Plaid Pattern Mixing: Office Holiday Style

December 3, 2018 by Virginia 12 Comments

Yay! Christmas is here and I’m all about dressing that way every day! However, my Christmas outfit enthusiasm can be a little overwhelming for some. So, today I want to share a fun plaid pattern mixing outfit that is just the right amount of Christmas for the classroom or office without being overwhelming.

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Plaid Pattern Mixing

I don’t know about you, but I’ve been seeing so much plaid pattern mixing this year. Since the plaids and tweeds are so popular this season, it’s no surprise that a lot of people are mixing them together. I always try to practice pattern mixing but I’m a creature of habit. I tend to stick to mixing similar colors of checks and stripes or stripes and polka dots. This is the first time I’ve really (successfully) tried mixing plaids or even patterns of different colors.

I stumbled upon this plaid pattern mixing combo quite by accident. In my office at home there is a clothing rack where I hang pieces I haven’t shared yet on the blog. I bought this tweed blazer in the fall, intending to try the tweed trend at work. However, the blazer is thicker than I expected and a little more over-sized than I would like for a regular work look. Most of the time I use it as an overcoat so I had a harder time working it into my work style. Plus, I had a lot of other items that were more about fall than winter that I knew needed to get photographed first!

So there it sat (along with this white eyelash sweater) until Black Friday when I brought home all my loot and lined it all up on the clothing rack. I grabbed this red tartan plaid (last seen here and here) and tried it on with my new blazer. (LOVE!) The plaid top got hung up on the rack right next to the tweed blazer and when I came in the room the next morning for work, my eyes popped in excitement because the two check prints looked so great together! I grabbed the hubby and we shot this look at our local theater, which is all dressed up for Christmas too!

Office Holiday Style

I could easily have worn this plaid top with the tweed blazer on its own but it was a little too much Christmas for where I work. So, this cozy sweater (also sitting on the rack to photograph!) was the perfect way to tone down the look so that I still had the pops of red tartan plaid without the overwhelming Christmas feel. It’s a little bit of holiday without full-blown, over-the-top color.

Speaking of over-the-top color, I have a really fun gift guide coming your way later this week for the girl who loves color! Make sure to check back on Thursday! (Or even better, follow me on Bloglovin’ so you don’t miss anything!)

Get the Look:

Red Tartan Plaid Flannel, J.Crew Factory (last year). This year’s version. More similar in widget below.
Tweed Blazer, Shein.
Skinny Faux Leather Leggings, H&M (obsessed).
Fuzzy White Eyelash Sweater, Shein. SIMILAR
Red Ankle Strap Pumps, DSW (old). MOST SIMILAR | SIMILAR
Milani Amore Matte Lip Creame in Striking, Walmart.
Sugarfix by Baublebar Star Drop Earrings, Target. SIMILAR 1 | 2 | 3

Wishing you a very Christmassy holiday season, at work and everywhere else! Thanks for visiting!

~Virginia

Favorite Fall Buys: Green Sweater and Boots

November 15, 2018 by Virginia 18 Comments

One of my favorite fall buys is this green lantern sleeve sweater from Amazon. I got it months ago, with the idea of wearing it exactly as pictured. You may remember it from this post. It’s a steal and a great way to incorporate some green this fall and winter season (it comes in red too!). However, I had a vision for this outfit (picture a quaint local cider mill in the background!) but the weather just wouldn’t cooperate. By the time the date I had planned on sharing it had come and gone, I realized I needed to just get out there and get it posted.

I’m not in love with these photos (it was wet and dark!), but I am in love with a lot of the pieces in this outfit, so let me tell you about some of my favorite fall buys.

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A Great Pair of Black Skinny Jeans

THESE black skinny jeans were a purchase from an Express 40% off sale. I have looked for a good pair of black skinny jeans for a long time and THESE are perfect. Over the month of August I tried on pair after pair of Express jeans since so many of my favorite bloggers were recommending them, but high-rise jeans do NOT look good on me. Once I stopped trying to buy what everyone else was buying and started trying to find a style that would look good on me, I found these mid-rise black skinny jeans. They’re fab and though the fabric isn’t as thick as I usually prefer, the fit is awesome and they go perfectly with my taupe OTK boots (last seen here).

Gucci Belt Dupe

When the first Gucci belt dupe hit the blogosphere last winter, it wasn’t in the budget (even though it was so affordable) and then it was sold out. So, when I spotted the one shown here (Update: 11/20/19 – I can no longer link it for you since it has been removed), I knew I had to grab it. I’m the first to admit that I don’t know what the real one looks like, but I love the statement this makes, especially against the black! There’s just something fun about gold against a black background!

Target Fisherman Hat

I’ve mentioned before (here) that Target is my go-to place for trendy hats. They’re affordable and cute. When the baker boy/fisherman hat trend hit this fall, I knew I wanted to try it at a reasonable price and I found THIS beauty for only $10! Score! I rounded up some similar items for you in the widget below.

Taupe Over-the-knee Boots

THESE taupe boots were a late-winter, early-spring buy and I don’t regret it at all. The low, block heel makes them extremely comfortable for boots and since they are tight all the way up past the knee, they’re warmer than you might think! My favorite way to wear them is with white skinny jeans but they have made their way into the rotation for fall. I have paired them with a leather mini-skirt and the black skinny jeans pictured here. I added the scarf and purse to tie in the taupe.

Get the Look: Favorite Fall Buys

Green Sweater, Amazon. Similar in widget above.
Mid-Rise Black Skinny Jeans, Express. (SIMILAR)
Gucci Belt Dupe, Amazon. (Link removed 11/20/19 as all similar belts have been removed from Amazon)
Taupe OTK Boots, DSW. More options in widget above.
Fisherman Hat, Target.
Fringe Necklace, Ebay (old). (SIMILAR)
CC earrings, Etsy.
Paisley Scarf, Ross (old). Similar in widget below.
MK Two-Tone Darci Watch, Areatrends.com. Similar in widget below.
Taupe Cross-body Bag, TJMaxx. SIMILAR 1 | 2
Baublebar Mason Ring, Nordstrom. Back in stock!!
Stila All Day Liquid Lipstick in Patina, Sephora.

And now that this post is done, that means I can move on to WINTER! (As I am currently listening to Christmas music as we speak….!)

I hope you all have a wonderful weekend! One week until Thanksgiving! What are your plans for Thanksgiving? Let me know below!

~Virginia

Makeup Studs and Duds

September 5, 2018 by Virginia 17 Comments

It’s been awhile since I had a post about makeup and beauty so I thought it was time to update you on some new makeup studs and duds! I’m still loving the products mentioned in this post but there are some new favorites that are definitely share-worthy!

My Need for Humidity-Proof Makeup

Before summer hit I did some reasearch on humidity-related beauty. A big part of why I started this blog was to share this kind of research and testing. Being a history teacher, I’m quite familiar with researching and I’m always studying beauty products and DIY projects before I even go out and buy. One day my husband was like, “You spend so much time reading reviews and trying things out, others could benefit from your research!” He’s right and I have totally dropped the ball on that front in the last year. Between digging ourselves out of debt and the time it took me to build a new curriculum for my new job, makeup and beauty “research” was mostly on the back burner.

However, after two summers in Rhode Island, I knew that I couldn’t handle another humid summer with crummy makeup. So, right when school got out for the summer, I hit the internet to research the best products for humidity. Research returned way too many mixed messages on what kind of makeup is right for humidity. Some said stick to long-lasting, full coverage foundations that will stay all day despite the heat. “Oh,” they said, “and make sure you set the foundation with powder to really make it last!” Others said use a lightweight foundation and don’t use any powder blush or setting powder. Instead, use creme blush and bronzer and spray it with a makeup setting spray instead.

Well, let me tell you my success with the first option. Last summer I tried two “high coverage” foundations that were recommended by some youtubers (1 & 2) and they were so thick it felt like they were constantly sticky. Adding powder just made them even more cakey and uncomfortable. So, this summer I decided to look for a lightweight foundation but I was skeptical because usually lightweight foundations mean light coverage and that’s not going to cover my acne scarring. I wasn’t even sure you COULD have full coverage with a lightweight formula.

Enter my first Makeup Stud.

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Makeup Studs:

Dermablend Flawless Creator Multi-use Pigment

It’s a mouthful and boy does it pack a punch. When Marlena from Makeup Geek showed how amazing this Dermablend pigment was (see her apply it at 4:30 in this video) and mentioned that it was lightweight, I just had to try it. It gives INCREDIBLE coverage for as little as I use. You can see in the pictures how much I use on normal days. One drop goes a long way with this stuff. It definitely wears off throughout the day, especially on really humid days, but it feels so much better than most of my foundations and it’s SO quick and easy to apply and run out the door.

I would definitely apply it with a brush, as you can see in the picture below. I love this brush for foundation.

L’Oreal Lash Paradise

I’m very late-to-the-game in sharing this with you. My “ride or die” mascara was this mascara, but the Lash Paradise gives me the same look for half the price. I prefer the non-waterproof over the waterproof.

L’Oreal Infallible Lip Paint in Spicy Blush

This lipstick was recommended by emilynoel83 on youtube. A couple of the items on this list actually come from her or via her recommendation. (She would be a good one to follow for great makeup reviews and tutorials.) It’s simply the perfect pale pink neutral lip for my skin tone. It feels like a mix between a liquid lipstick and a lip gloss. The “Lip paint” is creamy and smooth. It’s not going to last like a liquid lipstick but it’s the perfect thing to pop on quickly to add some color before running out the door!

Stila Good to Glow Shadows

I bought this set from the Nordstrom Sale and I have to admit, my favorite in this set is definitely “Kitten.” The other two are gorgeous shades as well, but they haven’t gotten much use yet. I can see myself gravitating more towards those two as summer turns into fall. Kitten gives such a beautiful glow to the eyes and doesn’t dry patchy like some other liquid eye shadows I have tried. It’s elegant and not overpowering.

Makeup Revolution The Emily Edit – The Wants Eyeshadow Palette

As I mentioned above, emilynoel83 is one of my favorite youtubers and she recently released this palette. Not only did her release video make me tear up, but I knew instantly that I needed to try the palette because Emily is one of the few youtubers that I absolutely trust for product recommendations. She doesn’t do sponsored videos and she always tries products for an extended period of time before recommending. Beyond that, when she reviews a palette she always makes sure to comment on the mixture of mattes (for the crease) and shimmers, whether the pops of color hold their pigment and whether there are enough other colors in the palette to complete a look.

The day after The Wants Palette released in Ulta stores, I drove to my local Ulta and tried it out. I was a little disappointed in the swatches because they didn’t seem that creamy, especially compared to the Jaclyn Hill Vault Collection placed next to it (see all of them in the widget below). I went back and forth whether it was worth it to try The Wants Palette or whether I should just pick one of Jaclyn’s Vault Palettes. In the end, I went with my gut. If Emily says it’s good, then it’s good. Plus, the Jaclyn Hill Vault collection is by color family (eg: purples in one palette). I really wanted something that would give me a lot of new options to try.

It is the perfect palette for someone who wants to round out an eye shadow collection (or start one). Even though it’s large, I can totally see myself taking this with me when I travel. I can get any possible look out of just this palette.

And now…for the…

Makeup and Beauty Duds

Milani Gilded Desires Palette

Before I even knew about The Wants Palette, I was in store and swatched the Milani Gilded Desires Palette. I instantly fell in love with the gorgeous glow on the swatches. It came home with me and each day I tried something new. But, unlike the Emily Edit Palette above, these shadows just didn’t last on my eyes. Plus, the top left matte shade is so flaky that I’ve basically stopped using it. This is particularly annoying because that is the one non-pink matte crease shade in the palette.

I do enjoy the cheek highlight shades. They are absolutely beaming so I use them sparingly. Though I still try to use the palette, I do find myself turning to the Stila “Kitten” shade above more frequently when I want the same kind of look. It just lasts longer. Plus, look at the two palettes side by side in the image above. They are the exact same price but there is just no comparison for quality or variety of shades in my book.

Up & Up Sport Sunscreen Lotion

After teaching Consumer Economics last year, I’ve been more conscious of buying store brand items over name brand and that’s why I purchased this sunscreen. This, however, is one store brand item I would skip. It is one of the most greasy, sticky formulas I have ever tried. That just doesn’t work on humid, Rhode Island beaches. The first time I used it I came home completely covered in sand. Forget trying to reapply at the beach, you’ll just be rubbing sand into your skin!

I did some research and picked these two sunscreens to try – 1, 2. Both have worked very well for me and are a great, non-greasy formula. This one is a little hard to spray with the beach breeze but I apply it at home and use this one to reapply at the beach.

Dove Fresh Coconut Dry Shampoo

This smells great but instead of making my hair feel fresh, it feels more heavy. I won’t repurchase.

Special Mention Product

You can see it in the background of some of the photos above, but I just got this L’Oreal Infallible Foundation stick. I have only worn it a few times but I’m really liking it. I don’t believe the look it gives is as good as the Dermablend (above). That being said, it’s a nice, easy look when set with powder.

Well, that was a lot of info on my recent makeup studs and duds so I don’t blame you if you did a lot of skimming! Nevertheless, I hope that you found even one makeup stud to think about trying or one dud to avoid. Definitely let me know in the comments about makeup studs or duds you’ve tried recently!

Thanks so much for stopping by!

~Virginia