Summer Shades: Sunglasses under $20

It's officially summer! And what is a summer without fabulous sunglasses, right? I love sunglasses. My favorite are any sunglasses that are over sized. I usually stick to the neutral colors like black or rose gold, when picking out my sunglasses. 

I like to have a few different pairs. I always either break or lose sunglasses. Every summer I seem to get through at least a few pairs.  I would rather get few different affordable pairs of sunglasses each summer and not be too upset when I lose them than have expensive designer shades that I would worry about losing anywhere I go. 

When picking out new shades I usually go to Target, Kohl's or Forever21. I find the best deals on sunglasses there. My current faves are these (featured on our twitter and instagram a lot) which are aviators from Vera Wang's line at Kohl's.  A few additional pairs that I'm considering for this year are the ones above.

Sunglasses #1 are Aviators. Yes. Another pair.  These are black/grey, which are completely different than the rose gold that I already have, right?  These just add the 'cool factor'. You could be wearing jeans and a T-shirt and once you throw on aviator sunglasses you look so cool- as if you were just heading to a festival as oppose to going to the store to buy apples. Plus they go well with any face shape.

Sunglasses #2 &3 are Wayfarers. I've actually considered buying the real Ray Ban Wayfarer sunglasses awhile back, but like I said before I lose sunglasses too often to spend that much money on an item. These alternatives are pretty adorable. The sunglasses at the bottom left have a cute detail on the side frames. These sunglasses look best with a heart shaped or oval face shape.

The last pair of sunglasses are Cat Eye sunglasses. I like these because the 'cat eye' shape of them is very subtle. Clara is a HUGE fan of this shape of sunglasses, whereas I am just starting to like them. I featured both colors of these sunglasses, because I'm having a hard time choosing- both of them look adorable.  These look great if you have a heart shaped or square face shape.

The best news is that all of these sunglasses are below 20$, so you won't be breaking the bank trying to look fashionable this summer. Especially if you are on a student budget. 

What kind of sunglasses are your favorite? Do you splurge or save on sunglasses? 
 

-Natalia


P.S. Our international GIVEAWAY is still open!  Don't forget to enter! :)

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Dress to Impress: Fourth of July

Fourth of July festivities are happening this weekend! We will be celebrating this holiday with a family barbecue and then a bonfire at the beach with our mutual friends.

Clara's Outfits:

My first outfit (on the left) is for a laid back 4th of July. A beach trip and a bonfire with friends means swimsuits while you hang out, eat hot dogs, and take a dip in the water. Additionally, for later that night for when you're getting ready to watch the fireworks and the summer air starts to get chilly, you might want to change out of your bathing suit into some real clothes. So I chose a comfy pair of shorts and a sweater to pair with some Toms. Of course, you'll also need a nice tote to hold everything in!

My second outfit is for a barbecue with the family (or the boyfriend's family!). It's an outfit that doesn't scream "4th of July" but you're still dressed for the occasion. I paired a nice royal blue peplum (because we all know Clara [me] loves peplum) with some black shorts and some red mary jane wedges. My favorite part of this outfit is the necklace; it's still very festive without going overboard and it adds just the perfect holiday touch.

Natalia's Outfits:

For any family gathering, such as a 4th of July barbecue, I like to slightly dress up. There are a few aunts in my family that like to lecture 'the young" on proper attire. Somehow they've got it in their heads that young people these days only wear jeans and ratty old shirts. (SOOO NOT True-in most cases anyways). I chose a simple blue striped dress and paired it with red & gold accessories.

A few hours later I'll be heading down to the beach for a bonfire with friends. I'll throw on a loose white T-shirt and denim shorts. To add some American spirit to the outfit I'll wear an American flag printed scarf.  I always like to stack on bracelets and rings when my outfit is quite simple. To the bonfire I chose a triangle ring and a stack of gold bangles. To add another level of 'easiness' to the outfit I chose some aviators. To finish off this casual outfit I'd throw on a pair of my staple shoes- white converse. I do not know what I would do without mine. As I usually say, when in doubt-wear converse.

As far as hair and makeup, I'd curl my hair in big curls in the morning. As the day progresses they would loosen up and be sort of beachy waves by the time I start heading down to the bonfire.  Because I will be wearing sunglasses all day (especially since both events are outside) I'll focus on making my lips stand out with a deep red lipstain. My current favorite is Revlon Just Bitten Lipstain (stay tuned for a longer review in the June Favorites). My nails is where I usually show off my creative side. I'd like to try and do the manicure art above. It looks pretty simple with the exception of the heart detail.

What are your plans for 4th of July? What will you be wearing?


P.S. There is still time to enter our GIVEAWAY!


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Spring & Summer: Best Scents

A fabulous outfit is not complete without a beautiful scent. For summer I like to choose light, flowery smells that are not too over powering. So here we go:  these are my favorite perfumes for the spring and summer.

My absolute favorite perfume is Be Delicious by DKNY. It's a light fragrance with notes of green apple. I always get compliments when I'm wearing this scent. This perfume stays on your skin all day, so even after a long day I can smell the delicate notes of apples. (Don't worry you won't smell EXACTLY like apples, there are a variety of different notes mixed in ;) )

My second choice was a toss up between the Daisy and the Dot perfumes by Marc Jacobs. Both perfumes have the most adorable bottles. They both have fresh, light fragrances. The Daisy is more flowery, while the Dot has more of a fruity smell. The scent stays on for few hours but does not last all day like Be Delicious. Both of these perfumes are fun and flirty. 

The last bottle featured is a Jimmy Choo perfume. I wear this on nights out in the summer. It's a little bit heavier perfume than the first three scents, which is perfect for nights. It has notes of orange and vanilla. It is a perfect balance of sophistication and elegance with a surprising hint of orange and vanilla.

BFF TIP:  If you're thinking of shelling out the big bucks for any perfume I would suggest going to a closest department stores and asking for a sample. It gets overwhelming smelling more than few perfumes at a time when you're in the store, so I recommend testing out perfumes on your own time and the samples you receive can easily last for 4-5 days. 

What are your favorite spring and summer scents?

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Spring & Summer Fashion: Maxi Skirts

Maxi skirts scare me. I don't consider myself short on most occasions, but I feel like a maxi skirt might just shorten me so much that I won't be allowed on any roller coster rides (which I guess wouldn't be so bad). 
This isn't actually true because maxi skirts or dresses can actually add length if worn properly.  

I put together a few outfits that I can see myself trying out.

[Lip Gloss][Sandals][Top]                                                                                                                      [Top][Skirt][Flats]

[Skirt][Necklace][Bracelets]                                                                                                                [Necklace][Earings]

I can definitely picture myself wearing these to the university or to a fun summer picnic. I think the best part of all these pieces is that they are affordable, with the exception of the white necklace, but I'm sure I'd be able to find a similar one at Forever21. 

Which outfit do you like more? Which piece is your favorite?   

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Spring & Summer: Accessories

It's time for another edition of the Spring & Summer series! This time we'll focus on accessories.

[1]Peach Lolita  [2] Rhinestone Owl  [3]Rhinestone Ribbon Drops [4]2 Rows with Drops   [5]Metal Stick Duo Tone  [6] Coral Beady Bib

Necklaces are such an easy way to dress up an outfit in my opinion. You could literally be wearing jeans, blouse and  flats, feeling ordinary, then you throw on (not literally ;)) one of these necklaces and bam! you're a fashionista!

[1] Multilayer Triangle  [2] Gold Tone Ladybug  [3] Rose Studs  [4] Gem Drops 

Aren't spring and summer earrings so fun? You can get away with wearing flowers or lady bugs on your ears when the sun is out. We included some 'special occasion' earrings too, because I don't know about you gals, but I have a few weddings in the next few months to attend, and these are great choices to dress up an outfit.

[1]Floral Ring  [2] 'Dream' double finger  [3]Heart stacker   [4] Crystal Leaf Bypass 

 

Rings! How fabulous are these?! I used to have a cool one that said 'hope' on it but I lost it so I'm pretty happy to find one that says 'dream', because sometimes I need a little reminder to dream a little.

[1] Colorful [2] Colored Bead [3] Hinged Rhinestone

 Arm Candy. I'll admit it. I'm not much of an arm candy person, but I would like to be. I would love to stack a few on my wrist and make it look chic. My favorite one of these three is the gold beaded one. Best thing about it? It's super affordable and it looks so classy! 
I would wear the colorful one with shorts all summer because it would go well with solid colored shirts as well as fun patterned ones. 

Which ones are your favorite? Let us know in the comments.

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Spring & Summer Fashion: Shoes

Spring & Summer Fashion series continues this week with our favorite shoes for the warmer weather. 

Let's just pretend that it did not rain for the last few days here. Imagine waking up with the sun shining, a warm breeze entering the bedroom and an aromatic smell of coffee being made wafting in the air. With that in mind, I'd like to introduce you to your new fabulous friends that are just dying to explore the world with you.

[1][2][3][4][5][6]

1. Our first pick is the gorgeous exotic Route 66 sandal. It has all the qualities a good friend has. A wild side as well as the calm and collected one. While the tribal print of the strap invites you for a walk in the rainforest, the indigo blue detail bring you back to reality of marching through busy streets of downtown. 

2. Our second pick is the elegant bow strapped sandal in creamy coral pink from LC Lauren Conrad's line. Paired with a light sundress they may quite possibly attract the sun rays. They can also be added to a casual outfit of denim short and a white top. This shoe brings an instant chicness to any ensemble. This is the type of a friend that will make you feel good about yourself no matter what color of hair you're trying out this week or how little sleep you've gotten the previous night.

3. The next shoe is a staple item of any wardrobe- white Keds- with a twist. The polka dot and the pink detail gives them a feminine and delicate look. The shoe is quite versatile. Wear it with a dress, shorts or a romper and you will achieve that light and  breezy look of summer. This is your friend from school, who at first look seemed plain and uninteresting, but after getting to know them you realize how fun they are. 

4. The fourth pick is the Miz Mooz 'Kenya' wedge. This friend will support you through thick and thin, whether you want to pursue a journalism degree or move to Australia and start a kangaroo farm. You can not possibly go wrong with a wedge, especially this one. It is a beautiful blood orange color that will make your tan stand out. If you have not quite achieved the glowing perfection as promised by the Jergens lotion this color will make you seem a little less pale by warming up your skin tone. 

5. We simply can't not feature one of our favorite stores, which is where this beauty was found. This is a Prabal Garang for Target lime green pump. If you're looking to add a pop of color to your outfit I'd suggest this shoe. While the color may seem overwhelming at first, as long as you pair it with neutrals or solid colors it will make you look like you just got home from a long European vacation. All of us have that friend that makes us feel a little bit braver, funnier, or more outrageous than we really are. We need this person to make our life a little more colorful, to escape the reality of grayness.  

6. The final pair of shoe chosen for the series is a brown wedge from Jessica Simpson's line. While initially it may not seem like a summer shoe to most of you, I dare you to take a closer look. The peep toe detail will enable you to show off your fun colored pedicure. It'll bring a balance to wearing colorful prints of spring & summer. This is the person you would call if you're looking for advice. This friend brings a certain stability into your hectic life. You always look forward to chatting with them and you feel most comfortable with them around.

Which shoe is your favorite? Let us know in the comments.

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Spring & Summer Fashion: Shorts

Who is excited for the warmer temperatures? I know that most of the us are not getting any spring/summer weather at the moment. As I said in my previous post, shopping cheers me up. All the clothing stores that I have been to recently are displaying beautiful dresses and pastels. 

[1] [2] [3]

Here are my top picks for shorts for the upcoming seasons. All of these are affordable and I don't feel bad about purchasing these, even though I won't be able to wear them for at least few months. I'll just look at them in my closet and instantly uplift my mood. I definitely recommend retail therapy, even just window shopping, to get you out of the post-winter depression.  

Anyone else like looking at cute clothes for an instant mood lift? 
Vote in our poll in the sidebar and let us know what your favorite item of spring fashion is!

and also check out the rest of our summer and spring series.

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