Stepping Out of my Comfort Zone

Wearing //

Soprano dress, check B.P. Nordstrom 

Sole Society booties, similar but love these!

Express bag and bracelet, similar

Nordstrom necklace

Beauty //

Essie nails in Size Matters

Glo Minerals blush in Bellini

Sometimes I think that as style bloggers, we are too vain to post outfits that we are perhaps a little unsure of. Nobody wants to make a fool of themselves, especially on social media and the web. Well, this is one of those outfits for me. I love dresses and booties on others, but on me? Totally on the fence! My first inclination was to pair this swing dress with little heels in an effort to elongate my legs, but because it was cool enough to finally break out my little boots, I decided to go for the more casual route. I loved it while I was wearing it, but looking back on the pictures, I'm uncertain that it works. Funny how that goes! You think you look fabulous until you see photographic proof. I'm posting this anyway because number one, I don't have anything else planned for Beautygirl24 this week and number 2, why not? I'm proud for stepping out of my comfort zone. I think next time, a shorter dress will be more successful with booties. But for my first try, I guess this will do :)

I can say one thing - This dress feels like lounge wear, and I'm in love. I plan on wearing it next with an olive moto jacket and...heels. 

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Blogger Must-Haves for Fall 2015

 This was supposed to go live yesterday, but my internet is down so I'm working from Starbucks. Can I just say, I love it! Why don't I do this more often? Not only can I get free wifi, but I can also grab a cup of iced coffee or green tea. And, there's no puppy whimpering at my feet begging to play. Genius.

Anyway, I posted my Fall must-haves last week, and now as promised, it is time for my blogger friends to share theirs as well. Here we go!



From sunny San Diego, Gina: Her blog is On The Daily Express
In Southern California, Fall feels similar to Summer but with less daylight and generally cooler evenings. That means the knee boots and blanket scarves that are popular on blogs this time of year are completely impractical here. I can still wear all of my summer clothes, but I do like to modify my style a little bit, and this year my fall must-haves can be summed up by this picture: Olive and Wine:

Image: Source 

I'm wearing the same lightweight fabrics and cuts as I did in the summer but I swapped out my usual greens and pinks for olive green and red wine-inspired shades.

I wear my white jeans year round, but for Summer I paired them with my Barcelona cami in coral: 

I've worn virtually the same outfit recently, but just by switching to a burgundy cami instead it makes me feel like I'm wearing a Fall outfit:

In the spring I opted for this bright green Portofino Shirt with jeans and leopard pumps:

Then I took the same outfit formula (green top + jeans + leopard pumps) but changed the top to olive green to give it a Fall look:

I'm wearing the exact same shirt and pants in the next two outfits, but changing the shoes from pink to burgundy (of course!) and the bag from yellow to leopard took me from Spring to Fall:

The Fall version:

So for me, my fall must-haves are more about color than anything else. Even if the climate doesn't change much it's nice to feel current just by making a few simple color changes to my outfits!

Next up is Rachelle from Florida. Her blog is Pinksole

Berry lips that I achieve with Estee Lauder Pure Color envy lipstick in plum berry and Nars lipgloss in sixties fan. Wearing both here:

I love any shade of deep red, so I am obsessed with my deep garnet bucket bag from J.Crew.

A utility vest is a must for Fall. I live in South Florida so this is perfect to layer without dying of  a heat stroke.

Last but not least, I love a nice pair of cognac booties, I have my eyes on this pair.





Carylee is from St. Louis and her blog is More Pieces of Me

Plaid shirts because anything plus plaid = an outfit!

Booties! All of the booties! My favorite are the Sam Edelman Petty boot. I have them in three colors - wine, putty, and leopard. They're perfect with skinnies, or even with bare legs when it's not quite cool enough yet!

The puffer vest. Oh my goodness, I bought the infamous herringbone one last year, and quickly added a few more to my collection since then. They're such a great layering piece, and surprisingly warm despite not having any sleeves!

Wine colored skinnies - I have five pairs in slightly different hues (maybe more) because they are on such high rotation.

The chambray - I do wear chambrays year-round, but I reach for them a lot more as it starts getting cooler for layering. It's lightweight but still provides enough extra warmth.





And last but not least, Zeba from Canada. Her blog is Ella Pretty Blog.

1. Shirt Dresses

2. Blanket Scarves

3. Tweed Jackets

4. Ginger tea and a good book

5. Lots of plaid!

I hope you enjoyed reading, and I also hope these lists inspire you to incorporate some of their favorites into your Fall season!

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My Must-Haves for Fall 2015

Let's get the elephant in the room out of the way, shall we? I live in southern California as you all probably know, and while I love it here, I really do wish that we could experience Fall properly like most of you do. I keep joking with all of my friends that Fall is a mythical term here, because it really doesn't exist. I do however like to pretend that I know what I'm talking about. It may not be cooling off anytime soon, but I try to incorporate as much Fall as I can by changing up my accessories and beauty products to reflect the new season.

I've asked my blogger friends from different areas of the country (and Canada) to compile their personal "must-haves" lists for Fall, but I will begin today by sharing mine. I am lumping mine into two categories, style and beauty. My list doesn't change much from year to year, but it's fun to reflect anyway. All of these are classically Fall, with one trendy piece thrown in.


1. A jewel toned bag

2. Light-weight cardigans

3. The cape 

4. Vamp nails

5. Red & wine lips

If you have any questions on specific products shown, feel free to ask! I decided not to describe why I chose these because I think they are fairly obvious and speak for themselves.

The second portion of this post will be up on Monday, and I can't wait to read how my list compares with my blogger friends.

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The color of the season

Wearing //

Express dress, gorgeous option

LOFT cardigan

Vince Camuto pumps, similar

Rebecca Minkoff tote

Delezhen necklace

Express ring

Beauty //

Nails by Essie in Frock n Roll

Lips in Sorbet c/o Glo Minerals 

(use code beautygirl24 at check out)

Everywhere I look, green is making the scene. Ranging from olive, to teal, to dark emerald, it appears to be the latest "It" shade. I have to agree that it's a gorgeous addition to any wardrobe because it looks so chic. Aside from the usual jewel tones and dark neutrals that we all love in Fall and Winter, consider adding it to your essentials. I think it looks flattering on all skin tones, and brings a certain richness when paired with bronze, camel, and grey. I also love pairing green with leopard. I'm continuing to slowly incorporate Fall colors into my daily looks despite the California weather. I have to get my kicks somewhere, right?

If there's one thing you all need to own from this post though, it's my nail polish from Essie's Fall collection in Frock n Roll. Trust me, you will love it! Expect to see it on my fingers a ton!

Linking up with Rachelle and Caryl

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Glo Minerals: Cheeks, Lips, and Skincare

Glo Minerals sent these products to me for consideration. I am in no way being compensated by the company, and all thoughts and opinions expressed are my own. 

I've been a fan of Glo Minerals since they sent me the products featured in this post. I especially love the Moisture Tint, and wear it almost every day during the work week. I also love it during my trips to the beach for some added sun protection on top of my regular sunscreen. When I was contacted by them again to see if I wanted to test out a few more of their makeup and skincare line, I happily agreed. 

Blush in Bellini (soft rose)

Cream Glaze Crayon in Mimosa (soft peach coral)

Matte Suede Lip Crayon in Sorbet (bright fuchsia)

Cream Glaze Lip Crayon in Bloom (beautiful pink)

I have been wearing the blush in Bellini every single day for three weeks. It gives the prettiest color to my cheeks, and it really lifts the face and provides a healthy glow. It's neutral enough that I can wear it with any eye or lip color. It has a slight subtle sheen, but it's mostly matte once applied.

The lip crayons are exactly what I've been searching for. These are what I wish other brands would be formulated as, but unfortunately are not. I've wasted so much money on waxy pencils that just don't last. These actually stain the lips, so depending on how dramatic I want my lip color to be, I either draw them on for an intense dose of color, or I dab them on using my fingers to diffuse the color so it looks more natural. Either way, if there is one shade I'd recommend, it is Bloom. It's extremely wearable, but still a fun "pop". They also aren't as drying as other jumbo lip crayons I've owned (and consequently thrown away). 

Mimosa, Sorbet, Bloom

I was actually the most thrilled to try two of their skincare products from their Therapeutics line. You ladies know that I'm all about skin, and am a huge believer that it's crucial to take care of it now before it's too late. My skin isn't perfect by any means, but I have noticed a difference since using these two products, especially the serum at night. Even Nate has been using it! 

The pure hydration is a light-weight moisturizer designed for daytime. It feels like a gel, and it sinks right into the skin without any leftover greasy feeling. I may need something heavier once the weather changes, but this is perfect for California's warm climate. 

The renew serum is my absolute favorite now, and I got it just time as another oil I was using was running out. This goes on thick, and it almost has a slight sticky film that you can feel for a couple of minutes after smoothing it on. I like to concentrate on my cheeks and between my eyebrows since I have fine lines forming there. The smell is a bit off putting at first (it kind of smells like a cross between candy and medicine which is odd) but once I got past the initial scent, I actually have grown to like it. I will definitely repurchase after it's gone. It leaves my skin feeling supple and plumped. 

Eyes, cheeks, and lips by Glo Minerals (as seen on my birthday dinner)

Metallic smokey eye kit 

Blush in Bellini 

Lips in the colors Bloom mixed with Sorbet

Get a 15% discount at checkout when you use the promo code BEAUTYGIRL24. Trust me, these products are worth it. I'm eyeing more lip crayons and more skincare products.

Have you heard of or tried anything from this company? I'd love to hear your thoughts!

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Fall Colors, Summer Weather

Wearing //

Olivaceous dress

LOFT cardigan, I got it in dark green too!

Sole Society heels, similar

Express bag

Topshop necklace, check stores

Beauty //

Nails in Kensington High Street by Nails Inc. 

Because we really don't get a Fall season here in southern California, my way of celebrating this mythical time of year is to wear typically Fall colors. It may be 90 degrees outside, but at least my wardrobe can transition. Not by wearing layers and layers and pretending that I'm not sweating profusely, but by at least painting my nails burgundy to match my new bag (thank you to Gina, Rachelle, Caryl, and Zeba for being the sweet blog friends that they are and getting me a gift card to Express for my birthday). For those of us who don't really get to experience the changing of seasons, I think switching from brights and lighter colors to darker jewel tones is the best way to go. 

Is it getting cooler where you live? 

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