DECEMBER FAVORITES

I like to think of my December favorites as a bridge to more products I want to explore in 2016.  Most of these items are relatively new in my beauty closet, but are pleasantly reminiscent of products I've always used and loved. This month's products are an ode to next year's upcoming trends. It's all about looking forward, after all. 

Beauty 

01. Le Grand Palais by Too Faced- Ah, another Too Faced palette to lust over. I've been addicted to using Wish List mixed with Moon on Their Wings for my lids, and then popping City Lights in my crease. Yule Log and Eiffel are perfect for the lower lash line as well, and I'm obsessed with Vintage Lace as a highlight color. Another A+++++ palette as usual. 

02. Sparkling Rose Highlighter by Mac- Just when I was looking to add a new highlighter into the mix, I found the perfect one. This one is gorgeous, guys. To me, it's like a powder version of Moonbeam by Benefit, but a little more rose in tone. It also has that coppery undertone that certainly comes through, which I really dig for this time of year. 

03) Better Than Sex by Too Faced- Okay, so if I could put one product on this list 400 times, it would be this. I'm always hesitant to try higher end mascaras, only because I usually swear by L'Oreal Voluminous, and why spend $25 on a mascara when you can get a good enough one for $10 at a drugstore? Right? Right. Until I tried this one. I got a sample of this baby in Le Grand Palais, and I was so impressed that I immediately ran to get the full size. It's that good. BTS is perfect for lengthening and creating lash volume. It's literally on L'Oreal Voluminous level, maybe even surpassing it, no joke. If you're looking for the one best beauty product of 2015 to start the new year with, this one is it. 

04) Dior Addict in Etoilé- Every year has a good sparkly clear gloss, and this upcoming season's treasured lip product has Dior written all over it. This is perfect to shine up any matte lip (I love to use it over Mac's Persistence), and it literally screams New Year's Eve in a bottle. 

05) Anything Goes Velvetease by Mac- A girl's search for the perfect red lip saga continues. Just kidding, sort of. I have a ton of favorite red lip combos, but I've been especially intrigued by this super neony-red fuchsia looking lip that you often see one of the Kardashians donning. This lip pencil does just the trick. Perhaps the most vibrant blood-fuchsia-red I've ever tried, I'm in love with the consistency and pigment this pencil offers. 

06) Mega Greens Galaxy Pack by Glossier- Ah! A face mask! Finally! Although my dermatologist would probably not be thrilled with me, I decided to try this mask when I received a sample of it at work. This is the first face mask I've tried in years, as I've been extremely cautious with my skin, avoiding harsh cleansers and heavy masks. Thankfully, the risk I took got me awesome results. I went with Mega Greens because my face is naturally combination, but tends to especially get oily during this time of year.  This mask is specifically made for drawing out that excess oil, and I was really impressed with the results: it left my skin feeling renewed, super fresh, clean, and overall, quite smooth. 

Hair/ Miscellaneous 

07) GHD Platinum Straightener+ Kit- So-long to the days of relying on my CHI. Don't get me wrong, I love CHI straighteners (they're the perfect affordable flat irons), but if you're interested in splurging a bit, GHD has you covered. I received this gorgeous GHD kit and straightener as a gift this Christmas, and I haven't been able to stop using it every time I need to flat iron my hair (which I do a lot more often now as I wash my red hair less than usual). I know, I already have naturally straight locks, but this really gives my hair the most pin-straight iron ever. Definitely a great straightener to look into if you're on the hunt for a good one. 

08) Jazz Club REPLICA by Maison Martin Margiela- Only one word for this: hallelujah. Another Christmas gift, I am absolutely head over heels for this fragrance. But, if you look closely, or you know REPLICA pretty well, you'll know that this is actually the men's fragrance... Yep, the cologne. I wear the cologne. And this cologne is an investment, let me tell you. And on a sidenote, it's true: I LOVE men's fragrances (sometimes more than women's) only because I like the muskier scents as opposed to florals (yuck). This baby is God's grace in a perfume bottle-- so if you're looking for a really great cologne to invest in, get your hands on Jazz Club, no matter your gender. 

09) Layla Oil Slick by Frends- Ah, Christmas, the time where I always ask for a new pair of fancy headphones (lol). Last year, I got white Beats by Dr. Dre, which I use and love while I edit videos, articles, and photos, but I decided that I wanted something a little more high fashion this year. Frends are the answer. They have incredible sound quality, and look incredibly cool with their unique iridescent caps and gold trim. I'm obsessed. 

10) This beanie by Pookie & Sebastian- How freakin' adorable is this hat? So, long story short, Miss Alanna lost her beanie at a bar (whoops!),  so it was great timing that this showed up under her Christmas tree this year. It's super warm,  really comfortable and cozy, and looks super chic with just about any outfit. 

& Finally, a wrap up of outfits featured on KQ this month (shoutout to the Troye Sivan remix I used, his new album is my obsession):

"Our doubts are traitors

And make us lose the good we oft might win,

By fearing to attempt"

[Measure for Measure 1.4]

Cheers + HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!! xxx

P.S. Check out this adorable video I filmed with the Lala making three different cocktails perfect for NYE!!!

CHEAP THRILL

Layers. Layers. Layers. I've been sick over the past couple of days (it's been awwwwful), but the best way to beat the cold fashion wise is layeringgggg! And when I say that, I don't mean add sweater upon sweater (definitely not like Randy from A Christmas Story) (gosh, I hope you get that reference)... I mean layering different garments on top of one another. For example, here, I layered a sweater on top of a short dress, over thick tights. And even better, add a jacket on your shoulders (so, if you're cold you can throw it on, but if you're warm, you can leave it just hanging). My crushed velvet dress is from American Apparel (stay tuned on this one, I have a ton of other ideas on how to style it), my sweater is from UO, and my jacket is BCBG. I don't know where I picked up these awesome burgundy tights (most likely a Christmas gift from a few years ago), but my best guess is you can probably find something similar at a department store.

Accessories are your best friend during the winter. Example: this incredible beanie from Pookie & Sebastian. Not only is this hat incredibly warm (like, one of the warmest hats I think I ever got my hands on), the fur pom at the top just adds fun dimension and a trendy vibe. Finally, I finished this look off with a fun Scunci headband-turned-into-choker, and my favorite black suede platforms.

Stayyyyy warm.

"Blow, blow, thou winter wind! 

Thou art not so unkind as man's ingratitude" 

[As You Like It 2.7]

Cheers,

EPIDERMIS

When it comes to Christmas events, I go one of two ways: I either go all out (cue H&M's ugly tree sweater with a red lip) or I go completely opposite. Majority of the time, I go completely opposite (because when I'm actually participating in anything remotely like an 'ugly sweater,' it's mostly because I'm being ironic). I went super subtle this year, from nude lip (Mac's Persistence) to parted hair. It all started with this adorable flare dress from Free People, complete with 'bell bottom' sleeves and pretty white embroidery. 

I wanted to break up all of this creamy-ness, so I opted to add a black fur vest from H&M, it's a super simple affordable find that adds so much dimension and style to any outfit at all. I went with sheer black tights and high stockings (to mimic the look of thigh-high boots) and my favorite Jeffrey Campbell wedges finished off the look. And of course, I had to add a few interesting accessories—this sequined bag is vintage, and was given to me as a gift, and the choker, also a gift, is actually a headband from a little boutique called Pookie & Sebastian here in New York. I'm really not the greatest fan of headbands in general anymore, (I used to wear them ALL the time, but I sort of just grew out of it) so now I try to repurpose them into other accessories. Making them into chokers are super easy—simply cut the elastic part and tie it on... #boom, you have a chic looking choker with little effort.

"What a piece of work is man! how noble in reason! 

How infinite in faculty! 

In form and moving how express and admirable! 

In action how like an angel! 

In apprehension how like a god! 

The beauty of the world, the paragon of animals! "

[Hamlet 2.2]

Cheers, xoxo

BRONZE

So, I have a confession to make. I fell in love with turtleneck sweaters. I know, they're so not me. But I purchased my first two (since like, the time I had a few in kindergarten) this past month and I cannot, I repeat, I CANNOT stop wearing them. This cozy gunmental grey one is from Michael Kors, and wearing it feel likes being wrapped in a cloud. This coming winter season is all about pairing heavy, chunky turtlenecks with mini flare skirts, like I did here. This corduroy brown button down skirt is courtesy of Brandy Melville, and I'm loving the added dimension and contrasting proportion it gives to the top. 

I finished this off with a cream pleather jacket I purchased ages ago at Forever 21, and added some long socks from Free People and my favorite H&M heeled booties to finish off the look. A spiky velvet choker did just the trick to tie the whole look together.  

♡ Photos by Avery Bart♡

"You pay a great deal too dear for what's given freely"

[Winter's Tale 1.1]

Cheers, xxx

COPPICE

A forest in the middle of ninth avenue, you say?! Seriously though, I think my favorite part of this time of year are the Christmas tree markets that sit in the middle of bustling Manhattan streets; it makes for a beautiful juxtaposition. And that's what this look is all about, juxtaposition of vastly different materials.

I started with this thermal turtleneck from Free People. Not only is it the most comfortable thing I own, it's also majorly warm for cool December days. I love the thin stripe on this (I know this is breaking my "verticle stripe" rule, but I think these lines are thin enough where they don't look like they cut off any part of my body). I paired this with some Bullhead Co. grey denim (fun fact, I cut those knee holes myself), and added this long light coat from Forever 21. Probably my most favorite things about this outfit would have to be these amazing faux snakeskin boots from Lucky Brand (not the exact pair, but similar here), and my tiara from Free People.

♡ Photos by Avery Bart♡

"Pretty soul! she durst not lie Near this lack-love, this kill-courtesy. 

Churl, upon thy eyes I throw All the power this charm doth owe."

[Midsummer 2.2]

Cheers, xoxo

P.S Check out this adorable HOLIDAY DIY I filmed with the Lala ::

NOVEMBER FAVORITES

It seems like every time I blink, another month goes by. November is finally over, and it's time to start ringing in the carols and bells and Pumpkin King-Santa decorations (thank you, Tim Burton). I wanted to take this time (reflecting on the past Thanksgiving week) to thank each and every one of my readers. And, if you do follow me, or read this, or anything of the sort, let me know & reach out! Like I've said in the past on this blog, all of this would not exist without you guys on the other side.. so thank you. Seriously. And remember, this isn't for me, this is all for you! ALL. OF. IT. Same with everything on the Lala. It's all yours. Sometimes the blogging/lifestyle site world gets a little caught up in itself. And as I've written about before, this world can be pretty dangerous. Sometimes I'll get lost in it as well, because it's very easy to. But there are moments where I step back and not only am I floored at the opportunity that this little site has gotten, I'm so honored to just have my work make someone smile or perk some sort of interest. Sometimes I want to hop out of the screen to just thank you all in person. It's all for you, it always has been, and it always will be! So, THANK YOU!

Now, let's get into favorites for the month that will hopefully inspire you a little more today.

BEAUTY

01. Pink Leopard Bronzer Powder by Too Faced- So, ironically, this stuff is actually considered  a bronzer, when I actually prefer to use it as a highlight. Typically, I'll swirl all the colors together and it creates this gorgeous peachy highlight sheen that's absolutely glorious on the cheekbones.  The pigment and consistency is also really great and I've been very impressed with it, considering any makeup that's leopard-patterned would normally scare me (lol). This is definitely an excellent Christmas gift for any beauty gurus in your life, and I'd recommend giving it a try if you're looking for a new highlighter. 

02. Urban Decay 24/7 in Desperation- I've always been a fan of 24/7 eye pencils by UD, but I always stuck to the typical Zero. I decided to try to go for a more slate grey, and I found Desperation, which I've really been digging! It's a nice change from a stark black pencil, and looks awesome on just the lower lash line or in the waterline. These pencils always get such an A+ in my book, so definitely check them out if you haven't yet.

03) Bobbi Brown Gel Liner in Caviar Ink- To go along with the theme of switching up black liner, I also did the same with my gel liner that I usually use everyday for my wings. I wanted something still dark enough to look black, but a little softer with more of a browny-grey undertone. Caviar Ink has done just the trick! (Wow, lol at the fact that rhymed). It's soft enough where it gives off a less harsh contrast, but it's still dark enough to be perceived as black. 

04) Persistence by Mac- My new nude, y'all! (Thank you Miss Joanna for your recommendation!). This is again, one of those really matte Kylie Jenner lip colors, but it actually is the perfect balance of taupey-grey and pinky-brown. It's super super thick which I love for a nude lipstick, and will look really beautiful on just about any skintone. I would recommend though that you use a lip liner with this, Nice N Spicy is my favorite for this. 

05) LUSH Popcorn- Okay, if you're looking for a stocking stuffer, this is it. Lip scrub saves my life during the winter months, since my lips usually get super chapped, but when it's POPCORN FLAVORED? That makes it like 20 thousand times better. It's edible, smells outrageously good, and you'll use it very often, I guarantee. You'll probably not be able to stop using it, actually. 

Hair / Nails / Miscellaneous 

06) Wallis by Butter London- November is always confusing to me when it comes to nail polish, in that, I feel like it's a weird month to go with white or black (my usual go-tos). I try to go with some deep burgundys/navys during this month, but I also really love Wallis this time of year, because it literally screams "November" to me. 

07) It's a Ten Leave In Spray- Ah, such an oldie. But such a goodie. If you follow me on Instagram or have seen  my last post, or have seen me in person within the last week and a half, you'll know that I recently dyed my hair a nice deep cherry red. I usually go red this time of year, and It's a 10 is literally my secret weapon for keeping my color strong. I use this as a heat protectant before I blow dry or straighten my hair and it really does a nice job of protecting/ preventing the color from being stripped. 

08) Nirvana Black Dry Shampoo- And on that note, I've also been washing my hair about every two days (instead of everyday- which I know is bad, but I do it anyway) to keep my color strong, so this dry shampoo has turned into my best friend. When I found out that Nirvana Black was a dry shampoo, I literally ran to Sephora as soon as I could to pick it up. It's actually such a great dry shampoo in itself, it keeps my hair refreshed without getting into too much crazy volume (as dry shampoos have the tendency to do) and plus, the smell is the best thing in the world. 

09) Michael Kors Fur Keychain- All I have to say about this is: YAAAAAAAY. So, long story short, I've been carrying around a fringe keychain for years now, as well as a super beat-up and broken Marc Jacobs keychain from, I wanna say, sometime in my high school career. So, I was in dire need of something new. And as long as you don't live under a rock, you'll know that these puff-ball keychains are super in trend this season (thanks Kylie), so naturally, I had to get my hands on one and found the perfect puff during a Black Friday sale. 

& Finally, wrap up of outfits from KQ this month::

"Wisely and slow; they stumble that run fast"

[Romeo & Juliet 2.3]

Cheers, xoxox

ZEST

When it comes to holidays, it's always been a tradition in my house to dress up. Ever since I was little, I always pined at my mother the week before Thanksgiving or Christmas, asking, can we go get my (insert holiday) dress? Dressing up for holidays doesn't necessarily mean that we're celebrating outside the house or going somewhere special, I've always just seen it as a way to differentiate the day. Plus, let's be real, it's a lot more fun to get decked out in a pretty dress and more makeup than usual, am I right? 

This Thanksgiving, I went all out on finding that perfect dress. First thing's first though, you may be noticing something different about my hair... it's a big change you guys! I went my usual red route as I normally do, but I got the color deepened this time so it looks more like a black cherry-purple. The results are stunning in person, and the photos honestly don't do it justice. Therefore, my first task was to find a dress that would compliment the new color. I wanted something really different, and boy, did I find it. I picked up this victorian-inspired dress from Free People in this incredible mustard-yellowy color (I don't even know the right way to describe it?!) but it looked absolutely stunning with my cherry hair and a bright red lip (NARS Cruella). On top, I added this oversized vintage jacket I actually stole from my mother's closet, which turned out to be my grandmother's jacket (how cool..), which just goes to show that you should take advantage being home for the holidays, because you might not have to look very far for new pieces. I finished the look off with some signature knee-highs and suede boots from H&M (which are currently on sale for black Friday... go, go go.) 

Days like these remind me that any excuse to dress up is a good one. 

"When sorrows come, they come not single spies, but in battalions"

[Hamlet 4.5]

Cheers, xxx

GREEN-EYED

Green as is envy, eh? Part of the reason I picked 'Killer Queen' as my blog name has to do with the fact that I've always been interested in the unpleasant—that's often why my post titles are a little sour. I like to juxtapose darker words with beautiful fashions. Don't ask me why, I just think it creates a new narrative, something you don't really see often.. or at all, for that matter. And, I like to use uncomfortable, sad, or harsh experiences in my life to inspire my art here. That's why I threw myself into blogging from the beginning anyway. It's nice to take moments in your life (happy or sad) and express them through creative energy—and, that's probably one of the most valuable things I've ever learned.

For this spooky November look, I decided to start with this loose jersey collared button down from Wildfox. It actually has two printed jaguar heads on each side of bust line, but I decided cover them up for this particular post. On top, I added this black furry vest from H&M, and my favorite army green hat from Volcom. Finally, these boot beauties are from H&M as well, and I haven't been able to stop wearing them since I got my hands on them—they're so comfortable it's outrageous. Finally, I popped on my Ray Bans and a neutral lip to finish off the look. This outfit is actually an awesome example of my go-to casual formula for fall/ winter: 

top + coat/vest + leggings + chunky heel + hat. 

♡ Photos by Avery Bart♡

"How many fond fools serve mad jealousy?"

[Comedy of Errors 2.1]

Cheers, xoxox

PS: My latest article on BAZAAR.com is live! I'm extremely proud of it. This one's for you, black & white movie lovers.