councilors! Ok, maybe just the ones that dress this sweet and stylish.



I love her unconventional beauty and being able to see a fellow redhead on tv. Plus I find her craziness cute and lovable.

Her look is so simple, a little vintage inspired, a little librarian chic, but it's the little things that make it so special.



I love the way she'll build an outfit using shades of the same color.

I love how she wears such vibrant colors despite her more timid personality.



She's always perfectly accessorized, not too little, not too much. But also just the perfect beaded necklace or broach.



Sweater sets and pencil skirts are classic and lovely.



And then there's the little details like a peter pan collar, contrast stitching, or delicate bow.

So deceptively simple, i think i could never quite manage this but I'll certainly try. It's perfect style in my opinion. individual, recognizable, iconic.

Wherein I try to make sense of the stuff I buy

My main problem with clothing is nothing I own matches anything else I own. I'm drawn to bright colors and prints which are wonderful in dresses but a nightmare in separates. Which is why I did that whole post on wanting to stock up on winter basics, classics that will never go out of style, blah ,blah, blah. It hasn't happened yet. But I have picked up a few things. So now I'm forcing myself to make sense of the pieces and figure out how to wear them. Which of course just necessitates further purchases.


What it is: bright blue leopard print cardigan.

What I'll wear it with: I always associate leopard print with retro style despite this one's neon hue. I'd down play the rock and roll-ness of the color by pairing it with retro inspired black fitted capri pants. And then add a waist cinching belt (probably grey to pick out those tones in the sweater). Part pink lady from Grease, part Peg Bundy. well, at least it's an outfit.

Where I'd wear it: Rockabilly bowling, duh.

What it is: short sleeved ruffled white cardigan

What I'd wear it with: Speaking of leopard print, I'd sex up the sweetness of this top with a black/grey/white tone leopard print pencil skirt and patent leather high heeled mary janes.

Where I'd wear it: To the coffee shop where I intend to "bump into" a crush. (yeah, I know I'm married. This is fantasy).


What it is: vintage silver mink clip on collar

What i'd wear it with: right now I have a cream colored coat I wear it with. When it gets colder, I have a heavier black coat to wear with it. If I ever do get my hands on a long camel cashmere coat, the collar will have a permanent home there.

Where I would wear it: Attached to coats, all through mid fall to early spring, everyday, everywhere. Practical!


What it is: vintage brown tweed blazer with bright piping and buttons

What I'd wear it with: This menswear inspired jacket would look quite handsome with a fall floral dress, like brown and navy liberty print and brown lace up suede pumps.

Where I'd wear it: To shop the flea markets of London. What, a girl can dream!


What it is: sheer white diaphanous blouse with abstract pink/grey floral print

What I'd wear it with: low rise wide leg trousers to compliment the blousy fabric and a structured tuxedo jacket to temper it--both black.

Where I'd wear it: Opening night of Rent in cold (non dress) weather.


This was so much fun. If only i had the clothes to go a long with the pieces i bought. If only I had all those exciting events planned!

Daily wear: Neon 80s

One surefire way to cure the winter doldrums is by wearing bright colors. It also helped that I spent a lot of time in a bright room this weekend. My husband and I worked in this room and it's almost finished. Eh, I know. It will never be finished. I'll just keep thinking up new ideas and changing my mind and buying things before i even know if I have a place to put them. But at least we got up the curtain box and curtains. Now if only i could get up the energy to get prints of our vacation to put in my picture frames. Nothing worse than picture-less frames, except hanging ones. I've moved with that frame and it's always been empty. UNmotivated.

of course I didn't do my chores dressed like this but I decided we should reward ourselves for anything we do manage to complete and off we went to Embury again, that speak-easy style bar I mentioned before. LOVE that place. Gorgeous. And the cocktails are pure artistry.

I brightened up the increasing dark day by wearing my neon 80s inspired kensie outfit. The dress is plain black on top but has a beautiful flared out skirt with geometric patterns in grey and brights. Paired with a matching cropped cardigan. It looks very yellow here but it's more of an acid green, like Chartreuse. I cinched it in with a black belt with a heart shaped buckle, and accessorized with orange tights and black maryjane heels. I think there's just enough black to temper all the neon.

And then my makeup! I used an acid green eyeshadow on my lids to just over the crease and in the inner corners. Then I used a bright teal shadow as a liner on top and bottom lashes. Bright coral cheeks and nearly orange lips. But I swear, it wasn't that bad!


Again, the green looks yellow here but really it's more of a green-gold. The teal didn't show up well either, I'm afraid. But see what I mean, the lips and cheeks aren't scary at all.

Eyeshadows: Strike a Pose, and R rated, both by MAC
Cheeks: Benefit Coralista
Lips: Luscious Spark lip gloss over Outrageous Orange (eyeliner used as lip liner), both by MAC

Mini-review:

Coralista powder by Benefit

This is the newest powder/blush in Benefit's line up. It looks very intimidating in the box because it's so bright orange-pink. But it really does look pretty on. It's a bit more user friendly than typical corals in that it looks good on a larger variety of people (not just silly little redheads like me--though it does look kinda ashy on darker skin). The trick is to go light handed with it. The brush that comes with it is too dense and you'll end up with a neon streak. Use a larger rounder fluff brush and start small, adding more if you feel you need it. Don't be afraid of bright colors!

Daily Wear: I match the living room(!)

I've been so caught up in my love/hate relationship with Lush products that I've been even worse than usual about posting outfit pics anyway. I took these last Sunday and didn't do anything special as I recall. Just things like going to the grocery store and cleaning the house. But my husband really liked this outfit so it was almost like going someplace special, the way he kept tucking me into his arm.



I always think it's strange learning what (straight) men think of girls clothing and what they find sexy and what they don't. Will doesn't like sexy, things like cleavage and too short skirts. He likes cute, adorable even, things like fuzzy sweaters and sundresses. Flat shoes and bows in my hair.

He rarely ever comments about my makeup but on the few occasions I can recall,my eyes were surrounded by deep purple or fuchsia which I think is strange and a bit incongruous with what he likes in fashion. And I've know other guys thatwere transfixed by heavy, dark, or Gothic eye makeup.



When I was single, eons ago, in my early 20s I liked to go dancing a lot. My favorite place played 80s music on Thursday nights, all my favorite songs by The Smiths, New Order, The Cure, etc etc etc So of course I went every week. And boys would buy me drinks and i would talk with them while i drank it and met some interesting people and some boring people. even a few mean people. (I eventually met my best friend, when I was single again but in my late 20s and boys didn't offer drinks as much anymore).

But here's what i figured out in between all those free drinks and all those sweaty ecstatic plays of Dancing with Myself. I got way more attention from the opposite sex when I wore jeans and boots then when I wore a mini skirt and heels! I'm serious. I'd dress trashy when I wanted to be LEFT ALONE. hahahaha



And why? Because I wasn't intimidating in jeans and boots. i didn't look like a gold digger. i was the girl next door. i was laid back, easy going, the kinda girl you could match wits with as easily as you could deconstruct The Simpsons or pour your heart out to. Or so I would appear. But then again I was getting free drinks.

I think more importance should be attributed to the clothing we wear and the messages it sends about who we are. because people do judge a book by it's cover.

So what am I saying with this outfit? Well, "hug me" of course! and it worked.

What are your thoughts on how clothing defines us for others? Whathave the men in your life been attracted to?

Outfit details: blue v neck sweater-thrifted; white shirt with hook and eye closure--given to me by a near stranger in a night class in grad school for no apparent reason; Orange wool slash pocket skirt--The Gap (thrifted); grey tights--k-mart;silver flats--payless. I'm all about the savings.

Lush Face Wash Reviews

A couple of posts ago, I included a mini review at the end in praise of Lush's Coalface. Shortly after i realized that I've tried nearly all of Lush's face washes and it might be more comprehensive for readers if I shared my thoughts on all before they chose to invest in one or not. And i don't work for this company, nor am I associated with them in any way except that I'm a customer and they have some products I really like (and some I don't like and some I'm indifferent to).

I have what i would consider normal skin. It gets to be a bit drier in winter. So my reviews tend to be focused on how they feel and how they are used as they are not always best for mu skin type. I try to just describe them best i can and if it sounds like it's for you, even if I hate it, go ahead and try it.

Here's the review i wrote for Coalface:

This is a black bar of facial soap with little bits of scrubby inside. It's meant for oily skin which I do not have but it is still my favorite Lush cleanser. and I've tried all but like one so I feel I can safely say that this one is the best for me. I like it because it does lather a bit but isn't harsh. i rub it between my palms and then wash my face with my hands. i feel like you would benefit from the scrubby bits better if you rubbed the bar directly on your face. After washing with this, my face is clean with no residue and it removes all but the heaviest of eye makeup. a 3.5 oz bar costs $10.95 and lasts a million years. i don't even keep mine safe in one of those tins and it lasts forever. I've been using a tiny sample sliver everyday since mid September and I'm only half way through it.

Fresh Farmacy


This is another bar style facial soap. This soap is recommended for those with sensitive skin. It contains calamine for this and I'm guessing that is why it left a film all over my face. I don't know if sensitive skin likes a film but I do not. I didn't feel clean at all afterward, just kinda sticky. My makeup remained intact, including, get this, my foundation. I consider this one of the worst. $8.95 for 3.5 oz bar

Angels on Bare skin


This is a crumbly textured face wash. It's kind of a cool concept. you just pinch a tiny bit off, and rub it in your hand with a little water til you have a cool cleansing paste. this is their most popular face wash, recommended for normal/combination skin. It's usually recommended for anyone really, as a good place to start in Lush's skincare line. My only problem with it is it doesn't really feel like a cleanser to me. It doesn't remove makeup, for instance. But it is wonderfully exfolient because it is made with ground almonds. I would definitely use this as a scrub and it's gently enough to use everyday if you wish. $9.95 for 3.5 oz "lump"

Dark Angels

This is the newest one to the line up, meant to be a counterpart to Angels on Bare skin. It's another crumbly textured face wash and it meant for those with oily skin or a dull rough texture. This scrub is made of charcoal and black sugar and is an intense exfoliant. You really need rough/thick skin to with stand this. Again, it's not much of a face wash in my opinion, but I might use this as a scrub--no more than once a week. I definitely wouldn't recommend this for sensitive skin. $10.95 for a 3.5 oz "lump"

Herbalism


Another crumbly one! This is for oily, acne prone skin and much like the coalface, i like it despite that not being my skin type. This one is my second favorite. It's the only crumbly one to remove makeup and my skin really felt clean afterward. This one is also gently exfoliating with ground almonds and calming with the added chamomile. Coalface is still my favorite but I would use this again "in a pinch". Sorry, couldn't help the pun. $10.75 for 3.5 oz "lump".

Aqua Marina


Wrapped in seaweed, this looks like a sushi roll. The contents of the seaweed are a pink paste different form the other soaps. This one is for dry, aged skin. It also contains calamine so I had a similar problem as with the Fresh Farmacy. This really didn't do anything other than smell kinda funky and make a mess. But I saved the worst for last. $9.75 for a 3.5 oz roll

Ultra Bland

Should be called ultra traumatic. This is a cream cleanser for dry skin. Made of peanut oil. It looks like Crisco and was worse than rubbing Vaseline into my face. It's sticky, thick, and really really really hard to get off. This should never be used for anything other than a makeup remover. But i'd still take anyt hat I've tried from Clinique, Lancome, and Estee lauder over this because theirs don't leave a residue. I really hate this product, most of any Lush product i've tried. $14.95 for a 1.5 oz pot; $29.95 for a 3.5 oz pot!

I have never tried babyface, mask of magnanimity, or Ocean Salt which are also listed as face washes on Lush's website. I'll let you know if i do. One's a butter bar, one a mask, one a scrub, if you are interested.

Have you tried any of Lush's face washes? what did you think?

Daily Wear:Pop Floral

I know I've mentioned this on here before, but I'll say it again. i really love musical theater. I'm a total dork. what's worse is my husband enjoys it too so we try to go whenever we can. I think when we first started dating we went to huge shows all the time. In the last year I'd say we haven't been to many shows at all. I suspect all the work we've done on the house is to blame. Its sapped our time and money it seems.



And even though we've gone to big shows, you know, the kind that tour for years all over and visit your humble town for awhile, sometimes with C list actors in the roles, on giant stages in huge theaters and it costs a lot and you have to dress up? well, our favorite shows have actually taken place at the local college for performing arts. Those kids have so much talent and passion. and I think more work goes into sets and costuming on these shows because they aren't paid(being students) and don't have huge touring costs. And tickets are only twenty bucks.

So my husband and I (and dear old Mom, mine) went to see a college production of Rodgers and Hammerstein's Carousel. And after all that build up all I really have to say, not being a critic, that it was fun. I like fun. I want to go to a play again, after all the holidays blow over but before winter's through. It's good to have something to look forward to.


I wore a floral blouse (forever 21) that has bright primary colored flowers--reminds me of Andy Warhol. I especially like blue flowers. It's kinda shear so I wore a yellow t shirt(thrifted) underneath. Paired with a black cordouroy skirt(thrifted), teal blue tights(Hue), and my favorite shoes of all time--black heeled maryjanes with ivory piping and cute button (payless).


And I'm really frustrated with my Mac pigment sets. No, they really are great but I've been experimenting with the warm shades, all coppers, and bronzes and gold flecked olives. They're rich and shimmery and beautiful. but on camera, at least my camera, they all look kinda the same--metallic and shiny. so I've given up on doing a post on them, for now. I think they really need to be incorporated with other colors and formulas for best use. So I'll get to showing them off that way.

But here are my thoughts so far on the warm shades:

Best Highlighter: Jardin Aries (tan with gold pearl)--As the palest shade it works best on the browbone are as a highlighter. It's also a good starting point to build from.

Best used on the Lid: Copperized (olive green with gold pearl) Its the only shade thats a "color" and not a true mettallic so it works best as the base color.

Most Versatile: Rush Metal (rich copper sparkle)--I used this everywhere and for everything--as a liner for an evening look, just in the crease to ass richness, and even as the center dot for dimension.

Best Liner: Bronze Museum (rich taupe with gold pearl)--it's the darkest color and not overly shimmery

Best Accent: Reflects Gold(very fine particle white glitter that flashes gold). I used this is small doses nearly everywhere--inner corners, outer brow bone, and dotted on the center of the lid for a flash of gold.

Fuzzy sweaters, ramblings, and a wicked cool facewash

My new hobby is lazing about on my new sofa. Pointless, sure. A complete waste of valuable time. But fun! I'm still a little girl at heart and I like to play dress up and I LOVE to play house. Even doing household chores can become a game if you look at it the right way. So yeah, I have vintage aprons that i don and I like to put a fun record on (usually Blondie, not exactly ancient but it gets me moving) and suddenly I'm not an under appreciated housewife silently doing my marital duty (the OTHER marital duty haha). I'm Sharon Tate cleaning up before party guests arrive. Ok, maybe a bad example. But you get my meaning. Housework is just more fun when you're dusting off princess telephones and sudsing up Fire King dishware.



And as per usual I'm not sure where I'm going with all this. i should plan my posts out in my head at least if not in concrete handwritten drafts. I think I was trying to justify laying on a sofa as a hobby by suggesting that I'm not merely resting but actively engaging in the sofa's symbolic and cultural meanings. Are you buying this?

Well, skip it then. here's what I'm wearing: One of my new blue sweaters; the looser fuzzy one with my denim skirt and brown boots. very casual. Oh wait! I just remembered i did have a post planned talking about everything i did this day and it was actually interesting and thoughtful but also last Sunday so I forget everything anyhow. I'm a loser.

Sweater-thrifted, denim skirt-Calvin Klein, brown boots-Franco Sarto, wool thigh highs that at first look grey until you see all the tan marbling-Forever 21.

Mini product review:

Lush's Coalface cleanser




This is a black bar of facial soap with little bits of scrubby inside. It's meant for oily skin which I do not have but it is still my favorite Lush cleanser. and I've tried all but like one so I feel I can safely say that this one is the best for me. I like it because it does lather a bit but isn't harsh. i rub it between my palms and then wash my face with my hands. i feel like you would benefit from the scrubby bits better if you rubbed the bar directly on your face. After washing with this, my face is clean with no residue and it removes all but the heaviest of eye makeup. a 3.5 oz bar costs $10.95 and lasts a million years. i don't even keep mine safe in one of those tins and it lasts forever. I've been using a tiny sample sliver everyday since mid September and I'm only half way through it.

What do you wash your face with?

Shopping can in fact cure the winter blues

I'm so excited about the 1960s turquoise sofa I just bought. it took three weeks to pay it off and get it delivered to my house and it's just unbelievable. Obviously i like vintage things and I am renovating and decorating a house but I haven't been this excited about anything so far. I love this sofa so much I cried when I saw it. I just HAD to have it. I posted about the work I've done to the living room here and as you can see i really needed to replace my old sofa (also from the 60s but in poor condition and no personality).


I've also done a little thrift shopping to build up my winter wardrobe. The pics aren't too good but the sofa is really the star anyway. I bought two winter skirt. The first is a brown and red wool plaid, soft not itchy. This one is special to me because it still had the price tags on it and I enjoy getting a $108 skirt for three bucks. I also got a fine grain corduroy black skirt. it's high waisted like a pencil skirt but flairs out a bit. Very figure flattering.

I also bought two blue sweaters and a handbag. The sweaters are a similar color but I bet you can guess by now that blue is my favorite color. The first is paler and form fitting with a deep v neck. the second is a darker smurf blue, looser in fit and fuzzy. I'll take better pics of the purse so you can see the details but it's beaded with large (not seed) beads and has a handle meant to mimic bone (ivory?).

I haven't done any new purchase blogs in a while because I felt they were kinda braggy despite the positive response I got. I don't know. I like seeing what other girls are buying and loving so why not? so maybe I'll do these again more often.

Winter wishlist update: I haven't forgotten my list. I almost found several things from it at the same thrift store I bought the skirts and sweaters from but had numerous and varied sizing issues. Perfect shearing jacket=waaaaay too big. Perfect cream cable knit turtleneck= neck hole unbelievable small. i dont have a big head but couldn't get it through. Velvet trousers=I couldn't belive I found velvet pants in a trouser cut instead of velour track pants but i did it! They were more of a taupe than a black and had piping rather than tuxedo stripes thereby rendering them more eccentric posh British lady than rock and roll but i totally would have bought them if it weren't for the pronounced muffin top they gave me. I also found the lightweight suede skirt I was after but alas it was also much too big. But I'm more hopeful than ever of finding at least some of my list since I did see that the things I want exist in real life.

So what have you been buying lately?

MAC Holiday Pigment sets

Well so yeah I'm obsessed with makeup, so what. It's fun! I like Mac's pigments because I feel like you get more for your money and it's easier to play with building intensity. I missed out last year on getting their pigment sets because I bought brushes, and some other non Mac stuff. but this year i was determined, only i couldn't decide between them. So I bought all three!


Here they are all lined up on my husband's old dresser (it had belonged to his mother). also a rare glimpse into my bedroom. It's usually way too cluttered for picture taking.

Haute Hi Jinks--The warm collection.
left to right: Copperized (olive green with gold pearl);Rushmetal (rich copper sparkle);Museum bronze (rich taupe with gold pearl); Jardin Ares (rich tan with gold pearl); reflects Gold (very fine particle white glitter that flashes gold).

Cool Capers--the cool collection
left to right: Deep Blue Green (rich deep bluish-green); Grape (deep purple with pink pearl); Fuchsia (bright fuchsia-pink);Kitchmas(shimmering pink/mauve pearl); reflects transparent teal (sparkling white with turquoise).


Sexpot smoky--the smoky eye collection
left to right: Dark Soul (charcoal black smoked with gold pearl); Chocolate brown (chocolate copper/bronze); Sunnydaze (taupe with silver pearl); Naked (fleshy beige with golden copper pearl); reflects antique gold (sparkling taupe).

I've already begun experimenting with the warm shades. i took some pictures but I'm not happy with them. For some reason my super sparkly gold New Years eve eye makeup looks nearly nude on film. I'll keep trying and post my results.

Mixing prints-dots and florals

I tend to get stressed out very easily (veeeeeeeeeerrrrrrrrrrrrrrryyyyyyyy easily, as in jumping out of bed panicking because my husband cleaned off his desk and now I'm not sure where my camera disk is). I also spend all week at a job I don't enjoy for all sorts of reasons (not the vintage shop I love that!) and so I tend to be crabby all week.

So I'm trying to really enjoy my weekends (when I don't have to work at the vintage shop--which I do love) because I don't get to see my husband very much during the week. he works 10-12 hour days, sometimes six days a week. and no he's not a doctor or a grad student, he's a cook in one of those fancy pants restaurants for rich people. Well, upwardly mobile upper middle class people. Not us.



So anyway....

We decided to go out Saturday night for a date. We don't go out much in a nightlife sorta way because we're old and tired and nobody likes us and we don't like anybody ;) But when we do it's usually to one of the local bars in our area. But i suggested we go to a new place I had remembered him telling me about called Embury. A fancy place.

I had heard it had a speak easy vibe but this place was gorgeous and amazing. It was small, probably no more than 20 capacity so it felt exclusive. It was all soft chandelier lighting and wood paneling. There were book shelves! And one of those shelves pulled out to reveal a bathroom. it kinda reminded me of the Anne Frank house, but, uh, not depressing.



the bartenders wore rolled up shirt sleeves, vests, and little caps. so cute.

We got there at nine and there were only a few people. In Pittsburgh people don't go for cocktails until at least eleven. I like it that the andy warhol vampires take so long to flat iron their hair. I like getting a chair to sit in and the bartender's attention.

So they have a list of cocktails on a giant gilt framed chalkboard. The drinks don't list what spirit is in them, just the flavor and style. such as the drinks I had "light and floral" and "crisp and spicy" --that one was made with muddled jalapeno! A girl ordered absinthe and I got to watch the long ritualistic process of the drink. very cool. I love this place!!!
I took these pictures in my living room before we left. I like mixing prints and this is one of my favorite outfits. I don't know how it hadn't made the blog yet. I think this experiment works because i stayed to two colors, brown and aqua. i also varied the scale of the prints, tiny dots and large flowers. then my tights and boots were just plain brown so as not to compete. people go nuts when I wear this; I should make it my uniform but the blouse buttons always pop open!

details: blouse-thrifted, skirt-thrifted, tights--Jessica Simpson, boots --Franco Sarto

Makeup Look: Gilded Plum

I've decided to start doing more beauty posts, including some product reviews. I always get really excited when I find a good beauty blog, and while I know I can't compete with the best, i thought my readers might like to see more of that here. Plus, I haven't been very inspired with clothes lately like I have with makeup and I get bored just doing outfit posts. But if this is really boring for you let me know and I'll stop torturing you.




I'm beginning to see to see that not everyone is makeup obsessed or perhaps they just feel shy about trying new looks. Either way, i plan to continue a mix of natural everyday looks, wild evening looks, and everything in between.

I've made this disclaimer before, but I'll do it again in case you missed it. I used to work for Origins and Benefit cosmetics but I don't hold a bias for either one, excepting that I may just be most familiar with those lines and as I have many of their products, they show up a lot here. But i won't ever give something a favorable review just because of that. I use high end to drug store cosmetics and just because I wear something on this blog doesn't mean I endorse it. i like to experiement and will post my successes as well as my failures.

Today I'm experimenting with purples and golds. The look actually came off pretty subtle and not disco glitzy. i would recomend it for someone that wants to experiement a little with a day look without just reaching for the taupe. I got a lot of compliments from conservative older women at work so that's how I know it passes for day. haha

How to get the look:

First I applied foundation , under eye concealer, and filled in my brows--the basics for any of my makeup looks

Second, I used my finger to pat on a pale golden creme shadow, violet eyeliner, and black mascara.

Third, I stippled on a shimmery plum blush, subtle gold lip gloss, and finished with a setting powder.

Easy as that!


Products:

Foundation: Mac Studio fix spf15 in NC15
Cream concealer: Benefit Erase Paste
Powder concealer: Benefit Powderflage
Eyebrows: Benefit browzing kit

Creme Shadow: Estee Lauder Pure Pops in Golden Seduction
Eyeliner: NYC in Vampy Violet
Mascara: Clinique High Impact in Black

Blush: Mac Mineralize in Grand Duo
Lipgloss: Benefit 24k
Powder: Mac Skinfinish Natural in Light

The Mini-reviews:

Clinique High Impact mascara

I've never been a fan of Clinique's mascaras but I received a sample of this in one of their gift with purchases and was really impressed. It definitely makes a major difference in my lashes, making them fuller and longer. But I'm so fickle when it comes to mascara even though I know that statistically women tend to favor one mascara with a severe brand loyalty. Generally, I think any brand new mascara is pretty awesome. I would buy this no question but I doubt I can stop my product wanderlust.

Benefit Browzing Kit

This is a really good portable eyebrow kit. It has both a wax and a powder with little brushes. It has a mirror! It has mini tweezers! It's much easier to use than I thought it would be and it's great for filling in sparse brows. This is the only brow product I've tried that i really love. And best of all, it lasts an extremely long time. I use this everyday and hope they don't reformulate or stop making it.

Mac Mineralize Skin Finish natural in Light

I love a good pressed setting powder. My skin used to be really oily so I lived and died by my powder. I still like it to help set my makeup. I like this one's natural finish, not too matte. Applied with a brush, it's light and lovely. I wish it had a mirror so I could put it in my purse for touch ups but other than that it's fine. I tend to use a clinique powder in my purse. I like Mac's well enough to deal with the hassel of two powders.

Winter Wishlist-edited

***Edited to change the picture of the camel coat. I posted the wrong one in the original!


I've been thinking about clothes a lot lately and trying to figure out why I've been so uninspired. and I think part of it is to do with, while having done a tone of work on this house, I don't really have a closet, so everything is still in boxes and garbage bags, anything that can't fit into my overstuffed dresser.

And part of it is to do with buying things that catch my eye only to have a wardrobe full of bright colors and prints and no good basics or solid separates with which to make outfits with.

So my winter wish list seeks to remedy that a bit and hopefully won't be so boring that i won't wear it.

The Investment Piece

--I have a tendency to buy things very cheaply so I can buy in larger quantities. but sometimes you just have to have something really good that lasts. i think a nice winter coat fits into that category. I would like a longer camel coat.




This is an example from etsy but anything similar would do. If I could get it in cashmere that would be perfection.

The Classic Pieces

--Something I never was drawn to before, but I think would come in handy for a complete wardrobe because of it's timelessness is a short shearling jacket.



--Another obvious classic winter piece is a turtleneck sweater. I want one with a slim fit, not too thick ribbing but not too thin, preferably in a cream color but any neutral will do.



The Transitional Pieces

--A knee length suede skirt. i can wear this in colder months with tights and a sweater, maybe even that turtle neck, and in the summer it will look wonderfully casual with a tank and sandals. Better make it a lightweight suede to play it safe.



--A long sleeved striped boatneck tee! I love these and have managed to never find the perfect one. I want navy and white stripes. This is an excellent layering piece. Kinda like this one from Forever 21 but navy and white.



The Fun/Trendy Pieces

--some very rock n roll black velvet trousers, hopefully with the satin tuxedo stripe. Warm, sexy and perfect as a non dress option for New Years Eve parties! Seen here as a suit by Victoria Secret.



--A mod style sweater dress. I like the ones with short sleeves (remember the stripe tee?) Grey is my favorite neutral but I'm open to whatever I can find.



The Accessories

--A vintage cameo ring.



--Suede ankle boots. Something with unique detailing and a high heel. In Emerald Green! I need some color, you know. Like these, maybe, but greener.



--A big metallic fancy hobo bag so I can carry simply everything all the time.


So what are you wishing for?