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!


Bloglovin | Instagram | Twitter | Facebook

Flower Product Review: Eyeliner and Mascara

Find it at Walmart.

A couple of months ago we won Love Joice's cosmetics giveaway. Two of the products we won were the eyeliner and mascara from Drew Barrymore's Flower cosmetics collection (available at Walmart). We also won a lipstick, eyeshadow, and nail polish, so look out for those reviews in the future!

Flower Easy On The Eyes Long Wear Eyeliner

First of all the Flower Easy On The Eyes Long Wear Eyeliner was AWESOME. I have had my fair share of eyeliners in the past, from liquid to gel, to pencil, but by far my favorite has been this eyeliner liquid eyeliner pen. 

1. It is so easy to put on and best of all it is long lasting. The pen eyeliners I've used in the past smear off as the day goes on because of oil on my skin or sweat (from all the danciiiing), but Flower does not. 
2. Another pro is that it does not dry out. The last eyeliner pen I used dried out in about 2 weeks. I've had  this Flower eyeliner pen for about a month and it's still fresh! 

My only con, or wish, is that it cam in other colors (other than brown, blue and black). Sometimes, if I"m feeling spunky I like to wear colorful eyeliner when I go out. 

Flower Zoom-In Ultimate Mascara

Second is the Flower Zoom-In Ultimate Mascara. It's hard to explain, but the mascara has 3 different functions to lengthen, volumize, and curl your lashes. All you have to do is rotate a dial and the brush changes to fit your needs. Personally, I have very thin lashes so this mascara really helped. Also, I don't use an eye curler so this was an added bonus in my opinion.

If you want some relatively inexpensive, high quality mascara or eyeliner, I highly recommend Flower products. They're easy to find and they won't break the bank. 

I'm really glad that we won the giveaway (Thanks Joice and Ana!!) because I am in love with these products. No more raccoon eyes for me at the club ;)

Have you ever tried Flower cosmetics? Let us know in the comments. 

Bloglovin | Instagram | Twitter | Facebook

Join the BFF club+Giveaway

[via]

First of all, we would like to thank you ALL for being so inviting to the blogging community and helping us get this blog started. It's been so much fun! So fun, we want to have our own exclusive BFF Club. (kidding! everyone is more than welcome to join :)) 

 

We are so excited to have over 100 followers on GFC and are a few away from 100 on Bloglovin all thanks to you BFFs!!! In honor of this special occasion we decided to give away a few of our favorite things (*sidenote* I think we talked about the Nivea lip butter in every beauty post -time for you guys to try this magical tin can) to thank you all for encouraging us to keep writing and sharing our thoughts. 

Thank you everyone for all your lovely comments- they make us smile more than you know! :) 

Here are the awesome prizes! 

- Vanilla & Macadamia Nut Nivea lip butter (mentioned in our April Favorites)

- Limited Edition Nicole by OPI  Modern Family nail polish in Candid Cameron 

- Aerie bow bracelet (who doesn't like bows?)

P.S - Go like our new FACEBOOK PAGE!

*The giveaway is international!*

 

THANK YOU EVERYONE FOR FOLLOWING US AND BEING SO WONDERFUL!

What to Wear to a Date

Let's talk about dating. What I struggle most with is what to wear to a date. Here are a few date options and clothes that go well with each date idea. 

Option 1: With summer around the corner there are plenty of festivals and outdoorsy things that you can do on a date.

The idea here is to look very casual but girly. Wearing a band's T-shirt is always a good idea in my opinion. What I like about the skirt+cute shirt combo is that if you add white converse it does not look like you're trying to hard. You're just a cool girl with a super cool style. For these outfits I'd leave my hair down and most likely curled or in beachy waves with a braided headband for an added hipster-laid back look.

 
Option 2: Let's get coffee/ watch a movie or AKA daytime date.

Once again, we are going for casual chic. Sensing a theme here? It's all about looking like you just threw these 'random' clothes on and looking fabulous nonetheless. An easy outfit to go if you're in a rush is jeans and a white top plus a colorful statement scarf (or necklace). You could also wear a maxi, but I'd pair it with some nice leather sandals and I'd layer on some jewelry.


Option 3: Date Night

Date nights are fun. I chose a cobalt blue dress and some wedges. I might opt for heels if I have a pair that I have worn before and know that a) i can walk in them b) they are comfortable.  If the place is really fancy I'd go with a little black dress. If the place you're going to isn't too fancy I would wear black jeans or dark wash denim and a flirty top. 




The looks I've put together are casual chic, because in real life I doubt the guy will show up wearing anything more dressy than jeans+shirt combo. (If he does- MARRY HIM!) Since the guy will be pretty casual, I do not want to over do it and wear heels+dress. 



BFF tips:
-wear something that you're comfortable with. This is a mistake I made. I bought a cute top especially for the occasion and spend most of the night thinking whether the color of it was making me look orangey/ alien like. (this kind of also tells you a little bit about how interesting our conversation was)

-if you are a 'flats person', do NOT wear heels. You will not look cute stumbling around with pain shooting up your spine. You will be miserable too.  Stick to flats or wedges if added height is a must


 Do you have any first date advice? Any embarrassing stories? 


Bloglovin | Instagram | Twitter | Polyvore

P.S. Links to all the items are on our Polyvore page. 

BFF Book Review: Girls in White Dresses by Jennifer Close

                                                                           The Inside Flap:

Isabella, Mary, and Lauren feel like everyone they know is getting married. On Sunday after Sunday, at bridal shower after bridal shower, they coo over toasters, collect ribbons and wrapping paper, eat minuscule sandwiches and cakes. They wear pastel dresses and drink champagne by the case, but amid the celebration these women have their own lives to contend with: Isabella is working a dead-end job, Mary is dating a nice guy with an awful mother, and Lauren is waitressing at a midtown bar and wondering why she's attracted to the sleazy bartender.

With a wry sense of humor, Jennifer Close brings us through those thrilling, bewildering years of early adulthood as she pulls us inside the circle of these friends, perfectly capturing the wild frustrations and soaring joys of modern life.

My Review:  
This novel is about what happens after graduation. Some people go to grad school, some get married, some get lost and can't find their way. The story is about 3-4 girls and their friends. The book is very real, there are definitely funny stories and stories that will make you cringe. Jennifer Close captures the thoughts of twenty something women so well. She describes the struggles of each character pretty well, but I felt like she could have gone into a little more depth. I was expecting a little more from each girl's story. The book felt like a collection of short stories rather than a novel. The ending was very inconclusive and left me disappointed. What rally irked me about this novel is how much the author wrote about girls crying which is just not realistic. I do not think girls cry over every little thing. The pluses are the cover-which is really pretty, and I do have to admit there were a few entertaining parts and there were many parts that I could relate to. Surprisingly, there really were not that many weddings in the story plot. Ultimately, we do not find out how to deal with all your friends getting married, while you are just continuing your career and living an average life. It was more of reading these girls' diaries. I related to their struggles and were happy to see where life took them.

Overall
The novel is a light humorous read. There are some interesting stories, they just are not as detailed as I would like them to be. Great book to read at the beach. 

We are linking up with Belle at Life and Times of Belle.  The picture below will send you to her blog where you can read Belle's book reviews for the summer.



Have you read this novel? What did you think of it?
 

Bloglovin | Instagram | Twitter | Polyvore

Relax, take it easy - How to de-stress

All of us have days where we just don't feel like we are on top of the world.

Here is how we deal with those days :

1.  Empty your mind. Make a list of things to do. If you're feeling overwhelmed, write little steps that will get you to the main goal. 'Chemistry Final in 3 days!' - sounds terrifying- so break it down by writing a list for each day. 'Monday'-review chapters 3-4 by solving the end of the chapter problems, etc. Also, write down things that are making you miserable and how you can possibly resolve them, such as 'Need a job ASAP'-> find 2 possible job listings daily and send your resume to at least one a day.
The important thing is to make sure to list it ALL, or else you won't be able to relax. 


2. Go for a walk. Listen to some music. Breathe. Look at the world around you.Exercise releases endorphins also known as happy chemicals. You do not have to run 5 miles to get that little boost of happiness; a walk around the block should do the trick. Extra oxygen to the brain helps too.

3. Drink some tea. Chamomile tea usually calms me down. It tastes delightful with a little vanilla or some honey. I read somewhere that drinking hot beverages makes you more likely to share things and be open. Which in this situation is a good idea, because in some cases talking about your problems helps a lot. Plus you might hear some good advice.

4. Soak in a bubble bath.I think that bubble baths help because it brings you back to the good old days of being a happy, carefree child. 

5. Use some beauty products you haven't used before or ones that make you smile. I like discovering new products. Maybe this makes me superficial, but is there anything better than a lovely smelling body lotion or a great eye cream? 

6. Paint your nails. Do I need to explain this one? It's just fun to pick out a color or draw a cool design. Even if you are not the greatest nail artist, focusing on small things such as fingernails for 20 minutes relaxes your brain.
 
7. Watch a comedy or a funny YouTube video. Laughter truly is the best medicine.


Overall, I think it is important to take a night off or even a few hours and just pamper yourself, because if you do not feel good about yourself then whatever you do will not refelect your awesomeness. It's so cliche but oh so true. I know when I'm stressed out I do not perform as well doing anything, whether its schoolwork or driving ;)

 How do you relax? Do you have some advice for us?


Bloglovin | Instagram | Twitter | Polyvore

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?

Bloglovin | Instagram | Twitter | Polyvore

BFF's Books to read Summer 2013

As we mentioned in the Summer Bucket List post, there are about 10-12 books we'd like to read this summer. We'll link up with Belle, who is doing a fun Summer Book Club Series.

For the most part these are light reads because it is summer and I would like to have some fun reading. After this last year of college I would like to relax and not think too much when I'm reading.

Here are some of our picks. I'm sure there will be more as months go by. I just wrote a few sentences about each, but I'll review each one I read, so stay tuned for a more in-depth review.

Wife 22 by Melanie Gideon. A bored wife enters a marriage study to find a way to repair it. It's claimed to be the next "Bridget Jones Diary' and who does not like those? 

The Fault in Our Stars by John Green. I've heard so much about this book. It's about two young adults who have cancer. Hazel and Augustus are such beautiful names. How can I not read it? Plus I loved Looking for Alaska, one of Green's other novels.  

The Sun Also Rises & The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway. This is a classic, that I have not had a chance to read. I'm excited for this because I love literature.

Sometimes It Happens by Lauren Barnholdt. Classic high school age drama book with a twist. Light and fun.

Bossypants by Tina Fey. I'd like to know more about Tina because she is such a powerful woman. Someone to look up to.

Seriously... I'm kidding by Ellen Degeneres. Lately I have been watching her show more and I like her humor. Can't wait to read some of her stories.

Girls in White Dresses by Jennifer Close. All of their friends are getting married and having children, while the three main characters are barely graduating college. How do they deal with it? Does this sound familiar to anyone? Because it definitely is true in our case. I'd really like to read about how they deal with that.

What books do you recommend for us to read? 

Bloglovin | Instagram | Twitter | Polyvore

Liebster Award

We were nominated for Liebster Award by the lovely Lory at No Money for High Fashion and by Penny Rose at Pink And Petals. Thank you so much for nominating us girls! We are so excited to get to know more bloggers. Here is how we divided the questions between ourselves.

 11 Facts About Yourself 

1. My bedroom is a bright yellow color.
2. I was a ballroom dancer for 6 years
3. I did not speak a word of English until I was 13 y.o.
4.Cucumbers and beets are my favorite vegetables.
5. I lived on the East Coast for a couple years.

6. I love carrot cake.
7. Favorite color is purple.
8. I like to wear colorful socks.
9. I rock a damn good cat eye.

10. Love avocados.
11. I love to play tennis.
 * First 5 are facts about Natalia and 6-11 is Clara*

 Here are Lory's questions- answered by Natalia

1. First thing that comes into your mind reading "Love". This Parachute song. Twinkling lights and all.
2. What is the thing you like best about your look? My eyes.
3. Describe yourself in five words. Sarcastic. Optimistic. Aloof. Succinct. Overthinks.
4. Favorite clothing brands? LC Lauren Conrad. H&M. Elle. Chanel. Marc Jacobs.
5. How many pairs of shoes do you have? SO many!
6. Why or how did you start blogging? The way this blog came about is quite funny, read about it here.
7. Are/were you a good student at school? Yup. Over achiever all the way.
8. Flats, Heels or Sneakers? Why? For everyday I wear flats because I walk a lot. For a fun night out definitely heels. Sneakers-only to workout.
9. Your style icon. I don't have one person in mind. I get inspired by magazines and people around me.
10. What is your favorite quote and why? The best is yet to come.& Life goes on. -Because I worry too much about the things I have no control over.
11. How does a blog have to look for you to think it looks great? I like blogs that are clear and do not have a million things in the sidebar. Light graphics and easy to read text is a plus. 

Here are Penny Rose Petal's questions- answered by Clara

1. Who's your favorite blogger? Flordemariafashion

2. How often do you post new blogs? Each of us tries to post at least once a week.

3. What's your favorite season? Fall

4. What's your one makeup product you can't leave the house without? Eyeliner

5. What's your favorite spring trend? Florals

6. What's your favorite scent? Daisy or Dot by Marc Jacobs

7. How many followers do you have? Currently we have 86

8. Who's your role model? Hilary Clinton

9. Do you have any pets? If so what kind of animal? A cat named Kiki

10. Favorite part about having a blog? Getting to know people who are as obsessed with fashion and beauty as we are.

11. Goals for the future? Find an awesome job in my field, travel a lot and be happy. 

Now it's YOUR turn. Post 11 facts about yourself. Answer all 11 of our questions. Come up with 11 of your own questions. Nominate blogs with less than 200 followers for the award.

Here are the questions for the blogs we nominated.
1. What is one beauty item that you adore, but no one else talks about?
2. What is your favorite book?
3. What is your Dream job?
4. What is your favorite store? Where do you shop the most?
5. What is your favorite song/band?
6. What is your signature scent?
7. What is one of your embarrassing moments?
8. Why did you start blogging?
9. What is one thing you'd really like to do this summer?
10. What is your favorite app? (Not including social media ones ;)
11. When you think of a perfect day what does it look like (I'm not talking about weather ;))?

Blogs we nominated are:

• Brittany 
• Amanda 
• Taylor
• Belle 
• Gina
• Potatoes & Pilates
• Rebecca Elizabeth

YOU! --> If you're reading this post and you'd really like to answer any or all of the questions feel free to do so! We would love to read your answers so please leave us a link in the comments. :) 

Bloglovin | Instagram | Twitter | Polyvore

Class of 2013: Graduation Dresses

Graduation is looming right around the corner for both of us.

As you can tell from our fashion posts, we both have different styles. We thought it would be fun to show you guys what type of graduation dresses we are thinking of wearing for the big event.

Natalia

Dress: Target | Earrings: Brooks Brothers | Shoes: BCBGeneration
Lip: Revlon Colorburst | Nails: Henry Bendel

Dress: Liz Claiborne | Shoes: Enzo Angiolini Tanen
Ring: Charlotte Russe | Nails: L’Oréal Paris Miss Candy

For my first look I went with a simple turquoise graduation dress made out  light sheer material. The grey suede pumps accentuate the color of dress. The gold accessories add a new dimension to the look. To keep the look light and summery I chose a Revlon Lip Butter in Juicy Papaya.

For my second look I chose a bright floral patterned dress. Since the dress is so busy I went with a solid colored peep toe pumps and royal blue nail polish. To keep the look young and fresh I added a cute little bow ring. 

This graduation dress has pockets which is also a plus! I won't have to carry a purse underneath my graduation robe. 

Clara

Dress: Modcloth | Shoes: Simply Soles, LB2 | Phone case: Charlotte Russe
Earrings: Forever New | Bracelet: Call It Spring | Nails: L'Oreal
Sunglasses: Stella McCartney

For my first look, I chose this green retro style dress. I love the sweetheart neckline, and for someone with a larger bust it really helps create a flattering look. 

Because this dress is really feminine, I decided to accentuate it with bow details (earrings and pink heels). Of course, I wasn't going to be at graduation without my phone, so I chose this lovely coral phone cover to pair with the bracelets which also bring some color to this outfit.

Dress: BooHoo | Shoes: Modcloth | Necklace: AlleyDrew
Nails: Dior | Perfume: Marc Jacobs

The second look I chose is a very similar style, but it is much more fun and flirty. The accessories and the shoes are bright. This outfit is all about summer and floral.

I also incorporated wedges into this outfit, because standing in line and being on your feet all day during graduation is something to be expected, and you want to be as comfortable as possible. 

What do you think about our gradation inspired outfits? What did you wear for graduation? Share with us in the comments.



P.S. This month we are swapping buttons with our preppy friend Belle over at The Life and Times of Belle. (look to your right in the sidebar) If you would like a little insight on what living in UK looks like make sure you go over and say hello. Plus you'll get to see an adorable little puppy Princess and whole lot of awesome music and fashion and books and so much more! Prepare to spend at least an hour browsing through the posts. You've been warned. ;)   

Bloglovin | Instagram | Twitter | Polyvore