Thursday, March 1, 2012

Wardrobe Staples

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Now that you’ve Cleaned Out Your Closet for Something Bigger and Better Than Yourself, you have an excuse start replenishing your wardrobe with all new clothes! How exciting is that? Can you say, “weekend shopping trip with the girls”?

But how can you avoid buying clothes that will just sit in your closet again? Below are some staples for every woman’s wardrobe that will never go out of style. These items will stay in your outfit rotation for years and always look classy. Each season, you can add a few trendy pieces you like to spice it up. I would suggest spending more on these items below and less on trendy pieces that will go in and out of style quickly.

Now let’s get started! The first thing you need is a…

Little Black Dress

Had to know that was coming, right? A classic black dress will can be dressed up or dressed down to be fit for any occasion. Buy one that flatters your shape and is either sleeveless or has cap-sleeves, like the picture above. You can wear it alone when it’s warm, or with a cardigan when the weather is cooler. A black dress is a must have in a great wardrobe.


Black Skirt

A black skirt that hits right above the knee and compliments your body shape is another must have. While pencil skirts may look classy, they are not for everyone. If you can pull off a pencil skirt, then go for it! But on most of us, an A-line skirt is the most flattering.


White Blouse
 
A white blouse is an extremely versatile piece. It can be worn un-tucked with jeans for a casual look, or tucked into dress pant or your black skirt for a more professional look. You can wear it under a cardigan or blazer. It easily fits any occasion.


Trenchcoat

This is a perfect, light coat that always looks nice. One that cinches in at the waist will be most flattering. It looks great with jeans or with a dress or skirt. It won’t overpower your outfit or ever look bulky.


Cardigan

A cardigan might turn into one of your most worn items during the fall and winter. You can easily take a top or dress that is intended for summer and layer it under this to wear in the winter. It will look great buttoned with jeans or unbuttoned with a skirt, and is cozy and comfy.


White Tank Top or Camisole for layering

This is an obvious one. You can layer these under anything! Multipurpose and versatility is exactly what to look for when building a wardrobe. Neckline too low? Layer! Top a little see through? Too short? Layer!


Solid Tee and Long sleeve

Adding these to your wardrobe in a timeless and universally flattering color such as navy, eggplant, true red, or peachy-pink will add a pop of color to your outfits. You can layer these, or just as easily wear them on their own.


Blazer

Blazers are very in this season, so what more perfect of a time to purchase one? Not only will they instantly make you look stylish now, but they are a piece to carry with your through the years. Dressed down with jeans and a striped top, like above, gives you a high fashion look, but dressed up with dress pants or a black skirt with your white blouse will instantly give you a professional air.


Striped Top

Black and white stripes add a bit of nautical to an outfit but is always in style, even when nautical is not a current trend. They look great with any color and look chic layered under a blazer with jeans, or tucked into a skirt. Sleeves that hit right above the elbows are flattering on most as it gives the illusion of slimmer arms.


White Summer Dress

For events that take place in the humid summer heat and are a little more casual but still dress-worthy, a sleeveless white dress is good to have. It should be made of a lightweight fabric to keep you cool. You can easily take this into fall or spring with a cardigan and leggings.


Quality Jeans

You most likely already have a pair of jeans you love in your wardrobe. If not, invest in a great quality pair that is comfortable and fit well. Find a cut that Flatters Your Body Shape. I chose straight leg jeans for the photo above because my mom always says this cut is classic and will never go out of style!


Dress Pants

A nice dress pant is perfect for those events that are “in the middle”, too casual for a dress or skirt, but too dressy for jeans. They pair nicely with either a cardigan or a blazer, depending on the type of event.


Flats

Don’t forget the shoes! Basic black flats will go with you through everything! They can dress down skirts or dresses, or dress up jeans or pants.


Heels

And when the occasion calls for something more high-class, keep a pair of black pumps around. They’re great for special events, from dates to ceremonies.


Black Tights or Leggings

At times, it’s not quite appropriate to bare your legs. When this happens, have a pair of black tights or leggings (or both!) Tights can layer under skirt or dresses without heating you up, and leggings can be added to an outfit during the cold weather months so dresses and skirts are still wearable.


What other items do you think are wardrobe staples?

Wednesday, February 22, 2012

The Secret to Being Beautiful

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I believe that every girl wants to be beautiful. I also believe that every girl has tried to achieve beauty on her own by wearing the latest fashion and trying to always look her best and impress whoever she walks by. I am guilty as charged. I use to try so hard to please other with how I looked by wearing name brand and trying to mold myself to fit their image. I changed myself so much that I had no idea who I really was.



That is not what beauty is. That was obsession with pleasing other people and wanting their definition of beauty. Did you know that God is the only one that can truly make your beautiful? He is the One that holds real beauty and you can have that beauty too. Here’s how.



Become a child of God.



John 3:16 says, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him shall not perish, but have everlasting life.”



We are born ugly. We are born into sin and sin is ugly. When God saw us, He saw how ugly we were, but He still loved us. Because of God’s great love for us, He sent His perfect, sinless Son, Jesus Christ, to die on the cross for you. While Jesus was hanging on the cross, He was thinking of you, not just everyone in general, you specifically. He did this so that we could live in heaven with Him for all of eternity instead of going to Hell and be completely separated from Him forever.



When we accept Jesus Christ as our Savior, we are made beautiful. Our sins are washed away and we become as white as snow. Now, when God looks down at us, He sees us as beautiful and sinless.



Real beauty is God’s love. If you want to be truly beautiful, accept Jesus as your Savior and show God’s love to everyone you come in contact with and share the Gospel with them. If you have not accepted Jesus as your Savior, I encourage you to email any one of the staff members here and we will be more than happy to tell you all about our Savior.


~Haylie

Friday, February 17, 2012

Your "In Between" Wardrobe!

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I know it's still winter in most parts of the country, but if you are like me, you're itching to bring out a spring wardrobe! If you want to stay warm in some of your spring favorites, or begin to dress for warmer weather I've found a few good ideas!

It might be a little chilly outside but you can still make some of your spring looks work. You probably already have the essentials to do this in your closet:
  1. Cardigans! Warm up a spring tee or blouse with a simple cardigan. A neutral color like black or tan is always safe. If you want to add some excitement to the outfit, add a bright or patterned cardigan.Dresses also look great with cardigans over them! With a 3/4 length or long sleeved cardigan, you can still pull off your favorite sundress in February! Add a belt and you're set!
  2. Layers! Everyone needs a couple plain long sleeved tee's. If you need some, I've seen simple thermals on sale just about everywhere! Wear them under short sleeved tees and anything that you might normally wear a cami under.
  3. Leggings and Tights! (I think this dress needed a couple more inches in length but otherwise the look is super cute!) Want to wear a dress or skirt that isn't floor length without freezing your legs off? Leggins or tights would be your solution! Thick or thin depending on how cold it is outside, they'll give you a season-appropriate look and keep you modest! If you're adventurous, play with bold colors and pumps or boots.

Is it really getting warmer? When temps eventually rise, you might get a few things to start your spring wardrobe. My recommendations?

Capris! Hopefully sometime soon we will get to show our ankles.(Gasp!) I'd be on the lookout for good deals on cropped jeans. This is a super cute pair from American Eagle that I'll be waiting for to go on sale!
3/4 Length Sleeves!
I love three-quarter length shirts. Wear them in almost any season by themselves or with cardigans. They're very popular in stores right now and should be fairly easy to find. 3/4 Sleeved dresses are cute too! I love this one from Old Navy!


Hope these tips help! Stay Warm Everyone!




Sunday, February 12, 2012

Plain Yogurt as a Beauty Remedy

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Plain yogurt is surprisingly a very effective beauty remedy.

I'm constantly looking for ways to keep my hair and skin moisturized during cold and dry winters. Plain yogurt has been VERY helpful! Not to mention it's fairly inexpensive and all natural!

Here's what I do:

  • Buy some plain yogurt and designate that container just for a hair/skin remedy and not eating (unless you plan on putting some of it in a separate container).
  • Before taking a shower, take some plain yogurt and rub in on the ends of your hair. It might be a little gross but it's worth it haha!
  • Wrap your hair in a towel and find something to do for 30 minutes.
  • Take a shower and wash your hair as usual.
I did this for about a week and noticed a big difference! The ends of my hair are now nice and moisturized! Now I use the plain yogurt every other day.

I use plain yogurt on my face as well. While the yogurt is in my hair, I also put some all over my face and then wash it off in the shower. It makes my skin brighter, firmer, and feels cold and refreshing! Obviously I look quite silly with yogurt in my hair and on my face, but hey, it works really well! lol:)

~Grace

Photo via Pinterest.

Tuesday, January 31, 2012

Best of Beauty Week 5: Body

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Lotion

Sarah: iVi Scents iCing Body Frosting is amazing! It’s not like your regular body butter, it’s super light and not greasy but still moisturizing. Their claim is that you’ll “experience the softest skin you’ve ever felt after just one use”, which is true! Plus, it’s a small business with a female entrepreneur (need to support fellow business-women!), so you get personal attention. I love that she puts a bible verse on the package! $13

Grace: Trader Joe's Moisturizing Cream is really moisturizing and it's all natural! $6

Erin: Bath & Body Works Body Lotions are wonderful moisturizers. Vanilla scents are always my favorite, like their Warm Vanilla Sugar. $10.50

Haylie: Living in Florida, you are going to sweat! This is why I like Bath & Body Works Body Lotion because it is lightweight and won’t make your legs get really sweaty feeling if you do sweat. Plus, they all smell wonderful! I like to use the Charmed Life scent because it isn’t strong like most of the BBW lotions. The Charmed Life smells like sweet vanilla and fruit and it smells clean! $10.50


Soap/Body Wash

Sarah: I love iVi Scents iSmell Vegan Soap because it’s very moisturizing, unlike most soaps, because it doesn’t have those toxins that strip the protective oils from your skin. It’s vegan, so it’s not made of cow fat, which is always a bonus, since I don’t want to be using that on my skin! $7

Grace: I like Dove Soap because it smells good without drying my skin out too much and doesn’t leave that “scum on your skin”! $10 for 6 bars

Erin: Softsoap Pomegranate and Mango Moisturizing Body Wash lasts a long time, cleanses well, and smells amazing! $4

Haylie: I like a strong smelling body wash because I like to step out of the shower and people know that I am clean! Haha! I like the Bath and Body Works Body Lotion in Sensual Amber because it has a very strong smell of amber. (This was my favorite scent of everything but it was knocked to second by Twilight Woods) It wakes you up and invigorates you! $10.50


Nail Color

Sarah: Mint Candy Apple by Essie Nail Color is a gorgeous vintage minty shade; it reminds me of the color that was popular in the 50’s. I love it! It’s so unique and cute. (I’m actually wearing it on my nails in the header if you can see) $8

Grace: Revlon Nail Enamel in the color "Cherries in the Snow" is so rich and pretty! $5 (but I paid $1 with coupons lol!)

Erin: I love the colors that Pure Ice offers, if you use a couple coats they cover well and last a while! $2 -$3

Haylie: I like my toenails to always be painted! I feel so weird if they are ‘naked’! I also love to add a little sparkle and glitter to them! The Wet n Wild Fast Dry polish is an amazing nail polish! It dries nice and fast and does not chip easily (which is great for me because I’m very accident prone). The Party of Five Glitters is five different glitter colors in one (hence the name)! My dad likes to say I have confetti toenails which I don’t mind because they are AWESOME! $2


Fragrance

SarahDaisy by Marc Jacobs is for anyone! A playful, carefree floral scent, it adapts to your body’s chemistry to be a scent customized to you. It’s great for perfume beginners, but it’s also good for a perfume lover who wants a soft every day scent. It comes in nice sizes to try out before you go full size: Rollerball $20 or Travel Spray $35

Grace: I love Bath & Body Works Sea Island Cotton Fragrance Mist because it smells so sweet, clean and pretty! I'm not a fan of heavy, suffocating scents! $12

Erin: I love the different scents of Pink by Victoria Secret, I have Pink and Purple. You can buy this brand at Bath & Body Works also. $18

HaylieBath & Body Works Twilight Woods Fragrance Mist: I did an article on a lot of my favorite BBW a few months back, but this HAS to be my favorite fragrance of theirs. Their website says that it smells like juicy berries, soft mimosa, apricot nectar and warm woods, but to me, it simply makes me feel like I’m walking through an enchanted wood (which, ironically, the website says it was inspired by!). $12

You can also buy a bottle of Twilight Woods with shimmer in it! It costs two dollars more, but it is great for special occasions, or an enchanted walk in the woods ;)


Deodorant

Sarah: My sister recently introduced me to Degree motionSENSE deodorant when I felt like my other deodorant wasn’t doing the job any more as I was around heat such as blow dryers and flat irons all day at work. This stuff really does work! It’s supposed to re-activate every time you sweat, so you can stay fresh longer. $4

Haylie: Okay, this is going to sound completely insane to you readers, but I love deodorant! I love the way it smells and makes me feel so clean! I put it on at the beginning of the day and just before I go to bed (think about it, do you want your underarms to wake you up? I didn’t think so.) I love Degree because it works! I have yet to meet someone who hasn’t had a great thing to say about Degree. It leaves you feeling fresh and ready to go! My favorite is the Degree Natureffects Deodorant in Honeysuckle and Tea Tree Oil because it smells the best! $4

Tuesday, January 24, 2012

Best of Beauty Week 4: Hair

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Shampoo & Conditioner

Sarah: As a hairdresser, hair care is something I definitely do not skimp on. Using quality hair products leads to beautiful and healthy hair. TIGI Colour Goddess Shampoo and Conditioner is great for colored hair because not only is it sulfate free so it won’t strip your color out, but it actually helps protect your color from fading, so it can look as fresh as the day you got it done at the salon. The shampoo is a moisturizing shampoo to battle dryness and breakage, and the conditioner is great for girls who don’t wash their hair every day like me, since it’s very intense, like a treatment. Shampoo $13.50 Conditioner $18.50

Grace: Dove Damage Therapy Intense Repair. I love this shampoo/conditioner because it really helps prevent split-ends! $4 per bottle.

Erin: Suave Naturals Daily Clarifying Shampoo keeps my hair health and less oily! $2
I recently started using Suave Professionals Moisturizing Almond + Shea Butter conditioner and I love how it leaves my hair smooth and untangled! It smells great too! $3

Haylie: Most of you might know that I absolutely LOVE the smell of coconut, well, the Aussie Three Minute Miracle deep conditioner smells like wonderful coconut and it leaves your hair feeling so incredibly soft and silky smooth. I use it about three times a week because my hair is majorly dry and it works miracles, hence the name. $3


Styling Product

Sarah: I use Your Highness by TIGI Thickening Gel Crème on almost every one of my clients! It’s great to add a bit of thickness and volume, and it adds smoothness and shine and offers UV filters to protect colored hair from fading. $17

Grace: Fructis Garnier Leave-In Conditioner keeps the ends of my hair split-end free and moisturized! $5

Erin: When I scrunch my hair or let it dry overnight, TRESemme Flawless Curls Mousse seems to work well. It keeps my hair from looking frizzy without making it look less natural. I can’t find this exact product in stores anymore but I’m sure they sell a similar product. $5

Haylie: I have HORRIBLY dry hair on my bottom layer because of constantly coloring it over the summer. (I cannot begin to tell you how many different times I colored it and how I did it completely wrong!) Because of that, I had to cut my hair, BIG TIME. It was a very sad day. I now have some major split ends. I really don’t want to cut my hair again (and cannot afford it right now) so I use Nexxus Pro-Mend Split End Binding Targeting Leave-in Treatment Cream to keep my bottom layer from looking completely fried and believe it or not, it works! You cannot tell that I have split ends and it is actually helping it. I highly recommend this to the color junkies like me! $14


Finishing Product

Sarah: Bed Head by TIGI Masterpiece Hairspray is the best! This is my “tried and true” hairspray! It offers a strong enough hold to keep a bride’s hair in an updo the entire day, but flexible enough to be workable with every day styles such as curls, texture, or volume. It doesn’t flake like cheap hairspray when you brush through it. And it smells great, unlike most hairsprays. $19

Grace: Garnier Fructis Anti-Frizz Serum smooths out frizz and leaves my hair shiny! $6

Erin: I don’t use hairspray often, but White Rain Maximum Hold Hairspray seems to get the job done! $2

Haylie: Florida is known for its sun, heat and humidity which are damaging to your hair if you don’t take the right precautions. With the humidity, you need the right hair spray to keep your hair from frizzing. Tresemme All Day Humidity Resistance Tres Two Spray works like no other frizz-free hair spray. It keeps your hair looking like you’ve just styled it even if you have been outside for awhile. Plus, it doesn’t feel like you have hair spray in your hair! Forget the stiff as a board hair! Say hello to touchable hair with this hair spray! I absolutely love it! $3


Styling Tool

Sarah: I could not live without my Rusk W8less 2000 Watt Hairdryer and my TIGI Pro Paddle Brush. I am able to style my hair perfectly using this combination, using the brush to get it straight with volume. The Hairdryer is super lightweight and dries hair faster than any other dryer I’ve owned, even more expensive kinds. It’s also really quiet for a hairdryer, which is nice for early morning hair styling. Dryer: $78 Brush: $18

Grace: I don't straighten my hair all that often but when I do, my Andis Ceramic Flat Iron works great and isn't that expensive! I've had mine for about 3 years. $15

Haylie: I love the beach wave look, but I can never find a product that would give me the nice waves that I wanted. The Revlon Jumbo Ceramic Waver does the job wonderfully! It is quick and easy to use and you will definitely get your money’s worth with this styling tool! $24


Hair Accessory

Sarah: I have short hair, so I love dressing up my hair with a headband with a big bow or a big flower on it!

Grace: I buy Scrunci No Damage Elastics because they don't have those annoying little metal things and they don't pull:) $3

Erin: I love headbands whether they’re bright, dark, think, skinny; they work well with every outfit. 

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