read more posts by
redrhinestone
Last month I was blessed with opportunity to vacation to Rome. This trip was my first to leave the continent…so it was a very big step for me. While on my trip I visited Rome, Tavullia, Naples, and Pompeii. From what I had the chance to see, Italy is a beautiful country. There is just so much to see! The history, the wine, food, people, views, I tried to absorb as much as I could on our 4 days there. Here are a few of my favorite images from the trip. Enjoy!
With spring around the corner, I have really been feeling bright florals and blush tones! This lookbook contains 3 ensembles I have been sporting lately that include pink hues, faux suede, lace, florals and perfect layering pieces making this style ideal for transitioning seasons!
The first look is a fun floral print dress with a lace up accented neckline and swing silhouette. I have paired it with black quilted booties, a fun faux suede hat, and rose gold mirrored sunglasses. This look is perfect for a sunny day out and about!
The second look is a light pink floral lace dress with a floral embroidered Democracy bomber jacket and burgundy wedge booties. This look is ideal for breezy days and perfect for spring! The wedges tie the look together and provide height without compromising comfort.
Lastly this third look is just a simple mock neck lace dress paired with a tassel necklace and cork wedges. This fully lined lace overlay dress is so fun to wear! I have a feeling it will be making many appearances this upcoming season!
I was recently offered the opportunity to collaborate with Coach on their pre-spring 2017 campaign for the Dinky Crossbody. I was over the moon excited for this partnership and absolutely love the bag! Since I have been featuring it so much on my Instagram, I wanted to give you guys a closer look and share my thoughts on this piece. Enjoy!
I selected the Bordeaux color bag, which has a bright red interior and turn lock closure flap. This purse is genuine leather and is also lined in leather. There is a slip pocket on the back and 2 interior sections. The strap is adjustable, and removable. I prefer to carry the bag crossbody style, but you can also wear it on one shoulder. The hardware and stitching are of the best quality and no detail was left unturned. This bag is the perfect size for everyday use, anywhere you need to go. The leather is supple yet durable, and transitions beautifully from day to night.
Here I have included a few necessities that I carry, and how they fit inside the bag. My absolute favorite part is the kiss closure coin purse that is attached to the interior! You have no need for wallet when carrying this purse!
If you are looking for a quality bag to carry your necessities, this would be the one to pick up! I seriously do not have a negative thing to say about it! If red is not your color, no worries! This beautiful model is offered in 7 gorgeous shades, so I am sure you will find one that you adore!
Just because it’s cold outside, doesn’t mean you have to be boring with your wardrobe! I am one of those people who will find a way to work in cheetah print no matter the season, and here is one of those times!
I must admit, this sweater is an oldie but a goodie. I purchased it from Express a few years ago and still find it to be one of my favorites this time of year. For this look, I decided to pair it with leggings, a knit pom beanie, and XOXO over-the-knee faux suede boots. To me, these boots totally make the outfit!
I wore this ensemble out for a day shopping, and was comfortable and stylish! The fun, fierce print of the sweater makes a statement, so I don’t feel as if I’m lost in this dreary weather!
Let’s keep things fun, during the transition to spring! Just because the sky may night be a bright blue, you can surely let in some warmth with your wardrobe choices.
Featured Pieces:
I am sure that I am not the only person who took advantage of Boohoo’s Black Friday sale! In the U.S. our promotional offer was for 60% off your purchase! Yes, that’s right, 60 PERCENT! I went a little crazy buying items not only for myself, but gifts for my family as well! For those of you who are wondering, yes the items made it in plenty of time for Christmas. Boohoo is a UK based company so the products take around 3 weeks to make it to Texas.
Here I will share with you a few pieces I purchased, and how I styled them. Enjoy!
This light grey chunky knit sweater dress is so fun and comfortable! I decided to style it casually with Olivia Miller fringe boots and a felt hat. 🙂 To finish the look, I added a black and metallic butterfly scarf from Express. This look was perfect for keeping me warm, and comfortable while running errands around town.
This next look was my absolute holiday favorite! The asymmetrical cropped pants add such a fun and interesting touch to a chic ensemble. Everyone wanted to know where these cool pants were from! For the top I kept it simple with a Boohoo turtleneck. The fitted design kept the look sleek and polished. I finished it off with Jessica Simpson patent heels and a green velvet envelope bag from Nordstrom.
And finally, the dress of all dresses! I am obsessed with this floral print number! Since I am 5’8″ I went ahead and opted for the Tall version, which ended up perfect! This dress offers just the right amount of style, trend, and sophistication. I have a feeling it will be making quite a few appearances once the weather warms up a bit! Here I have paired the dress with matte grey heels from Urban OG, and an Ivanka Trump metallic grey mini bag.
Overall I love my purchases from Boohoo and will definitely be shopping online with them again soon! The quality and style cannot be beat for the price, and the variety of merchandise is unbeatable! As long as you can afford to wait a few weeks for your items to arrive, I totally recommend Boohoo! 🙂
Traveling to a new destination is always fun, and exciting, but can also be very nerve racking. To ease my nerves as much as possible, I reduce the amount of products I travel with. By only taking a carry on, I avoid long baggage check lines, additional fees, and extra time at the airport.
I always thought being prepared for any and every possible situation by packing “everything but the kitchen sink’ was smart, but ultimately I just got weighed down carrying heavy bags, and would arrive with way more than I could ever wear. On top of that, more items means more to keep up with and remember. Honestly, it is much easier to buy an umbrella if it rains, than attempt to pack one and never need it.
As a blogger, I would say I pack more than the bare minimum, but at the same time, do not over do it. For this particular trip, I am packing for a 6 day vacation to Rome. It is January so the weather there is in the low to mid 40’s. I decided chunky sweaters and layering pieces would be my best bet for style and warmth.
The only negative about packing sweaters is they take up A LOT of space. Luckily, I have space saver bags to assist me! The particular bags I purchased come in assorted sizes and do not require the use of a vacuum. (I will link similar bags here if you are interested.)
The first image is of everything I need to bring, clothing wise.
I then removed my travel outfit, boots, and coat, as those pieces won’t actually be packed.
And then I began to place my items into the space saver bags.
Upon finishing, this is what my stack looked like.
Everything fit perfectly into my bag with space to spare! Not only do the space saver bags provide you with more precious luggage space, they also protect your clothing from spills! I personally enjoy that they are clear so you can see exactly what is in each bag before opening.
If you are curious as to where my purse, chargers, makeup etc. are? Those are in my “personal item.” Instead of taking a backpack, I have decided on a large tote to carry all of these items, as shown below.
Traveling “light” has really worked well for me over the years. I am a nervous traveler by nature so anything I can implement to ease my nerves, and make travel more enjoyable, I am on board for!
I hope this is helpful for anyone out there who has difficulty when it comes to packing, and if you have any tips that work well for you, feel free to comment with them below! 🙂
Happy traveling everyone!
- Luggage Bag: Jessica Simpson (similar)
- Luggage Tag: Henri Bendel
This season has been really strange here in Houston when it comes to the temperature. One day it will be 90 degrees, the next flooding and 40 degrees by night! Because of this, my look book is full of layered ensembles which include light long-sleeves, to chunky sweaters. Keeping your pieces versatile, and layerable is best when the weather is unpredictable! Enjoy! 🙂
To start things off, here is my favorite look of the season! It is such a fun ensemble to wear, and different from my regular day-to-day looks. I enjoyed wearing this to holiday parties, and out stopping. Not to mention the beret offers the perfect amount of festive flair!
- Dress: Sharagano
- Vest: XOXO
- Tights: Express
- Beret: Juicy Couture
- Purse: Kate Spade
- Turtleneck: Target
- Booties: Coach
This next look is super casual and comfortable! Perfect for those colder days running errands, or staying close to home. This is one of my layered-looks perfect for mid day temperature changes that require a transition.
- Hat: Forever 21
- Cardigan: Calvin Klein Jeans
- Turtleneck: Target
- Jeans: Calvin Klein Jeans
- Shoes: Muk Luks
- Necklace: Rocksbox
On really really cold days, this is my go-to! This coat is my ultimate favorite for staying warm and stylish! Though it is a few years old, I just cannot seem to find a coat I like as much! It is so flattering and the gold buttons offer the perfect finishing touch.
- Beret: Forever 21
- Scarf: Express
- Coat: Signature Studio
- Boots: 2 Lips Too
- Tights: Express
- Handbag: Street Level
For the office, this look is top notch! Adding a solid color turtleneck under a sheath dress is the perfect way to transition it into winter. This particular dress is really great because it offers pockets and a matching belt to cinch the waist. For extra warmth I layered with tights and a plaid blanket scarf!
- Dress: Banana Republic
- Tights: Express
- Blanket Scarf: V. Fraas
- Turtleneck: Target
- Booties: Coach
- Purse: Kate Spade
Another one of my favorites! This look is so fun, you seriously can’t help but smile when looking at this adorable sweater. Bears are one of my favorite animals, so when I spotted this sweater, I knew I had to have it!
And lastly, a great animal print look! 🙂 I feel like cheetah can be worked into your wardrobe almost any season! For this ensemble, I went with an oversized sweater, leggings, tall faux suede boots, and a super fun pom beanie!
Have fun this season with your wardrobe! No matter the temperature, embrace your style and experiment! I created some new looks this season that pushed my boundaries, and really liked it! It’s always a good thing to broaden your fashion horizon!
Just in time for the holiday’s, I recently had the opportunity to pair up with Chrissy’s Knee Socks, a Made in the U.S.A. sock company. And all I can say is, if you are looking for stand out appeal, affordable prices, and quality products, they are right up your alley!
I placed my order for 4 pairs of their socks, ranging from printed to striped, and of course, included a solid pair. The order arrived within a few days, and was packaged neatly. Each pair of socks was bundled together and folded in half.
As for the quality, I will say that each pair is different in material but not lacking in quality. The only complaint I would have is that the elasticity grade is not the same in every pair, so if you have wide calves the styles may not reach as high as you desire. I ran into this issue with my solid burgundy pair, as they are fleece lined for extra warmth. The socks are still really cute, they just do not reach over the tops of my boots, so check out the fabric content on their site to make sure the pair you are eyeing has spandex!
Below I will show you how I have styled the socks I received, to give you a few creative ideas for styling your own!
These socks will make the perfect stocking stuffers, or a stylish gift for yourself! Check them out at Chrissy’s Socks or on their instagram!
Socks featured:
Green, Black and Red Striped Socks
So I decided for my first cosmetic blog I would detail my everyday makeup routine. This is my go-to seasonless (face) that complements my features, minimizes my flaws, and beautifies my face in a way that looks like I have on makeup, but in a not overdone way.
So before I jump in with the “tutorial” of what makeup I wear and how I apply it, I would like to first express my “problem areas.” That way, if anyone shares a similar issue maybe my techniques can assist, or if you have any techniques that work, feel free to send them my way!
Problem areas to address:
- Redness around nose and cheeks
- Dark under-eye circles and slightly red upper lids
- Subtle crows feet and eyelid wrinkling
- Breakouts
- Watery eyes
Lets get started!
The first thing I do when it comes to my everyday makeup routine, is I apply my concealer. My current favorite concealer is Nars. This formula is light but concentrated and buildable. It dries smooth with no sticky or cakey texture. I apply a darker reddish shade first (Honey) to cancel out my dark circles then a lighter shade (Vanilla) to cover and conceal. Without the first step I would have grey areas under my eyes where the circles are located.
Next I apply my liquid foundation. I use Estée Lauder Double Wear liquid foundation in Bone and apply it with a beauty blender. This foundation provides all day full coverage for my skin. It covers all redness and leaves me with a smooth and even complexion.
Next, I apply bronzer to the hollows of my cheeks. I use the Estée Lauder Bronze Goddess compact 02-Medium and set with Estée Lauder Double Matte Pressed Powder in 01- Light all over my face. This leaves my skin looking natural and not shiny or overly matte. When applying my powder I start with patting it under my eyes, then move to my nose, forehead, and chin.
Now for eyes. I start off by applying a pearlized white to my tearduct area. This particular color is from Clinique. It distracts from any darkness around my eyes and provides a more awake look. Next I apply a nude shade to the center of my lid, then I add a dark plum color to my crease and slightly over, as I have hooded lids it is necessary for me to go passed my crease for the shadow to show up.
To finish the eyes I apply waterproof liquid eyeliner and mascara. I have discovered liquid liner works best for me because with hooded lids and watery eyes…pencil usually ends up marking my crease and adding a ring under my bottom lashes from smudging. Liquid liner dries almost immediately and says in place all day. For mascara, there are a few I really like but right now I am enjoying Cargo and Clinique. I have very straight, spread apart lashes so I need a mascara that dries repetitively fast, won’t smear, and adds volume and length. These two give me the every day look I desire!
For lips, my every day is usually EOS but I also like to apply Mehr by MAC. This gives me that “your lip color but better” appearance which I really enjoy and doesn’t feather or bleed, which is very important to me.
Now to finish, I go back over one more time with my powder just to make sure everything is just right, and I’m done!
That about wraps up the look! I am able to apply my everyday look in about 10 minutes or less and overall, am pleased with the results. I do not have a face that can hold a lot of makeup, so my goal is to accentuate my features and disguise imperfections in a natural way, and I think this routine does the job.
Thanks for reading and please comment if you have any tips or tricks you have implemented into your everyday makeup routine!
Until next time!
<3
I recently had the opportunity to collaborate with JORD watches, and have had the privilege to wear, and review one of their timepieces. Seriously guys, this is my new favorite watch! Below I am going to explain to you all of the reasons why I am in love with this watch and, why it is the perfect Christmas gift for you to give, and receive this season. AND at the end of my post, check out the link to get yourself an e-gift card from JORD to go towards your purchase! Sounds pretty awesome, right?
To start things off, I will share with you the watch I selected. I have a pretty dainty wrist so I selected the Frankie 35, which is a smaller faced watch, and with with a bright turquoise face for fun and a pop of color. I felt the metallic sheen really stood out against the dark sandalwood. Every watch JORD creates is downright beautiful, and unique. They offer a variety of faces and woods so that there is something for everyone!
When my package arrived in the mail, I could not wait to open it, and I must say, the JORD watch box is something else! A solid wood construction with magnetic closures, and a bottom pull out trinket drawer for accessory pairings! I was amazed by not only the quality of this product, but also the craftsmanship. Once I opened the box, I unveiled my new glorious watch resting on an embroidered JORD cushion. I quickly slipped off and onto my wrist to get a full take of the watch.
As I mentioned, the watch I selected is made of sandalwood. When I opened the watch box I immediately caught the fragrant aroma of the wood, which to me is greatly appealing! This natural calming scent is yet another bonus to this elegant timepiece. Also, since the amount of metal used is extremely minimal, the watch is very light making bracelet stacking and accessorizing effortless.
For the quality, craftsmanship, uniqueness and durability, I think this watch is offered at an amazing price. Perfect for your boss, boyfriend, girlfriend, parent, or any watch lover in your life! So skip the lines this Black Friday and hop onto JORD.com to get all of your holiday shopping covered! Don’t forget to check out the link to get your $25 e-gift card gift card!!
Happy Shopping!! <3
Giveaway Link: https://www.woodwatches.com/g/redrhinestone
Giveaway Info: The giveaway will close 12/18/2016 at 11:59 pm. Every person who enters will be instantly emailed a $25 e-gift code to use on the JORD site! Each e-gift code will expire on 02/28/2017.
Check out my Christmas Gift inspiration board of Pinterest!