Recent Closet Additions

The thing I've discovered about following amazingly-gorgeous-creative-inspiring fashion bloggers is that their style sort of rubs off on you. Or at least it tends to rub off on me. My style is continually evolving, and thank Heaven for that! I've made some serious blunders in my day! Here are two new additions to my wardrobe, courtesy of  seriously fab fashion girls.

The striped top is from Forever 21, inspired by Vivian of Diamonds and Tulle.

The floral cami is from Target, and it has previously been spotted on Chloe. It looks great with grey!

I also purchased this from Forever 21's Love 21 line.

I love how flowy it is, and the little pocket is so cute. No. More. Lace. That's it, I'm starting to resemble my great-grandmother again. I do this so much. I fasten on to a certain trend I love each season, and then I buy it in bulk!

And this was too cute for words. I purchased it on Shopruche.com

I thought of you Katie ♥ Every girl loves Audrey.

One last thing Readers. I need some advice. I just bought these leather taupe boots from TJ-Maxx. The brand is dv by Dolce Vita

I just don't know what I think of them, so I may return them.

Pros: They are flat, comfortable, and good quality. They can also be worn over the knee

Cons: I want true brown or camel colored flat boots. Plus, I'm just not sure if these look "right" on me.

I need your input! Please let me know what you think!

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Lusting: Luxurious Velvet

Lately I have been LUSTING over velvet. From pretty jackets and coats, to shoes and clutches, there is something so soft and romantic about this luxurious fabric. I think a pair of heels will make their way into my closet at some point, and soon!

White House Black Market

Save these for a special occasion? Noooo. I would rock them every day!

Boden

Shopbop

J Brand

Velvet leggings?! How amazing! I would love these!

Kenzo

Red Velvet Cupcakes - I'm lusting for this too!

Happy Monday,

Noelle

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Under-the-weather makeup

Before I begin this post, I just want to thank all of you who commented on my last post from Wednesday. I truly appreciate the kind words of encouragement and support, and I know that many of you are either experiencing similar situations or have in the past (and have survived the madness!) This is why I love blogging. It's such a great way to interact with others from different parts of the world, and really, we all have common problems in some form or another. So...THANK YOU AGAIN!

I've definitely been under the weather the past week. I have barely had the energy to get dressed in the morning and have spent the majority of my time in bed. It's been fun to catch up on t.v., blogs, and YouTube, but I am really looking forward to feeling better and leaving the house! I think I have a head cold, because it started out as a sore throat and now it's all concentrated in my nose. I know, it's gross. Sorry! Anyway, I did manage to look semi normal, albeit not until six in the evening yesterday.

Here are some beauty products I use when I'm not feeling well, but still have to look presentable:

From Left to Right:
1) A good moisturizer is always a must when feeling sick. The weather here has been cloudy, rainy, and cold so a good facial lotion is a must regardless. But when I'm sick, my skin gets extra dry and flaky. My combination skin turns completely dry! I like Clinique's Dramatically Different Moisturizing Gel, because it soaks right in and is moisturizing without feeling too heavy or greasy. I have used this stuff since I was eighteen and I love it even more now than I did then.

2) I usually skip foundation when I'm sick and just use a light tinted moisturizer instead. The one I have used for awhile now is by Korres, and it smells like watermelons! It's the perfect amount of lightweight coverage.

3) A little bit of blush and bronzer to brighten up the complexion is vital. I look extra pale when I get sick, and this ELF blush and bronzer duo has enough sheen and shimmer to make me look a little less like a zombie.

4) Concealer! This is the most important in my opinion. I get really red around my mouth and nose when I'm battling a cold. I use the green tinted concealer in the bottom left corner of this Sonia Kashuk concealer palette to cover the redness. I might sneeze it off, but it's sort of like a security blanket while i'm out in public.

5) EOS lip balm is my savior! My lips have been chapped all week (cuz I can't really breathe through my nose, so I breathe through my mouth). This causes lots of dryness, and lip balm feels so good when you're sick with a cold.

~Honorable Mention~ Any type of eye brightening shadow to enhance the eyes and bring some light to the face. I like All That Glitters, Grand Entrance, or Naked Lunch all by MAC. Just a quick sweep over the entire eye makes a big difference.

This was me forcing a smile last night. I wore everything I mentioned above, plus mascara and eyeliner. A GIANT MISTAKE! A few minutes after this, I started sneezing like crazy and the eyeliner wound up everywhere. So, I suggest skipping liner, especially on the bottom lash line. I'm just a creature of habit, so I lined them anyway but I don't recommend it. Just keep everything clean and simple.

Other under-the-weather must haves: Vitamin C, Water, some type of OTC cold medication to alleviate symptoms, a warm blanket, fashion mags, and if brave enough, a sweet loving BF to cuddle with. Just don't sneeze or cough on him ;) Have a great weekend everyone! I'll be back next week, hopefully feeling back to normal! ♥ Noelle

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The QuarterLife Crisis

This is going to be a very uncomfortable kind of post for me Readers. I normally don't like disclosing too much information about my life, not because I don't want to share the details with you, but mostly because this little blog is an escape for me, a break from reality and a way to share my most frivolous and fanatical obsessions.

I graduated from College this past Spring, with a BA in Human Development. People often ask me what that really means, and the best way to explain it is to lump it into the same category and realm as Psychology (minus all the applied research). I chose this as my major because I was a floater in school. I didn't know what the heck I wanted to do or who I wanted to be. So I took a couple of intro Psych courses in college and although I wasn't sure what I wanted to do after graduating, I kept on a floatin'.

Well now I feel like I made the wrong choice. Big time. I think. I THINK?!!!

This is where the Quarterlife crisis comes in. It is a great book that was recommended to me and although it helps to reassure me that as a mid twenty-something, I am not alone in my confusions, my fears, and my doubts, I still have a nagging feeling that I have no clue what the hell I'm supposed to be doing and it's preventing me from living my life to the fullest.

I recently got a job working in a residential treatment center/school in a dorm with young children who have very serious problems. I'm sick as a dog already and I just started my first day of training yesterday! I had to skip today and won't be back until next week when I feel well enough. But again, I am just not sure this is the right job for me. I need to have a steady job and I need to make money, so I am going to stick it out and see what happens. But I want more than anything to be happy in what I do every day.

What makes me happy: I love to write. I always have, always will. I could have majored in journalism or literature, but I didn't. I'm not sure why.
What also makes me happy: Fashion. I wanted to possibly attend FIDM after I graduated high school, but I didn't want to move away to Los Angeles or San Diego and leave the security of home. So I didn't. Becoming a fashion buyer would be my ultimate dream job!

The bottom line is that I sacrificed my true loves because I was scared, lazy, and lacked the discipline and motivation to really make things happen for myself. I settled for a major that looked "good on paper", that would satisfy my need to be considered smart by others, that I thought would allow me to feel fulfilled by helping others. Now, I am thinking about going back to school, maybe take a few fashion and writing courses. But there is also this part of me that thinks I should go back and get my Master's, possibly in school or college counseling so I can be an academic advisor. See? So many options! I go back and forth 100 times in a day.

So, to any of you bloggers out there who have felt this way, please share a bit of your struggles with me! I would love to hear from you. Also, to those of you working in the fashion industry now, just in case I ever decide to go that route: any advice for someone like me who has no experience at all? Where do I even begin?

A great book - click to buy on Amazon

If you stuck this one out, Thank You for reading!

Noelle

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