Outfit Of The Yesterday (Snapshots, Take 1)

 ♫: Make A Change -Skankin' Pickle


One of my favorite things (aside from good food, good music, and a secret, bizarre fascination with really awful reality TV shows) (soooo in other words: I am totally watching The Kandi Factory as I type this) is photography.

I am not very good at it, I mostly just punch buttons and spin dials until something happens, but this might be the year for me to change that. I hate feigning dumb as an excuse for laziness, no matter what my blonde locks might otherwise advertise, so perhaps it is time for a class or two. Or twenty. Thousand. Stay tuned.

When I was in high school I had a good friend that videotaped everything. I mean everything--from the dumb to the even dumber, he had it all on tape. Concerts, skateboarding, pranks, 4th of July fireworks, first loves, first hates, road trips to Minneapolis, road trips to Omaha, playing billiards in a dark basement room with strobe lights (I am still pretty sure this is the fastest way to end up on the local news, by the way: Kid Takes A Strobe-Lit Cue Ball To The Head, Friends Claim That Dude, They Were Totally Trying To Break The Ball And Not, Like, Their Friend's Face) (Thankfully it never happened, although we did have a few close calls), hanging out, whatever.

He would record everything, and then he would then carefully edit the videos, splicing the very best moments together with a soundtrack full of 90's punk, ska, and hip hop. We then would all gather to watch them--to watch ourselves in our own little personal Amusing Movie Of Life, playing out however we saw fit.

We would gather sometimes in the basement of his parent's home, other times in the basement of my parent's home, piled 6 to 8 deep on couches and chairs and the floor. We would watch and re-live a  brilliance that only the self-absorbed brain of a teenager could conjure up about oneself; it was a hallucinatory heroism that would only grow greater with each and every viewing of the videos. We would watch the tapes and then off we would go again, off for more adventures, and off to frantically film and edit it all.

In spite of the good times, I would sometimes (silently) wonder how we could make video camera capture more. Could we make it capture the thick, muggy summer air, the deep belly-aches that only come with laughing too much, and the sweet smell of the grassy fields in South Dakota as we traipsed and traveled? How about the cricket-y, star-filled night sky? And the musty fog rolling over the green hills in the morning?

Those things provided an important feeling of innocence in our lives back then, after all; they provided a palpable-yet-naive perception of a charming life where nothing ugly, tragic, or painful could ever exist. A life where we were all safe and tidy and secure, a life where we were silly yet all fully in control.

As we would later discover--the video camera would not do those things. It could never do those things.

Regardless, I loved the videos and still look back on those days fondly. But even back then I always felt that photography was more my style, and the older I get the more my love of it grows. While in my youth I craved being able to know and control the entire story, as an adult I find an odd peace with knowing very little. I even find a strange solitude with things being a little haphazard and a bit out of control.

There is simply something that I really enjoy about a great photograph, about catching a quick moment in time and viewing it without any sort of soundtrack, storyline, or edited scenes cautiously cushioning the moment. What was going on before the picture? How about after? Was it happy? Great? Funny? Chaotic? Boring? Sad? Painful? Really painful, like a cue ball to the face?

It is whatever we want it to be. The viewer of a photograph will always attach their own feelings and thoughts to it, no matter what the photographer originally intended, and no two people will ever share the exact same views.

It would be boring, might I add, if they did.

Blogging (for me) is much the same. I used to want to be able to control everything that happened here, and everything that happened in the wilderness of the world wide web much in the sane way that my friends and I wanted to control and edit the videos of ourselves 15 years ago. I am the one typing here, after all, so shouldn't I be in control?

But as veterans of the internet know, you can only control so much. I can only do my best to share tiny pieces of my life here (albeit the mostly-happy-and-edited pieces), to hit the "publish post" button when I am done, and to then leave it to you, the reader, to decide for yourself what to think, love, hate, and feel.

It would be boring, might I add, if you didn't.

So with all of this, I thought I would share some old, random snapshots in my next few posts. It is all good in this hood, you guys--enjoy:

(BABY FACES. downtown minneapolis: december 2006) (see also: first year of marriage, probably explains a lot)

And now an outfit from Saturday, for running errands and a lovely dinner out. Temps have been inching towards the 70's here, hooray:

Trench: ASOS (buy it here, on sale) (and a fun option here)
Blouse: J Crew Lucinda Silk Blouse (similar here) (similar color top here in "rust")
Skirt: Forever 21 (buy it here in peach) (and a cool pleated option at UO)
Jeweled Necklace: Ann Taylor, c/o (similar at The Limited) (similar at Piperlime) (similar for under $20)
Long Necklace: J Crew Pluma Necklace, old (similar here)
Shoes: Valentino Rockstud Flats (similar at Nordstrom) (similar at Piperlime) (similar by Jeffrey Campbell)
Clutch: Proenza Schouler PS1 in Neon Coral (buy it here) (similar by Marc Jacobs) (similar under $50)

Currently In The (Make-Up) Bag

While I am definitely not a make-up maestro or anything of the sort,  I am still a product junkie and if a product says "NEW!", I most certainly will try it. Or want very badly to try it. It is like I have a "new!" magnet in my brain that just draws me to those items, you guys; at least that's what I tell Husband whenever I suddenly go barreling towards a Sephora or Ulta with my head down and arm out like a 300-lb linebacker with ants in her tight little football jegging pants. (Like that sports reference, Husband? Just for you, just for you.)

It has been awhile since I have updated my make-up list here, and with the passing of the holidays and Sephora's Friends & Family sale I have added a few new products to my stockpile. So without further ado--here's what's currently in my bag:

1. Josie Maran Argan Oil: I initially wrote about this stuff back in November, after Sephora's F&F sale.  I'm happy to say that I'm still loving it--it soaks right in and gives my dry, parched Accutane'd-and-Coloradan-skin a much needed boost of moisture.  It also doesn't break my sensitive skin out, and a little bit goes a very long way.  It's a keeper.

2. Giorgio Armani Face Fabric: this foundation gets pretty great reviews on makeupalley, and when I first bought it I could not figure out why. The texture is just like Smashbox's Photofinish Primer--soft and slippery, which is great for primers, but not so much for an actual foundation.  But it wasn't until I paired this with Guerlain's Meteorites primer that I began to like, dare I say--love it. It's a great one for dry skin, but oily-skinned gals should steer clear!

3. Guerlain 'Meteorites Cruel Gardenia' Pressed Powder: it's just too pretty NOT to like, hm?

4. Nars Blush in 'Madly': I use Nars pretty extensively, and this pretty peachy-pinky-bronze blusher is my current fave. It's great for giving a healthy glow with just a hint of being sunkissed--in other words, it is definitely not too orangey.  Love it!

5. Guerlain 'L'Or' Radiance Concentrate with Pure Gold Makeup Base: this primer is "24-karat-gold-infused", making it almost too pretty to use. It gives skin a little bit of a glow while smoothing away lines and wrinkles and helps my foundation to go on easier. I like it, but not as much as the Meteorites' Light-Diffusing Perfecting Primer.

6. Guerlain 'Meteorites' Light-Diffusing Perfecting Primer: this primer is pretty much insane. All too often I have tried a 'luminzer' and ended up looking like a drunk disco ball, but not the case with this stuff--it really does give a glow from "within".  It does go on tight, though--so if you have extremely dry or sensitive skin you might want to skip it.  I've been using the same bottle for 3 months  and am just now running out--meaning a little bit goes a long way (and helps make its steep price tag a bit better, too).

7. Lorac Neutralizer:  I have fair skin that reddens easily; throw in Lupus (and facial rashes!) and sometimes there isn't enough foundation in the world to cover it.  This neutralizer is a lifesaver- it has a very slight green tint to it, which helps neutralize redness! I've used it for over 5 years now, and have it stockpiled lest I ever run out.

8. Laura Geller Candlelight Face & Body Glow: another great luminizer, no drunk disco balls here.

9. Diorshow Lash Primer: I have always been skeptical of lash primers (a tragic, sad-clown experience with L'oreal five years ago scarred me) but after reading 23042384 reviews online saying how great this stuff is, I decided to give this primer a try. It doesn't disappoint--it lengthens and gives lashes a little bit of volume, no spider-effect in sight.

10. Almay Liquid Eyeliner:  it's cheap and gets the job done--I've used this stuff for almost 10 years!

11. Giorgio Armani Eyeshadow Maestro Quad in Floral: I grabbed this pretty little palette a few months back during a promotion, and it's instantly become one of my favorites. The colors are pretty, easy to blend, and wear really well!  It's great for traveling as well, since it takes up hardly any space in my make-up bag.

12. Tarina Tarantino Eye Dream Hyperliner: Tarina Tarantino might be better known for her jewelry collection, but her newly launched make-up collection is worth checking out as well!  My twin sister insisted that I try this one--the pencils go on really easily and soft, but set in a few seconds into a waterproof, super long-lasting eye liner. I currently use these in 'deepest black' and 'locket book'.

13. Nars Velvet Matte Lip Pencil in Belle du Jour:  I will admit that I was extremely hesitant to try this due to the "matte" monicker; I assumed that it would go on dryly and be a nightmare for chapped winter lips.  I was pleasantly surprised--I'm not sure how or why, but it goes on smoothly and softly without drying lips out. Belle Du Jour is a pretty, kitten-ish nude.

14. Nars Sheer Lipstick in Belle Du Jour:  a lipstick version of the matte lip pencil, mmmhm.

15. Nars Sheer Lipstick in Barbarella:  this is a pretty, pinky coral perfect for spring!

16. Christian Dior Rouge Lipcolor in Blazing Red: this is a super bold reddish-orange (see it on me here!).

17. Essie Luxeffects Nail Polish in A Shine Of The Times: this nail polish is a little hard to find at the moment, and there's a great reason why--it's amazing!  Essie describes this color as a "scintillating opalescent aura", and it has flecks of shimmer that change from green to orange to pink, depending on what color you wear under it.  Love!

18. Chanel Le Vernis in June:  a sweet, candy melon hue.

19. Butter London Nail Lacquer in Wallis: I love Butter London's nail lacquers, but the medium olive (with gold shimmer!) color of Wallis might be my hands-down favorite.

20. Alterna Caviar Shampoo and Conditioner: I do a lot of damage to my hair between bleaching, blow drying, and flat ironing....but I also have thin hair. Most moisturizing shampoos and conditioners weigh thin hair down, and so I was happy to discover that this duo does not. And it smells great, too!

21. Lorac Tantalizer: this bronzer gives a rich brown hue to skin with an ever-so-slight hint of sparkle.  It's great for special occasions, but be careful - it's not a self-tanner and comes off easily with water.  In other words: steer clear of water balloon fights when wearing this stuff!  I know it'll be difficult, but you've been warned.

22. Lush Flying Fox Showergel: nothing smells better than jasmine. Nothing!

23. It's a 10 Miracle Hair Mask: a great hair mask for calming damaged hair--I use this weekly.

24. Borghese Restorative Hydrating Mud for Face and Body: I received a sample of this  in last month's Birchbox, and it's one of the few products I've actually bought. It noticeably plumps dry skin up, leaving it soft and smooth.

25. Peter Thomas Roth Un-Wrinkle Peel Pads: I have sensitive skin, and so I am always on the lookout for an exfoliator that won't cause break outs. I've used these now for almost a year, and they slough off dry skin without being irritating. Love!

26. Peter Thoma Roth Mega-Rich Anti Aging Cream: A great, heavy-duty night cream.  

27. Clairol Shimmerlights Shampoo: Where has this stuff been all of my life? This cheap, purple-tinted shampoo instantly zaps brassiness from blondes. It really works!  Just be careful--if you use it too often or on patches of extremely dry hair, you might  notice a bit of a purple tinge to your locks.  ;)

Let's hear it--what is one new beauty/bath/make-up product that you've tried recently and loved?  Share in the comments, please! ❤

Outfit Of The Day (A Skew-y Mix Of Prints)

♫: How'd You Like That -The Kooks

Wild, colorful prints are an emerging trend for spring, and I was happy to find this Topshop skirt (in petite sizing, no less!), with its pretty mix of colors and a stripey, kaleidoscopic pattern.

In fact, I liked it so much that I apparently (accidentally!) wore it the wrong way. It's like a bad nightmare highschool flashback! You know, when you would realize around lunchtime that your shirt was on inside-out/backwards or a rogue dryer sheet would suddenly work its way out of the bottom of your jeans as you're walking around before class? Just me? Well. In my opinion we need more serious crusaders in this world trying to make static-cling prevention tragically fashionable, geez.

So! Fashion bloggers: they occasionally accidentally wear things the wrong way just like you, darn those knit skirts with side zips. You can just look at the photo of the back of my head and pretend that's my front, and I'll just tell you that I just walked around backward all day. See? Problem solved:

Jacket: Tibi, old (similar at Piperlime) (similar here) (and at F21)
Sweater: Forever 21 (buy it here) (similar in more colors at Old Navy)
Skirt: Topshop (buy it here in a regular inseam) (buy it here in a petite inseam) (similar here at Ann Taylor LOFT)
Necklace: Forever 21, no longer available (similar here) (this J Crew necklace could work, too!)
Shoes: J Crew Valentina Pumps in Weathred rose (buy them here) (similar by Nine West) (and a cute pair at Zara, too)
Bag: Marc Jacobs Cooper in Nude  (buy it here) (similar here for under $100) (and at Topshop)
Nail Polish: Chanel Black Pearl (buy it here)

Outfits Of The Yesterdays (Winter Whites, Prints, and Pumps)

 ♫: Don't Worry, We'll Be Watching You - Gotye

I left Sioux Falls, South Dakota one really cold, windy day in December of 2002. I still remember following the drifting U-Haul trailer pulled behind my parent's van, swinging in the wind on I-90 and splashing cold ice pellets of snow back at me as it went. I was full of feelings of joy and wonder and excitement and, and, and.   

And fear.  

Fear feels a lot like the stinging, cold bitterness of a South Dakota winter, I discovered on that one-way trip. It has no taste, smell, or even sound really; yet you still somehow know it's there. It freaking hurts your nose all of your body parts nonetheless, it numbs.

I had spent my entire life in Sioux Falls; my entire life in the exact same small house save for a quick stay on a concrete-bench-cleverly-disguised-as-a-cheap-canvas-sofa-from-IKEA in my sister's apartment right before I moved. My parents had sold that house, you see, sold 20 years worth of memories in mere minutes to a neighbor as soon as the FOR SALE sign had hit the lawn on a late summer day. He was a big, tan burly man with a black beard, a quiet voice, a small white maltese, a loud motorcycle, and a yippy-yappy red-headed wife.

"YOU'VE MADE MY LIFE A LIVING HELL!" I had heard him yell at his wife one day, several years prior. This was followed by a violent slam of the door as he stomped outside, holding the maltese. It is hard to look adequately angry when holding a small, fuzzy dog; it was the first time that I had ever heard him speak.

"We've always liked your house." he said softly that day in September of 2002, emphasized with a quick shrug as he pointed to the FOR SALE sign. He was still holding the maltese, had it wedged under his armpit in its usual spot, and I wasn't quite sure if he was speaking for him and his wife or for him and the dog. I will never know; it was both the second and the last time that I had ever heard him speak.

"Well. I guess I can't really charge you much in realtor fees for...this." the realtor said to my parents, followed with a nervous laugh.

So we packed our bags, had a quick wedding for my sister in the garden my parents spent 20 years carefully constructing (which is still there just as we left it, by the way--the pond, the gazebo, and the row of colorful birdhouses my dad built), and that was it. We left.

"Ah, so. Um. Where...are you going to go?" my mom then asked awkwardly, giving me a side-eye. It was a pretty excellent question.

"Colorado." I finally told her a few weeks later. Also awkwardly, but it was a pretty excellent answer.

Which is how I ended up on I-90 in that December of '02, 21-years old and scared out of my mind, trying desperately not to show it. 21-year olds aren't supposed to be scared, after all; they are supposed to be daft and foolhardy and brave. Even in moments of complete discomposure--I had been in enough bars, attended enough college parties, and seen enough MTV's Real World at that point in my life to know it.

But I was driving towards a new city, driving towards (perhaps) a new life. It isn't every day that a young girl does this, you know--makes a move! Does something nervy. Packs her bags, leaves her lifelong friends and family, and moves to a big city!

A city with opportunity!  A city with adventure! A city that is pretty much just like her old one except a bit bigger, and not quite so flat (mountains blah blah blah), has a longer wait to get into the Olive Garden on a Friday night, and, according to Facebook, is also home to just about half of her graduating class.

(Brrrrrrave!)

But while Denver might have a lot of cozy Midwesternisms about it, it has some important differences too: better restaurants, better shopping, better skiing (sorry Great Bear), bona fide state income taxes (ouch!), sterile Targets that boastfully deem themselves 'super', and the most important thing of all: culture. 

Culture that goes beyond corn fields, churches, legalized video lottery, and arguing over which way a naked David statue should face on a busy downtown street. Culture like the DAM (YSL in March!). Culture like Adele Arakawa's never-changing hairdo (I bumped into it her on a flight last year and it's just as amazing in person). Culture like the fun hippies of Boulder, culture like toasty-hot summer shows at Red Rocks, culture like being stuck on I-70 near Georgetown with the rest of the entire state on a snowy Sunday in January, beep-beep-beep-beep-beep.

And culture like BRING IT ON: THE MUSICAL, oh yesss. Fabulous, fabulous culture.

So this is what I wore last Friday, first to a super tasty dinner at The Capital Grille and then while being surrounded by shrieking 10-year old girls at the DCPA--an easy take on winter whites.

(My apologies for these looking a lil' odd - it was cloudy out, so I had to throw on some flash!)

Coat: J Crew Townhouse Trench in Sea Salt (buy it here) (similar here) (style for spring here)

Blouse: Zara (buy it here) (another option at ASOS) (similar here)

Belt: J Crew, old (similar here in "soft pink")

Pants: Madewell, old (similar here) (similar here) (similar here)

Rosegold Bangles: Seasonal Whispers Crystal & Metal Bracelets in Rosegold (buy them here) (similar by Vince Camuto) (similar under $20)

Watch: Michael Kors Oversized Watch in Rosegold (buy it here) (similar for $195) (similar for $115)

Shoes: J Crew Mona Pumps in Pale Peacock (buy them here) (similar here + take 20% off w/ code "NEWYOU")

Bag: Chloe Marcie Crossbody in 'bone', old (similar here) (similar by Fossil) (similar by Michael Kors)

And some fun with prints:

Dress: Forever 21, old (similar here) (similar here) (similar here) (and a more subdued option at ASOS)
Belt: Forever 21, old (similar at Ann Taylor)
Shoes: Manolo Blahnik Uliepe (similar here) (similar for under $25)
Bag: Chloe Paraty in Rosewood (similar here) (similar here) (similar by Miu Miu) 

And I finally added a pair of 'basic' black pumps to my artillery, hoorah:

Coat: Old Navy (similar here) (similar here for under $50)
Sweater: Madewell, old (similar here) (and at F21)
Pants: Urban Outfitters (buy them here) (a non-cord option here)
Belt: The Limited, old (similar at Ann Taylor) (similar at ASOS)
Shoes: Christian Louboutin Piou Piou Patent Pumps (buy them here) (similar at Ann Taylor)
Bag: Reed Krakoff Inside Out Satchel, old (similar here) (similar here) (similar at DSW)

Outfit Of The Day (J Crew Orange Mini Skirt + New Beauty Product Reviews!)

It is the most wonderful time of the year right now, aka Sephora's Annual Friends & Family Sale, where the giant cosmetic retailer gives all of the make-up, perfume, skincare, and DiorShow Mascara hoarders in the world a 20% off discount. Hooray!  And just in time too, as I have been running low on my stash. Even my bathroom closet (AKA "The Place Where Good Products Go To Die", as bravely coined by my husband with no sarcasm whatsoever) has been looking pretty sad and empty, oh nooo.

(Have no fear, little closet. I'll be giving you some more half-full discarded products that I bought on a misguided whim and totally hate soon.)

While I usually use this promotion to stock up on my seasoned favorites, I always try to grab a few new things to try, too.  Here are a few newcomers to my bathroom counter:

The Josie Maran Organic Argan Oil was a purchase I made after Sephora sent a sample in one of my past orders, and ohhhh how I love it so! if I could eat the stuff, you guys...I so totally would. I mean technically I think I could eat it, but Google searches for "can I eat argan oil" only turn up articles about nuts and goat butts. Of course! The sexy and chic side of beauty!  Awesome! 

I tend to have extremely dry skin due to an Accutane stint in my late teens, and living in the high desert definitely doesn't help the situation either. Given that I have dry skin from Accutane, this also means that I have really sensitive skin and I tend to break out and flush easily too. Needless to say,  I am typically pretty weary of anything with oil, let alone smearing it straight on my face.  

But I am happy to report that after two weeks now of twice daily usage, my skin drinks this stuff right up with nary a break out.  It also moisturizes better than any moisturizer I have ever tried, makes my skin look great, and works on giving my hair a bit of shine, too! While it's a bit spendy at $48, I only use a few drops of it at a time so it will last forever. We have a winner!

Next up we have Guerlain's Meteorites Light-Diffusing Perfecting Primer. I have tried several primers in the past, including the big players like Smashbox's Photo Primer, Urban Decay's Brightening Complexion Primer Potion, and Laura Mercier's Foundation Primer, all with lackluster results. They all seemed to sit on my skin without sinking in, leaving my skin looking, at times, like a bizarre combination of oily and dry and oily and oh, so dry.

Guerlain's primer is different sort of animal.  Instead of using silica to smooth lines and pores, it's more of a thin gel with little shimmery pearls that break up when you pump the product out.  Instead of leaving skin feeling greasy like some primers can do, this leaves my skin feeling powdery soft and kind of...tight? The tight-thing freaked me out at first, since I usually associate tightness with dry (painful! red!) skin, but after applying my foundation there is no dryness in sight--just awesome, super smooth skin.  Another winner.

On to Givenchy's Le Prisme Mono Eyeshadow in Trendy Plum.  If a cosmetics company could win an award for the prettiest packaging, I think Givenchy would win. This eyeshadow compact is all sorts of cool with a mirrored top, and inside are four variations of the same color in a pearly finish, a sparkly finish, a matte finish, and a sequined finish.  Fun!

And last but not least, we have Nars Nail Polish in Versailles. This is a super soft, champagne gold color that makes for a perfect change from the usual dark nail colors of fall & winter.  So pretty, and one of my favorites.

What have you guys been buying at this sale? Finding any new products to love? I would love to hear--so share in the comments!  (And don't forget--VIB's can still take 20% off through Sunday with code "VIBDREAM".)

On to an outfit! We need a little burst of color for this Friday, yes? Happy weekend, you guys!

Coat: Rachel Zoe (buy it here, on sale!) (similar here, under $100) (and here at ASOS + take 10% off with code "BONUSTEN") (and here)

Top: J Crew (similar here at F21) (and a sweater style at ASOS + take 10% off with code "BONUSTEN")

Skirt: J Crew Factory (buy it here) (similar here) (and at F21)

Belt: J Crew Factory (similar here) (and here)

Watch: Michael Kors Rosegold Large Runway Watch (buy it here) (similar style here + take 20% off with code "FRIENDS") (similar here for $135)

Scarf: Simply Vera Vera Wang (buy it here + take 15% off with code "GIFT15")

Shoes: Valentino Python Rockstud Flats (buy them here) (similar here) (and here for under $100 at ASOS)

Bag: Chanel Crackled Patent Camel Classic Flap (similar here) (and here by DKNY) (and here for under $100)
Nails: OPI for Sephora's I'm With Brad (here) with Butter London's Chancer (here)