Monthly Archives: May 2016
Instagram Roundup + Memorial Day Sales!
Happy Memorial Day!! I just have to start by saying Thank You to all those who have served in our military and their families! I think sometimes it is very easy to get caught up in the 3-day weekend, fabulous sales, and Memorial Day pool parties, but today don’t forget to take a few moments to remember those who have served and those who have lost their lives serving our country and their loved ones. THANK YOU!!
I wanted to share a huge Instagram roundup with ya’ll today, because so many of these items are currently on sale. I plan on relaxing and getting in a little bit of shopping in on my extra day off today. I hope you all have a fabulous week ahead!
dress *40% off but color not available | bag (color no longer available) | necklace | sunglasses * rent free for one month with code LADYINVIOLET
blouse *40% off with code BRTAKE40 | jeans *20% off | wedges *40% off | earrings | bracelet | turquoise bracelet
blouse | work pants *40% off | similar necklace | bracelet | purse (color no longer available) | heels
floral tee | distressed jeans | sandals | bag (color no longer available, but a darker pink available!) | bracelet | necklace | sunnies *rent free for a month with code LADYINVIOLET
similar tee | jeans | sandals | purse | necklace | sunglasses
similar chambray & on sale | jeans *30% off with code MEM30| bracelet 1 | bracelet 2 | necklace | earrings (similar earrings)
similar dress & 40% off | similar blazer | earrings | short necklace | heels | clutch
blouse (similar blouse) | pants *40% off | heels *40% off | short necklace | long necklace | bracelet | earrings | sunglasses **rent for free for 1 month with code LADYINVIOLET
kimono | blouse | jeans | wedges (also here) | similar purse | necklace | bracelet 1 | bracelet 2 *on sale | sunglasses
tunic *40% off | white jeans *20% off | wedges *40% off | necklace | white bracelet *on sale | bracelet 2 | bracelet 3 | sunglasses *rent free for one month with code LADYINVIOLET
MEMORIAL DAY SALES!
NORDSTROM Half Yearly Sale – 40% off selected items
HENRI BENDEL Birthday Bash Sale – 25% off select styles & a new discount everyday through June 4th!
ANN TAYLOR – 50% Off Full-Price Purchase & Extra 40% Off Sale with code SUMMER 50
ANTHROPOLOGIE – Extra 30% off sale
ASOS – Extra 20% off with code HISUMMER
BANANA REPUBLIC – Extra 40% off with code BRTAKE40
DL1961 – 30% off with code MEM30 (I own and love the Emma Jeans!)
EXPRESS – 15% off your purchase with code 9492
JCREW – 30% off your purchase with code WEEKEND
GIGI NY – 20% off sitewide & FREE shipping!
LOFT – 60% Off Summer Faves & All Sale Styles + 40% Off New Arrivals
MOON & LOLA – 20% off your purchase with code RSCHARM20
PLANET BLUE – Up to 70% off sitewide
POTTERY BARN – Up to 40% off with code SAVEMORE
SAM EDELMAN – 30% off sitewide with code VIPSUMMER
SIGMA BEAUTY – 20% off with code MEMORIAL20
SOLE SOCIETY – 30% off select styles
SPLENDID – 30% off with code MEMDAY16
May Beauty Favorites
I’m excited to share a few of my current favorite beauty products with ya’ll because a few of them are part of a HUGE change in my everyday makeup routine. I’m slowly changing it up and plan on sharing once its fine tuned. I didn’t want to wait to share a little sneak peek with a few of the products I am loving that are part of my new routine.
I have been wearing Bare Minerals for years, but heat and humidity does not work so well with powders in the summer. I wanted to switch to something liquid, so after a recommendation from a friend I decided to try out the Maybelline Fit Me liquid foundation. I went for a less expensive drugstore brand in case I absolutely hated the liquid feel on my skin all day. I don’t want to feel my makeup on my skin all day, and I have tried others where it just felt caked on. This one is so lightweight and doesn’t leave me feeling shiny. I like it because I don’t feel like I have makeup on, but I’m still getting the great coverage and longevity from it. I have applied it with both a beauty blender and my foundation brush. I think both work fine, but I prefer the brush. I think it’s more out of habit than anything.
One thing I found with using liquid foundation is my face needed a little definition boost. I’m slowly learning about contouring and highlighting, but haven’t tried it out yet. I currently use this bronzer from PUR Cosmetics to help contour a little bit. I apply mainly around the frame of my face, cheekbones, and side of my nose like you would with a contour, but I also apply a light dusting all over too. It gives a really great sun-kissed look. You can’t really tell in the pictures, but half of the shades have a little shimmer.
Another way I am achieving that sun-kissed look is with a little self tanner. I have done professional spray tans and love the look, but not the price tag. It’s something you really need to do every week or two to maintain. I bought this mousse because I read it was comparable to a pricier brand for about half the price. I bought the medium shade which is perfect for my haven’t seen sun in a few month skin tone right now. I also like that it’s not super dark so I have a little wiggle room to practice and make a few mistakes. I use these gloves to apply the mousse. They have baby ones for your face too. I stand on a bathroom towel while I apply to prevent any staining on my floor. A few other tips, exfoliate before you apply, go slow to be sure you get all the spots to prevent streaks or missed areas, and apply before bed. You have to leave the self tanner on for several hours while it does it’s magic. I like to apply and then go straight to bed. I wake up and rinse in the morning, and my tan is ready to go! I applied this self-tanner the night before I shot this post and this one, if you want to see my results. I think I may have sold a few of my friends on this product a few week ago. I love that it looks natural, and I think it fades very naturally and not splotchy. I do notice a small tanning smell. If you have ever used a self tanner you know what I mean, but this one is actually pretty light compared to other products I have tried.
One other change to my routine is that I have been working on perfecting my blowout. My hairdresser inspired me to try blow drying my hair straight vs straightening with my highest heat setting of my straightener. Apparently this is why my curls fall so quickly, so I bought me a fancy brush and have been practicing. I have naturally curly hair, so I went with this brush which is suppose to be better for my hair type. I still need lots of practice! 😉
One last fun beauty thing, I always see people with all their brushes in pretty little glasses, so I dug in my fancy serve-ware closet and found this goblet glass. It has made such a difference to have all my brushes in one place. I used to have them just tossed in my makeup drawer and was always searching for the one I needed. My new makeup routine means I’m using more brushes, so I’m liking this little organizational tool.
SHOP THE PRODUCTS
I hope you all have a wonderful Memorial Day Weekend!! Our forecast looks pretty nice, so I’m thinking I might get a little pool time in. Thanks for stopping by!
3 Tips to Restyle a Dress
| DETAILS |
TRINA TURK Elin Dress | BP Denim Vest (similar) | SAM EDELMAN Dawson Sandals | VERA BRADLEY c/o Quilted Tess Bag | KENDRA SCOTT c/o Rae Necklace, Skylar Earrings, Andy Bracelet, Grady Bracelet (similar) | BAUBLEBAR Ladder Cuff | GORJANA Mika Necklace | PRADA (c/o Ditto) Sunglasses **Try One Month FREE with code LADYINVIOLET | Lips: MAC Craving
We have all done it, splurged on the pretty dress thinking I’m sure I will wear this all the time. It’s a gorgeous dress, but then you realize it’s one of those memorable dresses that you can’t wear to every event all summer long. I splurged on this dress last summer, and found it on sale but still a bit of a splurge for this summer. I always love trying to come up with new ways to restyle a dress, so I can wear it not only multiple times but to different kinds of events. A little over a week ago, I wore this dress with my heels to Afternoon Tea for a birthday celebration of several of my friends. It’s such a statement dress that it really doesn’t need much else.
BUT, I wanted to come up with a cute casual look for this dress. Something I could wear to a backyard party or family function. My denim vest is my summer go to piece to easily change the look of a dress and create a more casual vibe. Not going to lie, it’s also something I add on when I am so not in strapless bra mood. Another easy way to change the look of a dress is with your shoes. I could have opted for wedges if I wanted to go dressy casual, but to take the look even more laid back, I opted for my flat sandals. I like the nude shoe, so it still lets the colors of the dress be the focal point. My last restyling tip is all about the accessories. I typically go really simple with this dress when I wear it all dressed up. For a fun casual look, I added a long pendant necklace and some colorful bracelets that complimented the colors of the dress. When I added all these pieces, this look had a lot going on, so I went with a simple white bag. I think the white really helps to brighten the colors of the dress. There you go, 3 easy tips to restyling a dress from fancy to casual. If you want to see the previous way I styled this dress last summer, check out my post HERE.
SHOP THE LOOK
A Little Bit Gray
| DETAILS |
VERO MODA Gray Blouse (similar | similar) | AG JEANS Stilt Skinny Jeans (similar & on sale!) | STEVE MADDEN Stecy Sandals | HENRI BENDEL c/o Mini Jetsetter Bag | JENNY BIRD Flagstaff Earrings (same but different stone) | KENDRA SCOTT Elisa Necklace, Arden Cuff | STELLA & DOT Renegade Bracelet | RAYBAN Mirrored Aviators | Nails: ESSIE Blanc | Lips: BOBBI BROWN Neon Pink
I took these photos a few weeks ago when I bought this top, but I couldn’t find it available online. I held off on posting hoping I could find it, but no luck so I found some similar styles of this top instead. I picked this top up at the Bevello boutique. I actually walked by it slowly several times before deciding to try it on. I much prefer longer tops, and this one was more like a long crop top. I loved the gorgeous details on it though, so I finally gave in and decided to try it on. It ended up being a little longer than I thought, and the details were just so gorgeous so I bought it. I think it will also be really cute with shorts and white denim. The gray color was also a selling point. It is a color that will work well in the fall when I can pair this top with flared jeans or black skinny jeans and booties.
Gorgeous detailing is everywhere right now! If you are looking to add a few new beautiful pieces to your wardrobe, here are a few things I look for in a detailed top. One, will I need to wear something underneath? The one I am wearing is completely open, so I will have to wear a camisole or bandeau underneath it. Two, will it be easy to wash or a dry clean only item? I hate going to the dry cleaners, so I try to go for mostly machine wash clothes. I put my delicate machine wash clothes in bags like these to prevent any snags in the washing machine from other clothes.
I hope you all have a great week ahead! Thanks for taking some time to stop by! 🙂