Makeup of the day: August 16th, 2013

Makeup of the Day: August 2013

On the 16th of August, two of my very important people in my life made a promise to each other, sealed with a kiss, to be forever in love. It was a beautiful, warm summer day full of joy and excitement, and I wish you, Danielle and Adam nothing but the best. 

--I wanted to keep my look for the day simple, and easy to maintain. For this, I knew I needed one of the best shadow palettes I've ever used. It's by a company called Coastal Scents, which used to be a cult favorite by Youtube gurus. 

--It's a very basic smokey eye using only 3 different shadows. For a base, I used a matte cream/skin colored shadow. In the mid to upper crease, I blended together a matte chestnut brown with a charcoal brown. By doing this, you can create an ombre effect that smokes out from dark to light when approaching the inner corner. For my highlights ( inner corner and brow) I used the same matte cream color as the base.

--A thick line of black liquid liner, a strip of falsies, and some very black mascara finished the eye look. I wanted to keep the lip very simple as well, and just used a bit of Hue by Mac in the center of the lip, and blended it out with an Urban Decay pocket rocket lip gloss in the shade "Kirk." 

This look is good for formal occasions, such a weddings and prom, but is also simple enough to wear day to day! What I would do if I were to wear this look daily is stick to just mascara and no falsies. 

What do you guys think?

What is your "go-to" makeup look for formal occasions?

Let me know!

Until then, 

-K.

A new love.

I've never been the type of girl to use a small bag, ever. The smallest bag I've ever carried was when I first started using purses in probably 6th grade, when I thought I was a diva for using a Coach handbag...which was inevitably stolen later that year...(my 6th grade heart still breaks....)

ANYWAY...
Something wild is changing within me because these past few summer weeks I've been so sick of lugging around my Le Pliage Large Longchamp bag. I never thought I'd say that. I almost feel bad for saying that because that bag is like a child to me. I call her champy..


And now I'm actually insane..


But it's been way to hot in New York to carry the ridiculous amount of stuff I do on a daily basis. In reality, I only need a few things in a bag, but when you have the room to put an extra this or that, it adds weight to a large bag...like my champy...

I found love in a hopeless place. I see Forever21 as jungle and when I actually find something that is in good condition, and good quality, I see it as a saving grace sent from the heavens above.  And this love is good. She is beautiful, and you would never think from the quality, and construction stand point that this little light of mine, was only $25.


On the website it's listed  as the 
" Basket Woven Crossbody" bag. It's $24.80, and worth about triple that. It's constructed beautifully, and for me it is a bit small, comparatively to every other bag I've owned, but it's not actually that small.

Isn't she cute?

It's not a secret that I'm a bigger girl to, so for me to recommend a small bag is out of this world for me. I was actually always afraid to carry a smaller bag, because I didn't want it to get lost against my frame. This looks classy, and is a perfect size for anyone.

I'm planning on doing a what's in my bag this week, so keep your eyes open to see what I actually fit in my new purse.

What do you like to carry in the summer?
Do you stick with a small bag, or go for a larger tote?
Let me know!
Until then,
-K.

Plus Size Fashion Dupe: Plus Size Pixie?

                                      Plus Size Fashion Dupe #1
I always hear about how amazing the JCrew Pixie pants are online. From vloggers to bloggers and everyone in between, I constantly see these plain black skinny pants everywhere! They seem to fit everyone perfectly. They kind of remind me of the jeans from "the sisterhood of the traveling pants." The thing is JCrew's pants only go up to a size 12. 

This world is full of beautiful, full figured women who would ROCK pixie pants if they came in ACTUAL plus sizes. I found something for us, plus sized girls, that are basically a dupe for the Pixie pant.

They are rightfully called the " Little Black Skinny Pant", and are for sale at Torrid for around $45. I know, for pants, that may seem like a lot of money. From a fashion point of view, I believe every woman should have a staple little black dress, neutral blazer, and a perfectly fitting pair of black pants. They are SO versatile. Now, from my point of view, I spend that on 2 pairs of leggings that rip in the thighs after 5 or 6 wears. Why not invest in a quality item that will last, and never go out of style?

Just so you all know, I'm about 5'6-5'7, and they hit me right at the ankle. I like that style of pants, because they're a bit cropped and won't get ruined by touching the ground. I think they tend to make my legs look a bit longer too, (since I was blessed with the tree stump legs from my Italian roots). Grazie.

Here's the link for the pants if you want to check them out. 
http://www.torrid.com/torrid/Clothing/Bottoms/The+Little+Black+Skinny+Pants-533311.jsp

**Also, if you're not a curvy girl, the pixie pants are an awesome addition to any wardrobe. I wasn't trying to diss the pants at all, but offer an option from my point of view!
Here's the link for the JCrew Pixie Pants.
http://www.jcrew.com/womens_category/jcrewweekend/PRDOVR~31090/31090.jsp


I hope everyone's having a beautiful summer break.
Talk to you all soon!
Until then, 
-K.

Studs on studs on studs.

                 Studs on studs on studs : Recent Purchases

I am beyond in love with these little stud earrings. I ordered them from @Jin0516 on Poshmark. If you don't know what Poshmark is, I recently described it in a previous post. But basically, it's an app where you can buy,sell, and trade- clothing, shoes and accessories. I've seen everything from the Chanel flap clutch, to men's socks on poshmark. But I saw these little studs and could not resist. 

Together, they cost under $20! The seller was beyond sweet, and has some really amazing things for sale in her "closet". If you want to add the app, it's a great way to get rid of things you don't use anymore! For instance, I have clothes in my Poshmark closet that I actually forgot I owned, and never wore. Why keep things that we don't use when someone else can get a ton of use out of them? 

Also, I mentioned this in my other post about Poshmark, but if you use my promo code when you sign up, you get a $5 credit towards a purchase! The code is HXVCC. I'm not sponsored or promoted by this app at all, I just think it's a really cool way to shop. 

Plus, in this nasty New York heat wave, I've been wearing my hair in a bun like it's nobodies business. So these add a little sparkle to any look, while staying edgy and uber feminine. 

Hope you all are enjoying this heatwave.

We all need a little vitamin d, right?

Talk to you all soon!

Until then, 

-K.

The lovely bubbles.

Hello again!

So...

Have you ever been slapped with news that automatically makes you want to shop?

Kind of like hearing that the college you're transferring to has an extremely strict business dress code. Right?

I found that little bit out about two weeks ago, and being the fashion junkie I am, I began shopping.

The necklaces shown are statement pieces called rightfully so, bubble necklaces.  JCrew is widely recognized for being the original creator of these beautiful pieces. 

JCrew, though, charges around $150 per necklace. 

Me, being the college student I am, couldn't imagine spending that on anything but gas and books.

   

Don't get me wrong, I'm not bashing JCrew in any way, shape, or form. I love the idea of the necklace and I'm sure the quality of their necklace is probably incredible. The two I purchased look identical to the original bubble necklaces, but cost....drum roll please...

$5.99 each.                     

I purchased them from an Ebay seller about a week ago and they arrived today. I am so pleased with the quality. If you ebay search bubble necklace, you can find so many in all different colors. In all honesty, I truly believe you get what you pay for. I was expecting much less than what I received with these necklaces. You can find this style of necklace pretty much anywhere now, though. I've seen them everywhere from Ebay, to Etsy, and boutique type sites like Marley Lilly. 

I'm planning on styling them with a collared shirt, so that it adds a little bit of fun to a plain button down.  Once I figure out an outfit with them (which I have many in my mind right now), I'll either do a post, or feature them on my Instagram - @Kristendari. 

How do you style statement pieces?

If you have instagram, take a photo of your favorite piece of statement jewelry and tag me in it, once again @Kristendari so I can get more ideas!   

I hope you guys are having a beautiful end of May!

Talk to you all soon.

Until then,

-K.                                                       

App Discoveries: Poshmark

I've recently discovered something that we can all use.
SOMETHING THAT MAKES US SOME MONEY, and cleans out our closet at the same time!

Okay, so here's the deal..

There's an app called Poshmark. Basically, it's the coolest thing ever. 
What you do, is take a picture of an item that you want to sell : items can be brand new with tags, or used and in good condition. You list the price you want to sell it for, give a description of the item, and a couple other little details like size and what-not.
Here's the best part. You list it in your "closet", and people can buy it! ( You can buy products from other people's closets as well!)The app sends you an email when the item gets purchased with a prepaid shipping label, which you attach to a box. They tell you in their FAQ's to use priority mail boxes from the post office, because they're free! Then, the money you earn from the purchase can either be sent to you in a check, or directly deposited into an account. 

It's literally that simple. I'm in love. I have so many things that I've never worn, but someone else could get good use out of! 

I'm not being sponsored or anything to write this. I just really think it's a great idea to make some extra cash, while getting rid of stuff you'll  never wear! If you join the site, and use my code, you'll get a $5 credit towards any item you want. Enter code HXVCC when prompted, and the $5 is yours!

So far, I've sold a dress, a shirt, and a pair of oxfords. 
Let me know if you guys try this, or make any money!
Until then, 
-K.

My Sneaky Red Lip

I'm a huge fan of a "vintage inspired" red lip. 

But they honestly suck to do.

They never stay in place, and always smugdge onto your teeth, and instead of looking glamourous, and elegant, 

you end up looking like 

this..

This is a perfect example of what not to look like.

My trick is to ignore the obvious product that you would use for a red lip.

What is that you may be thinking? (Or you may still be looking at that picture of Paris Hilton and wondering what went wrong, and if you are it's okay because I am too.)

No red lipstick. 

Yes, I said it. 

I never use red lipstick when I wear red lips.

Think about it...red lipstick is what actually smudges because it's a cream!

Here's my trick..

1.Apply a little tiny bit of lip balm to fill in any dry spots on your lips.

2. Use a red lip liner and outline the lips, and then fill in completely. 

3. Use a balm stain type product over the liner.

*4. If you feel like it, use a tiny bit of red or clear gloss.

Products I use:

Nivea lip butter

Revlon Colorstay liner for lips in Red #675

Revlon Just Bitten Stain in Gothic

A tiny bit of clear gloss

That's all it takes. The liner makes the already longwear balm stain stay in place all day. It's not rocket science, I know, but mastering a beauty trick takes patience. Here's my little trick/gift to you all.

So, don't be afraid to wear a kick ass lip color this summer. 

Brighten up your whole look with a bold pink, coral, or red lip and make a statement.

Let me know if you try this, and let me know how it works for you!

Until then,

Kisses!

-K.

Just another ramble, social media this time.

Being in the world of fashion 24/7 as a student is an amazing thing. Knowing trends, forecasting, and what all the celebrities are up to is a must. In 2008 I signed up for Facebook, the ultimate social networking website. ( before that was of course myspace, and we won't discuss that because I wore zipper earrings in my profile picture..) There is a HUGE world to be explored online, and if you're reading this, you may have clicked the link off of one of my sites. And I thank you kindly for doing so.

I've been introduced to the world of beauty gurus and fashion blogs like dulcecandy.com and so many others who inspire me on a daily basis. I find myself looking to ready daily posts instead of watching garbage reality tv ( don't get me wrong, I love Scott disick as much as any other girl) because I can learn about fashion not only across the country, but across the globe.

My top 5 YouTube gurus currently:

- sarahbelle93x

- itsjudytime

- dulcecandy87

- zoella & sprinkleofglitter

- akaydoll

Most of these women are my age, if not older, and are not only extremely popular on YouTube, but most run blogs and are noticed on social media as well. It's an incredible platform.

My social media contacts:

Twitter : @kristenicoleeee

Instagram: @kristendari

Who are your favorite bloggers?

Let me know, I'd love to read some new ones!

Until then,

-k

Out with the old, up with the new.

My name is Kristen. 

I am a 20 year old fashion merchandising student from New York. 

I'm on a journey, and I'm deciding to document it.

And, I'm inviting you with me. 

This blog is going to consist of fashion, beauty, home&decor and random posts about my upcoming move.

Hopefully, it will be helpful and offer advice to anyone who is at the same stage, or anyone just looking for a place to relax. I love learning from other people. Learning about style, learning that there is a difference in styles between states, or even just towns. Tips and tricks about beauty, from hair to makeup and skincare.

I have love for all things fashion, as I said above I'm a student in the fashion industry. I will be moving from my comfort zone to a whole new world in a state that is hours away from here. It's going to be wild. Not in the stereotypical college crazy wild definition. Wild in the context of being new, and a new outer body experience.

I find comfort in knowing that there are people out there who are just as stressed with finals, projects, and pressure as I am. Not that I would wish anyone stress, it's just nice to know that you're not alone in this world. It's big, and it's scary.

As time goes on, so do we. Every day is something different. We work, we play, we love, and we continue. 

I hope you all enjoy this ride. 

Until then, 

- K.