Summer Essentials

Now that Summertime is officially upon us, I wanted to show you a list of things that every girl should have in her arsenal. I'm sure you have seen these types of articles in every women's magazine. "Summer Survival Guide" or "Get Ready for Summer." Well, here's my list:

1) A bathing suit. Not just any bathing suit. A bathing suit that actually fits properly! No one wants to be spilliing out of her top when she's trying to take a dip in the ocean. This part of Summer is always tricky. I don't know a single girl who enjoys the process of trying on a million different suits. But that's really what you have to do in order to see what works and what doesn't on your body. There are so many brands at varying price points that a cute, well fitting suit shouldn't be too hard to find.

These by Victorias Secret are colorful and girly without exposing too much.

2) Now that you have the perfect suit, it's time to go play in the sun! Just don't forget to wear sunscreen. I admit, I love getting a nice tan. When I was in high school, I never wore sunscreen which I now realize was a huge mistake. But it's never too late to correct past bad behaviors so I slather on the stuff generously and often. I personally love CopperTones Oil Free Sunscreen because it rubs into the skin quickly and I don't have to worry about it clogging my pores and causing a break out. And, even though I consistently wear sunscreen, I still manage to pull off a nice Summer glow. If you spend enough time in the sun, even wearing tons of sun protection, you will still get a bit of color. The rest you can fake with...

3) Bronzer! Bronzer is your best friend this time of year. I like to stick with matte bronzer on my face, although I like to use one with shimmer on my cheekbones for some added radiance. On the rest of my body, I have been using L'oreal's Sublime Bronze Tinted Gel for instant glowy gratification. The best part is that it washes right off in the shower. Otherwise, a good self tanner does the same job, but it lasts.

4) Easy makeup and hair are the best parts of Summer in my opinion, at least in terms of getting ready. I usually switch over to my Korres tinted moisturizer and cream products such as blush. I love dewy makeup in the Summer. A single shimmery shadow, a little bit of liner, and some water proof mascara and I'm out the door. Also, don't be afraid to use a fun, bright lipgloss. Corals are really popular this year, but pinks are always pretty too. For something more subtle, a good nude lip complements golden skin. Just don't forget SPF! As for hair, I like to put down the blow dryer and straightener as much as possible, especially on days off. I use a little bit of wave spray or texturizer to amp up my natural waves. Just do whatever feels easiest to you.

5) Bright Nail Polish. The only time of the year I feel like I can really get away with just about any color. Take your pick!

6) Lastly, Summer dressing should be effortless and fun as well. I live in dresses and sandals. There are so many options out there that it's easy to find things within your budget.

Go for color! I still wear black too, but color feels fresher (and literally cooler).

I know my list could go on and on because this is my favorite time of the year! I also want to mention hats and sunglasses, two very important Summer items. Other than that, what are your essentials?

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What I Wore In NYC and Some Goodies

As an avid lover of fashion, my trip to New York was as much about clothes as it was about the Statue of Liberty and Central Park. Thank God that the boyfriend was understanding about my need to take in the sights on 5th Ave and Soho. I loved people watching everywhere we went. I felt so inspired by what I saw, not only on the streets, cafes, and stores but also in the art. It was exactly as creative and beautiful as I imagined. And to top it all off, I think boyfriend will never tease me again about my love for shoes, bags, and that "red cupcake dress" I stare at in my closet every morning. He gets it now.
I wanted to take lots of outfit pictures. Sadly, I was only able to take three. After New York, we headed to his family's farm in Ohio and it was humid like I've never felt before in my life! 90 percent humidity on top of 90 degree weather? That's just crazy! So our days spent in Ohio were wet and sticky and my hair looked like a puffy brillo pad. And I wore nothing but shorts and tees. Translation? No outfit pictures from Ohio. Oh well, from one extreme to another. New York was a playground, Ohio was a sleepy porch to enjoy the sound of thunder and watch lightning bugs zap on and off like little lightbulbs.

Our first full day in New York. It was a bit rainy, but definitely not cold. It was perfect actually. The black cardi and skinny jeans are from Express, the dusty rose top is from H&M. My ballet flats are from Zara and the purse is Michael Kors.

Of course I wore my HoH key necklace and layered it with my 36 inch Lisa Taubes chain, which is pure love by the way. It really dresses up any top.

The second day I wore my new navy chilltown dress from Lulus paired with a teal cardigan from Nordstrom. I threw on a scarf later at night when it got chilly.

At Megu in Soho wearing my red rose dress from H&M. If I could only wear one thing for the rest of my life, I'm pretty certain it would be this dress. I just love it to death. The nude pumps are from DSW by Steve Madden and the tan clutch is by Jessica Simpson.

~I also wore a black dress with a large belt and creme scarf, but I was unable to get a picture.

I looked in a lot of stores while we were walking around the city, but I didn't have a lot of time to really enjoy shopping.

Nude wedges from the giant H&M by our hotel.

Lacy creme top and teal dress from Forever 21

I love Duane reade! You New Yorkers are so lucky!

I had to get one of these.

I'm sure you all are sick of my vacation talk, so this is the last of it. Back to normal blogging, at least until we can afford another fun trip somewhere ;)

Happy Monday!

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New York, New York! (Pictures Mostly)

I'm baaaaaaaack! Oh how I've missed my little laptop! And most importantly, how I've missed you all! It's going to take me a long time to catch up on everybody's posts. I think I'm better off just starting fresh, and pretending like you all have been on vacation from Blogger-land too ;) Well, I honestly don't know what to write. I think my lack of typing over the past week has turned my brain into a pile of...mush? You get what I mean. I'm sure all of the amazing New York food (pizza at Lombardi's, pastrami sandwiches at Stage Deli, Kobe beef at Megu's, not to mention drinks a plenty of the alcoholic variety) have no doubt impaired my vocabulary a bit! All I can really stress is, I LOVE NEW YORK CITY! The people, the lights, the tall skyscrapers, the architechture, the crazy cabbies, the history, the sounds, the buzz of the city...what a deliriously happy trip it was. I can't wait to go again! Because we definitely will.

First night in Times Square. Our hotel was only a block away.

New York Skyline from Liberty Island

We were almost in tears when we saw her. So much history.

Central Park of course.

Walking along 5th Ave. The bf even forced me to go into Chanel and show him the purse I'm saving for ;) The saleslady was super nice.

Megu, quite possibly the most extravagant and beautiful restaurant we have ever seen. The Kobe beef melted in my mouth. I should have taken a picture of my food but I was afraid of getting strange looks!

The ice sculpture is carved fresh every day.

On top of the Empire State Building.

I did manage to take a couple outfit pictures, but I'll post those separately along with a couple of purchases. I didn't buy much though, surprisingly. I mainly ate and drank my money ;)

I hope you are all well! Happy Friday!

♥ Noelle

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