DECEMBER FAVORITES

Happy New Year guys! I cannot believe that it is going to be 2015. This year has absolutely been incredible, and I want to take this time to thank all of the people who've been in it with me & offered me such amazing opportunities. I've attended some amazing events during NYFW, spent a gorgeous month in Italy, experienced an incredible relaunch with the Lala, and so much more. Here's to 2015 being even bigger & better. Without further ado: my December Favorites...

Makeup

01) Smashbox Photo Finish Primer- Have you really just found a great product that works for you? This is exactly the case with this primer. It's definitely acquired, and I've always been hesitant to try it out because it is known to cause break outs (mainly due to it's thick consistency, perhaps clogging pores). But I have to say, it absolutely works for my skin (so far!), I really love how it holds my makeup throughout the day and I do think I am less shiny when I use this. It's very much so a trial and error product, but it seems that if it works for you, it really works for you! 

02) Mac Naked Pigment- I've had my eye on this pigment for a very long time now, and thankfully I received a mac gift card for Christmas and got to pick this baby up! I've been using it since the day I got it, and it's just perfect for a light, foiled lid color. It's just about the same shade as Mac's Naked Lunch, so just imagine that in pigment form (and I love love love Naked Lunch on my lid daily). 

03) Dior Amber Diamond- Man, I can't believe I've barely mentioned this on my blog before! This is perhaps my favorite highlighting powder ever. A splurge item, I bought this back when I received a Sephora gift card for my birthday a couple of years ago, and I adore it so much that it's one of those products I only take out during special occasions (like Christmas!). It's a shimmer strip block, which basically means there's an ombré block of different colors, ranging from a crisp white to a powerful amber. You can either use the colors separately as highlights, or mix them all together like I usually do (just run a Mac 188 brush across this baby and pop it onto your cheekbones, down your nose and cupids bow). The outcome is gorgeous, and it is well worth the price- you're going to want to have this forever! 

04) Mac's Verve & Velvet Teddy- I've been adoring these two lip colors this month, especially Verve, which I've just about worn every day. It's a cool deep pinky-nutmeg color, and it is a slightly darker version of Whirl. As for Velvet Teddy, it's just an absolutely thick and gorgeous nude with very warm undertones. I can already tell that these two will be my go-to colors this winter. 

Miscellaneous 

05) Living Proof Styling Treatment- I've had a few of these sample tubes from Sephora over the past few months, and I keep finding myself reaching for them! They add amazing texture and shine to my hair and they smell incredible. Definitely going to keep my eyes out for a full size bottle of this soon. 

06) Santa's Lip Scrub by Lush- This stuff is off the hizzy. That's the best way I can describe it. It magically exfoliates your lips and tastes like cherry coca-cola, so I'm not sure it can get better than that. A few of my guy friends have knocked on my door just to ask to use this, that's how good it is. 

07) Elizabeth & James Nirvana Black- YESSSS. I am so happy I have my hands on this finally! I've been using the roller ball since I went to the perfume's launch back in May, and I was dying to get my hands on a full size bottle of Nirvana Black. I've used it every day since, and I'm just obsessed with this scent.

08) Velvet Sugar Body Cream by Bath & Body Works- I picked this up on a whim when I was shopping with Miss Lindsey the other day, and boy did I get a deal. Since B&B was having their huge semi-annual sale, I got this entire tube for $3. And even better: it smells incredible and I can't stop reaching for it. 

& Finally, my December Lookbook!

"Everyone can master a grief but he that has it"
[Much Ado About Nothing 3.2]

Cheers to 2015 (:

XXX,

PS: CHECK OUT MY INTO THE WOODS INSPIRED LOOKBOOK ON THE LALA FT. MISS LINDSEY! 

GILDED DAGGERS

There's something about Christmas season that's so amazingly pleasant. Not sure if it's just the decorations or food, but the Christmas atmosphere is just totally peaceful and sweet. I am always curious as to what people wear on Christmas or any other holiday for that matter, so I always think it's fun to share my look for the occasion. 

This year, I was basically a Free People catalogue (completely unintended for the record). I started with this absolutely breathtaking FP smock, which is a beautiful maroon mesh, beaded with black sparkle, and added a black slip underneath (also from FP). If you ever get your hands on one of these smocks and it happens to be see-through, you can even use a large tank top underneath to act as a slip (just make sure it's long enough to cover your bottom). I added some black knee highs and a nice black pair of pointed suede wedges from Jeffrey Campbell, and threw on a vintage coat from my Grandma before heading outside.  

Finally, my favorite part... the accessories, of course! I think that when given an interesting top or dress, it's so much more fun to challenge it's pattern with something else just as intricate (as long as it meshes well). I popped on this headband, (also FP.. told you I was a walking catalogue..) which is actually meant to be worn as a normal headband... [but why be boring, right?] I decided to flip it around my head making a quasi-crown which I think looked really cool, and I added a thicker, gold FP bracelet to complement the 'crown.' I love the way this look came out, a nice mix of FP's bohemian flair along with some daring originality with the shapes and colors. 

❆ Happy Holidaze ❆

"There's daggers in men's smiles"

[Macbeth 2.3]

Cheers, xxx

PS: You may have noticed that KQ has gotten a bit of a facelift for the new year, don't forget to check out my new portfolio site as well (more to come on that in 2015!) x

TIGER'S HEART

Florals aren't just for spring, dolls! I broke out these amazing Brandy Melville pants (which I normally only wear in the summer, but I'm so happy I decided to pull them for this look) and because of the teeny high waist, I added a cropped top and sweater to show a little sliver of midriff. The cropped top was a black cut-out one from Urban Outfitters, and the sweater is a plain forest-green crew neck crop top from Brandy as well. I love the proportions of this because it's totally unexpected to be covered from waist to toe and then have a little flash of skin just above. The more I added on top (jacket, scarf, hat) played into this balance as well. 

I added my H&M black sweater and regular black beanie, and  I popped on my pleather cream jacket from Forever 21 to bounce off of the florals of the pant. Last, but not least of course, my boots are black matte Doc Martens and I threw on a pair of bunched black socks from Urban. My lip color is a mix of NYX's Soft Matte Lip Cream in Copenhagen and Mac's Sin.

♕ Photography by Avery Bart ♕

"O tiger's heart wrapped in a woman's hide!"

[Henry VI Part III 1.4]

Cheers, xxx

FULL METAL JACKET

For this pseudo school-like ensemble (if I had a penny for the amount of collared shirts, sweaters and skirts I had to wear during my seven years at a private school...), I started with these fun cranberry tights from Nordstroms BP. I popped on my black skate skirt from Forever 21, and picked out one of my favorite shirts that I think I've ever owned from Nasty Gal. This amazing studded collar is perfect for throwing over a sweater in the winter or worn alone when it's hotter out. My sweater is vintage and handmade from my great-aunt in Italy (this only shows off about a sliver of her talent), and the glasses I'm sporting are my typical Ray-Bans (I simply can't get enough of these). I added my rust colored gloves from H&M for a little pop of color, and although they appear slightly big, I promise they fit relatively snug. 

My shoes are c/o Jeffrey Campbell, and I also had a scarf and jacket on which I threw off to shoot this. For this post, I also wanted to share with you the daily makeup routine I've been sporting, which I'm so in love with, and if you're looking to spruce up your everyday look for the holidays, definitely take some notes:

Face

- Benefit Moisturizer

- Smashbox Photo Finish Foundation Primer

- Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturizer in Fawn

- Makeup Forever Full Cover Concealer in No.8

- Erase Paste by Benefit in Medium (under eye circles)

- Makeup Forever Pro>Finish Powder  (to set)

Eyebrows/ Eyes

- Anastasia Brow Wiz in Brunette

- Too Face Shadow Insurance Primer

- Groundwork Paint Pot by Mac (for lids)

- Soft Brown by Mac (for the crease)

- Brulé by Mac (for the highlight)

- Antiqued by Mac (for lower lash line)

- Bobbi Brown Gel Liner in Black Ink (upper lash line wing)

- Mac's Fascinating Eye Kohl (waterline)

- Tarte Gifted

Cheeks/Contour

- Plum Foolery by Mac

- Tarte Park Avenue Princess (matte)

Lips

- Mac's Verve

And there you have it! I've been obsessed with this routine for a while now, and it's so easy to spice up this makeup for nights out as well. 

♕ Photography by Avery Bart ♕

"Men of few words are the best men"

[Henry V 3.2]

Cheers, x

PS: CLICK HERE TO READ MY LATEST POST ON the Lala! (on blogging& it's stigma superficiality)...x 

OWLET'S WING

Happy December !

It's totally big hat and scarf weather, and I put together this ensemble for a little holiday browsing at the Columbus Circle Holiday Fair with Jack. It was roughly 40 degrees, so not hot enough to head out without a coat, but warm enough to sport some adorable open shoes. I started with this nude-colored blouse from Express, and paired it with my favorite super skinny dark wash jeans from Brandy Melville. On top, I popped on this dark grey jacket from London Fog. 

Finally, I wanted to ramp up this look with some black accessories, and I decided to go with with this knitted black circle scarf from H&M and my amazing black motorcycle gloves I purchased back in Florence in May. I couldn't do without my black Lydia Deetz-style hat from Forever 21, which my red hair contrasted nicely, and my usual favorite Ray Bans of course. To glam this outfit up  and add a feminine touch, I went with my Deena & Ozzy heels to complete the look. 

♕ Photography by Jack Walsh ♕

"There 's daggers in men's smiles"

[Macbeth 2.3]

Cheers, xx

PS :: CHECK OUT MY LATEST LALA POST HERE!

November Favorites

Cheers to the holiday season! November really brought in the freezing weather to NYC this month--but the more winter jackets, beanies, and Starbucks Caramel Hot Chocolates, the better. I'm especially thankful this month for all of the opportunities I've had so far this school year, and I'm so pumped to take on more this winter. But first, let's review the last month of fall favorites, shall we?

Beauty 

01. Mac Groundwork Paint Pot- Ah, a beautiful deep nude base for all your toasty eyeshadow looks. I purchased this over the summer at a CCO upstate, and didn't get the chance to use much of it until this month. Besides this as a base, I think it's great to swipe on as a nude color on your lids with a pop of deeper shadow in your crease. This has been my go-to just about every day. 

02. Urban Decay YDK Shadow- Bronzey-gunmental galore is the best way to describe this shade. I believe YDK is also found in the Naked 2 palette, but I happen to also have the single shadow that I got discounted off of Hautelook. I love this as a shimmery lid color with a matte crease, or you can even take a risk with this and use it as a highlight- the pigment payoff is perfectly shimmery.

03. Anastasia Brow Wiz- This baby has been in my favorites a few times by now, and it's just so worth every penny. It's easy to apply thickly or thinly (whichever is your liking) and the spoolie is extremely thorough. The only complaint I do have is that I went through my second pencil of this extremely quickly (oddly enough the first one I had lasted about 2-3 months), so I'm going to test this one out (use it with a lighter hand) to see how long it ends up lasting this time around. 

04. Stila Smudge Stick in Dazzle- Serving as a liner and smudge stick, this stuff is the bomb. I purchased this on a whim when it was discounted on Hautelook a few months ago, and I've been extremely happy with it. I've found myself reaching for it a ton this month for my lower lash line (it's super quick and easy to swipe on) and it's always been a staple liner for when I'm doing my roommate's or friend's makeup! Dazzle is a really pretty deep gunmental-gray with some really nice sparkle which I love. [PRO TIP: do not use this or other pencils with glitter on your waterline- it could really end up irritating your eyes presently or in the long run]

05. Tarte Park Avenue Princess- Ah, guys. I did it. I splurged on this like I said I would. I just LOVE this bronzer ! It's staying power is magical and it really suits my skin tone. I also went with the matte version because my face tends to get shiny throughout the day. [PRO TIP: matte powders (setting, bronzer, blush) are your friends if you have oily/ combination skin]

06. Mac Verve- I recently just purchased this but decided to throw it in my favorites for this month because I've been wearing it since I bought it! I went into Mac looking for a lipstick that complimented Mac's Whirl, and I was in between Velvet Teddy & Verve. I decided to go with Verve because it's deeper and richer and does work great with Whirl. I do have my eyes on Velvet Teddy so that's one I'll definitely be adding to my Christmas list... (Twig too!)

Miscellaneous

 07. Soap and Glory Hand Food- This was one of those items in the little boxes at the Sephora check-out line that was basically staring at me until I picked it up to buy. I humbly accepted defeat, however, because I love the signature Soap&Glory scent (I've gone through many bottles of Clean On Me and tubes of The Scrub of Your Life). Nevertheless, the $6 well spent! Hand Food is super creamy and makes your hands feel absolutely luscious. Great stocking stuff idea as well!

08. Lush Snow Fairy- You know it's Christmas time when you break this baby out! (In fact, that's a lie, because I stock up on these every Christmas and end up having one or two bottles throughout the year). Snow Fairy is a glorious shower gel that basically smells like cotton candy and happiness. It's scent is super similar to Lush's Candy Mountain Bubble Bar & Godmother soap. To describe that colloquially, remember the bubblegum flavored strep throat medicine you used to take as a child, and it was so delicious that you basically wanted to drink the bottle? That's what this stuff smells like. So whether that's a good or bad memory for you, that'll help you decide whether to get your hands on one of these. Either way, it's totally scrumptious and I dig it (if you couldn't already tell....)

09. Alice Tea Cup Brush Holder- A gift from Miss Lindsey, this tea cup was especially useful when I went home for Thanksgiving for the last week of November as a way to store my makeup brushes and tweezer. Grab an old intricate mug or two to display your brushes. Etsy has adorable ones. Cute mugs aren't just good for coffee and cocoa anymore. 

10. H&M Rust Gloves- Just picked up these lovely gloves in November and I adore them! They add a beautiful pop of color and they're super warm. Plus, you can get them online for $10 bucks now so go go go. 

11. Cinnamon Frosting Candle by Bath & Body Works- I went crazy candle shopping with Lindz this month, and in the process, I picked this one up and it's the first one I've been burning. It smells like cinnamon goodness and Christmas, and it's not overly potent which I like. I also picked up Merry Cookie, Marshmallow Fireside, Hot Buttered Rum, Cinnamon Caramel Swirl, and Vanilla Snowflake. Told ya I went crazy. 

& Finally, lookbook & clips from this month! 

Here's to December ++ CHRISTMAS!

“My tongue will tell the anger of my heart, 

or else my heart concealing it will break.”

[Taming 4.3]

Cheers, x

Redrum

redrum.redrum.redrum

translation = murder

According to Stephen King, that is. I'm obsessed with King novels, and of course 'redrum' is from his  most notorious book (popularized by Jack Nicholson's stellar portrayal of Jack Torrance), The Shining. Within The Shining and it's sequel, Doctor Sleep, the word 'redrum' is often written on bathroom mirrors in blood. Gory, but ah, do I love it.

To note the obvious, my hair is RED(dish).. [REDrum]! I usually do this annually. And a brief note on that-

Alanna's Guide To Dyeing Hair Red Without Actually Dyeing It:

1. Ask your hairdresser (or do it yourself) to highlight the top portions of your hair

2. Once bleached, add a red toner.

3. This way, not your whole head is dyed and it will fade out nicely as your hair grows.

It takes a one-two washes to make the color settle in (the streaks fade pretty quickly), so don't worry about it looking too punchy. It also kind of gives it a fun ombré look at the beginning. Additionally, note that red toner washes out within a month if you wash your hair every day so wash once every 2-3 days if possible (this is healthier for your hair anyway).

For my outfit, I started with my typical A-line skate skirt from Forever 21, and this amazing Christmas-y sweater from Urban I purchased last year. To add some pizzazz, (and because it was too warm for a coat) I popped on this brand new fur vest I got at H&M [LOVE THIS THING!]. I also added a simply black infinity scarf also from H&M and my black-knee high, complete with my JC Soulmans. My ear cuff is from H&M as well. 

Happy Thanksgiving Week!

A lot to be thankful for this year, and most importantly, THANK YOU for your positive feedback and Killer Queen loooove.Check out this Lala post for tips on making the most of your Thanksgiving Break, and of course check out WEAR! 

 ♕ Photography by Amanda Brauer ♕

"I can no other answer make but thanks, And thanks, and ever thanks. 

Often good turns Are shuffled off with such uncurrent pay; 

But were my worth, as is my conscience, firm, 

You should find better dealing."

[Twelfth Night 3.3]

Cheers, xxx