OOTD: Orange Flower Power

Hi guys!

How summery is this dress? I bought it at Forever21 a few weeks ago and was immediately drawn to the gorgeous color and pattern. It's flowy with fluttering sleeves, but it's cinched at the waist with a belt to make it flattering. It's from their Love 21 line, which is my favorite part of their store; you always find lovely pieces there!

 Cross eyed!

Not sure if you can tell by my crappy pictures, but I put a little braid in my hair to amp up the hippy factor ;)

Dress (belt included!): Forever21. I couldn't find this online, which is weird since I saw it there after I bought it in store... maybe they've sold out? Check your local Forever21!

Shoes: Coach. I got these shoes at Marshalls two years ago, so they're not available any more. Here are a few alternatives: Forever21, Forever21, Piperlime, J-Crew

Necklace: Forever 21. No longer available, but try these instead:Etsy (this one is really close!), Urban Outfitters, Forever21

Makeup: Everyday foundation routine (with a substitution of my Physician's Formula Conceal RX for MAC's Studio Sculpt concealer in NW15),  MAC's blush in Stunner (LE), MAC's mineralize eyeshadow trio in Love to Love (LE),  Lancome's Rouge in Love Lipcolor in Corail in Love, Clinique Long Last Glosswear in Air Kiss

In other news, I'm currently lusting after the new Benefit lipglosses, especially Dandelion (one of my all time favorite blushes!). Sigh, I dont need another lip gloss, I don't need another lipgloss, I don't need another lipgloss................................

I'll leave you with a parting image: Today, as I was walking into my office, I saw a man walking a dog on a leash, and a cat in a baby carrier. I have no words for this, people, no words.

-Seraphine

UPDATE: Found it online! Forever21

Cheap and Chic OOTD (from 6/15/12)

Hi guys!

This is a belated outfit of the day from Friday, which I had every intention of posting, but my computer got a terrible virus and was being fixed until Sunday, by which point I completely forgot about posting this. But better late than never! This outfit is all Forever 21 (well, the clothing is, at least!). The skirt is the same one as my nautical OOTD, but, as you can see, I've styled it a bit differently. I am a big fan of blouses that tie at the neck, and the fact that this one was coral and had butterflys all over it sealed the deal for me. Love it! (the fact that my one sad picture covers up the bow tie kind of defeats the purpose, doesn't it? Sorry about that!)

Sorry for the lack of pictures, I took this very quickly on my way out the door and forgot to take additional ones when I got home, as I was totally distracted by my computer mayhem.

Top: Forever21 (link) (this top is sheer, so I wore a plain white cami underneath)

Skirt: Forever21 (link)

Shoes: Tory Burch (link)

Med Alert: Lauren's Hope (link)

Earrings: My earrings are simple, faux pearl studs that I got at a boutique near my university (I think they were $10, but I them on sale for $5). These ones by Forever21 are pretty much the same

Makeup: See my Everyday Work Makeup post; Today I'm wearing MAC's blush in Stunner on my cheeks, and Lancome's Rouge in Love Lipcolor in Corail in Love (this is one gorgeous lipstick, review coming soon!) with Clinique's Long Last Glosswear in Air Kiss on top

Since my outfit is so Forever21 heavy, allow me to share my philosophy on said store with you. I believe that, when shopping at Forever21, you need to take your time, search every rack, and try everything on. You never know what hidden gems are lurking behind that display of hideous sequined club dresses, and you may think that top looks great, until you try it on... Keep in mind, too, that not everything is so well made. I recently got an adorable blouse (link), that I can't zip by myself because the zipper gets stuck (not because it's too small or anything, but because the seam is cheaply made). It's a tough store to shop online, too, because a) trying things on is important, and b) their website is extremely overwhelming. But I love Forever21, and I think they have great stuff, if you have the patience to find them!

-Seraphine

OOTD: Nautical Inspired

Ahoy there!

Today's OOTD is somewhat nautical, which I did not do on purpose. I only noticed it after I got dressed and realized how sailor-y I looked! The blazer is an old favorite of mine that I got at H&M two years ago (which has a sailor vibe all on its own, seeing as the buttons on the blazer have ship steering wheels on them...), and I usually pair it with jeans or a jeans skirt. Today I mixed it up a little for work, and wore a new, navy blue skirt from forever21. The skirt is a little mod, but it doesn't steal focus from the busy blazer, and, unlike some forever21 items, it actually feels very well-made. I love the way this outfit looks on, and the pop of a bright tank top makes it look so young and fun. Incidentally, the skirt and the tank top look adorable paired together on their own, but adding the blazer made the outfit more worky and less casual (I took the last two pictures at the end of my day, so sorry for the wrinkles!)

Top: Hollister (no longer available, but any bright tank from any brand would work)
Blazer: H&M (no longer available, unfortunately!)
Skirt: Forever21 (link)
Shoes (not pictured): Silver Tory Burch flats (link) (I told you I wear them with everything!)
Earrings: Anthropologie (link) These earrings a such a fun twist on classic pearls, and I wear them all the time
Med-Alert: see previous OOTD post

Makeup (Something from MAC's Hey Sailor would have been appropriate, but I didn't buy anything from that collection): MAC Prep and Prime SPF 50, Bourjois Healthy Mix foundation in 51, Physicians Formula RX concealer in Fair/light (on blemishes), Maybelline Dream Lumi Touch concealer (under eyes), Clarins Bronzer in 10 Morning Sun, MAC Dame blush, MAC mineralize eyeshadow trio in Love to Love (LE), Fairy Drops Scandal Queen Mascara, MAC Beachbound lipstick (LE), Milani lipgloss in Whisper

-Seraphine

Everyday Makeup Routine For Work

I'm the first to admit I am not a morning person (nor am I a night person... I'm more of a middle-of-the-day person. But I digress), so when it comes to doing my makeup for work, I have a routine down pat that is easy enough to do when I'm sleepy. My internship is actually away from home, so I wasn't able to bring too many products (which is why my makeup posts are a bit repetitive at the moment!), but I planned it out so that I have everything I need to look polished for work.

1. Foundation routine: My foundation routine is always the same: MAC Prep and Prime SPF 50, Bourjois Healthy Mix foundation, Maybelline Dream Lumi-Touch concealer under my eyes, Physician's Formula Conceal RX on blemishes, MAC Mineralize Skinfinish Natural, Clarins Bronzer in 10 Morning Sun (a must have for pale ghosties like me!)

2. Eyebrows: I'm not one to fuss with my brows, since they're fairly thick to begin with, but I usually run a tiny bit of my Essence Brow Pencil (mine was called light brown, but I believe it's now called blonde? Not really sure, but it's whichever one's lightest) with Essence Brow gel to hold them in place

3. Cheeks: Either MAC Stunner (LE, sadly!), or MAC Dame, depending on whether I want a pinker cheek or a peachy-pink ( I know, the difference is astronomical ;) )

4. Eyes: Too Faced Natural Eye palette, and I mix up what colors I use daily. One of my favorite looks (borrowed from an older video of Michele1218's) is Silk Teddy on the Lid, Velvet Revolver in the crease, and Erotica in the outer corner, with Heaven as a highlight (if you work in a  conservative office environment, I would forgo any shimmery shadows and just work with mattes). I finish off the eyes with one coat of Fairy Drops Scandal Queen mascara

5. Lips: This is where I mix it up the most, but I've especially been liking Milani's Lipgloss in Whisper. I always prep my lips beforehand with my EOS lip balm in Strawberry Sorbet (I think that's what it's called? Its the light pink one!)

And there you have it! I find that the whole routine doesn't take me too long to do, since I pretty much have it down to a science. If you have less time but still want to look polished, I recommend just lightly dusting Push Up from the Too Faced Palette all over your lid, and eliminating the foundation, bronzer, and second concealer from the routine (whichever one you need less!). Quick tip: lay out your makeup the night before so that you know exactly what you want to use in the morning. This has helped me a lot throughout the school year to avoid falling into a makeup rut!

-Seraphine

My Very First (Work) OOTD

Confession: I may be the most unphotogenic person ever. Seriously. I am one of those people who just can't take a good photo, and believe me, I try! I was desperately perusing my pictures to try and find something suitable for my first post, and the only quasi-decent thing I found is almost a year old. Not only that, but my camera (iphone) quality is pretty terrible. Note to self: buy a real camera! To sum up: don't expect anything but mediocre photos from me. That being said, here's my first OOTD! I work in a pretty relaxed office, so this might not be appropriate for every work environment. However, I think just changing from shorts to pants would make this appropriate for more conservative offices. Keep in mind that all but the first photo were taken at the end of my workday, and the rest were taken at the end so all of my makeup is gone and my hair is a wreak (in other words, ignore my hair and face!)

Awwwkward camera angle, trying not to have my phone in the shot

Hi there! Man, do I look tired...


Top: Zara  (link) This top is way more coral in person than it is in these pictures

Blazer: Zara (link)

Shorts: J-Crew (link) One word of caution, these shorts crease like no one's business. Felt a bit embarrassed when I got up from my desk and saw how unkempt I looked. And not sure if you can tell by the pictures, but they are in fact high waisted.

Shoes: Tory Burch (link) My second pair of these shoes (as I wore out/destroyed my first), and let me tell you, these are without a doubt the best shoe purchase I have ever (and possibly will ever) made. They go with everything, can be dressed up or dressed down, and are very comfortable. If you only buy one pair of high-end shoes, make it these!

Bracelets: My mom got these for me in Charleston, South Carolina last spring, so unfortunately I don't have a link on where to get them :( I'm sure if you google it you'll find something similar.

Med-Alert: (link) This is the cutest med-alert ever, and everyone mistakes it for a Tiffany bracelet, which is a plus. I can't find the exact one I have, but I've linked something almost identical from the same website that I bought mine from.

Makeup (not that you can see it!): MAC Prep and Prime SPF 50, Bourjois Healthy Mix Foundation in 51, Physicians Formula Conceal RX in light/medium (on blemishes), Maybelline Dream Lumi Touch concealer (under the eyes), MAC Mineralize Skinfinish Natural in light, Clarins Bronzer in 10 Morning Sun, MAC blush in Stunner, Too Faced Natural Eye Palette (Silk Teddy on lid, Push Up in crease, Coco Puff in outer corner, and Heaven as my highlight), Fairy Drops Scandal Queen mascara, MAC lipglass in It's a Wow

-Seraphine